Growing
Healthy Soil

Healthy Soil
An Investment In Your
Garden

Did you know that by simply improving your soil, you can beautify your garden, cut your water bill, improve water quality in our streams, and even reduce your work? Growing healthy soil — and a healthy garden — is as easy as adding compost and other organic amendments to your soil. In fact, this is the single most important thing you can do for your garden.
“Compost” is the dark, earthy material naturally produced by decaying plants and animal wastes. This mix of living and dead organic matter supports an intricate web of soil life, which in turn keeps your soil loose, moisture-holding, fertile and well-drained. The following three steps for growing healthy soil are explained in this factsheet:

1. Before planting, amend the soil throughout the entire planting area with compost.
2. Mulch existing plantings with compost, leaves, grass clippings or woody mulches.
3. When you need to feed plants, use natural organic and slowrelease fertilizers.

Understand Your Soil

“Dirt” is the mineral portion of the soil that supports plants, supplies nutrients and stores water. There are three general types of soil, determined by the size of the soil particles. These affect how the soil functions. You may have more than one kind of soil in different areas of your garden.
Sandy soils contain large particles which are visible to the naked eye. They feel gritty and will not form a ball when squeezed in your hand. Sandy soils are loose and drain easily, but do not store water or nutrients for plants. Clay soils are made up of tiny particles that feel sticky when wet, and dry into dense chunks or fine powder. They hold nutrients and water well, but drain poorly. Loamy soils are a mix of sand, clay and organic matter. When squeezed in your hand, moist loam forms a ball which crumbles when poked with a finger. Loamy soils are generally loose, well-drained and able to store moisture and nutrients. Air and water are essential elements that transport nutrients to plants and carry away waste. Together, they make up half the volume of healthy soil. Compacted or heavy clay soils may not have adequate space for air and water to move freely to plant roots. Organic matter and soil life make up just a small part of the soil volume, but are the glue that holds healthy soil together. Decomposing plant materials (like compost) support a great variety of beneficial organisms ranging from microscopic bacteria to earthworms. Organic matter and soil life keep plants healthy by:

• supplying balanced nutrients to growing plants.
• fighting plant diseases and pests.
• storing fertilizers and natural nutrients for gradual release, while preventing them from washing into streams.
• storing water, which reduces runoff and your garden’s irrigation needs.
• making clay soils better drained and easier to work.
• trapping and breaking down pesticide residues and
• polluted runoff.
• Think twice before using pesticides that may damage
• soil life.
• Don’t overfertilize: more is not better.
• Don’t overwater: overwatering can promote plant
• disease and exclude air from roots.
• Prevent soil compaction. This means walking on

garden beds as little as possible, keeping heavy equipment and cars off lawns, and minimizing the use of rototillers. Excessive use of chemicals, overwatering and soil compaction can harm beneficial soil organisms and reduce their ability to keep soil healthy.

Mulch your Plantings

"Mulch" refers to a material placed on the soil’s surface. (Although usually organic, mulches can also be products such as landscape fabric.) Mulches reduce evaporation, limit weed growth, minimize soil temperature fluctuations, and limit soil runoff that can choke streams and fish. Most mulch products provide these benefits, but organic mulches — such as compost or bark — can be especially beneficial because earthworms and other soil life gradually break them down, mixing them into the soil to nourish plants.

When
• Apply annually or as needed.
• Mulch in early summer to conserve moisture, feed plants and prevent weed seeds from sprouting.
• Mulch in fall to protect soil from erosion, smother weeds and retain warmth.

Where
• Mulch annual and perennial planting beds, as well as the surface of container plantings.

• Cover entire tree and shrub planting beds, or make mulch rings at least 3 feet wide around each plant in lawns.

• Keep mulch a few inches away from stems, crown and trunks to prevent rot and pest damage.

How

Remove weeds and grass before spreading mulches. Use porous weed barriers such as woven landscape fabric or cardboard to smother aggressive perennial weeds before mulching.

How Much
• Grass clippings: 1/2 to 1 inch deep Compost, leaves, sawdust, medium- or fine-ground bark: 1/2 to 2 inches deep
• Coarsely shredded bark, wood chips or tree trimmings: 2 to 4 inches deep

Note: One cubic foot of mulch covers 12 square feet 1
inch deep.One cubic yard will cover 324 square feet 1
inch deep, or 108 square feet 3 inches deep.


Fertilize Moderately and Responsibly

Fertilize moderately with natural organic and slow-release fertilizers to grow healthy, easy-to-maintain plants. Too much fertilizer can produce excess growth that is easily damaged by pests, wind, frost and drought. Many of the nutrients in quick-release fertilizers may wash off to pollute lakes, streams and groundwater. Most established trees and shrubs do not need regular fertilization. Mulching can provide all their nutrient needs in most cases. Even heavy feeders like roses, annuals and flowering perennials take in adequate nutrients through yearly compost applications.
When choosing a fertilizer, look for the words “natural/organic” or “slow-release” on the fertilizer bag. Though these fertilizers may cost more, they offer better value and greater protection of water quality as more of their nutrients actually feed plants, instead of washing into streams or groundwater. “Natural organic fertilizers” include rock phosphate and other minerals, plant products such as alfalfa meal, as well as animal byproducts like bone or fish meal. Most nutrients in natural fertilizers must be digested by bacteria before they dissolve in water and plants can use them. These nutrients are slowly released when warm soil stimulates the bacteria, which is when they are needed by actively growing plants.
“Slow-release fertilizers” such as sulfur-coated urea become available as outer coatings are dissolved by moisture and soil bacteria when plants are actively growing. “Quick-release fertilizers” like urea and ammonium sulfate quickly dissolve in water. They wash through the soil with rain or irrigation if not immediately used by plants or absorbed by organic matter

WOMEN STAY HEALTHY AT ANY AGE

Your Checklist
for Health

The information in this fact sheet is based on research findings from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The
USPSTF is the leading independent panel of experts in prevention and primary care. The Task Force, which is supported by AHRQ, conducts rigorous, impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services, including screening, counseling, and preventive medications. Its recommendations are considered the gold standard for clinical preventive services. Put Prevention Into Practice, part of the AHRQ Dissemination and Implementation Program, is designed to increase the appropriate use of clinical preventive services, such as screening tests, preventive medications, and counseling. Based on the recommendations of the USPSTF and Government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Put Prevention Into Practice tools and resources help clinicians determine which preventive services their patients should receive and make it easier for patients to participate in, understand, and keep track of their preventive care. For more information about USPSTF recommendations and Put Prevention Into Practice, go to the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality Web site at:
www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov.

The most important things you can do to stay healthy are:
Get recommended screening tests • Be tobacco free • Be physically active
Eat a healthy diet • Stay at a healthy weight • Take preventive medicines if you need them.

Screening Tests for Women: What You Need and When

Screening tests can find diseases early when they are easier to treat. Health experts from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force have made recommendations, based on scientific evidence, about testing for the conditions below. Talk to your doctor about which ones apply to you and when and how often you should be tested. Obesity: Have your body mass index (BMI) calculated to screen for obesity. (BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.) You can also find your own BMI with the BMI calculator from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/.

Breast Cancer: Have a mammogram every 1 to 2 years starting at age 40.
Cervical Cancer: Have a Pap smear every
1 to 3 years if you:
– Have ever been sexually active.
– Are between the ages of 21 and 65.
High Cholesterol: Have your cholesterol checked regularly starting at age 45. If you are younger than 45, talk to your doctor about whether to have your cholesterol checked if:
– You have diabetes or high blood pressure
– Heart disease runs in your family.
– You smoke.
High Blood Pressure: Have your blood pressure checked at least every 2 years. High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher. Colorectal Cancer: Have a test for colorectal cancer starting at age 50. Your doctor can help you decide which test is right for you. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you may need to be tested earlier.

Diabetes: Have a test for diabetes if you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Depression: Your emotional health is as important as your physical health. If you have felt “down,” sad, or hopeless over the last 2 weeks or have felt little interest or pleasure in doing things, you may be depressed. Talk to your doctor about being screened for depression.
Osteoporosis (Thinning of the Bones):
Have a bone density test beginning at age 65 to screen for osteoporosis. If you are between the ages of 60 and 64 and weigh 154 lbs. or less, talk to your doctor about being tested. Chlamydia and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections: Have a test for chlamydia if you are 25 or younger and sexually active. If you are older, talk to your doctor about being tested. Also ask whether you should be tested for other sexually transmitted diseases. HIV: Have a test to screen for HIV
infection if you:
– Have had unprotected sex with multiple partners.
– Are pregnant.
– Have used or now use injection drugs.
– Exchange sex for money or drugs or have sex partners who do.
– Have past or present sex partners who are
HIV-infected, are bisexual, or use injection drugs.
– Are being treated for sexually transmitted diseases.
– Had a blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985.

Daily Steps to Health
Don’t Smoke. If you do smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. If you are pregnant and smoke, quitting now will help you and your baby. Your doctor or nurse can help you. And, you can also help yourself. For tips on how to quit, go to:
You Can Quit Smoking Now.
http://www.smokefree.gov. To talk to someone about how to quit, call the National Quitline: 1-
800-QUITNOW. For more quit-smoking resources, go to: http://www.healthfinder.gov/, and search for “smoking.” Be Physically Active. Walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming, and bicycling are just a few examples of moderate physical activity. If you are not already physically active, start small and work up to 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Eat a Healthy Diet. Emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and eat foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Stay at a Healthy Weight. Balance calories from foods and beverages with calories you burn off by your activities. To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity. Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation. If you drink alcohol, have no more than one drink a day. (A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.) If you are pregnant, avoid alcohol. A good place to find reliable health information is
at: www.healthfinder.gov

Should You Take Medicines to Prevent Disease?
Hormones: Do not take hormones to prevent disease. Talk to your doctor if you need relief from the symptoms of menopause.
Breast Cancer Drugs: If your mother, sister, or daughter has had breast cancer, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking medicines to prevent breast cancer.
Aspirin: Ask your doctor about taking aspirin to prevent heart disease if you are:
– Older than 45.
– Younger than 45 and:
• Have high blood pressure.
• Have high cholesterol.
• Have diabetes.
• Smoke.
Immunizations: Stay up-to-date with your immunizations.
– Have a flu shot every year starting at age 50. If you are younger than 50, ask your doctor whether you need a flu shot.
– Have a pneumonia shot once after you turn 65. If you are younger, ask your doctor whether you need a pneumonia shot.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide more information on immunizations at:
http://www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/adult-schedule.htm.

Women’s Screening Test Checklist

Take this checklist with you to your doctor’s office. Write down when you have any of the tests below. Talk to your doctor about your test results and write them down here. Ask when you should have the test next. Write down the month and year. If you think of questions for the doctor, write them down and bring them to your next visit. thangks

Quick Information for Your Health

Eating for a Healthy Heart

Eat Healthy to Help Prevent Heart Disease
What kills Americans most? Heart disease. It’s the No.1 cause of death in this country.
You can lower your chances of getting heart disease. One way is to choose foods carefully. For a healthy heart, eat:
• less fat • less sodium
• fewer calories • more fiber.

Eat less FAT
Some fats are more likely to cause heart disease—saturated fats and trans fats. These fats are usually found in foods from animals, such as meat, milk, cheese, and butter. They also are found in foods with palm and coconut oils. Eat less of these foods.

Eat less SODIUM
Eating less sodium can help lower some people’s blood pressure. This can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Sodium is something we need in our diets, but most of us eat too much of it. Much of the sodium we eat comes from salt we add to our food at the table or that food companies add to their foods. So, avoid adding salt to foods at the table.

Eat fewer CALORIES
When we eat more calories than we need, we gain weight. Being overweight can cause heart disease. When we eat fewer calories than we need, we lose weight.

Eat more FIBER
Eating fiber from fruits, vegetables, and grains may help lower your chances of getting heart disease.
Diet Tips for a Healthy Heart
• Eat a diet low in saturated fat, especially animal fats and palm and
coconut oils.
• Add foods to your diet that are high in monounsaturated fats, such as
olive oil, canola oil, and seafood.
• Eat foods containing polyunsaturated fats found in plants and seafood.
Safflower oil and corn oil are high in polyunsaturated fats.
• Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium.
• Maintain or improve your weight.
• Eat plenty of grain products, fruits, and vegetables.

Read the Food Label
The food label can help you eat less fat and sodium, fewer calories, and more fiber. Look for certain words on food labels. The words can help you spot foods that may help reduce your chances of getting heart disease. The FDA has set rules on how these words can be used. So, if the label says “low-fat,” the food must be low in fat. Look at the side or back of the package. Here, you will find “Nutrition Facts.” Look for these words:
• Total fat • Saturated fat
• Cholesterol • Sodium.
Look at the % Daily Value listed next to each term. If it is 5% or less for fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, the food is low in these nutrients. That’s good. It means the food fits in with a diet that may help reduce your chances of getting heart disease.

Tips for Losing Weight
• Eat smaller portions.
• Avoid second helpings.
• Eat less fat by staying away from fried foods, rich desserts, and chocolate candy. Foods with a lot of fat have a lot of calories.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables.

Eating for a Healthy Heart
You can lower your chances of getting heart disease. One way is through your diet.

Remember:
• Eat less fat and sodium.
• Reduce your calories if you’re overweight.
• Eat more fiber.
• Eat plenty of bread, rice, and cereal. Also eat lots of vegetables and fruit.
• If you drink beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.

Some Other Things You Can Do
Ask your doctor to check your cholesterol level. This is done with a blood test. The test will show the amount of cholesterol in your blood with a number. Below 200 is good. The test will also show the amount of “good” and “bad” cholesterol. Your doctor can tell you more about what these numbers mean. If your cholesterol is high, your doctor may suggest diet changes, exercise,
or drugs to bring it down. Regular exercise–such as walking, swimming, or gardening–can help you keep your weight and cholesterol down.

Creating A Healthy

CREATING A HEALTHY
ENVIRONMENT
THE IMPACT OF THE
BUILT ENVIRONMENT ON PUBLIC HEALTHY

“In its broadest sense, environmental health comprises those aspects of human health, disease, and injury that are determined or influenced by factors in the environment. This includes not only the study of the direct pathological effects of various chemical, physical, and biological agents, but also the effects on health of the broad physical and social environment, which includes housing, urban development, land-use and transportation, industry, and agriculture.”
—Healthy People

PUBLIC HEALTH/LAND-USE MONOGRAPH

Introduction
When people consider factors adversely affecting their health, they generally focus on influences, such as poor diet or the need for more exercise. Rarely do they consider less traditional factors, such as housing characteristics, land-use patterns, transportation choices, or architectural or urban-design decisions, as potential health hazards. However, when these factors are ignored or poorly executed, the ecosystems in our communities collapse, people suffer the consequences. We have always known that a 2-hour commute to work each day on America’s freeways is not a pleasant experience; it is also becoming clear that it is an unhealthy experience. We see evidence every day that Americans exercise less often and suffer higher levels of stress than they did in the past. Yet we often fail to make the connection between these all-too-common facets of everyday life and how unhealthy we are. As America increasingly becomes a nation that permits and even encourages thoughtless development and unmanaged growth, the impact of these factors grows clearer, and we ignore them at our peril.

Land-use planning and zoning have their roots in a desire to protect the public’s health. As far back as 1926, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Village of Euclid vs. Ambler Realty Co., cited public health protection as one of the basic responsibilities of local governments, thus giving them a legal mandate to restrict or control landuse decisions in a community.2 In this monograph, we address some of these land-use decisions, discuss how they affect our health, and offer some suggestions on how public health professionals can collaborate with their colleagues in land-use planning and urban design to help ensure the health and quality of life of the people in their communities. In recent years, public health organizations have emphasized that public health agencies and programs must not only control disease, but also work to prevent it. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease or infirmity.”3 The National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine has asserted that the public health system should “fulfill society’s interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy.”4 Environmental public health initiatives have historically been among the most effective approaches for assuring healthy living conditions. In 1854, Dr. John Snow was credited with taking bold action when he suspected that contaminated water from a public pump on Broad Street was causing a deadly cholera outbreak in London. As a result of this discovery and Dr. Snow’s actions to remove the handle on the pump, the cholera outbreak ended. Much of the improvement in disease death rates in the last century can be attributed to basic environmental public health actions such as Dr. Snow’s that resulted in improved sanitation, cleaner air and water, injury prevention, and protection of citizens from dangers posed by industrial pollution in their communities. We believe that applying public health criteria to land-use and urban design decisions could substantially improve the health and quality of life of the American people. Therefore, in this monograph, we focus mainly on the following:
The relation of land-use decisions to air quality and respiratory health;

• The built environment (including all manmade physical components of human settlements such as buildings, streets, open spaces, and infrastructure) in terms of whether it promotes or discourages physical activity;

• The impact of urban design on the number of pedestrian injuries and deaths, particularly among children;

• The choices communities make about the built environment that improve mobility and the quality of life for their elderly and disabled residents; and

• The ways that various land-use decisions affect community water quality, sanitation, and the incidence of disease outbreaks. A brief summary of other health impacts of urban sprawl is also included, with a final section that describes some steps that both the planning community and the public health community can take to ensure that public health concerns figure prominently in decisions made about the built environment.

Land-use and Its Effects on
Air Quality and Respiratory
Health

Sprawl — uncontrolled, poorly planned, low-density, and single-use community growth — depends on individual motor vehicles to flourish. As people move farther and farther from cities, they inevitably will travel longer distances to work, shop, and play. From 1960 through 1990, the percentage of workers with jobs outside their counties of residence increased by 200 percent, while the proportion of workers commuting within their counties of residence declined.5 This trend contributed to an increase in the number of vehicle miles traveled in passenger cars `— an increase of more than 250 percent (915 billion miles) from 1960 through 1997.6 This dependence on the automobile has only accelerated in recent years. For instance, according to the Sierra Club, the average American driver spends 443 hours each year behind the wheel — the equivalent of 55 nine-hour days or 11 work weeks.7 Residents of cities that have grown more over the last decade ave also experienced a greater increase in the average time spent traveling in a car than residents of cities where growth has remained stable. From 1992 through 1996, the increase in the number of annual person-hours of delay spent in an automobile in Los Angeles was 9 percent; in Atlanta 44 percent; in Orlando 62 percent; and in Kansas City 81 percent.8 This increase in driving time results in an increase in air pollution and in the incidence of respiratory diseases. Despite tremendous progress in reducing U.S. air pollution since the passage of the Clean Air Act almost 30 years ago, cars and trucks are still a major source of pollution, because even though individual cars pollute less, the number of cars and trucks and the number of miles people drive increases.9 According to a recent report completed by the Congressional Research Service, in 1997, on-road vehicles accounted for about 58 percent of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions in the United States, nearly 30 percent of nitrogen oxides (NOx), roughly 27 percent of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and about 9 percent of particulate matter (PM). NOx and VOCs contribute to ground-level ozone pollution, which is known as smog.10, 11 Research presented on the impact of automobiles and the transportation sector on human health at the Third Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health held in London in 1999 indicated the following:
Z Motor vehicle traffic is the main source of ground-level urban concentrations of air pollutants with recognized hazardous properties. In Northern Europe, this traffic contributes practically all CO, 75 percent of NOx, and about 40 percent of the particulate
matter (PM10) concentrations.
Z Approximately 36,000 to 129,000 adult deaths a year can be attributed to long-term exposure to air pollution generated by traffic in European cities.12
Also presented at the conference were results from a recent study of the health effects of air pollutants from traffic in Austria, France and Switzerland and their related costs. This study, using comparable methods, found that air pollution caused 6 percent of total mortality in the three countries, more than 40,000 deaths per year. About half of all mortality caused by air pollution was attributed to motorized traffic. This corresponds to about twice the number of deaths due to traffic accidents in these countries. When researchers analyzed the data from the study they found that automobile-related pollution was responsible for more deaths than traffic accidents. The economic burden of the health impact of automobile pollution was estimated at more than EUR 27 billion
(approximately $23.8 billion in U.S. dollars).12 Data from studies conducted in the United
States strongly suggest significant links between air pollution and negative health outcomes such as asthma. The President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to
Children reports that:
“Many common air pollutants, such as ozone, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter are
respiratory irritants and can exacerbate asthma. Air pollution may also act synergistically with other environmental factors to worsen asthma. For example, some evidence suggests that exposure to ozone can enhance a person’s responsiveness to other inhaled allergens. Whether long term exposure to these pollutants can actually
contribute to the development of asthma is not yet known.”13

Planners, Architects,
Engineers, and Public Health
Professionals Can Make a
Difference

The challenge facing those with responsibility for assuring the health and quality of life of Americans is clear. We must integrate our concepts of “public health issues” with “urban planning issues.” Urban planners, engineers, and architects must begin to see that they have a critical role in public health. Similarly, public health professionals need to appreciate that the built environment influences public health as much as vaccines or water quality. In a recently published list of the 10 most important public health challenges for the new century, CDC Director Jeffrey Koplan, MD, included at least four that are significantly linked to some of the land-use and urban design issues.
They are:
(1) integrating physical activity into our daily lives;
(2) cleaning up and protecting the environment;
(3) recog-nizing the contributions of mental health to overall health and well-being; and
(4) reducing the toll of violence in society.

28 Specific actions from the public health sector to address these issues might include the following:

• Supporting research to determine the impact that changes in the built environment can have on public health, such as the addition of greenspace, sidewalks, and bike paths, and the reduction in impervious surfaces. Just as traffic studies are completed to ensure that road capacity can support new growth, so too should the public health community conduct research to determine the air quality impacts that increasing numbers of automobiles in use in a community have on its air quality. Just as engineers use data that have been collected over time in other places to determine the diameter of sewer pipe needed to serve a section of a community, so too should public health officials use data on pedestrian injury patterns to create new urban design techniques.

• Participating in local planning processes, such as comprehensive planning meetings, zoning hearings, and urban planning workshops known as charrettes (intense, community-based, local planning and problem-solving workshops where local leaders and decision-makers develop consensus vision of the desired future of their community). Just as the developers, the neighbors, the school board, and the planners have their say in land-use decisions, so too should physicians and public health officials have the opportunity to provide input. It is their role to ask the questions such as “Why aren’t there any sidewalks in a new subdivision?” or “What is the air quality impact that is expected from a widening of the local highway?” and to press for evidence to substantiate any claims upon which any new growth and development are based.

• Working with planners and other land-use professionals to provide them with the strong public health arguments they need to support “smart-growth” designs and initiatives. The public health and medical community must play an active role in the land-use and development decisions made in their community. It is their role to make policy makers and planners aware of the health impacts of the decisions they make. It is also critical that when they find that no data or analyses exist to answer the questions that they raise, they push researchers and policy makers to collect the information they need and conduct the research to ensure that all of the impacts of various land-use decisions are known before irrevocable actions are taken. Just as there is an expanded role for health care workers and public health professionals inmaking land-use planning decisions, so too is there an expanded role for urban designers and planners to begin to view themselves as a previously untapped force for public health. It is time for the planning community to remember its roots in public health protection — to remember that in the beginning many, if not most, land-use decisions were made to separate people from land-uses and industrial processes that posed a threat to their health or safety. To reclaim their role as public health protectors, the planners and urban designers might take the following actions:

• Balancing the potential public health consequences of their choices with other considerations. “Smart growth” doesn’t mean “no growth,” but it does mean planned, controlled growth. The health impacts of land-use decisions need to receive at least as much consideration in development decision-making processes as economic impacts.

1. Designing communities around people rather than around automobiles. Reviving the concept that the end result of urban design should be improved quality-of-life and that where people live as it relates to where they work, shop or go to school can have a dramatic impact on their health and quality of life.
2. Changing existing zoning codes to encourage multiuse land-development patterns that make it possible to work, shop, and go to school within walking distance of people’s homes. The influence of last century’s community designers on our communities and on the behavior choices that we make everyday was seriously underestimated. The obesity epidemic in the United States was never imagined by those who made it difficult, if not impossible, to walk to the grocery store and to school and who also made it far easier to drive to the shopping mall or the movie theater across town then to walk to such neighborhood establishments.
3. Changing existing building codes to encourage building and site design that is accessible to people who have various degrees of mobility. It is a clear, if largely unrealized, fact that the more each member of society is able to participate and contribute, the better off society is. [Not only would those who were previously hampered by the inaccessibility feel better, but they also need less help to participate in society and be more able to contribute to their communities.] And all of this could be possible if appropriate design choices are made which, in most cases, would not cost appreciably more or negatively affect others.
4. Encouraging greenspace development that promotes community, reduces violence, and improves mental health. The mental and physical health benefits of community parksand other green spaces have been demonstrated. The question that remains is whether communities want to spend money up front to create an environment that prevents violence and increases psychological well-being or whether they want to spend money after the fact to address the violence and stress which results from communities without parks and communal areas. Public health professionals and those in architecture, urban design, and planning have much in common. The challenge now is for each profession to learn from each other how best to address the needs of the communities they serve, to determine what answers each has that the other needs, to create a common language, and to initiate the opportunities to use it. To meet these challenges, we need a broader view of those factors influencing public health and a much better understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of the problem. We need a collaborative and concerted effort to influence both public health policy and other public policy on these issues in order for positive changes to take place that will improve the health and quality of life for all Americans.

LA TAHZAN

MUKADIMAH

Di mana saja, di zaman modern ini, permasalahan yang dihadapi oleh manusia sama saja. Manusia yang dibesarkan dalam latar belakang yang dibentuk oleh generasi pendahulunya, harus berhadapan dengan arus budaya global yang sama sekali baru, tapi harus disikapi, disinggung, diseleksi, bahkan diterima. Sehingga tak ada bedanya di mana pun kita hidup: Di Indonesia, di Eropa, di Amerika, di Saudi Arabia sampai pun di pedalaman Afrika.

Dengan menjamurnya buku-buku ala Chicken Soup saat ini, menunjukkan bahwa arus budaya global itu tidak bisa dimungkiri lagi ada, dan punya kekuatan untuk mengakulturasi budaya lokal (yang bahkan bisabisa menyingkirkannya). Dan, buku ini adalah salah satunya. Dengan pertimbangan latar belakang sosial budaya yang merupakan tempat lahirnya Islam, buku ini menawarkan perspektif yang lain. Ketika membaca buku ini, penerbit mengajak pembaca untuk melihat dan memahami perspektif itu. Di sini, pembaca dituntut untuk menjadi seorang pemerhati sosial budaya Timur Tengah, baru kemudian memahami permasalahan modernisme di wilayah itu, dan dunia pada umumnya. Sebagai gambaran tentang bagaimana orang-orang Arab, khususnya Saudi Arabia, menghadapi arus budaya modern itu tampak dari pengalaman penulis buku ini. Adalah Aidh al-Qarni yang dalam usianya yang baru empat puluh tahun 3 tahun mendatang, ia sudah termasuk sosok yang sudah kenyang makan asam garam. Dengan tuduhan tidak berdalil, dia pernah dijebloskan ke dalam penjara. Dan ketika keluar, tulisan-tulisannya mendapat sambutan hangat oleh masyarakat Saudi Arabia pada umumnya, khususnya buku ini. Dan itu tergambar dalam aliran tulisan bab per bab dalam buku ini: pada bab-bab pertama memang terkesan kurang masuk ke permasalahan aktual dan lebih menyajikan uraian-uraian yang dogmatis; baru di bab-bab tiga perempat berikutnya benar-benar indah

Alasan lain mengapa buku ini diterima luas adalah gaya bahasa dan penulisan yang mengalir dan lugas, yang seakan-akan lari dari pakem bukubuku Arab klasik meski membahas tema yang sama. Namun demikian, citra sastra yang banyak mewarnai budaya (baca: sistematika penulisan) Arab pada umumnya, dengan sentilan petikan-petikan dari kata-kata bijak, syair-syair La Tahzan viiArab kuno maupun modern, hingga hadits dan al-Qur'an, sangat kental di sini. Bukan saja karena faktor budaya saja, tapi latar belakang akademis penulis sendiri yang memungkinkan ke arah itu. la telah menyelesaikan program Doktoral dalam bidang Hadits di Fakultas Ushuluddin pada Al-Imam Islamic University, Riyadh. la juga hafal al-Qur'an (yang merupakan syarat mutlak sebagai mahasiswa di Saudi Arabia, pada umumnya), hafal 5000 hadits, dan lebih dari 10000 bait syair Arab kuno hingga modern. Sejak pertama kali diterbitkan, 2001, (Dar Ibnu Hazm: Beirut), buku ini bertahan selama dua tahun sebagai buku terlaris. Untuk cetakan pertama,dalam kurang waktu sebulan sudah habis terjual. Antusiasme yang sama juga diberikan kepada cetakan kedua hingga kesembilan. Namun mulai cetakan ketiga, hak cetaknya diambil alih oleh sebuah pustaka besar di Riyadh, Alobeikan.Dan penting untuk diketahui, DR. Aidh al-Qarni adalah penulis paling produktif di Saudi Arabia saat ini.

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selamat membaca

Ahlu sunnah

MUKADIMAH

apa sih ahlu sunah?dan apa yang harus dilakukan seorang ahlu sunnah sesuai dengan Al-Quran dan As sunnah??
silahkan baca mengenai artikel tersebut dengan mendownload pada lik :

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selamat membaca, dan semoga kita selalu dibukakan jalan hidayah-Nya..amin

Adab berpakaian

Mukadimah

Pakaian merupakan salah satu nikmat sangat besar yang Allah berikan kepada para hambanya, Islam mengajarkan agar seorang muslim berpakain dengan pakaian islami dengan tuntunan yang telah Allah dan Rasul-Nya ajarkan. Berikut ini adalah adab-adab berkenaan dengan berpakaian yang sepantasnya di ketahui oleh seorang muslim..
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Mengobati penyakit

Mukadimah

Segala puji bagi Allah yang memberikan penyembuhan, hanya dia yang memberi penyembuh dan mudharat, tiada kebaikan dan keutamaan kecuali dari -Nya...
insya Allah melalui posting ini antum sekalian dapat mengerti tentang pengobatan secara syar''i berdasarkan Al-Quran dan as sunnah.
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Kisah Nabi 02

Mukadimah

PENGANTAR
Musa adalah orang yang punya kedudukan (terkemuka) dan pemimpin yang mudah berinspirasi, sehingga mampu mengendalikan umat yang keras tabiatnya, serta banyak ragu-ragu dalam menghadapi berbagai perkara seperti kepemimpinan, kebijaksanaan dan penunjuk. Musa memiliki kekhususan tersendiri serta mampu kemampuan yang tinggi, sehingga barangsiapa yang memiliki sifat semisalnya, maka tingkah lakunya dimuliakan oleh yang lainnya, dikarenakan kepribadian sesuai dengan tingkah lakunya. Oleh karerna itu, ketika Malaikat maut datang kepada Musa, kemudian meminta izin untuk mencabut nyawanya, maka Musa menampar Malaikat tersebut hingga rusak matanya (mata manusia). Malaikat maut mendatangi Musa dalam wujud seorang laki-laki, kemudian Musa diberi pilihan antara berpindah ke sisi Tuhannya atau tetap hidup di dunia dalam masa yang lama, sebelum datang kepadanya kematian. Akan tetapi Musa memilih berpindah ke sisi Tuhannya, atas sulitnya kehidupan dunia dan ujiannya. Maka Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala memenuhi permohonannya, kemudian mendekatkannya ke tanah suci sejauh lemparan baju. Sehingga kuburannya terletak di sebelah timur tanah suci.
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Kisah Nabi 01

Mukadimah

Segala puji bagi Allah yang ilmu-Nya meliputi segala sesuatu. Yang menundukkan makhluk dengan kemuliaan dan hukum-Nya. Yang melunakkan hati hamba-hamba-Nya, dan menyinari mata hati mereka dengan nur-nur hidayah yang dikandung oleh kitab-Nya dan Sunnah Rasul-Nya. Shalawat dan salam kepada makhluk-Nya yang paling mulia dan penutup Rasul-Rasul-Nya, Muhammad, yang membimbing manusia kepada Tuhan mereka, dan yang menundukkan hati mereka dengan jalan-jalan hidayah yang dia bawa kepada mereka, dan kepada keluarganya, para sahabatnya beserta orang-orang yang mengambil petunjuknya dan mengikuti sunnahnya sampai hari Kiamat. Amma ba'du.
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Dzikir dan Kesalahannya

Mukadimah

BEKAL PERNIKAHAN

Mukadimah

Islam adalah agama yang syumul (universal). Agama yang mencakup semua sisi kehidupan. Tidak ada suatu masalah pun, dalam kehidupan ini, yang tidak dijelaskan. Dan tidak ada satu pun masalah yang tidak disentuh nilai Islam, walau masalah tersebut nampak kecil dan sepele. Itulah Islam, agama yang memberi rahmat bagi sekalian alam.
Dalam masalah Dzikir, Islam telah berbicara banyak....
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Bekal Nikah

BEKAL PERNIKAHAN

Mukadimah

Islam adalah agama yang syumul (universal). Agama yang mencakup semua sisi kehidupan. Tidak ada suatu masalah pun, dalam kehidupan ini, yang tidak dijelaskan. Dan tidak ada satu pun masalah yang tidak disentuh nilai Islam, walau masalah tersebut nampak kecil dan sepele. Itulah Islam, agama yang memberi rahmat bagi sekalian alam.
Dalam masalah perkawinan, Islam telah berbicara banyak. Dari mulai bagaimana mencari kriteria bakal calon pendamping hidup, hingga bagaimana memperlakukannya kala resmi menjadi sang penyejuk hati. Islam menuntunnya. Begitu pula Islam mengajarkan bagaimana mewujudkan sebuah pesta pernikahan yang meriah, namun tetap mendapatkan berkah dan tidak melanggar tuntunan sunnah Rasulullah shallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, begitu pula dengan pernikahan yang sederhana namun tetappenuh dengan pesona. Islam mengajarkannya.
Akan tetapi dalam buku ini, hanya dibahas tentang manfaat menikah, hal-hal yang berkaitan dengan meminang (khitbah), akad nikah, rukun-rukun, dan syarat-syaratnya serta pembahasan tentang pesta perkawinan atau walimatul ‘urs. Semoga kita bisa mengambil manfaat dari pembahasan-pembahasan tersebut..

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Hukum cadar

KATA PENGANTAR

Pembahasan ini diambil dari rubrik tanya jawab majalah As Sunnah dan kami mendapatkan naskah ini dari kumpulan artikel Ustadz Kholid Syamhudi jazaahullahu khairan. Untuk memudahkan dalam pembacaan, pembahasan ini akan kami bagi menjadi 5 bagian yaitu :

1. dalil para ulama yang mewajibkan (2 bagian),
2. dalil para ulama yang mengatakan tidak wajib (2 bagian)
3. dan kesimpulan (1 bagian).

Kami sarankan pada pembaca untuk menyimak dengan seksama dalil-dalil yang dipaparkan dalam artikel ini. Selamat membaca…
(Editor muslim.or.id).

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