Petaluma Bounty News

Although to some this may just be stating the obvious, a new report to be published in the Journal of Research in Personality asserts that there is a new incentive to doing good things for others: It makes you happier.

Michael Steger, a psychologist at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, wondered which behavior makes people happier—seeking pleasure or doing good?

Steger and his colleagues put the question to a group of undergrads as part of a study… Read the rest of the article to find out what he learned.

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Are you looking to boost your HQ (happiness quotient)?   Whether it’s working on the Bounty Farm, helping to start a new community garden, harvesting food for families in need, or a slew of other actitivies, we have plenty of opportunities at Petaluma Bounty for you, your family and friends.   Just fill out our on-line volunteer form and let us know about your volunteer interests and availability.  We promise we’ll help you to feel happier (and build a healthier Petaluma food system in the process)!

The following was excerpted from a letter to teachers, staff, gardeners and other contributors to the McKinley Community School Garden, from Ruth Persselin (Petaluma Bounty Gardens Coordinator)…

“I’d like to share with you some inspiring photos of the wondrous transformation that took place this past spring at McKinley Elementary School.  A magical plot of land at the center of campus sprung to life in a short 14 weeks under the stewardship of not just a few, but EVERY SINGLE CLASS,  grades 1-6.  It’s a great testament to all the teachers who participated in launching the McKinley School Garden Program, as well as to Principal Devine who made it possible for everyone to be involved. 

Every child in school had a hand in creating, planting, harvesting, and learning in the garden.  From singing songs and musical serenades, to mulching, measuring, magnifying, composting, worm-boxing, digging, shoveling, raking, bouquet-making, and ultimately sitting down to enjoy a school-grown salad, it was an unforgettable experience.   I would like to thank all of you for making it such a pleasure (and so easy) to be a part of such a joyful, meaningful group effort.

I would also like to thank the McKinley Community Gardeners for all their assistance, as well as the Washington Creek Boys & Girls Club who tended the school plots over the summer.” 

This is the question that a recent report released by Trust for America’s Health attempts to answer.  The conclusion?  It’s a no-brainer… The report, entitled Prevention for a Healthier America: Investments in Disease Prevention Yield Significant Savings, Stronger Communities, concluded that an investment of $10 per person per year in proven community-based programs to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent smoking and other tobacco use could save the country more than $16 billion annually within five years.  Nationally, that’s a return of $5.60 for every $1 spent.   The actual expected savings vary state by state, with the Return On Investment in California being 4.8 to 1, or $4.80 per $1 spent.  (For the full report, click here.)

What would that mean for Petaluma?  If we invested $560,000 ($10 per Petaluman) to increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and prevent smoking and other tobacco use, we would save almost $2.7 million in health care costs within five years.   But that’s just part of the savings…

How would we quantify the improvements in childhood development, student learning and test scores, classroom management issues and other factors influenced by better nutrition and physical activity? 

How about the reduced stress  and greater well-being of family members in households that are currently food insecure and can’t afford to put healthy food on the table? 

What dollar figure do we put on the quality of lives of the people who would experience reduced rates of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure; reduced heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke; and reduced rates of forms of cancer, arthritis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?  We can wait for another report to come out to tell us the dollar savings, but most already know the answer… 

What is the plight of the organic movement as food prices continue to soar?   Are organics just experiencing a speed bump in the face of the current economic downturn, or are they actually hitting the wall?

Business Journalist Samuel Fromartz (who writes for such publications as Fortune Small Business, Inc., Business Week, The New York Times, and many others) shares his take on the organics movement and where its headed.  He also cites Petaluma Bounty:  “In an interesting case in Petaluma, California (about 90 minutes north of San Francisco), an inventive non-profit called Petaluma Bounty…”  To read Fromartz post, click here.