Blue Zones

The Blue Zones Project is a community-wide well -being initiative designed to make healthy choices easier. We encourage sustainable changes in our built environment and social networks, of ten suggesting systems- level changes in key settings such as worksites, schools, restaurants, grocery stores, faith-based communities, and neighborhoods. 



History of Blue Zones:

What began as a New York Times bestseller by National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner has evolved into a global movement that's inspiring people to live longer, more active lives with lower rates of chronic disease.

From Sardinia, Italy, to Okinawa, Japan, to Loma Linda, California, people are living vibrant, active lives well into their hundreds. Buettner calls these areas Blue Zones and they're the inspiration behind his book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest. Buettner's research, along with a global longevity study, have led to a program that helps us live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

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Power 9:
Live longer by applying these principles from the people who have lived the longest.

Power 9 Graphic

Transforming Well-Being:
Blue Zones Project focuses on making small but sustainable improvements across environment, policy, and social networks. That means residents and business owners alike are focused on improving well-being for themselves and their neighbors. Together, we can lower obesity rates, smoking and chronic disease to create a healthier, happier place to live, work, and play.

Transforming well-being graphic

Blue Zones Communities have experienced:
Reduction in obesity • Reduction in tobacco usage • Reduction in BMI • New business start-ups • Increased tax base • Reduction in transportation costs • Increased housing starts • Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables

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Community Events
  • January 21st-January 23rd, 2019 | Blue Zones Site Visit
    • Learn more and register for events at go.bluezonesproject.com/wallawallarsvp
    • January 21st | 6:30-7:30pm, Blue Zones Project Keynote Presentation, Village Hall at Walla Walla University, Presentation from Tony Buettner of Blue Zones, LLC
    • January 22nd | 9:30-11:15am, Blue Zones Project Community Transformation and Value Presentation, SonBridge
      • January 22nd |11:15am-12:30pm, Community Policy Focus Group, SonBridge
      • January 22nd |11:15am-12:30pm, Worksites Focus Group, SonBridge
      • January 22nd |1:15-2:30pm, Schools Focus Group, Walla Walla Public Schools Board Room
      • January 22nd |1:15-2:30pm, Individual Engagement (Media, Civic, Non-Profit Groups) Focus Group, SonBridge
      • January 23rd | 8-9:30am, Individual Engagement (Media, Civic, Non-Profit Groups) Focus Group, SonBridge
    • January 23rd | 5-6pm, Blue Zones Project Friends @ Five, SonBridge 
    • January 23rd | 10-11:30am, Neighborhood Focus Group, SonBridge
      • This is an additional opportunity that is not listed on the Blue Zones invite page where you are invited to share your ideas and help the Blue Zones Project Team understand our community's strengths and challenges. Childcare will be provided
      • Contact Jessalyn at jwaring@co.walla-walla.wa.us or 509-524-2625 if you are interested in attending!
  • October 17th, 2018 | 12-1pm, Blue Zones Follow Up Meeting, Havstad Alumni Center, Walla Walla University
  • October 4th, 2018 | 3-5pm, Blue Zones Community Presentation, Young Ballroom, Whitman College, Presentation from Tony Buettner of Blue Zones, LLC


Other Blue Zones Communities


For more information on Blue Zones, please consider watching these short videos or reading more here:

  • See Dan Buettner’s Blue Zones TEDMED talk viewed by over 3 million people:

  • Blue Zones Project Overview:
 

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