Walking will bring better health, relief from parking woes
Student Senate member Alison West, chair of the University Development and Recycling Committee, hopes to help students and faculty see the benefits of walking to class with a “walking campaign.”
West said she came up with the idea last year as a way to encourage students and faculty to walk more on campus rather than driving.
However, she did not begin putting her campaign into action until this semester.
“Eastern needs to be more of a walking campus,” West said, “Walking is much healthier. There are so many benefits to walking.”
West plans to start working on her campaign within the next couple of weeks.
“I want to start on it while the weather is still nice. It would make more sense than starting it in the middle of the winter.”
West feels promoting the alternative of walking will eliminate the constant battle for faculty, upperclassman and underclassman parking, even though, parking spots for each group were added over the summer.
The Panther Express shuttle bus is another transportation option to students, but runs on a set schedule.
West hopes to team up with the senate’s Shuttle Bus Committee.
“I hope together we can promote walking,” West said.
Lindsey Baum, chair of the Shuttle Bus Committee, said the walking campaign is a good idea.
She said that even though the bus has not had problems with overcrowding, she foresees it being a problem as the weather gets colder.
Instead of waiting for the cold weather to hit, the campaign will begin now, when walking is more appealing to students.
“We want to start promoting good walking habits now,” Baum said.
West and Baum also plan to approach the faculty with the campaign for support. They hope targeting faculty separate from students will be more effective.
Fliers will be posted explaining the health and environmental benefits of walking versus driving West said.
“We will be talking about good walking benefits and less pollution,” Baum said.
