By BROOKE TERILLI

Staff WriterWriter

Many students on Piedmont’s campus drive to class every day.

This is bad, both for your health and for your car. This isn’t a very big campus. The longest walk from a dorm is Plymouth to GB, and even this is only a 15 minute moderate walk.

It’s common knowledge that there isn’t a lot of parking on campus. However, there is enough parking at the dorms.

Yes, Ipswich got gypped, and Mayflower, Johnson and Swanson have to use the Johnny Mize parking lot. But let’s be honest, that should be all we need. 

Short journeys take a toll on your car. Not only does it use up gas, but the engine suffers as well.

An online article, “The Top 10 Ways In Which People Kill Their Car,” stated “The problem with a short journey is that the engine never reaches its operating temperature. So…do not use [your car for] short distances. Use the under 1-mile-walk philosophy.”

The article goes on to explain that if your car doesn’t reach peak temperature, it will not properly lubricate the engine and pollutants will build up.

You may still be asking “why walk?” Obviously, to save us from damaging our cars, but there are health benefits as well. 

A 10 minute walk from New Bedford to Stewart Hall burns 70 calories on average. 

Senior art major Macie Rooke said, “It is good to get some fresh air. It is also relaxing to have some time to yourself while walking.”

A study measuring 200 blood compounds showed that “20 compounds tied to better health, including ones linked to burning fat, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, building energy, and protecting cells from free radical damage.” 

The study also showed other benefits including 

the bonus of benefitting from the short walk for up to 60 minutes. 

“It drives me crazy [that people drive]. This is a small campus compared to others, and it is not a long walk. People need to stop being so lazy,” says Rooke.

So, next time you get in your car to drive around campus, remember the potential damage to your car, along with the denied health benefits.