health and nutrition | Ecology Center

Soda Tax & the BUSD Cooking & Gardening Programs, 6/4/15

May 27, 2015 by Ecology Center

Have you heard? The first month of Measure D soda taxes has been collected. Meanwhile, BUSD’s Cooking and Gardening programs are desperate for funding. How much soda tax was collected? And where will that money go? And who decides? Come to the Ecology Center at 7PM on the night of Thursday, June 4 and find… Read more »

Berkeley Collects First Month of Soda Tax, Projects $1.2 Million per Year

May 19, 2015 by Ecology Center

[Press Release] The City of Berkeley announced yesterday that it collected $116,000 for the month of March from Measure D, the sugar-sweetened beverage tax that voters passed overwhelmingly last November. Given that the tax focused solely on a few dozen major distributors, the City estimates annualized receipts of at least $1.2 million. “The implementation has… Read more »

Ecology Center Awarded $3.7 Million Grant from USDA to Expand Statewide Program That Supports Farmers & Feeds Families

April 1, 2015 by Ecology Center

[Press Release] Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Ecology Center in Berkeley, California will receive one of the USDA’s first ever Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) grants, totaling $3.7 million over two years. The grant will help to expand Market Match, California’s healthy food incentive program to additional farmers’ markets and other outlets… Read more »

We’re Hiring for Three Part-Time Positions in our Recycling and Food & Farming Programs

January 27, 2015 by Ecology Center

We have three positions currently open that are ideal for students, young people, or others looking for entry-level environmental work. We will be announcing more positions across several of our programs in the coming weeks, check back at ecologycenter.org/jobs. Here’s the positions we’re currently accepting applications for: RECYCLING CUSTOMER SERVICE ASSISTANT (2 Positions Open) The… Read more »

Healthy Food Access at Farmers’ Markets Is Making Huge Strides Nationwide

August 19, 2014 by Ecology Center

According to the national Farmers’ Market Coalition, $16.6 million in SNAP benefits were redeemed at farmers’ markets nationally in 2013. That’s a sharp increase from $4.2 million just five years ago. The number of farmers’ markets is also on the rise. If these trends continue, it could mean good changes for what’s on the plates… Read more »