Tennessee State Parks host spring hikes March 21
Lace-up your hiking boots, Tennessee. On Saturday, March 21, all 56 state parks will host the annual Spring Hikes. All hikes will be guided by a park ranger, and there are hikes available for all abilities. Hikers are encouraged to wear sturdy footwear and bring water and snacks
“This is a great time to get together with family and friends, make new friends and enjoy nature with our Spring Hikes,” said Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. “We have a beautiful state, and a hike at a state park is a great way to take it in. It’s an opportunity to learn about our parks and learn about nature. These hikes continue to be very popular and we look forward to another exciting day at locations across our state.”
Are you moving enough? Chances are, you’re not.
Physical activity has a whole slew of benefits, from improving mental and physical health to reducing the cost of health care. But the CDC says that only one in four adults and one in five high school students meet physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. Those guidelines call for adults to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week and teens and kids to get at least an hour of moderate-intensity physical activity each day.
“Being physically active helps you sleep better, feel better, and reduce your risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers,” Ruther Petersen, director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity told Recreation Management.
Heading to the Big Apple? BYO bag.
New Yorkers use 23 billion plastic bags each year… or at least they used to. New York’s statewide plastic bag ban recently went into effect, which bans most businesses from handing out single-use plastic bags, the New York Times reports.
New York is not the first state to ban plastic bags. The Times reports that Washington state’s 5-cent bag fee significantly cut down on plastic bag pollution and California’s bag ban reduced plastic bag use by 72 percent.
Photo: Scenic view of waterfall at Old Stone Fort State Park in Tennessee – Getty Images
