Healthier Food to Become the Rule in San Francisco

Photo Caption: Mayor Newsom's directive includes looking at medians as locations for growing healthy food.  These planters that calm traffic in North St. Louis are also being used to grow vegetables.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is hard at work.  On June 23, 2009 he signed a mandatory recycling and composting bill into law. Less than one month later, he has issued an executive directive that will bring the importance of eating healthy food front and center.  The directive requires government purchase of healthy foods and the use of government lands for community gardens and farms.

This is a controversial issue for some, but what is certain is that Mayor Newsom's administration realizes the importance of healthy food access and the benefits it has for personal health, our health care system, and local economies. Taking steps to make sure the government leads by example to encourage healthier lifestyles seems to be a good move.

Read more about the directive here.