stateside | SEATTLE
Positive Outlook Upgrades and initiatives put Seattle at the forefront of healthy living. BY EUGENIA LAZARIS AMONG THE TREES:
Washington Park Arboretum PHOTO: © ALEXANDRE FAGUNDES DE FAGUNDES | DREAMSTIME.COM
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SPEND JUST A FEW MINUTES in downtown Seattle and one thing stands out: New construction appears everywhere. The Emerald City seems to constantly re-invent itself and re-invest in its citizens. From tourist attractions and infrastructure to new ways of thinking, the local government and businesses are hard at work to improve upon a city recently ranked second in the nation in overall health by Wallethub.com. The state of Washington is well-known among locals and tourists for its healthy lifestyle and outdoor fun, and Seattle is no exception. One of the city’s premier attractions, the Washington Park Arboretum, continues to draw visitors with its beautiful native landscapes and peaceful grounds, but the new 1.2-mile Arboretum Loop Trail brings new possibilities to living a healthy lifestyle in
globaltravelerusa.com
JUNE 2018
an urban center. The trail, which began construction in 2016, recently opened to the public in November 2017, with a formal grand opening April 8, 2018. The new loop, free to use and open from dawn to dusk, aligns perfectly with the goals of the arboretum: conservation, education and recreation. It provides visitors with an improved location for walking, jogging or bicycling safely within the city while enjoying the lush surroundings of the arboretum’s 230 acres of natural beauty. With several of the nation’s leading businesses headquartered in Seattle and its surrounding areas, unemployment is low — just 3.6 percent compared to the early 2018 national average of 4.1 percent. Companies like Amazon, Starbucks and Nordstrom not only provide jobs for the community but also help to create a thriving local economy. One of the problems these corporations face is providing a healthy environment for employees and the surrounding neighborhoods. Large metropolitan cities tend to be long on densely populated buildings and short on nature and open spaces. Amazon, headquartered in the heart of the downtown area, has worked hard to combat this problem. On Jan. 29 the city celebrated the grand opening of the Amazon Spheres, a brand-new way of thinking for a healthier work environment. Seven years in the making, these large, plantfilled domes located in the Regrade District aim to provide employees with a park-like environment while working in a heavily urban area. Employees and their guests are free to enjoy the shared spaces of these living domes where they can connect with nature thanks to the biophilic