Reduce your carbon footprint, by making some (and stay healthy too)!

Have you ever stopped to think about just how close some of those places you travel to by car every day really are? Today, I left my microbiology final (last day of school for 4 weeks!) and found another surprisingly nice day outside-especially for St. Louis, in July. I decided that a great way to kick off my "Summer Break Part 2" would be to go to the library to pick up some reading material. I have been walking to the library often lately, since I found one so close to me, and today there was no question about it due to the nice weather! When I arrived back home, armed with one vegetarian cookbook and two memoirs, I started thinking about the other nearby establishments I visit regularly and the fact that they are probably just as convenient as the library to walk to.
Okay, so here's proof that I'm done with school for right now: I had to make an assignment out of it. I googled the addresses of the library, Schnucks, and Target and then went to Google Maps and got walking mileage to each one from my house. As it turns out, the library is 0.9 miles, Schnucks is 0.6, and Target is 1.8 (which would also include Trader Joe's since its in the same plaza).
Then (the wheels are really turning right now) I thought about the fact that walking would not only save money on gas and eliminate the emission of harmful compounds from my car, but also help incorporate physical activity...an important part of a healthy lifestyle (it is part of the food pyramid now).
Walking 3.5 miles per hour (a nice, brisk pace but not ridiculously fast) will burn about 140 calories every 30 minutes. Of course, this varies by individual weight. Here's a nice calorie calculator I found that allows you to enter your own weight and activity time.
Calorie Calculator
Since it took me about 15 minutes each way to walk to the library today, I know I burned 115 calories. If I walked to Target or TJ's, I could burn 207! Now, I know it's not always logical to walk to the store if you're going to buy a lot, or if the items you are going to get are perishable. When possible, though, walking with a destination in mind is a great way to multi-task and help keep yourself, and the environment, a little healthier.