11 for 11: Jason Harvey dreams big at Oakland Food Connection

Article by Jess Watson.
Last updated at Fri, 28 Jan at 3:42pm.

(Editor's note: The following is part of our continuing series that looks at Oakland Local's picks for people/organizations to watch in 2011. See all profiles in this series.)

Jason Harvey is a jack-of-all trades: chef, Farmer's Market manager, youth educator, garden builder, as well as the executive director of a vibrant East Oakland food justice organization, Oakland Food Connection. Harvey's many skills are all focused on one goal: “To educate youth and adults about the process of food from seed to table.”

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Foraging Report: Harvesting Oakland olives
Article by Jess Watson.
Last updated at Thu, 27 Jan at 10:15am.

You're probably thinking, “I didn't know we had olive groves in Oakland.” 

And we don't ... per se. But the trees are everywhere. Once you can recognize their distinctive gray-green silhouette, it's just a slight shift in awareness to start to see them everywhere you go. 

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Oakland Food Policy Council Recommends new Rules for Food System
Blog entry by Rebecca McCurdy.
Last updated at Thu, 13 Jan at 9:19am.

Aprons showed up in City Hall yesterday when representatives from the Oakland Food Policy Council presented the group’s initial proposals for strengthening the city’s food system. The independent advocacy group called on City Council’s Life Enrichment Committee to take ten ‘first-steps’ toward reaching a series of food system goals.

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City Council hears recommendations for Energy and Climate Action Plan

Article by Ryan Van Lenning.
Last updated at Fri, 2 Apr at 9:19am.

Oakland is one step closer to living up to its aspiration to be a model green city. Oakland City Council held a special meeting Tuesday night to hear city staff recommendations and public comments concerning the Energy and Climate Action Plan it is working on.

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What will Oakland's Energy and Climate Action Plan look like?

Article by Ryan Van Lenning.
Last updated at Tue, 30 Mar at 4:20pm.

We know the problems: too much pollution, too much waste and inefficient use of energy, exacerbated by issues related to transportation, food, energy, waste and building systems.

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New Oakland Food Policy Council Sets Course for Better Food Access, Social Change
Article by Ryan Van Lenning.
Last updated at Mon, 19 Oct at 10:42pm.

There is wide consensus that lack of access to healthy, affordable food and problems with how our food gets to our table are real issues across the nation.  Oakland is no exception.  A new body called the Oakland Food Policy Council has just been formed to address policies that affect residents and the food system in which we all participate.

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