Marydale DeBor discussed how New Milford Hospital, a regional hospital which was the largest employer in the area, came to promote sustainable health food service programs.
Here are some of their actions:
* “Health=Local Food” T-shirts created for kids.
* Opposition to farm bill promoted among legilslators
* Plow-to-Plate program set up with chef
* Coordination with local small farms, even if not certified as organic, as long as their practices follow organic guidelines
* Set up website
* Work with mayor to support local “New Milford Plow to Plate farmer’s Market”
* Create local “Farm Bucks.” Tractor mack created as spokesman for market and placed on currency that can be used at farmer’s market.
* Everyone taking ownership of new ideas, such as farmer market.
* Partner with local youth agency to get grant and develop corps of peer food counselors. This already-established youth agency helps kids learn how to choose food, cut food, develop menus, and serve to families. Kids get school credit while rotating through restaurants. Gets them to think about how to live as well as make a living.
* Now having kids mentor the next generation of kids.
* Speaker series set up to invite speakers, paid by funder monies.
* Keep doing what works, add new things, share knowledge, do advocacy.
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Erica Frank, MD, MPH, UBC in Vancouver, Pres of PSR
Why bother changing food in health care facilities?
Why change physician eating habits?
To better encourage interventions, we need to practice what we preach, e.g. walking to work.
Doctors are better than general pop with exercise, low alcohol use and low smoking rates, but fruit and veggie intake was as bad as peers.
Prevention is discussed by doctors more often if doctors themselves are good on those issues.
Emory med school four year study – encouraged healthy nutrition and exercise among students, which led to more students talking to their patients about it.
Why we should eat lower on the food chain:
* 22% of greenhouse gases from agriculture sector, 18% from meat alone
* each American responsible for three tons of manure each year, which then promotes more gas emissions (cows and other ruminants)
* $30 to 60B per year in less med costs
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Lorenzo Wimmer from Kentfield Rehabilitation and Specialty Hospital in N CA
LTAC Longterm acute care facility
Food service perspective
* Hospital salad bar was closed when he came
* “Pepper steak” – trying to create patients or heal them?
* Came in under budget because food so profitable
* Make home made soups, humos, etc
* Calif has 28-page contract, including inspection of trucks.
* So, he had contract with farmer’s market and bought $2000/week
* Now farmers deliver to many Marin County facilities
* Rice from Thailand, so he changed to sustainable rice farm 100 miles away
* Switched to reusable plastic plates, and charged for cups taken out
* Uses only lean meats
* Bought from local dairy farms rBGH-free
* Reduced waste by $200/month (one dumpster)
* Must remind people why we separate trash
* Try to share ideas, pool purchasing power
* Access more local and seasonal fruits
* Accountability is as important as organic designation
* Stocking Amy’s organic food for night crew vending machines
* Trying to get more compostable dinnerware
* Food committee sets up plan, and Strategic Food committee implements it
Filed under: Foods and food sys
