NPLAN hosts bi-monthly webinars to train professionals working in the childhood obesity prevention movement on legal and policy concepts relevant to their work. The concepts covered in these webinars range from healthy planning to Complete Streets to community garden land use policies. We record and archive all of the webinars and make them available on this page. We hope that you'll join us for our next webinar!

Upcoming Webinars

September 21, 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET
Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes & Fees

January 2011 (TBD)
Improving the School Food Environment through Food Marketing and Vending Policies

Past Webinars

July 2009
Healthy Planning 101: How to Use Land Use and Zoning to Create Healthy Communities
This webinar covered basic land use planning concepts that are relevant to public health community.
Webinar Archive

September 2009
Preemption & Public Health
Preemption is an important legal concept that arises in many public health policy debates. This webinar provided a basic introduction to preemption for non-lawyers and a discussion of why it should matter to the public health community.
Webinar Archive

October 2009
Community Gardens for Public Health
Community gardens can provide communities with fresh fruits and vegetables, physical activity, and educational opportunities. This webinar provided an overview of the benefits of community gardens, a mini-training on land-use policies that can protect and promote gardens, and two examples of community gardens in action.
Webinar Archive

January 2010
Complete the Streets! Using Street Design to Create Healthier Communities
When communities adopt Complete Streets policies, they change how streets are designed and built so that residents of all ages and abilities can travel easily and safely along community streets, whether they are walking, biking, or riding the bus.This webinar provided an introduction to Complete Streets principles and benefits, a training on NPLAN's model Complete Streets policies, and an advocacy success story from Columbia, MO.
Webinar Archive

February 2010
Fresh, Local Food in Underserved Communities through Farmers' Markets and Produce Carts
Communities have many policy options for expanding access to fresh produce. This webinar covered two policies that create "pop-up" venues for fresh produce sales: farmers' markets and mobile produce carts. It included a training on NPLAN's model farmers' market and mobile vending policies and a story from Detrioit, MI, about setting up EBT at a farmers' market.
Webinar Archive

April 2010
Opening Up School Recreational Facilities for Community Use Through Joint Use Agreements
NPLAN co-hosted a webinar with KaBOOM! to train public health and play advocates, including local government and school officials, on the basics of joint use agreements. Participants learned about the various strategies and resources for developing joint use agreements, including model joint use agreements, a checklist for developing joint use agreements, and information about the liability laws related to joint use. The webinar also featured lessons learned from Playful Cities that have successfully implemented joint use agreements.
Webinar Archive

June 2010
Fast Food Regulations: Healthy School Food Zone and Toy Giveaway Ordinances
Community public health advocates and policymakers can use multiple strategies to reduce the impact of marketing on children’s food choices and promote healthy eating. They can work with local governments to prohibit fast food restaurants from locating near schools and other child-serving places. They can also enact ordinances to prohibit toy give-away promotions with unhealthy meals. The purpose of this webinar was to discuss these two types of policies, which aim to reduce children’s exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages and support parents in their efforts to provide their children with healthier meals. The webinar also featured a presentation from Ken Yeager, the President of the Santa Clara County (California) Board of Supervisors, who sponsored the landmark legislation that prohibits toy giveaways with unhealthy kids' meals.
Webinar Archive

August 2010
Let's Walk to School! Safe Routes to School and Liability
Despite the many benefits of SRTS – reversing childhood obesity trends, reducing traffic congestion, improving air quality, enhancing neighborhood safety – some schools have been reluctant to support SRTS programs due to concerns about being sued if an injury or problem arises. But such fears are largely unwarranted. By acting responsibly and understanding liability issues, schools, nonprofits, and parent groups can help students reap the health and academic benefits of SRTS programs while minimizing any risks. NPLAN hosted a training on SRTS programs, policies and liability concerns for advocates and school officials. Presenters put liability concerns in perspective, explained how SRTS programs may leave schools with a lower risk of liability than existed prior to the program, and provided best practices for implementing SRTS programs and policies.
Webinar Archive