Latinos comprise about 17% of the U.S. population. By 2050, they are expected to rise to 30%. Given this growth, Latinos have a critical role to play in helping build a "green economy"—one that centers on environmental health and sustainable business, according to a report by Green for All published on Latina Lista. Here are some examples: Gabriel Mandujano founded Wash Cycle Laundry, a Pittsburgh company that shrinks the environmental footprint of the laundry business and provides job opportunities for local workers.
Diana Teran started La Tuana Tortillas, a Tucson, Ariz., company that provides healthy food options with its natural, vegan, sustainable tortillas.
Luis Perales founded Tierra y Libertad Organization and is working with local leaders in Tucson on a Barrio ...
Folks in the largely Latino South Texas city of Brownsville are working hard to make health a priority by bringing environmental changes to the community. In October 2013, they were named as a finalist in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's (RWJF) Roadmap to Health Contest--a national competition in which six communities working to fight obesity will be selected as winners and awarded a $25,000 grant toward improving the city's health culture Learn more about some of the healthy changes like the the Brownsville Farmers' market, CicloBia, and the old rail tracks that were turned into a fitness trail, in this news article. Way to go ...
ChangeLab Solutions developed the Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Playbook to provide 10 strategies for communities and states to consider if they want to reduce sugary drink consumption in their community. The strategies are organized in a sequence that many communities have followed before. Click here to download ...
U.S. Hispanics are more likely to purchase grocery foods, dairy, and bread from convenience stores than non-Hispanics, according to a report by The NPD Group, a leading global information company. On average, Hispanics make almost two more visits a month than non-Hispanics to major oil chain convenience stores, according to the report, which examines the typical convenience store shopping behavior of Hispanics by level of acculturation and how it compares to non-Hispanics. The data indicates Hispanics use convenience stores to supplement or as a substitute for grocery stores. Here are some fast facts from the report: Hispanics buy more dairy products, bread, fresh food, grocery foods, perishable groceries and prepackaged foods at convenience stores than ...
Have some free time? Want to hear about ways minority communities are working with local officials to create lasting, healthy policy changes? Check out the webinar, "Multicultural Community Engagement: Putting Childhood Obesity Prevention Strategies to Work in Diverse Communities" hosted by Leadership for Healthy Communities. Presenters shared examples of successful policy initiatives to engage and empower diverse communities and discuss the implications of these efforts in the fight against childhood obesity. Presenters included: Ruben Brambila, M.P.H., project manager, Healthy RC Kids, City of Rancho Cucamonga, California
Dr. Jasmine Opusunju, program coordinator, CAN DO Houston
Pedro Arista, STRIVE/REACH program manager, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health ...
Often, usually unintentionally, city ordinances make it difficult for urban farms to grow or sell their produce. Realizing this, cities across the country are refreshing their zoning rules and permits, hoping to bring better fresh food access to all corners of the community. The city of Asheville, NC is one of those cities. New zoning rules put in place by Asheville City Council in September 2013 make it easier to fill vacant space with food. The city will no longer require building permits for temporary structures like hoop houses, greenhouse-like structures that help shield plants from extreme weather. Permitting regulations also were eased for larger, more permanent structures for growing food. The tweaking of these regulations may seem small, but for an urban farmer, it ...
Fresh, healthy food is hard to find in the predominantly Black and Latino South Los Angeles community. An unlikely partnership formed in Summer of 2013 between community organizations and a corner liquor store, bringing a fresh fruit and veggie stand to hungry residents. “Fresh Fridays” will be open every Friday afternoon in the 3800 block of South Western Avenue. The produce stand, run by Community Services Unlimited and the Community Coalition, was open for business just a few weeks after the community's last large grocery store closed its doors. The stand sells fruits and vegetables grown by Los Angeles-area farmers. “This effort speaks to the power of what can happen when everybody comes together – neighbors, business owners, local non-profits – to build a better ...
The Colorado Health Foundation has launched a fund to help grocers and other retailers in low- to moderate-income neighborhoods provide fresh and healthy food to those areas. Based on successful programs elsewhere in the United States, the Colorado Fresh Food Financing Fund is the first state-wide fund to target underserved communities known often as "food deserts." The public-private partnership fund will offer the financing to grocers offering affordable and nutritious foods in areas where such goods are hard to find. Learn more about the fund and how to apply ...
The El Monte City School District, Calif., are educating students on making healthier food and exercise choices. The district, which has been spotlighted in a new video by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, designates a lead teacher at each campus as a "wellness champion" who helps teachers include wellness as part of their daily curriculum. They also made healthier school lunch menus, using more whole grains and lean proteins. They make foods themselves to control sodium levels. El Monte has about a 69% Latino ...
