Atlanta City Councilmember Aaron Watson is taking his community-wide initiative, Living Smarter, to the airwaves.  On June 3, 2011 he launched the TV series “Living Smarter with Aaron Watson” on ATL 26—the city of Atlanta’s public access station.

The series’ first segment features recycling in Atlanta. Watson tours a local recycling facility that processes curbside recyclables. He also talks with an Atlantan who is committed to recycling. The three-minute segment is broadcast daily in rotation with City Council meetings and public affairs programming on ATL 26.

The Living Smarter show profiles Atlantans and organizations that are involved in helping the city become a more physically active, healthy and eco-friendly place in which to live. In July, the show will focus on “Growing local…Eating healthy.” Watson will tour one of Atlanta’s farmers markets and talk with the East Atlanta Village and Grant Park Farmers market managers and a local farmer from the Brown Middle School and Patchwork Gardens.

Watson’s Living Smarter initiative was created in March to energize and engage citizens in making Atlanta a more active, healthier and safer place to live and work. He started by inviting Atlantans to get more active and join him on a series of bike rides.

The Bike Ride series took cyclists to neighborhoods across the city. They made stops at local farmers markets and a community garden to foster growing fruits and vegetables and using them to make healthy meals. 

Conducted in partnership with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition (ABC), the Bike Ride Series enlisted youth from area high schools as well as more veteran cyclists. The Atlanta Police Department’s Bike Patrol has been an enthusiastic escort detail for all of the Watson Bike Rides.

Councilmember Watson introduced the Living Smarter initiative following a series of conversations with Atlantans over the past year. “I have learned that many of us share the same sentiment for our city,” Watson said. “Through the Bike Ride series and the new television show -- I want to energize citizens to think, move and connect with others to achieve this goal of Living Smarter collectively.” 

This fall, Watson anticipates expanding the show to a half-hour as he and partners in the Living Smarter movement unveil additional activities to engage citizens in healthier lifestyles. In addition to the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, those partners include Sodexo with Jackmount Hospitality, Lanier Parking, and AM1690.

Check out the June show on recycling at ATL 26.

Does your teen spend countless hours in the house using digital media?

Councilmember Aaron Watson (Post 2 At-Large) and the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition (ABC) are calling all Atlanta area youth ages 12-15 to get moving and join him in a fun-filled bike ride to Grant Park and the new Grant Park Farmers Market. 

On Sunday, May 15, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, teens are invited to bring their bikes and helmets to the Grant Park Recreation Center (537 Park Ave., S.E., Atlanta, GA 30315). Youth will ride approximately 10 miles through intown neighborhoods to reach the grand opening of the new Grant Park Farmers Market (840 Cherokee Ave, S.E., Atlanta, GA 30315) near the Milledge Fountain in the park.

While visiting the market, cyclists can sample and shop a variety of farmed-raised fresh foods and talk with local farmers.  Following the market tour, teens can enjoy a healthy picnic in the park with products grown by local farmers.  The group will ride back to the Recreation Center to complete the event.    

The youth bike ride is the third in a series of four bike rides that Watson is leading this spring as part of his new Living Smarter initiative.  As a former school board president, Watson said he truly understands the value of educating Atlanta youth. Now as an a member of the Atlanta City Council, Watson wants to help youth as well as all Atlantans to become a healthier, greener and smarter place to live.

“We believe it is important that we target youth in our riding series,” Watson said. “This ride is our effort to engage our youth in moving away from mobile phones, texting, and X-boxes for a few hours and get them moving outside again.”

The youth bike ride is free and open to all Atlantans at all levels of biking experiences.  Parents are encouraged to participate. 

RIDERS MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE BEFORE THE RIDE TO BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE AND ARE ASKED TO BRING THEIR OWN BIKES AND HELMETS.  To register and receive more details visit www.atlantapost2/rides.

The last bike ride in the Living Smarter series is to the Brown Middle School Community Garden on  Saturday, June 18.

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