A new (old) idea is coming

<p>Every once in a while, a new idea comes along that makes so much sense, you wonder why somebody didn't think of it sooner. And sometimes, the new idea isn't new at all, but simply an old idea whose time has truly come again.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>Such as growing some of our own food. It's about as old as civilization itself, but the importance of growing food at home and in our neighborhood has never been more important for Petalumans. This is the idea behind the new iGROW campaign, which, with local non-profit partners, Petaluma Bounty and Daily Acts, aims to get food gardens growing on every block in Sonoma County. </p><p>Growing your own food is more than just a great way to spend some weekend time. Growing your own also:</p><p>n Gives you the freshest, most nutritious food around (often at less cost than buying it)</p><p>n Helps combat childhood obesity and other diet-related problems that are plaguing our children by giving them hands-on experience growing and eating their own healthy food</p><p>n Eliminates greenhouse gas emissions</p><p>n Can reduce your water bill-especially if you replace your water-thirsty lawn with a vegetable garden and drip irrigation system</p><p>n Helps you to lose weight, reduce stress, and generally feel better.</p><p>If those aren't enough reasons to plant a spring garden, consider this. While our current food system is extraordinarily efficient at making and selling calories it also makes healthier foods, fresh fruits and vegetables more expensive. So expensive that many Petaluma families and seniors are not able to buy healthy food on a regular basis. One in three Petaluma city school children depend upon free or reduced price school meals, an increase of over 50 percent in just five years.</p><p>Growing your own is an act of community building and real “homeland” security. When we grow more of our food-in a front yard, at a community garden, or even in containers on an apartment balcony-we build a stronger and more resilient Petaluma food system and increase our community food self-reliance. Plus, if we grow a few more veggies than we need for our own tables, we can donate them to the Petaluma Bounty Hunters, who will distribute them to Petaluma families and seniors who can't afford to buy healthy food (www.peta lumabounty.org/programs). </p><p>The iGROW initiative is part of Health Action which was established by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors in 2007 to improve the health of Sonoma County residents over the next 10 years. iGROW is a sister program to Health Action's iWALK program, which was launched last May to encourage more physical activity.</p><p>Through its website and community partners, iGROW provides resources and support for people to grow their own food year-round — and to connect with other local sources of healthy food in the community. For more on iGROW and how to start your own garden, find gardening classes, and much more, visit www.igrowsonoma.org. </p><p>Local iGROW partner Petaluma Bounty is a nonprofit dedicated to creating a sustainable food system with healthy food for everyone. Petaluma Bounty helps to create new community gardens and also installs new “victory gardens” for Petaluma residents through its Backyard Bounty program. Other programs include the volunteer-driven Bounty Hunters (food gleaning) program, the Boun-ty Farm, and the Bounty Mob-ile Market. For more, visit www.petalumabounty.org.</p><p>iGROW partner Daily Acts is a Petaluma-based nonprofit dedicated to transforming our community through inspired action and education which builds leadership and local self reliance. Daily Acts projects include transforming the Cavanaugh Center lawn into a water-saving food forest and Project Homegrown, which helps people consume fewer resources while growing more food and community. To learn more about Daily Acts, visit www.dailyacts.org. </p><p>For more about Sonoma County Health Action, contact Ellen Bauer, with Sonoma County Department of Health Services, at ebauer@sonoma-county.org.</p><p><i>(Grayson James is executive director of Petaluma Bounty, and a founding member of Health Action's Food Access Workgroup and the iGROW program.)</i></p>