Evos: The Healthy Fast Food Place

Healthy and environmentally sound fast food chain, can there even be a place? Yes! We placed our "this is public health" sticker at the Evos fast food chain on Fowler Avenue. We chose this place because of the location's efforts in better and healthier food along with its involvement in the community. Evos is committed to providing on All-American meal that is guilt free, but still delicious! However, it is not just guilt free food that Evos has to offer, it also has a vested interest in its impact on the community.
Well what is so great about the food? One of the many reasons that Evos is a great benefit to its consumer and to public health is its exclusion of deep frying by using an air-baking technique to prepare the fries. Evos eliminates the consumptions of hydrogenated fats, production of waste oil, and reduces the risk of fryer-caused fires. Thus not only are we, who dine at Evos, kept away from unhealthy hydrogenated fats, the community around us is generally safer with a minimized risk of fire and the lack of need to properly dispose of waste oil. Moreover, Evos allows consumers to indulge in products made from organic ingredients, such as shakes and iced teas. That is, Evos provide us with tasty concoctions that are sans artificial additives and genetic modification.
Evos states they raise the animals "naturally". This would have a great contribution for environmental and community health. The lack of hormone and antibiotic meat would provide for a healthier option to fast food, with a greater impact on the community of consumers. The amount of cattle needed would decrease and since the cow/chicken would be free-range, more community benefits. However, Evos says they take a natural approach, not being specific to any free range approach. This would reduce the greenhouse gas and have a lower impact on the environment.
Evos has implemented a few strategies in an effort to make a small, but crucial impact on communities throughout the southeast. For one thing, all of the lights in their restaurant utilize energy efficient light bulbs as well as timing mechanisms to ensure a minimum amount of waste contribution to our city. In addition, the healthier versions of fast food items as well as ready-to-go vegan options make Evos a much better alternative for USF students who need a quick meal. Removing Taco Bell or McDonald’s from someone’s diet certainly promotes a healthier lifestyle. And unlike most fast food joints, Evos lets kids eat free every Sunday, encouraging families to come out and try the wholesome foods they have to offer. Our community will be better off with more children who prefer restaurants like Evos over Burger King. Teaching them healthy eating from a young age can start a trend of adults who eat healthy in the future.

By: Jordan Stumph, Yekaterina Kozyr, McCatty, Chelsea Aasnes

Adult Toy Stores and Public Health

Sexual Behavior in all its flavors can be explored fully in many adult toy stores across the nation. Many adults do not think about safe practices when using these toys. Heck, sometimes it is difficult to sway them into wearing protection or using barriers to body fluids. So when we adults think about these types of locations, locations like The Todd, we tend to think of fun and not of safety.

But did you know that places like The Todd could play a very important role in the promotion of Public Health? When you purchase items from such locations, The staff could provide a brief, but very important education in regard to your sexual health. These places offer the perfect environment to educate you about your own sexual safety and how to keep your partner or partners safe from STIs, STDs, and unwanted pregnancy.

Prior to buying your toy or product of choice, they could demonstrate to you its proper use, instruct you on how to clean and store it after using, and how to avoid exposure to each others body fluids, specifically, via the toy. They could advise on the reduced efficacy of condoms when used in conjunction with spermicides, the importance of using oral barriers when having oral sex, and many other little known facts about reducing your exposure to an unwanted outcome. And the staff could do all this educating while still encouraging you, the buyer, that the fun factor is not going to be reduced by being more careful in your play.

Adult toy stores could be a new avenue for public health officials to reach out and promote safer sex , not only for the general public, but also for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender public who are generally underserved in sexual health education. This is probably due to the taboo nature discussing alternative sexual experiences. So, doesn't it seem perfect that a place that gives you the giggles when you talk about shopping there, could also be the place that educates you about the ways to experience fun and safe sex in any form?

Walk This Way...

WALK THIS WAY...

Our sticker was placed at the intersection of Fowler Avenue and 30th Street, a busy intersection many of us pass and use on a daily basis close to the USF campus. Crossing that intersection may appear menacing and the thought of crossing from one side to the other may be daunting. Not to mention out right dangerous. Thanks to the Florida Department of Transportation they have made crossing an intersection safer and more effective by the use of crosswalks. Crosswalks are designed to give pedestrians a designated place to safely cross the street. There are different types of crosswalks; marked crosswalks, overhead crosswalk signs, pedestrian half-signals, pedestrian traffic signals, accessible pedestrian signals and pedestrian countdown signals. The type of crosswalk is determined by the traffic and pedestrian volume. The use of crosswalks makes it safer for pedestrians and drivers thus promoting public safety by reducing accidents and deaths caused by vehicles hitting pedestrians.

Crosswalks also reduce motor-vehicle flow which benefits the pedestrian safety. Crosswalks not only prevent accidents but, it also promotes healthy living. Crosswalks can also be considered Eco-friendly, the more crosswalks available, fewer cars which equals less pollution.

The National Highway traffic safety administration for the US stated in 2007 there were 4,654 people killed on crosswalks and 70,000 injured. A study showed fewer than 4% of cars will yield to pedestrians. There is no doubt without crosswalks those numbers would be much higher. Drivers and pedestrians share the responsibility of crosswalk safety. So drivers put down your cell phones, stop eating and other distractions behind the wheel and pedestrians be alert even though you have the right of way and cross in a designated crosswalk. Think Public! Think Health! Think Safe!