How can we make streets more walkable? And how can communities address legal issues that may emerge, especially around liability? On September 22, we hosted a webinar on key practical and legal considerations involved in...
“Urban agriculture” refers to a wide range of activities involving the raising, cultivation, processing, marketing, and distribution of food in urban areas. Communities around the country are looking to promote healthier eating by encouraging urban...
In schools throughout California, the drinking fountains we might remember from our youth have become all but relics of the past. But drinking fresh water during the day can help students improve their overall health...
Forty years ago, almost half of all students walked or biked to school. Now, only 14 percent of children do. Why this change? The biggest reason is because today’s schools are located too far from...
Local governments often use resolutions to set official policy, direct internal operations, or establish a task force to study an issue. Resolutions can be a good first step in encouraging collaborative relationships between public agencies,...
In many schools, foods and beverages are advertised everywhere – in hallways and cafeterias, in classrooms and athletic facilities, on paper products and scoreboards, and in teaching materials and school publications. Study after study has...
In 1969, approximately 50% of children walked or bicycled to school, including almost 90% of children living within one mile of school. Today, fewer than 15% of schoolchildren walk or bicycle to school. Walking or...
A number of cities have established programs to encourage food retailers, especially corner stores, to stock healthier products. To strengthen efforts like these, we developed the Model Licensing Ordinance for Healthy Food Retailers . This...
School locations can have a major impact on children’s health. Although school districts generally make the key decisions about where schools are located, local governments can play an important role, and land dedication ordinances (known...
Local government leaders are in a unique position to promote healthy eating and active living in their communities by supporting community gardens. Community gardens are places where neighbors and residents can gather to cultivate plants,...
In 2011, we joined researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and California Food Policy Advocates to examine drinking water access, policies and practices, and barriers to improving water consumption in California public schools...
Promoting tap water as an alternative to sugary beverages in schools is an important obesity prevention strategy. But many schools are struggling to make free drinking water more accessible. Federal law requires schools participating in...
Promoting tap water as an alternative to sugary beverages in schools is an important obesity prevention strategy. But many schools are struggling to make free drinking water more accessible. Federal law requires schools participating in...
Some states allow school districts to sell advertising space on school buses as a way to raise funds for school activities. Parents, public health advocates, and others concerned about childhood obesity can act to prohibit...
More than one million Californians live in communities with limited access to grocery stores selling fresh produce – but most live near at least one neighborhood school. Advocates and others have come up with a...
It’s a common saying that farmers are the original environmentalists: their livelihoods are so dependent on land and water that they can’t help but care about environmental issues. The interdependence between farms and the environment...
Making it easier for consumers to access fruits and vegetables in their neighborhoods can improve residents’ health, especially in communities with limited options for buying fresh food. It also builds economic opportunities for farmers and...
When we talk about food systems, we’re talking about something that affects us all – from the way our food is grown and processed to how it’s marketed and prepared. We all rely on the...
The bucolic image of rolling farmland belies the real dangers of farm work: agriculture is considered the most dangerous industry in the United States. While farmers are on average healthier than the rest of the...
To decide to bicycle, people need biking to be safe and convenient. They need access to a bicycle, and they won’t bike unless it seems like something normal and worthwhile. ChangeLab Solutions developed this infographic...