Progressive City Online Magazine

Building an Alternative to the Global Food System in Jalisco, Mexico

Administrator | January 24, 2004

By Danielle Schami The majority of small-scale producers in Mexico contend with multiple pressures that impair their efforts to grow food. In addition to the everyday struggles related to poverty, these producers face a host of challenges resulting from agrarian reform, climate change, structural adjustment, biotechnology and international trade agreements. El Círculo de Producción y Consumo […]

Linking the Land and the Lunchroom: Insights for Planners from the Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch Farm-to-School Project

Administrator | January 24, 2004

By Heather Stouder A key (and often contradictory) challenge for local food system initiatives is to take a syst ematic approach to move beyond providing local flavor to a privileged few, while ensuring that farmers and food producers receive a fair price for their products. Though addressing only a small piece of this puzzle, the […]

Food System Planning: Setting the Community’s Table

Administrator | January 24, 2004

By Mark Winne Food system planning is a relatively new concept that grows out of American society’s increasing concern for what it eats, where and how its food is produced and the inequities that exist in the distribution of food resources. Like other planning activities, food system planning is concerned with what happens and […]

Bad Meat and Brown Bananas: Building a Legacy of Health by Confronting Health Disparities around Food

Administrator | January 24, 2004

By David C. Sloane for the African Americans Building a Legacy of Health Coalition /REACH 2010 Project What do planners have to do with food? Since 1999, community residents, community organizations and researchers in planning and health have been working to understand food security in the Los Angeles area and to increase options for healthier […]

Fall 2003 Planning for the Active City

Administrator | October 30, 2003

Urban Planning For Active Living: Who Benefits? By Kristen Day Seventh Generation: The Environment’s Role in Physical Activity: Necessary but not Sufficient By Ann Forsyth The Key to Good Health is Not in the Ignition By Lavinia Gordon America’s Obesity Epidemic By Thomas L. Halton Engineering Physical Activity Back Into Americans’ Lives By Mark Fenton […]

The Complex Role of Urban Design and Theoretical Models of Physical Activity

Administrator | October 22, 2003

Kevin J. Krizek, Assistant Professor There is considerable enthusiasm among individuals in research, advocacy and policy circles for the idea that “good” urban design will positively contribute to levels of physical activity. The enthusiasm demonstrated by such perspectives is refreshing; most agree it is critically important to support planning efforts that make physical activity and […]

Designing the Active City: The Case for Multi-Use Paths

Administrator | October 22, 2003

By Anne Lusk More people walk and bicycle in cities worldwide where destinations such as grocery stores, post offices or coffee shops are accessible by sidewalks, roads for bicycling and separated multi-use paths. Examples abound in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and China. In America, the focus has been on sidewalks for walking, road lanes for […]

Engineering Physical Activity Back Into Americans’ Lives

Administrator | October 22, 2003

From Citizen Planner: Planning and Physical Activity special issue. By Mark Fenton In recent months Americans have heard from the Surgeon General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and no less than the President himself that this nation is in the midst of an obesity epidemic. Unfortunately, while rightly acknowledging the great personal and […]

The Key to Good Health is Not in the Ignition: Portland, Oregon Tries a New Tool to Reduce Car Travel

Administrator | October 22, 2003

By Lavinia Gordon For years Portland has received kudos for its innovative and successful transportation and land use policies. Portland boasts of a vital downtown, a nationally recognized urban growth boundary, an award-winning light rail and transit system and as being the birthplace of the first modern streetcar in America. The city’s zoning code discourages […]

7th Generation The Environment’s Role in Physical Activity: Necessary but Not Sufficient

Administrator | October 22, 2003

By Ann Forsyth Theme Editor Anne Lusk Americans are getting fatter and exercising less. As Thomas Halton outlines in this issue, this has human costs; overweight and lack of exercise contribute to a variety of chronic diseases. Given the multi-billion dollar cost of health care, there are major economic costs as well. While a number […]