http://www.jointuse.org/discuss/tags/health People across California care deeply about joint use. Log in or register to speak to them here. New to the joint use forum? Registration is easy and only takes a minute. Enter your email address and create a username and password. This is not an anonymous discussion board, and we encourage participants to choose a username that includes both their first and last names. Because we want to learn from each other and, together, build a movement for joint use, it is important for people to know who they are talking to. Once you've logged in, click "add new" to post a comment, or click on an existing post's title to read and/or reply. en-US Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:13:22 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q http://www.jointuse.org/discuss/search.php http://www.jointuse.org/discuss/topic/new-bill-would-make-it-easier-for-californians-to-be-active#post-3 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:42:01 +0000 mmartinez 3@http://www.jointuse.org/discuss/ <p>In so many parts of California, we see nothing but rows of stores, chain malls, and freeways galore. When our communities are laid out in ways that make pavement more accessible than park space, it’s not surprising that so many of us are having a tough time getting the exercise we need to be healthy. The problem is even worse in communities of color, where there is much less open space, so it’s even harder to be active. We know we need more sidewalks, more parks, more places to walk and play. The thing is, there's an immediate answer right under our nose: joint use, the idea that we can share spaces that are already there. If your community is lucky enough to have school grounds with green grass, jungle bars, a slide -- isn’t it silly to let those facilities go unused most hours of the week when they could be used by families and children? The smart thing to do is open school grounds after hours so communities can be more physically active. We can do this now by creating joint use agreements. At CPEHN, we feel strongly that joint use agreements will improve kids’ health in communities across California, especially in places that have the fewest resources to help people be healthy. That’s why we’re supporting a new bill from Assemblymember Torlakson that would make it easier for all communities to make the most of the resources they already have.  </p> http://www.jointuse.org/discuss/topic/how-the-media-report-on-joint-use#post-26 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:16:41 +0000 hgehlert 26@http://www.jointuse.org/discuss/ <p>At Berkeley Media Studies Group, we monitor how the media report on public health issues because the news plays a large role in shaping public opinion and public policy. For the last two months, I’ve been monitoring both national and California-based publications for articles about joint use. The problem is there is very little news on the subject. Between June and July, mainstream national papers didn’t publish any articles on joint use. California papers weren’t much better. I found seven stories, two of which are no longer readily accessible online. Of the five articles still available, four were told from a financial perspective, typically regarding how much a joint use project will cost, with no analysis of whether it’s a smart use of resources.</p> <p>The articles also lacked any focus on physical activity or health even though joint use has strong ties to both. Reporters are clearly interested in writing about health -- the news is filled with articles about rising obesity rates, menu labeling legislation and health care reform -- but the media are missing the boat on joint use. </p> <p>Research shows that joint use can encourage physical activity by providing adults and kids alike with a safe place to exercise and play. This leaves public health advocates with a challenge to get joint use on reporters’ radars and show that it is more than a line item in a budget -- it’s a health issue.</p> <p>Has anyone seen articles that effectively frame joint use from a health perspective? If so, please share them! </p>