April Challenge: Move
Spring has finally arrived, and there’s nothing I want to do more than stand outside and inhale huge breaths of the sweet smell of moist earth, of air infused with green. On a mild spring morning, no spa can compete with just being outside.
April is an incredible month to spend more time alfresco, and thus this month we’re talking about how we get ourselves from A to B. (Or these days, possibly A to A to A to A.) Transportation is responsible for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and cars are a significant part of our own carbon footprints. In a 2017 study by Seth Wynes and Kimberly Nicholas that looked at the most effective personal interventions, it’s no coincidence that the word “car” crops up a lot:
COVID-19 has significantly reduced our transportation options, and sometimes a gas-powered car may be the safest way to get where you need to go. That’s okay. But consider if you might be able to run some errands by human power instead. (This is, of course, harder to do in certain areas, or if you’re living with a disability. Do what is reasonable and pleasurable for you!)
In the end, this isn’t just about cracking down on our own carbon footprints, which are microscopic in the grand scheme of things: active transportation is a way to challenge our default modes of doing and re-engage with the world we’re trying to preserve. Spring is the perfect time to take in the parade of blossoms, from the first brave nodding snowdrops through the hellebores, crocuses, scilla, dwarf irises, daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips. Take deep breaths of life unfurling yet again.
Some background reading:
Now, on to the month’s challenges:
Pick up the paces
One of my strategies for surviving pandemic winter lockdown in a small urban apartment was daily walks (or “stupid little walks” as I sometimes called them, because of this tweet). They weren’t about step count or fitness, just the glory of leaving my apartment and forcing myself to get, in the words of Her Holiness Tami Taylor, “a little air in my hair.”
We’re now coming into the some of the most beautiful weeks in Ontario, with the bloom sequence unfolding on the ground and in the branches of trees, the world transforming itself daily with new little bursts of beauty. The challenge this month is to go out every day and engage with your senses. It doesn’t have to be for long, and you don’t have to be “going somewhere” (ah, to have a destination!), just go. You could bring a family member or listen to a podcast or an audiobook, but don’t feel the need to be “productive.” Right now the birds are returning and it’s pretty beautiful to listen to them too. I am a very amateur bird spotter, but I know the cardinal’s song, and am delighted every time I hear it and spy a little blob of red.
If there’s somewhere you normally go by car and can walk instead, all the better, but in the end this isn’t so much a carbon calculation as taking your animal body out for a walk and rediscovering the joys of perambulation and the nature around you.
This month, I challenge you to walk every day. It doesn’t have to be for long, no minimum step threshold. Just start moving and see where your feet take you.
Try two wheels
On the crossbar of my bike it says “Through this ride, freedom” and I can vouch that this is true. Becoming a confident urban cyclist is one of the most important things I’ve done for myself in adulthood. It’s made me happier, healthier, more connected with my city, and saved me thousands of dollars. Sometimes I still get a little thrill when I start pedalling.
Thanks to cycling activists and the challenges of COVID, in Toronto we have more bike lanes than ever before, with more still to come. The bike lanes are more connected and more protected, which make for a safer ride. It’s a great time to get riding. Plus, cycling allows you to avoid public transit and makes it safer for those who don’t have another option.
Thanks to COVID supply chain disruption, a lot of bike orders are backed up through 2022, but it’s a great time to buy one used (or sell one if you’re hoarding a bike you’re not using) or to try a bike share program.
Let’s get structural!
If you want streets that are safer for cyclists and pedestrians (not to mention ones with better air quality and a lighter eco impact), donate to your local cycle advocacy group. For me, that’s CycleTO. I have a recurring membership for $5 a month, less than the price of one round-trip TTC ride. They do great work advocating for bike lanes and building a safe cycling grid, which is vital to getting more people on the roads. In fact, a recent study of 106 European cities found that adding bike infrastructure during the pandemic boosted cycling takeup 11 to 48% throughout the city. Thanks to a recent change, a donation to CycleTO is now tax deductible.
Wins of the Week
“If you want to make small changes, change the way you do things. If you want to make major changes, change the way you see things.” — Don Campbell, rancher (quoted in Gabe Brown, From Dirt to Soil)
Virtual high fives to all those folks making smart, resourceful choices like every day is Earth Day (which, in my book, it is):
Tiffany saved her window plastic as she took it down so she can reuse it next year! (I’ve been plasticking my windows for over a decade and this somehow never occurred to me. Reuse potential is everywhere!)
Holly is replacing her lawn with white clover, which is a perennial that doesn’t require the pampering of grass and provides food for pollinators.
Jenna and Krista lost their wonderful mum recently, and during this awful time still managed to thoughtfully pass on her things to friends, family, and people in need. At such a terrible time, when demands are high and energy is low, distributing things with care is a Herculean task, but an act of love that is so much more than environmental.
Are you doing something new and exciting on behalf of our little blue marble? Don’t be shy: click reply and let me know, drop a comment, or report it in the Facebook group!
I’ll be back in a couple of weeks, but until then, put on those sneakers and get walking on sunshine.
xo
JK
P.S. Since the last newsy went out, I’ve been mulling over the recent criticisms of Substack as a platform — notably that they’ve been paying big advances to lure over right-wing writers known to have expressed transphobic views and other forms of hate speech. Let’s be clear: I unreservedly support the rights of trans people. I currently give Substack no money, nor is my “profile” an asset to them. (Toiling in obscurity has its advantages.) But they provide good services for free, which keeps this newsletter free, so I’m inclined to stay here until I can find a better alternative. If this is something you want to talk about, or you have a great reco for another platform, please do hit reply.
Five Minutes for Planet is written by me, Jen Knoch, and edited by Crissy Calhoun. Opening photo by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash.