It’s time neighborhood concerns in Humboldt County had the focused attention they deserve. We have the power to fix our problems, but it can only happen by working together, by listening to each other and by realizing that the county’s problems are interconnected, not isolated.

Do you think that City Hall or your local government is addressing the concerns that matter most to you? It’s time to bring our issues, our priorities to the forefront of city government. We'll never fix our county by blaming each other, but we can succeed by combining our efforts and our ideas.

How would you propose improving the quality of life in your neighborhood?

Food:

In Humboldt County, we like our food.  From the localvore movement to food trucks to Four Star restaurants,  food is a hallmark of our culture. In a place this obsessed, you would think that the some of the largest servers in town would be good, or at least decent.  Schools serve many of our children, but the food at most schools often seems like it gets the least thought and attention. 

Humboldt's hardcore foodies might be shocked to learn that the lunch their kids eat daily is manufactured and prepackaged in Illinois, and that corn syrup and sodium are frequent ingredients.  The food arrives at our schools much like tv dinners or airline food, ready to be reheated and served.

To the school's credit, the produce they serve is often grown in California and seasonal, although one writer Michael Bauer’s description of “orange segments that were a day away from becoming compost” is hardly appetizing.  All meals must meet nutrition standards laid out by the USDA, and are subject to strict requirements for school lunch menus. Anyone who says that large numbers of students create real problems of scale, limiting creativity and preparation, is just lazy.  

When I lived in the Marshall Islands, a local mother came to the school everyday and sold school lunches out of the back of a truck for $1.  She didn't have to get fingerprinted in order to be allowed to do this.  She didn't have to pass rigorous standards for serving food.  And guess what?  The kids were fine! These lunches included rice, a vegetable, a fruit, and a piece of chicken, much more well-rounded than the typical slice of pizza I see students at School X eating on a daily basis.

To the left: my $2.50 bagel and cream cheese during Nutrition Break.  The milk was good...

Alice Waters changed the game in Berkeley with her Edible Schoolyard concept.  And dedicated parents in San Francisco have made real progress, installing herb and vegetable garden at schools that help supplement lunches.  The school board has recognized the problem and is taking it seriously, with some members pushing for healthier menus.  But overall, our kids haven’t benefitted from our cultural commitment to healthy food.

Making sure our school kids get fresh, local, wholesome (and even good-tasting) food should be a priority. In other words, if we really do care about food in this town, we should walk the walk.

What do you think? Should improving school lunches in Humboldt be a priority?