Walk this way

I've just returned from a pleasant Sunday morning walk on Broadway in South Boston to get a coffee and a gallon of milk. I also got a doughnut so in terms of calories burned it's doubtless a wash. Still, it's always so refreshing not to climb into the car. The way urban neighborhoods promote walking is a big topic among planners and architects and, increasingly, public health experts these days. It's just common sense that when your physical surroundings allow you and indeed encourage you to walk, you're more likely to make physical activity a routine part of your day -- one way all those French women don't get fat. I have a piece on physical activity and design in today's Boston Sunday Globe Ideas section, which features innovative thinking in the Greater Boston area; communities around here are working on Safe Routes to Schools and better sidewalks, clearer wayfinding for those on foot and multi-use paths: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2005/07/31/activity_oriented_design/.