The theme of this blog seems completely out of our style of content. But it is actually very aligned with the brand, with our principles and with what we believe in our future. Walkable cities - designed and built to be human-friendly!
The design of the cities we live in can make us healthier and increase our happiness. One of the ways to do this is by promoting walking.
a little of history
In Portugal and throughout the Western world, cars are king in cities. But before these became so important in our daily lives, roads were public spaces where men, women and children could walk as they pleased and enjoy a walk. They could play, run, talk in the street.
As automobiles became more affordable, people became "car-lovers" - such that most families have 1 or more cars - and roads began to belong to automobiles, relegating people to sidewalks . As a result of this change, cities started to be designed for driving and people don't feel enthusiastic or want to go for a walk because the path is not pleasant!
the health effects
The cities we live in have a huge impact on our health. They are concrete spaces with few green areas. And even the pedestrian areas are next to the roads - polluted by gases emitted by cars, but also with immense noise pollution.
Studies show that 9 out of 10 people living in urban areas are affected by air pollution, increasing the risk of heart and respiratory complications. and even if it is not so obvious, the fact that there are few green spaces has a profound impact on our mental health and our average life expectancy ( read article ).
Cities without cars
Fortunately, we are already starting to see more concern from governments towards citizens, pollution and green spaces. But are they really designing walkable cities? A city like this has to find a balance between aesthetics, the practical component, viability, and the result.
Here are some pilot projects that aim to dethrone cars as the preferred means of transport, make cities more beautiful, more environmentally friendly, more durable and made with the citizen who walks in mind instead of the car that drives:
15-minute city - is an urban project where all of the citizen's daily needs are less than 15 minutes away on foot or by bike.
Culdesac - is a neighborhood built from scratch in Tempe - Arizona, United States - where cars are not allowed.
Copenhagen - despite already being a city and not a project, it is a global example because 90% of its inhabitants do not use a car! And it also appears at the top of the health and happiness rankings of its inhabitants. As we mentioned before and here it is proven: a pleasant city will positively affect the health and state of mind of those who inhabit it.
Conclusion
Our role as part of society is also to raise awareness and provide examples of good practice. is to educate the community and make it stronger and better. and we, in Portugal, have all the conditions to be leaders in implementing these projects that can change the world!
Extra
And did you know that there are already projects on web3 that reward those who walk, those who exercise and those who have an active lifestyle? The best known is STEPN , which is an M2E (Move to Earn) project focused on changing the lifestyle of the world's population and with environmental and social concerns. Explore!
The Eight.One
Finally, we must mention the importance of the clothes we wear when we go hiking . it should be comfortable, very malleable, easy to wash and dry, and it should leave you feeling confident! see our collection here !
