I attended the Greener Living Show in Toronto on Friday. It was refreshing to see the different kinds of products and services that can help reduce your impact on the environment. Like most people, I didn’t realise how good it is to live green. From organic cotton underwear to drinking local wine, the Greener Living showed me how easy and enjoyable living green can be.

In an effort to live more eco-conscious I also thought it would be a good idea if a portion of future posts on this blog promoted simple ways to live green. Today, walking.

Whether it’s warm outside or not, I’ve found getting around on my own two feet is the only way to go. (In fact, I sold my car 3 years ago and haven’t looked back). Even if you have to go across town, grab a backpack and jump on the streetcar. It sounds like it would take a while but as motorists stuck on the Gardiner Expressway found out this weekend, it’s usually less agonizing to take public transit.

For people living outside of urban centres, walking won’t do you any good if nothing’s around. Walkscore is a great tool that tells you how walkable your neighbourhood is (mine is rated ‘Very walkable’). If your neighborhood isn’t very walkable, consider why. Are you in an area of urban sprawl? Is your local government not doing enough to promote accessible public transit? Do you need to move? Walking is definitely easier in urban areas but just because you’re not in the city it doesn’t mean you can’t try to get outside and explore. And if that gets you nowhere, perhaps your next step is looking at low-emission or alternatively fueled vehicles.

For the rest of us though, walking is a a great first step (ha) toward living green.