baltimorespokes

We know that millions of children want to cycle to school in this country – yet only 1% do. Sustrans has stepped in to sort this out with Bike It, a ground-breaking project which has already quadrupled the number of children cycling to its target schools.
* Teachers say Bike It has transformed their schools. Children are energised, excited, ready to learn and travelling safely and independently.
* Everyone loves the empty car parks and full bicycle sheds.
* Local authorities enjoy the success of Bike It in their areas which has attracted the praise and attention of many Government ministers and national newspapers and TV.
* Parents know we are offering something really positive for their child and many join in our bike events and school projects. Many help to run bike clubs and are keen to pick up information on safe cycling and help their child to receive cycle training in school. All trust us to do everything we can to help their child towards a healthier, happier journey to school.
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From CBS News: $500M Pledged To Fight Childhood Obesity.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said Wednesday it would spend $500 million over the next five years to combat an “epidemic” of childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is threatening the health of one-third of the nation’s young people. Nearly 25 million children age 17 and younger are considered obese or overweight, costing $14 billion a year in medical expenses, the foundation said.

“These children live sicker and are likely to die younger if our nation continues to have this problem with childhood obesity,” Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, the president and CEO of the foundation, told CBS News.

To halt a trend building over the past four decades, the foundation is offering to fund programs that focus on improving access to affordable healthy foods or on how to increase physical activity in schools and communities.

“We know that we are going to need to use this to help families have safer places for kids to play and get exercise, and get back to being active,” Lavizzo-Mourey said. “What we hope to do with this money is pull people from all across the country, galvanize them, to work together to reverse this epidemic.”

A glut of cheap junk food and convenience
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Team Vegan is being launched today at Clif Bar headquarters in Berkeley, California. It’s hailed as the first squad of bike racers dedicated to proving that animal products aren’t needed for strength and stamina. The team owner is OrganicAthlete, a nonprofit health and environmental group. Says OrganicAthlete founder and team captain Bradley Saul, "We want to show people a healthy, plant-based diet is possible for active, sporting people of any level. The bottom line is that reducing one’s consumption of animal products and increasing one’s consumption of whole plant foods is better for one’s health and the environment." The cycling team consists of 20 riders ranging from cat 5 to cat 1. In addition to racing nationally they will be speaking about the benefits of plant-based nutrition. More info at https://www.organicathlete.org
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