RenOpen Streets is a new health-centric special event that transforms two miles of downtown, between Riverside Drive and St. Lawrence Avenue, into a place for the community to gather and celebrate health October 17, 2015 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. RenOpen Streets is focused on reducing the amount of pollutants caused by cars and educating the community on the benefits of an active lifestyle.
RenOpen Streets is part of the international Cyclovia Movement to reduce pollution and promote healthy, alternative modes of transportation.
“We are excited to sponsor RenOpen Streets because this effort aligns so closely to our mission of improving health in our communities. Using public spaces to promote an active lifestyle is exactly the kind of movement we want to support,” said Phyllis Freyer, vice president of marketing and communications at Renown Health.
Renown Health joins City of Reno, Washoe County Health District, Reno Bike Project, RTC, Reno Gazette – Journal, This is Reno, Laughing Planet Cafè and New Belgium Brewing Co. in sponsoring the event and encouraging alternative transportation in order to help people stay active, be healthy and burn calories.
According to Harvard Health Publications, a 125-pound person will burn about 120 calories walking 1.5 miles, while a 185-pound person will burn about 170 calories. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health, biking at 12 to 13.9 mph, burns about 53 calories per mile for a 190–pound-person, about 43 calories per mile for a 155 pound person, and about 36 calories per mile for a person weighing 130 pounds. All of these can be accomplished on the two-mile route of RenOpen Streets.
In 2011, vehicles in Washoe County drove an average of 27.91 miles a day, which adds up to 26.32 pounds of pollutants per vehicle per day. If 5,000 people walked or rode a bike on the same route that cars were driven, people would have walked or biked, a collective 15,000 miles while removing 537 cars from the road and reducing the amount of pollutants by 7.2 tons.
To learn more about a day filled with outdoor activities, community business highlights or more information on sponsorships, activities and volunteers, visit www.RenOpenStreets.org or contact [email protected].
