On February 24, I attended California Governor Schwarzenegger's Summit on Health, Nutrition, and Obesity: Actions for a Healthy Living, with special guest President Bill Clinton. At the Summit the Governor described his platform for fighting obesity and promoting a healthier California:

• Restricting the sale of sports drinks in schools
  
• Requiring water to be available in school cafeterias
• Mandating vigorous physical activity in PE and after school programs and supporting joint use agreements that would allow community members access to school facilities
• Promoting safe routes so youth can walk or bike to schools
• Signing an Executive Order for a Task Force on “Health in All Policies”

These are the moments health advocates work so hard for – when the evidence, public support, and political will come together to create meaningful change. Now we need to seize this opportunity to make sure these changes become a reality.

By focusing on changing our food and physical activity environments we will begin to design neighborhoods where being healthy is easy and affordable. We hope to be able to report to you the signing of the bills in October. Until then, to follow the progress of these policy issues and other California legislation that will improve the health of communities of color visit CPEHN’s policy center at: www.cpehn.org/policycenter.php.