Don’t underestimate “walking”, it is a low-carbon and environmentally friendly fashion trip

This summer, city walking (also known as: Citywalk), which seems to be no different from "taking a stroll", has become one of the most popular ways to travel. Instead of going to famous attractions, walk through the streets and alleys on foot to explore every corner of the city. The ways to play include "invite two or three friends to stroll through the city streets, look at old buildings, visit specialty shops, order a cup of coffee, or taste authentic local snacks". In fact, as long as you stroll through the city streets, whether you are enjoying the scenery or spending money casually, it is a "Citywalk-style" way of life and consumption.

Why is City Walk suddenly so popular? Indeed, it is not a new thing, but it has several obvious benefits: first, you can enjoy the beauty of the city at a leisurely pace; second, light trips are "more cost-effective", low-carbon, environmentally friendly and save money; third, it can help people reconnect with the community and find the scenery around them when most of their daily needs are met online; fourth, it can help people discover details of life that they don't usually notice and maintain their curiosity; fifth, taking a walk after get off work can soothe their mood and is a time-saving and stress-relieving method for office workers.

File photo: Citizens walking on the streets of Changchun

In recent years, the direction of tourism development has evolved from the earliest resource-oriented to product-oriented, and then to the current scene-oriented. This trend of change reflects that more and more tourists are more inclined to integrate into the chosen destination city during the travel process, get an immersive experience in a specific scene, and feel the warmth of a city. In the eyes of green and low-carbon activists, Citywalk, as a green and low-carbon life attitude and lifestyle, has become an outlet for escaping from the hustle and bustle, getting rid of order, and getting a sense of relaxation in high-pressure urban life. This method allows people to rediscover and discover more beauty and awaken their perception of the natural environment around them. During the walk, you may notice birds you have never seen before and stop to listen to their different calls; you may find a beautiful plant that you can't name, growing vigorously on the street corner; you may see people on paddleboards on the city river competing with kayak enthusiasts, and the water surface is sparkling with golden light. With the continuous improvement of people's awareness of the ecological environment, a green and low-carbon lifestyle has gradually become a "consensus". And city walks, a travel method with short tourist routes and mainly walking or cycling, are the perfect practice of a green and low-carbon lifestyle. From a business perspective, low-carbon tourism that is based in the city itself and taps into the city’s heritage will, to a certain extent, help the tourism industry to develop steadily.

Whether it is the spontaneous feeling of sunset or the joyful walk through the alleys, it is a perfect match for a stroll. Citywalk brings us not only the exploration of the temperament of a city, but also the surprises we encounter unexpectedly. Perhaps when we slow down from the tiring and fast life and take a closer look at the scenery we usually skip, we can understand different truths.

Review expert: Yang Rurong, associate researcher at the Institute of Geography and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences

China Association for Science and Technology Department of Science Popularization

Xinhuanet

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