By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson Doctors at three Massachusetts medical centers are writing “prescriptions” for free fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets. Clinicians look for families of overweight and obese children enrolled in the centers’ exercise and nutrition program that can’t afford and lack access to fresh produce. Whole families are enrolled; the main requirement [...]
Posted on August 31st, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Childhood obesity, Farmers Markets, Nutrition | No Comments »
By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson Agricultural pesticides, long suspected of being especially harmful to children, are receiving additional scrutiny, thanks to three recent studies. And – no surprise here – children who live in agricultural areas turn out to be particularly vulnerable. Scientists are cautious in their conclusions, awaiting results of further testing. But two classes [...]
Posted on August 30th, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Agriculture, Buy Local, Farmers Markets, Food Safety | 1 Comment »
By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson Good news first: A federal program intended to boost sales of fresh fruits and vegetables will target low-income families in Hampden County, Massachusetts, in the state’s southwestern corner. Several thousand of the region’s 50,000 food stamp recipients will get a 30% discount off the price of fresh produce that they buy [...]
Posted on August 23rd, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Federal Programs, Nutrition, USDA | 1 Comment »
By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson Sometimes things bug me (I’m sure this doesn’t surprise you.) Sometimes something comes along that I’m itching to tell you about, but I’ve got other things to write. Mostly they get away from me, because I forget to write them down. No more. “Bugs and Itches” will be the title for [...]
Posted on August 19th, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Economic Justice, Social Justice | No Comments »
By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson The United Nations has declared access to clean and accessible water a fundamental human right. Apparently this is not the same as amending the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , making water the 31st on the list of fundamental human rights. The UN’s UDHR page has not yet been amended to [...]
Posted on August 17th, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Clean Water, Social Justice, Water quality | 2 Comments »
By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson Previously on “Climate Change”: When Democrats said they might try legislating to restrict greenhouse gas emissions that are causing the climate to change in a not-good way, Senate Republicans threatened to haul off and give them a dirty look. Afraid of being embarrassed by showing how the Republicans care more about [...]
Posted on August 15th, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Climate Change, Climate Change Legislation, Global warming, Senate | 1 Comment »
By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson The Environmental Protection Agency decided in December 2009 not to decide until mid-2010 whether to allow a 50% increase in ethanol in gasoline. Gas is currently required to be 10% ethanol (E10). Allowing a maximum of 15% (E15) does not mean 15% will be required, only allowed – at least for [...]
Posted on August 11th, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Biofuels, EPA, Environment | 1 Comment »
By Daphne Bishop This summer brought us the Senate’s egregious failure to pass a comprehensive climate change bill. But it also witnessed a burgeoning collaborative effort to ride the “wave of the future,” and get down to the nitty gritty of building an economy that is not tied to fossil fuels or fossilized ways of [...]
Posted on August 9th, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Carbon footprint, Economy, Environment, Jobs | 3 Comments »
By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson Not long ago I found myself wondering whatever became of the hole in the ozone layer. Before I found time to do my own search, a segment on the NPR program “Living on Earth” gave me the answer: It’s still there, but it’s closing. Another 60 years will pass before the [...]
Posted on August 4th, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Climate Change, Global warming, Ozone layer | No Comments »
By Miryam Ehrlich Williamson A year or so from now, Massachusetts farmers, cheese makers, bakers, and others out to please the palates of locals and tourists alike will have a new outlet for their products. After years of talks, debates, and the occasional argument, the non-profit Boston Public Market Association has nailed down a pledge [...]
Posted on August 2nd, 2010 by Miryam Ehrlich Williamson
Filed under: Farmers Markets | 1 Comment »
