Transportation & Energy...

So I spent last semester in London, which was lovely but got really overwhelming at times. My biggest complaint about the city was the failing transportation system. Your best bet when trying to get around was to walk everywhere you could- otherwise, you could quite possibly find yourself waiting forever until the tube showed up. Which is precisely why Walkit.com, a new London-based website, is a must-see not only for eco-conscious commuters, but for everyone who has ever been frustrated by the inconsistency of public transportation.

To use Walkit.com, you simply enter your starting and ending locations, and the site does the rest. Based on the data you’ve entered, Walkit.com creates a personalized walking map to quickly and efficiently get you where you need to go. This, in my humble opinion, is genius. Why waste your money on a taxi and contribute to air pollution when you can walk?

You can also find out approximately how long the walk will take AND how many calories you will burn doing it! By utilizing Walkit.com, you’re not just reducing your carbon footprint- you’re getting some exercise, and maybe even enjoying yourself in the process.

Walkit.com was just shortlisted for The 2007 National Energy Efficiency Award, and is starting to make headlines across the globe.

“We want to get people walking more,” reads Walkit.com’s mission statement. “We think walking in and around town can be a smart choice. No timetables to keep to, no journey delays, no overcrowding, healthy, green, free, direct, access to services (and sunlight!) en route. We're a tiny outfit but we've got big ambitions and plan to launch the service in other UK cities as soon as we can.” Sounds good to me.

I love this idea because it tackles multiple issues at once. It’s an environmentally conscious act that positively impacts your health. We are so lazy sometimes, and this is an ideal way to get motivated to exercise and feel good and accomplished at the same time. Heck, I’m not saying you need to walk miles to get to where you belong, but think about all the places you drive out of convenience when you could easily go for a quick jaunt on foot. Once the snow kicks in here in Ithaca, it’s sometimes a much better idea to just start walking in the first place, because it could be ages before you can even get your car out of the driveway!

Support Walkit.com so that it can eventually make its way to your city. And get walking, friends!