Livable Buckhead Is Committed To Health & Wellness
Livable Buckhead, founded in 2011, promotes, supports, and creates programs to improve health, implement commute alternatives for better air quality, expand green spaces, and preserve the rich culture of Atlanta through art. With a focus on long term innovative sustainability, Livable Buckhead has partnered with local government and businesses to design sustainable alternatives during peak traffic times reducing pollution and increasing community involvement.
With health and wellness being a key focus area, these creative alternatives have helped shift commute patterns significantly improving air quality. Livable Buckhead’s advocacy for improving the health of inhabitants through inventive sustainable programs is leading modernization of urban areas into the future.
buckheadWALKS, which originated from a 2007 regional challenge, is a four weeklong annual event in May. Encouraging citizens to walk short distance errands, buckheadWALKS promotes health benefits by reducing air pollution and supporting fitness. The first mile of a drive emits one pound of pollution. With over 400 committed participants last year, the event potentially reducing CO2 production by 16 tons. buckheadWALKS returns for 2023, in May.
Buckhead Run Club began as a collaboration with LuluLemon, and continuing with Iron Hill Brewery, provides opportunity for a weekly run/walk routine on PATH400. The club promotes social cohesion while improving air quality by minimizing rush hour congestion. With a regular attendance of over twenty-five people and growing, the collaboration is reducing traffic concentration every Tuesday afternoon.
buckheadRUN is an annual 5k run / walk with family and pet-friendly options. The race highlights the walkability of PATH400 with a new course through Buckhead’s core every year as new trail segments open. Expanding options with family fun for all ages and the Fittest Fido Award, the occasion has increased to around 200 participants a year. One of Livable Buckhead’s Board members, Dan Knopp, participates annually placing with top times while helping organize and promote the event. buckheadRUN returns in 2023 on Saturday, April 29th in conjuction with teh Buckhead Villages District’s Bodacious Blooms festival.
Livable Buckhead united with renowned art galleries to bring Miami Circle Gallery Stroll. With Miami Circle being the largest gathering of fine art in Atlanta, the event is held every other month supporting arts, fitness, and social bonding. The stroll promotes the use of PATH400 but also is transit adjacent. Another bonus of PATH400 is Buckhead public art enhancing and engaging art programs supporting Atlanta’s heritage and culture. Walkers, joggers, pet owners, and bikers are inspired by permanent and temporary installations cultivating experiences and educating Buckhead’s rich culture.
Livable Buckhead partners with Georgia Commute Options bringing a local version of Atlanta’s bike challenge, Biketober. Biketober, going into its 11th year, is part of the wellness campaign and promotes an alternative to automobile commute. Participants earn points and win prizes for riding over 10-minute increments anywhere anytime for the month of October. Buckhead Bike Social is a relaxing ride on PATH400 celebrating the month of Biketober with snacks and peer connection.
Creating a sustainable healthy living community creates a better quality of life. Livable Buckhead strives to create positive change through social reciprocity using innovative ideas to create cleaner sustainable realities, at the local level but also being a model for sustainable cities globally.
Teresa Perkins is a climate change and sustainability journalist, who is creating research-based climate change content pertaining to sustainable energy at local, national, and global level for publication and distribution. She partners with non-profit organizations for innovative ideas and sustainability projects and connects global UN Climate Change reports to local initiatives.
