The environments we move through each day—where we live, work, eat and connect—play a powerful role in shaping our health. At Blue Zones Project (BZP), this idea is captured through the Life Radius model, which recognizes that well-being is influenced by the spaces within our daily reach. Lasting change happens when those spaces are intentionally designed to make the healthy choice the easy choice.
That’s the work of BZP’s Places sector, partnering with local organizations to embed well-being into how they operate, from their environments to their workplace culture and policies. Through this process, restaurants, worksites, schools and grocery stores adopt proven practices rooted in the Blue Zones® Power 9 principles, helping support healthier, more connected communities.
“Well-being is built into daily life through measurable changes in policies, environments and behaviors,” states Job Huerta, organizations and well-being lead for BZP Coachella. “Connecting people, places and policy drives sustained transformation that continues to shape the health of the community long after the Blue Zones Project is complete.”
By joining the effort, local businesses are turning purpose into action. “Purpose shows up everywhere—on websites, on walls, in mission statements, in how organizations describe themselves,” says BZP Palm Springs Executive Director Mihai Patru. “But having purpose and using it are not the same thing. Because the real question for any community isn’t whether purpose exists—it’s whether it shows up in how things
actually operate.”
With this edition, BZP Coachella and Palm Springs are proud to announce the approval of four local businesses who have taken the steps to turn purpose into action:
BZP Coachella Restaurant: El Tranvía becomes the valley’s first full-service restaurant to embed well-being into both operations and customer experience. Working closely with BZP, El Tranvía reimagined its menu highlighting healthier options, incorporating subtle behavioral nudges and introducing four new Blue Zones-inspired dishes. The restaurant also adopted a range of best practices, including table prompts that encourage mindful eating, portion awareness cues from Japan’s Hara Hachi Bu principle (“eat until 80% full”), smaller drink sizes and a smoke- and vape-free environment. 25% of staff also committed to their personal well-being by completing the Blue Zones Personal Pledge. The restaurant also enhanced their built environment by increasing bike rack spaces from 3 to 28. This improvement will support the upcoming “Bike 2 Eat” program, encouraging residents to choose active transportation while engaging with local businesses.
BZP Coachella Worksite: Ocean Mist Farms Coachella marks a significant step in advancing employee well-being within one of the region’s key agricultural employers. The organization implemented a range of practices designed to support healthier daily habits for its workforce: providing employees with self-monitoring health equipment, establishing three designated walking routes, expanding access to safe natural movement, and achieving 25% staff participation in the Blue Zones Personal Pledge.
BZP Palm Springs Restaurant: Native Foods. Most of our habits are shaped by what is available and convenient. When healthier options are built into everyday routines, like where we grab lunch or meet friends, they become more sustainable. At Native Foods, this idea plays out through their fresh ingredients and menu choices. The restaurant’s approach to plant-based meals makes healthier options easy to choose and easy to repeat. It removes some of the friction people often face when trying to eat differently—whether that’s convenience, cost or familiarity.
BZP Palm Springs Worksite: The LGBTQ Center of the Desert. Many people spend a large portion of their day at work. That environment affects stress levels, relationships and overall health. When a workplace is intentional about well-being, the impact extends beyond employees; it influences families, routines and the broader community. The Center’s focus on inclusion and well-being is not just stated—it’s built into how the organization functions. Their large variety of programs offered, coupled with a policy of openly welcoming all, demonstrate a consistent effort to create a space where people feel supported, encouraged and included.
Where does purpose show up in practice? If we want to improve community well-being, it’s worth asking this question. In workplaces, that may mean looking at policies, culture and how people are supported. In customer service businesses, it might mean examining how healthier choices are made easier for customers.
That’s where the conversation around well-being needs to focus; not only on awareness or intention, but on how environments are structured. For Coachella and Palm Springs, the opportunity now is to build on these efforts by asking how more organizations can take similar steps to move from intention to practice.
How can you or your business get involved? You might start by showing up—at a BZP event or by joining a Moai or Purpose Workshop. You can sit in on a People, Places or Policy committee and see how these ideas take shape in real time, or consider becoming a BZP Ambassador. Together, we can create lasting, sustainable change supporting the well-being of employees and impacting the health of the broader community.
To get involved in Palm Springs, contact bzppalmsprings@bluezones.com, or in Coachella, bzpcoachella@bluezones.com. Visit www.bluezonesprojectps.com or www.bluezonesprojectcoachella.com.
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