Parking Lots to Gardens In Vancouver, BC

by: JayinPortland

Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 11:24:04 AM PST

A few hundred miles north of us, local charities are teaming up with businesses to turn those places in the city of Vancouver, B.C.'s Downtown Eastside into gardens with work opportunities for those who need them most -

About 50 volunteers took to wheelbarrows, shovels, and drills Saturday to begin construction of a new community garden in the Downtown Eastside.

The half-acre garden, located on East Hastings Street at Hawk Avenue, will provide food, job training, and education on urban agriculture for local residents, businesses, and community organizations starting next year.

This neighborhood is said to be Canada's poorest.  Some food from the garden will be sold at farmers' markets and to local restaurants to support worker's salaries, while some will be donated to meal centers in the neighborhood.

July 24 Random News: Unintentionally Canadian-Centric Edition; Also Featuring LA, Ohio and Europe

by: JayinPortland

Thu Jul 24, 2008 at 05:02:25 AM PDT

A Los Angeles City Council Planning Committee unanimously approved the current proposal to ban the opening of new fast 'food' restaurants for one year in a 32-square mile area of lower-income communities in the city -

The measure, the latest in efforts by U.S. cities to promote healthier eating, will go to the full council for a vote next month.

If passed, it would affect about half a million Angelenos living in an area that supporters say already has about 400 fast-food eateries and few grocery stores.

Of course, the Professional Whiners at the California Restaurant Association are throwing things, shaking their fists and pitching a fit -

The restaurant industry has lobbied against the measure, saying it places too much blame for obesity at its door.

"Even fast food establishments have healthy choices now. They all offer salads and smaller portions," said Andrew Casana, a spokesman for the California Restaurant Association.

Ooh, salads!  Which come with packets of HFCS-packed 'dressings' that contain just as much crap as their burgers and fries do; but of course, that won't really matter if the chemical and disease-laden industrial veggies in their 'salads' manage to kill you first...

And 'smaller portions'?  12 ounces of nasty crap is still 12 ounces of nasty crap.  It's probably marginally better than 16 ounces of nasty crap, but in the end it's nowhere near comparable to actually eating real food instead.

More items below the fold...