She believes that the lower scoringcompanies would either raise theirstandards to improve their score orbe driven out of business. While acompany is improving its operations,and customers have abandoned itdue to a lower grade, it will seek amarket, and that will be a loweredprice-point market. In this scorecardscenario, there will be businesses thatwin with high rankings and those that lose; and the less eco-nomically secure citizens will be the eventual victims.Ultimately competition over food safety creates a class sys-tem around access to safe food.

Food is not like investments or movies, where an “independ-ent” body can provide a ranking by which to guide consumerchoices. Food is for everyone, and if it is not safe enough forone person it should not be passed to another instead. We donot give business the unfettered right to turn EVERYTHINGinto a competitive advantage! We have a minimum wage, werequire equal access to jobs for the disabled, we protect natu-ral resources such as air and water. We protect these becausethey are fundamental rights; and unfettered we have seen theforces of capitalism collide with those rights.

In the produce industry, Chiquita Fresh Express, a companythat handles, packs and ships various salad greens in cellopackages that are “ready to eat,” recently announced a“new technology” (a lactic acid-based wash product insteadof traditional chlorine-based disinfectants) that kills morebacteria when used to wash greens during the handling andpacking process. Chiquita went public with this announce-ment directly to the consumer media, a move that elicitedstorms of protest from others in their industry.

Setting aside the question of the validity of the claim, it isclear that Chiquita wants the buying public to choose theirproduct on the basis of safety. There are some seriouslyinconsistent positions being staked out here. Consumeractivists do not trust industry to work together to assure thesafest food. Given Chiquita's idea of how to manage its food

ment schedule above so you don’t miss any of thisgreat local FREE music.

Due to space considerations and Fire Department reg-ulations NO CANOPIES will be allowed. For moreinformation or to reserve your free booth spaceplease contact Robin at 217-2027 or toll free at877-775-2667 or at robins@lamontanita.coop.

We're hoping for a beautiful day, and with MotherEarth's blessing we will once again take time to cele-brate "Her," and reaffirm our commitment to restor-ing and sustaining our beautiful blue/green planetarygem. Join your friends and neighbors as we educateourselves for paradigm shifting action and joyousdancing in the streets at Albuquerque's favorite springgathering.

Mark your calendar; this is one event YOU DON'TWANT TO MISS.

BY STEVE WARSHAWER

What are “rights” and what are “privi-leges” in our society? Is “safe food” aright or a privilege? If it is a right, how can

we best “protect” that right? What makes a food safe,or healthy? What is the relationship between healthyfood and the safety of food? Although I am convincedthat they are connected, for simplicity sake, let’s look atfood safety.

I believe that if safe food is not a right—one that thegovernment needs to get involved with—it is at least anexpectation for all of us that eat. I further believe that itis the collective responsibility of all food system playersto WORK TOGETHER TO MEET THAT EXPECTA-TION. No exceptions, no excuses!

I recently heard a prominent consumer activist expressher belief that there should be full transparency andsharing of government information on the results ofevery inspection of every meat processing plant in theUS. She went on to explain that publishing the “score-cards” in these plants would allow consumers to votewith their wallets by avoiding the companies with lowerscores, and choosing those with higher scores.

I asked if she could see that under these circumstancesthe higher scoring plants would eventually seek a premi-um for their products and the lower scoring plantswould sell their products to the vulnerable and econom-ically disadvantaged. It is clear to me that turning foodsafety into a “marketing quality” would mean that thewealthy and well educated would get the safest food andthose of lesser means would get less safe food.

Come together for

EnvironmentalACTION!Sunday, April 27, 10am-6pm

supply, drought resistant plants, and beautiful art fromfine local artists and crafts people. And of course, eatgreat Co-op food and dance in the street with friendsand neighbors new and old.

We are looking forward to having groups as diverse asBethany Organic Farm, Amigos Bravos, New MexicoWilderness Alliance, Citizens for Alternatives toRadioactive Dumping, Agua es Vida Action Team,Desert Woman Botanicals, Animal Protection of NewMexico, Valle del Oro Wildlife Sanctuary, Old WindmillDairy, Futures for Fathers, North American IndianWomen’s Association, Project PeacePal, Our EndangeredAquifer Working Group, New Mexico Volunteers for theOutdoors, the Fig Man, Red Tractor Farm and ValleySeed Company, to name but a few of the many wonder-ful organizations confirmed at press time.

Our street fills up quickly so please reserve your boothspace early. We do give first priority to environmental,social and economic justice non-profit organizations

and farmers and farming organizations.

Ride a Bike!As the many of you who have attended the Co-op Earth Festknow due to the popularity of the event, and Nob Hill parkingrealities; it’s best to hike, bike or carpool to the festival. Giventhat, we are once again honored to be working with the City ofAlbuquerque’s Bicycle Program and the Albuquerque PoliceDepartment on a wide variety of bike safety and education activ-ities. Thanks to Commander Geier, of the Southeast AreaSubstation, get to know our southeast area Bike Officers. A spe-cial thanks goes out to the City of Albuquerque’s ChuckMalagodi for his help on all things bicycle! This year we will onceagain have a Kids Bike Safety Rodeo and other bicycle education.

A Community of ArtistsAs always you can count on seeing some of our com-munity’s fine local artists and crafts persons, hearingsome of your favorite musicians and thrilling to per-formances from our gifted local performers. Somefestival favorites, like the National Institute ofFlamenco’s Alama Flamenca, Baile Baile Folkloricoand Odigbo Adama Africian Ambassador dancers,are coming back, and we are once again honored tohave them grace the little stage under the big tent, inthe middle of Silver Street. We welcome two greatbands for the first time: Me and My Wife and therockin’ hillbilly band, Cowboys and Indian. Twobands that are good friends of Earth Fest returnincluding Zoltan Orkestar. Animal Opera was foryears the hottest world beat band in New Mexico;newly reunited and better than ever, we welcomethem back to Earth Fest. Joan Cere, one of NewMexico’s powerhouse voices, is coming with hernewest group, Combo Special, for a soul rocking,foot flying, good dance time. See the full entertain-

AT THE NOB HILL CO-OP!

24TH ANNUAL CELEBRATE THEEARTH FESTIVAL

On Silver Street between Carlisle and Tulane, behind the NobHill Co-op, 3500 Central SE

SPRING CAME, IT SEEMED, IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR. An undeniablereminder that the work we do to restore and sustain our littleplanet is key to our future. And what better way to get

involved in the effort to heal and honor our Mother Earth than tocome to the Co-op’s Annual Celebrate the Earth Festival in Nob Hill.

This year we are encouraging people to focus on coming together asa community and collaborating for a healthy, sustainable future forourselves, coming generations and the planet. We have much workto do on climate chaos, renewable energy, water quality and conser-vation, food self sufficiency and so many related issues. Come meetand lend your energy in support of the efforts of the many dedicat-ed people in our communities who work on these and other issues.

We firmly believe that, with the same cooperative spirit that for near-ly 40 years enabled the Co-op to thrive and become the communityhub for a sustainable future, we can and will overcome the planetarychallenges we face.

Again this year the festival will cover two blocks on Silver Streetbetween Carlisle and Tulane behind the Nob Hill Shopping Center.You can expect an inspiring day filled with information, educationand action booths from dozens of environmental, social and eco-nomic justice organizations from around the state. Meet local farm-ers and pet baby goats. Purchase seedlings for a sustainable food

by Robin Seydel

safety technology, we can see why: some companies will use their tech-nologies for their own interest and are not concerned with public well-being, except when it pays them to do so.

But once we introduce the government as the verification agent onfood safety, if we then allow competition based on performance,there will follow a new kind of differentiation with the govern-

ment as the arbiter. If we want a government owned and operated foodsystem, then great; this is a step in that direction!

Or do we want a system of diverse food production and opportunityfor farmers and producers of all scales and production methods, builton a level playing field that produces safe food for all and then allowschoice based on other attributes that are preferred by one consumer oranother? Let the competition be over attributes that are truly discre-tionary, not over those, such as the highest standards of safety, that arethe right of all citizens.

What would happen if we could agree on the health qualities of food,and then apply the same logic? What would a system look like that isas committed to providing healthy food as it is committed so supply-ing safe food? We will explore this another time, but the idea is simple:if we identify a right, and the system of commerce threatens that right,then cooperative action must be taken to reaffirm and protect thatright for all.

Come and enjoy a delicious Co-opBBQ! In the store sample local products. Profits of the BBQ benefitthe Santa Fe Community Farm.

santa fe CO-OPEARTHDAYApril 2211:30am-2pm

APRIL27earth fest ABQ

Earth DayBBQ

SAFE FOOD:A RIGHT or aPRIVILEDGE?

Ehecatl Aztec DancersMe and My WifeAlma FlamencaZoltan OrkestarBaile Baile Dance CompanyOdigbo Adama African Dancers and DrummersCowboys and IndianCombo SpecialAnimal Opera

Earth FestEntertainment Schedule10am:11am:12pm:

1pm:2pm:

2:30pm

3pm:4pm:5pm:

CCOOOOPPEERRAATTIIVVEEACTION

FORSAFETY

La Montanita CooperativeA Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

Nob Hill 7am – 10pm M – Sa, 8am – 10pm Su3500 Central SE, ABQ, NM 87106505-265-4631

Valley 7am – 10pm M – Su2400 Rio Grande NW, ABQ, NM 87104505-242-8800

Gallup 8am – 8pm M – Sa, 11am – 8pm Su105 E Coal, Gallup, NM 87301505-863-5383

Santa Fe 7am – 10pm M – Sa, 8am – 10pm Su913 West Alameda, Santa Fe, NM 87501505-984-2852

Grab n’ Go 8am – 6pm M – F, 11am – 4pm SaUNM Bookstore, 2301 Central SW, ABQ, NM 87131505-277-9586

Westside 7am – 10pm M – Su 3601 Old Airport Ave, ABQ, NM 87114505-503-2550

Cooperative Distribution Center9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107505-217-2010

Administration Offices9am – 5pm, M – F 901 Menaul NE, ABQ, NM 87107505-217-2001

Administrative Staff: 217-2001TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP)• General Manager/Terry Bowling 217-2020terryb@lamontanita.coop• Controller/John Heckes 217-2029johnh@lamontanita.coop• Computers/Info Technology/David Varela 217-2011 tech@lamontanita.coop• Operations Manager/Bob Tero 217-2028bobt@lamontanita.coop• Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023hr@lamontanita.coop• Marketing/Edite Cates 217-2024editec@lamontanita.coop• Membership/Robin Seydel 217-2027robins@lamontanita.coop• CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010mf@lamontanita.coop

Store Team Leaders: • Valerie Smith/Nob Hill 265-4631valeries@lamontanita.coop• John Mulle/Valley 242-8800jm@lamontanita.coop• William Prokopiak/Santa Fe 984-2852willpro@lamontanita.coop• Michael Smith/Gallup 575-863-5383michaels@lamontanita.coop• Joe Phy/Westside 505-503-2550josephp@lamontanita.coop

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanita.coop• President: Martha Whitman• Vice President: Marshall Kovitz• Secretary: Ariana Marchello• Treasurer: Susan McAllister• Lisa Banwarth-Kuhn• Jake Garrity• Leah Rocco• Jessica Rowland• Betsy VanLeit

Membership Costs:$15 for 1 year/ $200 Lifetime Membership

Co-op Connection Staff:• Managing Editor: Robin Seydelrobins@lamontanita.coop 217-2027• Layout and Design: foxyrock inc• Cover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept.• Advertising: Sarah Wentzel-Fisher • Editorial Assistant: Sarah Wentzel-Fisher sarahwf@lamontanita.coop 217-2016• Printing: Vanguard Press

Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 217-2027 or 877-775-2667email: robins@lamontanita.coopwebsite: www.lamontanita.coop

Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Email the Managing Editor, robins@lamontanita.coop

Copyright ©2014La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post-consumer recycledpaper. It is recyclable.

agua es vida April 2014 2

BY KATY FLAMM

Fluoride is a neurotoxin. The Lancet is one of theworld's oldest and best-known general medicaljournals, and has been described as one of

the most prestigious medical journals in the world.New research published online in February of thisyear (2014) has described numerous neurotoxinsthat are implicated in developmental disabilities.Newly added to the list of neurotoxins is fluoride—a substance that is being proposed by theAlbuquerque Bernalillo Water Board to be addedto all the drinking water in Bernalillo County. Thereasoning behind the Water Utility proposal byVice-Chair Maggie Hart Stebbins is to safeguardthe teeth of low-income children who have little orno access to dental care. This reasoning begs thequestion – which part of a child’s anatomy do wecare about most?

Neurodevelopmental PandemicNew research documented in the Lancet articlesays that: “…strong evidence exists that industrial chemicalswidely disseminated in the environment are important contrib-utors to what we have called the global, silent pandemic of neu-rodevelopmental toxicity. The developing human brain isuniquely vulnerable to toxic chemical exposures, and majorwindows of developmental vulnerability occur in utero andduring infancy and early childhood. During these sensitive lifestages, chemicals can cause permanent brain injury at low lev-els of exposure.” Lancet Neurol 2014; 13: 330–38 publishedonline February 15, 2014 bit.ly/1j3E2IT.

This recent Lancet article continues to discuss the cumulativeeffect of neurotoxins like fluoride on developing brains:“Neurodevelopmental disabilities, including autism, atten-tion-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and other cogni-tive impairments, affect millions of children worldwide, andsome diagnoses seem to be increasing in frequency. Industrialchemicals that injure the developing brain are among theknown causes for this rise in prevalence. In 2006, we (Lancet)

did a systematic review and identified five industrial chemicals as developmen-tal neurotoxicants: lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, arsenic, andtoluene. Since 2006, epidemiological studies have documented six additional

developmental neurotoxicants—manganese,fluoride, chlorpyrifos, di-chlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, tetrachloroeth-ylene, and the polybrominated diphenyl ethers.We postulate that even more neurotoxicantsremain undiscovered. Untested chemicalsshould not be presumed to be safe to braindevelopment, and chemicals in existing use andall new chemicals must therefore be tested fordevelopmental neurotoxicity.”

Do We Really Care About Kids’ Teeth?According to the CDC, “Fluoride prevents den-tal caries predominately after the eruption ofthe tooth into the mouth, and its actions pri-marily are topical for both adults and chil-dren.” (Centers for Disease Control (1999):Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

48:933-40). Given this statement by the CDC and the exposure to fluoride inour water supply during fetal development and infancy before teeth come in,questions about the wisdom of water fluoridation must be carefully assessedbefore the county moves forward.

Are we willing to trade one public health problem, that of providingadequate access to dental health care for low income children, withanother public health epidemic? Research now shows that one in sevenchildren suffers with some form of cognitive/developmental disorder whichlong term is far more serious and costly to our educational and public healthsystems. If we truly care about the dental health of low income children asvoiced by some Water Utility members, ensuring education on good dentalhygiene, dental care cost supports and, if needed, topical fluoride applicationto the teeth with toothpaste, might be a far better solution than putting thecognitive development of all Bernalillo County’s children at risk.

KATY FLAMM has an MS, (biology and clinical nutrition) and is a long-time Co-op member.

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

NEW PROPOSAL BY THEALBUQUERQUE/BERNALILLO WATER UTILITY TO FFFFLLLLUUUUOOOORRRRIIIIDDDDAAAATTTTEEEE

BY JANET GREENWALD

Our Endangered Aquifer WorkingGroup (the Working Group), in-cluding representatives of Citizen

Action, Southwest Research and InformationCenter, Partnership for Earth Spirituality,Citizens for Alternatives to RadioactiveDumping and the Albuquerque Center forPeace and Justice, has been in negotiationsfor several months concerning the SandiaNational Laboratory's (SNL) HazardousWaste Permit. Though the negotiations them-selves are confidential, the basis for the nego-tiations are the concerns of these groups,which were included in their official written comments in early 2013to the New Mexico State Environment Department (NMED).

Among the concerns of the Working Group are: off-site hazardouswaste contamination, contamination of the Albuquerqueaquifer, insufficient monitoring of air and water, inadequatemaps of the SNL sites which are or have potential to contami-nate the aquifer, possible transfer of lands for public use, wastesleft in landfills that have potential to harm the aquifer, trans-parency and SNL's relationship with the community.

The Working Group will settle as many issues as they canwith SNL and NMED; the remaining issues will go to apublic hearing later this spring; at which time the publicwill have an opportunity to express their concerns.

Secretary of the Environment Ryan Flynn has also grantedthe Working Group a meeting with SNL, NMED and thepublic to specifically discuss and look toward solutions tothe continuing and increasing contamination of the aquiferby SNL. SNL has leaked over a billion gallons of chemicalsinto the aquifer, among them trichloroethylene (TCE), aknown carcinogen and nitrate. The amounts of TCE andnitrate exceed EPA groundwater protection standards. This

meeting will be held after the SNL permit hearings in latespring or early summer.

OUR DRINKING WATERPROTECT BRAINS OR TEETH?

!

actionalertFluoridation?

HELP PROTECT OUR CHILDREN ANDtheWATER SUPPLY

april 9

Your Water Utility members include Klarissa Pena (Chair), Maggie HartStebbins (Vice-Chair), Debbie O’Malley, Mayor Richard J. Berry, Art DeLa Cruz, Ray Garduno, Trudy Jones and Pablo Rael. If you are con-cerned about the decision to add fluoride to drinking water pleasecontact these commissioners and tell them your views—find theirphone numbers at www.abcwua.org.

Please attend a public meeting to voice your opinion on fluoridation at theAfrican American Performing Arts Center on the west side of the NewMexico State Fairgrounds on San Pedro on April 9, tentatively scheduledfor 5:30pm. Arrive early to get your name on the speakers’ list.

HELP PROTECT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR WATER SUPPLY. Formore information contact Katy Flamm at katy@vitamintrader.com orwww.fluoridealert.org.

OUR ENDANGERED AQUIFER WORKING GROUP:TAKING ACTION TO PROTECT OURDRINKING WATER

ACTION ALERT: Stay tuned to the Co-op Connectionto find out when these public hearings and citizeninput opportunities will be coming up. Let your voicebe heard concerning these important water issues.If you would like to receive information by e-mail orhave questions, contactus@cardnm.org or call 505-242-5511.

ACTIONALERT

CCAARREE ffoorr tthhee WWHHOOLLEE CCHHIILLDD

our precious planet April 2014 3

EDITED BY ROBIN SEYDEL

The Native Plant Society of New Mexico(NPSNM) is a non-profit organization thatstrives to educate the public about native

plants by promoting knowledge of plant identifi-cation, ecology and uses; fostering plant conserva-tion and the preservation of natural habitats; sup-porting botanical research; and encouraging theappropriate use of native plants to conserve water,land and wildlife. They accomplish these goalsthnaks to hundreds of members in chapters locat-ed in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, Las Cruses andalso in El Paso, Texas and southwestern Colorado.

The Society formed in 1978 with people coming to Santa Fe fromaround the state for the first meeting. Two years later the Societyformed two chapters, Santa Fe and Las Cruces, and by 1980 morechapters, including Albuquerque and South Central NM, formed.Membership in the NPSNM is open to anyone supporting thegoals of promoting a greater appreciation of native plants andtheir environment and the preservation of endangered species. TheNPSNM offers a wide variety of field trips, meetings, publica-tions, plant and seed exchanges, and educational forums.Members have access to books on all aspects ofplants, landscaping and environmental issues atdiscount prices. Their quarterly newsletter is jampacked with information on all things nativelyhorticultural. The Society has also produced twoNew Mexico wildflower posters by artist NikiThrelkeld and a cactus poster designed by LisaMandelkern, both available on their website.This year their annual meeting and conference,Good to the Last Drop: Meeting the Challengesof a Changing Environment, will be held July31–August 2 in El Paso.

Tim Lowrey, curator of the UNM Herbariumwrites, “New Mexico has one of the most diverselandscapes in the United States. The topographicand geologic diversity interact with the climaticfeatures of temperature, wind, and precipitationto determine the plant diversity in New Mexico.

In terms of size, New Mexico is the fifth largest state in the unionwhile it is has the fourth highest plant diversity in terms of numbersof species.”

Supporting the Native Plant Society of New Mexico with yourbag donation this month helps restore andsustain the amazing biodiversity of our statethrough education and other activities.

GET INVOLVED with Native Plants:IN ALBUQUERQUE: The Albuquerque Chaptermeets the first Wednesday of each month at 7pm inthe multi-purpose room of the Museum of NaturalHistory, 1801 Mountain Road NW. For moreinformation contact: Jim McGrath (programs),sedges@swcp.com, 505-286-8745, or Dana Price(field trips and field forums), dana_price@

gmx.com, 505-872-2646.

IN SANTA FE: The Santa Fe Chapter meets the third Wednesday ofeach month at 6:30pm at Christ Lutheran Church, 1701 ArroyoChamiso (which is located in the triangle of Old Pecos Trail, St.Michael’s Drive and Arroyo Chamiso, directly across the street fromFire Station #4.) Programs are free and open to the public. Comeearly and enjoy refreshments. For more information emailtom@thomasantonio.org or call 505-690-5105. For information orto order posters please go to www.npsnm.org.

BRING A BAG... DONATE THE DIME!THIS MONTH BAG CREDIT DONATIONS GO TO:THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF NEW MEXICO. Fosteringthe conservation and preservation of native plants and habi-tats through education.

IN FEBRUARY your bag credit donations totaling $2,302.80 went toErda Gardens and Learning Center. www.erdagardens.org.

CCOO--OOPPPPRROOGGRRAAMM

DONATEyour BAG CCRREEDDIITT!

N AT I V E P L A N T S O C I E T Y O F N E W M E X I C O:PLANT CONSERVATION, HABITATPRESERVATION

VETERAN FARMER PROJECT WORKSHOPJoin Jessie Brown of the New Mexico Beekeepers Association for aworkshop at the Veteran Farmer Project Gardens at the Alvarado UrbanFarm in Downtown Albuquerque. We will be learning how to open andcare for the honey bee hives at our farm, check on the health of ourbees and their honey supplies.

For more info go to www.brownsdowntownbees.com or contact her atpresident@nmbeekeepers.org. To register for the workshop contactRobin at 505-217-2027 or at robins@lamontanita.coop.

OPENING THE

HHIIVVEESS

the Refuge land has been purchased—we are still working to identi-fy funding for the remaining acreage.

Currently, the Refuge is being farmed for alfalfa. Migratory birdscomprise the majority of wildlife on the Refuge, but as habitat is

restored, it will attract a greater variety of birds, rep-tiles, amphibians and native mammals. Plans for theRefuge include bosque, grassland and upland restora-tion, wetlands, demonstration agriculture, trails, birdblinds, overlooks, a visitor center and outdoor class-rooms. Ideally, the Refuge will be open to the publicfull time, with some of the habitat restoration workcompleted in the next three to five years. Completionof the visitor center may take longer. In the mean-time, you can visit the Refuge during one of ourmonthly open houses. Visit the website at www.fws.gov/refuge/valle_de_oro for dates and times. Orcontact Refuge Manager Jennifer Owen-White

(Jennifer_OwenWhite@fws.gov) to schedule a tour for your organi-zation or give your suggestions—this is YOUR wildlife Refuge andwe want to hear your ideas so that we can create a Refuge that servesthe needs of the community as well as wildlife.

One of the best ways to support the Refuge is to join or donate tothe non-profit support group, Friends of VDONWR. The Friendsprovide volunteer services, help develop and conduct environmentaland cultural outreach efforts and on-site programs, assist with siteplanning, fundraise to support Refuge projects and act as a liaisonwith the community to publicize Refuge amenities—and we havefun! You can find more information and a membership applica-tion at www.facebook.com/friendsofvdo. Please join us andhelp shape this South Valley treasure!

IN THE SOUTHWEST!BY TERI JILLSON, FRIENDS OF VALLE DE ORO NATIONAL

WILDLIFE REFUGE

HAVE YOU HEARD about the newly established Valle deOro National Wildlife Refuge (VDONWR)? Located onthe 570-acre former Price’s Dairy in the South Valley, it

is the first Urban Wildlife Refuge in the Southwest.

As an Urban Wildlife Refuge, VDONWR will notonly protect wildlife and habitat but will also serveas a place for the community to connect withnature and wildlife and learn about these impor-tant resources through outdoor recreation, educa-tion and interpretive programs. The Refuge willprovide opportunities for hiking, bird watchingand wildlife viewing. Because of its accessibility,ten minutes from downtown Albuquerque and anestimated 30-minute drive from 60 percent of thestate’s population, the Refuge has huge potentialfor the education of our children and whole community. It is alreadya field trip destination for schools, where students come to experi-ence nature, connect classroom curriculum to experience, and learnabout the importance of conservation. Historical education oppor-tunities also exist, as the El Camino Real de Tierra AdentroNational Historic Trail crosses the eastern edge of the Refuge.

The VDONWR has overwhelming community support and hasbeen financially supported by Bernalillo County, the State of NewMexico, the Albuquerque Metropolitan Flood Control Authority,US Bureau of Reclamation, Land and Water Conservation Fund,Trust for Public Land, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,Walmart Acres for America and Wells Fargo Bank; 85 percent of

FIRST URBAN WILDLIFE REFUGEdeORO!!VVVVAAAALLLLLLLLEEEE

Co-op ValuesCooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility,democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of theirfounders, cooperative members believe in the ethical values of hon-esty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

Co-op Principles 1 Voluntary and Open Membership 2 Democratic Member Control 3 Member Economic Participation 4 Autonomy and Independence 5 Education, Training and Information 6 Cooperation among Cooperatives 7 Concern for Community

The Co-op Connection is published by La Montanita Co-opSupermarket to provide information on La Montanita Co-opSupermarket, the cooperative movement, and the links between food,health, environment and community issues. Opinions expressed here-in are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Co-op.

WESTSIDE3601 Old Airport Ave. NW

505-503-2550

Alameda Blvd.

Old Airport Ave.

Coors

Blv

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Old

Airport

Ave

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-OP

APRIL83-5PM

our ENERGY future April 2014 4

BY LISA SILVA, NEW MEXICO SOLAR

ENERGY ASSOCIATION

Harken back to one of your first col-oring books! Remember those pagesthat were a sea of dots. Afraid to make

a mistake, we started with a pencil and then asour confidence grew, we graduated to a crayonto magically transform the page and in theend, reveal a total surprise that fascinated useach and every time.

We’ve become masters of connecting the dotsof our life to accomplish not only our dreamsbut have also excelled in areas that were onlyimagined by our parents. Our quality of life isnow the stuff of dreams that people all around the world seek to emulate.

It would be all well and good, except for some glaring excesses. While put-ting our collective heads to the grindstone to “keep up with the Jones,” andprovide the means for our children to enjoy an easier life than ours, we’vebecome disconnected from the sources of our food, water and energy.

A graphic that projects our current American lifestyle onto the world’s new,record population of over seven billion shows we would need approximate-ly five Earths to duplicate our American lifestyle for the entire world popu-lace. Representing only 5% of the population, Americans generate 40% of

the world’s garbage, consume 15% of the world’s meatand 20% of its energy. Buildings consume 42% of theUS’s primary energy output, 72% of its electricity, and

34% of its directly used natural gas.

It’s time we acknowledge and take responsibili-ty for our actions over the past 150 years whilecalling all hands on deck to muster up “goodold American ingenuity” to create viable solu-tions in order to avoid global calamities. Thegood news is that many solutions already exist.

Solar Fiestas!You will have two opportunities to learn morefrom experts in new and exciting technologiesto help us improve our existing home efficiencywhile saving our precious planet. You won’twant to miss either of NM Solar EnergyAssociation’s (NMSEA) Solar Fiestas this year.

Yes, you read two! April 26 and September 27. Thisyear admission, workshops, parking and tours are allFREE!! Plus you’ll be able to speak with representativesfrom various environmental- and sustainability-relatedNew Mexico non-profit organizations.

Workshops will be offered at both Solar Fiestas on cur-rent, state-of-the-art solar technologies, renewable ener-gy technology, public policy, climate change as it affectsNM, biofuel, wind, sustainable practices and other perti-nent topics. If you would like to be a presenter, pleasecontact Janet at info@nmsea.org. Or to learn about newworkshops as they are added, check out the dedicatedwebsite at www.nmsolarfiesta.org.

The first Solar Fiesta will be held in Santa Fe on April 26,at Santa Fe Community College’s Trades and AdvancedTechnology Center as part of SFCC’s 30th AnniversaryCelebration. The second Solar Fiesta will be on September27 at CNM’s Workforce Training Center, near I-25 andAlameda in Albuquerque. You’ll want to mark both dateson your calendar as each Fiesta will have a differentemphasis.

Come to the Solar Fiestas and the Co-op’s Earth DayFestival the next day to see how you can gain newknowledge and insight to connect the dots toREDUCE YOUR ECO FOOTPRINT.

CONNECTING theDOTS: POPULATION, LIFESTYLEAND ENERGY

PNM has launched a new energyefficiency program, the HomeEnergy Checkup, aimed at help-

ing customers save energy in theirhome and money on their electric bill.In the new program, for only $40, cus-tomers receive a programmable ther-mostat, compact fluorescent light bulbs(CFLs), faucet aerators and low-flowshowerheads. In addition, a qualifiedassessor will complete a walk-throughassessment of the customer’s home and install eachenergy-saving measure. The assessor will also help iden-tify other ways customers can save energy and reduce

their bills, including providing rebates for ENERGYSTAR appliances and heating and cooling systems.

Energy efficiency programs have the potential tosave enough energy each year to power thousands of homes, avoid millions in fuelcosts and reduce both carbon emissions andwater use associated with the production ofelectricity.

Customers throughout the state will beable to SCHEDULE THEIR ASSESSMENTSAND INSTALLATIONS by calling 1-855-775-6491.

Visit www.pnm.com/rebates for moreinformation about the PNM HOME ENERGYCHECKUP.

THE 24TH ANNUALCELEBRATE THE

EARTH FEST!APRIL 27, NOB HILL CO-OP10AM-6PM www.lamontanita.coop

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION, BOOTHS, FARMERS, FOOD, MUSIC AND MUCH MORE!877-775-2667, robins@lamontanita.coop

F I N D I N G S O L U T I O N S A T S O L A R F I E S T A S S A N T A F E

APRIL 26SANTA FE

HOME ENERGYEFFICIENCY

BY DON HANCOCK, SOUTHWEST RESEARCH

AND INFORMATION CENTER (SRIC)

The world’s first geologic repositoryfor military nuclear waste is makinginternational news because of the

radiation leak that was detected late at nighton Valentine’s Day. An unknown amount ofradioactive and toxic chemical waste wasreleased to the environment from the WasteIsolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). On February26, twelve days later, the thirteen workers atthe site when the leak was detected werenotified that they tested positive for internalradiation contamination. Dozens of otherworkers that came to work at the site onSaturday, February 15, are being tested, andat least four more have tested positive for internal radiation contamination.According to the Department of Energy (DOE), radionucles from the releasehave been detected more than twenty miles from the WIPP site.

Since the DOE and Nuclear Waste Partnership (NWP), the operating con-tractor, have repeatedly stated that WIPP would “start clean, stay clean” andnot release any radioactivity for at least 10,000 years, the leak was never sup-posed to happen. The health dangers that persist for thousands of generationsis the reason to put the wastes underground so that they are not released tothe environment. Thus, an obvious question: What’s wrong with WIPP?

Also, what effect does the leak have on DOE plans to expand WIPP andwhat is the opposition to such proposals?

How much radioactivity was released and where did it go?DOE, the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center(CEMRC), and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) willrelease more information to begin to estimate how much was released under-ground, how much was captured by the filtration system, and how muchescaped above ground. Among the contaminants detected are plutonium(Pu)-239 and americium (Am)-241. Am-241 has a half-life of 432 years (halfof the current radioactivity will be present in that many years), and plutoni-um Pu-239 has more than a 24,000-year half-life.

Meteorological data, including wind speed and direction, at the WIPP site sinceFebruary 14 can identify the most likely pathways for the airborne contami-

nuclear new mexico April 2014 5

nants. Results of soil sampling could help determinehow far the radionuclides released underground havetraveled and help determine the amounts. Workers onany of the more than 100 oil and gas wells within onemile of the WIPP site boundary on February 14 and 15

could be the first non-WIPP workers in thepath of any release.

What is to be done about the contamination?On February 15 and 16, DOE and NWPstated: “No personnel contamination hasbeen identified.” They further stated:“Multiple perimeter monitors at the WIPPboundary have confirmed there is no dan-ger to human health or the environment.No contamination has been found on anyequipment, personnel, or facilities.” Sam-pling data and laboratory analysis areneeded so that various technical expertscan review the data and provide multipleviews about the release.

Various technical and public views should also beincluded in the process to determine how much decon-tamination is necessary before underground waste han-dling can resume and what level of decontaminationshould be done on the surface of the WIPP site and inthe surrounding areas. Decontamination of a radiolog-ical release in 3,000 feet or more of an undergroundsalt mine has not been done before, DOE had nodecontamination plan for such a release, and there isno agreed upon “acceptable” radiation level for con-tinuing operations. What radiation levels would beconsidered “acceptable” on the WIPP site surface alsois undetermined. Further, what decontaminationshould be done off-site has not been established.

What is happening with WIPP expansionproposals?The DOE currently has five environmental impactstatements (EIS) that propose bringing additionalwastes to WIPP. While for 35 years federal laws havelimited WIPP to transuranic waste from manufactur-ing nuclear bombs, the EISs promote bringingreprocessed commercial waste from West Valley, NY;commercial waste (but not spent fuel) from all of thenuclear power reactors; some high-level defense wastefrom Hanford, WA; surplus plutonium from nuclearbombs from the Savannah River Site, SC; and ele-

EXPANDING WIPP’S MISSION?

mentary mercury from many government and commer-cial sites to store on the surface.

Another activity at WIPP that DOE and its contractorare pursuing is additional underground mining [the SaltDisposal Investigations (SDI) program] unrelated todefense transuranic waste. That mining is creatingsmall rooms in which heaters could be placed to try todispute three decades of the scientific view that salt isnot a favorable disposal medium for thermally hot,highly radioactive waste. Transportation, storage ordisposal of such high-level waste is explicitly prohibit-ed at WIPP by federal law and the NMED Permit.

These expansion proposals take time, effort and moneyand divert the attention of the operators from a focuson WIPP’s safety mission. Those distractions contributeto a declining safety culture that was evidenced by theradiation release and the fire on February 5, that forcedevacuation of the underground workers and suspensionof waste handling that was in effect when theValentine’s Day radiation release was detected.

Whether DOE will continue to promote WIPP forexpansion remains to be seen. However, since somepeople in southeastern New Mexico have promotedWIPP for other missions for more than 35 years, itseems likely they will continue such advocacy. Themajority of New Mexicans who have succeeded instopping such expansion have even more reason tostrongly oppose any such proposals.

RESOURCES:DOE WIPP special section on the radiation leak:www.wipp.energy.gov/Special/CEMRC: www.cemrc.org/NMED WIPP: www.nmenv.state.nm.us/wipp/index.htmlEPA WIPP: www.epa.gov/radiation/wipp/index.htmlSRIC nuclear waste homepage:www.sric.org/nuclear/index.php

es that are leaking into the aquifer that suppliesAlbuquerque’s drinking water. Plutonium was left on thesoil surface at the MWL. Today it would be illegal to dis-

pose of such dangerous waste in this manner.

In 2005 the NMED issued a final order,which requires Sandia to consider excava-tion of the MWL every five years, includingdetermining to what extent contaminants inthe MWL have reached the groundwater.To date, Sandia has not conducted themandatory feasibility study (due in 2010)and intends further delay until 2019, in vio-lation of the NMED final order. InNovember 2005, Sandia’s own study pre-dicted that contaminants could reach

Albuquerque’s drinking water as early as the year 2010.

What should be done? In addition to Sandia actingresponsibly and performing the excavation study, we needmore monitoring wells to the south, north and west of theMWL to monitor the groundwater beneath the site. Fourmonitoring wells were installed in the early 1990s to thenorth and west of the MWL, but it was soon discoveredthat the groundwater flow was actually to the southwest.

RADIOACTIVE AND HAZARDOUSMATERIALS THREATENS

ABQ’SAQUIFERBY BEVERLY BURRIS, PHD AND DAVE MCCOY, CITIZEN

ACTION NEW MEXICO

We all want pure water coming out of ourtaps, and tend to assume that we have it.However, it is becoming increasingly clear that

Albuquerque’s drinking water is threatened by contamination from sourcessuch as the Kirtland jet fuel spill and various toxic dump sites. One of these isthe mixed-waste landfill (MWL) at Sandia National Laboratories, a 2.6-acresite located one mile east from a children's park at Mesa del Sol, a plannedresidential community for 100,000 people.

The recent release of radioactivity and exposure of workers and the publicfrom the $3 billion WIPP site indicates that even carefully designed hazardouswaste storage sites have their vulnerabilities; in contrast, the MWL pits andtrenches are unlined, poorly monitored and have no cleanup or closure plan.Lockheed Martin Corp., the Department of Energy contractor for Sandia, cur-rently refuses to meet with the public to discuss any aspect of their 20-year-old hazardous waste permit, ongoing unsafe nuclear operations and openburning of toxic waste.

The MWL received radioactive and hazardous waste from nuclear weaponsproduction between 1959 and 1988. The documented waste in the landfillincludes 119 barrels of long-lived plutonium- and americium-contaminatedwaste, tons of depleted uranium and tritium, and hazardous waste such aslead, beryllium and solvents such as trichloroethylenes (TCE), polychlorinatedbiphenyls (PCB) and perchloroethylene (PCE). These radioactive and hazardouswastes were enclosed in flimsy plastic bags, cardboard boxes and steel drumsand then dumped a few feet below ground surface into unlined pits and trench-

The NMED, EPA and Sandia knew twenty years ago thatthe four monitoring wells were improperly positioned,corroded and could not provide useful data about possi-ble contamination of the groundwater. The hazardouswaste permit issued to Sandia by the NMED should bere-evaluated and replaced with a comprehensive cleanupplan and groundwater monitoring that will protect thequality of water in Albuquerque’s declining aquifer.

Although we tend to take clean drinking water from ourtap for granted, recent threats to Albuquerque’s aquiferimply that we need to take action now to protect the qual-ity of our water for ourselves and for future generations.

Citizen Action NM (CANM) is committed to protectingour natural resources by demanding that Sandia andKirtland Air Force base be held accountable for cleaningup their contamination. During the 2014 legislative ses-sion, CANM succeeded in passing a memorial (HJM 13)which seeks to create an independent panel of experts todevelop a cleanup plan for the Kirtland jet fuel spill. Asimilar memorial (SM 30) about the MWL passed twoSenate committees but failed to pass the full Senate dueto administrative error.

For more information about the MWL, other threatsto the aquifer and environment, and opportunitiesto get involved, visit Citizen Action NM’s website:www.radfreenm.org.

Sandia’s Mixed WasteLLLLAAAANNNNDDDDFFFFIIIILLLLLLLL

theLa MontanitaFUND

Loan application nowbeing taken!

Get your application in today! For Information call877-775-2667

HEALTH DANGERSfrom RADIATION persist forTHOUSANDS ofGENERATIONS

what is

WRONG WITH

WIPP?

Get yourFamily FarmersSeed Co-op seeds!

Look for Family Farmers Seed Co-op seeds at your favorite La Montanita Co-op location!

PERFECT FOR NEW MEXICOGROWING CONDITIONS

LeakedRADIATION DETECTED20 MILESfrom WIPP

co-op news April 2014 6

BY MARSHALL KOVITZ, BOARD VICE

PRESIDENT

In the past, Board members haveused this column to discuss theseven Co-op Principles, explaining

what they mean and how we live them.We would like to continue that discus-sion, focusing on Principle Number Six,Cooperation Among Co-ops. In particu-lar, we would like to discuss the NationalCooperative Grocers Association, (NCGA),an organization that was founded onPrinciple Six and is critical to the well-being of food co-opsnationwide. Much of the information we offer here comes from apresentation by our General Manager, Terry Bowling. Terry presented at oneof the Board’s monthly study sessions, hour-long explorations of strategicissues that impact La Montanita.

NCGA is a business services cooperative which is owned by 136 retail foodco-ops nationwide. Dues are based on the size of the co-op and they pay fora variety of important activities and services that many of the co-ops—espe-cially smaller ones—could not provide on their own. The retail co-ops electNCGA’s board and Terry, our general manager, serves as Treasurer on theboard, devoting considerable time and effort to the work.

marketing. While NCGA’s focus is primarily on opera-tions, it also provides some support for governanceand board development.

Finally, NCGA supports important initiatives at thenational level. Among other activities, NCGA lobbieson issues such as organic standards, genetically modi-fied organisms, (GMO’s), and the US Farm Bill. Withits expert staff and its vital support of the co-op com-munity, NCGA is a great example of individual co-opsworking together so that everyone benefits.

If you would like to learn more about the Co-opPrinciples, a good place to start is the website of theInternational Co-operative Alliance, ica.coop/en/what-co-op/co-operative-identity-values-principles. Andif you would like to know more about the board’s studywork and participate in the discussion, you are welcometo join us at any of our monthly board meetings.

Meetings are always held on the third Tuesday ofeach month starting at 5:30pm. Come a few min-utes early and join us for dinner. Location is theImmanuel Presbyterian Church, across the street fromthe Co-op’s Nob Hill store. The business portion of themeeting runs for approximately one hour and is fol-lowed by an hour of study and discussion.

PLEASE JOIN US!

Beneficial Farms: Distributed by the Co-op Distri-bution Center, Beneficial eggs come from a network offarms in the north central part of the state around Santa Fe.They are the only "fertilized" egg we sell.

Delta G Eggzotic Eggs: Another fine local egg out of theEast Mountains. Produced on a small scale, it seems to methat Gary has his production down to a science; he has a tem-perature controlled coop for his hens, so when other hens arenot laying either due to heat or cold Gary’s got eggs. These area colorful dozen as he has a few Araucana hens, so you willsee some blue eggs mixed in a box. He also uses a local feed.

ALL the local eggs we sell are UNGRADED, meaning thatthey have not gone through a USDA inspection to determinea grade. Since none of the eggs are mass-produced, they willusually be MUCH fresher than any medium to large-scaleproduction, because at the Co-op, 90 percent of the eggs onthe shelf have been laid within the week and are distributeddirectly from farm to store.

The Rio Grande, Westside and Santa Fe stores mayhave a few other local varieties, so you may want toreach out to them as well.

LOCAL EGG SUPPLIERS: Peculiar Farms: Thomas and family arefamous for their "blue eggs" coming fromAraucana hens. On their farm in Los Lunas theyare committed to using the farm resources wise-ly to produce healthy food. This means organicmethods of farming, coupled with superior vari-eties, and only well water. Look for their pesti-cide-free produce, too.

S & S Farms: We have done business withJoseph Altobello for going on ten years now. HisSouth Valley backyard farm uses feed produced inChimayo for their hens. They are a family run

operation and do a fine job with the traditional, old schoolwhite eggs; perfect for coloring with the kids this month,and delicious for eating after all the festivities. These arethe most economical local eggs on the market.

Happy Chicken Eggs: Al Humble for Plants ofThanksgiving Farm produces the Happy Chicken brandeggs. Al uses a custom feed he has formulated for hishens, consisting of non-GMO grains, that is corn freeand includes some organic ingredients. These are verypremium eggs grown in the East Mountain area.

BY AARON DIEHL, NOB HILL DAIRY TEAM LEADER

It’s spring and the hens are laying. I for one am a bigfan of our local eggs. One look at the deep rich goldencolor of the yolk and you know why. You pop them in

the frying pan and they bubble up all fluffy, something nocommercial egg ever does. You can really taste the differ-ence. Finally knowing that these are real eggs, not full ofadded growth hormones and antibiotics is something that,as a dad with two young children, is very important to me.

I love working with all our great egg suppliers and being able to source goodhealthy eggs for our Co-op community. If you are not growing your own or don’thave a friend who is, the Co-op is the best place to get your fresh eggs. Whetheryou like them boiled, poached, fried, in salads or baked, we at the Co-op do thebest we can to have the freshest, healthiest most delicious eggs in our dairy cool-ers every day. Here is the who’s who on Nob Hill’s local egg suppliers. Suppliersmay vary slightly at different locations. Check in with your favorite DairyDepartment staff person or give me a holler at 265-4631 or aarond@lamontanita.coop.

the gift One of the most important functions of NCGA is tonegotiate prices with natural food wholesalers and

with various service providers.Since NCGA negotiates on behalfof all its member stores, it canobtain substantially better ratesthan what individual co-opscould get. In return for the lowerprices, individual co-ops con-tribute to a joint liability fund, anaccount used to guarantee pay-ment should any individual co-opfail to pay its bills. NCGA alsoproduces marketing and promo-tional materials at a level of

sophistication not available to small co-ops.

Members of NCGA’s staff are among the most knowl-edgeable in the business and they employ their expert-ise to further co-op growth and development. When LaMontanita recently opened our Westside store, NCGAplayed an active role in many of the tasks involved inbringing this project to fruition. NCGA staff membershelp other retail co-ops with many other aspects ofoperations such as accounting, human resources and

MEMBERSHIP IS OWNERSHIP

HEALING THE PLANET STARTS WITH YOU: GROW YOUR OWNGROW YOUR OWN

GOCO-OP!

BY MONICA RUDE

When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there isalways the garden. -Minnie Aumonier (18th Century poet)

Recent studies attribute 85 percent of all diseaseto stress-related factors. Millions of Americanssuffer from anxiety, insomnia

and illnesses related to stress and itsimpact on the body. Stress can be frommany sources, including physical, emo-tional, environmental or even psychic.Stress can occur in the form of problemsat work, unemployment, striving toachieve, relationship tension, fear, lackof relaxation or adequate sleep, overex-ertion or lack of exercise, smoking, pooreating habits or eating junk food, drugand alcohol abuse, infections, allergies,pollution, drinking poor quality water, noise, severe emo-tional trauma, major surgery. Positive events, i.e., marriage,a new baby, a promotion, or graduation can also be sourcesof stress.

So here’s an idea on how to cope: take yourself to the garden.Get away from it all and just BE in a place of peace and calm,where you can relax and breathe. To do this, create a specialplace, a small place requiring minimal maintenance. Plantonly a few plants, i.e., 10 or less, and make them nervines,herbs which calm and nourish the nervous system, or adap-togens, which help the body adapt or resist the physiologicaleffects of stress. It is believed they help to restore the balancebetween the immune, nervous and glandular systems, all ofwhich are impacted by stress. Some of these herbs are holybasil, catnip, licorice, lemon balm, chamomile, valerian,skullcap, borage, ashwaganda, motherwort. Partial shadewould be welcome for the valerian, skullcap and chamomile;the others can grow in full sun. They are quite drought toler-ant and attract pollinators.

H E A L I N G W I T H H E R B S

FRESH, LOCAL AND COLORFUL DOZENSDAIRY DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT:

EGG SEASON

STRESS RELIEF

CO-OP PRINCIPLES: COOPERATION amongCOOPERATIVES

M E M B E R S H I P I S O W N E R S H I P :

Learn how to grow these herbs and use them in tea, tinc-ture or flower essence. Sip them while sitting in your spe-cial garden. Have a catnip moment: tune-in to the healingenergy of the plants, imagine it flowing through yourbody... relaxing, healing, nourishing, restoring, empower-ing. A few flowers add to the relaxing ambiance and attractmore pollinators to watch. Lastly, add a sign or a symbol

of peace or a whimsical item.

In your special garden, set an intention to sit andrelax without feeling compelled to weed, prune,harvest or do anything. This is slow gardening,it’s not production-oriented. Let go of judge-ment of yourself as a gardener. Realize garden-ing can be a source of stress if you seek perfec-tion, are attached to yield as a measure of suc-cess or self-worth, or are comparing your gar-den to another. Your goal here is to not-do.

Here you can practice calm in the midst of chaos.Meditate, pray, do yoga, daydream, sing, chant, stare atthe wall, talk to the plants...whatever it takes to allowyourself to shift into that parasympathetic mode of yournervous system where relaxation is a magic carpet. It car-ries you to a place where the list of things to-do becomesless urgent. You can breathe, digest, feel and with prac-tice, learn what relaxed feels like so you can go therewhenever you realize you’re tensing up again. Let the ten-sion dissipate. Surrender to now. Breathe. And remem-ber... gardening is cheaper than therapy plus you gettomatoes...

MONICA RUDE owns Desert Woman Botanicals andwill be serving up relaxing herb tea at LaMontanita’s EARTH FESTIVAL ON APRIL 27.

Look for Desert Woman salves at your favorite Co-oplocation!

SPRINGgreens...

Shop your Co-op!

co-op news April 2014 7

The Nob Hill Celebrate the Earth Fest 2014 willbe Sunday, April 27. I know many of you haveattended this event in the past. I think

we all agree this is a wonderful celebrationwith many vendors, entertainment, foodand a good time for all! It has become oneof the biggest, if not the biggest Earth Dayevent in New Mexico, a true celebration inevery sense of the word.

Our own Robin Seydel has organized thisevent for years. The effort that is requiredto bring Earth Day to reality is huge. EarthDay 2014 will just be over and Robin will be planningEarth Day 2015. Robin’s office is directly across frommine and we rarely work with our doors closed so muchof our communication can be done by just talking loudlyand it also allows us to hear what each is working on, nosecrets in our office. I am amazed by the number of phonecalls Robin receives and makes in the organizing of thisevent. The permits required by the City can change year

to year and it can be difficult at times to manage the redtape, but Robin goes forward without complaint.

After all of our senior Management meet-ings we have a time that we offer appreci-ation to whomever we choose. Robin, I,your General Manager and friend, appre-ciate your efforts to bring this great eventto our Co-op and City, your efforts havenot gone unnoticed.

Also my thanks to our Nob Hill staff andvolunteers who spend the day doing every-

thing from cooking to emptying trash; this event wouldnot be successful without you.

You can always contact me with any commentand/or concern at terryb@lamontanita.coop or byphone at 505-217-2020. -TERRY

EARTH FEST 2014

THE INSIDE SCOOP

CO-OPS: A Solution-Based System A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons

united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social andcultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and

democratically-controlled enterprise.

4/8 Veteran Farmer ProjectBee Keeping Workshop at the farm, see page 3

4/15 BOD MeetingImmanuel Church, 5:30pm

4/22 Santa Fe Earth Day BBQ See page 1

4/27 24TH Annual Earth Fest! Nob Hill Co-op, see page 1

AprilCalendarof Events

BY MONA ANGEL

There is a food crisis in America todaythat we can no longer ignore. Producesections in grocery stores are shrinking

and diet related health issues such as diabetes, highblood pressure, and obesity are on the rise.Farming is vital and essential to our health andsecurity. With the average age of a farmer being60+ we need to bring awareness back to farmingand the fact that FARMING = FOOD. We need new farm-ers. Educational institutions, state and federal agencies arenot doing enough to provide support for young people whowant to pursue farming as a career and a businesses. Thesolution is community based and cooperative.

U are the solution!Join the Fairfield Growers Cooperative and La MontanitaCo-op in a new multi-co-op project to support and train anew generation of farmers. Beginning farmers struggle andoften fail. Co-op U is a three-year agriculture educationalapprenticeship program. A prospective farmer shadows andworks closely with an existing farmer learning the where,why and how of farming. Then the new farmer takes every-

thing learned in year one and works onhis or her own space. The final phaseincludes voluntary membership in Fair-field Co-op and teaching the next roundof students.

The overall goal of the program is tooffer support to new farmers and trainthem in the business of farming. How tosell and sell well. This is where a newfarmer will get crucial feedback and

with a membership in the Fairfield Growers Cooperativealso have the continued support of veteran farmers, withissues like pest control and soil building, buying seeds andother farming materials in bulk, special trainings and year-ly educational opportunities to keep a new farmer’s knowl-edge up to date.

We want confident, motivated farmers to graduate fromthis program! To do that the program will always be evolv-ing. One US farmer can feed about 129 people. When onefarmer succeeds we all succeed! If you are an agencyinteresting in supporting this program or an individualinterested in becoming a participant, contact MonaAngel at Fairfield Growers Cooperative on Facebook.

CO-OP U: got food?THANK A FARMER

spring in to salads April 2014 10

COLD ASIAN NOODLE SALAD

Serves 4Time: 30 minutes

Subtle yet sublime, this salad is refreshing, withjust the right amount of heat. Baked tofu addsheartiness to the dish.

8-ounce package soba noodles1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, cashews and peanuts2 cups broccoli florets, cut small1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced5 tablespoons toasted sesame oil4 cloves garlic, minced1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced3 scallions, sliced12 cherry tomatoes, halved1/2 sweet red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced1 jalapeño pepper, minced (optional)Juice of one lime3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari1/8 teaspoon cayenne1/2 teaspoon paprika1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (if available)

or cilantro1 14-ounce package baked tofu, sliced or cubed

Cook noodles according to package directions.Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again and setaside. Toast nuts in dry frying pan and set aside.Steam carrots and broccoli until tender yet crisp.Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil in frying pan onmedium low. Add minced garlic and ginger andsauté until lightly browned. Add scallions, toma-toes, red pepper and jalapeño pepper (if using)and stir gently a couple of minutes until slightlysoftened.

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, 3remaining tablespoons sesame oil, soy sauce ortamari, cayenne, paprika, salt and black pepperuntil thoroughly combined.

To assemble salad, combine sautéed vegetableswith steamed carrots, broccoli and basil orcilantro and mix together with soba noodles.Pour dressing over salad and toss well to evenlycoat. Best served at room temperature, even ifchilled for up to 2 hours. Add baked tofu andgarnish with toasted pine nuts, cashews orchopped peanuts. Serve immediately.

CLASSIC VEGAN CAESAR SALAD withCHICKEN-FREE STRIPS

Serves: 4Time: 50 minutes

Salty capers, toasted sushi nori, fresh lemon juiceand a dash of Dijon mustard produces the flavorof a classic Caesar salad.

Croutons1/3 cup olive oil1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon paprika3 to 4 large cloves garlic, minced1 medium-sized firm-crusted, rustic baguette or

4 to 5 slices of bread of choice, cubed

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet withparchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together oliveoil, salt, paprika and garlic. Add bread cubes and tossuntil completely coated. Spread on baking sheet. Bakefor 7 minutes, stir, and then bake 5 more minutes, untilcrispy. Remove from oven and let cool. Set aside.

Dressing1 cup olive oil1/2 teaspoon sea salt3 large cloves garlic, quartered1 tablespoon light miso paste (preferably white)1/4 cup water2 tablespoons white wine vinegarFreshly squeezed juice of 2 medium lemons2 tablespoons capers, rinsed3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes*1 sheet toasted sushi nori, broken into pieces**1 tablespoon Dijon mustard1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad1 large head romaine lettuce, washed and cut into

bite-sized pieces6 ounces "Beyond Meat," lightly seasoned

or grilled varieties of chicken-free strips, peeled into thin slices, or any "vegan chicken" of your choice.

In a blender, process olive oil, salt, garlic, miso paste,water, vinegar, lemon juice, capers, nutritional yeastflakes, nori, mustard and pepper until thoroughlymixed. In a large bowl, add lettuce. Toss with 1/3dressing until well coated. Add more dressing if need-ed, to desired taste. Add chicken, sprinkle in croutonsand toss again. Serve immediately and garnish withadditional black pepper, if so desired.

Although traditional Caesar salad is simple, with only afew ingredients, feel free to add tomatoes, sliced onionsor whatever else you may wish. Omit the chicken-freestrips, and this salad pairs well with any pasta or otherItalian entrée.

*Nutritional yeast adds the "cheesy" flavor similar toParmesan, a key ingredient in traditional Caesar salad.

**Toasted sushi nori mimics the taste of anchovy anda full-bodied miso paste gives it that desired richness.

TASTEof spring

SHOP CO-OP AND BUY LOCAL SHOP CO-OP

aa BBBBQQ&& bbeenneeffiitt

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spring in to salads April 2014 11

STUFFED AVOCADOS with TUNA (FREE) SALAD

Serves 4Time: 45 minutes

This delicious salad is a great way to add mineral-rich seaweed and protein-packed, fiber-rich garban-zo beans to your diet.

2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped1/2 cup celery, finely chopped1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced1/4 cup dill pickle, finely chopped (optional)1 sheet toasted sushi nori, finely crumbled*1 cup vegan mayonnaise1 teaspoon sea salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper4 medium to large avocados, peeled and halved

In a large bowl, mash garbanzo beans with a potatomasher or the back of a fork, until no pieces remain.Fold the onion, celery, garlic, pickle (if using), nori,mayonnaise, salt and pepper into the mashed gar-banzo beans. Combine thoroughly. Fill each avoca-do half with a generous scoop of tuna-free salad.

Place 2 filled avocado halves on a bed of greens.Additional garnishes may include cherry tomatoes,sliced cucumbers, sliced carrots, sliced radishes,olives, etc. Serve with crusty bread or crackers ofchoice.

*For a "fishier" taste, add more nori flakes. Thisvegan tuna-free salad also makes a great sandwichspread, served on plain or toasted multi-grain orbread of choice, with crisp lettuce and fresh tomatoslices.

KALE SALAD with ALMONDS

Serves 4Time: 30 minutes

Juice of 1/2 lemon1/2 shallot, chopped1 teaspoon honey1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes2 bunches kale, stems removed, leaves shredded

or finely chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1/3 cup sliced almonds8 dates, pitted and chopped2 1/2 ounces Parmesan, shaved with a peeler

In a bowl, whisk juice, shallot, honey, salt and pep-per flakes. Add kale; toss well. Let sit 20 minutes.Mix in oil. Refrigerate for up to 1 day, or serveimmediately. In a dry pan, toast almonds overmedium heat, tossing constantly, until color deep-ens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add almonds, dates andParmesan to kale; serve.

BEET SALAD with PARSLEY andRICOTTA

Serves 4Time: 45 minutes

1/4 cup fresh orange juice1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for

drizzling2 1/4 pounds assorted beets with greens

(such as Chioggia, white, golden and red; 1 1/2 pounds if already trimmed)

1/4 small red onion1 1/4 cups Italian (flat-leaf) parsley leaves

(from 1 bunch), torn if desiredFresh ricotta or farmer cheese, or grated

ricotta salata

Whisk together juices, oil and 1/2 teaspoon each ofsalt and pepper in a large bowl. Trim beets, leaving1 inch of stems attached, then peel. Using stems asa handle, slice beets paper-thin (less than 1/8 inchthick), then cut slices into very thin matchsticks.

Thinly slice onion. Toss beets, onion and parsleywith dressing and season with salt. Let stand 30minutes, tossing occasionally to soften beets andallow flavors to develop. Toss again and seasonwith salt and pepper before serving drizzled withadditional oil.

Your CO-OP Produce Dept. has a huge variety of organic and local greens!(and other tastyspring treats)

getyourGREENS

SHOPCO-OP &SAVE

at her disposal. She suggests both dietary changes toreduce overall inflammation levels (and thus yourinflammatory responses to the allergens) AND a fewvery safe, yet effective herbal remedies, all accessibleand affordable.

It all starts with diet! A low-inflammation diet typi-cally minimizes eggs, wheat, peanut butter, tree nuts,sugar and dairy. I for one audibly gulped; I love myraw dairy! Says Mary Lou, "try consuming anti-inflammatory spices, like turmeric, as well as chaispices, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon, with yourdairy to counter its effects."

Singleton suggests, for typical spring allergies, start-ing to take nettles after the new year. Taking driednettles in a tea daily in deep winter gives enough timefor their cumulative effect to build and prepare youfor the spring. If you did not start in time and youwant to end your suffering now, look for freeze driednettles. "You'll need to take quite a bit to see

results," she says, "four to eight capsules everyfour to six hours." Nettles are safe, she says, for allages and have no contraindications or interactionswith medications.

Goldenrod is also very safe in all respects. This herbis very helpful for nasal discharge and will help dryup your leaky nose. Taken as a tea, try one cup threetimes a day. As a tincture, try 30-60 drops threetimes a day. Singleton also recommends anotherherbal remedy that comes from a local southwestplant. Mormon tea is a local ephedra plant (it does-n't contain ephedrine). This herb is also very drying.

I asked Singleton how she handles her own aller-gies. She takes burdock and licorice tea (pleaseconsult your health professional about any druginteractions with licorice). Combined in a 2:1 ratio,simmer three tablespoons of this dried root blendin one quart of water for one to ten minutes andstrain. Sip all day. She also takes quercetin, a sup-plement with nice antihistamine properties. She hasseen a quercetin, bromelain, vitamin C complexwork well in treating allergies in her clients.

In short, it sounds like decreasing inflammationwhile improving your overall health by supportingyour liver, lympatic system, adrenals and digestionare the path to avoiding allergies.

For more information contact EnchantedFamily Medicine for family-based integrativehealth care at 505-573-514.

BY AMYLEE UDELL

One early spring day almost 15 years ago two ofmy co-workers, one who had lived here for manyyears and the other for his whole life, were

absolutely miserable. They couldn't venture far from thetissue box, were reading their computer screens through drip-ping, watery eyes waiting for the meds to kick in. A few yearslater I had my first baby and my first bout of allergies. Then Iwas fine again for awhile, so I chalked it up to postpartumadrenal fatigue. And now a decade later, I am seasoned in thesuffering that is New Mexico’s seasonal allergies.

There is SOME type of pollen or mold being released everymonth of the year here in New Mexico. Most of us won'treact to every single one and so we have our own season of allergies,depending on what affects us. Juniper, mulberry and elm are the onesthat affect most allergy sufferers here. Some people begin suffering inJanuary and most will feel their histamine reactions to these tiny parti-cle invaders from then until April. Late spring also brings our strongwinds and stirs up EVERYTHING.

For some people, prescription and over the counter medicationsseem to be the only source of true relief. If you're not there yet orare hopeful to cut down on medications, here are a few ideas:Eliminating pollen is the first step. Keep windows closed and removeshoes outside to prevent bringing it into your home. Vacuum and changeyour bedding frequently. Also wash your hair, face and hands frequentlyto rinse away the pollen. If you commute frequently, vacuum your car.And wash your pet, who is likely bringing in lots of pollen, too.

How can you calm those strong histamine reactions? Mary LouSingleton of Enchanted Family Medicine is both an herbalist and anurse practitioner, and so has both pharmaceutical and herbal remedies

SAFE, EFFECTIVE, AFFORDABLE REMEDIES!spring has sprung April 2014 12

BOTH DIETARY CHANGES TO REDUCE OVERALLINFLAMMATION AND A FEW SAFE,

EFFECTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE

HERBAL REMEDIESCAN HELP

nettlesfor springrelief

SpringAllergies

herbs that help

LOAN PROGRAM• Quick and easy application process• Loans from $250 to $15,000, or more in exceptional cases• Repayment terms tailored to the needs of our community offood producers• Applications taken in an ongoing basisTo set up a meeting to learn more or for a Loan Application or helpwith your application, call or e-mail Robin at: 505-217-2027, tollfree/877-775-2667 or e-mail: robins@lamontanita.coop.

LA MONTANITAFUND:GRASSROOTSINVESTING!Help GROW the LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM

GMOs in the news April 2014 13

ELEANOR BRAVO, FOOD & WATER WATCH, NEW MEXICO CHAPTER

Albuquerque City Council will vote in early Mayon a resolution to support the labeling offoods containing engineered or modified

genetic material. Since the first genetically engineered(GE) crops were introduced in the United States in the1990s, consumers have not been able to tell whether theyare eating these controversial new ingredients. And when-ever the subject of mandatory labeling of genetically mod-ified foods comes up, the food industry claims that labelingwill be prohibitively expensive.

But the industry's most frequently repeated claims aboutthe cost of labeling are based on cherry-picked economicanalyses and extreme scenarios. The biggest food companies andagribusinesses are worried that consumers will be wary of “scary-sounding” GE labels.

BUT IF GE PRODUCTS ARE AS SAFE AND NATURAL as these com-panies claim, then why not let consumers DECIDE what theywant to buy?

Consumers deserve the right to know what's in the food that theyare providing for their families. Not only is GE labeling required inother countries, but the US public has been clamoring for it foryears. A 2008 poll by CBS/New York Times found that 87 percentof US consumers wanted all genetically engineered ingredients to belabeled.

A 2010 Thomson Reuters survey of consumers found 93 percent insupport of GE labeling. And 91 percent of voters polled in a 2012Mellman Group study favored labeling and 81 percent stronglyfavored the labeling proposal.

With labeling, consumers would be able to findout the differences in how various foods wereproduced and decide for themselves what thosedifferences mean. Whether or not someonechooses to read a label is entirely their choice, butpeople deserve the right to know what they arebuying, eating and feeding to their families. Foodcompanies always seem to find room on the labelto make a marketing claim — such as “new andimproved” or “all-natural” — to try to convinceus to buy, but somehow they cannot find anyspace if they are required to tell us a fact aboutthe process by which the item was produced.

A label stating that a product is genetically engi-neered will not mislead customers; it would simplyprovide the facts about the food they are eating.

Opponents of some labeling proposals claim thatmandatory GE food labeling would increase foodcosts “for the average family by $600 per year.”

ABQQ’’’’S RESOLUTION

These kinds of analyses are done by labeling oppo-nents in the food industry and are far from objective

examinations of the facts. Yet a look at the litera-ture on mandatory food labeling reveals that amuch lower cost is likely. An impartial consultingfirm did a study in 2001 for the UK FoodStandards Agency and found that GE labelingwould increase a household's annual food spend-ing by only 0.01 to 0.17 percent — a very small fig-ure ranging from an increase of $.33 to $5.58 in2010 real US dollars (inflation-adjusted) annually.

For decades, the food industry has opposed anynew food labeling requirements, including nutri-tion labels and ingredient listings. One of theirfavorite arguments is that new labeling require-ments will drive the growth of government

bureaucracy and cost taxpayers money.

Changing food labeling to reflect the presence of aGE ingredient wouldn't be any different for grocerystores than stocking a product that has changed itsingredients or added a nutritional-benefit claim tothe package. The long-term effects of eatingGE/GMO foods are largely unknown and there is noeffective way to gather data if the foods are notlabeled. Because these foods contain novel geneticcombinations that do not occur naturally in our foodsystem, the least that consumers deserve is that theybe labeled.

CCCCOOOONNNNSSSSUUUUMMMMEEEERRRRRIGHT to

KNOW!

LABELING GENETICALLY MODIFIEDFOODSWHAT WILL IT real ly COST?

small farmer at the local market, I don’t lose muchsleep over one way or another, but a Fortune 500 com-pany like General Mills? Not good enough. They cer-tainly can afford the changes in retooling for a non-GMO product as well as third-party verification. Atthe very least, making both GMO and non-GMOproducts in the same facilities requires thorough clean-

ing between batches, if not equipmentand storage “dedicated” to only non-GMO use.

I suppose this is some sort of step in theright direction—although an overly-processed food is still overly-processed,the kind of thing that Post, Kellogg andall those other early health nuts railedagainst. What’s most interesting to meis that much of the clamor for non-GMO food is from the general publicand not only “special interest” organic

food whackos like you and me who’ve been into thisfor decades. People who barely know one vegetablefrom another and rarely read food labels have beendrawn into this fight. Let’s be honest here: some oftheir conversion is founded on scare tactics from ourside (there’s plenty to be scared about of course) andnot a general conviction of what real food is.

An organic Oreo is still an Oreo, no matter whomakes it, and not really the kind of thing you oughtto be putting in your mouth in the first place. Butbefore you think I’m holier-than-thou, I freely admitI put plenty of food-like products in my mouth thatoughtn’t be there. I gave up long ago being a hardcorehealth food nut because that way of thinking tends tobreed sanctimonious know-it-alls. Personally, I advo-cate organic /natural food and farming in defense ofthe environment more than any other reason. Ofcourse human beings are part of the environment (afact that tends to be overlooked by city folk) but Igive you and me—rightly or wrongly—enough creditto make decisions on our own as long as the decisionsdon’t affect others. But defining that line, dear read-er, is where we can enter into the real argument.

In any case, this is a small step in the right direc-tion, but when they decide to make Non-GMOProject Verified chocolate frosted sugar bombs,then perhaps I’ll be a little more impressed.

BY BRETT BAKKER

If C.W. Post and Cadwallader C. Washburn aren’tturning in their graves, they are at least sitting up—as best they can—and taking notice. These founders

of Post Cereals and General Mills, respectively, were in busi-ness in the 1880s during one of America’s first popular callsto return to nature and health by eschewing industrializedfood. They were in good company withother breakfast food pioneers like W.K.Kellogg and James Caleb Jackson (whocoined the word granola). Most of thebreakfast cereal companies we nowknow were founded by such advocates,many who were members of theSeventh Day Adventist Church andstrictly believed in vegetarianism, absti-nence and kosher dietary law. Theywere some of the biggest food process-ing conglomerates of their time, al-though dwarfed by their modern coun-terparts (gee, a return to an, ummm, smaller conglomeratewould almost be a relief). Anyway, I bet these guys havebeen resting uneasily since the companies they foundedturned into purveyors of chocolate frosted sugar bombs.

Post recently announced that Grape Nuts (basically wheatand barley flour paste baked to a fare-thee-well andground into crunchy bits) has just been Non-GMO ProjectVerified. Although this only applies to the original flavor,that such a conglomerate would state, “There is potential…to add more non-GMO verified products…We arealways listening to our customers,” is notable. Or is it? I’ma little cynical when a megacorporation announces it hasour interests at heart. More likely—and more remarkablereally—is that Post has decided there is enough of a non-GMO clamor to take this step and cash in. The publicityalone is worth the investment. What have they got to losereally? It’s pretty much only us health food weirdos thatbuy plain ol’ un-sugared Grape Nuts anyway.

In a similar but half-hearted move General Millsannounced that Cheerios (the plain flavor, once again) willno longer be made with GMO ingredients. Because thereare no GMO oats it’s not a hard switch since only non-GMO corn starch and sugar are needed in the recipe. Thedifference between these two moves is that General Mills ismerely making a claim with no independent testing or ver-ification. That’s like a farm proclaiming it’s organic andnatural when no one really agrees on what’s organic or nat-ural means in the first place. The non-verified claim of the

ITCHY GREEN THUMB

SNAP, CRACKLE, POP ANDGGMMOOss

BUY BULK AND SAVE BIG SHOP CO-OP

CALL OR E-MAIL your city councilor and MayorBerry and TELL THEM TO VOTE YESon LABELING RESOLUTION!

For more information, including the dates of City Council meet-ings at which the Resolution will be addressed, go towww.foodandwaterwatch.org. Call the Food & Water Watch NMoffice at 505-750-4919 or e-mail Lars at lpanaro@fwwlocal.org.

VOTE YES!AAAACCCCTTTTIIIIOOOONNNN AAAALLLLEEEERRRRTTTT

Mary Alice Cooper,MD

BY ENGLISH BIRD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NM RECYCLING

COALITION (NMRC)

Many of us easily recognize the recycling “mobius”symbol and see it numerous times a day, but fewreally know what is meant behind those chasing

arrows. The recycling symbol was designed by Gary Andersonin 1970 as part of a contest and it has been suggested that thedesign was meant to signify closing the loop between the act ofrecycling, to re-manufacturing it into another product and thenpurchasing recycled-content products.

If you recycle, you provide the supply to a manufacturing seg-ment of industry. When you choose to purchase recycled-con-tent products, you are then participating on the demand side.And both sides are equally important. If a particular recycledmaterial, say cardboard for example, does not have manufacturers that want tobuy it because the market is not demanding their final recycled-content product,then that material does not have as much value. Recycled materials are com-modities just like oil and gold. Your participation in our local recycling programsis essential for those end-market companies that rely on a steady flow of materi-al that maintain commodity value.

Buy Recycled Preference in ProcurementThe state of New Mexico has a five percent preference for recycled-content prod-ucts that meet a minimum of 25 percent recycled-content. If your entity followsstate procurement, utilize this preference by ensuring it is included in all quotesheets, RFPs and bid lets. If your entity does not follow state code, create a pol-icy regarding recycled-content purchasing to give a clear indicator to employees

recycling lifestyles April 2014 14

that this is an important practice and must always be con-sidered. As an individual, always look for recycled-con-tent products when you make purchases.

The state procurement code states:When bids are received for bothrecycled content goods and nonrecy-cled content goods, the public bodyshall deem the bids submitted forrecycled content goods of equalquality to be five percent lower thanthe bids actually submitted.

Post-Consumer and Pre-Consumer Recycled ContentProducts that are made from recy-cled-content will usually have ontheir packaging a recycle mobiussymbol and either a percentage or a

statement about the source of recycled material. The per-centage indicates the percent of material in that productthat is made from recycled content. Some products signi-fy also that this content comes from post-consumersources. This means that the material has been sourcedfrom recycling programs as compared to pre-consumer,which means it came from manufacturing scraps and sec-onds that are put back into the system.

State Recycled-Content Purchasing ResourcesThe State of New Mexico works with an office supplyvendor that offers many recycled-content office suppliesand papers. Check out www.generalservices.state.nm.us/statepurchasing/officesupplies.aspx. You will also findthat you can easily search online for “recycled content” to

find most any product type. The NMRC “Links andResources” web page also has links to recycled-contentpurchasing (www.recyclenewmexico.com/links_resources.htm). If a business does not offer recycled-content options,encourage them to consider providing this option.

Remember:• Ensure recycled-content purchasing is included in yourpurchasing code• When purchasing office supplies and paper products,there are almost always recycled-content alternatives• Encourage your entity to make the commitment to buyrecycled when the cost is reasonable• Ensure all purchasing agents in your departments areaware of the preference and that the preference is clear onall bid and quote documents.

Your PartBy recycling, you play a critical role in supporting jobs,assisting in economic growth, conserving energy and nat-ural resources, as well as ensuring a quality of life forfuture generations.

For state offices wishing to receive technical assistance onstarting or expanding their recycling program, contactTim Gray in the New Mexico Environment Department:Solid Waste Bureau Recycling Outreach section at 505-827-0129 or tim.gray@state.nm.us.

Go to the NM Recycling Directory to find out whatand where to recycle in your community:

LOOK FOR RECYCLED CONTENT

and magazines that can be used for art projects,cleaning supplies, cloth, yard tools and kids’ toys.Outdated computers and printers are items soughtafter by organizations that can refurbish and usethem to help train people who need to learn thebasics, Heartland said. "We find a home for 95percent of the stuff we get," she said.

At present, Gift Givers Anonymous has a team ofseven volunteers who help collect, sort and deliv-er items to the nonprofits. As their mission

expands they need more volunteers. They need people tohelp sort through and catalog donated items. Also greatlyneeded are volunteers with strong arms and someone with atruck to help move heavier items like furniture. For addi-tional information or to volunteer, contact Gift GiversAnonymous at www.giftgiversanonymous.org or callKalei Heartland at 505-504-5222.

activities to a year-round effort to col-lect from firms that run estate sales,and private donors, and donate thoseitems to organizations that provideservices to people in need. "We act as abridge," Heartland said.

Since then, Gift Givers Anonymous hasforged client relationships with 33 non-profits in the Albuquerque metro area and the list is grow-ing daily. Organizations they work with include; Albu-querque Healthcare for the Homeless, Adelante, Art Street,Community Gardens, Amanecer, Barrett House, St. MartinsHospitality Center, New Mexico Veterans IntegrationCenter and Crossroads for Women. The organizations theyservice are looking for a whole range of items, includingkitchenware, furniture, linens, nuts and bolts, shoe boxes

BESTOWING NEW LIFE ON OUTGROWNBELONGINGS!BY ????

Boxes of outgrown toys, piles of old magazines, the outdated PC thatsits in the closet—all have a value to someone, and a team of volunteersis eagerly waiting to take them off your hands to benefit those who will

appreciate them.

Gift Givers Anonymous is the brainchild of Kalei Heartland and Theresa Miles,who began gathering leftover estate sale items six years ago and donating themanonymously to others at Christmastime. "It began simply as a way of spreadingsome small acts of kindness in the world and hopefully, in the process, inspiringothers to join in and spread the kindness on their own," according to the GiftGivers Anonymous website, www.giftgiversanonymous.org.

Through that experience, Heartland and Miles realized there was a huge gapbetween people who didn't know what to do with items they no longer neededand the many organizations that needed donations of everyday goods that theirclients lacked. Beginning in June 2013, Gift Givers Anonymous expanded its

G I F T G I V E R S A N O N Y M O U S :

THE ULTIMATE RECYCLING

PROJECT

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BUY

RECYCLED?

Founded in 1996, Keshet’s missionis to inspire passion and openunlimited possibilities through the

experience of dance by uniting profes-sional dancers with community members.Keshet’s professional dancers work asinstructors and mentors to provide youngartists with guidance along a professionalcareer path, increase youth health and self-esteem, provide a strong base of positive mentorship for home-less and incarcerated youth and demolish misconceptions aboutindividuals with physical disabilities.

Offering approximately 75 classes per week and reaching over8,500 community members annually, Keshet programs include: anannual production season featuring the Repertory company, which

integrates professional and local artists; an ongoing danceschool; an intensive Pre-Professional TrainingProgram; a variety of outreach programs bringingdance to low-income, at-risk, homeless and incarcer-ated youth; and a program for youth and adults withphysical disabilities. Since its inception, KDC has pre-sented over 60 productions, and impacted the lives ofover 80,000 children and adults.

On April 12, don’t miss Keshet's Spring FUNdraiser.This fabulous evening of fun, food and dance will

benefit all of Keshet’s programming. Also on April 23-27Keshets Ani Ma’amin returns for performances inAlbuquerque. “Ani Ma'amin” is Hebrew for “I Believe.” Thisdance is an exploration of the impact of the Holocaust onAmerican Jews. For more information or to purchase tick-ets go to www.keshetdance.org.

KESHET: IMAGINING THE POSSIBILITIES... AN EVENING OFFOOD, MUSIC AND DANCE

DONATE yyoouurr BBAAGGccrreeddiitt!!to a different worthy organization each month.See page 3. Donate the dime, it adds up!

APRIL12

www.recyclenewmexico.com.

BY ANN OVERSHEET

BikeABQ’s annual Bike Swap offers cyclists an opportunity to sellitems they no longer need, find great deals on all types of bikesand equipment, and help Albuquerque build a stronger cycling

community.

The Albuquerque Bike Swap involves over 100 BikeABQ volunteers and takesplace on Saturday, April 26, from 10am to 3pm at Sport Systems, 6915Montgomery Blvd., NE. All proceeds go to BikeABQ, a local non-profitorganization that engages cyclists through advocacy, education and outreachthroughout the metro area.

Bike Swap is an organized sale, run by knowledgeable BikeABQ volunteersand Sport Systems staff. The cost to sell items is $1 for each item tagged plusan 18-percent commission on sold items to benefit BikeABQ. Tag charges arecollected when items are checked in and commissions are automatically

deducted from the sale proceeds. People interested in sell-ing items should bring them to Sport Systems on Thursdayand Friday, April 24 and 25, between 10am and 6:30pm,when the items will be checked in. Sellers set the pricesthey want for their items. Once an item is tagged, the priceis non-negotiable. All items are stored at Sport Systemsuntil Saturday. Sellers need only return to Sport Systemswith their claim tickets on Saturday, April 26, between4pm and 6pm, to pick up a check for sold items or claimtheir unsold items. Items not picked up will be considereddonated and used for various cycling efforts.

At 10am Saturday, April 26, Bike Swap opens and the salebegins. The variety of bikes for sale typically spans a widerange of vintages, prices and types, including mountain,road, comfort, commuter, BMX, tandem and youth.Related items include parts, clothing, trailers and racks.Arrive early for the best deals! Volunteers and staff are

available to assist shoppers. Purchases are made at theSport Systems registers.

Founded in 1999, BikeABQ’s vision is to increase bicycleinfrastructure throughout the Albuquerque metro area andto assist New Mexico in becoming a top twenty League ofAmerican Bicyclists, “Bicycle-Friendly State.” The BikeSwap is BikeABQ’s biggest annual fund-raiser. The pro-ceeds from the Bike Swap are used to support BikeABQ'smission to increase the number of bicyclists in Albuquerquefor transportation, health and recreation.

For more information, visit www.bikeABQ.org or con-tact Ann Overstreet, BikeSwap coordinator, at BikeSwap@BikeABQ.org.

APRIL 26 SELL OR DONATE BIKES AND GEAR FOR BICYCLE ADVOCACY

The Multicultural Alliance for a SafeENVIRONMENT

BY MADELINE ARON

“In the Heart of the Wild Flame" is a locally pro-duced CD that benefits environmental organi-zations and inspires a heightened awareness

of the issues we all face. An eclectic mix of original com-positions by some of New Mexico's best artists, includingGrammy nominee and US Artists Award winner RahimAlHaj; the Canadian Aboriginal Award Winner andNAMMY nominee Indigie Femme; traditional New Mexicofavorites Chuy Martinez and Cipriano Vigil; Norteno artistPaul Pino; Native flutist Andrew Thomas; flamenco guitaristLew Critchfield (Luis Campos); 3-time award winners for"Best Band of the Year" by Albuquerque periodicals, JaredPutnam and Le Chat Lunatique; and singer songwritersBonnie Bluhm, Laurianne Fiorentino and Madeline Aron.These fine musicians have donated music for this album outof love and care for our planet. Themes range from songsabout the natural world to human relationships and theirimpact on it.

Author and producer of the New Mexico MusicAwards, Jose Antonio Ponce, calls the CD "well craft-ed and evocative. The flow of the music and the dif-ferent themes work very well." The album includes apamphlet with all the words, English translations ofSpanish and Navajo language offerings and explana-tions and meanings of the instrumentals.

Funds from the sale will continue to be donated to the Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment,(MASE). MASE works on uranium issues in the north-west part of the state and in coalition with many otherorganizations, including the Sierra Club and AmigosBravos. All profits from the CD go to support organi-zations working on environmental causes.

CDs will be on sale at La Montanita's Earth Dayevent Sunday, April 27, at the Nob Hill location inAlbuquerque (look for the Wild Flame Project).They can also be ordered through the website atwww.castlelark.com/wildflame.

THE WILD FLAME PROJECT: MUSIC FOR THE EARTHEARTH

20th annual BikeSWAPto benefit BikeABQ

seeBIKEABQ atEEAARRTTHH FFEESSTT!!

community forum April 2014 15