Photo of Life Time Fitness Reindeer Run 2010 taken December 4, 2010. Photo by T-Bone Sandwich, Flickr
Sometimes, especially in the middle of January, living in Minneapolis can seem like a curse, but this city has been ranked the number one healthiest city in America for 2015. Minneapolis even can be freezing as late as April, but its citizens have always found ways to exercise and eat right.
“I have seen a lot of organic restaurants in places like Seattle and Chicago,” said sophomore Abby Gillmer, “but not as many as here in Minneapolis.”
Forbes.com rates Minneapolis number one because we were one of the first cities to ban smoking in public areas. The ban of smoking leaves citizens at a lower risk of having cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and asthma. It is also said how the city leaves a large amount of land for parks and trails to be able to walk and bike to work or school.
Travelchannel.com ranks Minneapolis the healthiest city for the third year in a row. The main reason for the ranking is due to the Minneapolis Farmers Market, which began in 1937. The father of the market today began in 1891 drawing more than 400 vendors. By the early 1900s, the market was one of biggest fruit distributors in the United States. Now drawing 230 vendors, the farmers market is still continuing with many supporters.
Livability.com is another website that ranked Minneapolis as the healthiest city as of 2015. The website finds Minneapolis citizens as some of the most devoted people to staying healthy. The healthy behaviors with fitness clubs, parks, and almost every sport offered are a huge aspect. More than 87 percent of citizens are active on a regular basis. All of this exercise is partly due to the clean air and unpolluted water residents breath and drink. According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Minneapolis has few environmental red flags. As long as residents keep up walking, composting and recycling Minneapolis will stay one of the healthiest cities in America, according to livability.com.
All websites have referenced the fact that Minneapolis was one of the first cities nationwide to add bike trails. There are 118 miles of on-street bike trails and 92 miles of off-street trails. Minneapolis has received many awards because of the bike trails including the Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community Award.
“The major difference between the city in Colorado I’m attending college in and here is that people spend more time in rural areas like mountains as opposed to around the lakes and rivers right in Minneapolis,” senior Maddy Webster said.
Webster will be attending Colorado College and then hopes to go to medical school in the Midwest or West. After all the schooling, she is thinking of coming back to Minnesota.
“I love the friendly atmosphere, and I think it offers a very well rounded life”, Webster said.
As many seniors leave to other states from Minnesota, after finishing school about 46 percent will move back home. Minnesota is in high rankings of most college graduates to come back and raise families here.
Although it may seem living in Minnesota is the worst, all these rankings as healthiest city have to make many people a little more proud to be a Minnesotan.