This school year Coulee Region Childhood Obesity Coalition members are encouraging Coulee Region kids to start their school year off on the “right foot” by committing to walking or biking to school rather than riding this year.

Walking or biking to school is an easy way to get in the 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity experts recommend kids get each day and has lots of other benefits as well.

Walking or biking to school:

Helps reduce school and education costs by reducing busing.

Decreases family fuel costs.

Helps reduce road congestion around schools and on the roadways in general. The Centers for Disease Control notes that 20-25 percent of the morning traffic during the school year is parents driving kids to school. If more children walked, we could reduce road congestion considerably.

Teaches children good safety habits. When children ride everywhere they don’t learn or get to practice safe walking/biking habits — habits that will last their lifetime.

Can enhance academic performance. When children are active in the morning they arrive at school more awake and ready to learn.

Provides children with the opportunity to spend time with other children (or if parents walk with them — their parents) — improving social skills.

Can help create safer communities. With more people out and about, more eyes are on the streets.

Enables kids to get to know their neighborhood and develop a feeling of belonging.

So encourage your child to make walking to and from school part of their daily routine. To walk safely, encourage children to — walk with a buddy, cross only at marked crosswalks or where there are crossing guards, avoid talking with strangers and dress for the weather.

If walking or biking everyday seems too big of a commitment — encourage them to commit to walking one day each week to begin with. Try making every Tuesday “Trekking Tuesday” or every Wednesday “Walking or Wheeling Wednesday.” They will look and feel better as a result.

If your children attend Irving Pertzsch Elementary in Onalaska, take advantage of the school’s Safe Routes to School Program.

For more information about healthy eating and an active lifestyle or for the Irving Pertzsch Safe Routes to School Map, visit the coalition’s Web site at www.childhoodobesitycoalition.org.

Linda Lee is the nutrition manager for the La Crosse County Health Department.

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