When community and neighborhood design projects come in over budget, it is a common, unhealthy practice to cut funds for important infrastructure items like sidewalks, leading to the design of towns and neighborhoods in ways that offer no destinations within walking distance. According to Dee Merriam, a Community Planner with the National Center for Environmental Health, smarter design and a return to walkable communities represent valuable tools in the fight against obesity. People who walk for just 15 minutes twice a day, five days a week can lose 10 pounds in a year, cut down on body weight by up to 7 percent and cut their risk of diabetes by 58 percent.

Click here to learn more about why developing walkable communities lead to healthier lifestyles.

To learn more about LPHI’s work related to planning for active environments, click here.

At 2:00pm on Thursday, July 22, the New Orleans City Council Transportation Committee will hold a special meeting to discuss the possible approval of officially licensed pedicab services throughout the city. Pedicabs are taxis operated by bicycle that will be used to transport people short distances. They have already been successfully implemented in cities such as New York, NY, Austin, TX, and Charleston, SC. Pedicabs bring health benefits not only for their drivers - who will get substantial exercise pulling the three person carriages - but for the whole city, as pedicabs are an environmentally friendly form of transportation that will not contribute to air pollution. Thursday’s meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 1300 Perdido St.

UPDATE: The Transportation Committee voted 2-0 to approve pedicabs. The ordinance will now go before the whole New Orleans City Council for a vote, possibly on August 26th.

Since the start of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in April, many have wanted to know which organizations are doing valuable work in affected areas and who they can support to help. A new website, www.oilspilldonation.org, serves as a resource to find out about several organizations making an impact. The site posts one-minute videos about non-profit organizations providing direct service to those affected by the disaster and monitoring response activity. The site was started by the Delta Working Group, a coalition of community members in the Greater New Orleans region concerned about the impact of the oil spill. Click here to go to the site.

Disasters such as the Gulf Cost oil spill force everyone to ask the question, “what can we do to keep this from happening again?” Larry Cohen, Executive Director of the Prevention Institute, says that the key is prevention: acting now to reduce our dependence on oil and make risky drilling less necessary. Some steps that we can all take to help make this happen are using less motorized vehicles and more human powered transportation, building our communities to encourage human powered transportaion, and supporting local agriculture by shopping at farmers markets. These are all also steps that will lead to healthier lifestyles. Read more.

CNN has launched a new website dedicated to the effects of exposure to environmental toxins. According to the site, Louisiana is among the top 5 states with the highest levels of benzene and mercury emissions. The “Toxic America” website has helpful articles about what produce contains the most pesticides, how to avoid toxic chemicals commonly found in the home, and stories about people who are taking action against the use of potentially harmful chemicals in their communities. Read more.

According to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), as of June 10, there have been 71 reported cases of illness in Louisiana related to the Gulf Coast oil spill, 21 of which are individuals who have not been directly involved with clean up efforts. The symptoms most commonly reported are throat irritation, cough, headache, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Complaints generally appear to be related to odors emanating from the spill. DHH recommends that people who are sensitive to the oil smell remain inside with windows and doors closed and air-conditioning on. People experiencing symptoms who also have a pre-existing condition, such as asthma or another respiratory illness, should contact their physicians for further guidence. The department says drinking water is currently safe. DHH has set up a website with up to date health information relating to the oil spill, as has the national Center for Disease Control. Read the full article by clicking this link.

The Louisiana Departments of Health and Hospitals and Environmental Quality have requested ongoing air monitoring tests to determine if the recent oil spill off the Southeast Louisiana coast is causing air quality issues. If the tests confirm that air quality issues exist, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will further determine appropriate action steps to protect the health and safety of citizens. While air quality studies are being conducted, state health officials advise citizens to stay inside if they experience nausea, vomiting or headaches from the odor in the air. For the latest from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), visit this link. The Audubon Nature Institute provides a list of ways you can assist cleanup efforts by volunteering or reporting injured or oild wildlife.  The Department of Health and Hospitals website features ongoing updates and advisories including how to get disaster-related food and financial assistance.

To address the issue of poor quality (low nutrition) foods and the inequitable distribution of healthy foods, New York City is developing a blueprint for a healthier food system that addresses the distribution, consumption and disposal of food. The main areas of the new proposal include: Urban Agriculture, Regional Food Production, Food Processing and Distribution, New Markets, Procurement of Regionally Grown Foods, Education, Food Waste, Plastic Water Bottles, Food Economy, and Government Oversight. Read more.  photo by: Marvin (PA) via flickr

Crashes and fatalities involving cars and pedestrians are a serious problem in metro New Orleans. 60% of all car crashes in Louisiana involving pedestrians occur within the metro region. A new report released by Transportation for America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership places metro New Orleans among the most dangerous communities in the nation for pedestrians, ranking 15 out of the 52 largest metro areas. Read the full press release.

Tired of the same old leftovers? Ready to toss those vegetable extras like carrot ends and celery tops? Think that stale bread is ready for the trash? Think again. There are a lot of creative ways to put leftovers to good use. This list of 50 ways to never waste food again offers healthy and green ways to stretch your food dollar.