Too fat too fight

Have you ever heard of being too fat too fight?
well check this out; recruits who were rejected
for being over weight has jumped from 12 percent in 1995
to 21 percent in 2008. So who do you think is to blame?
of course poor nutrition, but during World War II almost
40 percent of recruiters were undernourished.
So the Military Leaders helped congress to pass the National
School Lunch Program. Which helps pack nutrition in daily school
meals. Military Leaders thought that this would be the answer to their
problems, what they didn't know is that it would back fire.
Students were now getting to much nutrition. So with that being
said what is left to do. The way I see it is it's not the recruits fault
they're over eating. I blame it on poor nutrition and what advertisements
show on television. It's like they're forcing us to eat more and more
processed food which isn't right. While slapping a healthy label on things
when in reality most of the food is high in sugar and fats. If things
like Msg and High Fructose Corn Syrup weren't in our food we wouldn't
have these problems to worry about. Eating right and being healthy
should be advertised on television not processed food.

Produced by: Rynesha Snowden

Green Cleaning!!

Everyday I clean my house with bleach and a variety of different cleaning products thinking "oh , my house is gonna smell so good and it's going to be so clean" .But never do I think of what's in my cleaning products or what it's doing to the environment. Eothoxylate which doesn't biodegrade and threaten wildlife ,phosphates get in waterways deplete oxygen and kill fish.And Ethoxylated nonly phenols (NPE's) or "gender benders" can include female characteristics in male fish. All of these threatening chemicals are in your day to day cleaning products.You're probroly wondering well what can you do about it? cleanliness is a day to day need. well there are many alternatives. Vinegar,baking soda, and lemons are natural cleaning products and are less money than cleaning supply and are safe.You can use half white vinegar and half water to replace glass cleaner or baking soda and cornstarch to clean your carpet and get this, you can put a whole lemon peel down the drain as a garbage disposal! These are only a few safer alternatives . I never would've thought of any of this but it's all true and it works. Get Green and try it sometime!
-angel B.

Up coming bike and pedestrian safety workshops in Richmond

There are several workshops coming up in Richmond that are dealing with
bike and pedestrian safety. If you don't know Richmond you have no clue of how unsafe it is when bicycling and walking. Theses upcoming plans would help Richmond become a safer place
The first meeting is on May 12, 6-8pm at the Richmond recreation center, 3230 Macdonald ave. This meeting will talk about their plan for pedestrian safety. There are many more events to come this month of May and we will keep you updated.
For more information contact Hector Rojas at 510-620-6662 or hector_rojas@ci.richmond.ca.us

CALIFORNIA CONVERGENCE - YOUTH TAKING ACTION TO SHAPE CALIFORNIA’S HEALTH

CALIFORNIA CONVERGENCE - YOUTH TAKING ACTION TO SHAPE CALIFORNIA’S HEALTH
Statewide conference features youth making a powerful difference in improving childhood obesity

Sacramento, CA – “Obesity threatens the healthy future of one third of all American children. Obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years. We need to get moving.” – Michelle Obama. On Saturday, April 17th, youth ages 15-25 are meeting in Sacramento for the California Convergence conference to change the health of their communities and reduce obesity in the next generation. During the first two days of the conference entitled “Youth Taking Action,” young people from 21 communities including Oakland, Richmond, Los Angeles, Shasta and the Central Valley will take part in interactive, team-building trainings and workshops in policy education, communications, media, spoken word and advocacy. Through the work of the California Center for Civic Participation, CCROPP, Partnership for the Public’s Health and CANFIT, young leaders (who are already modeling the examples of the Governor - Governor’s Health Summit and the First Lady - LetsMove.gov), will connect with upcoming proposed legislation in Sacramento and Washington, DC. They will also research, develop and recommend their own policy priorities to improve food and physical activity environments in the state so their families and peers have healthier places to live and eat.

About California Convergence
The California Convergence provides a unique opportunity to accelerate the movement to make the environments in which people live healthier by strategically connecting existing resources, and creating an effective learning community that can take action, and share information, tools and resources across initiatives and funding streams, and ultimately create a model for the rest of the nation. The California Convergence project is aligned with the National Convergence work, and is an attempt to manifest that effort on a statewide scale.

WHAT: California Convergence Conference – “Working Together to Improve Food and Physical Activity Environments”

WHEN: Saturday, April 17, 2010 – 11:00am - 4:00pm – Youth Taking Action Day 1
Sunday, April 18, 2010 - 8:00am – 4:00pm – Youth Taking Action Day 2
Monday, April 19, 2010 – 9:00- 4:30pm - California Convergence Policy Conference

WHERE: Sheraton Grand, Gardenia Ballroom, Sacramento 1230 J Street, Sacramento, CA 94814

CONTACT: Esmeralda Martin emartin@canfit.org PHONE:(510)919-4088 www.canfit.org

Taking actions at hand

The main goal for the Green Festival is to motivate, participate, and activate.
Although this was my first time attending the spring festival, I felt like it was home and this is where I should be. As my eyes watched and observed the scene a part of me felt happy. I saw people dedicated and motivated to change the world. Everyone had something that would make our world a little better. "Try this, taste this". My mind was exploding, all I could think about was my family and friends. Me wanting them to live and eat healthy but the message is hard to get through. But I must say the session that took my breath away was the Grub politics and eco-cultivation topic. Two African American women and an African American guy talked about healthy eating and how it contributed to class, race, and art. My mind opened up and expanded as I sat and listened, I wanted to make a difference, I wanted to make a change. At that moment this was my chance, I looked at life in a whole new light, healthy eating and healthy living here I come...
Produced by:Rynesha Snowden

My trip to the Oakland Food Policy Council!!!

Not too long ago Kyle and I attended an Oakland Food Policy Council meeting. It was very fun and interesting. There was food (healthy of course), beverages and a lot of people. It was held at the City Hall in Downtown Oakland. Kyle and I came just as spectators but I got a lot of information. They basically discussed topics that had to do with how they were going to plan on putting healthier foods in the schools and in local corner stores surrounding the public schools. Also talked about was how they would better give students the choice of healthy and less healthier foods, basically giving them the opportunity to choose to eat healthier. I personally agreed with most of their ideas because for one I do believe schools should have better meals during the day. Me being a high school student myself, if had the choice of either a greasy pizza or a healthy filling salad or something healthy but tasty I'd choose the healthier decision, because I know it will make me feel better during the rest of the day. Well that's the sum up of what information I learned while attending the food policy council meeting last month in Oakland. I look forward to getting more youth involved in their work.

-angel butler.

Go to Sacramento to Support a Healthy California!

The Strategic Alliance (a group of individuals and organizations working to reframe the debate on nutrition and physical activity - from a focus solely on individual choice and lifestyle,towards one of environmental influences and corporate and government responsibility), wants YOU to register now for ENACT Advocacy Day 2010 as it is only one week away!

ENACT 2010: Nutrition and Physical Activity Day spotlights the urgent need to improve California's food and physical activity environments in the midst of the economic crisis gripping our state's families. Before visiting the State Capitol, participants will spend the morning learning more about bills before the California Legislature that aim to create healthier environments and how to effectively advocate for these bills during a legislative visit. Do not miss this opportunity to educate your policy makers about opportunities to improve health!

To register, please visit http://www.cfpa.net/ENACT2010/

When: Tuesday, April 20th, 2010, beginning at 9:30AM
Where: Morning session: St. John's Lutheran Church, 1701 L Street, Sacramento; Afternoon session: State Capitol, 10th Street and Capital Mall

Click here to see the ENACT Day schedule of events

Simultaneous Interpretation Services from English to Spanish will be Offered!

ENACT Advocacy Day Policy Priorities
ENACT Day will focus on five specific policies, reflecting the need for a comprehensive set of state policies that improve opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity in schools and communities:
AB 2075 (Hall) Education: Physical Education and Joint Use: Increases the flexibility of joint use policies and requires more moderate to vigorous activity during physical education courses.
AB 2147 (Perez) Safe Routes to Schools: Increases the scope of "Safe Routes to School" construction to specifically consider disadvantaged communities.
AB 2084 (Brownley) Child Care Nutrition: Removes beverages with added sweeteners, limit juice to no more than one serving of 100% juice a day, serve only 1% or nonfat milk and ensure accessible and available water throughout the day in child care settings.
AB 537 (Arambula) EBT Access at Farmer's Markets: Augments the number of authorized organizations redeeming EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) at certified farmers markets.
SB 1210 (Florez) Sweetened Beverage Tax: Introduces a tax on sweetened beverages, funding a newly created Childhood Obesity Fund.

Your participation and advocacy efforts matter.

Healthy Food in West Oakland!!!!

Healthier Options Coming to a Corner Store Near You

WHAT: Inspired by the National Let’s Move campaign, Mandela MarketPlace is answering the call of first lady Michelle Obama by launching the Healthy Neighborhood Store Alliance that will bring fresh fruits and vegetables to two West Oakland corner stores, Millennium Market and Bottles Liquor. The initiative will help improve the health of residents by making healthy food options accessible and affordable in their community. This innovative project will be celebrated with free fruit and vegetable samples and tips for living a healthier lifestyle.

WHY: Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in West Oakland and the diabetes rate is three-times higher than the Alameda County diabetes rate. The prevalence of these diseases is partially caused by the overabundance of fast food restaurants and the lack of access to healthy food outlets. There hasn’t been a strong grocery store presence in West Oakland for at least three years. In order for people to eat healthier, healthy options have to be affordable and conveniently located.

WHO: West Oakland Youth Standing Empowered—Mandela MarketPlace, a local non-profit, houses WYSE, a team of seven youth that have strong ties to the West Oakland community, either as residents or students of local schools. Since its beginnings in 2006, WYSE has consistently engaged in community development projects that benefit Oakland in general and West Oakland specifically.

WHEN: Saturday, April 10, 2010 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

WHERE: Millennium Market and Bottles Liquor
1741 Market St. 1150 Market St.
(Market St. & 18th St.) (Market St. & 12th St.)
Oakland, CA 94607 Oakland, CA 94607

CONTACT: Quinton Sankofa Mandela MarketPlace
510-433-0993 ext. 3# office
517-974-4162 cell

Check out this press release from OBUGS about fresh, local, organic food grown by Oakland Youth!

Oakland, CA, April 6, 2010 - YOBUGS, a youth entrepreneurship program of
OBUGS, is now operating a stand at the Berkeley Organic Farmer's Market. Items for sale include organic dog treats, rosemary sea salts and fresh herb bundles (rosemary, thyme, sage and bay leaves). All ingredients are fresh from OBUGS' organic gardens. Won't you join us the last Thursday of every month? Just look for the OBUGS canopy!
WHEN: Last Thursday of every month, 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, following regular market schedule.
WHERE: Berkeley Organic Farmer's Market (Shattuck Avenue at Rose Street).
About OBUGS: For eleven years, OBUGS (Oakland Based Urban Gardens) has been building healthy communities through experiential learning programs offered to children, youth, and families in a network of school and neighborhood gardens, green spaces, and farmers' markets. OBUGS offers in- and
after-school, summer camp and youth entrepreneurship programs geared towards nutritional, scientific and environmental education. OBUGS is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The YOBUGS program gives middle-school aged Oakland youth the opportunity to develop real-world business skills in a safe and fun team setting. In addition, many kids in the program foster and take away a newly found
appreciation for responsible nutrition and environmental stewardship.
* * *
More information about OBUGS and the Berkeley Farmer's Market can be
found at www.obugs.org and www.ecologycenter.org/bfm.