<div dir="ltr"><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Jay Walljasper</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jay@jaywalljasper.com">jay@jaywalljasper.com</a>></span><br>Date: Fri, Jul 8, 2016 at 1:40 AM<br>Subject: Free copy of my new book- America's Walking Renaissance<br>To: Jay Office <<a href="mailto:jay@jaywalljasper.com">jay@jaywalljasper.com</a>><br><br><br><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><div>Dear Advocate of Vital Communities: </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I am pleased to offer you a free dowload of my new book, America's Walking Renaissance, created with America Walks and the Every Body Walk Collaborative. </div><div><br></div><div>Please feel free to share, tweet, facebook, reprint, repost, announce or any other way circulate the book or the short summary of it below. All the text here is FREE FOR YOU TO USE. </div><div><br></div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><div>Here is the link: </div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/93bjioa4i1jg9p3/americas-walking-renaissance-3.pdf?dl=0" target="_blank">Download a Copy of the Book Here</a><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><div> </div><div><br></div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><div><br></div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div>Here is the text of a short article drawn from the book: </div></div><br><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>AND I WELCOME THE CHANCE to discuss how I might be work with your organization. My website <span style="color:rgb(163,34,38);font-family:Times;font-size:16px;font-weight:bold"><a href="http://www.jaywalljasper.com/" target="_blank">JayWalljasper.com</a> </span>offers more background on my work. <div><br></div><div><span style="color:rgb(163,34,38);font-family:Times;font-size:16px;font-weight:bold">Jay Walljasper </span></div><div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Walking Makes Strides in All
Kinds of Communities<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt">From inner-city Birmingham
to small town Iowa to racially diverse suburbs of LA</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>By Jay Walljasper</span></p><div><br></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Imagine living in
one of America’s great walkable communities.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Your day begins with
a stroll—saying hi to neighbors, noticing blooming gardens and enticing shop
windows, maybe stopping for a treat on your way to work.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Weekends are even
better.<span> </span>You step out your door and
join the hum of activity on the sidewalk en route to a coffeeshop, park,
shopping district, friend’s home, recreation center or house of worship.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>More time on your
feet provides an opportunity to reflect on your life (you feel more energetic
and creative now that you’re not driving all the time) and your community (it
feels more alive now that everyone walks more).<span> </span>Even driving is more fun than it used to be with fewer cars
clogging the streets.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>And the really good
news is that you don’t need to move to another town or a more expensive
neighborhood to enjoy these pleasures. Any community can become more walkable
if people are willing to get off the couch to make a difference.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>That’s what my
colleagues and I at the <a href="http://everybodywalk.org/" target="_blank">Every Body Walk!
Collaborative </a><span> </span>and <a href="http://americawalks.org/" target="_blank">America Walks</a> discovered researching our
new book <i><a href="http://americawalks.org/americas-walking-renaissance/" target="_blank">America’s Walking
Renaissance</a>, </i>which<i> </i>can be
downloaded <a href="http://americawalks.org/americas-walking-renaissance/" target="_blank">here</a>
for free. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Feet on the Street,
Coast-to-Coast<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>We found inspiring
stories from places across the US where people got things started in
communities not so different from where you live.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In Baldwin Park, a
racially diverse suburb of LA, high levels of childhood obesity are dropping as
the result of a community-wide effort to make walking more safe and
comfortable. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In Batesville,
Arkansas, and Albert Lea, Minnesota, improvements to boost walking around town
are paying off in new residents, businesses and hope for the future.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In Birmingham, a
growing network of walking trails helps address problems arising from decades
of economic decline, racial inequity and declining public health.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In Arlington,
Virginia, an innovative plan to transform neighborhoods into foot-friendly
villages made it America’s Most Walkable Suburb. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In Phoenix,
ambitious programs to encourage walking are part of a push to become America’s
healthiest city.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In St. Paul, a
multicultural community torn apart by freeway construction seeks revival and
healing through better pedestrian connections.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In San Francisco
and New York, neighbors are teaming up with public leaders to end all traffic
deaths on city streets.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In Northeast Iowa,
small town kids are growing excited about walking to and at school.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In Seattle,
groundbreaking policies curb speeding motorists and prevent traffic crashes. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In African-American
communities coast-to-coast, <a href="http://www.girltrek.org/" target="_blank">GirlTrek</a>
encourages women to take charge of their health by walking regularly. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In California’s
Central Valley, Latino parents are organizing campaigns to make streets
hospitable for people on foot. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In Indianapolis,
leaders from around the world study the Cultural Trail, a 21<sup>st</sup>
century walk-and-bike corridor that has reinvigorated struggling business
districts.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•In Greater
Philadelphia, a network of bike/walk trails link the entire region—300 miles so
far with 450 more planned.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•Even in Oklahoma
City, once named America’s “Worst Walking City”, big plans are working to make
walking easier, less dangerous and more fun. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Why is walking suddenly
popular?<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Improvements like
these are popping up all over because Americans want to get back on their
feet—for better health, stronger communities and happier, more relaxing
lives.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>The Federal Centers
for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) found the number of people who
regularly walk <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/walking/" target="_blank">rose six percent</a>
between 2005 and 2010 (latest figures available), a jump which translates into
20 million Americans stepping up.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>But we still have a
long ways to go. Only 48 percent of adults met the CDC’s minimum <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/walking/" target="_blank">daily recommendation for walking</a>
or other physical activity:<span> </span>30
minutes a day five days a week (60 minutes daily for kids).<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>That’s the magic
number that cuts your chances of suffering from depression, dementia, diabetes,
colon cancer, heart disease, anxiety, high blood pressure and other serious
diseases by 40 percent or more. The American Heart Association lauds walking as
the exercise people stick with the most over time.<span> </span>It’s free, requires no special equipment and can be done
anytime, usually right out your front door.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Last year, US
Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy singled out walking as a powerful health
solution in his landmark <a href="http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/walking-and-walkable-communities/exec-summary.html" target="_blank">Call
to Action to Promote Walking and Walkable Communities</a>. </span><span>“Walking is a simple, effective and
affordable way to build physical activity into our lives,” Murthy declared. “The
key is to get started because even a small first effort can make a big
difference in improving the personal health of an individual and the public
health of the nation.”</span><span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>The rise in
walking for recreation, transportation and exercise is also being fueled by new
research showing it’s good for us in many ways besides better health:<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•Going out for
a walk is one of the best ways to meet people and strengthen community
connections, which is fun but also <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150158/" target="_blank">boosts our mental
and physical health</a>. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•Kids who walk
to school <a href="http://www.californiaprojectlean.org/docuserfiles/AcademicAchievement_FactSheet_WEB_final.pdf" target="_blank">do
better in their classes</a>, according to Mary Pat King, the National PTA’s
Director of Programs and Partnerships. Walking improves students’
concentration, mood, cognitive performance and creativity, explains Dr. Richard
Jackson, former Environmental Health Director of the US Centers for Disease
Control.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•Metropolitan
regions with many walkable neighborhoods perform better economically than those
with just a few, according to a new report from the <a href="http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/foot-traffic-ahead-2016/" target="_blank">George
Washington University School of Business</a>. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•Reduced
anger, increased self-control and a greater sense of well-being are other
documented benefits of walking , according to <a href="http://walkwithadoc.org/why-walk/" target="_blank">100 Reasons to Walk</a>, issued by
Walk with a Doc, an organization of physicians working in 29 states. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Signs
of the Times<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>You don’t have
to look far to see signs that Americans are rediscovering the joy of walking.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•<i>Real Simple</i> magazine declared it
“America’s untrendiest trend” in a cover story.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•Soul Singer
Pharrell Williams’ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM" target="_blank">“Happy”
video</a>, which highlights the sheer pleasure of strolling down the street,
has been watched 850 million times.<span>
</span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•A recent
national poll from the <a href="http://www.realtor.org/news-releases/2015/07/millennials-favor-walkable-communities-says-new-nar-poll" target="_blank">National
Association of Realtors</a> finds that 79 percent of Americans believe it’s
important to live “within an easy walk” of the places they want to go.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•Secretary of
Transportation Anthony Foxx has announced an <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/office-policy/transportation-policy/secretary%E2%80%99s-action-plan-bike-and-pedestrian-safety" target="_blank">all-out
effort</a> to make walking safer in communities everywhere.<span> </span>“Bicycling and walking are as important
as any other form of transportation,” he declared at a major transportation
conference. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>•More than 10
percent of all trips in America are on foot, according to Paul Heberling,
Policy Analyst at the US Department of Transportation—and 28 percent of all
trips under a mile.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Everybody
has a Right to Walk<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The
health benefits of walking are so overwhelming that to deny access to that is a
violation of fundamental human rights,” declared Dr. Robert D. Bullard, father
of the environmental justice movement in a keynote speech at the National
Walking Summit in Washington, D.C. “All communities should have a right to a
safe, sustainable, healthy, just, walkable community.”<u></u><u></u></span></p><div style="margin-top:0.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0.1pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Yet it is a stark fact that children,
older Americans, the poor, people of color and people with disabilities are
injured or killed more frequently while walking (or rolling, in the case of
people using wheelchairs or motorized carts).<u></u><u></u></span></div><div style="margin-top:0.1pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0.1pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><u></u> <u></u></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">•
People walking in the poorest one-third of urban census tracts are <a href="http://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/gov-pedestrian-deaths-analysis.html" target="_blank">twice
as likely to be killed</a> by cars.</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">•
African Americans are 60 percent <a href="http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/2014/05/20/dangerous-by-design-2014-highlights-preventable-pedestrian-fatalities/" target="_blank">more
likely to be killed by cars</a> while walking, and Latinos 43 percent.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">•
The pedestrian fatality rate rises significantly for people 45 and over,
according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Many
disadvantaged people now think twice before traveling on foot due to dangerous
traffic, crumbling sidewalks, street crime, poor lighting, or the lack of
stores and public places within walking distance. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Poor
conditions for walking among low-income households limit their access to jobs
and education. One-third of all African Americans and one-quarter of all
Latinos live without access to a car, according to a report by the Leadership
Conference Education Fund, which means walking and public transit (which
involves a walk) represent important pathways to opportunity.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">“A
big thing we could do to help low-income families is to make it easier to live
without a car. And it would help middle-class families to switch from two cars
to one,” says Gil Penalosa, founder of <a href="http://880cities.org/" target="_blank">8 80
Cities</a> and an immigrant from Colombia. </span><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:#262626">He notes that the </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">average cost of owning and operating one
car is about <a href="http://newsroom.aaa.com/2015/04/annual-cost-operate-vehicle-falls-8698-finds-aaa/" target="_blank">$8,500
a year</a>, even taking into account recent dips is gasoline prices.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">The
good news is that the right to walk is becoming a major issue, as advocates for
social justice, public health, neighborhood revitalization and other causes
push for policies to make walking safer and easier in communities all across
America. In fact, Secretary of Transportation Foxx, the former mayor of Charlotte,
has made it one of his top priorities with the <a href="http://www.transportation.gov/office-policy/transportation-policy/secretary%E2%80%99s-action-plan-bike-and-pedestrian-safety" target="_blank">Safer
People, Safer Streets</a> initiative.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><b><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Adapted
from the book America” Walking Renaissance, which can be <a href="http://americawalks.org/americas-walking-renaissance/" target="_blank">downloaded for
free</a> .<u></u><u></u></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><b><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Jay
Walljasper, author of the </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman"">Great Neighborhood Book<i>, writes, speaks and consuslts about how to
create healthier, happier communities.<span>
</span>He lives in Minneapolis and his website is <a href="http://www.jaywalljasper.com/" target="_blank">JayWalljasper.com</a>.<span> </span><u></u><u></u></i></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span> </span><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br></p></div><div></div><br><div><span style="font-size:12px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><div><span style="color:rgb(163,34,38);font-family:Times;font-size:16px;font-weight:bold">J</span></div><div><font color="#A32226" face="Times" size="4"><span style="font-size:16px"><b><br></b></span></font></div><div><font color="#A32226" face="Times" size="4"><span style="font-size:16px"><b><br></b></span></font></div><div><br></div></span><br></span><br></span></span></span></span></span>
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<br></div></div><br></div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div>Check out the Commons Transition Plan here at: <a href="http://commonstransition.org" target="_blank">http://commonstransition.org</a> </div><div><br></div>P2P Foundation: <a href="http://p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://p2pfoundation.net</a> - <a href="http://blog.p2pfoundation.net" target="_blank">http://blog.p2pfoundation.net</a> <br><br><a href="http://lists.ourproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/p2p-foundation" target="_blank"></a>Updates: <a href="http://twitter.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://twitter.com/mbauwens</a>; <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens</a><br><br>#82 on the (En)Rich list: <a href="http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/" target="_blank">http://enrichlist.org/the-complete-list/</a> <br></div></div></div></div>
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