If you didn't already know it, biking and walking are really good for you. Thanks to a new study released by the Alliance for Biking and Walking (and funded by the CDC) we now have the data to prove it. There is a lot of great information in the study and I recommend you check it out. But for those of you on the fly, a few highlights:-Less than 10% of all trips are made by bike or foot-From 2000-2007 the number of commuters who bike to work increased by 42%-States with the highest levels of cycling and walking have the lowest levels of adults with hypertension, obesity, and diabetes-New Yorkers (not a big surprise) make more of their trips by foot or bike than any other state- almost 19% of their trips -North Dakota, South Carolina, Delaware and Mississippi tied for last place– only about 5% of trips are made by foot or bikeOne quandary (and a reason many people stay in their cars) is that study also shows cyclists and pedestrians are at a disproportionate risk of being killed. Not a big surprise when you consider that less than 2% of the federal transportation budget is allocated towards walking and biking. Savvy policy makers might consider the public health benefits (and corresponding impact on health care budgets) when divvying up the monies next time around.Photo: Flickr / stevemacdonaldThis post originally appeared on www.refresheverything.com, as part of GOOD's collaboration with the Pepsi Refresh Project, a catalyst for world-changing ideas. Find out more about the Refresh campaign, or to submit your own idea today.
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