October is the perfect month for walking. The air turns cooler, the trees put on a show, and fallen leaves add an old-fashioned, sepia-toned look to neighborhood sidewalks. Children celebrate the coming of Halloween, our nation’s main walking-centric holiday.

So it’s only natural that October is also International Walk to School Month. For those of you with school-age kids, this is a great time to introduce them to the traditional joys of walking to school. (For those of you without kids, consider this conversation fodder for your next cocktail party. And go easy on that gas pedal along neighborhood streets, will ya?)

Minnesota schools are getting into the act by planning special walking-themed events. The National Safe Routes to School website gives the lowdown on scores of events scheduled around the state, from Burnsville and Crookston to Rochester and Windom. Many center around Wednesday, October 5th—International Walk to School Day (yet more cocktail fodder).

Here at Fresh Energy, we’re doing our part to make walking in Minnesota safer, easier, and more enjoyable by working to incorporate these considerations into state and local design standards –an ambitious effort called Complete Streets.

As always, you can help support our work by becoming a member.

Happy walking!

P.S. Looking for even more info? Check out Minnesota Safe Routes to School, the Mn/DOT Safe Routes to School Program.

Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trick-or-treating

October is the perfect month for walking. So it’s only natural that October is also International Walk to School Month.