Creating Bicycle Friendly Communities

Creating bicycle-friendly communities starts with a lot of things, especially education, as I learned during a breakout session led by Brian Austin at the Built Environment and the Outdoors Summit. Here are my key takeaways. (more…)

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Is Hospital Food Putting People in the Hospital?
Photo by Gina Sowell. (This is not actually in a hospital).

Is Hospital Food Putting People in the Hospital?

Business as Usual

At least two-thirds of the U.S. adult population is either overweight or obese and that number is expected to increase to 75% by 2015. Childhood obesity is also widespread, afflicting 17% of U.S. children under the age of 18 (Wang and Beydoun, 2007). While many factors can contribute to the development of obesity, perhaps one of the biggest is diet. With food playing such a large role in the obesity epidemic and its related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, strokes, and certain cancers, should it not follow that our centers of healthcare provide the healthiest food possible for healing? Is it possible that the very institutions trusted with making us healthy might, in fact, be putting us in the hospital?

(more…)

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Aging in the Urban Built Environment
Photo by Pietroizzo.

Aging in the Urban Built Environment

Baby boomers are starting to retire and with that comes the  challenge of supporting their needs. When most of us think of our parents or grandparents aging, I’m guessing we picture them in a  suburban home or, eventually perhaps, a care facility just down the road. What if, like many young people today migrating to cities, our elders instead choose to see their retirement years out in an urban center? (more…)

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Fun Activities for Kids in the Garden – Getting Planted
Kids getting planted.

Fun Activities for Kids in the Garden – Getting Planted

Two years ago I worked with youth in a school and summer program on local farms and in school gardens. In between learning sessions and actual garden work, we played games to drive home the day’s message. In this post, I describe one of the most beloved activities among the youth in the garden. (more…)

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“Vanishing of the Bees” Reveals an Ongoing Struggle for Pollinator Populations

Four years ago, the United States government held the first congressional hearing on Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), an as yet unknown affliction responsible for the devastating and sudden losses of native honeybees, which mysteriously disappear and never return to their hives. While the news has been relatively silent on CCD the past couple of years, there’s been a resurgence of other media around this phenomenon, including “Vanishing of the Bees,” a documentary film directed by George Langworthy and Maryam Heinen and narrated by actress Ellen Page (“Inception” and “Juno”). (more…)

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Pacha’s Pajamas Brings Nature to Life, E-book to be Released this Summer
Aaron Ableman and crew beginning Pacha's story.

Pacha’s Pajamas Brings Nature to Life, E-book to be Released this Summer

Pacha's Pajamas Performance
Aaron Ableman and crew beginning Pacha's story.

Pacha’s Pajamas debuted at Pizzaiolo in Oakland tonight (Mother’s Day), Sun. 8 May, with a hip, multi-generational, multi-cultural celebration of song, poetry, dance and wild animal calls from the audience.  In attendance were ravens, lions and elephants, among others. (more…)

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A PLACE for Sustainable Living Launches with Celebration & Workshops
Components for the co-creation of a peace mandala.

A PLACE for Sustainable Living Launches with Celebration & Workshops

Living Peace Mandala
Components for the peace mandala.

A PLACE for Sustainable Living attracted over 100 Oakleyville residents with the celebration of their official launch yesterday, Sat. 7 May, 2011, featuring local vendors of sustainable products, workshops on beekeeping, cob building and herbal salve making, food, music and more.

The center is the brainchild of the Sustainable Living Roadshow, a volunteer-organized biofueled caravan that tours the nation each year to showcase and inspire sustainable living practices. (more…)

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