Earth Care 2011 Sustainable Santa Fe Guide by FlavorGrafix Design

Santa Fe 2011

A RESOURCE GUIDE BALANCING CULTURES, ECONOMICS & ECOLOGY

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

SUSTAINABLE Santa Fe [FEATURES] REWEAVING THE 42 FABRIC OF LIFE

110

FRUIT: 92 AMERICAN Looking for the Sublime by Deborah Madison

A piece of fruit that is “utterly enough” shouldn’t have traveled far. You must be patient for the season, or might have to climb to the treetop to pick it. This is what an esteemed chef and the author of Seasonal Fruit Desserts lies awake pondering, along with our world’s weightier dilemmas, like global warming and cultural collapse. Interestingly, the solution to all these issues depends in large part on the same thing: returning to a local food system.

by Will Barnes

What is it about playing in the dirt that makes the deepest, lifelong impressions? An ecologist and middle school science teacher observes the power of nature’s classroom to transform the lives of his students and wonders, “Who’s teaching whom?”

by Joel Glanzberg

How can we approach problems without our solutions creating more problems? How does nature regenerate and create wealth? A designer of living environments reminds us that our greatest resources lie not outside of our everyday orbits, but right here at home. It just takes envisioning our watersheds, community and local economy as our lifeboat.

BREATHING ROOM

128

A Rare Second Chance: Can the Mexican Gray Wolf Help Us Learn to Live in Balance? by Michael Robinson

Reintroduction of this slight desert lobo to our southern bioregion has been met with both panic and thrill. The panic may bubble up from a mythology deep within our psyche, or it may be that we see this predator as a competitor for game or livestock. But as protected wolves in the northern Rockies have demonstrated, they play an important role in restoring ecosystems—to the benefit of both humans and wildlife.

SCATTERING THE SEED by William deBuys

Photo by Willem Malten

A norteño relates a story told to him by a neighbor about the old days in Truchas. The tale is deceptively simple, however, because at its root is humanity’s responsibility to one another and to all creatures. In fact, our very survival depends on cultivating this generosity.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

[SECTIONS] 8 From the Co-Founder 12 From the Editor 14 2010 Sustainable Santa Fe Award Winners 15 Sustainable Santa Fe Plan 140 Advertisers Index

CULTURAL COMMONS 20 Abundance By Dionycio Padilla

22 Three Poems for Esai By Jimmy Santiago Baca

24 The Boy Dreams By Nolan Eskeets

26 Remembering Our Original Instructions By Charleen Touchette

28 Growing Up I Was Diconnected By Beata Tsosie-Peña

30 A Conversation in the Park By Marita Prandoni

32 Una Conversación en el Parque By Marita Prandoni

34 More Than a Fair Exchange: Santa Fe's Time Bank By Jennifer Guerin

56 Sparkling Clean Doesn't Have To Be Environmentally Mean

102 Nutritious Food: Everyone's Birthright

58 A Plastic-Free Primer

106 Earth Care's Locavore Guide

59 How to Make Your Own Bulk and Veggie Bags

EDUCATION

62 Dancing with the Carbon Bomb

112 Youth: Forging the Social Transition Using Their Own Ingenuity

68 The Power to Change: The Benefits of Establishing a Municiple Energy Utility

113 Amy Biehl Community School: Designed with the Future in Mind

By SSFRG Staff

By A. Kyce Bello

By SSFRG Staff

By Randy Sadewic

By Sergio Gonzales and Jorge Martinez

72 With Simple Energy Literacy, Everyone Can Make a Difference By Spencer Haynsworth

74 Santa Fe’s Green Building Code: Stepping up to the Challenge to Reduce CO2 Emissions By Katherine Mortimer

78 Going Solar

By Taylor Selby and Renee Frank

80 For the Love of Biking By Nate Downey

82 Viewpoint from the Inside: The Copenhagen 2010 Climate Conference By Ken Hughes

By Brian Ortiz

40 Nothing New Here By Vicki Pozzebon

SOLUTIONS RISING 46 It Takes a Sustainable Village By Kathy Holian

By Margo Covington

53 How to Make a Home for Bees By Pablo Navrot

54 First Precycle (Don't Generate Trash), Then Recycle By Regina Wheeler

By Bianca Sopoci-Belknap

By SSFRG Staff

114 Colegio Sin Fronteras: A Place for Community Learning and Social Development By Shelley Cohen

115 Sustainability Programs in Higher Education: Surging by Popular Demand By Jessica Rowland

116 Colegio Sin Fronteras: Un Lugar para Aprendizaje en Comunidad y el Desarollo Social By Celia Medina

118 Educational Success for All Students: Youth Speak Out! By Kristen Krell

120 School Gardens: Nourishing Lives, Nurturing Life By Erin O’Neill

122 SF School Gardens Guide

88 Annual Bike Cruise Showcases City’s Newest Trails and Connections

124 Cooking With Kids: Empowering Children in the Kitchen

By SSFRG Staff

90 Ripples in Still Water By Zane Fischer

LOCAL FOOD 94 Holding Quart: The First Funky Butte Ranch Zero Carbon-Mile Dairy Product Manifests as a Microbiology Experiment in My Stomach By Doug Fine

50 From Throwaways to Takeaways

By SSFRG Staff

86 Car Idling Gets You Nowhere

By Tim Rogers

38 Locals Value More Than Tech-Know-How

By Sherry Hooper

96 Redefining Organic By Willem Malten

98 A Climate-Change Survival Strategy: Growing Food Year-Round By Roque Marquez

By SSFRG Staff

By Lynn Walters

126 Green and White Fettuccine with Tomato Basil Sauce Recipe from Cooking with Kids

OUR NATURAL HERITAGE 132 New Mexico’s Headwaters: Our Lifeblood By Bryan Bird

136 The Pecos Wilderness: Where a Force of Nature Inspires a Force for Nature By Cinny Green

138 Gardens Gone Wild: Santa Fe Botanical Garden Remembers Its Roots While It Grows Its Future By Erin Sindewald

100 Closing the Food Gap through Food Policy Councils By Rubina Cohen

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

E A R T H C A R E U P D AT E | BY: CHRISTINA SELBY

Letter from Our Co-Founder Welcome to the newly refreshed 2011 issue of Sustainable Santa Fe: A Resource Guide brought to you by Earth Care. It connects you to practical ideas, cultural traditions, and emerging innovations—showcasing some of Santa Fe’s best homegrown approaches to our ever-evolving, global quest for sustainability. Earth Care views sustainability broadly, by considering the economic, cultural and environmental development of communities. For us, this involves tapping into the wellspring of creativity in a highly under-utilized and under-valued resource—our young people. At Earth Care, we’ve witnessed time and again young people’s natural capacity for creativity, problem solving and innovation. In fact, research has shown that we are all born with these skills, but in about 98% of us, our capacity to come up with lots of possible solutions to a problem is deteriorated by the time we reach the age of 25. Yet this divergent thinking is the driving force of sustainable development. Without the creative genius of our youth, we could not get there from here. In 2009 Earth Care charted a dynamic strategic plan to ensure young people have a place to use their creative energy to mobilize the community. We are focusing on four areas of development that we believe can leverage the most change towards sustainability, while offering the greatest opportunity for youth to propel their own lives forward: food and health, education, civic participation and social entrepreneurship. I am pleased to say that we have strengthened our community-wide partnerships in support of this

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

work. This year we are launching the Youth Food Cadre AmeriCorps program to engage young professionals in building a sustainable and just local food system—one that addresses the needs of our environment and of our community’s most vulnerable populations. This program—in collaboration with the Santa Fe Alliance, Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute, Cooking with Kids, City and County of Santa Fe, Santa Fe Food Policy Council and the Santa Fe Public Schools—will engage youth ages 5 to 25, through service-learning, internships and job training and opportunities. More than learning how to grow healthy food, these young people will learn the skills to grow vibrant community, advancing the City and County’s sustainable development plans. Our flagship program, Youth Allies for Sustainability, continues to help young people ages 13 to 19 to find their voices and hone their skills as social entrepreneurs. By their own design, youth are developing original sustainable development projects. Our Sustainable Schools program also continues to work with students, teachers and schools in pushing the boundaries of what a healthy school community looks like, and how schools can lessen the burden they place on our natural resources while expanding the community’s vision for a sustainable future. At Earth Care we are continuing to deepen the positive impact young leaders have on our community. In the words of a wise elder, Michael Meade, “We are in a culture that idealizes youthfulness and rejects actual youth.” But here again, Santa Fe is truly the City Different. These young people have found numerous allies among you. This work cannot be done without YOU: our community partners, teachers, mentors, elders, volunteers, businesses and friends who believe young people are the leaders of today and can make a valuable contribution in our community. When you read Sustainable Santa Fe: A Resource Guide, you are not only learning about the ideals of living a life in balance with our environment, but you are also supporting the hands-on work of young people who are making that ideal a reality. Thank you, Santa Fe, for reading and believing! ....................................................................................................................................................... Christina Selby is the Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Earth Care. For more information visit www.earthcare.org or call 505-983-6896.

A B O U T T H E S TA F F A N D A R T I S T S

ANGELA HARRIS

JADE LEYVA

PUBLISHER

COVER ARTIST

Angela is Earth Care’s Outreach & Development Coordina-

Jade’s experience as a painter has taken her on an ex-

tor and the Sustainable Santa Fe Resource Guide Publisher.

ploration of the beauty of the world around us and

She was born and raised in Santa Fe and received her BA

within us. A painter, photographer, potter and more, she

in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University

is rapidly making a name for herself as one of the

of California at Santa Cruz. Angela was one of the first

Southwest’s most original artists. Hailing from Mexico

teens to participate in Earth Care’s programs in 2003.

City, Jade now calls New Mexico her home. At times whimsical, celebratory and reflective, her work reflects

MARITA PRANDONI

influences from Pre-Colombian to postmodern. Her

EDITOR

newly published book, A Little Bird Told Me / Me lo dijo

Marita grew up in Montana and New Mexico and has

un pajarito, is not simply a retrospective of her paintings

lived in Santa Fe since 1982. Formerly the managing ed-

up to 2010, but a treatise on the central themes of her

itor at EcoHearth.com, she authors the Small Earth blog

work: love, unity, and our fragile relationship to Mother

at EcoHearth. She is passionate about exploring differ-

Earth. Jade is available for commissioned work and her

ent cultures and worldviews, especially through the win-

artwork is available for gallery showings and art shows.

dow of language. Fluent in German, Spanish and French,

www.jadeleyva.com.

she is now learning Italian.

JENNIFER ESPERANZA TODD YOCHAM

PHOTOGRAPHER

ART DIRECTOR

Jennifer is a fine art, portrait, editorial and social justice

Born in southern New Mexico and raised in south

photographer. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico and is

Florida, Todd grew up “under his mother’s drafting

the mother of Emily & Gabriel, two very artistic kids.

table.” He returned to New Mexico with his dog, Clyde

Her work has been published in SHOTS, The Sun Maga-

(lovingly referred to as “Tuff Dog”) and has been in-

zine, Light of Consciousness, National Geographic Ad-

volved with print design for the last 21 years. He and his

venture Magazine, The New York Times and many other

family currently reside in Cerrillos, NM, where a wooden

publications. www.jenniferesperanza.com,

Santa Fe Southern boxcar serves as an office. Todd’s

www.flickr.com/photos/jenniferesperanza

work can be seen at www.tuffdogstudio.com.

TAMMY MAITLAND BRIAN ORTIZ

PHOTOGRAPHER

YOUTH INTERN

Tammy’s passion for photography is rivaled by her love

Brian is a senior at the Academy for Technology and the

of travel, music, children, volunteering and sunny days

Classics. He was born in Albuquerque, grew up in Santa

spent outdoors. She is employed as a teacher and gar-

Fe, and plans to major in Sustainability in college. Brian

dener. www.flickr.com/photos/tammymaitland/

has interned at Earth Care with the Sustainable Santa Fe Resource Guide project since June 2010.

PRINTING THIS MAGAZINE The paper in this magazine was made primarily from residual wood fiber (used wood). More than 70 percent of it comes from suppliers who have achieved sustainable forest management certification and and is Elemental Chlorine Free. It has been printed with vegetable-based inks.

Contents COPYRIGHT ©2010 Earth Care, a nonprofit educational organization. All rights reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without written permission. 1235 Siler Rd., Suite D, Santa Fe, NM 87507. Phone: 505-983-6896 Fax: 505-983-2622; info@earthcare.org; www.earthcare.org

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

SUSTAINABLE Santa Fe Publisher: Editor:

Angela Harris Marita Prandoni

Art Director:

Todd Yocham

Youth Intern:

Brian Ortiz

Photographers:

Jennifer Esperanza Tammy Maitland All photography courtesy of Earth Care unless otherwise noted.

Advertising Angela Harris Salespeople: Mike Rohner Ashley Sarracino Taylor Selby Zach Taylor Earth Care Staff:

Angela Harris – Outreach & Development Coordinator, SSF Guide Project Manager. Eden Radfarr – Youth Allies Program Coordinator Ashley Sarracino – Co-Executive Director Christina Selby – Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director Lora Sheldon – Business Manager Bianca Sopoci-Belknap – Associate Director, Youth Programs

Earth Care Board Todd Lopez of Trustees: Colin Keegan Steve Dilg Mercedes Downing Nolan Eskeets Jason Espinoza Joe Garcia Shawn Katz Nicole Rassmuson Taylor Selby Christina Selby Tom Wolinski Earth Care Beaver Toyota Sponsors: Heard Robins Cloud & Black, LLP Los Alamos National Bank Special thanks Don Rehorn, Michael Cochran, Brian Rivera, Willem Malten, Karen Rencountre, Tristan Farzan, Miranda Gray, Erin O’Neill, Pablo Navrot, Bianca SopociBelknap, Lynn Walters, Sam Hitt and Katie Macaulay for additional fine artwork and photography. ....................................................................................... Sustainable Santa Fe: A Resource Guide is owned by Earth Care, a nonprofit organization. All proceeds support the education and empowerment of youth and teachers in our community. We appreciate all the work that volunteers, contractors and staff members have put into this and prior publications. We hope you enjoy the changes in the Guide as we continue to upgrade it in quality each year. Our sincere thanks goes out to the community of Santa Fe and to all community members and businesses who have participated in the Guide through the submission of articles and advertisements.

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2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

F R O M T H E E D I T O R | BY MARITA PRANDONI

NATURE AND CULTURE: The Two Are Inseparable I would like to thank Earth Care for the opportunity to fashion this guide, and more importantly, for including me in their lively, youth-powered organization. In German there is an expression that often follows a chilly handshake: cold hands, warm heart. At Earth Care, it should be “calloused hands, warm heart.” Earth Care’s presence in the community demonstrates that working to secure a just and sustainable future is not just a fringe idea. Daily, in classrooms, businesses, on service-learning projects, and as youth advisors on the City’s Sustainable Santa Fe Commission, Earth Care’s Youth Allies launch little revolutions, fearlessly busting up tired conventions while weighing in on important decisions about their future. It was not my vision that created this edition of Sustainable Santa Fe, but each contributor’s distinct walk of life and their willingness to share their perspectives and ideas. These stories, poems and articles weave just a swatch of the vast and textured tapestry of our evolving cultural landscape. I hope you will find them informative and captivating, and know that you are part of a remarkable community. ....................................................................................................................................................... Marita Prandoni is an SSFRG staff member. Please see “About the Staff and Artists,” page 10.

Watercolor by Don Rehorn “Necessary Reflection”

The array of stories, poems and articles gathered in this guide represent some of the diverse voices of our community, our pueblito pequeño, as one of our contributors calls Santa Fe. They are widely known and little known neighbors, and they speak for children and youth, forebears and elders, farmers and teachers, wolves and goats. They also speak for the landscape— the neighborhoods, watersheds and wilderness—and how our relationship to our place determines our physical, cultural and spiritual nourishment.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

C O M M U N I T Y T R I U M P H S | BY: SSFRG STAFF

2010 Sustainable Santa Fe Award Winners On April 24, 2010, after a day of service at The Community Farm, the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission’s Youth Advisory Board presented their 2010 awards. The Youth Advisory Board, members of the Sustainable Santa Fe Commission, Congressman Ben Ray Lujan, Mayor David Coss and City Councilor Chris Calvert all expressed their support of the work of the Commission, Youth Advisory Board and the winners of this year's awards. Education Program Development: The esteemed and recently deceased Lou Schreiber for his constant dedication to the Sustainable Technologies Center at the SF Community College. Sustainable Education Project: Green Fire Times, a monthly publication covering “News and Views from the Sustainable Southwest”. Youth-led Project: Victoria Atencio and Santa Fe Indian School for the “Honoring Mother Earth” yearlong project. Green Building: Faren Dancer for the Emerald Home, which produces all its own electricity and achieved an unprecedented HERS (Home Energy Rating System) index of minus 2.

Affordable Green Housing: ¡YouthWorks!, the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, and Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity for the Oshara Habitat House. Renewable Energy Project: the ¡EnergyWorks! project, which was a collaboration between ¡YouthWorks!, The Housing Trust, and Randy Grissom of Santa Fe Community College. Eight youth completed over 225 energy efficiency installations/audits for working class families, while studying to get their GEDs. Water Conservation Project: Ten Thousand Waves for cleaning and recycling the water in their tubs and for their laundry facility. Solid Waste Reduction Project: Mexica Calderón for Santa Fe Food Not Bombs. Alternative Transportation Project: Chainbreaker Collective for their Bicycle Restoration Center, which trains individuals to repair and maintain bicycles as a transportation source that is economically feasible and environmentally friendly. Food Systems: The Santa Fe Alliance for their Regional Food and Fuels Project, which focuses on development of local sustainable food and energy economies by linking local producers and consumers. A Perpetual Spark of Inspiration: The late Rose Simmons for her work while a teenager to organize her peers on behalf of animal rights and the environment. The Sustainable Santa Fe Commission and its Youth Advisory Board present the annual Sustainable Santa Fe Awards on Earth Day.

above left: Javier Gonzales weatherizes windows as part of the ¡EnergyWorks! project, winner of the Renewable Energy Project Award above right: (l-r) Jan Atencio, Victoria Atencio, and Congressman Ben Ray Lujan pose with the Youth-led Project Award for Victoria's Senior Honors Project, Earth Appreciation Week, at the Santa Fe Indian School.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

Sustainable Santa Fe Plan In 2008, the City Council unanimously passed the Sustainable Santa Fe Plan. It outlines goals in the areas of waste, water, transportation, greenhouse-gas emissions, education, food and more. Many achievements in sustainable practices are described throughout this guide. You can read about the full plan at www.santafenm.gov. An employee orientation program informs city workers on conserving energy in their daily operations wherever possible. Examples are turning off computers, not idling vehicles, and reducing unnecessary printing. The City of Santa Fe has received a grant for $500,000 and another for $781,600 to implement energy efficiency retrofits. Twenty-three of 52 City buildings will get lighting retrofits; some of the 52 are newer buildings, so they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need retrofits. For more information contact Nick Schiavo at 955-6693. The City has entered into nine contracts to purchase renewable energy sources. A one-megawatt photovoltaic project covering six acres will break ground at the Waste Water Treatment Plant in Fall 2010. See specific achievements highlighted throughout this magazine.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 38 40

Abundance Three Poems for Esai The Boy Dreams Remembering Our Original Instructions Growing Up I Was Diconnected A Conversation in the Park Una Conversaci贸n en el Parque More Than a Fair Exchange: Santa Fe's Time Bank Locals Value More Than Tech-Know-How Nothing New Here

SCATTERING The Seed BY WILLIAM DEBUYS

Max Cordova told me this story about the old days in Truchas, when people used to grow a lot of wheat. Flour and bran were among the goods that Truche帽os would trade to their cousins in Chimay贸 and Santa Cruz for chile, melons, and other crops. Up at 8,000 feet where Truchas perched on the west slope of the Sangres, growing chile and other warm-weather foods was a poor gamble, but grains flourished on the llanos that spread around the village.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

Sowing those broad fields of wheat, oats and rye required a lot of labor in pre-mechanized days. It was hand work, and everyone—men and women, children of all ages, abuelas y abuelos— took part. Everybody carried a bag of seed. They spaced themselves more or less evenly and walked the fields, scattering the grain. The point Max was getting to with his story was that they recited a chant as they did their work, one

phrase with each step, and with each step and each phrase they made one swing of the arm to broadcast the seed. It went like this: Para nos Para vos Para los pajaritos De Dios. Para nos: for us, says the sower of seed, who steps and swings his arm, and the grain lands on the dark plowed earth; Para vos: for you, he (or

she) steps and swings the arm again; Para los pajaritos de Dios: for the little birds of God, and another step and a swing of the arm, as the magpies and finches dart in behind. And then start over with a step and a swing, Para nos… Of course in English the chant doesn’t rhyme and in more modern-sounding Spanish, without nos and vos, it loses a good deal of its charm. But quaintness is not its message. The

It was hand work, and everyone—men and women, children of all ages, abuelas y abuelos—took part.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

Part of the farmer's obligation was to lend a hand toward the support of all creatures.

Photos courtesy of NM State Archives.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

chant expresses a bundle of values, and the point of Max’s story was that these values are important—no, essential—to people’s capacity to live with each other and the land. The reason the crop was sown and the cycle of growth initiated was, yes, for “us,” the farmers of the field, the family, the kin and close friends. But it was also for “you”—all those who more remotely partook in the life of the harvest—the rest of the people of the village, the people of other villages where chile and melons were grown, all those who dwelled in the circle of nourishment and sustenance to which the field and its crop contributed.

But most telling was that the circle included more than just people. The pajaritos de Dios also shared in the life of the field, and they deserved a portion of its bounty. What they consumed was not waste; it was their due. Part of the farmer’s obligation was to lend a hand toward the support of all creatures. Here is where the story gets really interesting. Max’s point was not about nailing one more duty to the long list of things we expect from farmers. In the day and place of the story, virtually all people were farmers. The chant and its requirements belonged to every person, without distinction, and everyone sowed one kind of field or another.

Para nos Para vos…. (Irrespective of your line of work, you are growing something) Para los pajaritos de Dios. ...................................................... William deBuys is a writer and conservationist based in Northern New Mexico. His books include Enchantment and Exploitation, River of Traps, and The Walk, and range from memoir and biography to environmental history and studies of place.

CULTURAL COMMONS 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

ABUNDANCE BY DIONYCIO PADILLA

Rich Black Earth My heart Is a treasure chest Of composted leafy memories And moldy dreams They have built up Year after year Into rich black soil To grow poems Bouquets of flowers To set on your bedside table On cold winter nights. *** Corn Dance Delicately etched On the cliff's red face A corn plant If you listen You can still hear Ancient drum beats Echoing Keeping time Today With the dancing green corn In the fields below.

Photo of field at El Rancho de las Golondrinas ÂŠ Tammy Maitland

***

On The Way To The Fields You blushed and pretended That you didn't see me This morning Now I know That it really was you Who knocked On the door of my dreams Last night Looking Over your shoulder Before you entered Making sure No one was watching. ....................................................................... Dionycio Padilla is a teacher at EJ Martinez Elementary and began cultivating its educational garden more than two decades ago. He is also a writer, artist and beekeeper in Villanueva, NM.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

THREE POEMS FOR ESAI BY JIMMY SANTIAGO BACA

Esai collects dreams in the nest of his palm farm sweet blackberry juice stains his hands and lips.

in life’s inherent goodness Not to harm your open heart and lovely soul, You smile on each person you meet, Laugh as if laughter pollinated Plants to unfurl, And all around us flowers blossom.

Were he able to speak about the blackberries, Esai would simply say God.

As if laughter were a way of making you Any animal you wanted, when you smiled You the horse galloped through a meadow, When you smiled you the sparrow Balanced on the branch outside When you smile You your soul Flies Like a sunrise over the landscape Touching all things equally with light.

He wakes from his afternoon siesta, flapping legs and hands, a bluebird perched on the birch branch of mother’s arm ready to raid cornfields in his father’s heart.

* * *

You stand up now Holding onto the cupboard handle or my hand. Coming out of the burrow of blankets Sitting on your haunches back straight as a squirrel, You scan the bedroom, Left right down up then dive into me, embracing my face, small arms and hands feel so good on me, Then you robustly hug your mother With the same bearish delight— There is so much delight in you So early, So much relish for life radiates from your gestures, So much faithfulness and confidence 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

Esai, celebrate your mixed-blood— Ibericos, Phoenicians, Celts, Visigoths, Romans, Moors, Olmecs, Mayans, Toltecs, Aztecs and Incas, Seeds buried in your bone marrow flourish a forest in your blood— in the rainforest of your black hair sacred quetzal birds caw, and ancient origins of Indio/Arab/Jewish rivers mix as they rush through you, mimicking tears of one tribe, laughter of another, in you a thousand lives celebrate and mourn, your heart the size of a pomegranate seed, quenched both to rise up in rioting blossoms and fiercely bow before the dawn’s splendor: On hands and knees You scuttle around the house, Growl like a jaguar, your brown-hazel eyes peek around the kitchen archway, flash behind the bedroom French doors, you scamper on all fours like a young prong-deer as I chase you, nonsense words giggle out from your throat a flock of egrets Exploding across the living room, Swoop into the dormant fireplace, vanish up the chimney toward the sky. In the sunroom, sunlight pierces the shadows

CULTURAL COMMONS

quivering to reveal your jaguar jaws clamped around a yellow rubber duckâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Tribal infant, you raise your arms to the sky, standing up against the couch testing your stance, your balance shaky, your small rose-leaf hands release from the couch clap a thankfulness prayer, your eyes dart at me and I smile at you, now changed into a tawny fawn alert ears twitching for danger before you incline your sleek neck and sip water from the river of life running between us. Later in the morning, In the bathtub, about to cry, choking breath back, almost-tears transform into a cough then change to a whine And ended up as laughterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; . .................................................................................................................. Born in Santa Fe in 1952, Jimmy Santiago emerged from a childhood and youth affected by abandonment, an eventual drug conviction and prison time, to become a multiple award-winning author and poet. Baca has devoted his post-prison life to writing and teaching others who are overcoming hardship. These are included in the collection Breaking Bread with the Darkness: Book 1 The Esai Poems, published by Sherman Asher Publishing, Santa Fe, in Spring 2011.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

THE BOY DREAMS BY NOLAN ESKEETS SFIS SPOKEN WORD TEAM

Since time immemorial, the Navajo people have blessed their path with a holy substance, corn pollen. It is finely ground and carried in medicine pouches to be sprinkled as prayer offerings. Father mines every day for four years, unaware of the parasitic poison housed in his organs. He will die of stomach cancer. And the government will discount his death—and thousands more—as incidental.

During World War II, the Navajo Nation was found to have the largest concentration of uranium deposits in the US. Navajo men were employed to extract and refine uranium for nuclear weapons production. The residual product of this process is known as yellowcake, a fine yellow dust that is highly radioactive.

In his dreams, the Boy sees the truth.

Placed side by side, corn pollen and yellowcake look almost identical.

Rain pours into dynamite-blasted fissures in the land, mixing with yellowcake to become lethal community reservoirs. Livestock from nearby farms bathe in that same water and families fill their buckets to sustain themselves. The contagion spreads.

There is a story that says in the beginning, The People were given a choice about which to carry through life. Corn pollen, with the power to bless, or yellowcake, with the power to poison. The People chose corn pollen, the People chose beauty, the People chose life.

Elders stagger from behind hills, gasp for air through thick, industrial smoke, clutch at their skin as it tears—revealing dying vital organs— shriek at Father to remember the original choice. Mangled fetal fingers reach from beneath the soil, drumming the song of the seventh generation, crying for a return to the way of balance.

There is another story, one of a boy who dreamed of his father. The father carves through mountainsides, excavating uranium. Radioactivity permeates his body. His medicine pouch hangs at his side, empty. He has betrayed the choice of the ancient ones.

Father’s pick connects with the rock again and again and again, as yellowcake cascades down the mountainside. The Boy offers trembling handfuls of sacred yellow corn pollen to the boiling air. He whispers his prayers to the sky, pleading for a cleansing rain, one that will reveal the footsteps of ancestors who walked in beauty.

At home, Mother works on a traditional rug, Sister plays outside, And the Boy meticulously stitches his own medicine pouch.

With contaminated arms, he embraces Sister. She swings from Father’s venomous hands before sitting to dinner. Her kidneys will fail. 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

Father returns from the mines, tainted. With lips poisoned by sheets of radiation breathed over them, he kisses Mother. She inhales the yellowcake rising from his clothing. She will develop lung cancer.

CULTURAL COMMONS 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

REMEMBERING OUR ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS BY CHARLEEN TOUCHETTE

member to improve their lives and ensure survival. As a child, I took comfort in the natural world. Though my people were forced to assimilate and convert, the rituals of the Church never inspired me as much as the power of a thunderstorm, the colors of dawn or the blessing of a rainbow. The forest with its towering trees, dappled light and burbling streams sodden with the heavy scent of wet Earth was far more like home than my mother’s spotless suburban manufactured house. Remember, our true mother is Mother Earth and our father is Father Sky. In many indigenous ceremonies worldwide,

“Illuminated Ancestors with Beehives” by Charleen Touchette

While mystics meditate, fast and pray to experience this intelligence—and scientists observe and measure it with instruments—indigenous people understand it through daily life across the seasons in an intimate relationship with air, water and Earth. Western scientists wonder how indigenous people across the globe knew about microcosmic and macrocosmic structures long ago without using microscopes and telescopes. This does not surprise those who know that people living close to the Earth are natural scientists who use all their senses to observe, adapt, invent and re-

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

prayers are offered to Earth, our mother who gives us food, clothing, shelter and all we need. These are not empty words. They are an accurate description of our fundamental relationship with the Earth that provides everything. North American Indian teachers tell us to remember our original instructions. These were handed down through oral tradition and recorded in indigenous art to teach us to live in balance with the Earth and all our relations, which include not only us two-legged, but also the four-legged, winged, swimming, crawling, insect, plant and stone people. Living in balance requires respect, love and sharing. It calls for the discipline and wisdom to refrain from taking more than we need and being responsible for the waste we produce. Our original instructions are based on common sense and the deep realization that our actions can upset the balance of the world— and that we are responsible to restore harmony so all life can thrive. These in-

The Earth is always sending messages. All we have to do is to look and listen to understand what she says. The most important message is that love is the intelligence connecting all life. Light energy vibrates throughout the universe. It is a tangible reality experienced by mystics and seers, and described by quantum physicists. It is seen in all systems from the microcosm of subatomic particles to the macrocosm of planetary systems and galaxies. structions are for everyone everywhere, not just for Indians. The Earth is sending messages with Earthquakes, hurricanes and volcanic explosions. After too many years of neglect, now is the time to see and hear her—and to bring our words and actions back into harmony with the Earth and all our relations. This essay first appeared on EcoHearth.com, a wind-powered ecology website providing international, independent views on all things environmental.

...................................................... Charleen Touchette is Quebecois, Acadian and Metis of mixed blood French and Canadian First Nation ancestry and grew up bilingual in French and English. An artist, author, activist and mother of four, she lives in the mountains near Santa Fe, where she is the New Mexico Coordinator of Martin Luther King III’s Realizing the Dream Initiative.

CULTURAL COMMONS 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

GROWING UP I WAS DISCONNECTED BY BEATA TSOSIE-PEÑA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER ESPERANZA “FOUND FEATHER”

Dedicated to the women of Las Mujeres Hablan, and those working for justice in their communities, with special thanks to Tina Cordova

Growing up I was disconnected Some things were not discussed Among people who valued hard work and employment One-sided silence through years of schooling I learned about the nuclear age From movies and propaganda and Bradbury field trips The glorified versions of a history that happened in my own backyard In our state of Enchantment Pristine open spaces and a population Not respected by a higher nation Still living off the land as the industrial age passed them by Only to get thrust into nuclear realization Beneath a mission Urgent and thick with intensity Beneath a shroud of secrecy I was not yet born The day scientists feared for our sky Thoughts of atmospheric ignition And that everyone would die I was not yet born when the Jemez was taken Homesteaders relocated, not of their volition Uranium miners on the road to perdition Beloved mountains, occupied before I could praise them Disconnected from ancestral knowledge In three generations Clan animals vanished Even as the jobs began to appear Unprotected hired hands from the valley A job was nothing to fear It was a welcome exchange in hard times I wasn’t yet born The day silver ash rained down for days And a plume of poison drifted over state lines Radioactive fallout, on cisterns of drinking water On crops and livestock, who all miscarried that year The people were lied to And went about life as usual While the truth fled With bread over their mouths

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

To keep from breathing air they knew was foul And the world was changed forever A month later, 80,000 people were killed instantly Justified atrocity named enemy And the book was closed on Trinity Even though it was our own citizens who were bombed Children born into an experimental population With a cancer rate way higher than the average nation Entire families still sick and dying Still crying, for the elders they lost too soon I – was born into military healthcare, mixed blood and desert beauty Free from the shame of colonized blame My grandfather employed by Sandia My down-winder grandmothers who birthed babies and taught me songs While washing tainted laundry and making pots from local clay I wonder now, can Earth decay? Eating the elk my uncles brought down Breathing fire smoke from trees that drank From discarded waste placed…anyplace Today – my daughters are born Into single driver car twice daily parades Dependence on industrial weapon economic charades The sound of bombs exploding As we pray to the sun in mornings Will my cornmeal prayers Protect them as they play in ditches Carrying water from a source three miles away from tritium releases? What did my oldest get exposed to? As I breathed in smoke from a tech area burned 3 times over What kind of poison Can penetrate the walls of my womb? What stories were silenced, and why, and from whom? The truth must be told From the people who lived it

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Who dwell in this place that houses our spirit Respectfully, I pray, for past, present and future souls to be at peace someday For clean earth, air and water So my children can play Splashing and laughing as we tend to our gardens Beneath the loving gaze of our sacred mountains Free of fear from invisible poison Free to hear, undisturbed and clear, the birds sing in the morning As we continue to question And speak our points of view Let us share the stories anew that have never been told And release the pain not even a century old No longer shamed by accusations of ignorance Let our diverse voices be our deliverance No breath here is unimportant We are free to pray Each in our way For justice, strong leaders, and supportive institutions A foundation for our expectations As we welcome in this time of healing For the good Of all future generations .................................................................................................................. Beata Tsosie-Pe単a is from Santa Clara Pueblo and works for environmental health and justice with Tewa Women United, one of seven NGOs in Northern New Mexico that comprise Las Mujeres Hablan. Her poem was published in a report for the Los Alamos Historic Document Retrieval and Assessment Project, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (LAHDRA Project, CDC).

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

A CONVERSATION IN THE PARK BY MARITA PRANDONI

How long have you been in Santa Fe? Gerardo: Eight years. And how did you get here? Gerardo: I arrived under my own steam, from El Salvador to Guatemala, then to Mexico and then the US. I came by bus, truck, hitchhiking and by foot. How did you enter the US? Gerardo: Simply by foot. I just walked across.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

Why did you leave your country? Gerardo: It’s difficult to earn money in my country. I’m a campesino, and in the city where the jobs are, they don’t want to give work to campesinos. Isn’t it difficult to get work here too? Gerardo: If I’m lucky, I can earn $400 a week in construction, as a plasterer or painter. It’s tough now and at best I earn $200 per week.

Is it possible to pay your rent? Gerardo: No, I don’t have an apartment at the moment. I sleep in the shelter. Have you experienced discrimination here? Gerardo: Yes, many times. At the MVD, a person told me I shouldn’t be driving if I couldn’t speak English.

©DaBinsi

I went one afternoon to DeVargas Park to visit with the workers who appear every day—looking for the chance to work. There I met up with Gerardo, from El Salvador and Pedro, from Oaxaca, Mexico.

Pedro, how long have you been in Santa Fe? Pedro: In the US 21 years. In Santa Fe just three months. I spent 17 years in California and four years in Arizona. How was life in California? Pedro: At the time I was there, the governor passed Proposition 187, which denied immigrants education, access to health care, and other public services. So it was bad. Even though mi-

What percentage of the workers would you say actually get work in any given day? Pedro: About ten percent.

And Arizona? Pedro: Equally bad. In general, people don’t respect immigrants and are suspicious of us. But there are good and bad people in every society. It’s important to be able to use your head to contribute to society, but also to have abilities with your hands. Ever since the passage of NAFTA, we have been losing the opportunity to earn wages and survive in Mexico.

And if someone doesn’t get work day after day, does anyone else notice? Pedro: Yes, we look out for each other. If we see that, we offer that person money for food or bring him food.

What type of work do you do? Pedro: Handyman work or tile work. And why did you come to Santa Fe? Pedro: To avoid the new Arizona law. How’s it going? Pedro: I like it better here. After I arrived, I went to the plaza. There was music and people were dancing. It was like arriving somewhere where the culture flourishes with different nationalities. It’s like a little village here. In my village in Oaxaca, if you go to the plaza, you also find music and friendly people. If you don’t have a place to sleep, you can ask someone and they’ll say, “Sure, I can find a bed for you until you have a home.”

CULTURAL COMMONS

grant workers pay tax every time they buy something, the reason given was that we didn’t pay taxes and so we weren’t entitled to receive public services.

Do you sometimes buy cheap fast food to get by? Pedro: No, almost never— maybe if it’s an emergency. Usually we eat fruit, vegetables, rice and meat prepared at home. Would you prefer to live here or in Oaxaca? Pedro: In Oaxaca. In my country, if I had a little plot of land where I could grow some corn, I would live well off the land. There are mountains and rivers too. And the people are kind. This is what it means to me to be rich. You need only family, friends, a roof, some corn and clean water.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

UNA CONVERSACIÓN EN EL PARQUE BY MARITA PRANDONI • Muchas gracias a Jade Leyva por su ayuda con la traducción.

Fuí un día al parque de DeVargas para hablar con los trabajadores que aparecen cada día buscando la oportunidad de trabajar. Ahí conocí a Gerardo, de El Salvador y también a Pedro, de Oaxaca, México.

¿Y cómo llegó acá? Gerardo: Llegué por mis propios medios, de El Salvador a Guatemala, después a México, y luego a los Estados Unidos. Me vine en autobús, camión, pidiendo aventón a extraños y a pié. ¿Y cómo entró a los EEUU? Gerardo: A pié. Simplemente caminando crucé la frontera.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

¿Porqué salió de su país? Gerardo: Es muy dificil ganar dinero en mi país. Soy campesino y si hay oportunidades en la ciudad, no le quieren dar trabajo a los campesinos. ¿Es también difícil encontrar trabajo aquí? Gerardo: Si tengo suerte, puedo ganar $400 por semana trabajando en construcción, haciendo enjarre o pintura. Ahora es muy dificil y si me va bien, gano $200 por semana.

¿Es posible pagar la renta así? Gerardo: No, no tengo apartamento ahora. Duermo en el shelter. ¿Há sido discriminado alguna vez aquí? Gerardo: Sí, muchas veces. En el departamento de motores y vehículos una persona me dijo que no debo manejar si no hablo inglés.

Pedro, ¿Cuánto tiempo lleva viviendo en Santa Fé? Pedro: En los EEUU llevo 21 años. En Santa Fé solo tres meses. Estuve 17 años en California y cuatro años en Arizona. ¿Cómo era la vida para usted en California? Pedro: Cuando estuve allá, el gobernador pasó la Proposición 187 que niega a los inmigrantes ilegales la educación, acceso a servicios de salud y otros servicios públicos. Entonces esa era una situación muy mala. A pesar

¿Cuánto tiempo lleva viviendo en Santa Fé? Gerardo: Ocho años.

¿Y en Arizona? Pedro: Igualmente malo. En general, la gente no respeta a los inmigrantes y siempre existe la sospecha. Pero hay gente mala y buena en cada país. Es importante poder usar bien la mente para contribuír a la sociedad, pero es también importante tener capacidad con las manos. El problema es que desde NAFTA, perdimos la posibilidad de ganar para sobrevivir en México. ¿Qué tipo de trabajo hace? Pedro: Trabajo general y azulejo. ¿Y porqué vino a Santa Fé? Pedro: Para evitar de la nueva ley en Arizona. ¿Y como le está yendo acá? Pedro: Me gusta más aquí. Cuando llegué y fuí a la plaza, había música y muchas personas bailando. Era como llegar a un lugar donde florecen culturas y diferentes nacionalidades. Es como un pueblito pequeño. En mi pueblo Oaxaca, si vas a la plaza, también hay música y la gente es muy simpática. Si no tienes una cama donde dormir, le puedes preguntar a cualquier persona y te ofrece, “Hay una cama donde vivo, ahí se puede quedar hasta que encuentre un hogar.”

CULTURAL COMMONS

de que el inmigrante paga impuestos cada vez que hace una compra, nos dijeron que no pagamos impuestos. Entonces no conseguimos el derecho a recibir servicios públicos.

¿Qué porcentaje de personas consiguen trabajo en un día típico aquí? Pedro: Como un diez porciento. ¿Y si una persona no consigue trabajo en muchos días? Alguien lo nota? Pedro: Sí, cuando notamos que esto le está pasando a alguien, nos ayudamos los unos a los otros y a esa persona le ofrecemos a dinero o comida para ayudarlo. ¿Usted compra a veces comida rápida porque es más barata? Pedro: No, casi nunca. Solo si es una emergencia. Pero normalmente comemos frutas, vegetales, arroz, y carne que preparamos a casa. ¿Prefiere la vida aquí o en Oaxaca? Pedro: En Oaxaca. Si tuviera un pedacito de tierra en mi país, donde pudiera cultivar un poco de maíz, podría vivir muy bien. Hay también lindas montañas y ríos. La gente es muy amable. Para mí, eso es ser rico. Solo se necesita una familia, amigos, un techo, maíz y agua limpia.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

MORE THAN A FAIR EXCHANGE: SANTA FE’S TIME BANK BY JENNIFER GUERIN

It’s a familiar scenario in Santa Fe: You are moving and need help. You thought you could do it alone, but there are more boxes than you anticipated, and the back of your never-say-die Subaru is less roomy than you thought. Your best friends are willing to lend you an afternoon or evening, or even two. You need them, but you don’t want to put them out. You’d offer to pay them for their help, but that seems insulting. What’s a good citizen to do? Enter the Santa Fe Time Bank, the City Different’s best-kept secret, and the one you’ll be telling your friends about before they can say, “I need someone to clean my arroyo.” In short, the Time Bank is comprised of a group of people—connected in person by monthly planning meetings and online by Community Weaver software—who offer their time and services to each other in exchange for “time dollars.” This currency of hours earned can be “spent” with other TB members on any number of services offered on the time bank exchange. Finally: a visionary, alternative, local economy— with teeth.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

After attempting a similar initiative in early 2009, Stella Osorojos, a local Doctor of Oriental Medicine, teamed up with digital artist Deborah Fort and Adrianne McCurrach, an independent film and web designer who had discovered the Time Bank movement while working in Los Angeles. The team did their research and launched the current chapter in January 2010 with about 20 participants. Their ranks have grown quickly to a bank with over 60 actively trading members and more joining each month. “It’s not just a bunch of hippies trading chickens,” says Joa Dattilo, a Santa Fean who did, in fact, use time bank hours to clean

up an illegal dumpsite in the arroyo by her house last winter. Santa Fe’s time bank has met scores of similarly practical needs for members, such as weeding and planning gardens, consulting for businesses, and preparing food for those temporarily laid-up by illness or injury. It has also helped small business owners grow their own clientele by trading hours for an introduction to their services. Currently, McCurrach and the leadership team are preparing to invite local businesses to join the time bank as well. “Think of it,” she says, “someone gets a teeth cleaning and the dental office has their website worked on. A plumber uses

time dollars for painting and help with developing an advertising strategy. A mechanic has someone help them organize or decorate their office, or get acupuncture.” Many alternative local currencies (like the now-famous Ithaca Dollars in New York) resemble a more traditional monetary system in that services offered on the exchange are priced based on their “market value” and must be traded accordingly—one hour of web site design, in other words, may be “worth” four hours cleaning a sick neighbor’s house. In contrast, the time bank concept holds that every person’s time is of equal value, no matter what service they are providing. Edgar Cahn, time bank inventor and cofounder of the National Legal Services Program, refers to this as “co-production” and notes that it is what makes time banks tools of real social change. Members of a time bank, says Deborah Fort, “share a common goal: to honor the parts of us that aren’t honored by the market economy. . . .We respect

CULTURAL COMMONS 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

Photo courtesy of the Tower Gallery, www.roxanneswentzell.net

below: “Sharing” by Roxanne Swentzell

and recognize that all of us have something to offer that is valuable to the community in different ways.” McCurrach agrees: “This is key and the component that has the power to make huge, attainable, practical change in our local communities and thus in our global community. We get to know our neighbors. We reduce the need to earn [money] and we match unmet needs with untapped resources.” Bob Keeton, a Santa Fean with an interest in community building, had always come away from conversations about alternative currencies feeling a bit cold, precisely because they focus on “another piece of paper in [his] wallet.” Keeton, whose main interest is to build the kind of relationships that can sustain a society through difficult times, sees the Time Bank as meeting that critical need. It “‘backdoors’ the community component,” he says, “because in order for the time bank to be successful, we have to get to know each other.” Margaret Kuhlen has recently returned to Santa Fe after nine years in Portland, Maine, where the Hours Exchange program 36

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

has over 600 members. For her too, the community building that emerges from a Time Bank is its main draw. In a world where we tend to live isolated lives and feel uncomfortable asking for help, even from our neighbors, she explains, “The virtual neighborhood actually seeds the community.” Kuhlen is referring to the Community Weaver software that is key to the time bank’s success. According to the Time Bank website, the movement uses the internet—“that touchstone of modern life”—to reintroduce neighbors to each other and the joys of doing things for each other in reciprocal relationships.” With CW, members create simple online profiles, browse services offered by other participants, and post their own needs and availability. Time bank hours are also logged and spent online. Interested Santa Feans can explore the work of founder Edgar Cahn at www.timebanks.org, or join the Time Bank by logging on to http://community.timebanks.org/ and clicking on the link to the Santa Fe Time Bank. ...................................................... Jennifer Guerin teaches a research and presentation class to twelfth graders at the Santa Fe Indian School, where she has worked for the last 10 years. She tries to live light and dream big with her family on the south side of town.

CULTURAL COMMONS 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

LOCALS VALUE MORE THAN TECH-KNOW-HOW BY BRIAN ORTIZ

As teens like me climb aboard the job and responsibility train, I often notice how seldom people interact with one another. Frequently, I walk up to a business, but rarely see an “apply within” sign anymore. All I see is an “apply online” poster with a little cartoon picture of a computer mouse plastered to the window, turning all applicants back to their homes to spend more time in front of a screen.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

that thing I sent ya?” I imagine the person charged with hiring sitting at a desk with hundreds of applications, just glancing at them all and taking down phone numbers. I imagine calling that person to see if he or she has reviewed my application. But when sitting at home trying to put my personality and character into a little para-

I often wonder how I am supposed to demonstrate my interpersonal skills when all I can do to apply is put my information in an email form and send it off, never being sure if my information will ever even be read. How am I supposed to call a business and ask them if they received my online application? Do I simply say, “Did you get

graph, as though I were setting up a profile on a dating site, I can’t. I, for one, would feel more comfortable with the experience of handing my information to an actual person, rather than sending it over the internet where it could possibly be accessed by thousands, together with a mess of applications from thousands of others. A pattern emerges with this internet craze. Domino’s, Starbucks, Albertsons—they’ve all got those translucent vinyl posters on their windows stating they’re looking for help. I realized that this problem is just another facet of the dehumanization that corporations give off without even thinking twice. At a local business on the other hand, there’s usually a sign telling me that I’d better be ready to sit there and fill something out with a pen. I would feel more confident (and thus statistically be more likely to succeed) if I had the opportunity to interact with actual people instead of a computer screen. I would very much like to find a local job that is locally owned, rather than work for a faceless company. I would like to

I realized that this problem is just another facet of the dehumanization that corporations give off without even thinking twice. see my boss every day, doing his or her part onthe-ground, as much as every other person in the organization. My few friends that got jobs have found them with local businesses. They all filled in paper applications on the spot and gave phone numbers of references to call. They were able to give a glimpse of who they were to a person, not a machine. I would like that for myself and everyone else in my generation. I recently applied at two local businesses. Their interactions with me confirmed that people truly value a dedicated applicant, rather than someone trying to sum up himself and sending it off by email in hopes of receiving a position. ...................................................... Brian Ortiz is an SSFRG staff member. Please see "About the Staff and Artists," page 10.

CULTURAL COMMONS 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CULTURAL COMMONS

NOTHING NEW HERE BY VICKI POZZEBON

Everything old is new again, so the saying goes. In a recent conversation with a friend, the subject of purchasing some rather useful but not entirely necessary items came up. “It just costs less at Big Box Mart,” she said. My retort? “What else did you spontaneously buy while you were there?” They suck us in with end-cap aisle items, loss-leaders and “great deal” prices. But the truth is, big box stores hurt our community in the long term. With more than 85 cents of your hard-earned dollar going out of state for their accounting services, HR outsourcing, marketing, and corporate headquarters—not to mention that the national chains are publicly traded—wouldn’t you rather think community first, before you buy? In northern New Mexico over 60 cents of a dollar you spend at locally owned, independent businesses stays right here, giving back over and over again in our community. Makes economic sense to me. To my friend, it’s still a matter of price and convenience. I suggested that she recycle some old cardboard boxes, cover them in pretty fabric and use them as storage containers. “Oh, my grandmother used to do that!” She was delighted at this reminder that generations before us have been smarter and more conservative with their money. Back then, a $45,000 house was paid off with one income. Vegetable gardens

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

were plentiful in yards all over town. Most likely, your neighbor was a local business owner from whom you purchased hardware or other supplies. Credit cards were used in emergency situations, not to finance furniture, or to pay off yet another credit card. We’ve moved so far away from conscious decision-making at the register that we prefer to open the local newspaper not to read the news but to see what deals and coupons are being offered. But what I’m witnessing is that with the disconnect comes a reconnect—a replugging into our community. Look around Santa Fe while you walk your dog, ride your bike, drive your car. Neighborhood community gardens are popping up at parks all across our City of Faith. The Santa Fe Farmers Market now has four markets a week in season. Local businesses are opening up every day. More restaurants have opened in the past year

than in the past five years, many with the commitment to buy from New Mexico farms, creating a regional food flavor. Solar panels are being installed on homes all over town. As I walked out my front door one Sunday afternoon, my neighbors were gathered in the street chatting about how to deal with water run-off on our neighbors’ property. “Time to collect it! We all need it, we should share it,” one neighbor declared as a chicken strayed from his backyard coop to join the crowd. I don’t live in a rural neighborhood; I live down the street from Santa Fe High School. To me, this is not only community, but community in action, thinking community first. And it’s nothing new—it’s a return to what we knew in the past and what worked. It’s what we define as a local living economy—ensuring that economic power resides locally to the greatest extent possible, sustaining vibrant, livable communities and healthy ecosystems in the process. Reaching deeper into our community economy; educating consumers on the power of local purchasing; supporting initiatives for local ownership; greening our businesses; supporting

climate change initiatives and health care reform; localizing our food purchasing; and creating energy independence—these are the ways we create a stronger local economy. Every time we buy vegetables directly from a farmer; order a NM beef burger in a restaurant; turn off a light; conserve water; and put up a solar panel, we are making our Santa Fe community even stronger. That’s a local living economy—putting your money where your house is. Santa Fe has weathered the recent economic storm with relative calm, digging into its community resources rather than looking for outside stopgaps to survive. What has always intrigued me about Santa Fe is its strength of character, its richness in making things uniquely local, its ability to see that relationships between neighbors and co-workers are what makes a community, that thinking community first is thinking local first. Our community holds the key to sustainability, and community alone is sustainable. ...................................................... Vicki Pozzebon is the Executive Director of the Santa Fe Alliance, a nonprofit organization working toward building a local living economy through community, local ownership and advocacy. Visit www.santafealliance.com for more information.

CULTURAL COMMONS 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

REWEAVING

SOLUTIONS RISING 46 It Takes a Sustainable Village 50 From Throwaways to Takeaways 54 First Precycle (Don't Generate Trash), Then Recycle 58 A Plastic-Free Primer 62 Dancing with the Carbon Bomb 68 The Power to Change: The Benefits of Establishing a Municiple Energy Utility 72 With Simple Energy Literacy, Everyone Can Make a Difference 74 Santa Fe’s Green Building Code 78 Going Solar 80 For the Love of Biking 82 The Copenhagen 2010 Climate Conference 86 Car Idling Gets You Nowhere 88 Annual Bike Cruise Showcases City’s Newest Trails and Connections 90 Ripples in Still Water

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

THE FABRIC OF LIFE BY JOEL GLANZBERG

For many years, following torrential summer rains, homeowners would call asking to have structures built to address flooding and erosion problems on their property. I would try to help them, only to find that the water that was causing the problems came from neighboring upslope land or from erosion eating its way uphill to them from below. Trying to address these issues within legal property boundaries was like asking a doctor to cure a patient’s heart disease, but limiting their treatment area to a small patch on the left forearm.

Whether in our bodies, the landscape or our communities, we need to look at the workings of entire systems.

unanticipated advantages also occur. My favorite example is from Tree People, a nonprofit in Los Angeles. When they started planting trees with school children, they found that attendance increased, as did test scores and graduation rates. Unplanned teen pregnancy went down. Why? Kids wanted to come to school to see the tree they had planted. They soon found that they could accomplish small but miraculous things, and started to take care not only of their trees, but themselves. “Tug on anything at all and you’ll find it connected to everything else in the universe.” Although John Muir told us this a century ago, we are still only beginning to realize its implications. The health of my land is intimately connected to the entire watershed it lies within. Our health cannot come from any single therapy, but is based on everything we eat, drink, breath, see, think and remember.

In fact, it cannot be separated from the health of our family (genetically or experientially), human community or ecological community. A friend recently compared a “sustainable home” in an unsustainable community to a non-smoking table in the smoking section. We can only address problems on the community scale. This is true of economic, ecological, social, hydrological, educational issues—in fact everything, as John Muir said. This may seem overwhelming, but as with the garden or planting trees, well directed, small changes can have multiple benefits, and the same patterns are true for all of these issues. The number one killer of children in the world is dysentery. It is not an absolute lack of water or food that kills them, but the speed at which it moves through their little bodies, with the help of aggressive pathogens. Their bodies can’t absorb the water and

ket compact fluorescent bulbs that use less energy, only to find that they contain mercury; we have no system to alert consumers to this fact or an appropriate recycling strategy. So we’ve traded an energy problem for a heavy metals pollution problem. Though they use just a fraction of the energy of incandescent bulbs, we have approached this problem in isolation of the entire system and have not broken out of a pattern of abuse. This approach is everywhere, from the cancer-causing smoke from incinerated medical waste, to the miscarriages caused by agricultural and landscaping fertilizers. They are all collateral damage. The third approach to problem solving is to develop solutions that solve multiple problems at once, which Berry coined “solving for pattern.” His example is the home garden: It provides exercise, nutrition, an opportunity to work with others, connect to the land, save money, learn and teach, save energy in food transport. In this approach many

SOLUTIONS RISING

No matter how we cut it up, every part of the Earth is connected to all of the land around it, just as every part of our body is connected to every other part. Though we commonly isolate things in order to study them, they can only function, or live really, in relation to other things. Whether in our bodies, the landscape or our communities, we need to look at the workings of entire systems. In his book The Gift of Good Land, Wendell Berry tells us that we solve problems in one of three ways. The first approach makes the problem bigger: the soil is compacted, so we get a bigger tractor to plow deeper; in turn, the greater weight further compacts the soil, so we get a bigger tractor. We can see this misguided approach in everything from foreign policy to childrearing. The second problemsolving approach is to define the problem so narrowly that we solve it, but create other problems outside of the defined area. We have an energy shortage so we develop and mar-

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

SOLUTIONS RISING © Bianca Sopoci-Belknap

nutrients that they need to live. Our intestines snake back and forth to ten times the length of our bodies so that they can absorb all of the richness in our food and water. The same is true for water in a watershed or money in a community. It is the speed of movement through the system that matters. In a desertified watershed, the rain that falls runs off quickly, carrying away the topsoil that could feed plants to catch and hold the water. Like the sick child, as soon as the water comes in, it runs right through without doing any good. Similarly, in our simplified local economies, no matter how much money comes in, if we are sourcing our food, clothing, energy, building materials, entertainment and other needs from afar it flows through and away just as quickly as it came in, without enriching our local economy. 44

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

Why is one dollar spent at a local business worth three dollars in the local economy? Because it is exchanged several times locally before it leaves. Engineering and Newtonian physics have taught us that there are concrete amounts of resources to be divided up. The reality is that those amounts, when cycled through webs of exchange, are in effect unlimited in wealth generation. This is how banks can lend out five times the amount of money that they have on deposit and generate interest; it is increased continually through cycling. So the key to health and wealth is to reweave the fabric of the landscape or community through recreating local exchanges of resources— whether water, food, money or information. In Hawaii there is a saying: Hahai No Ka Ua I Ka Ulula’au. The trees bring the rain. As a child, I was taught that the water cycle

consisted of water evaporated off of the ocean falling on the land and running off into the sea to be evaporated again. But in a healthy system, the rain falls upon plants that absorb the kinetic energy of the falling rain, protecting the open soil below from compaction. The plants direct the flow down their bodies, some of the rain gently falling upon the cushion of leaves, needles, or other live or decomposing plant material, only then penetrating the soil, where fungal roots called mycelium soak it up. Rain also fills the pores between the soil particles and is drunk-up by plant roots. The plants breathe it out only to be re-condensed on the surfaces of leaves to fall again to the Earth. Also, the trees and other plants breathe out cool moisture that easily re-condenses to fall again as rain. It is the web of exchange from which we live.

We see this almost daily in summer: A storm comes in from the Gulf of Mexico and blesses us with rain. The next day dawns clear, with perhaps some small clouds on the peaks. As the day progresses the clouds build, fed by the moist breath of the trees until late in the day when it rains again. This continues day after day. Each storm is increasingly the rain that fell before. ...................................................... Joel Glanzberg is a teacher and designer of living environments with a focus on the ecological impact of human endeavors and activities. He is cofounder of Flowering Tree Permaculture Institute www.floweringtreepermaculture.com and is a partner in Regenesis. His new book is entitled Changing Our Minds: How We See the World Determines How We Live in It.

BY KATHY HOLIAN

Santa Fe is prized for its beautiful skies and its wide-open spaces. Many people who have come here want to live in these expansive spaces that once seemed so limitless. Well, of course, nothing on Earth is limitless. Our beautiful vistas are gradually disappearing under the relentless development of one subdivision after another. Most popular in the rural areas have been subdivisions with 2.5 to 10-acre lots, which also is the surest path to maximal fragmentation of the landscape. I moved here nearly 30 years ago. In that time, a multitude of new roofs have popped up, dotting the once nearly pristine landscapes from the Galisteo Basin to Las Campanas. People say you can’t stop growth. However, even now, it is possible to manage growth in a way that protects the beauty of our landscape, as well as the integrity of its ecological health. Sprawling developments are expensive and inefficient. All subdivisions require roads, electric lines, water and disposal systems of some sort for solid and

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

liquid waste. The more spread out the development, the greater the sheer quantity of infrastructure needed, and the fewer the opportunities for efficiency. For example, installing the pipes for community watertreatment systems is too expensive for all but the most upscale (or compact) subdivisions, making water reuse impractical. Most important of all, developments in the rural areas almost always use groundwater from wells. It is expensive to hook them up to the County water system unless they happen to be near a main water line.

implies becoming more efficient and more self-reliant. A great deal of thought has been put into basics like water conservation, agricultural revitalization and energy efficiency, with chapters in the plan specifically devoted to these topics. But sustainability also means being able to answer how we will pay for the basic services and infrastructure that the people in the County need. If there is development, we need to encourage the type that makes sense, namely, in areas that are generally close to town (for

Moreover, aquifers are now already being overused in most areas of the County. The new Santa Fe County Sustainable Land Development Plan (SLDP) will help us plan for a future that will necessarily be different than the way that we have been developing for the last 40 or 50 years. It was initially called the Growth Management Plan, but we soon realized that “managing growth” is quite distinct in emphasis and goals from “sustainability.” Sustainability can mean many things, but in the SLDP it

Photo Courtesy of Santa Fe County

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IT TAKES A SUSTAINABLE VILLAGE

The more spread out the development, the greater the sheer quantity of infrastructure needed, and the fewer the opportunities for efficiency.

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

SOLUTIONS RISING above: Watercolor rendering of Trenza in the Galisteo Basin by Elizabeth Day of Austin, TX

The concept of Community Planning Organizations has been established so that communities can come together to plan for their own unique vision

shorter commutes) and closer to services and existing infrastructure. The Plan calls for mechanisms to provide financial incentives to people owning land in rural areas to keep it from being subdivided, i.e. fragmented. For example, we can give landowners the means to sell Transfers of Development Rights to developers so that they can provide for higher densities in the growth areas. Also, affordable housing will be established in areas where the costs of everyday life— above and beyond the house payment—are not so high.The Plan also places important emphasis on the sustainability of social capital, whereby we aim to encourage real communities,

rather than just places for people to sleep at night. The concept of Community Planning Organizations has been established so that communities can come together to plan for their own unique vision, with each locale being able to apply zoning in unique ways. In addition, the Plan encourages communities to establish amenities, such as local stores, commercial enterprises where local people can work, and livework spaces for home businesses. In a sense, our vision is to “go back to the future” — self-contained villages in the open space and agricultural lands that surround the larger capital city of Santa Fe.

......................................................... Kathy Holian began her fouryear term as Santa Fe County Commissioner for District 4 on January 1, 2009.

Ten Gallons a Day Santa Fe resident Louise Pape uses on average ten gallons of water per day—just one-tenth of the average American. Her reason given to National Geographic in the April, 2010 issue is, “I conserve water because I feel the planet is dying, and I don't want to be part of the problem.” www.tengallonsaday.org

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

BY MARGO COVINGTON

The groundswell of sustainable activities—like the community gardens that the youth of Earth Care have helped catalyze—connect us to this place, to foods of the ancestors of this place, food security, composting and re-using, microbes, water, soil and each other. People are coming together to see how we can value what we’ve been wasting. Like good gardeners who compost the garden wastes into fertilizer for next year’s crop, there are those who are resourceful enough to make products out of what we’re throwing into the landfill. It may sound a bit odd to recycle everything, but many cities like Albuquerque and Los Angeles are planning to do just that—to close their landfills entirely by 2030. In addition to the longterm successful re-use organizations like Goodwill, our local Habitat for Humanity store resells used construction materials. Construction and demoli-

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

tion wastes can add up to as much as 50% of what goes into our landfills in New Mexico. Santa Fe Community College has successfully completed the first year of one of the nation’s first Biofuels Certificate Program at Santa Fe Community College. The program enables students to explore the economic practicality of converting various carbonbased wastes to valuable liquid fuel and other valueadded co-products such as nutraceuticals, plastics and animal feed. Among other things, students collect oil from our local restaurants to make biodiesel that runs one of the instructors’ cars. SFCC’s biofuels instructor, Charles Bensinger, also

sentatives from overseas are visiting this unique operation to see about modeling this composting method in their countries. http://www.composter.com/ Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival hosts an annual art fair of work by locals who have made beautiful things out of materials that might have otherwise gone into the landfill. Each November, in time for Christmas gift shopping, they hold a fun fair at El Museo Cultural. Imagine the entire US Gross Domestic Product, defined by Wikipedia as “a measure of a country's overall official economic output. It is the market value of all final goods and services officially made within the borders of a country in a year.” Think about all the materials and energy that go into making up the market value of all that stuff we sell that makes up the GDP. What percentage goes into stuff that is sold, and what percentage of materials and energy is waste or “unintended product”?

manages the nation’s first triple-biofuels dispensers in Santa Fe currently available to motorists. The blue pumps are easy to spot—at the corner of Cerrillos Rd. and Baca St. Green Production Recourse, a small, womanowned business collects recyclables from movie sets and donates them to the Buckman Recycling Center or others who can use the materials for other things. “Sets for Pets” makes doghouses out of the lumber from sets that have been torn down. In Sandoval County, a commercial composting site has been running for five years that is making compost by the train-car-sized container at a time. Repre-

Image courtesy of Katie Macaulay (www.katiemacaulay.com)

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FROM THROWAWAYS TO TAKEAWAYS

left: Trash Fashion Contest Winners, November 2009.

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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According to a scientific study, only six percent is actually sold. The remaining 94% is wasted. We could double the US GDP and improve our quality of life if we implemented more energy efficiency and repurposed another 6% of our materials, rather than making them into throwaway products like excessive and single-use packaging. Waste-As-Value Links (WAV-Links) is the project I’ve started to link producers of waste and consumers of waste with business ideas and solutions. We’re developing an Idea Bank, a think tank of solutions, and a community map of linked businesses. Our vision is to catalyze economic development toward infinity, energized by zero-waste design. After all, nature does it. So can we!

We’re looking for volunteers: Students, retirees or anyone who’d like to improve our local economy by freely sharing creativity and ideas. Would you like to help a zero-waste entrepreneur solve a technical problem? Contact me if you’d like to collaborate: margo@covingtonconsulting.com or 505-982-0044. ...................................................... Margo Covington is an internationally recognized 25-year pioneer in thriving systems design and sustainable entrepreneurship.

IN THE UNITED STATES…”TONS OF ACTIVE MASS RAW MATERIALS (NOT INCLUDING U.S. TERRITORY BY THE ECONOMY. ROUGHLY 75% IS MINERAL AND NON-RENEWABLE WHILE 25% IS, IN PRINCIPLE, FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES. 6% OF THE TOTAL IS EMBODIED IN DURABLE PRODUCTS. THE OTHER 94% IS CONVERTED INTO WASTE RESIDUALS AS FAST AS IT IS EXTRACTED. . . . "THE TONNAGES OF WASTE RESIDUALS ARE ACTUALLY GREATER THAN THE TONNAGES OF CROPS, TIMBER, FUELS AND MINERALS (BECAUSE AIR AND WATER CONTRIBUTE MASS TO THE RESIDUALS)" "THE ANNUAL ACCUMULATION OF ACTIVE MATERIALS EMBODIED IN DURABLES...IS PROBABLY NOT ABOVE ... 6% OF THE TOTAL." AYRES, R.U., KNEESE, A.V. 1989 "EXTERNALITIES, ECONOMICS, & THERMODYNAMICS," IN ARCHIBUGI & NIJKAMP, EDS, ECONOMY AND ECOLOGY: TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. PP 109-117. KLUWERACADEMIE PUBS, NETHERLANDS CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS) PER PERSON IS EXTRACTED FROM

To advertise in the next Sustainable Santa Fe: A Resource Guide call 983-6896

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

ÂŠ Pablo Navrot

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HOW TO: Make a Home for Bees BY PABLO NAVROT

Bees that don't produce honey can function as effective pollinators. We can foster native bee species in the Santa Fe area by simply constructing a home for their young. Drill a series of holes in a block of preservative-free wood using a 5/16-inch drill bit. These should be deep holesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;between 3 to 4 inches into the block. Using water as a lubricant will make this task easier. A piece of masking tape wrapped around the drill bit can signal when to stop drilling any deeper. Do not drill completely through the block. The front of the block where the holes have been drilled must be mounted in a vertical position and oriented to the east or south. Chose a location protected from rain at least three feet above the ground. Bees use mud, leaf or grass to seal a cell containing an egg and pollen. One drilled hole can contain numerous cells. The bee larvae can hatch, pupate, and emerge in as little as three weeks. In the Santa Fe region, most bees remain in their cells until the following year. ................................................................................................................ Pablo Navrot is a landscape designer who participates in several community gardening and urban agriculture efforts.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

According to the EPA, 80% of what Americans throw away is recyclable. Yet only 32.5% of discarded materials are recycled. The average American throws away 4.6 lbs. of garbage per day. New Mexico’s recycling rate in 2008 was 12%. Converted into CO2 reductions, that’s like taking roughly 116 thousand passenger cars per year off our roads. Recycling creates five times as many jobs as landfilling. Where can I get a recycling bin? Is it free? City of Santa Fe residents can pick up recycling bins at 1142 Siler Road and they are free. How do I recycle if I live in the County? The County accepts recycling at their transfer stations. The Buckman Road Recycling & Transfer Station accepts the widest range of material for recycling. How much does it cost per month for a business to recycle? Businesses in the City of Santa Fe can recycle by calling 955-2200. Price varies depending on the type and amount of service, starting as low as $32 per month. Recycling costs ap-

Regina Wheeler, the City of Santa Fe’s Solid Waste Director, answered these questions for Sustainable Santa Fe:

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

proximately half as much as similar trash services, so often companies can realize a savings. Can my child’s school or my school recycle for free? Schools can receive recycling services at no cost. The City can provide presentations and other assistance to set up the program. What is “Pay as You Throw”? Pay as You Throw (PAYT) means that everyone pays for the amount of trash that they throw away. This type of program encourages reduction and recycling. The City implemented PAYT in January 2010 by charging a monthly fee for an extra trash cart and requiring bag

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FIRST PRECYCLE (DON’T GENERATE TRASH), THEN RECYCLE

tags, which cost $1.50 per bag for extra bags to be picked up.

querque recycles, then Santa Fe may be able to bring glass there.

Why is cardboard especially important to recycle? There is a plant in Grants, NM that exists solely to recycle cardboard into more cardboard. It’s local and saves trees—very important for our planet right now.

What other things do the City and County recycling stations accept? The Buckman Road Recycling & Transfer Station accepts the widest range of materials including fluorescent light bulbs, green waste, batteries, scrap metal, books, carpet padding and electronics. The County’s seven Transfer Stations, with a few exceptions, take: Freon-free appliances, scrap metal, aluminum and steel cans, aluminum foil, motor oil (5 gal. maximum per trip), batteries, corrugated cardboard, newspaper, mixed paper, phone books, plastic (1 & 2 bottles), glass (bottles and jars), tires (8 per month with permit) and yard waste.

What happens to recycled glass? We are challenged to find end uses for glass; right now it is stockpiled. Glass is ground into a sand-like product and another coarser product. They compete with materials like dirt and sand, which are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. The City of Albuquerque is working with a Santa Fe company, Earthstone International, to set up a plant in Albuquerque to use their recycled glass in a nontoxic product called White Foam Glass, which replaces the need to mine pumice. The project started a couple years ago and costs Albuquerque around $1,000,000, but it is not yet operational. If this plant ever needs more glass than Albu-

Sustainable Santa Fe Plan All Santa Fe Public Schools have FREE recycling pick up. For businesses, recycling costs $28.28 per month plus $4.97 per month for each 90 gal bin. When a business recycles, they can decrease the frequency of their trash pick-up, resulting in meaningful savings on garbage disposal costs.

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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Sparkling Clean Doesn’t Have To Be Environmentally Mean Many consumer products contain powerful perfumes and chemicals that can exacerbate asthma and other health conditions. These chemicals compromise our immune systems and pollute our water. The antibacterial Triclosan, for example, is an ingredient found in many commonly used liquid soaps, toothpaste, deodorant and cleaning products. It has been scientifically shown to form carcinogenic dioxins in water and is also an endocrine disruptor—a substance that mimics hormones and disrupts the hormonal processes—altering reproductive development in both humans and animals. Once it enters our water source, we are all downstream. Here are some inexpensive and safe ingredients for cleaning: • Biodegradable Dish Soap: Most any surface can be safely disinfected with a squirt of dish soap and water. • Baking Soda: Use it to de-grime ovens, polish bathroom tile and fixtures, and deodorize just about anything, from the refrigerator to your mouth. • Vinegar: Use it to shine floors, remove underarm odor from shirts, and disinfect toilet bowls. Contrary to what advertisers tell us, tiny organisms play a vital role of in the health of ecosystems. The human body, an ecosystem in itself, hosts at least ten times as many bacteria as human cells, mostly doing important work like digesting nutrients, converting sugars, synthesizing vitamins and inhibiting the growth of pathogenic bacteria. And without these friends, our immune systems would be struggling. —SSFRG staff

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

A PLASTIC-FREE PRIMER SOLUTIONS RISING

BY A. KYCE BELLO

“Once our personal connection to what is wrong becomes clear, then we have to choose: we can go on as before, recognizing our dishonesty and living with it the best we can, or we can begin the effort to change the way we live and think.” – Wendell Berry (l - r) Autumn Billie and Yesenia Diaz sew cloth bags as part of Youth Allies’ Seam Rippers project.

Last fall, my husband and I decided to take a four-month “plastic fast” in which we wouldn’t acquire anything made of or packaged in plastic. This was born out of our desire to walk our talk more fully and to discover our capacity to live simply. We wanted to lessen our waste as a symbolic act of solidarity with the oceans, which are increasingly being destroyed by plastic garbage (the UN estimates that there is the equivalent of 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in every square mile of ocean) and reduce our exposure to toxic ph-

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

thalates, PCBs and Bisphenol-A found in products from toys to canned food. But most of all, learning to live without plastic seemed like the most accessible way to reduce our participation in the “disposable culture” that threatens to dispose of the planet. We wanted to learn to live in a way that causes less harm to the Earth. At first, it seemed daunting. A quick survey of our kitchen revealed that close to 90% of our (organic) food came in some form of packaging. Even bulk food and produce came home in plastic bags. I assure you, I am far from being the ecowarrior you might expect of someone who quits plastic. But with a willingness to make what I couldn’t find available commercially, I gathered almost everything we needed. After all, until about sixty years ago, our ancestors did just fine without it. I began to discover the unexpected abundance of going without. To stop buying plastic cold-turkey would have been stressful. Instead, we

prepared by weaning ourselves slowly over a threemonth period. Despite the inevitable challenges, I was delighted to find that well before our official start date, I’d managed almost effortlessly to cut our plastic waste significantly. The most important step was developing the awareness that I wanted to find a new way to live, and a conviction that the old way was no longer acceptable. The disposable way of life I’d thought an indisputable fact of modern living had proved to be a ruse—one I was more than happy to dispose of. Here are some ways I’ve found to cut back on plastic: Befriend the bulk aisle. I’d always bought rice and beans from the bulk section, but when I forced myself to concentrate my list on that little section of the store, I discovered its almost limitless bounty. Why did the rest of the store exist if I could get everything from noodles to baking soda to earl grey tea to shampoo without a sin-

gle scrap of personal waste? I lay awake several nights trying to figure out how to get the bulk items home without plastic bags before thinking of drawstring cloth bags. Some health food stores sell them, but in little time and for less than $10 (and with no notable sewing skills), I made a couple dozen bags in sizes ranging from enormous-bunch-of-kale to poppyseed. Reuse your plastic bottles and jars for liquid items. Look for alternative packaging. After becoming enchanted with the bulk aisle, it occurred to me that many of the things I needed—milk, ketchup, juice and even yogurt— were also available in glass jars. While we could argue about the pros and cons of glass or paper vs. plastic packaging, ditching petrochemically derived plastic is still an important first step. Slowly though, trips to the grocery store became an adventure in zero waste shopping.

HOW TO: Make Your Own Bulk and Veggie Bags

• Fold the yardage lengthwise in half and tear down the fold. • Repeat. This should give you 4 long, even strips, roughly 11 in. wide. • Fold and rip or cut in half each strip across the width. • Fold each rectangle in half and press. Each should be 18 in. long. • Sew both edges along the length, creating a sack. Press the seams flat.

• Reserving a 1/2 in. opening where the fold meets the vertical seam on one side, sew the top border 1/16 in. along the base of the fold, creating a drawstring tunnel. Be sure to tie off the threads on either end, or backstitch 1/8 in. to lock the stitching.

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For 8 washable bags, purchase or recycle 2 yards of lightweight cotton.

• With the bag inside out, fold out 1/2 in. of the top edge onto itself twice. Press flat.

• Attach a medium safety pin to the end of a 30-in. ribbon or cord. Feed it through the tunnel of the upper edge. Remove the pin, turn your bag outside right, and draw it closed. Voilà! For bulk grains, legumes, coffee, flour and sugar, the bag’s opening will need to be secured with a twist-tie or rubber band. —SSFRG staff

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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It has been a personal revolution to turn my home into a place of production rather than pure consumption.

Select choice produce—in season. I no longer buy the prebagged five-pound sacks of potatoes, apples or onions, and skip the styrofoam tubs of mushrooms. Berries—frozen or in plastic clamshells—have been crossed off our shopping list, and we count the days until they come into season locally. And the cotton bags double for storage, requiring only a misting of water to keep leafy vegetables fresh. Make it from scratch. Despite the lofty environmental reasons to re60

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

duce plastic waste, my real motivation was much more personal. I wanted to learn to live like my great-grandmother had—to leave modernity behind and delve into these “lost kitchen arts.” Unwilling to buy the plastic packaged foods we previously relied upon, I embarked on learning to make more from scratch: bread, crackers, pasta, tortillas, cheeses, sour cream and yogurt. It has been a personal revolution to turn my home into a place of production rather than pure consumption.

Just Say No. The Plastic Pollution Coalition has a pledge folks can take to reduce their plastic waste. The first step is refuse. I’ve found that there are almost always alternatives, if only we seek them out. You can find toilet paper wrapped in paper, sponges made from natural cellulose (or old wash cloths), corn chips in a paper bag from the burrito stand, and bring home cheese and lunchmeats from the grocery deli in your reusable containers. Try a plastic-free day or week, and see how the lessons learned translate into

lasting changes. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to Just Say No. And see how “no” becomes a great big “yes” to a life unpackaged and reoriented to a sustainable rhythm. ................................................... A. Kyce Bello lives in Santa Fe with her husband and daughter. Her blog, Old Recipe for a New World, is in turn a practical, philosophical, poetic and personal log of her family’s journey to living with less waste and more joy. http://oldrecipe.wordpress.com

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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DANCING WITH THE CARBON BOMB BY RANDY SADEWIC

I was sitting in the middle of the White Sands National Monument and there was an unmistakable silence—a peaceful one. This natural wonderland took 250 million years to form over Earth’s five billion-year history. This is just one of many works of natural beauty we can enjoy. Then there are the unseen stories of our planet’s incredible history buried in ice or at the bottom of the ocean that are equally impressive. These events reveal important lessons and warnings about our climate. Mass extinctions of living systems, melting of ice caps and release of large amounts of carbon into our atmosphere have been the unpleasant outcomes. voirs—about 3,000 billion metric tons (gigatons). This carbon bomb was a result of decayed organic matter stored in the ocean floor and frozen tundra. During the PETM period, there was no polar ice, so sea level was 75 meters above today’s level with average global temperatures soaring 10˚f higher. This global warming jolt took about 100,000 years to reabsorb back into the carbon reservoirs. Just to put this into perspective, the magnitude of this carbon release was almost four times more

than is present in our atmosphere today. Or it is equal to all of the carbon in oil, gas and coal if we choose to burn it. Today there is an estimated 5,000 gigatons of carbon stored due to a long period of stable climate conditions. This event warns us that carbon dioxide is the leading cause of significant climate change. If our planet reaches the tipping point and another carbon bomb is released, we could face runaway global warming conditions.

The Carbon Bomb: A Look Back in History One of these big events occurred 50 million years ago and is called the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum or PETM.1 During this period, there was a dramatic increase in carbon. The trigger for this is speculated to have started with the collision between the Indian continent and Asia. This caused a slow release of carbon that accumulated and reached a tipping point, generating an explosive release of carbon from Earth’s reser-

Evolution of Man

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

The Human Factor Human history, which spans only 200,000 years, is even more remarkable. As a species, our population has swelled and our activity dumps over 8 gigatons of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere every year. This represents about one percent of the total 800 gigatons contained in our atmosphere. Over the past 100 years alone since we began burning fossil fuels, we have generated over 300 gigatons. [Figure 22] About half of this carbon has been absorbed into the ocean and land biosphere, but as these carbon sinks become saturated, this rate of absorption is decreasing. The other half accumulates in our atmosphere for centuries. If we pursue the current course and burn every last drop of oil, coal and gas, we will create the carbon equivalent of the PETM event, that in turn could trigger the carbon bomb releasing the 5,000 gigatons of stored carbon. All of this could happen within a hundred years, which is more than 10,000 times faster than the

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

FIGURE 22

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dicted, indicating a very close correlation between ice melt and global temperatures; mountain glaciers are disappearing, eventually leading to rivers running dry in the summer and devastating vast agricultural regions that depend on year-round water; a fast shift of warming from the subtropical regions poleward bound that is too fast for species to migrate; and ocean acidification and warming that are killing our coral reefs, which hold a substantial portion of the marine species.

FIGURE 23

PETM event. [Evolution of Man Cartoon] What the Experts Have Learned By studying the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history, modeling the climate, and observing climate changes, scientists have now found compelling evidence that the current 64

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

warming is caused by humans.2 Recently, Dr. James Hansen, the former director of NASA Goddard Institute for Space, established that the carbon dioxide level goal should be no higher than 350 parts per million (ppm) which is below the current level of 387 ppm.3 [Figure 23] He

insists this is the safe point at which we can avoid the potential triggers for glacial meltdown and warming oceans that leads to an explosive release of carbon. He identifies several important points in addition to the PETM research: the Arctic sea ice has melted faster than models pre-

What Are the Solutions? Shift the entrenched tax incentives away from fossil fuels to renewables; transition taxes on income to those activities that are environmentally destructive; and target an 80% carbon reduction by 2020.4 Two policy options being considered specific to climate change are Cap-and-Trade and a Carbon Tax. Capand-Trade would require governments to set a limit, The advantage of this approach would be to minimize the costs of meeting an emissions target, since each company decides how to comply at the lowest possible cost. The disadvantage is that prices fluctuate due to uncertainty in supply and demand, resulting in a disincentive for businesses to make long-term investments. The Carbon Tax sets a price for carbon. The disadvantage is that carbon emissions might not be reduced to the desired levels if the

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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price is not high enough. As an example, a price of $10 per ton of carbon dioxide in the US using 2007 emissions would be worth $73 billion. For the consumer at that carbon tax price, it would mean about 8.4 cents higher gasoline prices. What is done with this money is another matter. Possible options would be to refund the money to taxpayers or use it to fund energy research and development. Dr. Hansen proposes imposing a rising carbon tax because countries and special interests haven’t been able to agree on emission targets. Each country has reached a different level of economic development and fossil fuel efficiencies, making a universal carbon cap difficult to negotiate. Dr. Hansen and Lester Brown direct carbon reduction efforts squarely by recommending we stop all new coal-fired power plant construction and close all of them by 2030.

ergy use through energy efficiency measures like highefficiency fluorescent bulbs or power strips to cut off phantom loads. Buying green tags—also known as Renewable Energy Certificates—is another way to offset your carbon. More expensive measures include replacing appliances and investing in clean renewable energy. As we begin to realize we are dancing with the carbon bomb and we race down the path to policies and actions, let’s focus on the ultimate goal for the human race—making a complete transition from fossil fuel energy use to energy conservation and renewable resources. Organizations active in climate change work in New Mexico include the NM Environmental Department Environmental Improvement Board (EIB), New Energy Economy and 1 Sky. ......................................................

What Should We Do? Support immediate action toward climate policies at the national, state and local level and take individual action to reduce our carbon footprint. The average New Mexican household generates over eight tons of carbon dioxide a year just for home energy. Simple, inexpensive measures go a long way, such as reducing home en1

Randy Sadewic is a Co-owner of Positive Energy, a solar electric integrator, and a Board member of New Mexico Solar Energy Association. He and his wife Nao have tracked and offset their household carbon footprint since 2000.

ZACHOS, JAMES, MARK PAGANI, LISA SLOAN, ELLEN THOMAS, AND KATHARINA BILLUPS, “TRENDS, RHYTHMS, AND ABERRATIONS IN GLOBAL CLIMATE 65 MA TO PRESENT”,SCIENCE 292 (APRIL 27, 2001): 686-93 2 CLIMATE CHANGE SCIENCE AND POLICY, EDITED BY STEPHEN H. SCHNEIDER, ARMIN ROSENCRANZ, MICHAEL D. MASTRANDREA, AND KRISTIN KUNTZ-DURISETI 3 STORMS OF MY GRANDCHILDREN, THE TRUTH ABOUT THE COMING CLIMATE CATASTROPHE AND OUR LAST CHANCE TO SAVE HUMANITY, JAMES HANSEN 4 PLAN B 4.0 MOBILIZATION TO SAVE CIVILIZATION, LESTER BROWN.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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THE POWER TO CHANGE: BENEFITS OF ESTABLISHING A MUNICIPAL ENERGY UTILITY BY SERGIO GONZALES AND JORGE MARTINEZ

The City of Santa Fe is a budding culture of sustainability and renewable energy. With progressive green building codes and a successful farmers market, it is clear that we are establishing a cleaner and healthier economy and environment. If we had more control of our energy supply, however, we could truly become a leader in sustainable community development. A publicly owned energy utility that prioritizes conservation of clean and efficient energy could address our most significant source of carbon emissions. We would be able to cultivate and maxi-

mize our renewable energy potential. In addition, one of the most substantial, quantifiable, and immediate benefits of a nonprofit and publicly owned energy utility would be the economic stimulus that would result from locally spent and circulated dollars. Such a utility could be accountable to both our citizens and our environment.

Research indicates that the effects of climate change in New Mexico have already taken hold. Projected climate change impacts include: average air temperature increases of 6-12Â°F; intense storm events and flash floods; snow falling more often as rain; riparian ecosystems experiencing decline, with a reduction in

species diversity; and forests likely to experience more catastrophic wildfires. Climate change impacts communities of color and low-income communities disproportionately. When natural resources are disrupted, access to clean water, air, food and health care is diminished, raising issues of environmental justice. Traditional

ÂŠ Marcin Wichary

By the time we receive energy from power plants, over 65% of the energy stored in the fuel has been lost.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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subsistence systems (farming, grazing, hunting) are likely to be severely impacted by climate change and local extinctions of plants and animals integral to the cultural and spiritual life of Native American and traditional communities.1 Currently, coal-fired power plants produce the majority of our energy. Coal releases more carbon per unit of energy than any other source. Once we are in control of our energy infrastructure, we can transition from dependence on fossil fuels and create a new energy paradigm. New Mexico is an opportune place for renewable energy projects. Our state is ranked second in the nation for solar energy potential, and twelfth in wind energy.2 Unfortunately, however, we have not capitalized on these renewable sources under the current system run by privately owned utilities. Further, by investing in renewable energy and decentralizing our power system, we could improve efficiency in our homes and businesses and reduce the price we pay, our consumption, and the cost to our environment. Presently, our nation’s electric infrastructure is composed mostly of centralized power systems that produce energy at distant power plants that are then distributed through high voltage transmission lines. This system is highly inefficient and is in dire need of change. By the time we re-

ceive energy from power plants, over 65% of the energy stored in the fuel has been lost.3 By transitioning to a decentralized power system, people could produce energy on their rooftops or at nearby energy parks, requiring shorter distances for transmission. Toxic greenhouse emissions would be reduced, land would be saved, energy would be conserved, and the negative health impacts would be averted. A public utility owned and operated under a nonprofit structure would serve only Santa Fe County and would be directly accountable to us— not to out of state shareholders. Professor John Kwoka Jr., author of Power Structure: Ownership, Integration and Competition in the U.S. Electric Utility Industry, explains the benefits of local utilities. Distribution may be performed better by enterprises rooted to the customer community…. Such proximity may yield greater knowledge of local customer needs and a greater sense of responsibility for addressing those needs. The people in charge of operating our utility would be members of our community and would be more likely to act in our best interest. Other public utilities often have boards, trusts, or other advisory groups

comprised of citizens to insure that the utility acts in the community’s best interest. If Santa Fe had its own public utility, the board and elected officials would also be responsible for using our utility as an engine of economic development. In 2009, Santa Fe accounted for approximately $12.4 million of PNM’s revenue.4 About 80% of that $12.4 million ($9.92million) immediately leaves our community sending money to distant shareholders. If that money were to stay in our community and our city government, it would easily compensate for the $5 million budget deficit in the public school system in 2009 or address some other struggling public service. The publicly owned utility in San Antonio, for example, provides as much as 25% of the city’s annual operating budget. Santa Fe could create countless new green jobs within the city, and also stimulate production of other jobs within the local private sector of sustainable energy through local contracting, purchasing, and distribution of renewable energy products. With such environmental disasters as the BP oil spill and the threat of climate change, it is clear that we must make the transition to clean, renewable energy. We have the potential to change the status quo. The establishment of a publicly owned energy utility in

Santa Fe would create jobs, ensure a healthier environment, and strengthen our local economy. ...................................................... Sergio Gonzales is a freshman in the BA/MD Program at UNM and looks forward to becoming a doctor, writer and advocate for future generations. Jorge Martinez is a senior at Santa Fe Preparatory and hopes to pursue history and the performing arts.

Sustainable Santa Fe is distributed by bicycle and bike trailers 80% of the time, and by car 20% of the time. Creative Couriers LLC is striving to deliver this guide 100% carbon-free by late 2011.

HTTP://WWW.NMENV.STATE.NM.US/AQB/CC/POTENTIAL_EFFECTS_CLIMATE_CHANGE_NM.PDF

HTTP://WWW.NMSITESEARCH.COM/EE/EE_1_7_1.HTM

HTTP://WWW.CENTERWEST.ORG/PUBLICATIONS/PDF/ENERGY.PDF

HTTP://FILES.SHAREHOLDER.COM/DOWNLOADS/PNM/970605422X0X363800/5BE7107C-2E06-4088-BD30-D7580E6F5A63/2009_ANNUAL_REPORT.PDF

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

BY SPENCER HAYNSWORTH

In determining the affordability of a home, the focus is often on the monthly mortgage or lease payments. But the expense of monthly utility bills is a critical factor to long-term housing affordability. Because some households spend over 15% of their income on energy to heat, cool, illuminate and power their homes, it is important to find ways to free up finances that can help pay for food, clothing, and other essentials. There are two distinct paths toward achieving energy efficiency in the home. One is associated with the building’s construction or making energy-saving home improvements, and the other is addressing the

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

household members’ energy use. Since many households lack the finances to invest in remodeling or retrofitting their existing homes, changing our behavior is the most attainable, no-cost step to-

The Plugheads by Bobbe Besold

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WITH SIMPLE ENERGY LITERACY, EVERYONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

wards energy efficiency. Everyone understands the importance of developing alternative energy like solar, wind and geothermal, but the decisions we make concerning our personal energy consumption are arguably more critical to reducing our dependence on fossils fuels. Behavioral psychologists have shown that by influencing how people interact with technology, we can reduce our energy consumption nationally by 20 percent in 20 weeks. What is missing is a concerted effort to provide the necessary education and literacy that not only answers the question of why we should set goals to reduce our energy consumption, but how. In 2010, the PNM Fund awarded nearly $250,000 in grants to nonprofits like The Housing Trust to reduce their organization’s energy use, enabling them to invest more money into mission-based programs. The Housing Trust has chosen to parlay its energy savings into a new Saving Energy First! Program. This free energy literacy class gives individuals the essential tools to become

energy efficient at home. The class presents easy, cost effective solutions to achieve household energy efficiency, such as how to analyze utility bill usage figures; upgrade old appliances; service home systems to keep them running efficiently; and deal with phantom loads. In the case of phantom loads, when a person understands that an appliance that is switched off but still plugged in continues to consume energy, he or she can make an informed decision to conserve that energy. These phantom loads are relatively small, but because of the sheer number of appliances we keep continuously plugged in, their energy usage can equal nearly 10% of our total residential consumption. Devices and appliances like cell phone chargers, VCRs, DVD players, TVs, microwave ovens, and computers all have phantom loads. If you are interested to know how much electricity your appliances are using at any given time, you could invest in an appliance watt meter for around $25. Or you can use online

not record and the TV remote won’t work if they are unplugged). Always turn off the power strip when you go on vacation. Yearly, our nation wastes about 43 billion kilowatt-hours of energy on phantom loads. That is roughly $3.33 billion we could keep in our own pocket books, while saving the atmosphere over 25 million tons of CO2 emissions. With such minor changes to every household and business’s energy consumption, and by attending the Housing Trust’s Saving Energy First! class, you can make a difference—both by saving money and mitigating climate change.

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...................................................... Spencer Haynsworth is the Development Program Manager at The Housing Trust, a nonprofit affordable housing organization, in Santa Fe, NM. She manages the design and construction of a range of projects and programs with a commitment to sustainability in low to moderate income communities.

resources that provide charts with average phantom loads for appliances. And with some basic math, you can determine how much your phantom loads are costing you. Remember: 1 kilowatt equals 1,000 watts and the average household is charged around $0.09 per kilowatthour by PNM. For example, a computer uses 7.5 watts when it is turned off, which is 0.0075 kilowatts or $0.000675 per kilowatthour. In a year, that computer uses $5.91 just by being plugged in. If you have 25 of these energy leaks in your home, you are unnecessarily spending $147.75 a year! The best way to eliminate these phantom loads is to connect devices to power strips that can be turned off at one switch. Centralize all your chargers into a charging station on one power strip. When you recharge a cell phone, flip the power on and then flip it off when you’re done. Plug all seldom used office appliances, like fax, printer, scanner, etc., into a common power strip and only turn it on when needed. Create a power strip for your entertainment center that you turn off when not in use. (Note: TIVO will

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

BY KATHERINE MORTIMER

According to Santa Fe’s Architecture 2030 group, buildings are the major source of global demand for energy and materials that produce by-product greenhouse gases. To address this problem, the City of Santa Fe began implementing its residential green building code, which requires a minimum energy savings of 30% over a standard code built home. As of February 24, 2010, 112 homes have been permitted under the new code, resulting in a cost savings on energy bills and an avoidance of about 420 tons of CO2 emissions, the same as taking 150 cars permanently off the road. Implementation of the code has not occurred without some controversy. The 34-page checklist seemed daunting and some builders didn’t realize that there were minimum point requirements in each category. They also found it difficult to go beyond code minimum requirements for insulation to achieve the HERS Index rating, a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network. (Thus, a home with a HERS Index of 70 is 30% more energy efficient than a home built to minimum building code requirements). The feedback from the building community has helped us

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

to streamline the code while maintaining the same or greater CO2 emission reductions going forward. In addition to the current single-family residential code, codes are being written for remodels and additions to residential buildings, commercial buildings and historic buildings. This family of codes will ultimately address all buildings in the City of Santa Fe. Thanks to our experience administering the residential code, the new codes will be coordinated so that moving from one building type to another should be fairly seamless. Santa Fe has long been

One lesson we’ve learned is that the first priority should be to consider the building envelope—the energy performance and structural integrity of a building. If the building itself is well built with good insulation, quality windows and mass used strategically, the energy savings will last the lifetime of the building. Next is the selection of energy-efficient equipment, including lighting, heating and cooling, water heater, water fixtures and appliances. Finally, adding energy generation—solar collectors (either to heat water for domestic use or radiant heat, to heat air, or to generate electricity), wind turbines, or groundsource heat pumps that are paired with clean electricity generation—will greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Santa Fe, the greenhouse gas emissions from electricity are about three times that of either natural gas or propane for the same unit of energy. This is because most of the elec-

known for its historical architectural style, which includes time-tested green building methods. Adobe, for example, is an efficient, nontoxic, natural material that is readily available and does not require the destruction of an ecosystem for its production. Also, straw-bale, rammed earth and other ecological construction methods have been popularized in our area. As a result, some of the most respected experts in a range of aspects of green building live and work in Santa Fe, and many have been very generous with lending their expertise to these code-writing efforts.

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SANTA FE’S GREEN BUILDING CODE: STEPPING UP TO THE CHALLENGE TO REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS

left: Roof Mounted Photovoltaic Arrays

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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above: Canale Rain Chains direct roof water into underground cisterns

above: Appropriate overhangs shade south facing windows from the summer sun

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tricity supplied to our grid comes from burning coal. So unless you are generating electricity through solar or wind, choosing natural gas or propane over standard electricity will reduce emissions, even though at current prices it may cost more each month. The relative costs will fluctuate over time as the cost of electricity, natural gas and propane change. But saving on costs to our environment for future generations will be the ultimate pay-off in the long run.

Katherine Mortimer has a Master’s in Environmental Planning and over 25 years of experience. She currently leads the sustainability efforts for the City of Santa Fe, including development of the green building program.

Sustainable Santa Fe Plan The Residential Green Building code, passed in 2009, applies to all new single-family residential construction, including affordable housing. It has saved immediate out-of-pocket expenses. Homewise has provided $750,000 in low-cost loans to income-qualified persons to increase weatherization and other key factors.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

GOING SOLAR SOLUTIONS RISING

BY TAYLOR SELBY AND RENEE FRANK

My family is on a long-term quest to manifest sustainability values through our lifestyle and the functioning of our home. One exciting development over the past year has been our investment in solar energy. After four years of making our landscape edible and implementing energy efficiency, we “bit the bullet” and installed a photovoltaic, grid-tied solar system. The Selby Solar Power Plant became operational in September 2009 and just one year later, we decided to double our system. Since the initial installation, we have been getting checks from PNM every month like clockwork. Our son has a solar powered trust fund. With our system expansion, we are now “banking” energy with PNM to use, once we purchase an electric vehicle. In order to make the best investment, we did our homework on solar manufacturers and local installers, evaluated various options, and crunched the numbers. Now, I’m eager to share the things I’ve learned about photovoltaic solar systems and the companies that install them. Lesson One Maximize Energy Efficiency First Save money by doing an energy audit on your home before sizing your solar system. An audit will tell you where you can realize energy conservation and reduce the amount of energy you need from a system. Taking measures to reduce your energy consumption includes replacing incandescent light bulbs with more efficient CFLs or LEDs, reducing your phantom electrical load from en-

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

tertainment centers and computers by using power strips, or replacing an old inefficient refrigerator with a new Energy Star model. The installer can then design a smaller system that will accomplish your goal at a much lower cost. For every $1 spent on energy efficiency, you can save between $3 and $20 on the upfront cost of your solar system! Lesson Two - Get a System Tailored to Your Needs Select an installer who will pay attention to your true goals. You don’t want a cookie-cutter solution. The better installers will ask what you want to achieve with your solar system and help you to meet those goals in the most cost-efficient way. For example, if you have a large lot or some acreage, a good installer

will let you know about ground-mounted options such as: fixed array, dual axis tracker, or a polemounted, static array. Make sure the installer does a site visit before you sign anything. You don’t want to be hit with any surprise change orders. Lesson Three - Experience and Professional Credentials Count Let’s face it: Now that tax credits and renewable energy certificates have made solar energy an affordable solution for homeowners, many new solar installers have appeared on the scene. As the number of installers grows, it is more important than ever to be an informed consumer. Ask how long and how many solar systems the installer has designed and installed. Ask for references and check them out. You want a quality job by someone who has the experience and expertise to make your system efficient, reliable, safe and aesthetically pleasing. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) offers certification that requires passing difficult

written tests and lead field experience. While there are competent installers out there who are not certified, there is a lot to be said for the installer who takes the extra time to become certified and demonstrates professional competence. Find out how many licensed journeymen electricians work for the company, and verify that the people working on your system are employees and not subcontractors. Lesson Four - Output Determines Payback Shopping by price alone can be a big mistake. A solar system rated at the same kW (kilowatt) size can produce significantly different output over the course of a year. Solar modules come with an STC (Standard Testing Conditions) rating. STC is a standard way to measure the output of a solar panel under a standard testing environment, such as a constant temperature of 77 degrees. How often is it a steady 77 degrees in Santa Fe? If you don’t like the weather here, wait five minutes. The output over time depends on how the solar panels are engineered, man-

Lesson Five - Design Matters A properly designed solar system can generate significantly more power than one designed by a novice. One of the main things to look out for is shading. Shade from a tree, parapet, mountain range or TV antenna on just one module can shut down the output from as many as 11 modules. The angle (tilt) and direction (azimuth) will impact your output. Additionally, the inverter is a key component of every grid-tied solar system. Complex mathematical calculations determine which inverter should be used with which modules, and how many modules it can support. The wrong inverter can lead to significant output loss or could even shut your system down at various times of the year. Make sure your installer explains his/her design considerations. Lesson Six - Ask a Lot of Questions Installing a photovoltaic system is a big investment. Moreover, it is a major addition to your home and lifestyle. You’ll want to

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ufactured, designed and installed. Try to look beyond the sticker price. The cheapest up-front investment will likely not be the best return on investment. If you want to get the biggest solar bang for your buck, look at how the system will perform over time or kW-h (kilowatt hour) per year—not the STC rating. Ask how your installer came up with the annual kW-h projection, and if he or she can back up the claim.

learn as much as possible about the installers as well as the systems and components they use. Ask about quality and efficiency ratings, reliability and warranties offered, and how long the equipment manufacturers have been in the industry. Some products are from start-up companies that have only been around for a couple of years. It would be important to know if a product with a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty was made by a manufacturer who has only been around a few years! Who’s to say they will still be in business if your component needs to

be replaced? In the end, after having your questions answered, trust your gut feeling to find an installer who is the best fit for you. With the world-wide repercussions of climate change reverberating through our daily lives, there has never been a better time or place to take the technology plunge and make the decision to go solar! With a 40 percent tax credit for the total cost of the system, no gross receipts tax on solar products or installation, free energy from your system (with Net metering), and Renewable Energy Certificates paid by PNM for all the energy

produced by your solar system for 12 years, the return on investment for solar systems has never been better. And, it is the right thing to do for our planet. ...................................................... Taylor Selby works as an Account Executive and Partial Owner of Positive Energy Solar and is Board Member/Co-Founder of Earth Care. Taylor@PositiveEnergySolar.com Renee Frank works as a New Mexico Realtor in Las Cruces with certifications in energy efficient and environmentally responsible features of real estate. Renee@reneefrank.com

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

FOR THE LOVE OF BIKING Modern culture’s much-needed paradigm shift will come when enough people recognize sustainability’s overflowing smorgasbord of incentives. Greener lifestyles must be fun, and they should make or save you money. If our sustainable choices don’t turn us into gold-medal athletes, they should at least make us happy, healthy and strong. With the possible exception of edible gardening, there’s no more positive example of sustainability than bicycling. I’m no Olympian, but I am 20 pounds lighter than I was when I started bike commuting five years ago. I bike everywhere: to my landscaping projects, kids’ schools, errands, and to

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BY NATE DOWNEY

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

many social and cultural events. Thanks to the cool bike straps on the Rail Runner, several times I’ve cycled to Albuquerque for a morning meeting or an afternoon consultation. Although many of my clients love it when I show up on a bike, I don’t know that I’ve made money as a cyclist. But over the years

I’ve surely saved lots of cash in terms of gas, car maintenance, speeding tickets, and parking fees. Biking almost every day also gave me five wonderful years not paying for a gym membership. I’ll refrain from claiming to have found religion, but my spirit has certainly been elevated ever since getting

into purposeful (as opposed to recreational) cycling. Like a morning rain in the desert, there is a sur-

At the potluck of life, there are choices.

Be visible. Wear bright colors, employ hand signals, and always use lights at night. Take to the streets. I spend about 98% of my bike time on streets as compared with sidewalks. On the street, a bike is visible; on the sidewalk it’s not. Fences, walls, shrubs, trees, parked cars and signage all make sidewalk biking more dangerous than street biking. Choose quiet residential streets when possible and take up an entire lane when you can’t give cars at least five feet with which to safely (and legally) pass you. Avoid

Know where you stand. At some intersections, in order to get a red light to turn green, your bike has to be in the right place. If there happens to be an icon of a bicycle painted at an intersection, standing at that spot will usually make the light change. If, at a red light, you see a pair of large rectangular pads embedded in the asphalt, put your weight and your front tire on the forward-most portion of the rectangles (right on the “X” where they intersect). This should also trigger a green light, so that you can easily go on your way. At the potluck of life, there are choices. For those who understand it, biking toward sustainability is not a choice anymore. It’s a knee-jerk reaction to the natural desire for a better world. It’s almost as if planet Earth needs us to enjoy life to the fullest. Fortunately, doing this is tons of fun! .............................................................................. Nate Downey is president of Santa Fe Permaculture, Inc. (www.sfpermaculture.com), an ecological landscape-consultation, -design, and -installation firm he started in 1992. He is the author of the newly released Harvest the Rain, available at www.harvesttherain.com and from local booksellers.

Whatever your motivation, here are three important cycling tips:

super-busy streets when sharrows (share-the-road arrows), bike lanes or smooth shoulders are lacking.

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prising inspirational energy that you get from two-wheel travel. Sometimes it comes from within, and other times it’s generated by the smiles, waves, thumbs up, and hefty measure of respect that large numbers of drivers have for cyclists. Merely coasting downhill can instill an uplifting power in the soul, but an in-your-face wind in the middle of a long, steep incline can do even more for the human spirit. Here, life becomes more meaningful as you realize you can conquer the impossible. During those magical “I did it!” moments, you feel free from your addiction to oil, and that’s a pretty heavenly feeling these days.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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VIEWPOINT FROM THE INSIDE: THE COPENHAGEN 2010 CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE BY KEN HUGHES | PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF KEN HUGHES

I had the great fortune to attend the December 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference as part of a 40-person group sent by the Sierra Club. We split up to attend from among hundreds of sessions; I chose urban related sessions and offer here a few insights from a smattering of these sessions. A Swedish presentation at the EU pavilion touted both Stockholm, named the European Commission’s 2010 Green Capital due to its Climate Positive Development Program, and Malmo, just across the spit from Copenhagen, which has been transformed from a graying industrial city to a green oasis. Half of all solar power generated in Sweden and 40% bike-towork or school is in Malmo. Its 110-megawatt offshore wind farm powers 60,000 homes. Biogas made from food waste powers

many of the city’s buses. No wonder Malmo can see clearly all the way to carbon neutrality by 2025. Rio de Janeiro made a hefty pledge to reduce emissions, based on a Bright Green Initiative it has begun in collaboration with IBM. Since 70% of the world’s people will live in cities by 2050 and 67% of all carbon demand is city driven, low carbon models are huge. South Africa is partnering with Brazil, their largest trade partner in South America, to optimize shipping routes, and

is redirecting roundabout Internet service that previously went through London. A presentation on building energy efficiency praised the Vauban homes in Freiburg, Germany that are in effect power plants disguised as living quarters, producing more energy than used by the residents. Frankfurt is setting a 90% energy-use reduction goal for the renovation of existing homes. Singapore has advanced ways to naturally cool buildings, using staircases and apartment build-

ing landscaping to cool air currents. A session on transportation featured the Bridging the Gap Initiative (http://www.transport2012.org) to integrate transportation into the climate change negotiations and subsequent agreements. Michael Replogle, who co-founded with me the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (http://itdp.org/) 25 years ago, offered ten principles for sustainable transportation: 1. Start with the pedestrian. 2. Connect suburban and urban centers with high quality transit. 3. Link bicycling to transit with continuous networks, and secure parking at intermodal centers. 4. Market incentives to switch costs of driving from fixed to variable, inducing less driving with less ownership. 5. Design complete streets that serve all users and modes. 6. Manage motor vehicle speeds. 7. Offer innovations such as real-time ridesharing. 8. Provide people-oriented public spaces.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

City of Santa Fe Convention and Vistor Center Full Page Ad Page 83

SOLUTIONS RISING 9. Plan, regulate, finance and operate real estate and transport options. 10. Re-engineer freight movement. The South Korean ambassador noted that most emissions in large Asian cities come from vehicles, and they have doubled motorcycle use in the last four years. Mitigation in transportation has huge potential, using policies such as congestion pricing. The model of building more roads for more cars, as

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

done in South Korea, is self-defeating. The French ambassador shared that Paris does not allow offices to be built anywhere except next to a metro stop, and no parking garage can be built for that office building. The Costa Rican ambassador stated that his nation’s 2021 goal of carbon neutrality hinges on transportation: “We’ve hit a wall” in figuring out what to do. All fuel is imported for its road-based system, constructed on the advice

of multilateral lending banks. The car is a status symbol used to deliver a message of identity. The government seeks to increase public transit ridership from 8% to 90%. Munich, Tokyo and Vienna are cities noted for both high car ownership and high quality transit systems. Naturally, the session on cycling in Copenhagen was led by its mayor. The city’s mission to be an eco metropolis means being the world’s best bicycling city, the green/blue capital and the climate policy center. Thirty-five percent of residents see themselves using the fastest and most flexible form of transportation, which happens to be the bike. The city spends $30 per resident per year on bike infrastructure, with 5,000 parking stands placed in 2008 alone. By 2015, 90% of residents will

be able to walk 15 minutes to a park, five minutes by bike, to reach public spaces where litter is removed every eight hours. The 2025 goal: carbon neutral, with cars running on windgenerated electricity. In short, while the US Senate spins its wheels, communities can truly be the bottom-up approach to lead us toward a low carbon future—sooner rather than later. ...................................................... Ken Hughes is Conservation Chair for the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club. He also chairs the club’s national committee on building healthy communities.

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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CAR IDLING GETS YOU NOWHERE BY SSFRG STAFF

Idling: When your car engine is running but the car is not in motion Miles per gallon when idling: Zero Idling a car contributes to global warming and air pollution, which is bad for our health. It wastes gas that could be put to better use, like getting from point A to point B. By turning

off our engines, we can reduce CO2 emissions and pollution while saving money. Facts About Idling 1. Ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting your engine. 2. Contrary to the belief that constantly restarting a car will damage the engine, there is actually

very little impact on the car’s battery, starter, motor, etc. 3. Idling is not an effective way to warm up your engine. An idling engine is not operating at peak temperature, causing incomplete fuel combustion. This results in fuel residue condensing on the cylinder walls, contaminating oil and damaging engine components. In extreme cold, the best way to heat up your engine is to wait 30 seconds for the oil to circulate, and then set the car in motion. 4. No idling laws exist on the books in 18 states, (Environmental Protection Agency Website: 2009) but we don’t need to wait for lawmakers to start cutting down on unnecessary car idling and pollution.

Turning off the engine to wait longer than it takes at a typical stoplight— whether for roadwork, a passing train, in the drivethru, or while you drop off your recyclables—can save wear and tear on your engine, our atmosphere and your wallet. Keep public spaces free of car exhaust so we can all breathe a little more easily. This message is brought to you by Earth Care’s Youth Allies who will provide a free sign for businesses or schools that are willing to post a sign at their drivethru asking patrons to turn off car engines while waiting (call 505-983-6896 or visit www.youthalliesnetwork.org for more information). ...................................................... Data from The Hinkle Charitable Foundation www.thehcf.org/antiidlingprimer.html

Do you have an idea for the 2012 Sustainable Santa Fe: A Resource Guide? Call 983-6896.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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ANNUAL BIKE CRUISE SHOWCASES CITY’S NEWEST TRAILS AND CONNECTIONS BY TIM ROGERS

When you hear “sustainable transportation,” you may think of important strategies like more efficient vehicles, renewable fuel sources, or public transportation. But the most environmentally friendly form of transportation is self-propelled. Walking and bicycling can help address a wide variety of society’s ailments at the personal, community and global level. A key strategy is to keep trips short by identifying local destinations that meet your needs and figuring out safe and convenient ways to get there. If you decide to walk, see how public transportation might help increase your range. If

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

you decide to bicycle, you may eventually find that most of what you need is within a reasonable cycling distance from where you live or work, particularly in a smaller city like Santa Fe. Whether you are a seasoned “gear-head” or a

novice toting kids to the playground, bicycling around Santa Fe is getting easier. More streets that need bike lanes are getting them. The network of urban trails is blossoming into a “critical mass” capable of conveying cyclists to almost

any part of the city. In between are a variety of lowtraffic roads well known to local cyclists as safe, efficient and comfortable ways to get around. All three kinds of routes are featured on the Santa Fe Bikeways and Trails Map, available at bike shops, libraries and other locations, or on-line through the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) (http://santafempo.org/). Aiming to get more Santa Feans out onto this growing bikeway system, the third annual Crawfish Cruise set out from Second Street Brewery on the Saturday after Bike-to-Work Day last May, with roughly 35 participating cyclists of all ages. Traveling on bikes ranging from serious road and mountain machines to tagalongs, trailers and traditional single-speeds (with coaster brakes), the group traced some of previous years’ routes, but included several pieces of paved urban trails that were previously unavailable. Along for the ride were Councilor Patti Bushee, who chairs the City’s Bicycle and Trails Advisory Committee (BTAC), and Keith Wilson, the MPO planner responsible for

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

Ripples in Still Water

SOLUTIONS RISING

ZANE FISCHER

integrating bicycling and walking into the City and County’s joint Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). Getting elected officials, local government staff, and citizens out on bicycles together is a key way to raise awareness of the opportunities and obstacles for local bikeway development. Next steps for the MPO include the development of a “Bikeways Master Plan” for the Santa Fe metropolitan area that will promote the use of nationally-accepted engineering standards, best practices based on local, national and international models, and proper planning and prioritization of future investments in local bikeways. From Second Street Brewery, cyclists took the Rail Trail north to a “secret” connector to the West Railyard site, then followed trails and quiet streets along the old Acequia Madre down to the back of Ashbaugh Park. After a jaunt over to the newest additions to the River Trail, and then a mile’s ride upstream, the group was only a few blocks from cold lemonade at the Brewery’s new Railyard location. Those not distracted by the Farmers Market returned along the Rail Trail to the original Second Street Brewery, where they were treated to a lunch discount. Once again, there was interest in doing the next community cruise sooner than next year. So, with the support of Second Street Brewery and the Santa Fe MPO, the first “fall edition” of the ride 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

was scheduled for Nov. 6, 2010. The rides will continue next year too, so please come along on the Fourth Annual Crawfish Cruise to be held on the Saturday after Bike-toWork Day in May 2011. More details at http://santafempo.org ...................................................... Tim Rogers is a transportation planning consultant specializing in non-motorized modes. He has worked to improve conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians in communities throughout New Mexico and is currently under contract with the Santa Fe Metropolitan Planning Organization to develop a "Bikeways Master Plan" as well as initiatives for pedestrian safety and safe routes to school.

Sustainable Santa Fe Plan The following trails were completed in 2009: • Arroyo Chamiso Trail extension at Rodeo Rd., adjacent to Nava Ade neighborhood • The Acequia Trail, which goes from Baca Street Railyard to St. Francis Dr. • The Rail Trail, which goes from Rabbit Road to the Santa Fe Depot near Montezuma St. Currently in design or under construction: • The Museum Hill Trail will extend the Arroyo Chamiso Trail north and east of St. Francis Dr. • The Arroyo Chamiso Trail extension underpass at St. Francis and Zia Rd., which will go north along St. Francis Dr. to St. Michael's Dr. • A crossing at Cerrillos Rd. and St. Francis Dr. near the end of the Acequia Madre Trail. Planners are considering an above-grade pass, on-grade pass, or a belowgrade tunnel. For more information contact Bob Siquieros at 955-6977.

The mainstream media may hammer us daily with the stagnant state of our economy, but in local communities around the country, entrepreneurs and innovators are more willing than ever to make waves. If communities are lucky, as we are in Santa Fe, the city government will be engaged in (gently) rocking the boat. The City's Business and Quality of Life Committee formed two sub-committees in 2010—one to examine needs related to the current economy and another to plan for the development of a robust future economy. Implementation strategies are still being developed for the two groups' action plans but preliminary reports to BQL and the City Council have demonstrated that key focus points will include encouraging entrepreneurship, offering resources for the growing class of “1099 nation” (freelance) workers, and facilitating the transition of business leaders from one generation to the next. Such broad goals can sound like vague hyperbole, but in this case clear plans are forming and both private and public sector financial support is aligning. A few factors have combined to make now an ideal time to push for experimental but holistic approaches to building the economy. First, challenging economic times breed innovators and entrepreneurs, much as still water attracts an influx of opportunistic plants: when times are tough, bold ideas gain more traction. Secondly, government has been made keenly aware of the weaknesses— and strengths—in the local economy and its connections to the social and cultural network of the community. Finally, Santa Fe has a number of organizations willing to engage government and private citizenry both on multiple fronts. To get the lay of the land and figure out how you can be involved, check out the following websites: • Santa Fe Economic Development santafenm.gov • MixSantaFe.com • SFComplex.org • CreativeSantaFe.org • SFAI.org • SantaFeInnovate.org • SantaFeChamber.com • SantaFeAlliance.com • SFBI.net .............................................................................................................. Zane Fischer is a multiple award-winning columnist and web editor for the Santa Fe Reporter weekly newspaper. He currently volunteers on the joint Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce/City of Santa Fe public/private initiative to create networking and entrepreneurial activities for young professionals. He also sits on the City of Santa Fe’s Business and Quality of Life “future economy” subcommittee.

SOLUTIONS RISING 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

LOCAL FOOD 94 Holding Quart: The First Funky Butte Ranch Zero CarbonMile Dairy Product Manifests as a Microbiology Experiment in My Stomach 96 Redefining Organic 98 A Climate-Change Survival Strategy: Growing Food Year-Round 100 Closing the Food Gap through Food Policy Councils 102 Nutritious Food: Everyone's Birthright 106 Earth Care's Locavore Guide

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

AMERICAN FRUIT: LOOKING FOR THE SUBLIME BY DEBORAH MADISON

It’s 2:00 AM and I’m lying awake thinking about fruit, in particular American fruit, how disappointing it is and what it takes for fruit to be sublime. This is the kind of thing I ponder in the wee hours—this and global warming, fire, drought, flood, the tyranny of cell phones. Recently I made a frangipane and peach galette, a dish I enjoyed at a Slow Food brunch in Chico, California one June. The cook, Marianne, hosted the brunch in her almond orchard. It was one of those desserts that’s so amazingly good that you are willing to make a complete pig out of yourself in front of others. Clearly it had to have a page or two in the book I was writing, Seasonal Fruit Desserts. Here we might not see peaches until late July or even August, or we might not see them at all. When I asked one peach grower at the farmers market if he’d have fruit one year, he sighed, “Maybe two bushels out of 600 trees.” A prolonged, cold spring and/or a late freeze can effectively nix a fruit crop, though devastation is never uniform in New Mexico. I lost all my apples, quince and pears to a cold June night, but people just up the road didn’t. Farmers complain of loss, but still something shows up at the market. When there’s no local fruit, my recourse for recipe testing becomes the supermarket, my least favorite source for fruit. I don’t want to disparage the supermarket, but it is consistently disappointing. Fruit is rock hard and it has no perfume. Names are reduced to simplistic colors—red plums, white peaches. Shoppers drop this pretty but dead fruit into plastic bags without bringing it to their noses first to read its promise because there’s nothing to read. I wanted to make Marianne’s tart so I could include it in the book. The peaches I bought at the supermarket looked gorgeous. Smooth, with nectarine-like skin, they bore a bright red blush, since the marketing folks know that people reach for red. I spent a lot of time searching for

almond cream weren’t necessary at all. These apricots were utterly enough. Sufficient. Complete. Nothing more needed. I think about the people who grow the old, often temperamental varieties, the ones that don’t fit in the commercial marketplace. It takes a rare commitment and passion to stay with such fruits and their vagaries. I think about the growers who revisit their apricot trees, date palms, or fig trees to pick the fruits as they ripen, instead of picking them all at once regardless, a method scornfully regarded as inefficient by commercial growers, but what it takes to get the very best fruit. I think about the farmer who knows that the apricots for jam—those fruits that fall into a puree the minute you handle them—are inconveniently placed at the top of the tree, but who insists on making the climb to pick them. And what about the jam makers who strive to use as little sugar as possible so that the powerful flavor of their well-grown berries or pears or peaches is what’s preserved, not just some sticky sweet sub-

stance? It’s growers and producers like these, people who discern and commit to such qualities that put substances in our mouths that have the power to connect us to the place where we are, or perhaps were for an afternoon. These are gifts of human culture. True agriculture. The soul of fruit depends especially on those people who take the inconvenient route to perfection, and the same nourishes our own souls. You won’t find these fruits at the supermarket, but you might find them at your farmers market. So go and follow your nose to the most fragrant of delights, real fruit. Ask what its name is so you can ask for it again, next year. And thank the farmer for growing it. ............................................

I believe that a good piece of fruit has the power to change our lives, but you have to be a local eater to even imagine such a thought. Once at the Healdsburg farmers market in Sonoma Country, I bought some Blenheim apricots. I watched how the woman placed them in a paper sack, carefully, without rushing, so that the fruits wouldn’t be damaged. The Blenheim, a comparatively rare apricot these days, is fragile, one of the reasons it doesn’t make it far from the farm. It’s not as pretty as the big, dumb Castlebright, which is why most shoppers ignore it, but it’s favored hands down by connoisseurs. An hour later, when three of us were finishing our farmers market lunch, we picked up the apricots, split them open, removed the stone, and saw that a puddle of floral juice filled each half. One half apricot, one bite, or you’d lose that honeyed syrup. We savored it and sighed over such a deep pleasure. I could only imagine what a galette these apricots might have made. But in truth, with fruit like this, the crust and

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five that had enough promise to warrant their use. Once home, I tasted one. It was curiously tart, as in unripe, fermented as in overripe, and mushy; but I had no choice. I made the dough, made the frangipane, assembled and finally baked my tart. It looked beautiful. But when my husband and I took a bite, we both looked at each other. “It tastes like nothing!” he said, speaking my thoughts exactly. Like nothing at all. All that work, time, butter, and it was like eating shadows. And that’s why I was up thinking about fruit at 2 AM. Marianne’s frangipane, a fragrant paste of butter, sugar and ground nuts, was made from her own almonds and the peaches were grown down the road from her orchard. Therein lies the clue. Fruit, more than any other food, is a good reason for shopping at your farmers market or farm stand, and even growing your own. Good fruit just doesn’t travel. Well, maybe some does, but the most delicate and delicious fruits of summer— stone fruits and figs and berries—don’t. They’re meant to be eaten close to where they grow.

Deborah Madison moved from San Francisco to the Santa Fe area twenty years ago, where she has written many books. Her latest is called Seasonal Fruit Desserts from Orchard, Farm and Market (Broadway Books, 2010).

“The Fruit Basket,” owned and operated by Eddie Velarde and family.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

HOLDING QUART: THE FIRST FUNKY BUTTE RANCH ZERO CARBON-MILE DAIRY PRODUCT MANIFESTS AS A MICROBIOLOGY EXPERIMENT IN MY STOMACH With little Nico, our new goat kid, only half-weaned, mamma Natalie (named for having a similar voice to Natalie Merchant) is already giving us humans more than a quart-and-a-half of creamy, hint-of-molasses milk per day here on the Funky Butte Ranch. Not only is this allowing me to further reduce my petroleum use and protein purchases, I felt we had enough supply to give a shot at some yogurt. This, of course, is a science experiment that involves intentionally cultivating the kind of microorganisms that refrigeration was invented to destroy. But I figured the worst that could happen (other than my E. coli death as Official Taster, since my

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

sweetheart is nursing our son) was a pint or two of wasted milk. Ya know, in the name of local food science. Literal Home Economics. Who knows what we’d create? I mean penicillin got invented this way. The recipe I used came from a link recommended

by a friend I call my Fairy Goat Mother. This woman has already saved me thousands of dollars in vet costs with concise advice like, “Try feeding them some charcoal.” Her yogurt recipe was amazingly simple; it amounted to elevating some goat milk to a steady 108 degrees for 8 hours, with a scoop of yogurt starter culture to get those billions of good bacteria going. I used a Thermos and a candy thermometer. It worked out deliciously fantastic. I added vanilla, granola, some frozen blueberries, and some local honey. It was truly the best yogurt I’ve ever eaten (but I have this reaction as a Val-U-Meal-raised kid whenever I eat real food not from a store). And despite the fact that I spilled the Thermos at first, tainting my “clean” surface, and probably went both over and under the recommended 108 degree cultivation temperature several times during the yogurt-making process, no negative parasites have in-

LOCAL FOOD

BY DOUG FINE

vaded my intestines as of this writing. So I presume that the yogurt is doing its job of fighting the good floral fight, and I have just taken a few thousand more carbon miles out of my diet (not to mention adding about $15 a week in Ranch budget savings). Go acidophilus and my army of microscopic bacteriological warriors! And thank you, Natalie, for the milk that is the building block for my body’s arsenal of mass microbe health maintenance. ............................................ Doug Fine is the author of the bestseller Farewell, My Subaru. He speaks around the world about his efforts to banish petroleum from his life without giving up his Digital Age comforts. Written and film accounts of the continuing carbon-neutral misadventures on his remote Funky Butte Ranch are at www.dougfine.com

LOCAL FOOD 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

REDEFINING ORGANIC BY WILLEM MALTEN

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From early on, these fallacious ideas of what farming is all about found opposition in deep thinkers who were also practicing farmers, such as J. I. Rodale, Paul Keene of Walnut Acres, and Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, a disciple of Rudolf Steiner. They were the pioneers who started the organic lineage. They understood that sound, organic agriculture goes hand in hand with a healthy ecosystem and healthy animals and humans. As a grassroots movement, organic was a way to distinguish, for example, the Santa Fe area farmers markets from industrial farming, and find a way to be competitive. Organic, when it was still a farm movement and before it became fully regulated by the government, meant three things: Small family farms, bioregional marketing and above all—no synthetic chemicals or genetic engineering. So it had three layers: social, economic and ecological. Due to the organic movement’s overwhelming public buy-in, larger farming entities also wanted to get in on the act. Since industrial lobbyists are now 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

such a big part of how our laws are passed, they jumped at the opportunity. They promised to protect the organic farming community. Through sleight of hand, however, the organic legislation allows for standards that in effect do more to protect agribusiness than small local producers. How? The original meaning of organic has been stripped of its social and ecological layers. Organic can be little more than a marketing tool, that at the same time imposes unnecessary restrictions on farmers and processors who want to maintain small-scale operations. These regulations hamper local farming and marketing for bioregional consumers. The organic certification requires a unique premium on the use of the word organic. While agribusiness farmers pay no environmental costs for allowing their chemical treatments to flow downstream, organic farmers face an additional tax for the use of the word organic and the burden of frequent inspections and excessive paperwork. This should be reversed. Now that organic has

been co-opted by conventional farming and political maneuvering, the practice and the use of the word has become a tool for largescale farms and grocers. In view of all this, our local growers and producers should emphasize the bioregional character of our farmers markets, touting their rejection of synthetic chemicals and genetic engineering. Perhaps we can transition to the word “bio,” denoting bio-logical, bio-regional and bio-beneficial—supporting life. (In French, the word used to denote organic is biologique). For now, forget about organic. What’s so great about a grape grown in Chile, flown all the way to North America to be sold at health food stores as organic, when it competes with a grape that is grown right here? That is one of the ironies resulting from the distortion of the word. Local producers need to set themselves apart from those who have subverted organic standards. They should adhere to the concept that honors the organic pioneers’ triple bottom line: small local family farmers; local mar-

As a concept, organic came about as a reaction by small-scale farmers and processors to the introduction of chemical farming that began just after World War II. Nitrogen previously used for weapons and chemicals—such as nerve gas—needed a new market. So they were expanded as farming aids. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer could boost soil nitrogen, and organophosphate poisons derived from chemical weapons could play a role in insect control.

kets; and enhancing the farm’s biodiverse ecosystems—not destroying them. Fortunately, there are reputable nonprofits such as the Organic Consumers Association that work to hold policymakers and manufacturers who use the organic label accountable to high organic standards for the health and safety of the public. But it is the consumers who stay informed on these issues and support local growers who will truly drive the movement back home. ............................................ Willem Malten is a baker, filmmaker and community activist. He owns Cloud Cliff Bakery and can be found at the Santa Fe Farmers Market. As a baker, he is active in supporting the re-emergence of native and organic wheat farming in New Mexico.

LOCAL FOOD 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

A CLIMATE-CHANGE SURVIVAL STRATEGY: GROWING FOOD YEAR-ROUND

LOCAL FOOD

BY ROQUE MARQUEZ | PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM HITT

Around the globe, traditional elders are speaking out about the state of the world and plight of Mother Earth. From what I gather, two of the most common themes are: to form a closer bond with nature, and to grow your own food. Their message and the economic uncertainty that permeates our world inspired me to get together with my longtime friend and master gardener, Sam Hitt, and develop a food-growing system. With my skills as a woodworker and farmer and Sam’s expertise (and a year of head-scratching and experimentation), I present the Sun Pod! Taken from an old design that Sam used for close to thirty years, and redesigned for lighter weight and a modern, high-tech cover, this durable food machine allows you to extend your growing season to twelve months. The insulated covering and low profile allow you to grow frost resistant greens in the coldest months of the year without a heat source other than the sun. In higher elevations, a thicker and higher R-value covering protect against a heavier snow load and more extreme temperatures. The Sun Pod fits onto a 4 x 8 ft.

x 9.5 inch-high, raised-bed planting box. The wood for the planting box is made of locally harvested woods such as pine and fir. In my many years of working with wood in the Southwest, I have found that the sun’s ultraviolet rays—rather than moisture—are the most formidable destroyer of wood in our desert environment. The tighter treerings (from less rain) and the higher pitch content make the wood less vulnerable to cracking and splitting in the harsh sun. I believe our local wood gives the cedars of the northwest and Alaska a run for their money in durability, not to mention the detrimental greenhouse gas factor for shipping those magnificent giants! If you

live in a high-moisture, lowsun environment such as a high altitude canyon, cedar boxes are readily available. While planting this spring, I discovered that on colder days, if I lowered the box, I could build up heat and quicken germination with some plants. I also discovered after loosing many sprouts to hail over the years that placing the Pod over the sprouts in a hailstorm protects the newborns. In June of 2010, when we had those heat waves that cold weather greens just don’t like, one of my customers and I found that placing the Pod on the box, open to the northward position, protected the plants from the harsh wilting rays. In fact, my customer had one other planting box without our

Pod, and the greens in that bed grew at half the rate. Placing your hand on the soil of the covered box on the hottest of days confirms that the soil remains cool to the touch, but with plenty of diffused light getting to the plants. In other words, the Sun Pod serves as very effective shading. It also serves as valuable wind protection on the windswept, open mesas we have in New Mexico. Wind can sure dry out a bed fast! Last but not least, take off the top and place two sections of 6-inch heavy gauge wire mesh, which comes precut to size, and you have a superior hoop covering. Separate coverings such as insect netting, shade cloth, as well as insulating cloth and plastic for those taller, less frost-resistant plants can be applied. The wire mesh is superior in that it has a much stronger snowbearing capacity and wind resistance than conventional plastic hoop designs. With the Sun Pod, a few seeds and willing hands, you really do have a yearround food machine. ............................................ Roque Marquez grows his fourseason food in Santa Fe and can help you to do the same. You can reach him at roque@ecoisp.com. www.RoqueMarquez.com

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

LOCAL FOOD 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

CLOSING THE FOOD GAP THROUGH FOOD POLICY COUNCILS

LOCAL FOOD

BY RUBINA COHEN

How can we be sure that Santa Feans are nourished in a fair and equitable manner? Who's keeping an eye on our emergency food reserves? How can we get more local food into our senior centers and schools? What's the best way to preserve farmland to shore up our local food security? What kinds of facilities and training are needed to make it easier to produce food locally? These and other questions are at the heart of the work of the Santa Fe Food Policy Advisory Council. To address questions similar to the ones posed here, communities across the country have begun to create Food Policy Councils (FPCs). There are now hundreds of FPCs nationwide. Typically, FPCs are established by municipal or county resolutions or by state statutes; or sometimes, they are a private coalition of people working with government representatives on food issues. Formed by a joint resolution in 2008, the City and County of Santa Fe appointed the Santa Fe Food Policy Advisory Council (SFFPAC) to improve and create a just and sustainable food system. SFFPAC works to make healthy food a reality for everyone in our community—not just those who can afford

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2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

it—by making recommendations to the City and County. Food policy, most simply, is everything that government does that can affect the cost, availability and quality of food. It also refers to how both the government and private sector—food businesses, farmers, nonprofit organizations at the local and regional level—can best work together to solve food problems like hunger, obesity, and the loss of farm and ranchland. The SFFPAC is now in its second year. Having focused the first year on surveying and learning about

the local food system, reaching out to food related groups, and setting strategy and goals, the SFFPAC is currently working on a variety of projects that will lead to strong food policy recommendations for the City and County of Santa Fe. One of major projects the SFFPAC has undertaken is procurement (purchasing). The SSFPAC has identified the City and County food purchasing habits for our senior citizen centers. Thousands of seniors participate in the senior meal and lunch programs across our City and County. Though both the City and County have exemplary standards in feeding their seniors, the SFFPAC has worked with them to increase the amount of fresh and local food in the senior meals even more. The SFFPAC envisions growing this project beyond just our seniors, but also to our schools and other institutions such as hospitals and detention centers, to name a few.

Another current project is the education and promotion around community gardening, backyard gardening and community farms. The impetus here is to get Santa Fe to grow more food! The more food we grow, the less we have to worry about contaminated food, the cost and the environmental impact of the transportation of food, and ultimately, the quality of food. There are approximately eight community gardens that Santa Feans can participate in. In addition, there are several food and environmental organizations that have made it part of their work to teach people how to grow their own food. Organizations like the Santa Fe Farmers Market Institute, Farm to Table, Earth Care and Santa Fe Community Gardens are just a few that have programs and educational material for folks to get their gardens going. The SFFPAC is working to collect as much information about our local food system, from mapping all the food and grocery loca-

There are approximately eight community gardens that Santa Feans can participate in.

LOCAL FOOD

tions in the City and County to looking at the various income levels of our residents and the distances they have to drive to get to these food locations, are all variables on the Food Map that we are creating. We are also looking at the various types of soil we have around our county, and where the most valuable agricultural land is located. This would allow us to formulate policy to make sure our best agricultural land is preserved for farming and community gardeningâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;basically to produce food for Santa Fe. These are just a few of the projects we have delved into. By coordinating the work of all governmental and non-governmental food organizations through food system research and assessment, and through community outreach and education, we can support a legacy of healthy food and ultimately the preservation of the local food system and agricultural traditions of the Santa Fe area. You can learn more about the work of the Santa Fe Food Policy Advisory Council at: www.santafefoodpolicy.org. .............................................. Rubina Cohen is the Santa Fe Food Policy Council Coordinator. Her background is in marketing and communications with an emphasis in advocacy and influencing policy at the local level. Mrs. Cohen is also the owner and CEO of Firefly Santa Fe, a marketing and communications strategy firm helping small businesses and nonprofits.

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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NUTRITIOUS FOOD: EVERYONE'S BIRTHRIGHT BY SHERRY HOOPER

LOCAL FOOD

Have you ever been forced to choose between buying food or paying rent? Have you ever lain awake at night wondering how you were going to feed your children the next morning?

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Nearly 40,000 New Mexicans seek help from a food bank agency each week. More than 54% of people who receive assistance through New Mexico food banks have reported choosing between food and their utilities. Over 40% of the members of households served by these agencies are children. Who is hungry in our community? They are working adults feeding their families on minimum wage; seniors struggling to make ends meet on a fixed income; and victims of domestic abuse. They are in poor health and home-

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

bound. They are families living without shelter. They are our community’s children. Why are people going hungry? Low-paying jobs lead the list of causes of hunger. Other causes include unemployment, high housing costs, a weakening economy, utility costs, welfare reform, medical costs and mental health problems. The Food Depot, Northern New Mexico’s food bank, is committed to providing this most basic of sustenance, and removing those situations which force our neighbors to

make such tragic decisions. The Food Depot distributes food and related products through a network of 120 partner agencies including food pantries, hot meal programs, homeless shelters, youth programs, senior centers, day care centers and shelters for battered families. The food bank reaches some of Northern New Mexico’s poorest citizens living in some of the country’s most impoverished counties— Mora, San Miguel, Taos, Rio Arriba, Colfax, Union, Harding as well as Los Alamos and Santa Fe. Donors such as food

manufacturers, farmers, grocers, bakeries and restaurants support hunger-relief efforts by donating slightly damaged goods, products produced in excess, items nearing their sell date, and food prepared but not served. Without The Food Depot, much of this food would go to waste—filling dumpsters, not stomachs. The food bank provides a delivery program to reach communities throughout Northern New Mexico. Towns like Taos, Española and Las Vegas have many agencies that take advantage of this opportunity. The program saves these partner agencies in both funds and resources such as volunteers and staffing. To further reduce barriers to food distribution in smaller remote areas, The Food Depot launched its Mobile Food Pantry program in 2009. It is a food distribution program in which we deliver food to a designated location for immediate distribution to hungry people, eliminating the need for long-term storage. The program reaches those communities without the resources to set up their own emergency food pantries. They inform local families about the opportunity to receive emergency

LOCAL FOOD 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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Without The Food Depot, much of this food would go to waste—filling dumpsters, not stomachs.

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food assistance and provide the volunteers to support the distribution. When The Food Depot truck arrives, the volunteers are there to help and deliver the food that same day. The program also offers its participants other opportunities for support such as receiving health screenings and flu shots, and nutrition education. The Food Depot’s Mobile Food Pantry program reaches 16 communities in the counties of Colfax, Harding, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel and Union in Northern New Mexico. All Mobile Food Pantry sites receive monthly deliveries of food such as produce, bakery items and USDA commodities. Our efficient model of distribution to both urban and rural “food deserts” has made the Food Depot an effective solution to ending hunger in Northern New Mexico. We work with local farmers, the Santa Fe Farmers Market, and receive produce through the New Mexico Association of Food Banks Produce Initiative. Our program “Planting a Row for the Hungry” encourages people to plant an extra row in their backyard gardens to donate to The Food Depot. We must come together as a community to provide access to a necessity as basic as food. Together, we

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2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

can achieve this by growing community gardens, donating food, giving to community food drives, making financial contributions, and volunteering time at the food bank. Last year, our community enabled The Food Depot to provide 4.8 million meals to families and individuals. Your support will offer continued help and hope to people in need. It’s sometimes difficult to believe that hunger exists in Northern New Mexico. We don’t see the terrible tragedies of famine or mass starvation in our community. However, hunger does exist here. It is likely to show itself as an undernourished child who can’t concentrate in school, a senior who routinely chooses between food and medicine, or a working poor family who struggles to make ends meet. Let’s come together to fight the crisis of hunger. In a land of plenty, no one should go hungry. .......................................................... Sherry Hooper has been executive director at The Food Depot, Northern New Mexico's food bank, since September 2001. Prior to taking this position, she spent more than nine years as Community Relations Director for Harvesters, Kansas City's food bank.

LOCAL FOOD 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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LOCAL FOOD

EARTH CARE'S LOCAVORE GUIDE

Available at the Santa Fe Farmers Market: The following list includes a good sampling of farmers/vendors that frequent the Market, but it is by no means a complete list. Over 150 farmers are members of the Santa Fe Farmers Market with over 130 vending booths at the height of the season. To receive more information on the Market or to contact vendors, contact Miguel Gallegos, Market Operations Manager: miguel@santafefarmersmarket.com or 505-983-4098.

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2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

Alcántar Produce, Española B&B Farm, La Mesilla Boxcar Farm Garlic and Vegetables, Llano www.boxcarfarm.com Camino de Paz Farm Vegetables www.caminodepaz.net Corrales Garden Nursery Produce, Corrales www.corralesgardennursery.com Del Valle Pecans, La Mesilla Duke’s Raspberry Ranch and Produce, Edgewood Earthen Accents, Santa Fe East Mountain Organic Farms, Escabosa www.eastmountainorganicfarms.com El Bosque Garlic and Produce, Dixon Española Valley Farms Vegetables, Española Eve’s Farm Fruit and Vegetables, Velarde The Fruit Basket, Velarde www.ranchodesantafe.net Gemini Farm Vegetables, Las Trampas

Gilberto’s Orchard, Chimayó Gonzales Farm, Alcalde Green Tractor Farm Vegetables, La Ciénega Harmony Farm, Abiquiu harmonyfarmnm.com Heidi’s Raspberry Farm, Corrales www.heidisraspberryjam.com J & L Gardens, Española www.jandlgardens.com

SEASONAL FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS, FLOURS AND LEGUMES

LOCAL FOOD

Jacona Farm Produce, Jacona McGinn’s Pistachio Tree Ranch, Alamogordo www.pistachiotreeranch.com Mr. G’s Vegetables Maria’s Farm, Velarde Shirley & Ernesto Martinez Vegetables , Chimayó Mendez Produce, El Guique & Española Monte Vista Organic Farm, Española Pat Montoya’s Family Orchard, Española montoyaorchard.com Mountain Flower Farm, Cedar Grove www.mountain-flowerfarm.com Nambé Orchard and Vegetables, Nambé One Straw Farm Vegetables, Peñasco and Dixon Orozco Farm Vegetables, Española Rancho La Jolla Vegetables and Fruits, Velarde Rancho Llam Fruit and Vegetables, Velarde

Red Mountain Farm Fruit and Vegetables, Abiquiu Matt Romero Farms Produce, Embudo and Dixon Rey Romero Farm Fruit and Vegetables, La Ciénega Sam Romero Farm, Chimayó Sanchez Farms Vegetables, La Mesilla, El Guique Santa Cruz Farm & Greenhouses, Española Singing River Farm, Alcalde The Succulent Garden Vegetables and Fruit, Santa Fe Sunstar Herbs, Madrid www.sunstarherbs.net

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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EARTH CARE'S LOCAVORE GUIDE

LOCAL FOOD

Available at La Montanita Coop: The Coop offers locally grown fruit and vegetables provided they are certified organic or verified to be produced by a grower who uses no synthetic chemicals or GMO seed and employs sound land stewardship practices.

Bulk food items from New Mexico and southern Colorado include: Chicos Dried chile peppers, chile powder and herbs Sangre de Cristo and Nativo organic unbleached white and whole-wheat flours Raw honey Pinto beans Peanut stock for peanut butter Pecans Posole Quinoa

Synergia Ranch Organic Fruits, Santa Fe www.synergiaranch.com Talon de Gato Vegetables, Embudo Valley www.talondegato.com Trujillo Fruit, Chimayó Vigil’s Chimayó Produce, Chimayó

DAIRY Available at the Santa Fe Farmers Market: Boxcar Farm Goat Milk, Llano www.boxcarfarm.com Old Windmill Dairy Artisan Cheeses, Estancia www.theoldwindmilldairy.com South Mountain Dairy, East Mountains, Santa Fe lafarmita.com Sweetwoods Dairy, Peña Blanca Available at La Montanita Coop Cheese, milk and yogurt products from the following producers:

Coonridge Goat Cheese, Pie Town Lazy Ewe, Edgewood Old Windmill Dairy, Estancia South Mountain Goat Dairy, Tijeras Desert Skies, Williamsburg Native Pastures, Tucumcari Rasband Dairy, Albuquerque

MEATS AND EGGS

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2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

Available at the Santa Fe Farmers Market: Camino de Paz Farm and Montessori Middle School Eggs www.caminodepaz.net LaMont's Wild West Buffalo, Bosque Farms www.lamontbuffalo.com Pollo Real Pasture-Raised Poultry and Eggs, Socorro www.polloreal.com

Red Mesa Grassfed Beef and All Natural Pork, Clines Corners River Canyon Ranch Certified Organic Beef, Ocate www.rcrorganic.com Shepherd’s Organic Grassfed Lamb, Tierra Amarilla www.organiclamb.com Soaring Eagle Ranch Organic Grassfed Highland Beef, Los Ojos www.naturalsteak.com Taos Mountain Grassfed Yak sites.google.com/site/taosmountainyak

BREADS AND PASTRIES

Available at the Santa Fe Farmers Market: Buckin' Bee Honey & Candles, Santa Fe www.buckinbee.com For the Love of Bees Honey www.fortheloveofbees.com Old Pecos Foods Gourmet Mustards, Santa Fe www.oldpecosfoods.com Pasta Divina Organic Fresh Pasta, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque www.pastadivina.com RZ’s Honey, Alcalde

Available at the Santa Fe Farmers Market: Cloud Cliff Bakery Crumpacker’s Fresca Baking and Catering www.crumpackersfresca.com Galactic Bread Company

Available at La Montanita Coop: A variety of locally produced salsas, spreads, tortillas, pasta, kombucha tea, fruit juices, condments, herbs and spices, chocolates and other value added items including body and skin care products and herbal tinctures.

Available at La Montanita Coop: American Pie pastries Chocolate Maven pastries Plaza Bakery pastries and breads Sage Bakehouse pastries and breads Fun Bun Bakery Fano Bread TLC breads Wolf’s Bagels

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

LOCAL FOOD

Available at La Montanita Coop: Sweet Grass Producers Coop Beef Shepherd’s Organic Grassfed Lamb, Tierra Amarilla • www.organiclamb.com Beneficial Farms Eggs, Santa Fe www.beneficialfarm.com Rancho La Capilla Eggs, La Cienega Talus Wind Ranch Lamb, Galisteo www.taluswindranch.com Embudo Valley Organics Turkey

OTHER FOODS

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BREATHING ROOM STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL BARNES

It’s late March in Santa Fe—overcast, drizzly, cold. It will snow tonight. Along the river, the barest hint of green shows at the feet of the grasses. The trees rattle, black and gray. Mid-morning: I have a truck full of 8th grade girls and I think, “Okay, let’s work for twenty minutes, and then we’ll go home.”

EDUCATION 112 Youth: Forging the Social Transition Using their own Ingenuity 113 Amy Biehl Community School: Designed with the Future in Mind 114 Colegio Sin Fronteras: A Place for Community Learning and Social Development 115 Sustainability Programs in Higher Education: Surging by Popular Demand 116 Colegio Sin Fronteras: Un Lugar para Aprendizaje en Comunidad y el Desarollo Social 118 Educational Success for All Students: Youth Speak Out! 120 School Gardens: Nourishing Lives, Nurturing Life 122 SF School Gardens Guide 124 Cooking With Kids: Empowering Children in the Kitchen 126 Green and White Fettuccine with Tomato Basil Sauce

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This class has been coming to the river for three years; they have overseen the removal of 14,000 Russian olive trees. We want to know what impact this work will have on water levels, habitat, and the plants and animals that live here. But today, the weather is miserable, and I am not looking forward to the complaints that will issue from my 8th grade girls as we wade into the wet, shivery day. In collaboration with many groups, including River Source and the Santa Fe Girls’ School, I run a small restoration project in La Cieneguilla. We call our program Project PRESERVE—Protecting the River Environment, Stopping Erosion and Restoring the Vital Ecology. Every Thursday, I take my classes to the river. In the 6th grade we learn about rocks and soils; we study erosion and stream flow. We dig holes. We talk about sediment and flood plains and dirt. We think about landform, and history in geologic terms. In 7th grade we learn about all the species that live on our river. We collect bugs and fish; we watch birds; we look for tracks; we collect plants for our herbarium; we peek into holes. We walk across habitats, biomes and ecotones, touching them, surveying. We get very muddy. We collect ground water and streamflow data.

us to return. In our six years, we have made some good stories. There is the tale of the place Aysia fell out of a tree, and the place Caitlyn got stuck to her hips in mud, and the place Erin went swimming, intentionally, of course. There is the time of the icebergs in the river, and icicles growing from the tips of the grasses, and minnows frozen in solid pools. There is the story of using willow sticks to measure groundwater because the beeper was broken. We have stories of a roadrunner, of a great blue heron and the ibises, and of the day we found the dead beaver. But my favorite small story comes from the day shortly after all the Russian olives had been pulled. It is a dramatic thing to see a tree yanked out of the ground, even if it is an inva-

sive species. There is a shocking violence to it, and we felt the moral dilemma. Who were we to remove these living beings that were simply doing what they do best? The land looked extraordinarily different: torn, disturbed. We arrived with the 8th grade and decided that we needed to mark the change, to explore, and not to work. The girls dispersed, and my co-teacher, Mary Alice Trujillo, and I were left to our own devices. We walked and we told stories about childhood and work, about sensibility and how a person gets it. Catholic nuns appeared in the conversation, along with tractors and schools and coyotes. We discussed moral decisions and we wandered amongst the piles of uprooted Russian olives until we came to the few cottonwoods now standing alone and Mary Alice said, “I think they have breathing room now. ” It was as if “breathing room” were the answer to everything: better teaching, better learning, a sense of place, stewardship, community. One group of girls sat together talking in the shade of a newfound cottonwood. Their hands were busy with the grasses and sticks, as if they were weaving, and then another group approached. “We just found a secret cave! A cliff face and a perfect place to sit above the water!” Breathing room to see and feel a place for what it truly is. Something changes when we spend time on the land, working, playing and learn-

ing. Something takes hold. My students have made this place their own. I knew it for sure on a cold and miserable day in March. We arrived and I had to get something out of the truck. When I looked up, the girls were already gone, through the gate, into the mud and rain without a moment’s hesitation, without a single complaint. I realized truly—this is what sustainability means. Mary Alice and I were irrelevant. These kids know what to do. They are not daunted or intimidated by mud, rain, cold, ice, marsh, bugs, snakes, thorns, rocks, tools or work. This is their program, their river.

EDUCATION

The 8th grade is the Board of Directors. They decide which projects to initiate each year and they document our work. We study water chemistry; we learn about pollution and nutrient cycles and we make small documentary films. We talk about community and ethics and conflict resolution. Each class helps with fence repair, bridge building, well digging, tree planting, and lopping and spraying with vinegar to keep the Russian olives from coming back—perfect work for middle school students. We return every week to the same small piece of land. Slowly, the place reveals itself to us, its stories. And we make our own stories there. It is the way we remember, the way we teach. Stories remind us who we are and why we do what we do. They remind

...................................................... Will Barnes is an ecologist and founder of Project PRESERVE, and teaches science and literature at the Santa Fe Girls’ School. His ecological consulting business, called GrassWorks Inc., specializes in vegetation monitoring.

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YOUTH: FORGING THE SOCIAL TRANSITION USING THEIR OWN INGENUITY BY BIANCA SOPOCI-BELKNAP

EDUCATION

“I may not know what I want to do with my life, but I know I want to do something good; something that will make the people I love proud; something that will leave a good mark; something that will leave a legacy for my grandchildren.” – Rebecca Gonzalez, Age 16

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Young people today are hungry for meaning. They are hungry for self-discovery and the opportunity to break free from the monotony of everyday life to discover their gifts, develop and share them, and offer them to the world. An important part of this process is recognition and affirmation from others and locating one’s unique individual contribution within a larger community context. We have been working

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

with youth in the Santa Fe community for nearly a decade. For ten years we’ve been learning about how to support young people who are coming of age at this very unique moment in human history—a moment when it appears much more is at stake than ever before. The path forward is not clear. As adults and elders, our role would normally be to be good examples and acculturate our children—passing along

the values, beliefs and customs of our society and to help young people find their unique place within our cultural, social and economic institutions. However, if we are engaged in the struggle to recreate society, to steer our world from a period of human devastation of the Earth into a period when diverse human communities find their place within their larger ecological community, our role as adults

and elders becomes a little less clear. For how can we teach our children and youth about a world that does not yet exist? And how can we model sustainable community, interdependence, and ecological respect when many of our own behaviors, lifestyles and institutions seem to contradict the values and visions we espouse? This is the challenge of transition. It is the unique challenge of our time.

started; Seam Rippers: Waste Reduction through Repurposing; the EcoSchools Student Coalition; and Blueprint for Sustainable Communities (a project that seeks to develop neighborhood sustainability resource centers that model affordable sustainability practices in neighborhoods across Santa Fe). This year they are running more than ten projects and campaigns— exploring, testing and creating a meaningful path forward for themselves and their communities. In the process, they are building transformative relationships, discovering their unique strengths, and making their parents and community proud. They may not have all of the answers but they have many of the right questions—quest-ions that can guide us all. ...................................................... Bianca SopociBelknap is the Associate Director and Youth Programs Director of Earth Care. She has been with the organization since 2006 when she was hired to develop and launch their flagship program, Youth Allies for Sustainability. She is 28 years old and originally from Santa Fe.

Amy Biehl Community School: Designed with the Future in Mind Santa Fe Public Schools hopes to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Silver certification with its new K-6 school in Rancho Viejo. Honoring the spirit of Amy Biehl, a 1985 graduate of Santa Fe High School and a Fulbright scholar who lost her life in 1993 in South Africa while working for social justice, the school is a model of community outreach while integrating energy efficiency and engaging learning environments.

EDUCATION

Luckily, youth are experts in transition, as adolescence presents a crossroads for every individual who enters it. There, the questions are: Who am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going? How do I fit in? What is my unique path forward and gift to give? Within this questioning and uncertainty lies the opportunity for social change, innovation and cultural revitalization. Which is why we believe young people are so important, why we should all be paying really close attention to their ideas and dreams, and why their leadership must be at the forefront of the transition movement. At Earth Care, we have built our organization around supporting the development of young change-makers. We provide training in cross-cultural leadership, ecological literacy, sustainable practices and social entrepreneurship & community organizing. We provide training for teachers to do the same. But really we are in the business of building relationships and supporting young people as they test out alternatives and solutions together across socio-economic and cultural lines. The young people in our Youth Allies Program learn about our present social and ecological contexts and then find ways to contribute their unique gifts, time and creativity to community-change projects of their own design. Examples include the Food Not Bombs Chapter they

Merging geothermal with passive and photovoltaic (awaiting grant funding) solar energy, the District expects to realize an annual 41% savings on energy as compared to a standard school of similar size; more than 16% reduction in CO2 emissions; a 44% savings in indoor water use; and a nearly 60% savings in outdoor water use. Stormwater will be captured in the educational wetland, providing students an outdoor lab for field biology investigation while attracting wildlife. The 62,000 square-foot building and 14.5-acre campus feature environments that inspire a sense of wonder and creativity: classrooms abundant with sunlight, gathering and performance areas, outdoor classrooms, and native vegetation. Still in the design stage is a school garden for instruction in cultivation, nutrition and cooking. Vitally important though, is the “Green Team,” a group of eco-savvy 6th graders who act as role models in teaching their fellow students about ecological practices.

—SSFRG staff

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COLEGIO SIN FRONTERAS: A PLACE FOR COMMUNITY LEARNING AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHELLEY COHEN

EDUCATION

Colegio Sin Fronteras, a project of the Santa Fe Partnership for Communities and Schools, evolved out of a series of community dialogs. Engaging in intentional, facilitated conversations with our neighbors increases our social capital, thereby contributing to the strength and resiliency of individuals, families and communities. As author and organizational behavior expert Margaret Wheatley says, “Whatever the problem, community is the answer.” A community rich in social capital is a community ready to seek the answer, whatever the problem. This was the context that led to the founding of Colegio Sin Fronteras, a college without borders and a place for limitless opportunities for learning. The idea began to take root in September 2009, was kicked off with an orientation in January of 2010, and after using a host of public spaces for several months, the doors opened on our rented space on Espinacitas Street in March 2010, with fifty young people ages 16 to 30.

Many of our students lived on the south side of Santa Fe, all lacked a high school diploma or GED, and all shared a desire to continue their education and move forward with the knowledge and skills needed to parent their children, get and retain employment, and participate more fully in their community. Learning at Colegio Sin Fronteras happened in a variety of ways, but it was the relationships that developed that had the most profound impact on everyone. As we were forming, it was clear that one thing that set our project apart was that we were all in this together. We were all students and all teachers; we were indeed a community of learn-

ers. For example, early on we realized many of our students were homeless, moving from couch to couch and arriving to school hungry. Our community’s answer? A cooking class to provide sustenance while building skills. In our few short months together, we celebrated the birth of a student’s baby, and we grieved the tragic death of a fellow student. We laughed together, played together, solved problems together, cried together, moved through the maze of life together and above all, we learned that, in the words of Dr. George Otero, it is through our relationships with ourselves, others and our world that transforma-

tion and growth happen. We marked the end of the school year with a closing ceremony—a graduation of sorts. There were certificates, gifts, entertainment and food. Amidst the celebration, a few students lingered in the computer lab putting the final touches on their term papers—one with her newborn baby at her side. Today, some of our students are attending Santa Fe Community College, and others are attending high school. Still others are asking, “what next?” Colegio Sin Fronteras was truly a learning community. We were all transformed by our shared experience and look forward to exploring new ways of coming together to continue our learning. Santa Fe Partnership for Communities and Schools is evaluating the success of the students attending Colegio Sin Fronteras last semester and is currently looking for ways to expand the program and its offerings. ...................................................... Shelley Cohen is Executive Director of the Santa Fe Partnership for Communities and Schools and has been involved in community organizing for more than 20 years. For more information, call 955-1812 or e-mail: community.learning09@gmail.com.

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Sustainability Programs in Higher Education: Surging by Popular Demand BY JESSICA ROWLAND

In 2007 there were just 27 academic programs in sustainability at US colleges and universities. Now there are more than 200. The University of New Mexico offers Studies in Sustainability as a minor degree to any major except Engineering.

EDUCATION

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities named sustainability as one of its Top 10 State Policy Issues for Higher Education in 2009. In 2009, member institutions of Universitas 21, an international network of 23 research-intensive universities in 15 countries, signed a statement on sustainability that emphasized the â&#x20AC;&#x153;role universities play in facing the challenges of climate change, the decline of biodiversity, the need for energy, food and water security, and of economic sustainability and of human health.â&#x20AC;? According to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), grants for sustainability research projects totaled $534 million in 2009. The U.S. Department of Energy has committed to investing almost $780 million over the next five years in the creation of Energy Frontier Research Centers, 31 of which will be located at universities. .......................................................................................................... Jessica Rowland is an Instructor & Education Support Coordinator for the Sustainability Studies Program at the University of New Mexico.

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COLEGIO SIN FRONTERAS: UN LUGAR PARA APRENDIZAJE EN COMUNIDAD Y EL DESAROLLO SOCIAL BY CELIA MEDINA

EDUCATION

Colegio Sin Fronteras es un proyecto de Santa Fe Partnership for Communities and Schools, que evolucionó de una serie de diálogos en la comunidad. Con una interacción deliberada, facilitando conversaciones con los vecinos incrementando la Colaboración Social de esa manera contribuye a la capacidad y destreza de los individuos, familias y comunidades. Escritora Margaret Wheatley lo dijo claramente, “Dondequiera que haya un problema, la comunidad tiene la respuesta.” Una comunidad rica en colectivo humano es una comunidad lista para buscar la respuesta, cualquiera que sea el problema. Este fue el contexto que dirigió la fundación de Colegio Sin Fronteras, un lugar sin límites de oportunidades para aprender. La idea empezó en Septiembre 2009, y se inicio con la orientación en Enero del 2010 utilizando un espacio público por algunos meses. Las puertas se abrieron en Marzo en nuestro propio lugar rentado, con cincuenta jóvenes entre las edades de 16 y 30. Muchos de nuestros estudiantes viven al sur de Santa Fe, todos careciendo de high

school diploma o GED y todos compartiendo el deseo de continuar su educación para pasar a la edad adulta con el conocimiento y las técnicas que se necesitan para ser buenos padres, obtener y mantener un trabajo y participar más íntegros en su comunidad. El aprendizaje en Colegio Sin Fronteras ocurrió en diferentes formas, pero fue el progreso de nuestras relaciones lo que fue creciendo y lo que impacto profundamente a todos. Como nos íbamos formando era claro: La cosa que nos hacia diferentes era que “todos estábamos juntos en esto;” todos éramos estudiantes y todos éramos maestros; nosotros éramos una comunidad de aprendices. Por ejemplo, al comienzo nos dimos cuenta de que muchos de nuestros

estudiantes no tenían casa. Ellos dormían en diferentes lugares y llegaban a la escuela con hambre. La respuesta de nuestra comunidad fue empezar una clase de cocina para proporcionar apoyo, y al mismo tiempo construir la capacidad en ellos. En nuestros cortos meses juntos celebramos el nacimiento del hijo de una de nuestros estudiantes y sufrimos la trágica muerte de un estudiante. Nos reímos juntos, jugamos juntos, resolvimos problemas juntos, lloramos juntos, nos movimos juntos através del laberinto de vida y sobre todo, lo que aprendimos en las palabras de Dr. George Otero, que es a través de nuestras relaciones, con nosotros, con otros y con nuestro mundo es como la transformación y el crecimiento sucede.

Nosotros sellamos el final del año escolar con una gran celebración. Hubo certificados, regalos, entretenimiento y comida. También algunos estudiantes tardaron en el laboratorio de computación dando los toques finales a sus trabajos, un estudiante con su recién nacido a su lado. Hoy, algunos de nuestros estudiantes asisten al colegio Santa Fe Community College, otros asisten a la high school y otros siguen preguntando que es lo que siguen. Colegio Sin Fronteras fue una verdadera comunidad de enseñanza. Todos nosotros fuimos transformados por nuestras experiencias compartidas, y hoy vemos hacia adelante para explorar nuevos caminos para seguir juntos y continuar nuestro aprendizaje. Santa Fe Partnership for the Communities and Schools está evaluando el suceso de los estudiantes que asistieron el semestre pasado al Colegio Sin Fronteras y actualmente, está buscando otras formas de expander el programa. ...................................................... Celia Medina is the Bilingual Services Coordinator at Youth Shelters and continues to volunteer with the SFPCS as a Community Educator.

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EDUCATION 2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

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EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS FOR ALL STUDENTS: YOUTH SPEAK OUT! BY KRISTEN KRELL

EDUCATION

How can a community be sustainable when there is a huge achievement gap among its various ethnic and socio-economic subgroups? What is getting in the way of academic success for certain groups of students? What educational policies are needed to address this issue? Student leaders from Española, Pojoaque, and Santa Fe have spent the past year leading a community action research project to try to answer these questions and develop solutions to close the academic achievement gap.

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Over the past four years, 35 students in Northern New Mexico participated in the ENLACE/GEAR UP Collaborative program. During the 2009-2010 school year, these students enrolled in a college-level Service Leadership class offered by Santa Fe Community College. This dualcredit course provided students with intensive training in leadership and facilitation skills. It also included in-depth community action research and a service leadership project. Students used their new skills to lead focus groups in their communities. Close to 1,000 students, teachers, parents and educational leaders participated. The sessions began with a short, youth-produced video entitled “Closing the Achievement Gap: An Educational Necessity

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

for the Future.” Group discussions focused on identifying and exploring barriers to success for lowincome and minority youth and ways teachers, families, and the students themselves can boost achievement in school. Responses to these questions were compiled and analyzed. The student leaders then developed 15 policy recommendations that address the key findings. Over 45% of students responded that there is a lack of “support and encouragement” from their families as well as from teachers and administrators. One 11th grade student at Capital High School (CHS) said, “If you don’t understand something and no one cares, you stop caring too.” Other common responses included negative peer pressure, stress at home,

lack of interest in school, and lack of self-confidence as contributing factors to low achievement. Students shared that the best ways to promote academic success is for families to get involved in their children’s education, to believe in their potential, to push them to be their best, to take time to listen to them and problem-solve, and to lead by example. A CHS 9th grade student said, “Families need to know what is going on with their child, where they are at all times, to make sure they are doing their homework, and talk to their teachers.” When students were asked what teachers and the education system can do to foster learning, their recommendations included providing a culturally relevant curriculum, explain-

ing the material more effectively, making learning engaging, having academic support programs, and communicating high expectations. A 6th grade student from Hernandez Elementary School said “Believe in us, show us that you care.” Another 10th grade CHS student said, “We need help with our classes such as AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), where we have tutors to help us with what we don’t understand and push us.” The ENLACE/GEAR UP student leaders recommended increasing access to both academic and social support programs such as in-school and after-school tutoring, peer to peer mentoring, social workers and counselors. They also recommended that all communication be provided in Spanish to more effectively engage and inform the large Spanish-speaking community. Their final recommendation was to increase the percentage of the New Mexico State budget that funds education from 45% to 50-55% of the overall State budget as they do in many other states. In-

The ENLACE/GEAR UP Collaborative increases col-

lege awareness and readiness of low-income students and students who are first in their families to pursue a college degree. Engaging Latino Communities for Education (ENLACE) is funded by the State of New Mexico through the Higher Education Department. Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is funded by the US Department of Education. .................................................... Kristen Krell is Manager of the ENLACE/GEAR UP Collaborative at the Santa Fe Community College. She can be reached at kristen.krell@sfcc.edu for the full report.

EDUCATION

creased funding is necessary to increase the academic achievement for New Mexico students and invest in the future of our state. These student leaders are presenting their findings and recommendations in a variety of venues over the course of the 2010-2011 school year, including the national GEAR UP conference in Washington DC, local school board sessions in Santa Fe, Espa単ola, and Pojoaque, school staff meetings, the Back to School Institute, and hopefully the Legislative Education Study Committee. Higher academic achievement takes a village!

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SCHOOL GARDENS: NOURISHING LIVES, NURTURING LIFE STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN O'NEILL

EDUCATION

Children hear it often: “You are what you eat.” But now the quandary is, “If I can’t read what I am eating, how do I know what it is?” So…why are children reading what they are eating to begin with? Well, life is busy and preparing food takes time. Vegetables can be more expensive than industrial food, and some of us simply don’t know how to cook. There are myriad reasons why our root cellars have turned into box and can closets. But the fact is, processed foods constitute the daily diets of many of our children, affecting their nutrition as well as their relationship to nourishment itself. If kids don’t know what is in their food, much less how to grow and prepare it, how can we expect them to develop a healthy relationship to it? Both our children and the planet are suffering from this disconnect.

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In the US, childhood obesity affects one in every three children. And one in six are going hungry. Our children are getting sick from not eating and sick from eating, affirming that it is high time to take a good hard look at what we are calling food. While contemplating this, wandering out to the garden may seem like the last thing on the to-

2011 SUSTAINABLE SANTA FE: A RESOURCE GUIDE

do list. But that is where I stand, and not just to get away from it all. It is in the garden that great change can take root and hope can be planted, especially for future generations. Simply by planting seeds and eating freshly grown food, we can help our children cultivate a relationship with life and livelihood. The value of learning

where our food comes from may seem simple. But to a child it can be life altering. Putting a hand in the ground and reaping sustenance is what people have done for millennia. Many of us are blessed with a fond memory of grandma showing us a freshly dug carrot or newly sprouted seed, but now such an experience is shockingly for-

eign to many of our children. Farms disappear every day and fewer and fewer grandmas live off the land, much less grow a garden. Many parents of my generation don’t know how to cook or grow food, most likely because they didn’t have anyone to teach them. These everyday miracles inspire our first reverence for nature, and it is that reverence that cultivates consciousness and care in our actions. If the very ground where these interactions take place continues to disappear, we may just have to dig up the parking lot, plant some seeds and bring the grandparents there. We simply

in the classroom thrive in the garden, and the garden thrives because of them. Gardens in Santa Fe schools are sprouting up all over. Over the past three years as the garden teacher at Monte Del Sol, I fielded countless inquiries and tours from teachers, parents and students who wanted to create thriving food systems at their schools. I became connected with school garden projects at El Dorado, Salazar, Acequia Madre, Alvord, Larragoite, Pecos, Capital High, Santa Fe Prep and Santa Fe High, to name a few. These schools don’t employ garden teachers; visionary teachers and community members make it happen solely on a volunteer basis. Together we started a school garden group to support each other’s work and of course, talk about obstacles we face: budget cuts, overworked teachers, busy parents, test score pressure, land use issues and more. Though the seed has been planted, how to prioritize and utilize school gardens is still an issue. Fortunately, many organizations—such as Cooking With Kids and Farm to Table—have been working to support and complement the growing need of healthy food, both in the school cafeterias and schoolyards. The City of Santa Fe together with schools and nonprofits are addressing food issues through the Sustainability Education Task Force, including Earth Care’s Youth Food Cadre Program. By

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cannot afford to be so far removed from our own life support systems. We all nurture children along the road of life. But our children spend most of their time in school, and we place huge responsibility on these institutions to expose them to broader knowledge. Schools also often feed children, for one if not all the meals they will get in a day. Since we know how important schools are to children’s development, wouldn’t we be inclined to make them the most thriving learning environments possible? An optimum learning environment includes diversity, color, life and beauty. Planting a school garden is a perfect way to bring alive those elements. If you have ever been in a school garden, you know what an oasis it can be, not just for the students, but the whole community. A garden invites curiosity and creativity. It is a place to play, to take in the world around you through all of your senses. There, a person can cultivate ownership, relationship, cooperation and leadership. A school garden is also a place to be alone, to rest, to think, to breathe. It’s where children must be aware, patient, and respectful of all life that teems around them, beyond their classmates and teachers. Skills that often seem abstract in a classroom— math, science, history, art—all come alive beyond the walls of the classroom. More often than not, the students who struggle most

growing and cooking with dedicated mentors, our children will not lose the vital link to the land—the legacy of our New Mexican ancestors. By reconnecting our children with the very systems that give us life, we are giving them the chance not only to nourish their bodies, but also to nurture life itself. .................................................... Erin O'Neill is a garden teacher and consultant for educational gardening projects in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has a blog to support others in their high desert gardening efforts: seedybeans.wordpress.com.

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LOCAL RESOURCES FOR SCHOOL GARDENS Santa Fe is blessed with comprehensive school-garden programs, thanks to the collaboration of nonprofit organizations. Get your garden growing!

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Plant the Seeds: Earth Works Institute Get your project off to a good start with support from Earth Works’ Earth Action Education and 4C: Climate Change Conservation Corps programs. They support schools by engaging youth in designing and building the necessary infrastructure for a successful school garden and outdoor classroom initiatives. They also provide a Teacher Toolkit for an outdoor education curriculum as well as training to young adults interested in working in conservation, green design and building, and renewable energy. For more information contact: Dana Richards, dana@earthworksinstitute.org or 982-9806. www.earthworksinstitute.org

Cultivate: Earth Care Cultivate longevity in your project with support from Earth Care’s Sustainable Schools and Youth Food Cadre programs. Earth Care has partnered with Santa Fe Public Schools to place AmeriCorps volunteers at K-12 schools to develop, maintain and connect garden programs to broader youth empowerment and sustainable community development initiatives. AmeriCorps volunteers work with students, parents, teachers, and administrators to maintain and connect school gardens to the curriculum, school meal programs and youth-led nutrition and food education, en-

ergy and water conservation, waste recycling and reduction efforts. For more information contact: Christina Selby at Earth Care, christina@earthcare.org, 983-6896. www.earthcare.org Santa Fe School Gardeners Group Keep your garden groove going by joining this skill- and resource-sharing network coordinated by Erin O’Neill, the former School Garden Manager at Monte del Sol Charter School. This informal network of avid school gardeners meets monthly to exchange ideas, resources, and learn best practices through tours of the many emerging school gardens, guided by the dedicated gardeners that make them happen across Santa Fe and beyond. For more information contact: Erin O’Neill, Educational Garden Consultant, at seedybeans@gmail.com. http://seedybeans.wordpress.com

Harvest: Cooking with Kids Tap into food passion and adventure with Cooking with Kids’ educational programs. Cooking with Kids uses hands-on methods to teach elementary school students about the joy of healthy foods from diverse cultures. They provide cooking classes and fruit and vegetable tastings and support healthy, delicious cafeteria meals in schools where 50% or more of students qualify for free or reducedprice meals. Cooking with Kids also connects and extends their nutrition education to school gardens, where students can directly experience where food comes from. Contact: Lynn Walters, Executive Director, lwalters@cookingwithkids.net, 438-0098. www.cookingwithkids.net

Extend the Scope: Farm to School The sky is the limit when you tap into the resources offered by our regional Farm to School chapter, a program facilitated by Farm to Table, based in Santa Fe. Farm to School supports sourcing more local fresh fruits and vegetables and other farm products to feed children in K-12 schools for meals and snacks. They also provide educational activities to promote the integration of fresh produce into school cafeteria menus. Farm to School connects local efforts to state and national advocacy actions, such as working with the federal Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization Act to ensure local efforts are supported by policymakers. Santa Fe Public Schools’ Farm to School Coordinator focuses on procurement of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Contact Regional Farm to 122

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School Program Director: Le Adams, www.farmtotablenm.org, ladams@cybermesa.com; or Santa Fe Public Schools’ Farm to School Coordinator: Betsy Torres, etorres@sfps.info Other local resources: • Santa Fe School Garden Blog: School garden resources and views by the Youth Food Cadre AmeriCorps volunteers working to sustain them: http://sfschoolgardens.wordpress.com/ • Mobile Garden Toolshed: Got Tools? Resource-sharing of tools and food processing equipment delivered to your door: www.earthcare.org • Santa Fe Master Gardeners: Stumped by those pesky garden problems? Free expertise and services from our local Master Garden group. www.sfmga.org • Santa Fe Community Gardens: Stay on top of local gardening events, workshops and resources through this comprehensive online resource. www.santafecommunitygardens.org

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COOKING WITH KIDS: EMPOWERING CHILDREN IN THE KITCHEN STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY LYNN WALTERS

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A cooking revolution is underway—and it’s winning the hearts of our children. First Lady Michelle Obama recently noted that her middle-school daughter enjoys cooking and is more likely to eat a snack that she has made. In fact, toddlers to teens enjoy the sensory allure of cooking. In light of our society’s obesity epidemic, cooking is beginning to be recognized as a means of improving eating habits. Cooking with Kids The award-winning Cooking with Kids (CWK) program has introduced over 12,000 Santa Fe children to fresh, healthy, and affordable foods during the past fifteen years. We begin with pre-kindergarten children and continue through sixth grade—teaching children that they can cook, and sharing the fun of creating a variety of colorful, flavorful dishes from around the world. One student noted, “I was surprised that we can travel the Earth and

not leave home!” The magic of CWK is our hands-on approach. Students learn about the origin and cultivation of foods, then cook together with their classmates. While our staff lead the classes, it is all of the adults, including teachers, parent volunteers, and sometimes local chefs or farmers, who model and reinforce that cooking is a valuable skill. When sixth graders prepare and eat North African Tajine, their parents exclaim, “They’d never eat this at home!” A

critical element is that tasting the food is up to the children. Often, one or two children in a class may not want to eat what they have just made. Positive peer pressure often takes over when classmates begin to rave about the food. They discover that they really like the Green (spinach) and White Fettuccine with Tomato Basil Sauce or another seemingly exotic dish. After cooking Black Bean Tostadas with Salsa Fresca, one student said, “I never used to like beans, but now I do!”

Children are acutely aware of the myriad messages about what to eat— fruits and vegetables, not candy. And, as adults, we all have developed our own ideas about what tastes good. How can we provide opportunities for children to enjoy healthy foods, without tricking them into eating vegetables? CWK offers experiences that encourage children to take an active role in taking care of themselves. At the end of one two-hour cooking class when students had cooked East Indian Lentils with Carrot Rice Pilaf, one boy announced, “Voy a ser sano y fuerte!” (I’m going to be healthy and strong!). When asked why, he answered it was because he was eating salad and vegetables.

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Family Food Children learn first about the world from their parents. CWK expands students’ world of food and understanding of many cultures. If adults bribe them to eat their vegetables by offering a sweet reward, they come to prize the candy or dessert, not the vegetable. Parent volunteers in CWK classes are often surprised by how capable and enthusiastic their children are about cooking and eating new foods, including spinach salad, black beans or kale. Modeling good nutrition and having a variety of healthy foods in your home helps children to develop healthy eating habits. Invite your children to cook with you. Choose three or four dishes that you want to eat and let the child pick from those recipes. Make

sure that each child has something to do—then let them do it! Take your children grocery shopping, and in the produce section, ask them to choose three fruits or vegetables to buy. A great spring gardening activity with young children is to plant peas. The large seeds are easy to handle and fun to plant, and children love to pick and eat the sweet green peas! When my daughter was in fifth grade, a friend came over every afternoon for a week in June. Our sugar snap peas were ready, and I suggested that the girls go into the garden for a snack. The friend seemed skeptical, but they ventured into the garden, where she picked and tasted fresh snap peas for the first time. The rest of the week, as soon as they got home, the first thing she wanted to do

was go to the garden for peas! Why Cook? A wise friend once commented: “Someone has to cook my food; it might as well be me.” Is being able to dress yourself and brush your teeth more important than being able to cook? Is getting the correct change at a restaurant more important than shopping and cooking, or growing a garden? We care about saving time and money. We care about not getting fat and sick—or so we say. Marion Nestle, Professor and Chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University, notes that changing habits is not “fast, cheap, or easy.” There can be aesthetic pleasure in cutting juicy, vine-ripe tomatoes with a sharp knife. Who has not

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Is being able to dress yourself and brush your teeth more important than being able to cook? enjoyed the fragrance of fresh garlic sautéing in olive oil? Cooking is not just for people with time on their hands. It is not just for the poor or the wealthy. We seem to have traded the flavors of spring onions and fresh peas for frozen pizza, all in the name of convenience. But cooking skills empower us. They enable us to do more with less, foster creativity—and bring bright smiles around the table. .................................................. Lynn Walters is founder and executive director of Cooking with Kids. To learn more about Cooking with Kids, visit www.cookingwithkids.net.

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Green and White Fettuccine with Tomato Basil Sauce Serves 6 to 8

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Fresh pasta is just like any other dough, fun to make and easy to handle. Pasta machines are fun, but you can make pasta the old fashioned way. All you need is is a rolling pin and some patience. Fettuccine • 1 cup unbleached white flour • 1 cup semolina flour • 1⁄4 teaspoon salt • 1 egg, lightly beaten • 1⁄2 teaspoon olive oil • 1⁄3 cup water + 1 tablespoon Make white fettuccine dough: In a bowl, mix together the white flour, semolina flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, oil and water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir together until a roughlooking dough forms. On a clean, lightly floured work surface knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes, until it is no longer sticky. Cover the dough with a clean cloth and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Make green fettuccine dough: In a small saucepan, heat a small amount of water until boiling. Add the spinach and cook, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the spinach is wilted, but still bright green. Use a strainer to drain the spinach, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Chop the spinach. Mix the same ingredients and follow the instructions for the white fettuccine dough, but add the chopped spinach to the egg, olive oil and water, omitting the extra tablespoon. Follow the directions for mixing, kneading and cutting the white fettuccine dough. To make fettuccine with a hand crank pasta machine: 1.Start with setting #1. Flatten each piece of dough and put it through the machine. Fold each piece of dough in

half and put it through the machine again. Remember to fold the dough in half before feeding it through the machine the second time. 2.Change the pasta machine setting to #3. Feed each piece of dough through the machine two times at setting #3. Fold the dough in half before feeding it into the machine the second time. 3.Change the machine setting to #5 and repeat. 4. Move the hand crank to the fettuccine cutter on the pasta machine. Carefully feed each sheet of dough through the cutter. Hang the pasta over clean dowels or lay it in a single layer on cookie sheets dusted with semolina flour. To make fettuccine using a rolling pin: 1. On a clean work surface dusted with semolina flour, roll the dough into a flat rectangular shape. Fold the dough into thirds and roll again. Repeat this folding and rolling process four to six times until the dough is very smooth and is about 1⁄16 inch thick. Sprinkle the finished piece with semolina flour and loosely roll up like a jellyroll. 2. Use a sharp knife to “slice” through the rolled pasta dough every 1⁄4 inch. Carefully unroll the fettuccine and hang over clean dowels or lay it in a single layer on cookie sheets dusted with semolina flour. Roll, fold and cut the remaining pieces of dough as described above. Tomato Basil Sauce 1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 pounds ripe tomatoes (10 to 12 medium), washed and diced 1⁄4 teaspoon salt 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 2 ounces Asiago or Parmesan cheese, grated 1.In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat. Sauté for 10 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. 2.Add the diced tomatoes and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes juicy. Remove from heat and stir in the salt, pepper, and chopped fresh basil. 3.Cook the fettuccine: Put 12 cups of water in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. 4.Add 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Add the fettuccine and stir once. Cook the pasta over high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until “al dente.” Drain the pasta in a colander. Serve immediately, topped with tomato sauce and freshly grated cheese.

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OUR NATURAL HERITAGE 132 New Mexico’s Headwaters: Our Lifeblood 136 The Pecos Wilderness: Where a Force of Nature Inspires a Force for Nature 138 Gardens Gone Wild: Santa Fe Botanical Garden Remembers Its Roots While It Grows Its Future

A RARE

SECOND CHANCE Can the Mexican Gray Wolf Help Us Learn to Live in Balance? To Start, We Must Look Unflinchingly at Our Century-Long Fiasco in Trying to Exterminate, Control and Manage the Lobo. BY MICHAEL J. ROBINSON

The 1998 reintroduction of the Mexican gray wolf to the Gila ecosystem of southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona represented a potential turning point—not just for this rarest subspecies of the gray wolf, but also for a human society that had come within a whisker, or more precisely, within seven animals, of exterminating the “lobo” from the face of the Earth.

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They were an engine of evolution, honing the alertness of each generation of white-tailed deer and providing leftover meals for bears, eagles and badgers.

the deer, elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn and bison that had long sustained wolves. The last native elk in the Southwest was killed in 1906, and even deer were on a trajectory toward extinction. In an era that pre-dated

$125,000 to hire hundreds of federal hunters to exterminate wolves and other predators on behalf of the livestock industry, the first in an annual appropriation for what eventually was called “predator control” and that has grown tremendously and continues to this day. Salaried federal hunters determined to leave no wolves alive proved more efficient than bounty hunters. The US Fish and Wildlife Service trapped what may have been the last US-born wolf in the West in southern Colorado in 1945, and in 1950, began sending its experienced personnel and custom-concocted poisons to Mexico to set up the same organized wolf-killing program that had proved so successful in the United States, thereby first slowing and eventually stanching an influx of wolves northward.

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Whether that hopeful potential has been realized is open for debate. Mexican wolves are the smallest subspecies of gray wolf, the “desert wolf” in the words of pioneering ecologist Aldo Leopold, and once roamed Mexico’s Sierra Madre as well as southern Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. In central and northern New Mexico, they intergraded with northern wolves. They were an engine of evolution, honing the alertness of each generation of white-tailed deer and providing leftover meals for bears, eagles and badgers. The nineteenth century arrival of people of European origin occasioned the gunning down of almost all

an ethic of sustainable hunting and before the imposition of game limits, frontier society similarly rejected any limits on the grazing of cattle, horses and sheep on the open range. In the absence of their natural prey, wolves relied on livestock. In 1893, the territorial legislature for Arizona and New Mexico authorized counties to pay bounties on wolves and other predators, and eventually all western states appropriated funds for bounty payments. Yet some wolves learned to avoid traps and poisoned baits, and bounty hunters sometimes let wolves live in order to perpetuate their livelihood, or left for greener pastures without taking the last, hard-to-kill wolves. As a result, wolves persisted and, in some areas, even increased. In response, in 1915 Congress appropriated

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By the time President Richard M. Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law in 1973, few wolves were known to exist in Mexico. Five were trapped alive between 1977 and 1980 for an emergency captive breeding program; three of these animals and four others already in captivity were successfully bred and served as the founders of the Mexican wolf’s uncertain future. No other wolves have been confirmed alive in the wild in Mexico since 1980. Despite the recovery mandate of the Endangered

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while a buck pulled down by wolves can be replaced in two or three years, a range pulled down by too many deer may fail of replacement in as many decades.

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Species Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service opposed reintroduction of the Mexican wolf to the wild. A lawsuit by conservationists led to the reintroduction beginning in 1998, but under adverse conditions demanded by the livestock industry: Unlike wolves reintroduced to the northern Rocky Mountains three years previously, Mexican wolves would be confined to an arbitrary, politicallydefined zone and would be trapped if they established territories on national forests or other public lands aside from the Apache National Forest in Arizona and the Gila National Forest in New Mexico. Their management would vary by state lines, with releases from captivity only to occur in Arizona but releases of animals captured from the wild also allowed in New Mexico. And while wolves could be shot or trapped for preying on livestock, they would not be protected from temptation through any requirement, such as that imposed in the northern Rockies, for stock owners to remove or render inedible (for example through lime) the carcasses of cattle and horses that died of nonwolf causes. Though conditions are much improved since wolves were exterminated—elk were long ago reintroduced, deer are common, and the local public largely supports the wolves— management on behalf of the livestock in-

dustry has proved surprisingly akin to the earlier era of persecution. Since 1998, the government has shot eleven Mexican wolves, and an additional 18 wolves died as a result of capture. Dozens more have been captured and released in unfamiliar habitats, often after separation from a mate, parents or pups. Thirty-four other wolves trapped from the wild are undergoing long-term captivity, with nine of those animals dead of old-age so far. Releases to the wild are few and far between. As if that wasn’t bad enough, 33 wolves have been found illegally shot, and 46 are missing, many under suspicious circumstances. While only three cases of illegal killing have been solved (and just two of those prosecuted), the Fish and Wildlife Service has loaned telemetry receivers programmed to the wolves’ radio collars to wolf opponents, and admits it cannot account for all the receivers it has handed out. The many deaths and removals have taken a steep toll. Despite the releases into the wild of exactly 100 Mexican wolves since 1998, and dozens born in the wild in the intervening twelve years, the wild wolf population has declined or stagnated in each annual census from 2006 through 2010. Only 42 animals including just two breeding pairs could be counted in January 2010. Genetic diversity that was already attenuated due

below: Photo courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service. One of the Gila National Forest’s alpha wolves that had to have a leg amputated due to injury, either from a gunshot or leg-hold trap. Such traps were banned in July 2010 by Governor Richardson.

species depend. In part, the failure to make progress toward recovery is a consequence of government disregard of this congressional intent. The Fish and Wildlife Service has instituted policies that scapegoat wolves for occasional predation on livestock (despite the fact that stock owners are reimbursed). But neither the wildlife agency nor the Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management has implemented changes on the publicly owned mountains and grasslands where livestock grazing degrades habitats and suppresses the numbers of elk, pronghorn and other wolf prey animals. The Mexican wolf is suffering because its ecosystem still is. Modern science has revealed wolves’ profound influence on ecosystems. In Yellowstone National Park where elk avoid wolves in low-visibility valleys, previously browsed cottonwood saplings have rebounded and grown tall, stabilizing stream banks and providing habitat for songbirds and food for beavers. Fish flourish in the beaver ponds. In Grand Teton National Park, wolves have reduced coyote numbers and thereby increased pronghorn numbers. The coyotes hunt newborn pronghorns, but these fawns are too small for wolves to seek out as a primary prey. With so few wolves in the Southwest, we have not reaped these benefits. And

unless we break from the mistakes of the past, we never will, and the Mexican gray wolf will become a creature of memory and eventually even of myth— yet another extinct animal to mourn along with the decline of the other animals and plants it once helped sustain. We should hearken back to Aldo Leopold, who shot a wolf in 1909 in the Apache National Forest, urged their extermination while he lived in New Mexico, but later came to regret deeply what he had helped to accomplish: Since then I have lived to see state after state extirpate its wolves. I have watched the face of many a newly wolfless mountain, and seen the south-facing slopes wrinkle with a maze of new deer trails. I have seen every edible bush and seedling browsed, first to anaemic desuetude, and then to death. I have seen every edible tree defoliated to the height of a saddlehorn. Such a mountain looks as if someone had given God a new pruning sheers, and forbidden Him all other exercise. In the end the starved bones of the hoped-for-deer herd, dead of its own too-much, bleach with the bones of the dead sage, or molder under the high-lined junipers. I now suspect that just as a deer herd lives in mortal fear of its wolves, so does a mountain live in mortal fear of its deer. And perhaps with better cause, for while a buck pulled down by wolves can be

replaced in two or three years, a range pulled down by too many deer may fail of replacement in as many decades. So also with cows. The cowman who cleans his range of wolves does not realize that he is taking over the wolf’s job of trimming the herd to fit the range. He has not learned to think like a mountain. Hence we have dustbowls, and rivers washing the future into the sea. Reintroduction of the Mexican wolf allows us a rare second chance to try to live in balance, to allow wolves to be wolves and to set limits on the insatiable demands we make of the natural ecosystems that their recovery requires. Whether we will seize this opportunity for the lobo and for ourselves remains to be seen.

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to just seven animals founding the population has also declined, leading to lower litter sizes in the wild and lower pup survival rates. Scientists warn that diversity in the captive population, limited to approximately 300 wolves maintained in 47 zoos and specialized facilities in the US and Mexico, will decline as well. The Mexican wolf can still be saved and recovered, but it will take a commitment from the Fish and Wildlife Service that is not yet apparent. The government should retrieve telemetry receivers and change the radio collars’ compromised frequencies. Dozens more wolves should be released into the wild, and three additional wolves prepared for release to replace each that may be found shot or go missing. Authority should be developed to allow release of wolves from captivity directly into New Mexico, and a scientific recovery plan should prescribe additional protections and identify new recovery areas to release wolves. Looking beyond urgent administrative reforms, the perilous plight of the Mexican gray wolf, the lobo that is almost as intertwined into dusty cross-border lore and culture as it is instrumental to its ecosystems, should remind us of the first statement of purpose of the Endangered Species Act—to conserve the ecosystems on which threatened and endangered

.................................................. Michael Robinson is a conservation advocate for the Center for Biological Diversity, in Silver City, New Mexico. He is author of Predatory Bureaucracy: The Extermination of Wolves and the Transformation of the West (University Press of Colorado, 2005).

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NEW MEXICO’S HEADWATERS: OUR LIFEBLOOD BY BRYAN BIRD

Clean water and wild forests are inseparable. WildEarth Guardians, a homegrown conservation organization founded over twenty years ago, is supporting the state’s effort to gain permanent protection for our headwaters. Some of our nation’s most pristine water resources are found in designated Wilderness areas (such as the Pecos Wilderness, Gila Wilderness, Sandia Wilderness, and Wheeler Peak Wilderness) and the roadless forests of our public lands system. Largely undisturbed, wilderness and roadless areas are not only a serene and beautiful

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refuge for wildlife and recreationists, but the streams flowing from these areas are among our most pure. When you think of water quantity and quality—healthy, intact forests do the work: capture, store, purify and deliver. These wildland waters support our communities and economies downstream. UNM economists estimate that the water alone from these undeveloped forests in New Mexico may be worth over $80 million annually to the state. Given the overuse, overappropriation and too often poor land-use decisions combined with climate

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Santa Feans are deeply aware of our precious, life-giving waters and recognize that our forests provide that water. We live in a state where less than two percent of the landscape is water and yet our acequias, ranchlands, pueblos, cities and wildlife depend nearly exclusively on that small amount of water for survival. Our forefathers and mothers long ago recognized the connection between clean water and wild forests and have taken sound action to preserve the forests above our city and the sanctity of our water. Now, the state has embarked on a bold attempt to ensure similar protections for all of our headwaters.

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change and the vagaries of the drought cycle, it’s more important than ever to protect and preserve our waters. If we wish to conserve our farms and ranches, hunting and fishing opportunities, rural economies, acequias, wildlife as well as the sustainability of our high-desert city, we will need to proactively assure the quality and quantity of our waters and forests. And that begins with protecting New Mexico’s forested headwaters. Using the federal Clean Water Act, Governor Bill Richardson and his environment department filed a petition before the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission (WQCC) to designate waters within previously designated Wilderness areas as Outstanding National Resource Waters (ONRW) under the Clean Water Act. If successful, this nomination would protect over 700 miles of rivers and streams, 29 lakes, and approximately 6,000 acres of wetlands in our state. WildEarth Guardians re-

quested another 900 miles of waterways be added in roadless forests. Because these waters are not always polluted by one single damaging action, the cumulative effect of activities can lead to degradation. However, once designated as “Outstanding” under the Clean Water Act, pollution to the waterway is explicitly prohibited. .................................................. Bryan Bird is the Wild Places Program director for WildEarth Guardians in Santa Fe. Bryan has undertaken conservation research and planning in Mexico, Central America and the Southwestern United States. He lives in the Galisteo watershed.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Join WildEarth Guardians in the Clean Waters, Wild Forests campaign. Send a letter of support to the Chair of the New Mexico Water Quality Control Commission in support of Outstanding waters: Chair, WQCC c/o Joyce Medina 1190 St. Francis Drive, N2153 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502 Or send email to Joyce.Medina@state.nm.us For more information, please visit www.wildearthguardians.org

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THE PECOS WILDERNESS: A FORCE OF NATURE INSPIRES A FORCE FOR NATURE BY CINNY GREEN

OUR NATURAL HERITAGE

Humans have used every tool of our big brains— from magic to logic—to both own and participate in the bounty of our only home in the universe. Nonetheless, a sense of disconnection has prevailed. “Most people are on the world, not in it,” wrote John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, “having no conscious sympathy or relationship to anything

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about them—undiffused and rigidly alone like marbles of polished stone, touching but separate.” Many studies have shown that disconnection from nature causes us unhappiness and conversely, the experience of nature— whether in a garden, on a hiking trail or from a tree outside a window—fosters a sense of well-being and efficacy. Along the twisted

route of separation from our source, a few special souls have recognized the dangers, ached for the bridge back to the full community of nature, and worked tirelessly to reverse the loss of habitat, fresh air, clean water, and all kinds of splendid creatures. In 1964, a group of visionaries, including the vilified President Lyndon Johnson, held the conviction

In July I stood on Jicarita Peak on the northern edge of the Pecos Wilderness. I went there to resolve a recent loss but forgot myself under the spell of the view from 12,835 feet elevation. The wind gusting across the summit wove the endless weft and warp of nature together. It offered me a sensation of wholeness. At the same time, I knew the landscape before me was peppered with ecological losses more fragmenting than my own. I pledged to reciprocate the personally restorative vision from Jicarita to become a steward of the wild, to put my awareness into action, and not to be just a visitor.

that parts of the Earth needed to be “untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” On September 3rd of that year, he signed into law the revolutionary Wilderness Act. Others persisted in the mission, as if a dam had opened and ecological awareness flowed, at first trickling and now tidal. The first 9.1 million acres signed into

Their sermons on the mountains go to our hearts; and if people in general could be got into the woods, even for once, to hear the trees speak for themselves, all difficulties in the way of forest preservation would vanish.” When you feel disillusioned about the enormous mess we’ve made of our home, go up Hyde Park Road outside Santa Fe; follow the winding curves to the Winsor trailhead. Leave your car and your disconnection behind. Listen to the hubbub of wilderness beings welcoming you as one of their own. When you come back to town, you’ll know what to do: defend more wilderness, protect the endangered, clear trails with the Sierra Club, clean up riverbeds, demand green spaces and parks, fight big oil, logging, and mining profiteers, or advocate for whatever place makes you feel as whole as I felt that day on Jicarita Peak.

In July, lightning smacks the sky, and I am a fragile presence in the biosphere. In the Pecos, nature’s voices harmonize. Elsewhere, regrettably, they’re more like weeping children: toxic fish, poisoned vegetables, disappearing aquifers, melting glaciers, and worse, absolutely silent species weeping from the spirit world. As environmental activist and author Derrick Jensen says, “There’s the nagging little fact that this culture is murdering the planet.” There’s no ignoring that stark reality, especially once you see what it can be like in a protected sphere. Muir understood the leap from awareness to advocacy and offered the antidote to his own lament about separateness: “Few are altogether deaf to the preaching of pine trees.

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Pecos—and green spaces of all kinds—that fosters this commitment to become an advocate for nature? Carl Jung wrote that, in nature, “Being is a field of force” and the impact of organic and inorganic beings is corporeal as well as spiritual. Out in the wild, relieved of the cacophonous human din, I can sense fields of force from stone to bud to grub. When I cross Panchuela Creek, moisture raises the little hairs on my cheek. Along the Santa Barbara Divide, bighorns gaze at me with slitted cat-like eyes. On the Dockweiler Trail in October, aspens bathe the forest in a mystical golden glow. The boulder fields under Truchas Peak retell their liberating tumble from the summit.

OUR NATURAL HERITAGE

law as wilderness areas have grown into 756 wildernesses covering almost 110,000,000 acres. But that’s only 5% of the US land mass, so there is much more work to be done. The Pecos Wilderness, within an hour’s walk of Santa Fe Ski Basin, was included in the original 1964 document, protecting 200,000 acres between Santa Fe and Pecos, New Mexico. An additional 55,000 acres were added in 1980. As a new steward of our wounded environment, I’ve now joined the efforts of WildEarth Guardians, Sierra Club, and the Center for Biological Diversity to explore and preserve ecosystems within both the Pecos Wilderness boundaries and the greater Santa Fe National Forest. What is it about the

Out in the wild, relieved of the cacophonous human din, I can sense fields of force from stone to bud to grub.

Cinny Green is a Santa Fe writer, editor, and Sierra Club hike leader. She is author of Trail Writer’s Guide (Western Edge Press, 2010) that links inspiration from the wild with elements of writing craft. For trail writing workshops in the Pecos Wilderness and beyond, go to trailwriters.com. Read Cinny’s blogposts about all things wild at cinnygreen.wordpress.com.

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GARDENS GONE WILD Santa Fe Botanical Garden Remembers its Roots while it Grows its Future BY ERIN SINDEWALD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANICE TUCKER

OUR NATURAL HERITAGE

What’s in a name? Staff at the Santa Fe Botanical Garden often joke that one of the most common questions they receive is, “Where’s the garden?” Those unfamiliar with the work of SFBG are often surprised to learn that this nonprofit has been serving the community for more than 20 years.

Founded in 1987 by a small group of plant enthusiasts and experts, the Garden is composed of two nature preserves, a trove of community activities and educational programming, and a future site for a 12acre botanical garden at Museum Hill, slated to open in August 2011. So when someone asks about the Garden’s exact location, staff members often respond with a lighthearted, “It’s more than a garden!” before launching into a detailed description of the organization’s many programs. The Garden’s mission is to celebrate, cultivate, and

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conserve the rich botanical heritage and biodiversity of the region through educational programs and community service. This mission is carried out with the support and dedication of nearly 100 volunteers, who staff the preserves and serve as trained docents, help at the annual Garden Tours, write articles for quarterly newsletters, and teach school children about the joys of flowers and bugs. Due to such dedication, volunteers, Garden members, and occasional participants alike can collectively celebrate the history and beauty of our unique Northern New

Mexico ecosystems, inhabited by ponderosa and piñon, bears and bats, cottonwoods and coyotes. But the Garden’s impact does not end with its commitment to the community and natural splendor. By inspiring the City Different to protect its unique native flora, the SFBG provides both a vision and educational resources for a more sustainable Santa Fe. Since its humble beginnings, the Garden’s board has understood the importance of xeric landscaping and water conservation in the region, and thus advocates through workshops and lectures for environmen-

tally responsible gardens and water catchment systems. And community members have been taking note. SFBG volunteer Vicky Jacobson believes that the organization’s nature preserves provide opportunities for individuals to learn about making more sustainable choices, “whether it’s composting and recycling plants, or learning which plants contribute the most in beauty, longevity, and drought tolerance” in a desert landscape. Further, volunteer Jane Burns notes that the Garden’s two nature areas do not allow development or harvesting, so both are

to old favorites such as the Garden Tours in June, the Fabulous Fall Plant Sale, and the Children’s Holiday Workshop in December. Supporters can also anticipate another season of plant and bird walks, bat watching, nature photography and writing, mountain hikes, and garden planning workshops. Another noteworthy event in 2011 is the Winter Lecture Series, which will include topics such as “The Gardens of Ancient Rome” and “European Medieval Gardens.” Individuals who are interested in becoming Members of the Santa Fe Botanical Garden, signing up for volunteer opportunities, or learning more about programs and events can visit www.santafebotanicalgarden.org for more information.

OUR NATURAL HERITAGE

“preserved for the future and are accessible for recreational learning.” Sustainability and preservation, however, call for a continuous flow of advocates, do-gooders and starry-eyed idealists. But with busier schedules and less time for volunteering, and a younger generation that has grown up with less exposure to nature than their predecessors, the Garden must evolve much the way southwestern verdure adapted to its desert environment—conserving precious water while alluring interaction with other species by essence of its natural beauty. While SFBG could never have succeeded without its devoted volunteers over the past two decades, we want to entice the next generation into the gardens as well. Therefore, this year is a call to action to those who may or may not know the difference between a juniper and a Gambel Oak. Join the movement! The Garden is currently seeking individuals ages 18-34 who are interested in serving as volunteer docents, leading nature hikes, and assisting in outreach and social media campaigns. Commitments can be either long or short-term, and SFBG will work around a volunteer’s schedule to create a mutually beneficial experience. The Garden, armed with a dedicated brigade of both old and new-timers, expects 2011 to be another exhilarating year for plants and beyond. Members and participants can look forward

.................................................. Erin Sindewald is an intern at St. Elizabeth Shelter and an ardent fan and volunteer of Santa Fe Botanical Garden.

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ADVERTISING/ BUILDING MATERIAL Jo True Value.............89 MARKETING/MEDIA Big 473-2255 Flavorgrafix....................85 316-0237 Jennifer Esperanza ..........85 204-5729 SAR Press.......................37 888-390-6070 Signs of Santa Fe...........139 474-0495

ARCHITECTS/ BUILDERS

Denman and Associates ...59 983-6014 Hands Engineering ...........76 473-7373 Kreger Design Build .......133 660-9391 McDowell & Satzinger .....25 982-5238 McDowell & Satzinger ...134 982-5238 Pompei's Home Remodeling ...................133 982-7378

BANK/FINANCIAL SERVICES

Century Bank ....................9 955-1200 Horizon Sustainable Financial Services ..........133 982-9661 LANB ................................0 662-5171 New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union ........51 467-6000 Secular & Associates......139 421-3480 State Employees Credit Union....................57 983-7328

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Bioshield.........................73 438-3448 Chaparral Materials Inc....77 471-3491 DAHL Plumbing .................2 438-5096 Linson's ..........................31 984-8700 Mexico Lindo...................69 820-9898 Miller's Insulation ...........89 505-924-2214 New Mexico Stone ..........35 820-7625 Nudura - Verde Materials 21 474-8686 Omni ..............................63 424-3565 Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity ReStore ...........52 473-1114

Golden Acorns .................36 795-9079 Harvest the Rain .............81 424-4444 Randall Davey Audubon Center ............................85 983-4609 Santa Fe Alliance .............41 989-5362 Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association.........75 982-1774 Santa Fe Community College .............................1 428-1000 Santa Fe Waldorf School...123 983-9727 SAR Press.......................37 888-390-6070 Scherer Institute..............56 982-8398 Southwestern College ....117 471-5756

FOOD/FARMING/ GROCERY CLOTHING/FABRICS Camino de Paz School ......35

Act 2 ............................133 983-8585 Barkin' Botique ...............33 986-0699 Double Take ....................89 989-8886 Santa Fe Quilting...........139 473-3747 Sense Clothing.................59 988-5534 SOS from Texas...............75 1-800-245-2339 Tiny Tots.........................15 204-1653; 757-2281

EDUCATION

Academy for the Love of Learning .......................115 995-1860 Camino de Paz School ......35 1-505-747-9717 Dragonfly School ............76 995-9869 Earth Care.....................143 983-6896

1-505-747-9717 Dish n' Spoon ..................66 983-7676 Farm to Restaurant (SF Alliance) ............................99 989-5362 La Montanita ................145 984-2852 Peas 'n' Pod Catering, Inc ..107 438-2877 The Food Depot .............103 471-1633 Walter Burke Catering .....97 473-9600 Whole Foods .................119 992-1700

FURNITURE

Mexico Lindo...................69 820-9898 Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity ReStore ...........52 473-1114 Stephen's Consignment Gallery ...........................65 471-0802

GOVERNMENT

City of Santa Fe Economic Development...127 955-6915 City of Santa Fe - Parks, Trails and Watershed Parks Division...............135 955-2100 City of Santa Fe - Public Works (Santa Fe Trails)......4 955-2001 City of Santa Fe Solid Waste ....................55 424-1850 City of Santa Fe Water Conservation.........87 955-4225 Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau ........83 955-6200

HEALTH

Advanced Janitor Supply ..57 989-7188 Buddha Fitness ................67 983-7909 Dahn Yoga ....................142 820-2211 Exploring Health..............35 982-0044 Lakind Dental Group ........27 988-3500 Milagro Herbs ...............123 820-6321 Scherer Institute..............56 982-8398 We the People Community Acupuncture ..................134 982-3711

[2011] LANDSCAPING/ RESTORATION/ NURSERY

Down to Earth Landscapes ...49 983-5743 Dryland Solutions ............37 577-9625 EcoScapes .......................27 424-9004 Franco's Trees .................75 412-2875 Harvest the Rain .............81 424-4444 Native Earth Landscaping ....................81 316-2284 New Mexico Hydroponic .....................61 316-5855 Plants of the Southwest ......................61 438-8888 Santa Fe Greenhouses......13 473-2700 Santa Fe Premium Compost .......................134 310-3971 Santa Fe Tree Farm..........52 984-2888 Soil Secrets .....................45 505-550-3246 Tooley's Trees .................73 1-505-689-2400

NON PROFITS

Academy for the Love of Learning ...................115 995-1860 Bioneers .........................23 986-0366 Camino de Paz School ......35 1-505-747-9717 Chainbreaker...................66 989-3858 Dragonfly School ............76 995-9869 Earth Care.....................143 983-6896 Farm to Restaurant (SF Alliance)....................99 989-5362

New Mexico Environmental Law Center .....................31 989-9022 New Mexico Land Conservancy .................133 986-3801 Randall Davey Audubon Center ............................85 983-4609 Santa Fe Alliance .............41 989-5362 Santa Fe Area Home Builder Association ..........75 982-1774 Santa Fe Conservation Trust...............................89 989-7019 Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity ReStore ...........52 473-1114 Santa Fe Watershed Association .....................33 820-1696 The Food Depot .............103 471-1633 The Housing Trust............71 989-3960 Youth Media Project ........56 986-1880

OTHER

Advanced Janitor Supply ..57 989-7188 Amanda's Flowers...........28 473-9212 Copy Shack .....................87 982-0200 Heard, Robins, Cloud and Black LLP....................5 986-0600 Linson's ..........................31 984-8700 Mobile Sharpening...........36 577-4491 Rio Grande Return.........139 466-1767 Shaklee...........................97 757-3696

PETS

Critters and Me ...............25 982-5040 The Feed Bin ...................97 982-0511

REAL ESTATE

Galisteo Basin Preserve...48 982-4466 Interval Ownership .........39 982-5222 New Mexico Land Conservancy .................133 986-3801 The Housing Trust............71 989-3960 The Sanctuary .................49 982-5222

India House...................105 471-2651 Joe's Santa Fe *F2R ........95 471-3800 Mu Du Noodles..............109 983-1411 Peas 'n' Pod Catering, Inc107 438-2877 Real Food Nation *F2R ..101 466-3886 Santa Fe Capitol Grill .....103 471-6800 Second Street Brewery *F2R 103.....................982-3030 Tree House Café *F2R ....104 474-5543 Vinaigrette .....................21 820-9205

RENEWABLE ENERGY RETAIL Advanced Janitor Supply ..57

ADI Solar ......................133 490-0994; 575-422-3088 Bella Solar ......................11 660-6220 Medlin Mechanical ...........65 577-8087 Positive Energy .................3 424-1112 Q, S, & V Electro/ Mechanical ......................21 660-9047 Renewable Energy Partners .........................53 466-4259 The Firebird.....................19 983-5264

RESTAURANTS

Aqua Santa ...................119 982-6297 Atrisco Café and Bar *F2R.............................103 983-7401 Cowgirl BBQ *F2R .........104 982-2565 El Farol .........................109 983-9912 El Patio...........................91 820-0717 Il Piatto *F2R................105 984-1091

989-7188 Amanda's Flowers.........135 473-9212 Big Jo True Value.............89 473-2255 Centaur Cycles and Scooters .........................11 471-5481 Dotfoil ............................27 954-9955 Milagro Herbs ...............123 820-6321 Moon Rabbit Toys ...........29 982-9373 Reflective Images............65 988-7393 Sangre de Cristo Mountain Works............133 984-8221 Santa Fe Exchange...........67 983-2043 The Ark...........................23 988-3709

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SERVICES

Covington Consulting .......25 982-0044 Creative Couriers...........115 920-6370 Davis Innovations............53 424-6631 Dotfoil ............................27 954-9955 Heard, Robins, Cloud and Black LLP....................5 986-0600 Medlin Mechanical ...........65 577-8087 Mobile Sharpening...........36 577-4491 Net Pros .........................39 474-0822 New Mexico Environmental Law Center .....................31 989-9022 Regenesis .......................61 986-8338

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The Housing Trust............71 989-3960 Tiny Tots.........................15 204-1653; 757-2281

TRANSPORTATION

Beaver Toyota Scion ......144 982-1900 Broken Spoke..................15 992-3102 Chainbreaker...................66 989-3858 Chalmers Capitol Ford ....146 888-858-0015 Creative Couriers...........115 920-6370 Hal Burns Power Systems135 471-1671 Hal Burns Truck and Equipment 39.......................471-1671

WATER

Harvest the Rain .............81 424-4444 Natural Systems International ...................29 988-7453 Q, S, & V Electro/ Mechanical ......................21 660-9047 Santa Fe Watershed Association .....................33 820-1696 The Firebird.....................19 983-5264 Water Lady.....................97 1-505-660-4162

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