*Breaking Activism Alert!*

* Take Action: Support Bill To Trim the Fat From Public Schools! *

In an October, 2004 activism alert
<http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=723469&s=28503474> Mothering urged
readers to support Senator Ted
Kennedy’s “toughest bill yet to ban junk food in schools.”

Last Friday, Senator Kennedy re-introduced the bill, aimed at stopping
the sale of junk food and soda pop in public schools nationwide. The
bill is called the "Prevention of Childhood Obesity Act" (S. 799), and
it has several excellent provisions.

Most importantly, in schools that receive federal funds, the bill would
ban vending machines that sell "foods of poor or minimal nutritional
value," including soda pop, some candy, chewing gum, etc. It would
provide grants to schools that prohibit advertising and marketing of
"foods of poor or minimal nutritional values such as fast foods, soft
drinks and candy," or provide food options low in fat, calories and
added sugars, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. It would
require daily physical activity classes, and would encourage the
consumption of water in school and in communities.

The bill ought to be overwhelmingly popular. According to a Wall Street
Journal poll in February, 2005, 83% of Americans "believe public schools
need to do a better job of limiting children's access to unhealthy foods
like snack foods, sugary soft drinks and fast food."

Of course, our nation's obesity lobby (our largest food and beverage
companies, media conglomerates and advertising agencies) will likely do
everything they can to oppose the legislation.

Please take these two simple steps to get this bill co-sponsored by your
US senators:

1) Click here <http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=723470&s=28503474> to
send emails to your senators in support of the bill. Or if you want to
call your senators, the congressional switchboard phone is 202.225.3121.

2) Forward this email to everyone you know who cares about children, and
ask them to take action now.

Source:
www.commercialalert.org <http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=723471&s=28503474>

For more information, read “The Parent's Bill Of Rights: Helping Moms
and Dads Fight Commercialism
<http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=723472&s=28503474>”, originally
published in Mothering Magazine issue 116.