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Poetter Hall was purchased by the SCAD founders in March 1979. Classes began in September of that year.  
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Trivial Pursuits

Trivial Pursuits
 
Walking promotes health, saves money


 


By Monique Bos
Published: Friday, April 22, 2005

As gas prices skyrocket, many people are turning to alternate forms of transportation. For example, Savannah College of Art and Design alumna Heidi Halabuda invested in a motorized scooter that gets 100 miles per gallon of gas.

However, walking also is a feasible option, said John Bennett, director of SCAD student media and chair of Pedestrian Advocates of the Coastal Empire, and one he recommends to those looking to save money on transportation costs.

“There’s a general rule of thumb that a mile or less is a reasonable distance for a healthy adult to walk. Yet, according to the Surface Transportation Policy Project, each day we use cars for 123 million trips that were short enough to be accomplished on foot,” Bennett said. “That’s more than 6 billion unnecessary car trips a year.”

In addition to saving gas money, he said a widespread, national shift toward walking could reduce costs in healthcare and other areas.

“The Centers for Disease Control estimates that a more active population would save $77 billion a year in healthcare costs,” he said. “So many of the costs associated with private automobile use are externalized. In other words, the cost of treating childhood asthma caused by automobile emissions or maintaining military presence in unstable parts of the world to keep the oil flowing are not reflected in what we pay at the gas pump.”

Repercussions of more people walking would be seen locally as well as globally. Bennett said that if more Savannahians opted to walk, many of the city’s problems — from road construction to crime — could diminish.

“First, everyone who bikes or walks frees up a parking space for those who can’t or won’t leave their cars at home,” he said. “Second, walking and biking reduce wear and tear on infrastructure like roads and bridges. Finally, people who walk or bike can deter crime by being eyes and ears on the street. If I’m hurtling through town at 45 miles per hour, encased in glass and steel, I’m less likely to see that person climbing into my neighbor’s window. But if I’m walking or biking, I’m in a better position to observe suspicious behavior and report it to the police.”

Of course, caution is always necessary, and cars can be the safest option for those traveling at night or through dangerous areas. However, during daylight hours and for short distances, walking is indeed a viable — as well as healthy and cheap — alternate form of transportation.

For more information about PACE and pedestrian safety, visit www.pacesavannah.org.