Tidbites | Week of Sept. 4, 2014

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EBOLA OUTBREAK EXACERBATING HUNGER ISSUES

The UN is paying close attention to the effects that quarantine efforts to control the current Ebola outbreak are having on hunger issues.

“A health crisis will become a food crisis,” World Food Program spokeswoman Fabienne Pompey told The Washington Post.

The epidemic has shut down markets, limited trade and made game-animals suspect. Farmers are in many cases prohibited from farming due to government bans on public gatherings as part of control measures, and getting in aid has also become more difficult.

Experts have estimated the food stocks as enough to last one or two months, and there have been riots in Liberia over limited food access.

UN Food and Agriculture representative told The Washington Post. “People are saying: ‘We’re not afraid of dying from Ebola, we’re starving.’ ” — Josh Gross

THREE LEAF FARM WORKSHOPS

As has been now much ballyhooed, Boulder is taking steps to be a safe space for bees to exist, thereby allowing us to also continue existing. Thanks, bees!

But if you’d like to be a part of that effort, you can do so this week with an Introduction to Beekeeping workshop at Three Leaf Farm in Lafayette on Saturday, Sept. 6. The class will offer information on how to start and manage hives that has been gleaned from Three Leaf Farm beekeepers Mike Haynes and Jean Stewart.

The class costs $25 and runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Students should wear light colors, long sleeves and close-toed shoes.

Get more information or register at www.threeleaffarm.com.

— Josh Gross

PERCEPTION IS KEY TO HEALTHY CHOICES

A new study from market-research firm Mintel found that restaurants’ menu descrip tions using terms denoting healthy concepts have more effect on consumer food choices than the actual relative healthiness of the items themselves.

“About 38 percent of adults agree that if a healthy menu item sounds tasty in the menu description, they are more likely to order it. Moreover, some 27 percent of consumers say they like to order healthy meals with ingredients they are familiar with,” Mintel said in a press release.

The study ultimately says that even if ingredients are healthy, people aren’t likely to order them unless it fits their existing frame.

It also says that around a quarter of those surveyed aren’t interested in healthy menu options because they view eating out as a treat.

— Josh Gross

ON A SAD NOTE

On Friday, August 29, Ian Blackford, one of the original founders of Boulder’s beloved restaurant/microbrewery Mountain Sun, died of colon cancer. Blackford was only 46. We at Boulder Weekly would like to extend our condolences to Ian’s family and friends. We would also like to acknowledge how much his vision and energy meant to our community. He helped to create a business that truly reflects Boulder’s best qualities.

His inspiration to give the people of Boulder free live music while supporting local musicians helped launch the careers of bands like String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band that played some of their first shows at Mountain Sun.

Ian Blackford has moved on but he will never be forgotten. Thanks for making Boulder a better place for all of us.

— Joel Dyer