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Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

STAFF Publisher, Stewart Sallo Editor, Pamela White Managing Editor, Jefferson Dodge Special Editions Editor, Marissa Hermanson Arts & Entertainment Editor, David Accomazzo Editorial Assistant / Office Manager, Kaitlyn Curtin Contributing Writers, Erica Grossman, Jim Hightower, Dana Logan Art Director, Susan France Graphic Designer, Mark Goodman Production intern, Erin Robertie Circulation Manager, Cal Winn Inside Sales Manager, Aiko Knapp Associate Director of Sales & Marketing, Dave Grimsland Senior Advertising Executive, Allen Carmichael Account Executives, Linda Wigod, Rich Blitz Marketing Assistant, Marissa Hermanson Circulation Team, Dave Hastie, Dan Hill, George LaRoe, Jeffrey Lohrius, Elizabeth Ousley, Lowell Schaefer, Karl Schleinig Assistant to the Publisher & Heiress, Julia Sallo 9-Year-Old, Mia Rose Sallo Cover photograph: Susan France Thanks to Isabelle Farm

CONTENTS FOOD 3 SUSTAINABILITY 19 LOCAL BUSINESS 29

September 24, 2009 3

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TIME OF PLENTY

oulder County is a hub for eco-conscious people, progressive thought and environmental organizations, so it’s not surprising that our first issue of Boulderganic was a great success. Because we’re locally owned and operated, we’re able to make decisions based on what the community wants and not edicts e-mailed to us from out of state. Given the feedback we received for our first issue of Boulderganic, we decided our readers wanted more. So we’ve made it our mission to bring you news on organic living, sustainability and local businesses three times a year instead of just once annually.

Our first Harvest Edition is rich with information we can all use to live healthier, greener lives.

This edition of Boulderganic features interviews with key Boulder County enviro-folk, tips on how to extend your growing season and recipes for seasonal foods from top area chefs. It also features helpful tips for renters and business owners looking to save energy and make dollars stretch, as well as updates on county sustainability policies and much more.

Enjoy! And be sure to drop us a line at info@boulderganic.com to let us know how you think we’re doing.

Susan France

Isabelle Farm

Four-season gardening

Summer’s end doesn’t mean the harvest is over

T

by Pamela White

his year saw a resurgence of interest in home gardening. Driven by the economy and by concerns about the nutritional value and safety of manufactured and imported food, people rolled up their sleeves and turned portions of their yards into vegetable gardens, causing a spike in seed sales of almost 50 percent in some places.

Now summer has gone, and the first frost is around the corner.

So is it over?

Heck, no. While the amateurs are watching their gardens go to seed and wondering why the only thing they grew in quantity was zucchini, more experienced gardeners and farmers are thinking about cool weather crops, fall planting and improving their soil for next spring. They’re also reflecting on what was learned this year and making plans for next year.

Natalie Condon of Isabelle Farm, a family-owned, community-

supported organic farm in Lafayette, says that the cooler weather means that some plants that struggle in the heat will bounce back and continue to produce. Those include brassicas — brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, cabbage.

“We’ve planted a lot of stuff that will continue to produce straight through November,” Condon says. “We still have to rowcover a lot of stuff. We row cover our lettuce. We’ll row cover our tomatoes for a while.”

Condon she and her husband Jason are planting carrots and spinach now. While some gardeners and farmers have already replanted greens for fall harvest, Condon over-winters spinach for an early spring harvest.

“You can put it in now, and by early, early spring you’ll have spinach,” she says. see FALL PLANTING Page 4

4 September 24, 2009

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Plan ahead for spring

S

o you missed this year’s gardening craze and spent the summer looking over the back fence in envy at your neighbor’s tomato plants. Get a jump on next year by planning next spring’s garden now. Here are some tips to get you started: Find a spot in your yard that gets full sunlight. Your garden will not be happy in the shade.

Look at your family’s diet and decide which vegetables and herbs you would most like to grow. If everyone in your family hates broccoli, there’s no reason to plant broccoli.

There are a variety of ways to create a garden. You can do what Boulder Weekly did this year and create garden boxes using recycled wood. Or you can simply dig up the sod.

Test the soil pH with a soil testing kit from a locally owned garden or hardware store.

Compare the test results with the needs of the crops you plan to grow.

Buy organic compost or manure or other soil amendments as needed and turn them into the garden, where they can spend the winter enriching the soil.

Spend the winter reading about the plants you hope to grow.

Plant seeds indoors, or buy them in early spring at one of the county’s farmers’ markets. (There’s no reason to go to the effort of growing organic food if you’re going to plant genetically modified seedlings from the average chain store nursery.)

Read about succession planting and create a plan of action for spring and summer.

Test the soil again in spring and make necessary adjustments.

Plant your seeds or seedlings, and watch Mother Nature do her thing, using organic soaps, ladybugs and other natural means to control pests.

If you take the time to do it right, your neighbor will be the one staring over the back fence next summer.

Isabelle Farm

Resources Isabelle Farm Jason and Natalie Condon 10029 Isabelle Rd., Lafayette www.isabellefarm.com Andrews Family Organic Farm Rich and Elaine Andrews 6803 Jay Rd., Boulder elainma@yahoo.com

McGuckin Hardware 2525 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder, CO 80302-6795 303-443-1822 www.mcguckin.com The Flower Bin 1805 Nelson Rd., Longmont 303-772-3454 www.theflowerbin.net

ReSource 2665 N. 63rd St., Boulder (between Arapahoe and Valmont roads) 303-419-5418 info@resourceyard.org www.resourceyard.org

FALL PLANTING from Page 3

Early to mid-October is a good time to plant garlic and shallots for harvest next summer, she says.

Elaine Andrews of Andrews Family Organic Farm, a community-supported farm located on Jay Road outside Boulder, says she and her husband, Rich, are hoping for another harvest of certain crops soon.

I did plant some late-season vegetables, probably not early enough,” she says. “We’re hoping to get kale and a couple kinds of lettuce and arugula and cilantro. If it doesn’t frost, we’ll have those by the end of September.”

In milder falls, it’s possible for some plants to continue producing for extended periods of time.

“Last year, it was a warm fall, and so we were able to get longer production on winter squashes, pumpkins and potatoes,” Andrews says. “We didn’t have to rush to get those things harvested last year.”

What will happen this autumn is anyone’s guess. But there are things gardeners can do to extend their growing seasons, even growing food in the cold of winter.

“For us, season extension means to be able to offer winter squash through November,” Condon says. “But I have friends who grow things throughout the winter. I have friends who grow a lot of arugula and mâche all through winter.”

It doesn’t take a greenhouse, Condon says — or at least not a conventional greenhouse.

“Make a trip to ReSource 2000, and buy a glass door, she says. “You grow under the glass door. You pick it up and harvest from underneath it. And you can do it here [in Colorado].”

For serious gardeners, fall also means it’s time to nurture the soil that nurtured them. But it’s a more complicated matter than simply tilling compost into the ground.

Condon recommends getting a soil testing kit from McGuckin and checking the pH of your garden’s soil. Once you know what the pH is, you can compare that with the optimal pH needed to grow the plants you hope to grow.

Most seed packets and seed catalogues will indicate the optimal pH for each kind of plant.

“It’s kind of a fun little science project almost, trying to figure out what’s going to grow well because of a specific pH,” she says. “And it’s not that difficult. Between the seed catalogues and the little soil pH test, it’s pretty easy.”

People like Condon and Andrews who farm on a large scale will use cover crops to improve their soil, planting things like hairy vetch that add nitrogen to the soil, then tilling those plants into the earth.

But most backyard gardeners would be better served by purchasing soil amendments from garden stores that sell organic compost. Condon recommends the Flower Bin in Longmont.

Condon suggests testing the soil this fall, adding compost as appropriate, then re-testing the pH in the spring.

Andrews says they’ve done a variety of things to enrich their soil, from using their own compost to mulching with comfrey leaves, which add nitrogen to the soil.

If all of this isn’t enough to keep urban homesteaders busy, there’s also planning for spring — what to plant, whether to buy

seedlings or grow them from seed indoors at home, when and where to plant them, and how to get the most out of their gardens through techniques like succession planting.

Failures shouldn’t be viewed as a sign from Mother Nature that you’ve got a black thumb, but rather as an opportunity to learn, perhaps even take a class or two.

Andrews, who had no real experience farming before she and her husband started their organic operation, says there’s a certain amount of trial and error involved, even for experienced, lifelong farmers.

“It’s a fun learning game,” says Condon, who grew up spending summers in Switzerland on her cousins’ large-scale farm. “People can have so much fun with this. It’s a great way to teach your kids about a lot of stuff.”

Neither Condon nor Andrews could say exactly how many mouths their farms feed.

“Today we picked 1,500 pounds of tomatoes for a guy who does organic canning,” Condon says. “That’s just our wholesale order. That has nothing to do with what we’re bringing to market tonight or our scheduled CSA pickup tonight.”

Andrews’ farm has 24 members, most of them working members, with each share feeding an estimated four people.

But some people eat more vegetables than others, and some people split shares.

But neither doubt that it’s possible for people to grow much of the food their families eat in their own backyards Says Andrews: “It’s miraculous what nature can do.”

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

September 24, 2009 5

Fall feast

Local chefs create a harvest spread

by Marissa Hermanson

L

eaf Vegetarian’s Steve Dustin, The Kitchen’s Hugo Matheson and Arugula Bar e Ristorante’s Alex Schuler whip up simple recipes for fall entertaining. Head down to the farmers’ market and pick up fresh, local and organic ingredients to prepare these mouth-watering harvest meals.

Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant’s Organic Farm Salad (Serves four to six) Notes: You can very easily pickle more radishes and carrots, and they will last a long time refrigerated to make other salads in the weeks to come.

Ingredients: 1/2-lb pea shoots 1/2-lb Mizuna 6 radishes, large 8 purple carrots, baby 3 heirloom tomatoes, large 25 opal basil leaves, purple 1 qt rice wine vinegar 1/2 C garlic chili sauce, Huey Fong 2 C sugar 2 T olive oil salt and pepper to taste Directions: Slice carrots and radishes to desired thickness (recommended 1/4 inch for carrots and 1/8 inch for radishes) and place in separate containers. Mix rice wine vinegar, garlic chili sauce, sugar and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Once mixture has boiled pour over radishes and carrots. Set aside until cooled. You have now just pickled radishes and carrots. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Toss tomatoes, pickled radishes, pickled carrots, opal basil leaves, olive oil, three tablespoons pickling liquid from the radishes, salt and pepper to taste.

The Kitchen’s Butternut Squash Soup (Serves six) Notes: This can be made with any winter squash, which usually start coming in around October. You’ll need about 1.5 pounds of peeled and chopped flesh, so when buying a squash weigh it and imagine that you will lose a small percentage of the weight.

This recipe involves a very basic technique

Butternut Squash Soup

that can be used for almost any hardy vegetable; just change the seasoning as desired. The Kitchen purees the soup, but you can also serve it unblended. Serve piping hot with a glug of olive oil, grated cheese, or just straight up.You really do need some crusty bread with butter.

Ingredients: 2 T unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, sliced 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves pinch of crushed red pepper salt and pepper 1 medium butternut squash a few grates of fresh nutmeg 2 C chicken or vegetable stock, or water 1 C heavy cream Directions: In a large saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add onion, garlic, thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, a pinch of salt and a couple of turns of the pepper mill.

Cover and leave to sweat for about 15 minutes (you want the onions to be almost melted, without coloring). Add squash and nutmeg, cover again, and sweat for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (This really brings out the flavors of the vegetables and all the sugars.) Increase heat to medium-high and add stock or water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until everything is very soft.

Transfer to a food processor or blender (or use an immersion blender) and puree to a smooth soup. Return to pot and add cream; heat through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

The Kitchen’s Braised Chickpeas with Tomato and Cumin (Serves 4) Notes: This is great as a side or supper dish. The Kitchen actually serves it at brunch with eggs. "I have always prefer to start with dried chickpeas, as you then have a control as to where they end up when cooked. We are fortunate to have farmers nearby who grow a variety of chickpeas, which gives a great variety of colors, textures and flavors," Matheson says.

But if you cannot find something a little different, regular chickpeas will work just as well.

Ingredients: 1/2-lb dry chick peas, soaked in water over night 1 onion, halved I carrot 1 celery stick 2 bay leaves 1/2 T cumin seeds, light crushed 1 large onion, finely diced 1 16-oz can, best quality tomatoes 1 clove of garlic sliced a pinch of chili flakes 1/4 C olive oil Directions: Cook the chickpeas with water in a large pan and cover. Add the carrot, celery, onion and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer; they should take about one hour to cook. Just test one and they should be easy to bite.

When they are ready, turn off the heat. They will store like this in the liquid for a week in

the fridge. It is up to you if you want to discard the veggies. It is nice to mash them up in the braise.

Heat up a large sauté pan, then add the oil, cumin, onion, garlic and chili. Sauté until golden brown and melting. Add the strained chickpeas and fry for a couple of minutes. Then add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and let simmer for about 30 minutes until the tomatoes have reduced down by half.

Check for seasoning, and serve, making this a day ahead. This gives it time to relax and the flavors to come together. Stir in some fresh cilantro at the end. It’s a nice light lift to the dish.

Arugula’s Sausage and Goat Cheese Penne (Serves 4) Notes: This dish is a favorite among those who frequent Arugula.

Ingredients: 5 links good raw Italian sausage 1 onion, large 6 Roma tomatoes 3 sage leaves, large 3 garlic cloves 1/2 bunch of parsley 1 T balsamic vinegar 1 C goat cheese (loosely packed) 12-oz. penne pasta 1/4 C olive oil Directions: Cook penne in abundant salted water to al dente (not quite cooked thru). Follow instruction on box for time. At the same time sauté sausage (cut into ¾” coins) and onion (cut vertically in half and then sliced thin). Sauté these ingredients at medium heat in half the olive oil until sausage in almost cooked thru. Add balsamic vinegar. At this stage you can turn off heat and hold to coordinate timing with the pasta.

Briefly sauté roughly chopped garlic, torn sage leaves and Roma tomatoes (cut into 1/2” cubes) in the same pan as the sausage and onions. Then add pasta and continue to sauté on low for an additional one to two minutes.

Remove from heat. Add remaining olive oil, chopped parsley and crumbled goat cheese.

Toss and serve!

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

6 September 24, 2009

Q

: What is your involvement with the local food industry?

A: I’m president of KORU Fresh Innovations, a consultancy helping small- and medium-sized companies increase productivity. I’m on the Board of Directors of Naturally Boulder Products, which is a city-sponsored nonprofit organization dedicated to making Boulder the epicenter of the natural food industry. Naturally Boulder intentionally attracts new business to Boulder by connecting all of the participants in the sector through networking and educational events. I’m also on the Boulder County Food and Agricultural Policy Council, a recently formed council advising our county commissioners on the issues of food security, food sovereignty and the needs of the agricultural community. I was the executive director of the Boulder County Farmers’ Markets working with more than 100 farmers and 50 specialty food vendors. In this role I worked with CSU Agricultural Extension office to build a new farmer program and was one of the advisors for new farmers looking for channels to build their direct sales. Specialty food vendors in the natural food arena are a favorite area of mine, and I worked to find entrepreneurs who were ready to start marketing their products and hadn’t made it into the mainstream grocery store yet.

Q: How do you encourage Boulder residents to shop for food?

A: As wisely as possible, which means that we should know the companies or farmers that produce our food. So, let’s purchase food produced locally when we can. All of us have favorite brands that we trust, but I like to encourage consumers to evaluate their favorite brands and determine if they still deserve their loyalty. The food industry is changing rapidly to meet changing consumer demands and meet their profit targets by increasing the amount of highly processed substitute ingredients. Our food producers are in a competitive environment and very demand driven. We have seen the food industry change rapidly when consumers change buying habits. As consumers we make a political decision every time we choose to eat something. If a company is local, you can find out a lot more about them and can find ways to verify their green or ethical claims than you can any large international company. By choosing fresh food produced locally, when possible, our money goes into the local economy and uses the local sun, soil, water and labor to stimulate productivity in our community. Developing a productive local economy is both simple and powerful when we

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Produce guru

A chat with Mark Menagh about our local food chain

by Marissa Hermanson

Mark Menagh, president of KORU Fresh Innovations

choose to buy local.

Q: What are the benefits of buying local over organic?

A: Comparing local to organic is an inequitable comparison. Both have positive factors, and I believe the best is both local and organic. Key factors for me are healthy food, fresh food, environmentally positive and local. Every individual must decide what issues are most important every time we choose an item to eat. I choose organic over local when I know the local conventional producer is not using healthy environmental processes. I always choose local when an item is in season and it’s produced with environmental consciousness. I know of many local farmers who are not certified organic but grow their food in a healthy way that is sustainable, and I would choose their products over some farmers that are local and certified organic. The Country of Origin Labeling that we are finally seeing in our stores makes choosing consciously even easier now, but we need more labeling to know we are truly purchasing local unless we purchase direct from the producer. Buying conventional produce grown outside of the U.S. is not wise unless you know that country is following standards better or similar to the U.S., and even then it doesn’t meet the environmentally conscious criteria of minimizing our carbon footprint.

Organic certification gives us a standard, and there is no other label or certification that comes close to providing the consumer with real information about how a product is pro-

duced. If cost is a concern for the consumer, they can shop for items that have less risk of pesticide exposure or fruits and vegetables where pesticides can be safely removed. If people choose organic first for the benefit of our earth, they can choose those organic items when conventionally grown require much more pesticides and herbicides such as grapes, peaches, sweet bell peppers and potatoes. This way we will have the most positive environmental impact. In this context, let’s look at potatoes.

Based upon my criteria, I always choose organic because conventionally grown potatoes are poisoned with pesticides, and this impacts my health and the health of our soil.

Q: Is local or organic better for our environment?

A: Organic is the best for our environment. Many local producers here in Boulder County use toxic herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. You cannot choose local and automatically claim to be making the best decision.

Q: Both local and organic food is expensive. How do you suggest people buy it on a budget?

A: Visit our community local farms, farm stands and farmers markets. There is no more competitive environment that a farmers’ market with farmers lined up side by side selling the same items. Find a farmer you can trust and become loyal to them. That is the most rewarding thing you can do both for peace of mind of how you food was grown and your pocket

book. Buy your food in season, you will save money and eat a much healthier diet. And most of all, to save money and to eat healthier, eliminate processed food from your diet.

Q: What should everyone know about Boulder County’s food chain?

A: We currently do not come anywhere near meeting the local demand for fresh food from our local agricultural producers. We continue to produce less food for human consumption in Boulder County even though we are increasing the number of small farms that are selling direct. Our land-use policies and the subrural homeowners’ reluctance to have agricultural land use close to their property is driving our farmers farther and farther away from us.

As a community we need to find a way to support our local, small farms so they can continue to afford to farm and live here — and flourish!

We make it very hard to start a farm by not allowing small greenhouses, not allowing seasonal farm labor to live on the farms and by not understanding the beauty and benefits of having organic small farms as neighbors. We have thousands of acres of zoned agricultural, publicly owned land in our open space in both our city and county programs. This land, with the right policies and economic incentives, could make our community economically stronger, more productive, healthier, and more food secure.

Q: Any other information?

A: “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants,” as Michael Pollan, a popular journalist said. And I will add that if you are going to eat any processed food or conventionally grown food other than organic fruits and vegetables you should question what is sold as food by the industrial food supply chain we have come to rely upon.

Some ingredients used to grow and process food may not be what you would choose to eat.

We have found ways to artificially create almost every major ingredient in our food. With modern chemistry we are able to create many synthetic materials, and some of these end up in our food for no other reason than to replace natural ingredients with less expensive alternatives. Why we would choose to eat these substances is beyond me. The adulteration of food for efficiency of production is not exclusive to processed foods, our fruits and vegetables, even our meats and diary items are often produced in ways that degrade their nutritional and healthy nature. It is up to each individual consumer to make educated choices that influence the food supply chain and help keep real food available for their families.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

8 September 24, 2009

I

t’s hard to imagine being concerned about pesticides and blending agents while sitting on a barstool. As consumers, after all, we typically reach for a drink to relax and escape from the more rigid details of existence. Alcohol is alcohol, we might think to ourselves — just drink and be merry.

But what you might not know is that your martini could be laced with remnants of chemicals or crafted in a way that has a longterm detrimental effect on the environment.

As the green movement is pushed fur-

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Organic on the rocks Vodka 14 takes the toxic out of intoxication

by Erica Grossman ther and further into the forefront, questioning what goes into your body is nothing new.

Yet trying to find organic at the bar isn’t always easy. It’s been a slow process, but recently organic drinks began to pop on to the barkeep radar. And, unsurprisingly, Colorado is helping pave the way. In 2007,

Fort Collins’ New Belgium Brewery unleashed its Mothership Wit beer, a certified organic white Belgium brew. Vintners like Jack Rabbit Hill near Hotchkiss, Colo., are popping up with organic-certified biodynamic wines.

And to add to the mix is the 4-year-old Boulder-based Vodka 14, one of the country’s

first certified organic vodkas.

Vodka 14 is a family venture, run by the father-and-son team of Mitch and Matthew Barris. For them, crafting vodka is in their genes — distillation runs back five generations in their family, traced back to their Eastern European ancestors — but the Barrises also know that quality is just as important as roots. As Colorado residents, the two were inspired by the success of local microbreweries and knew that Boulder is a place where both craftsmanship and organic practice are embraced.

“With vodka, it is all about purity,” says Matthew Barris (the son in the venture).

“Vodka isn’t aged or flavored, so there is nowhere to hide impurities.”

And though vodka isn’t defined by a distinctive flavor — a fact that has made it a No. 1 choice for mixed drinks — vodka connoisseurs can easily detect its overall taste and cleanliness. The Barrises believe that nonorganic vodkas can negatively alter that taste by using grains grown with chemical pesticides or sewage-sludge fertilizers. Barris also notes that some non-organic vodkas use “blending agents” — chemical agents that help ferment the mash — to smooth out the taste, ultimately compromising the purity of the vodka.

So what does it mean to have certified organic vodka? As it turns out, a few things.

For one, you have to start with organic grains. A larger, corporate distillery might opt into a contract with an agricultural corporation that can supply them with mass-produced, genetically modified grains. Vodka 14, conversely, opts for high-quality, organic farms.

“Our ingredients are selected for quality prior to each production,” says Barris. “As a result, they don’t always come from the same exact farm.”

In addition, the company makes sure its ingredients come from American organic farms, mostly in the northern Rocky Mountains. The water used in Vodka 14 likewise comes from an ice-cold, 200-foot deep spring in the Teton Range’s Snake River rather than a public water source. Aside from ingredients, creating an organic product should also mean that its production is synchronous with ecological practice, and Vodka 14 follows this model by refusing to use chemical cleaners in its production. It’s something that Barris says helps to truly distinguish their product.

“Keeping our vodka organic helps us maintain the highest levels of quality and purity,” he says, “but it also allows us to support sustainable agriculture and keep our business in line with our ideals.”

At the end of the day, when it’s time to hit the liquor cabinet, catch yourself up with the rest of the green movement and shoot for local, organic drinks. The knowledge that what you’re ingesting is pure will help you relax even more.

For more information on Vodka 14, visit www.vodka14.com. You can purchase Vodka 14 at Liquor Mart (1750 15th St., 303-449-3374), Pettyjohn’s Liquor and Wine (613 S. Broadway., 303-499-2337) and a variety of other local outfits.

Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

September 24, 2009 9

10 September 24, 2009

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

Conventional vs. organic vs. natural How to know what you’re really getting

by Dana Logan

Y

ou want to make smart and healthy decisions for you and your family, right? So you try to buy fresh produce and don’t eat too many processed foods.

But when you head to the grocery store, things can get confusing.

It used to be that the most difficult choice you had to make was whether to buy Gala apples or Fuji. Now, for nearly everything you put in your shopping cart, you’re choosing between organic and conventional. And then, just to muddy the waters a bit more, there’s a similar item with the words “all natural” screaming at you.

You want to make the healthiest choice for your family and the environment, but you’re considering the impact on your pocketbook, too. So how do you decide what to buy when it’s hard to even know what each label really means? We’ve broken it down to help you get a handle on what you're putting in your shopping cart and, ultimately, in your body.

Conventional Despite the terminology, which leads you to believe that the technology used to grow these fruits and vegetables is the traditional approach, conventional produce is not the stuff your great-grandma grew up on. In fact, it’s pretty far from the hand-planted, hand-harvested veggies that nourished Great Granny Smith.

Conventionally grown produce is grown by farmers who use chemical fertilizers to promote plant growth. Conventional farmers also spray insecticides on plants to reduce the threat of pests and disease, and they use chemical herbicides to manage weeds.

When it comes to meat, conventional farmers give animals antibiotics, growth hormones and medications to prevent disease and spur growth.

Conventional meat and produce is usually the cheapest choice on the shelf, but it also tends to cause the most negative impact on the environment. And, if you do buy conventional produce, be sure to wash your fruits and veggies well, as there may be lingering pesticides.

Organic Through a strict process of certification, products that meet government standards for how food products are grown, handled and processed may be labeled “organic.” Products certified as 95 percent or more organic display a USDA sticker that qualifies them as “Certified Organic.”

To achieve the organic label, farmers apply

September 24, 2009 11

“Organic” — Products that are at least 95 percent organic.

“Made with organic ingredients” — These are products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The organic seal can’t be used on these packages.

Foods containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients can’t use the FDA organic seal or the word “organic” on their product label, but they can include the organic items in their ingredient list.

A ‘Smart Choice’ that isn’t

C

by Jim Hightower

hances are that you care about the nutritional value of the food you buy for your family, so you’ll be delighted to know that a new, easy-to-see label has been devised for food packages to guide your nutritional choices. Under this handy consumer program, hundreds of approved food products in your supermarket are getting a bold, green checkmark printed right on the front of the package, along with the reassuring phrase, “Smart Choices.” No need to read those tedious lists of ingredients on the back, for the simple green check mark is henceforth your guarantee of nutritional yumminess. For example, you’ll find it on such items as Froot Loops and Fudgesicle bars.

Huh? Why is our government sanctioning these sugar-saturated, borderline junk foods as nutritionally superior choices? It’s not.

The Smart Choices program is an industry scam, created and paid for by such outfits as Coca-Cola, ConAgra, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Kraft and PepsiCo. But even by industry standards, this is goofy. I mean — come on, Froot Loops? A serving of this stuff is 41 percent sugar. That’s a heavier dose than if you fed cookies to your kids for breakfast.

Well, sniffs one of the designers of the corporate labeling scheme, it’s not a matter of these processed concoctions actually being good for you, but of them being somewhat better than outright bad foods. For example, she says, when choosing a breakfast item for your kids, better to grab a sugary cereal than a doughnut.

Wow, talk about setting a low bar for nutritional quality! Indeed, food manufacturers can slap a Smart Choice label on a product just by adding some vitamin C to it, even if the product also contains caffeine, saccharine and chemical additives known to cause cancer and other diseases.

That’s not smart. It’s stupid and deceptive.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

natural fertilizers, such as manure or compost, to feed soil and plants. Instead of using chemicals, they employ beneficial insects and birds to reduce pests and disease. To manage weeds, organic farmers rotate crops, till, pull weeds by hand or mulch, as opposed to spraying herbicides that may be harmful to people and the environment.

Organic meat farmers give their livestock organic feed and allow them access to the out-

doors (conventional livestock may never see the light of day). Instead of giving their animals hormones and antibiotics, organic farmers use preventive measures like rotational grazing, a balanced diet and clean housing to help minimize the risk of disease.

Look out for these other terms from the FDA: “100 percent organic” — Products that are completely organic or made of all organic ingredients.

Natural Natural food is defined as food that does not contain any artificial ingredients, coloring ingredients or chemical preservatives and, in the case of meat and poultry, is minimally processed. But because there is no certification process for foods to use the term “natural,” there is plenty of room for abuse or misinterpretation of this label.

Many times, consumers are vulnerable to dishonest marketing campaigns that use the term natural to take advantage of the recent increase in consumer demand for organic products.

Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that any product with the word “natural” on it is bad or that the company is being dishonest. In many cases, “natural” products are, indeed, minimally processed and lack artificial ingredients and preservatives — qualities that many consumers appreciate and look for. It does mean, however, that shoppers must be careful, read labels, and know that just because something has the word natural, doesn’t mean it’s organic. Nor does it mean it’s good for you. In fact, even certified organic products may not be healthy — a common misperception. It’s important to remember that eating healthfully means avoiding processed foods, even if they are organic.

The bottom line is that when you are trying to buy healthy food for your family, read labels, look for the FDA organic seal (if that’s important to you) and know that just because something claims to be natural or healthy, doesn’t mean that it is. In fact, Michael Pollan, author of several bestsellers including The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, told Boulder Weekly in an interview earlier this year that one of the quickest ways to tell if something is good for you is to look for claims that it is health food or that it’s natural.

Most often, he said, that’s a dead giveaway that it’s processed and you should probably steer clear.

Respond: letters@boulderganic.com

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Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

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ass up the greasy burger, fries and cheese-smothered chili-in-abread-bowl at ski resort cafeterias, because organic options are now available on the mountain.

Instead, perhaps try a vegan BoBo’s Oat Bar at Aspen or hormone-free beef frank at Vail while sitting slopeside.

During the ’07-’08 ski season, Aspen offered organic food at the Merry-Go-Round at Aspen Highlands, and after skiers’ positive response, Aspen now stocks all nine on-mountain restaurants with organic options. Aspen purchases hormone- and antibiotic-free proteins, breads and baked goods made with organic flours and fruits, as well as organic dairy, juices and snacks.

Promoting sustainability and the organic food industry is part of Aspen’s new business plan.

“It has less of an impact on the environment in most instances, especially sourcing local organic food,” says Jeff Hanle, Aspen Skiing Company’s spokesperson. “It helps support the local community. It sends a message to other suppliers and rewards them for initiating sustainable business practices.”

Aspen is committed to supporting the local Roaring Fork Valley by purchasing beef from Milagro Ranch, organic baked products from Louis Swiss Bakery and Upper Crust Bakery, as well as goods from Cloud Nine Brownies made with farm-fresh butter and eggs.

Aspen also depends on regional suppliers as well. Pocket a Boulder-based BoBo’s Oat Bar to snack on as you ascend Snowmass on the new Sheer Bliss lift.

Alpine meets organic Ski resorts serve up organic cuisine

by Marissa Hermanson Vail Resorts’ “Appetite for Life” program began two ski seasons ago as well, offering natural, hormone-free meats and poultry as well as organic dairy products at all 90 on-mountain restaurants at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly. Vail Resorts is now the largest restaurant operator in North America to serve natural meats and organic products at all on-mountain restaurants. Vail Resorts served more than 2.5 million lunches from its “Appetite for Life” program last ski season.

Vail’s array of hormone-free meat ranges from beef franks to chicken nuggets to Black Forest ham. Last year “Appetite for Life” went through 44,000 pounds of hot dogs, 180,000

pounds of hamburger meat, and 137,000 pounds of chicken. Safe to say, natural and organic options are a hit within the skiing community.

“Since we serve two million lunches across our five resorts each season, we felt it was important to make an investment in our guests, particularly kids, to ensure we’re doing our part to make the dining experience at our resorts healthy, clean and natural — like the outdoor activities we provide,” says Liz Biebl, Vail Resorts’ spokesperson.

Sustainability practices are trickling down from large ski corporations like Vail and Aspen, influencing smaller businesses, as well as guests.

“It has a ripple effect and spreads through the

Zero-waste entertaining for the holidays

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by Marti Matsch

ow’s this for a humbug? During the holidays our trash rates in the United States increase by a staggering 25 percent.

It’s the packaging, the presents and the parties: From Thanksgiving dinner to New Year's toasts and all the gatherings in between, we bloat the landfills with disposable products like flimsy red plastic plates, Styrofoam cups and plastic spoons, forks and knives — all made from non-renewable resources that took millions of years for Earth to create, and only 30 to 60 minutes for us to use before they hit the trash can and head for the landfill. And there they will sit for a few million years or more since plastic doesn’t decompose.

Tossing things like paper napkins and food also contributes significantly to our holiday enviro-woes since food and other biodegradable materials in a landfill break down without air, so they create methane, a greenhouse gas 72 times more potent than carbon dioxide over the short-term.

Keep your party pants on — there’s a solution. Eco-Cycle has provided some easy tools and tips to help you celebrate eco-style.

First the tools: Eco-Cycle’s Zero Waste Event Kit Whether you’re planning a winter wedding for 300 or cocktails and hors d’oeuvres for 25, you can keep the cleanup easy and still avoid the petroleum-based plastic pile-up with the Zero Waste Event Kit see ZERO WASTE Page 13

businesses we work with and can help influence our guests so that they might leave and try the same thing at home or in their business,” Hanle says.

Resorts like Aspen and Vail have groomed the way for smaller ski areas like Arapahoe Basin, Winter Park, Telluride, Wolf Creek and Silverton to adopt organic practices.

“If we can provide the economic engine that allows organic and local suppliers to stay in business and offer more affordable products in the long run, it becomes feasible for smaller operators to be able to go this direction, as well,” Aspen’s Hanle says.

While these smaller resorts don’t have full-fledged organic programs like Vail’s “Appetite for Life,” they still stock up on organic options. Arapahoe Basin is working with Boulder’s Breadworks to serve organic grain products. For previous events, A-Basin has used Grant Valley Farms for organic produce.

Silverton uses the local grocery store, Greene Street Market, to stock organic food options. Telluride tries to source organic options when it’s available and not too expensive, and Wolf Creek purchases locally grown potatoes and beef from the San Luis Valley, as well as organic fruit.

“It’s a philosophy that is closely aligned with our belief to operate in manner that is as sustainable as possible,” says Vail’s Biebl.

“Sourcing local foods is not only more environmentally sustainable, but the foods are fresher and we’re supporting businesses in our local communities.”

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

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ZERO WASTE from Page 12

familiar, we hear most are excited to learn.

To get your kit, visit www.ecocycle.org, or call 303-444-6634 to custom order the number and types of tableware, containers and signage you need. Please allow three business days before picking up your kit.

Then some tips:

Start spreading the word Talk up your Zero Waste efforts in your invitation. Ask guests to support you by recycling the invitation and by bringing only reusable, recyclable or compostable items with them to the event (especially important if you are hosting a potluck).

Choose to reuse Even better than the ZWEK is the use of reusable tableware and napkins since reusing always needs fewer resources. If you do not own enough of an item, rent from a local rental company. You can find reusable resources at www.ecocycle.org.

Green your transportation Encourage your guests to bike, walk, take the bus or carpool to your party rather than drive in separate vehicles. Include information about bus routes and nearby bike paths in your invitation. Guests can map their trip by bus with the Front Range Public Transportation Trip Planner at www.rtd-denver.com.

Eco-ize your invites Try electronic invitations for informal events. When sending paper invitations, select those made from post-consumer recycled paper or tree-free alternatives, such as hemp. Make sure your invitation is recyclable. Avoid bright-colored, dark-colored, fluorescent or metallic papers, all of which cannot be recycled. You can find electronic invitations at www.evite.com, or www.sendomatic.com. Recycled paper and invitations are available locally in health food stores and some bookstores, and online at www.twistedlimbpaper.com or www.conservatree.org.

Go for eco-deco Avoid decorations designed for one-time use (streamers, balloons, etc.). Create centerpieces from what you have, like a pottery piece

z

The Newspaper of the Future ª

[

Offset the carbon To counteract the carbon emissions produced by guest travel and your party’s energy use, purchase carbon offsets for your event.

Companies selling these “green credits” can help you calculate how many offsets you’ll need. Find a list of truly renewable, carbonfree offset providers that do not use landfill gas in our Zero Waste Holiday Guide at www. ecocycle.org.

has already been in publication in Boulder for 16 years!

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(ZWEK). The ZWEK provides you with compostable tableware and cutlery made from plant starches instead of plastic. So you can sip a little cider from corn starch instead of petroleum, cut the fruit cake with a knife made from potato starch and bring out the figgy pudding in bowls made from bagasse, a sugarcane byproduct.

From the moment they arrive, guests know there’s something different about this party. Zero Waste educational signs on the tables let them know this party’s going planet-friendly. Compost collection containers provided with the kit come with guideline posters with pictures so guests know the bowls, plates, napkins, utensils and food scraps are made to be composted, not trashed. Guideline posters are also provided for recycling bins to catch the food and beverage containers.

When the party’s over, both the recycling and composting can be set out with your regular curbside collection where service exists.

Larger volumes or materials from a party in a community without curbside service can be taken to the Eco-Cycle/Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM).

If you’re using a caterer, they may already be familiar with Zero Waste parties, as the use of ZWEKs is getting more common. Caterers help out by bringing only items that can be reused, recycled or composted. If they’re not

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or glass ornament balls. Or use sprigs of evergreen trees and then compost them. Try making centerpieces from fresh fruit and vegetables.

When using flowers, buy local, organically grown flowers whenever possible, or choose potted plants to provide a year-round green.

Clean it up Pack leftover food in reusable containers.

Avoid plastic wraps, plastic bags and wax paper.

Arrange in advance to donate extra food to a local food bank, or invite your guests to take home any leftovers. Avoid toxic chemicals when cleaning. Consider making your own non-toxic cleaners at home. Many basic cleaners can be made from non-toxic ingredients, such as baking soda, Borax, white vinegar, lemon juice and washing soda.

If you decide to purchase cleaning supplies, pick products made with non-toxic ingredients.

Visit www.ecocycle.org for non-toxic cleaner recipes or to shop for staff-recommended cleaners on Eco-Cycle eStore. Visit our hard-to-recycle guide if you’re not sure how to reuse or recycle a material leftover from your event.

Learn more: Check out more ideas and resources at www.ecocycle.org/seasonal/winter/ to help you party like it’s 2009: a little bit greener and a little bit smarter.

Marti Matsch is communications director for Eco-Cycle.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

14 September 24, 2009

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Real New York food, NOT New York style!

Lots of New York Specialties Including: Sabrett Hot Dogs • Brooklyn Pickles • Knishes • Chopped Liver • Smoked Salmon • Whitefish Salad Soft Pretzels • Halavah • Eggcreams • Macaroons • Black & White Cookies • Eclairs • Cannolis • Cheese Cake

Eat In or Take Home Full dinner menu and Sunday brunch coming soon!

New BIGGER and BETTER location with lots of indoor and outdoor seating!

1515 Main Street · Longmont, Colorado 303.684.8400 • www.theBrooklynDeli.com

The Art Of Exercising and Beyond ®

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¡Cultiva!

Cultivating change for the community

by Dana Logan ¡Cultiva! is a youth-operated organic market garden in north Boulder, at 1630 Hawthorn Ave. Participants plant and nurture a two-acre garden, then harvest the produce each week to sell at the Boulder County Farmers’ Market. A portion of each harvest is donated to those in need in the local community.

Through the project, youth learn to care for and protect the environment, as well as how to operate a small business. In the process, the participants create positive change for the community and the environment, and enrich their own lives.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

¡Cultiva! gardens

Jamie Gordon, 14, and Anna Cutler, 13, are both participating in ¡Cultiva! for the second year.

Zach Jacobs heads to the ¡Cultiva! garden shed to grab some tools for the harvest.

Cucumbers

Squash

Kristin Gross, right, 22, who is participating in the ¡Cultiva! program for the first year as a summer intern, collects cherry tomatoes in the ¡Cultiva! greenhouse.

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Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Organic Valley Family Of Farms

Way to Grow

New Belgium Brewing Company

Boulder’s Best Organics

Organic and Farmer-Owned 888-444-6455 www.organicvalley.coop We think it’s a simple truth: The earth’s most delicious, most healthful foods are made when farmers work in harmony with nature. That’s how this farmer-owned co-op produces organic milk, organic cheese, organic butter, organic eggs, organic juice, organic soy milk and organic produce.

500 Linden St., Ft. Collins / 970-221-0524 At New Belgium Brewing Company, we believe that in order to be environmental stewards, we need to: 1. Lovingly care for the planet that sustains us.

2. Honor natural resources by closing the loops between waste and input.

3. Minimize the environmental impact of shipping our beer.

4. Reduce our dependence on coal-fired electricity.

5. Protect our precious Rocky Mountain water resources.

6. Focus on conservation and efficiency.

7. Support innovative technology.

8. Model joyful environmentalism through our commitment to relationships, continuous improvement, and the camaraderie and cheer of beer. www.newbelgium.com

6395 Gunpark Dr. / 303-473-4769 We have established a “growing” business based on our compassion for the planet and its people. Recognizing that sustainability is the key to the future, we strive to remain on the cutting edge of the hydroponic and organic gardening industry. Boulder is full of great people who are willing to do their part for Mother Earth. It is a joy and a privilege to be part of such a forwardmoving community. Let’s grow together.

303-499-ORGANIC (6749) Save on distinctive organic and eco-products gifts from Boulder’s Best Organics. Boulder’s Best Organics offers unique gift boxes featuring organic and eco-products from leading local companies. Select a themed set or create your own combo in our beautiful collectible gift box. Great for holiday and year-round gift giving.

Shop online at www.bouldersbestorganics.com.

Save $5 on $40 or more purchase. Good until 1/15/10; code Boulderganic09. www.bouldersbestorganics.com

Melissa Beckwith Designs

Resolution Energy

Eco Green Office E.G.O.

Ellie’s Eco Home Store

970-331-9854 www.melissabeckwith.com Melissa Beckwith Designs offers an array of graphic design services including logo design, brochures, catalog layout, business cards, invitations, book design, marketing materials and website design.

Melissa Beckwith Designs supplies aesthetically pleasing images that offer a blend of simple and harmonious designs. We provide creative, eyecatching graphics to market your organization or business. Favorite clients are small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Favorite projects include botanical illustrations and organic, natural designs.

2969 Baseline Rd. / 303-443-9780 Contact@ecogreenoffice.com www.ecogreenoffice.com EcoGreenOffice (EGO) is the nation’s fastestgrowing provider of eco-friendly office supplies.

Founded in Boulder, EGO successfully takes its partners down a green path without costing more, and we provide a value-added experience the traditional office suppliers do not. This one-stop shop has an entire range of products that any business can use in its daily operations, and we also offer eco-friendly home goods.

Since our inception more than two years ago, EcoGreenOffice continues to establish partnerships with both large and small businesses.

303-887-2884 www.resolutionenergycolorado.com Resolution Energy designs and installs high-efficiency heating and cooling systems all along the Front Range.

We provide superior comfort compared to traditional home mechanical systems. Our detail-oriented staff will guide you through the design process, system commissioning and proper maintenance procedures.The variety of high-efficiency projects include: solar space heating, pool heating, domestic hot water, radiant space heating, mod/con boilers, dual fuel and traditional heat pumps, high SEER air conditioning and evaporative cooling solutions.

www.elliesecohomestore.com Ellie’s has created a convenient one-stop shop for your eco-friendly home, office and building needs.

We opened our doors for sustainable business on November 2008. Our 9,700-square-foot store, located in Boulder at 2525 Arapahoe Ave., features 15 departments from Green Building Supply to organic cosmetics. Ellie’s is the first green department store supported by an industry pioneer — 18-year-old Eco-Products, the nation’s largest manufacturer of compostable food service items. At Ellie’s we are dedicated to helping improve our customer’s health and the health of our planet.

GrassRoots Medical Clinic

Guiry’s

2468 South Colorado Blvd.

Denver, Colorado 80222 303-758-8244 Guiry’s Paint, Wallpaper & Art Supplies 2404 Pearl St. 303-444-3800 www.guirys.com Guiry’s is a family-owned and operated retail store specializing in paint and art supplies. We also offer blinds, wallpaper and home accessories. Come in to see what Guiry’s has to offer.

Sensorielle Wellbeing Community Spa

www.sensoriellespa.com Voted Boulder’s Best Skincare 2009!

Sensorielle is the only green, sustainably built, natural and organic community day spa located in downtown Boulder. Our spa is a luxurious oasis focused in the complete care, nourishment, and beauty of the "being" at a price you can afford. We offer massage therapy, acutonics, ayurveda, detoxifying treatments, prenatal treatments, craniosacral therapy, reiki, reflexology, body treatments, facials, acupuncture (facial renewal, OB/GYN, pediatric, fertility and constitutional treatments), waxing and tinting. Experience bliss in our tropical sanctuary.

Warm Regards, Jewl Petteway Owner/Director

Front Range Precast Concrete

Manufacturer of Flxx® Watertight Concrete Tanks 303-442-3207 www.flxx.com Enthusiastic environmentalists committed to a sustainable future, Front Range Precast Concrete manufactures and delivers FLXX® Watertight Concrete Tanks for potable water storage, fire protection and our newest endeavor — rainwater harvesting. Front Range Precast is also the sole distributor for the HOOT Advanced Treatment Unit in Colorado for environmentally sensitive areas throughout Colorado. We also offer a full line of riser materials and solutions for your septic needs.

Our entire catalog is now online.

303-499-9399 5330 Manhattan Circle, Suite C GrassRoots Medical Clinic was founded to establish strong personal doctor-patient relationships among Colorado residents who would benefit from the use of medical marijuana. GrassRoots Medical Clinic welcomes patients dealing with any debilitating medical condition as defined by the Colorado Department of Public Health. Our doctors will provide a comfortable, confidential and professional relationship for individuals seeking medical cannabis therapy. In addition, our staff provides education and facilitation to register for legal medical marijuana in the state of Colorado. Call for an appointment today. www.grassrootsmedicalclinic.com

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housands of years ago, native Amazonians helped to build fertile land in and throughout pockets of South America. By taking their own organic waste and burning it at very low-oxygen levels, they created what is known as terra preta (Portuguese for “black earth”), a rich, blackened substance that could be mixed with soil.Today, some scientists and industries are looking to reintroduce this ancient method to modern agriculture through the use of biochar, a modern version of terra preta that has the potential to revitalize several of our earth’s systems, including agriculture, carbon and heat.

The creation of biochar requires a few steps. First, one must find a sustainably produced organic waste, known as biomass (think: residual matter from forest fires and crop harvests).Then, that biomass must go through pyrolysis, a method in which it is chemically broken down into a condensed substance through heating.The heat applied requires extremely low oxygen levels, with a reaction that produces solid carbon.

The result is a charcoal-like substance that can be combined with soil.

“A good way to think about this would be if you used a wood stove,” says Jonah Levine, a dual-appointed research faculty member in the University of Colorado’s Department of Electrical Engineering and the Center for Energy and Environmental Security.“If you used a wood stove, you could get your fire going to where it’s really hot.Then, you just turn off all the air vents to it. If you open it up three hours later, you would have a big pile of unburnt black carbon, and that’s a really simple version of what folks are trying to do now.”

The folks Levine is referring to are organizations like Biochar Engineering Corp. in Golden, Colo., and Mantria Industries, whose sales and marketing teams call Boulder home.These companies are helping to pave the global biochar initiative.

But what can biochar actually do for people?

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“When you see how many of these developing nations are using millions and millions of tons of coal every year just for heating and cooking, it’s overwhelming,” says Josie Dembiczak, a marketing associate with Mantria Industries.“Oftentimes they have depleted their soils to the point where their main exports aren’t doing much for their country anymore. But incorporating a biochar system could actually promote jobs and crop yields, provide a heating and cooking source, and help rid them of waste.”

Biochar Engineering Corp. is also working toward a triad goal of solving the issues of climate change, soil fertility and energy through the promotion of a unit that can be purchased by farmers and anyone interested in biochar production. Additionally, the company has been working with agencies like the Bureau of Land Management to address local forestry issues.

“One of the purposes of the [B-1000 biochar] unit is to provide a clean alternative to controlled burns for managing pine beetle kill, as well as routine fuel-load management at the wildland-urban interface,” says BEC President Jim Fournier.

But whether it promotes local gardening, forestry protection or large-scale farming ventures, the potential for the biochar industry to take a global stronghold is a potent possibility, and one that Colorado companies are pushing forward.

“This is a tangible answer to global warming and food security issues,” says Dembiczak.“Reversing the damage we’ve done to the planet and decelerating the carbon cycle is a truly amazing concept. So much so that we really believe that biochar can change the world.”

For more information on Biochar Engineering Corp., call 303-279-3776, or visit www.biocharengineering.com.

For more information on EternaGreen™ and Mantria Industries, call 610-617-4455, or visit www.mantria.com.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

Starting from char

Organic waste may be the answer to global carbon, fuel and heating issues

by Erica Grossman When returned to the soil, biochar can aid in greater crop yields through increased water holding capacity, neutralized pH levels in the soil, and the sequestering of carbon. In addition, throughout the process of the creation of biochar, a heating or energy stream can be produced.

Many believe that this combined potential could promote not just a carbon-neutral but a carbon-negative approach toward heating and agriculture, replacing less sustainable systems like the commonly practiced slashand-burn method.The carbon-negative effect occurs when biochar is buried and integrated with soil.

“I definitely think we can become carbon-negative and that we can have a carbon-negative system,” says Levine.“But we need to be very careful about how we calculate that.”

Levine warns that it’s very important to consider the entire process of creating biochar out of biomass, and to ensure a correct system before touting it as carbon-negative. But, he notes, the people in the current biochar community are working very hard to ensure that the biomass used is sustainable, and the process is tight.

Companies like Mantria Industries, makers of a biochar called EternaGreen™, look to both the small- and big-picture benefits.They make biochar bags as small as 25 pounds for consumers to begin adding to their personal gardens, but also are on the forefront of large-scale biochar production that seeks to aid developing nations.

Boulder County green update

cientific evidence now incontrovertibly demonstrates that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere are currently impacting the Earth’s climate and will continue to have profound and devastating effects. At the same time, the transition to clean energy holds enormous opportunity for economic development and green jobs. To address the local impacts and embrace the opportunities presented by this critical issue, Boulder County has worked to create a countywide Sustainable Energy Plan.

This plan focuses on the major users of fossil fuel — electricity generation, energy use in homes and businesses, and energy use by cars and trucks — and lays out 20 strategies for improving efficiency and converting to renewable energy. Over the past two years we and our partners have made significant progress in many of these arenas — notably adopting new building codes ensuring that new construction will be far more efficient than existing buildings, and creating the ClimateSmart Loan Program to help homeowners and businesses add solar and efficiency improvements to existing buildings.

Boulder County voters have the opportunity to make another step forward this fall by voting for county Issue 1C. This will allow the county to make energy retrofits to many existing public buildings and add renewable energy, including biomass heating, solar water heating and solar electric generation.

Here’s how it works: Issue 1C will allow the county to take advantage of a new federal program — the Qualified Energy

by Will Toor Conservation Bond program. These are low-interest loans, backed by the federal government, that can be used by local governments to pay for efficiency and renewable energy improvements to public buildings.

Ballot issue 1C will allow the county to issue $6.1 million in bonds to improve buildings, allowing the public to reap the benefits of lower greenhouse-gas emissions and lower government utility bills. There will be no tax increase. Instead, the county will use money we were spending on utility bills to make the bond payments. Once the bonds are paid off, the savings will flow into the general fund.

We have already made significant improvements to county buildings. In the last two years the county installed nearly 700 kilowatts of solar panels to nine buildings. As an example, 46 kilowatts of solar panels supply a full 35 percent of the electricity for the Addiction Recovery Center. All of these panels were paid for by a private-sector investor; the County then buys the power from this investor — and the county is paying less for electricity than we were paying to Xcel Energy. At the County Parks and Transportation complex in Longmont, we installed a biomass boiler which uses wood that needs to be thinned from open space lands — and this boiler provides the vast majority of heat for these buildings, avoiding the need to burn natural gas. And we have made lighting and boiler upgrades in many buildings. The results: county utility bills are going

down — first by $156,000 last year, then by an additional $145,000 and we anticipate yet another cut of $100,000.

With the revenues from Issue 1C, we will be able to make much more progress. The jail is one of our two biggest energy users — having to provide heat, light, food and clean laundry to hundreds of people for 24 hours a day. Issue 1C will allow us to add a biomass boiler, solar hot water, efficient chillers and lighting, a reflective roof and a 100 kilowatt solar electric system, making this probably the greenest jail in the country. The Justice Center is the other biggie. Upgrades there have already reduced natural gas use by 50 percent and electricity use by 12 percent. Issue 1C will pay for further improvements. Other investments may include more than 250 kilowatts of solar at county buildings in Longmont, a retrofit to the sheriff administration building to reduce energy use, and the creation of a net-zero-energy transportation shop.

This is a perfect win-win-win for county residents, businesses and local government. Without a tax increase, the county will be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel use, provide a productive use for wood that needs to be thinned from our forests, save tax dollars that would otherwise be spent on utility bills, and provide millions of dollars in investment that will go towards green jobs in our community.

Vote Yes on Issue 1C! Will Toor is a Boulder County commissioner.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

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Renters can save energy, too

Living green isn’t just for homeowners

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by Julie Herman and Gina Bugiada

o often we hear about incentives and programs that support efforts by homeowners to be more energy efficient, but we hear so little about what renters can do. With roughly one-third of Boulder County’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from residential properties and more than half of the city of Boulder's dwelling units (57 percent) occupied by renters, there is a huge opportunity to reduce our local energy consumption by informing and supporting renters and landlords about how to make low-cost upgrades to their homes.

Existing low-income weatherization programs that support renters, as well as homeowners, are just the tip of the iceberg. The good news is that the city of Boulder is currently exploring ways to incorporate rental units into their greenhouse gas reduction efforts, including both mandatory (code changes) and incentive programs.

In the meantime, there are still many small things renters can do to save energy and money. Incorporating just a few changes each week can lead to a big impact on the environment — and on a renter’s wallet.

Here is an abbreviated list of easy changes renters can make, prepared by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR.Visit its website for more details on each of these tips (www.energystar.gov).

Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs. The newest CFL technology has produced more pleasant light temperatures. For those of you who were reluctant to make the switch a few years ago, now is the time to give the switch a try. Making the switch to ENERGY STAR-qualified lights can save more than $65 a year.

Always turn off your lights when leaving a room. Turning off just one 60-watt incandescent bulb that would otherwise burn eight hours a day can save about $15 per year!

Remember that incandescent bulbs make heat, not light!

Install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat can automatically adjust your home’s temperature settings when you’re away or sleeping. When used properly, you can save up to $150 a year.

Purchase electronics equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR. The EPA rates those devices that help save energy when off, while maintaining features like clock displays, channel settings and remote control functions.

Use a power strip. Having a central “turn off” point makes killing the power when you are done using equipment a one-switch deal. For home office equipment, the stand-by or “phantom” power load can range from a few watts to as much as 20 or 40 watts for each piece of equipment.

Take a shower and use a low-flow showerhead. With a new 2.5 gallon-per-minute (low-flow) showerhead, a 10-minute shower will use about 25 gallons of water, saving five gallons of water over a typical bath. The showerhead will save up to $145 a year on electricity compared to a bath or an old-fashioned showerhead.

Make sure all air registers are clear of furniture so that air can circulate freely.

Place heat-resistant reflectors between radiators and walls. In the winter, this will help heat the room instead of the wall.

Keep drapes open during daylight hours.

During cold weather, take advantage of the sun’s warmth during the day, and remember to close the drapes at night to keep that warmth in.

Save water by scraping dishes instead of rinsing them before loading in the dishwasher.

Wash full loads. To make the most efficient use of your dishwasher’s energy and water consumption, run the dishwasher only when enough dirty dishes have accumulated for a full load.

Air-dry your dishes by opening the door after the wash cycle. According to the California Energy Commission, air drying dishwasher dishes can save 15 to 50 percent of the energy used by the dishwashing cycle.

Wash full laundry loads. This can save you more than 3,400 gallons of water each year.

Wash your laundry with cold water. Hot water heating accounts for about 90 percent of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes. Switching to cold water can save the average household more than $40 annually with an electric water heater and more than $30 annually with a gas water heater.

Don’t over-dry your clothes. Many dryers come with energy-saving moisture or humidity sensors that shut off the heat when the clothes are dry. If you don’t have this feature, try to match the cycle length to the size and weight of the load. A dryer operating an extra 15 minutes per load can cost up to $34 every year.

Clean the lint trap before every load.

Dryers work by moving heated air through wet clothes, evaporating and then venting water vapor outside. Cleaning the lint trap before each and every load allows the air to move freely. This step can save up to $34 each year.

For more information on greening your residence and/or to find a local green-building professional to assist you, go to www.bgbg. org.

Julie Herman is the executive director of Boulder Green Building Guild. Gina Bugiada, LEED-AP, is a Boulder Green Building Guild volunteer.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

Fuel your future

How to make your own biodiesel

by Josh Maynard

A

s population growth increases, so does our consumption of resources. Eventually consumption reaches a point when alternatives are needed to continue current use. It is only a matter of time before oil demand causes cost-prohibitive prices, a glimpse of which we saw in 2008. Because our economy depends so heavily on oil, we are already forced to import two-thirds of our demand. Just as too many CFCs from aerosols destroyed the ozone layer, too much CO2 from exhaust is causing climate change.

Because our population growth (and hence consumption) rises exponentially, the need for change is imminent. Whether your motivation is personal savings, national security or the environment, CU Biodiesel can show you how to make your own fuel.

The first thing to do is secure a good oil source. You can use any vegetable oil or animal fat to make biodiesel. Most people use waste vegetable oil from restaurants because many times they must pay to get rid of it. So ask around! There are many people just like you looking for oil, so your first choice might not be available.

Next, you’ll have to build a reactor. This is a fancy way of saying a closed container that you can heat that can mix liquids and that won’t react with the biodiesel. The best materials to use are glass or stainless steel. The easiest and cheapest reactor is an old hot water heater. It’s glass-lined, and it already has a heating element. You’ll need a pump to circulate the liquids; some piping to go from the pump to the reactor; a couple of filters and containers to clean and hold the fuel you made and the byproduct, glycerin; and some various odds and ends. All of it can be bought inexpensively online or at various local hardware/supply stores.

Or for the environmental enthusiast, if you search hard enough you can make it all from recycled parts through second-hand venues (yard sales, Craigslist, BoulderFreecycle, ReSource 2000,

etc).

Once you’ve got it all set up, you’ll need the other two ingredients: methanol and lye. These are the only parts that are potentially harmful.

Use caution! Lye is typical toilet bowl cleaner, and methanol is a typical fuel-line antifreeze and injector cleaner. But you’ll have to buy them in bulk, which means contacting a chemical producer, a local biodiesel co-op, or possibly even a raceway (methanol is even better than ethanol as a gasengine fuel).

Once you’ve got all these in a safe location (a.k.a., not your kitchen), you can embrace your inner mad scientist and start brewing. The steps for the process are: 1. Boil off the water from the waste vegetable oil (WVO).

2. Filter the WVO to remove fryer particulate.

3. Mix the methanol and lye.

3. Put the WVO in the reactor and heat it to no more than 60˚C (140˚F).

4. Introduce the methanol and lye (called methoxide).

5. React! Normally for about a half hour.

6. Drain out the glycerin. After the reaction, the biodiesel and glycerin (byproduct) naturally separate. How convenient.

7. Wash the biodiesel. Normally about three times with as fine a mist as possible. You want to get the water to all the biodiesel, but not agitate the biodiesel if possible. The water and biodiesel will separate naturally again, and you can remove it by draining, the same way you did the glycerin.

8. Dry the biodiesel (boil off the water).

9. Filter it once more.

10. Fill’er up!

We should mention that this fuel should be used in a diesel engine that is outside of warranty, for two reasons: 1. Because biodiesel was officially standardsee BIODIESEL Page 22

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Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

BIODIESEL from Page 21

ized as a fuel so recently (2002). Enough research hasn’t been done by the big car companies to make them comfortable allowing more than B5 (5 percent biodiesel) in their engines, some up to B20 (20 percent).

2. Because you don’t have expensive chemical equipment, you can’t verify that your fuel meets all the stringent standards that give it the official name “biodiesel.”

But don’t let this dissuade you! You can talk to many biodiesel enthusiasts on forums, at co-ops, or on roads in Boulder and around the world that will tell you this method has worked in their engines for years, even prior to 2002.

Locally, the CU Buff Buses use B20, and RTD uses it as well.

Some fun facts: —Biodiesel is less toxic than table salt, and more biodegradable than sugar. It’s edible.

—It will decompose in 28 days when spilled. It is actually poured onto fossil oil spills to initiate microbial growth and faster break-

down of the oil.

—Compared to diesel fuel, when burnt it has 100 percent less sulfur (lead cause of acid rain), about 50 percent less carbon monoxide and particulate matter, and about 70 percent fewer hydrocarbons (which can cause cancer). Which would you rather the school bus blow at children as it drives past?

For more information on building your own reactor, biodiesel production, chemistry, benefits, potential shortfalls and how to overcome them, or anything else you can think of, feel free to e-mail us at info@cubiodieselorg, or check out our website at www.cubiodiesel. org. We hold monthly Biodiesel 101 Workshops to dispel myths, answer questions and teach people about changes they can make for themselves now. You can fuel your future.

Josh Maynard is the research and development director for CU Biodiesel.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

Get wind of this

Colorado universities and wind research centers unite forces

by David Accomazzo

T

he area’s top research facilities have joined efforts to create the Center for Research and Education in Wind (CREW), which will contribute resources and research to develop and enhance wind energy technology.

The University of Colorado at Boulder has teamed up with Colorado State University, Colorado School of Mines, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), as well as members of the wind energy industry to develop ways to improve existing wind turbine technology and “make wind power more accessible by reducing its cost and increasing its reliability and efficiency,” according to the organization’s website.

About 70 researchers, when all is said and done, will work on CREW projects, says CREW Scientific Director Lucy Pao, a CU professor in the electrical, computer and energy engineering department. The research is funded by government sources and private industries, and any CREW technology developed with industry funds is shared between the university and the private sector.

Some of CREW’s research focuses on developing Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology for use in wind turbines, Pao says. Developing LIDAR for use on wind turbines will drastically increase the amount of data available to turbine operators, who in turn could use the data to make wind turbines run more efficiently.

“Right now, the control of wind turbines commercially does not use wind speed information,” Pao says. “Basically, wind speed information is only used in higher-level supervisory control.”

Wind turbines operate best at a specific wind speed — if wind speeds are too high, then turbine operators must shut down the turbine or else risk damage to delicate machinery.

Mounting a LIDAR unit on turbines will allow more data to

be recorded and allow the individual arms on a turbine to adjust their angle to the wind in “real-time” depending on wind speed.

“If you have the real-time measurements of wind speed, you can improve the control quite significantly,” Pao says. “For instance: There’s a gust that’s coming through. If you don’t know it’s coming, then that will hit all the turbines, which will cause some structural vibration damage that is not good for the turbines.”

“If you know that gust is coming, then you can change the blade pitch so more of the wind goes by the turbine instead of hitting it,” Pao says. “You want to maximize the power capture and try to reduce loading on the structure.”

Researchers at CREW are also looking to improve technology on offshore wind turbines.

Most offshore turbines in use today are built for shallow water, according to Pao. But the continental shore around the United States forces any sort of turbine into deep water, requiring technology that has yet to be developed.

Another research goal of CREW is to develop technology for deep-water turbines, according to Pao. The center’s other goal is education. Pao says that CREW is looking to develop undergraduate-level courses in the engineering school for those interested in wind technology. There’s only one CU graduate-level wind energy course — and it always has a wait list. She believes there is enough interest among students to develop a wider variety of course offerings.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

September 24, 2009 23

24 September 24, 2009

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

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Know your power: Boulder’s Climate Action Plan

A

by Beth Powell and Kara Mertz

s many of us are aware, Boulder is nationally and internationally renowned — for its open space and mountain parks, a multitude of outdoor recreation opportunities, its progressive planning and environmental policies, and ample intellectual and spiritual pursuits. In the first two weeks of September, Boulder hosted reporters and photographers from Russia, the U.S. State Department, National Geographic magazine, and the French daily newspaper, Le Monde.

Grégoire Allix, the Le Monde reporter who visited Boulder to cover the city’s Climate Action Plan tax and its 2012 Kyoto Protocol goal, wrote a series of articles portraying Boulder as leading our nation in all things environmental. Mr. Allix pointed to former Mayor Shaun McGrath’s appointment to the Obama cabinet. He also described the Boulder City Council decision to increase the Climate Action Plan tax to the maximum level approved by the voters in 2006.

Critical to the success of Boulder’s ambitious Kyoto goal is to engage everyone who lives, works, shops or plays in Boulder, and for all of us to look at our relationship with energy in new ways. “Knowing our power” entails knowing how our daily energy usage contributes to the global greenhouse effect, and that significant, cumulative impact from conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy is a reality.

With little more than three years remaining to reach Kyoto, the solutions city leaders are banking on involve blanketing the city with doorto-door, one-stop-shop energy efficiency services.

These programs will be complemented with financial assistance, energy education and web-based tools for those who wish to track our progress toward the community goal. Boulder has long been positioned to truly embody the saying, “think globally, act locally.” Are we ready to get it done?

Here’s a snapshot of the plan: Leadership: The city’s newly formed Department of Community Planning and Sustainability has welcomed into its fold the former Office of Environmental Affairs (OEA). OEA has been renamed Local Environmental Action Division (LEAD), and is in the process of convening local experts to help design and roll out the new climate action plan strategy.

Funding: In July 2009, City Council approved an increase to the Climate Action Plan (CAP) tax to the maximum rates approved by voters in 2006. This doubles the annual budget, allocating $1.6 million annually to implement the new strategy.

Enhanced Strategy: Meeting the goal entails achieving a 25 percent reduction in the

amount of fossil fuels Boulder residents and businesses use to produce our energy. It’s safe to say a majority of us understand the importance of energy conservation and believe in the promise of renewable energy, but most of us lead busy lives and lack the time needed to wade through often-conflicting information on the best and most cost-effective behaviors or household investments that will save energy (and money). The new CAP strategy will endeavor to meet residents, business owners, and property owners where they are. Some will start by installing more efficient lighting; some will opt for a new solar PV system using the ClimateSmart™ Loan Program. It matters less where we start but that we start.

In early 2010, teams of trained energy auditors and qualified contractors will go neighborhood by neighborhood, sharing specific information about home energy use and potential cost savings and to offer discounted installation of insulation and other energy-efficiency improvements.

The city is also working with Boulder County and a team of finance experts to develop a suite of financing packages that can help pay for efficiency upgrades.

A similar approach will be tailored for businesses to help finance energy efficiency upgrades and improve building comfort and real estate value. The 10 for Change program (a free program of local businesses pledging to reduce their energy use by at least 10 percent) was started in 2008 by local businesses Hogan & Hartson and Cleantech Solutions, with support from City of Boulder staff.

The founding members wanted to challenge their peers to reduce energy use, save money and address climate change in ways that have already provided monetary savings and some good green press, to boot. So far, 55 local businesses have joined the program and some have achieved more than 20 percent savings in less than a year. 10 For Change members host bimonthly networking events, and receive valuable resources and public recognition from the city. The latest episode of local Channel 8’s The Moment show (seen on Channel 8 and archived online at www.

TheMomentShow.org) profiles the 10 for Change program and introduces viewers to two local business leaders reducing their carbon emissions while improving their bottom line.

New programs are being designed and piloted in the fall of 2009 and will launch this winter — watch for them! In the meantime, visit www. beClimateSmart.com for information on current programs, available rebates and financing, and tips for reducing your carbon footprint.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

September 24, 2009 25

CopyExperts

Aurora Organic Dairy

www.auroraorganic.com Aurora Organic Dairy's mission is making highquality organic milk and butter more affordable and available for Americans. Founded in Boulder, we are a leading producer of organic dairy for retailers' store brands. We pride ourselves on innovation in organic agriculture and environmental sustainability, and animal welfare is a top priority. Each of our dairy farms and milk plant are third-party animal welfare certified. With headquarters in Boulder, we operate six organic dairy farms in Colorado and Texas and an on-farm processing plant in Platteville, Colo.

CRC’s Boulder County Solar Week – Register Now!

Colorado Care

Call for an appointment 303-250-9066 www.coloradocareinc.com Colorado Care is a new Medical Marijauna dispensary servicing both Denver and Boulder County. At Colorado Care, we pride ourselves in providing the best quality products available.

At Colorado Care, we do not require patients to become a member to receive discounted prices or special services. No appointments necessary. Services available to both members and non-members. Lower pricing than immediate competitors. Conveniently located in north Boulder.

1135 Broadway / 303-413-0420 www.freakys.com All your indoor gardening needs We carry everything you need to begin your own indoor garden, from lights to soil to chemicals to meters to every single little part you will need! We also feature the best section of pipes and smoking accessories in Boulder.

Stop by our new location on the Hill in Boulder.

KUNC-FM

www.conservationcenter.org See possibilities, be inspired, and learn how to create sustainable systems in your own home at the Center for ReSource Conservation’s Solar Week. The 14th Annual Boulder County Tour of Solar & Green Homes is on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Registration begins at 9 a.m.

The following week will feature the Solar Week Seminar Series, covering topics such as installing a photovoltaic system, green building basics, energy efficiency, and the future of renewable energy technology. Tour/ seminars $10; $8 for students/seniors; $5 for Louisville homes only.

Community Radio for Northern Colorado 822 Seventh St., Suite 530 Greeley, CO 80631-3945 970-378-2579 or 800-443-5862 www.kunc.org KUNC, Community Radio for Northern Colorado, offers national and international news provided by National Public Radio, Public Radio International, American Public Media, and the BBC as well as regional news from KUNC’s award-winning news staff.

Middays, KUNC plays its own brand of diverse music — a blend of classical, jazz, acoustic, singer-songwriter and world music. KUNC is a community-licensed public radio station operating along the Front Range at 91.5 FM, and in Boulder at 102.7 FM.

Natural Pet Products

Isabelle Farm

303-514-0076 www.naturalpetproducts.net Cindy, the owner of Natural Pet Products, has been working with dogs since 1971 when she purchased her first Irish Setter and started competing in obedience competitions.

Her love for dogs led her to California in 2002 where she studied anesthesia-free teeth cleaning at Canine Care. She completed their rigorous 180-hour training course, taught by a human dental hygienist, and has also studied teeth cleaning with veterinarians. Following her certification as a pet dental hygienist, she returned to Colorado to found Natural Pet, LLC. Cindy has completed 205 hours of Traditional Chinese medicine and acupressure-massage for animals with Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute in Larkspur, Colorado. Cindy continues to take classes to keep abreast of new ways to help keep your pet in great condition.

Freaky's GARDEN CENTER

10029 Isabelle Rd. 303-817-9316 www.isabellefarm.com Isabelle Farm is a family-run, certified organic farm that grows more than 100 varieties of produce on 50-plus acres in Boulder County. We sell our produce at three local farmers’ markets, through our CSA Farm Share Program, to local restaurants and wholesale, as well as at our on-farm farm stand — open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. — where same-day-picked produce, our roasted chilies, Western Slope peaches and apples, and locally made soaps and jams are available.

www.copyexperts.com.

2835 Pearl St. / 303-448-1111 CopyExperts is a locally-owned full-service digital print shop.

They are a leader in sustainability in the print industry and their EcoLogic program promotes sustainability for the environment, the community, their customers, and their employees. CopyExperts offers full-service digital printing and will work with you on your project from ideation to completion.

In addition to copying and printing, they offer presentation mounts, binding, lamination and other finishing services.Their large-format printer is ideal for posters, banners and academic presentations. CopyExperts has an industry-proven reputation for quality and customer service. CopyExperts — Boulder's Sustainable Printer.

Boulder Hydroponic

Table Mesa Wellness Center

4730 Table Mesa Dr., Suite J200 303-554-5399 Table Mesa Wellness Center has joined the community, presenting holistic healthcare and natural wellness solutions in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. Our friendly professional staff is passionate about creating an open-door policy for our neighbors. We invite you to visit our wellness center, indulge in our Oxygen Aromatherapy lounge, relax during a private massage, or increase your awareness by taking advantage of our library. Come by to speak with one of our Wellness Coordinators today.

Boulder/Denver Hydroponic & Organic Center 1630 63rd St., #5, Boulder / 303-415-0045 .

6810-D Broadway, Denver / 303-650-0091. www.bhocenter.com Come in for our once a year sale on Friday, Oct. 2. Twenty percent off everything in the store!

It’s kind of a funny story how I went into business for myself; I accidentally fell into the hydroponic industry. I had the experience of seeing hydroponics being used at the St. Louis Zoo when I was a child. When a friend told me there was a store looking for a manager, I was excited to actually get into an industry that was so futuristic and fascinating. However, I immediately saw the importance of what we were doing and how this type of growing could help the planet. This was the future of growing food and saving resources. I just saw it and marveled at the beauty of it all.

Bauman College

800-987-7530 or 707-795-1284 www.baumancollege.org Bauman College aims to create a sustainable culture of wellness in individuals and the community by promoting a comprehensive and integrative approach to holistic nutrition and the culinary arts.

Through our training programs, we prepare individuals for successful careers as nutrition consultants and natural chefs and encourage all people to participate in an earth-friendly paradigm shift that supports a natural, chemical-free culture.

Snarf’s

www.eatsnarfs.com A good sandwich is complicated business — it involves making sure ingredients are fresh, the layers are proportioned and any sauces add kick without drenching the bread into mushy grossness.

With all of these factors, Snarf’s succeeds and the sandwiches hit the spot. Snarf’s is happy to navigate busy Boulder streets to deliver sandwiches to your home or business. Locally owned, zero waste and PACE Certified. Five locations in Colorado.

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Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Small Planet Electric Vehicles

Eco Cycle

5030 Pearl St. / 303-444-6634 www.ecocycle.org Want to reduce your carbon and waste footprint? Eco-Cycle is here to help! Since 1976 we’ve been Boulder’s resource for living green (that’s right, before it became popular). Our focus is building a Zero Waste community to conserve our valuable — and finite — natural resources. Check out www.ecocycle.org for our groundbreaking research on the climate change/waste connection and the tools to make reducing, reusing, eco-purchasing, recycling and composting a part of your daily life.

724 Main St., Longmont / 303-532-2879 www.smallplanetearth.com Why go ‘E’? Whether you use an electric bike, electric scooter or electric car to augment your transportation, electric transportation will save you a tremendous amount of money.

Choosing to use an electric vehicle will reduce your carbon footprint, mitigate pollution and global warming, and will keep you in great shape too. E-bikes and e-scooters are not only more fun and a lot healthier, but even quicker than a car for short errands.

Organo-Lawn

303-499-2000 green@organolawn.com www.organolawn.com Organo-Lawn provides green and sustainable lawn care, using organic, non-toxic, and “people-friendly” products to provide the best care for a Colorado lawn.

They provide a green option for all lawn needs, including aeration, power raking, lawn disease diagnosis, sprinkler services, tree care and more. Organo-Lawn is also devoted to green business practices: Biodiesel-fueled trucks, wind power, recycling, and annual tree-planting.

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy

4940 Pearl East Circle, Suite 301 303-442-3103 Pharmaca offers a full-service pharmacy, your same insurance co-pay and a stress-free environment.

Ask our pharmacist today about transferring your prescriptions! When you have health questions, just ask our pharmacist or the nearest team member. Our staff is licensed in fields like nutrition, skin care, homeopathy, naturopathy, herbal studies and more. All consultations are free of charge.

Grant Family Farms

1020 WCR 72 Wellington, CO 970-568-7654 grantfarms.com Grant Family Farms lies nestled in the Rocky Mountain foothills near Wellington, Colo. Since the Farm’s 1974 commitment to organic growing practices, we have built our livelihood on responsible stewardship of the environment while growing the highest quality produce. Organic vegetables may seem readily accessible today. Grant Family Farms paved the way by being the first farm certified organic by the Colorado Department of Agriculture in 1988. In addition to emphasizing environmental practices, Grant Family Farms encourages community involvement with the food raised on their land through their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. The CSA provides an opportunity for people to directly connect with the farm by buying a share of their harvest. By purchasing a share, members each week pick up a box of fresh vegetables, fruits, pastured eggs, organic chicken, turkey, goose, lamb or freshly cut flowers.

FASTSIGNS® Boulder

4800 Baseline Road, Suite D102 303-543-7907 www.fastsigns.com Introducing our new Eco Line. The world’s first and only natural products, made of 92 percent recycled material. Products used are 100 percent recyclable and are great alternatives to other materials. Our innovative team and state-of-theart technology make sign buying simple. From Concept to Completion®, FASTSIGNS® Boulder offers a full range of custom sign and graphic products. Using streamlined communication and production systems, with state-of-the-art equipment, we can meet your sign need, quantity and budget.

Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

September 24, 2009 27

Thanks for voting snarf’s best sandwich in boulder

snarf’s delivers

Locally Owned

snarf’s caters

Zero Waste

snarf’s tailgates

PACE Certified

ove r 1,000,000 t umm i es sat isf i e d Now at

5

locations:

303.444.3404 303.444.7766 303.444.7714 303.774.1441 303.832.9999

• • • • •

5340 Arapahoe Ave. 2049 Pearl St. 1087 14th St. on the Hill 645 Ken Pratt, Longmont 1001 E. 11th, Denver

28 September 24, 2009

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

E

xecutive Director Graham Russell of CORE, a Denver-based nonprofit that promotes environmentally responsible business practices, reveals five sustainability issues that small businesses encounter.

Computer servers Most small businesses don’t need their own servers and should consult third-party organizations to handle data operations, since servers are used less than 10 percent of the time. Third-party organizations, like Istonish, 19Marketplace and the Sustainable IT Group, can handle all data operations through a secure Internet-based link, where all data is stored on a remote server.

“Not only can this reduce the capital cost of equipment and energy costs, it can also reduce the cost of in-house or contract equipment maintenance services,” says Russell.

Cloud computing is the term given to servers that aren’t in-house, since these remote servers “are notionally up in the clouds” rather than on the business's grounds, says Russell.

Water usage “Organizations that use a lot of water have major opportunities for recycling,” says Russell.

“Even organizations that don’t use much water

B

ryan Beckett, managing partner at EcoGreenOffice, took over Boulder’s Green Drinks happy hour two years ago, giving the event a makeover and helping Boulder locals network about sustainability and the green movement.

Q: What is your role at EcoGreenOffice?

A: I am managing partner at EcoGreenOffice.

Along with my sister, Molly, we have built one of the fastest-growing eco-friendly office suppliers in the nation. My role is to ensure growth, create partnerships, provide unmatched service and continually add green products to our mix.

Q: How are you involved with Boulder’s sustainability movement?

A: I network and help make connections for a better Boulder.

Q: For those who don’t know, what is Green Drinks?

A: Green Drinks is the city’s finest eco-networking event/happy hour. It is the last Tuesday of every month. It’s free, and it’s the perfect opportunity for

September 24, 2009 29

Being green isn’t easy

Five sustainability problems small businesses face

by Marissa Hermanson have opportunities to reduce costs by installing new, low-flow toilets and automated faucets, etc.”

And for hotels and restaurants, there are low-water-use and low-energy-use washing machines. For lawns, Russell suggests systems that use infrared sensors that determine moisture content in the soil and operate sprinkler systems based on what areas need water most. The downside: these sprinkler systems are expensive.

Greenhouse-gas emissions “The negative impact of travel on the environment is huge, whether this is long-distance travel by air or simply commuting from home into the office — not to mention the massive waste of time,” says Russell.

Russell suggests encouraging employees to work from home and substituting electronic communication for physical meetings. This saves energy and reduces carbon emissions. Another suggestion: drive less. By replacing one car trip a week with walking or biking, you can decrease carbon dioxide

emissions by 520 pounds per year, according to Greenprint Denver.

Renting “One major problem for many organizations is that they lease rather than own their space. Under the terms of most leases, there is no advantage to the tenant to reduce energy consumption or water consumption because the operating costs are fixed to the tenant and any savings accrue to the landlord,” says Russell.

“Likewise, if the landlord doesn’t engage a recycling service, the tenant has limited opportunity to recycle.”

The easiest ways to increase sustainability when renting is by reducing travel to work, introducing teleworking programs and using office products efficiently, according to CORE.Also, recycle ink cartridges, turn off lights, use scrap paper and become paperless.

“It’s important to start with things that are visible and show short-term impact.These typically involve recycling and energy savings.These are things that most organizations can do and that most people understand,” says Russell.“Generally, encouraging these simple things is

Happy hour for a cause

A talk with Bryan Beckett about Green Drinks and eco-networking

by Marissa Hermanson business people, government officials, nonprofits and students to all come together, enjoy a beverage and enhance his or her eco-needs.

Q: How did you get the idea to start up Green Drinks here in Boulder, and how old is the event?

A: I took it over about two years ago when it was in need of a few makeover items. We developed an identity with a logo and marketing, found some key sponsors and got the word out to some of Boulder’s green leaders. Since then, we have seen wonderful growth in numbers and continue to have incredible events.

Q: What is the purpose of Green Drinks?

A: To enhance green needs, green business or green government, while enjoying a sustainable

largely a matter of making it easy for people to do them.”

Expenses “There are always quick and easy things companies can do to improve sustainability, especially if they own their space or have utilities separately metered,” says Russell.“The quick and low-investment options generally involve simple energy efficiency steps like changing lighting, changing out plumbing fixtures, installing simple recycling initiatives, purchasing more energy-efficient electronic equipment when the time comes to replace existing equipment, a conscious effort to make more efficient use of office supplies and recycle used paper, ink and toner cartridges, etc.

All of these things either cost nothing or have almost instant payback.”

“Once a company has a few runs on the scoreboard from measures like those mentioned above, they will consider more elaborate steps that involve some investment upfront and perhaps a longer payback period,” Russell says.

Use www.goodtobegreen.com as a guide for commercial building supplies and professionals.This is a guide that covers green issues, from plumbing to masonry to electrical.Also, the EPA’s Energy Star team (energystar.gov) is a reliable resource that can guide your business in the green direction.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

events help sustainability in Boulder?

A: The new green economy is producing many opportunities. Green Drinks is an outlet for entrepreneurs and business leaders to discuss ideas in a laid back atmosphere. Sustainability is about working with small businesses and making money. It is finally realized that you can do well on the environment and make money.There is nothing wrong with that.

libation, and of course have fun while doing so.

Q: How has Green Drinks evolved?

A: It has come from three people at a table to more than 100 at a time — with business leaders, government leaders, green experts and much more! We have also been featured in Best Life Magazine by Men’s Health.

Q: What type of Boulder residents typically frequent Green Drinks?

A: We don’t discriminate. It is a happy hour for green-minded or those striving to be greenminded. It’s not like you can’t come unless you are only eco. We have many people that come seeking more eco and healthy alternatives.

Q: How does networking at Green Drinks

Q: Where does Green Drinks meet?

A: We have a home base at the b. side lounge.

We often have field trips to many destinations.

Greendrinks.org is a good place to visit for frequent updates.

Q: How can Boulder residents get involved with Green Drinks?

A: Anyone can be involved. Just request to be on the e-mail list and show up on the last Tuesday of every month. It’s a friendly atmosphere that is addicting!

Q: Is there anything else people should know about Green Drinks?

A: YES! So much that they better come to experience it!

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

30 September 24, 2009

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Play. Stay. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.

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Boulder Weekly Boulderganic ’09

September 24, 2009 31

Reuse, recycle and rethread

by Marissa Hermanson

A

s you pull your winter clothes out of summer hibernation and prepare for oncoming Boulder blizzards you might realize that the sleeves on your black trench are shorter than you remembered, or that your ski pants are giving your waist a really tight hug. Stop! Don’t take these awkward-fitting garments to the dumpster. Just like you recycle your Boulder Weekly issues and bottles of Vitamin Water, you too can recycle your garments. You can’t throw textiles in your single-stream recycling bin, but through EcoCycle’s Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) and U’SA Gain you can recycle your woven goods.

If you’re the average American, you threw away 68 pounds of textiles last year — old rags, stinky socks, unflattering clothing, you name it — according to the Council for Textile Recycling. Two and a half billion pounds of textiles are wasted annually, and thanks to the textile recycling industry, more than two million tons of textiles are prevented from piling up in landfills each year, according to U’SA Gain.

With textiles making up 4 percent of landfill space, according to the Council for Textile Recycling, and almost all — 94 percent — of recovered clothing being recyclable, according to U’SA Gain, more can be done to redirect textiles from landfills.

Fifteen percent of textiles are diverted for recycling or exportation to Third World countries, while the remaining 85 percent of discarded clothing piles up in landfills.

Textiles account for 1 percent to 1.5 percent of the total waste stream by weight, according to Eco-Cycle Program Manager Dan Matsch.

“Each of the CHaRM material categories account for only a fraction of 1 percent to 3 percent of the waste stream,” says Matsch. “But the reason a CHaRM facility is necessary is that when you lump together all those categories that account for a tiny slice of the waste stream, you find that they add up to quantities similar to those of traditional recyclables like paper and containers.”

Textile recycling isn’t curbside, making it less likely for people to recycle their clothes.

“Textile reuse/recycling is not as convenient as recovery of other commodities such as bottles and newspaper, which frequently can be set out at the curb on a weekly basis,” says Brenda Platt, co-director at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

“Successful reuse/recycling should be as convenient as trash collection, and this includes textile recycling. Residents could, for instance, be instructed to place unwanted textiles in clear plastic bags along with their paper.”

Instead residents must drive to Eco-Cycle or find U’SA Gain bins to drop off their unwanted garments.

U’SA Gain has 17 red textile recycling bins throughout Boulder to help divert clothes from a final resting place in landfills (visit www.usagain2.com to find locations). Forty-eight per-

CHaRM.” Matsch says that thrift stores and charities should be given first consideration when giving away clothes. If it’s reusable, it should go to the thrift store, but if it’s worn, torn, frayed and unusable, then bring it to CHaRM (it should be clean though, Matsch adds).

Once your used textiles are at CHaRM, they are sorted into a rag or reuse pile. Rags get cut up into one-foot squares and sold to manufacturing industries, where the rags can be used for polishing and cleaning. The clothing in the reuse pile is sent to Third World countries.

Other textiles can be turned into stuffing for upholstery and cotton insulation.

cent of U’SA Gain’s clothes are saved and sold to Third World countries for less than the cost of mailing a letter. About 20 percent of the textiles are turned into wiping and polishing cloths, while about 26 percent is converted into fiber used to create new textile products. The remaining 6 percent is soiled and wet clothing that is disposed of.

Although U’SA Gain and Eco-Cycle are two options for textile recycling, it still would be ideal and more convenient to have curbside recycling here in Boulder County.

“Cities should consider adding textiles to curbside collection and partnering with local charities to ensure that high-quality material is provided to them and remaining material is sent to textile recyclers,” says Platt. “Textile recycling is not new.

However, adding textile recycling to modern curbside recycling programs is new and could greatly be expanded.”

As for curbside textile recycling here in Boulder, Matsch doesn’t think it’s realistic.

“There is not enough of it or any other CHaRM material to justify the fuel to put the trucks on the road,” says Matsch.

“Co-mingling all CHaRM materials in a truck would solve the transportation end of it, but there is not enough value in any of it to fund separating it all back out again when delivered to the

Textile recycling and business Patagonia is a rare example of a business that recycles textiles in-store. Patagonia started making fleeces out of recycled plastics back in 1993, and since then its recycling plan has evolved into the Common Threads program — created in 2005 — that recycles old garments within the store.

“What makes Patagonia’s Common Threads recycling program unique is our program uses a fiber-to-fiber recycling system to make new garments from old,” says Stephen Billings, Patagonia’s Boulder store manager.

Patagonia recycles fleece, base layers and organic cotton tees.

The company also accepts other garment brands, like North Face fleeces. And in the future, Patagonia hopes to recycle all polyester garments as well as some nylon-based and natural-fiber garments.

Patagonia’s goal is to be 100 percent recycled.

“We know that our business activity — from lighting stores to dyeing shirts — creates pollution as a byproduct,” says Billings. “So we work steadily to reduce those harms. We use recycled polyester in many of our clothes and only organic, rather than pesticide-intensive, cotton.”

The process of recycling textiles creates an energy savings of 76 percent and a carbon dioxide reduction of 71 percent, according to Billings.

“The benefit of using recycled materials is first and foremost the fact that we’re keeping trash out of the landfills.”

Patagonia’s fleeces are recycled in store, sent to a service center in Reno and then sent by container ships to Japan. New polyester fibers are created from the old fleeces and then used to make new Patagonia fleeces.

“Patagonia has a closed-loop recycling program that they are doing through their fabric supplier in Japan called Teijin,” says Matsch. “Currently, Teijin is the only company that is producing new fabric out of old fabric — hence closed-loop. Closed-loop recycling is always ideal in the recycling industry because you don’t lose the inherent value of the original material and therefore truly save resources. I do think we will see a lot more of this in the coming years, particularly for all the high-tech fabrics we like so much in Boulder.”

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

32 September 24, 2009

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Making dollars stretch

Boulder Barter Exchange helps small businesses lower their costs

by Marissa Hermanson

B

arter may be perceived as an archaic way of paying for goods and services. But in reality, barter is a common practice these days. The International Reciprocal Trade Association (IRTA) reports that more than 250,000 North American businesses barter, and that their transactions exceed $16 billion annually. Almost one-third of small businesses in the United States barter.

Two Boulder residents — Stewart Sallo and Herschel Goldberg — revived this alternative form of currency within our community through the Boulder Barter Exchange, an online network of small businesses that exchange goods and services using “barter dollars.”

Shortly after publisher Sallo launched the Boulder Weekly back in 1993, he joined a local barter group, and over the years became a member of national and international barter groups as well. After Boulder’s barter group was sold several years ago, Boulder was left without this alternative way to exchange goods and services. Sallo took it upon himself to create Boulder Barter in 2004. More recently, Sallo found that he had too much on his plate running a weekly newspaper to properly tend to his new company, so he partnered with

Goldberg and developed a plan to expand the network swiftly throughout the Boulder community.

Boulder Barter serves as a bank and uses a virtual currency. It keeps track of all transactions occurring between members, and also maintains accounting records and balances.

“When a business sells its product or service, barter dollars are earned and the account grows,” Sallo explains.

“When a business makes a purchase, the account is charged and the balance diminishes. A nominal cash transaction fee is

Room with a greener view Boulder Outlook offers eco-friendly travel options

by Boulder Weekly staff

W

henever an out-of-town friend asks for a hotel recommendation, it can put you in a strange spot. You live here. How are you supposed to know what the hotels are like? But if you’re at all eco-conscious, there is at least one local hotel that should be on your radar: the Boulder Outlook Hotel & Suites.

The Outlook promotes itself as Boulder’s first “zero-waste” hotel. Zero waste is a philosophy and practice that allows people and businesses to maximize reusing and recycling to their greatest potential, while minimizing the amount of waste produced. And, in the travel industry, that can be a difficult task.

All too often our travel and visiting plans take a toll on the environment: the fuel we use to get to our destination, the temporary water bottles and, of course, our lodging. Typically, hotels come in and change sheets and towels every day and automatically empty unfilled trashcans. This can result in a drastically increased car-

bon footprint.

So what does a zero-waste hotel actually look like?

Boulder Weekly decided to check in and check it out.

Here’s what we found:

Recycle! Recycle! Recycle!

It’s difficult to find a hotel that offers any sort of recycling options, let alone a comprehensive one. At Outlook, there are separate containers based on which items you would like to recycle. The containers are also color-coded to help you keep track of your disposal. But in addition to the glass/plastic/paper separation we are all too familiar with, Boulder Outlook also offers composting. Yes, composting. Bags in your room and the lobby are provided with clear instructions as to what you can compost. Turns out, quite a bit. An apple core, wet paper, orange rinds and a slew of other items can be redirected from a landfill to a reusable compost see BOULDER OUTLOOK Page 33

charged on each transaction by Boulder Barter in order to cover operating costs.”

Boulder Barter’s initial focus is on businesses and professionals in Boulder County.

Current economic problems make this an ideal way to conduct business because access to capital and credit is difficult. With barter local companies can buy and sell directly without the use of cash.

“Barter has always been an important vehicle for trade,” Goldberg says. “However, in the current economy many companies that need goods and services do not have the cash to purchase them outright. Barter allows them to exchange what they do have — inventory or capacity — to maintain or grow their business.”

Goldberg says the hard part is finding a company that needs what you have and then negotiating a fair value to trade. Boulder Barter isn’t a traditional, bi-directional barter, but an exchange network of businesses that barter.

“All items in the exchange are traded at their typical retail or fair market value, which eliminates issues of inequality,” Goldberg says. “Member companies sell goods and servicsee BOULDER BARTER Page 33

Boulder Outlook recycling stations

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September 24, 2009 33

BOULDER BARTER from Page 32

es to each other which deposit trade dollars into their account. They then use those trade credits to purchase what they need and want from any other exchange members.”

Local services like advertising, printing, legal services, graphic design, auto repair, website development and even dental care can be negotiated through barter.

Benjamin Buren, owner of Alive Photography and Custom Frame in North Boulder, has been a member of national barter networks, as well as Denver-based barter networks. Buren is looking forward to the expansion of Boulder Barter since national and Denver-based barter networks have posed problems for him in the past. National barter networks are difficult for Buren because his business of photography and framing requires a physical presence.

Another problem with national barter networks: “The economy of them starts to deteriorate because you aren’t face-to-face with people, and it’s not as organic as a transaction,” Buren says. “You’re not right there, and people start to charge a little more for the barter because it's not cash. Before you know it, the whole economy of the barter is not working, and you are paying twice what a cash plan would pay in barter money.”

These problems have caused the barter networks that Buren has been involved with in the past to collapse. Denver-based barter networks also pose problems for Buren since travel is involved.

Buren says most people in Boulder who barter do one-to-one trade. “But you don’t always want to do the same thing as the person who wants to barter with you,” he adds. “That’s

why networks are so great.”

Another advantage to barter networks — you get to purchase services and products you wouldn’t typically purchase with cash. Barter allows Buren to get his carpet cleaned more often than usual, as well as get acupuncture treatments.

“Because it’s not cash and I can’t use it to pay my mortgage, I would spend it on things I would not normally spend cash on,” says Buren.

“And while I think there is a great value in acupuncture, I don’t have the disposable funds to go every two weeks.” Barter allows Buren to afford these services.

Buren believes barter networks are beneficial in the economy since companies are looking for more business. He encourages local businesses to give barter networks a try: “Hey, this isn’t your average trading-with-somebody-elsething. It’s a new economy; a new concept. It’s well-organized, and it’s just like cash.”

Barter is ideal for businesses that are looking for alternatives to lower their expenses, because it allows companies to build profits and conserve cash. Barter also allows businesses to gain new markets with companies they don't traditionally interact with.

“Once you’ve bartered successfully with another business owner, you create a personal business relationship that can help your company grow for years to come,” says Goldberg.

“These relationships often turn into or refer to cash customers and are the basis for building long-term community.”

Visit Boulder Barter Exchange at www. boulderbarter.com.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

BOULDER OUTLOOK from Page 32

material. Even the cups that Boulder Outlook provides for your use in the room can be composted.

to do is put down a refundable $6 deposit and return it when you check out.

Precious, precious water

Pedal power

Water waste can be a serious issue when it comes to hotel stays. There are a few different ways that the Outlook encourages water conservation. For one, you can separate which towels and sheets you would like washed during your stay. Don’t mind reusing a towel? Don’t have it washed; you’ll be saving water and keeping the water costs down for the hotel. In addition, rather than encourage you to use plastic water bottles, Outlook offers you a glass pitcher in the refrigerator. The pitcher can be refilled at the end of the hallway with purified drinking water, and you can drink out of compostable cups. But that’s not all. If you prefer to take some water with you on the go, Outlook also offers reusable metal water bottles for you to use during your stay. All you have

One of Boulder’s greatest assets is its bicycle navigability. You can get just about anywhere in town on a bike, and oftentimes faster than you would in a vehicle. To encourage its lodgers to go the two-wheel route, Outlook allows those staying at the hotel to ride its cruiser bikes around town for free. Included with the bicycle, which can be ridden anywhere in town during daylight hours, are a bike lock and helmet. In addition to riding, Boulder Outlook encourages the outdoor lifestyle by letting you warm up for a Flatirons climb on its indoor climbing rocks.

For more information on Boulder Outlook Hotel & Suites and its zero-waste practices, please visit www.boulderoutlook.com, or call 303-443-3322.

Respond: info@boulderganic.com

34 September 24, 2009

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

Abo’s Pizza on the Hill

(303) 443-3199 http://www.abosonthehill.com/ Please join us up at Abo’s Pizza on the Hill, where sustainability, and recycling has always been a top priority. Abo's Pizza on the Hill has been serving up Huge Slices of New York style pizza since 1977 - and now you can enjoy your pizza with a beer! Abo's on the Hill has 12 beers on tap, including Avery, Lefthand, Stone, Anchor Steam, and more! Consistently voted Best Pizza and Best Late Food. Open 'til midnight or later; a great place to grab a slice after a show at the Fox Theatre. Check out our menu of Specialty Pies, Pasta, Gluten-free Pasta, Fresh Salads, a crazy assortment of Bread Sticks, Salad Pizzas, Desserts and more!

Partners Mentoring Program Gyrotonic® Boulder

1800 30th St., Ste. 311 / 303-444-1228 www.gyrotonicboulder.com Would you like to feel more alive, more free, more at home and at peace in your body, no matter your size, shape or condition? Gyrotonic® Boulder employs instructors trained and certified in the Gyrotonic Expansion System®, Gyrokinesis®, Therapeutic Applications, Pre- and Post- Natal Applications, and the specialized Gyrotonic® equipment. We offer private sessions, small group instruction and teacher training in a friendly, no-stress environment. Besides fitness training, we also offer sessions designed for rehabilitation and regeneration and can accommodate some insurance plans.

Boulder Wellness Center

Real Goods Solar

833 West South Boulder Rd., Louisville 303-222-3953 www.realgoodssolar.com Headquartered in Louisville, Real Goods Solar is one of the largest solar energy integrators in the United States, with more than 4,500 residential and commercial solar electric systems installed to date. Real Goods Solar offers turnkey solar energy solutions and has more than 30 years of experience, beginning with the sale of the first solar photovoltaic panels in the United States in 1978. To request a free site evaluation, go to www.realgoodssolar.com.

McGuckin Hardware

2525 Arapahoe Ave. 303-443-1822 Whatever you’re looking for to make your home more “green,” eco-friendly and organic, chances are we can be of service because we’re “MORE THAN” a Hardware Store! Whether it’s the odd-sized CFL bulb, new plumbing accessories to save water or supplies for your organic garden, come see us. We stock nearly three times as many items as “other stores” (more than 200,000 items, in fact). McGuckin Hardware has become famous for having obscure specialty items in stock that are unavailable anywhere else. www.mcguckin.com

5420 Arapahoe Ave., Unit F 303-442-2565 www.boulderwc.com Ryan Hartman and Russel Wise know how to make people feel comfortable. Combining their skills and passion for healing, they have opened the doors to Boulder Wellness Center, where you will find the finest medical cannabis, medibles, tinctures, teas, and more. BWC’s ambiance provides you with a relaxing, east-meets-west experience.

Whether you are 18, 88, or somewhere in between, BWC is guaranteed to make you feel comfortable and provide you with all your wellness needs.

Whole Foods Market

Locations in Boulder & Superior Some things are just no brainers, like knowing you can always find a lot of organic food at Whole Foods. We offer you the biggest and best choice we possibly can because it’s an important part — perhaps the most important part — of our commitment to you and the planet. Choosing organic supports farmers and producers who believe in good health, quality foods and earthfriendly sustainable agricultural practices. And that’s good for everyone, from the farm worker to the planet to your family — and future generations, too. www.wholefoodsmarket.com

1430 Nelson Rd., Ste. 206, Longmont 303-772-1411 Partners Mentoring Program is a nonprofit youth mentoring agency that serves all of Boulder and Broomfield counties and Southwest Weld County communities. We match needing youth with caring adult mentors who agree to spend time together each week for at least one year. These “Partnerships” between our Senior Partners (adult mentors) and Junior Partners (youth) build self-esteem, self-respect, motivation and responsibility in the child. We are always looking for volunteers and businesses to help in any way they can. www.bcpartners.org

Sutherlands

www.sutherlands.com 3390 Valmont Rd. / 303-443-8891 Sutherlands has been providing building and homeimprovement goods to the Boulder community for more than 30 years and is excited to have a part in the green building industry. Our goal is to help provide the community with environmentally conscious building and home-improvement products, while still offering our friendly service and extensive know-how. We are always looking for new green building products and are committed to providing the best products at a competitive price.

CannaMed USA™

1750 30th Street, #8 Boulder, CO 80301 www.cannamedusa.com 1-877-420-MEDS(6337) Are you eligible to use and possess medical marijuana legally? Did you know that it is legal in 13 states for patients to privately and confidentially speak with their doctor regarding the use of medical marijuana? Patients with many different conditions can benefit from its use and many other ailments can be eliminated, minimized or made bearable with the aid of medical marijuana. CannaMed USA’s™ Doctor network approved authorization process insures completely private and confidential medical marijuana recommendation and pre-screening services.

Thorne Ecological Institute

1466 N. 63rd St. 303-499-3647 Funds raised from Thorne Ecological Institute's 3rd Annual Natural Night Out Fundraising Event will support the in-school program, Project BEAR (Building Environmental Awareness & Respect) bringing hands-on nature, science, renewable energy, and literacy to over 10,000 underprivileged kids in Denver Metro area schools. Through interactive explorations, inquiry-based experiments, and the use of scientific instruments and specimens, Project BEAR fulfills the need for authentic science education in the classroom. Project BEAR getting kids out of their desks and in to science! www.thorne-eco.org

EcoRooter Plumbing

www.ecorooter.com 303-591-9864 EcoRooter Plumbing Inc. is an innovative local plumbing company specializing in water and energy conservation installations along with traditional services. We recycle materials and strive to use environmentally responsible products. EcoRooter understands that there are shades of green and we can recommend a variety of services. We provide free estimates of how to retrofit efficient and water saving plumbing in your house.

Cottonwood Kennels

7275 Valmont Rd. / 303-442-2602 Cottonwood Kennels is located on a small farm, home to very friendly farmyard animals. We are all about the pet-to-person connection. We believe that cats and especially dogs desire to be with people more than anything else. You will not find gimmicky substitutes for human interaction here.

You will find a very large staff of big-hearted, dedicated, hard-working people. We provide everything — quality diets, beds, playthings and especially tons of tender loving care. www.cottonwoodkennels.com

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36 September 24, 2009

Boulderganic ’09 Boulder Weekly

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