Diabetes and Obesity Skyrocket in NYC

A disturbing study on the rise of obesity and diabetes in NYC from the NYC Department of Health, illustrating the need for better access to healthy foods and food education:

"The citywide gain totaled more than 10 million pounds in just two years"

Eatingliberally.org

Hey guys! Check out this group that does advocacy for healthy, sustainable food in NY and across the country.

CUFSP Meeting Recap 3.23.08

We had very few people Sunday—granted some people were still in transit!—and will need as many faces as possible at the upcoming meeting to ensure the garden planting goes smoothly. There is lots of info here…

GARDEN
Though I am waiting on a response from Matthew Early of Facilities regarding our questions about the plot (water, soil, tools, etc.) we still need to move ahead with the proposal. Here are all the pieces we need to send the proposal:

Estimated Costs—Hannah
Growing plan—Andrew
Supporter lists—Becky (profs) and Eric (clubs) *note, its likely many people won’t have responded by the time we have the rest of the proposal together
Resources list—Rachel
Mission statement (see below)
Letter of intent—to be adapted from support letter
Plot outline—Ted

Some of these are already finished. Please send me the pieces I have not received by Friday if possible, Saturday at the latest, so I can assemble them Sunday and submit the final proposal Monday.

Groundbreaking:
The tentative garden planting dates are April 18th/19th, which are the Friday and Saturday of Earth Week. As we prepare to plant we can plan on how we can shape a “groundbreaking” event to publicize the endeavor!

Funding:
Bri is contacting the environmental groups to assess the resource base we have to work with to purchase supplies and seeds/starts.

Implementation:
Rachel is contacting Harlem community gardens so we can discuss with them how best to implement the garden and other details, such as where we should purchase supplies. We hope to arrange to visit a Harlem community garden on an upcoming weekend.

Mission Statement:
Here is an abbreviated mission statement for the garden. Please send edits to me.

The Columbia Community Garden aims to demonstrate the potential for urban agriculture to support the development of a just food system and to engage the community in growing healthy, sustainable food.

Summer care for the garden:
Kari is researching summer internship potential. Maddie is researching housing. Bri is discussing summer interns or helpers with the green groups on campus. If we cannot fund full internships we will have to seek out students who can tend the garden. The difference is that we will not have interns to work on summer projects such as a chicken coop, greenhouse, or potted plants. Those will then wait until next year.

Timeline:
SUBMIT PROPOSAL—3/31
PLAN—4/4-4/5
PURCHASE SUPPLIES—4/11-4/13
BREAK GROUND—4/18-4/19

OTHER PROJECTS

FOOD PURCHASING:
Liz and Julie are meeting with Joe Heavey of Dining Services to establish a student dining services council that will meet weekly. This will make communication much easier and allow for more consistent student input and dining services feedback.

FILM SCREENING:
Megan McNally is arranging a King Corn screening with other campus groups.

SPEAKER PANEL:
This has been tabled unless someone would like to lead the effort. Contact me if interested.

CSA:
I have been in touch with Just Food and am discussing the potential for establishing another CSA at Columbia (Roxbury Farm has sold out already!). If you are interested in leading the project to establish the CSA—recruiting students to become members, advertising, setting up a delivery schedule—please let me know! CSAs are a great way to bring more local food directly to students.

TABLING:
Eric and Andrew are tabling for FSP on April 6th at the Days on Campus fair. I need people to table April 11th and April 13th from 1 to 3pm (arrive at 12:30pm). Help spread the word about sustainable food at Columbia!
It would be great if someone would volunteer to table at the Sunday Greenmarket before the garden groundbreaking to advertise the event and inform the public of the garden. Contact me if interested.

If you don’t have a task but would like to be involved please email me at rmd2154@columbia.edu.

CALENDAR

Green Umbrella Meeting—Wednesday 3/26, 8pm, Lerner Hall Room 573
Just Food CSA in NYC Conference—Saturday 3/29, 10am to 6pm, Teacher’s College
Click link for more info: http://www.justfood.org/CSA_mini/index.html
Next FSP Meeting—Sunday 3/30, 8pm, Math 520
Food for Thought Film Festival—Saturday 4/5, 12pm onwards, Inwood
--Saturday 4/12, 10:30am onwards, Harlem
--Saturday 4/19, 12pm onwards, Downtown Manhattan
See link for details: http://www.foodfilmfest.com/