Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is an important goal and one I highly endorse. I'm disappointed, however, with Council Bill 17-2015 attempting to dictate to the vending industry product placement and pricing based solely on caloric content.
Is this where our attention should be focused? What percentage of the average person's daily food consumption comes from vending machines in county buildings? Until proven otherwise, I have to believe it is insignificant.
What is significant is overlooking the second major component in fighting obesity — physical activity. Energies should be focused on re-examining zoning policies which inadvertently eliminate play space in yards or areas designated as open space. The impact of new stormwater management regulations may have been overlooked when density increases were approved. Although the County has opened outstanding parks, not every child has an adult to take them there regularly. There is no way to play ball or tag if your development's only open space doubles as a rain garden.
Let's re-examine the amount of PE and recess in our schools. Let's applaud Rec and Parks collaborative programs like T-ball and baseball expansion (with HCPSS) and the Passport to Family Wellness trails program (with CA and Wegmans). Let's think outside/beyond the vending machine box!
Susan Garber
North Laurel