Last year I moved to Charleston from Myrtle Beach. I had to get used to the changes that I needed to adapt to, and it wasn’t a quick transition. I am still working on living on my own, having roommates, and living in an area that is condensed. By being “condensed”, I mean that I am not used to everything I need in walking distance. This has been very convenient, but I am also used to driving everywhere I need to go- whenever I please. I live off of Coming Street, which is very busy and it’s hard to find parking. So, whenever I do make the leap to get in my car and go, I struggle to find a parking spot when I return back home. There are many struggles that come with parking and driving here. Therefore, I have been trying to refrain from it. In the beginning of my move, I would drive to get food on King Street, or order delivery because that area is over a mile from my house. Sometimes I did not feel like walking or riding my bike, so I just took the “easy” way (or what I thought). When I realized that it was not only difficult to drive around here, but more trouble than it’s worth, I began to walk to class, the store, and anywhere else I needed to go. Not only was this good for my health and my wallet, but also for the environment. I learned this, after I found out what my ecological footprint was, and looked in the details. Transportation was the 2^nd highest thing that was impacting my footprint, which justified my change that I had made recently. Driving is not good for the environment because it run on fossil fuels, which in exchange, release greenhouse gases. We talked about global warming in class, and I knew that this was a huge part of why the Earths environment is not in the best shape. Knowing that I can change something about my everyday life that I thought was so hard at the beginning, has now become easy and enjoyable. I have been driving a lot less than I was last semester, and it feels good to know that I am doing something that can help the environment. Despite when I don’t feel as active as I need to be, it hasn’t been that hard with driving everywhere. The only time I do drive is when I go to the gym, because that is in West Ashley. If you live downtown and ever have that morning that you feel like you just don’t want to walk to class or the store, think about the exercise, fresh air, and the environment. It might not seem like a huge impact, but when you get into a routine, you will notice how much you really used to drive. There are multiple benefits to walking, and being a Public Health major, I feel like it is something I should advocate for more. I have been driving when necessary, not convenient- and I intend on keeping my car parked more often.