Oct-Nov 2010 Essence of Los Alamos & White Rock

the Essence of Los Alamos and White Rock

October/November 2010, Volume 3, Issue 6

Being Green in Los Alamos PEEC -Green Initiatives Being Green in Our Schools DPU’s Commitment to Renewable Energy 10 ways to Reduce and Recycle

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the Essence From Market to Table Keeping it Local .......................... 6 PEEC - Green Initiative .......... 8 It’s Your (Co-op) Market ........................ 10 Financial Institutions Embrace Green Practices ....................... 12 Being Green in Our Schools................................ 14 DPU’s Commitment to Renewable Energy .............. 16 High-tech Local Companies18 10 Ways to Reduce and Recycle ................................20 Calendar of Events

Local Happenings in Your Town...

22-23 Photo by Michele Altherr

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Participating CommunityMatters Chamber Members Art Center at Fuller Lodge Assets in Action Atomic City Cleaning B & B Environmental Safety Inc. Bandelier Grill Bennett’s Jewelry Bilingual Montessori School Brownell’s Hallmark CB FOX & CB FOX Kidz Cook’n in Style Critter Control Don Taylor’s Photography Family Strengths Network Family YMCA Hill Diner Juvenile Justice Advisory Board Karen Wray Fine Art LA Mesa Law Firm, P.C. Lorraine Hartway Los Alamos County Government Los Alamos Family Council Los Alamos Farmers Market Los Alamos Fitness Center Los Alamos Heart Council Los Alamos Historical Society Los Alamos Medical Center

Editor’s Note Welcome to the Essence! The Essence, a bi-monthly publication, was created to inform and remind us of what’s special about living in Los Alamos and White Rock.

The theme of this issue is ‘Going Green’. Going Green is a popular term used to describe the process of changing one’s lifestyle for the benefit of the environment.

People who “go green” make decisions about their daily lives while considering what impact the outcome of those decisions have on global warming, pollution, loss of animal habitats, and other environmental concerns.

Every time I’m about to throw something away, I hear a little voice in my head asking if it can be recycled or reused in some way. However, until recently, I would get confused by the recycle symbol with a number inside it. I thought, “Is that information for me as to if it can be recycled or for the recyclers at the recycling center?” My decisions were not informed and led me to be anxious - thoughts of the enormous piles of plastic garbage (the size of Texas) came to mind floating in each ocean, killing the creatures that live in the sea because they get tangled up in it or eat it!

Information is knowledge. What can we do, collectively, to make a difference?

There are 3 changes most people make to “go green.” They begin sustainable living, use environmentally friendly (or green) products, and they begin recycling and/or reusing as many products as possible.

Sustainable living involves limiting the use of natural resources and increasing self sufficiency. This is usually achieved by altering modes of transportation, conserving energy, changing one’s diet, and buying locally produced items.

Buying and using only environmentally friendly products - such as recycled paper products, nontoxic household cleaners and personal products, and organic foods - is a major part of “going green.” Green products minimize the damage or harm some production methods have on our air, water, soil, animal life, and plants. Rest assured that this publication is printed on recycled paper.

Recycling and Reusing - by recycling all that is possible (glass, plastic, paper, metal, and leftover food) and reusing useful items, a person can minimize waste. This helps decrease the need for landfill space and conserve energy.

Composting also helps in these endeavors.

In this issue, we will try to help clarify what can be done on a daily basis to help our environment. Also included are stories of what our County and local businesses are doing.

Katy Korkos, Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce Member Services Coordinator, explains how from market to table – keeping it local can help our environment.

In CommunityMatters, Emiley Bainbridge provides a story on our local Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC). PEEC has many programs and green initiatives to offer the community.

Karen Kendall, Vice President of the Los Alamos Cooperative Board, discusses it’s your market. She updates us on the progress of the Co-op Market which will include a deli, fresh meat department and fresh organic produce at a fair price in an ecologically sustainable, socially responsible manner.

Carol Clark explores how area financial institutions are embracing green practices.

Lynn Strauss gives a glimpse on what’s happening with being green in our schools and how our school system is taking measures to educate our children in helping our planet.

Julie Williams Hill, Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities, Public Affairs, writes of Los Alamos County’s commitment to renewable energy - which is a direct reflection of the values of our community.

And, Mandy Marksteiner educates us about the top 10 things you can do to reduce and recycle trash - what is accepted, and not accepted, in our blue bins. She also writes of High Tech Companies involved with environmental issues.

I hope these stories will provide some insight on “being green”. Perhaps the next time you go to recycle, you will know what is accepted in our blue bins and what is not. You can feel comfortable that our schools are teaching more than reading, writing and arithmetic. Get involved on the issues of renewable energy, attend meetings with Public Utilities, or visit PEEC and be a part of their programs.

Whatever you might take from this issue, I thank you for the opportunity to give some useful information, and be aware of how our decisions impact the environment. Kermit the frog sings, “It’s not easy being green”, but is sure is worth it!

Los Alamos National Bank Los Alamos Properties North Road Inn Pajarito Mountain Ski Area Pet Pangaea Primak Builders Tea World UNM Los Alamos UNM Graduate Program UPEX ON THE COVER: PEEC’s Park flight program brings kids to Bandelier to observe scientists banding birds. As part o the field trip, Brandon Pappas holds a bird that is about to be released.

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From market to tablekeeping it local

By Katy Korkos The smell of roasting chile, apple pie in the oven, a hearty dish of fresh homemade pasta and sauce on the stove - it all says autumn in New Mexico. Fall is one time of year when it’s truly possible to eat only locally grown food, and eat well.

Do you have an apple tree in your backyard? Chances are, it’s loaded down with apples this time of year. If you are not so lucky, the Farmer’s Market farmers would be happy to sell you some to satisfy those autumn cravings.

The Los Alamos Farmers’ Market has been a Los Alamos institution for decades - school classes go for field trips (and honey sticks), seniors walk over from the Betty Ehart Center, moms and dads push strollers and office workers stroll over from work. The outdoor market operates on Thursday mornings weekly from May through October each year. On peak days, they feature more than forty vendors of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, pestos, jams, breads, and much more. On busy days, more than 2,000 patrons frequent the market.

To bring this conversation back to the theme of this issue of the Essence - what does eating food from your garden or from the Farmer’s Market have to do with being friendly

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to the environment? There are at least three parts to the puzzle, and every person has to try to find a balance of convenience, time and money. It has to do with the distance the food has to travel in carbon producing machinery, but also with the way the food is grown. The third part is also tricky in our busy world - cooking food from scratch saves on packaging, which then saves on what goes into the waste stream.

Many fertilizers are made with petrochemicals, and many factory farms use huge amounts of energy to keep barns clean and well-lit. To feed the 6 billion people on the planet we are using immense amounts of energy and fertilizer to encourage things to ripen out of season, to thrive in locations they are not suited for, and to create farmland from completely different ecosystems - and thereby eliminating those ecosystems.

Joy Robertshaw comes to the market each Thursday with delicious yak meat and with items she has knitted from yak wool. She chose yaks to raise on her Taos-area ranch because they are most at home in our climate- and the meat is similar enough to beef that it suits the American palate, but it is far lower in cholesterol.

If convenience is of the utmost importance to you, freshlymade organic pasta and tempting sauces should fit the bill.

Pasta Divina is just one of the Farmer’s Market vendors with local roots - although the company is based in Ranchos de Albuquerque, partner Michelle Russell Martinez grew up here and spent her teen years working in her mother’s business “RosElane Boutique.”

Michelle and her business partner, Italian-born Luisella Hunter, make several varieties of pasta, from tagliatelle to pappardelle. They try to always have their listed pastas available, but they also get to be creative with seasonal ingredients (such as butternut squash ravioli). Luisella suggested that the best way to really taste the flavor of the butternut squash ravioli is to use a very light sauce. Chef David Korkos of Tea World suggests that you cook the ravioli until heated through, drain it thoroughly, then simply toss it in a warm pan in which you have melted butter with a couple of sage leaves, and serve.

Pasta Divina also sells compound butters such as Burro con Aglio Arrosto (Roasted Garlic Butter) and Burro con Salvia (Sage Butter), and sauces like pesto (basil) and all’ Arrabbiata (spicy sauce with red pepper flakes) The following recipe makes use of an abundance of fresh tomatoes, and can be completed while the pasta water is coming to a boil. Contrary to popular belief, tomato sauces do not need hours of cooking.

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Fresh Tomato Sauce (alla Pasta Divina) (Serves 8) • 8-10 Fresh Tomatoes (either Roma or Vine-Ripened) - diced • 6 Garlic Cloves Minced • 4 T Olive Oil • ¼ cup Fresh Basil (torn or chiffoned) • Salt & Pepper Heat Olive Oil in a skillet. Add garlic and sauté until soft.

Add Tomatoes and bring to a soft boil. Add salt and pepper to taste and fold in basil. Cook for 15 minutes, adjust seasonings as necessary.

To find out which vendors are coming to the market, check out the blog hosted by LA Mainstreet http://lamainstreet.com/farmers-market.htm Pasta Divina has more recipes and a full list of pastas available on their website www.pastadivina.com. If you miss them at the Farmer’s Market, Ruby K’s Bagel Shop also carries a great selection of Pasta Divina products.

Michelle Russell Martinez shows off her fresh locally-sourced pasta.

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CommunityMatters PEEC – Green Initiatives

By Emiley Bainbridge The Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) provides numerous opportunities for the community to be a little bit “greener” through many programs. They provide a nature center and outdoor education programs that allow people of all ages to explore the rich natural and cultural heritage of the Pajarito Plateau and to appreciate the connection to the natural world.

The organization wants to spread the message that the word “environment” doesn’t mean “disaster” but, instead, the opportunity to enjoy the friendly world of nature: its beauty, its complexity, its window into healthy, stress-free outdoor hiking and the chance to live in a cleaner, less polluted world.

Kinnikinnick Club One of the programs PEEC offers is the Kinnikinnick Club. It is a group of kids from 4th to 6th grade who love nature and strive to make a difference. They are campaigning for a plastic bag-free Los Alamos.

Single-use plastic shopping bags are made of high-density polyethylene that has a very long life. The bags accumulate and persist on the planet for up to 1,000 years because they do not biodegrade. They photo-degrade and break down into smaller and smaller microscopic particles that can harm the environment by contaminating the soil, water and food web.

These bags also pose a serious danger to wildlife; from whales to zooplankton, from seabirds to duck ponds, tens of thousands of animals die each year of suffocation and choking.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. An estimated 12 million barrels of oil is required to make that many plastic bags and the energy needed to manufacture and transport disposable bags eats up many resources and releases emissions.

The Kinnikinnick Club’s goal is to increase reusable bag-use within the community.

The club thinks this can help the world. They will do this by networking with other groups in the community who care about the problem, by educating the community about the harmful effects of plastic bags, as well as ways to change, and by asking local businesses to participate in a reusable bag rebate program.

They have received sponsorships from Smith’s Food and Drug, Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce/Community Matters, RE/Max agent Suzie Havemann, Los Alamos Medical Center and Reel Deal Theater.

Periodically, there are family programs offered on gardening, composting and working with worms.

Classes/Hikes PEEC offers wildflower classes and hikes for adults, families and kids. This past summer they sponsored “Green Hour” hikes where children were able to help decide the activities and explorations of the hour.

Bulb Exchange/LA Green Working with the Department of Public Utilities, PEEC has encouraged community members to swap their incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs and campaigned to sign utility customers up for “LA Green,” where they can buy renewable energy credits to receive their electricity from more “green sources” and help Los Alamos use less petroleum-based energy.

Capital Improvement PEEC is currently proposing a CIP (Capital Improvement Project) that would allow them to renovate or build a nature center that would be completely green.

As their website proclaims, “PEEC has something for everyone. Its home in Los Alamos is uniquely perched between the sun drenched Rio Grande Valley and the deep green coolness of the Jemez Mountains. Low and high elevation ecosystems overlap and result in rich diversity and many opportunities for exploratory learning.”

The nature center is free and open to the public. Hours are Tuesday - Friday from 12 pm to 4 pm, and Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm. Visit them at 3540 Orange Street, Los Alamos, check out their Website, www.pajaritoeec.org, or call (505) 662-0460.

Public Schools PEEC works closely with Los Alamos Public Schools to create field trips that will incorporate the New Mexico State Standards and Benchmarks into outdoor, hands-on education.

For example, children on this year’s kindergarten field trips to the farmers market will choose items from a plant, a tree and a root and will make a rainbow bracelet that will remind them to eat a rainbow of different colored vegetables. They’ll also get to take apart packaged foods and discover how different it is from the fresh produce at the market -- an important environmental message that they’ll learn in a fun, entertaining way.

PEEC is planning to start a program where they go into the classroom with an “energy trunk” that teaches energy conservation to elementary school students.

It’s important for children to experience nature, because the more they understand it the more they will value it. That’s why the center has animal, plant and geology exhibits and the children get to enjoy playing, creating and learning through their own activities.

Gardens Through different gardens, PEEC is working on several green initiatives. They have an organic vegetable garden created by the Sunflower Kids. Sunflower Kids are a group of second to fourth graders. The young gardeners were in charge of their own section of the garden that have just recently harvested their produce and donated much of it to the Food Depot.

There will also be a Junior Master Gardening program starting soon that will teach kids to grow their own food.

A new butterfly garden was created by many volunteers and the kids in the Kinnikinnick Club and PEEC has planted a demonstration grass area to show three different kinds of native grasses that look good and require far less water than Kentucky blue grass. They also have a native plant flower demonstration garden for the same purpose.

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Photo of Wenke Steinwart by Branden Willman Kozimor.

October/November 2010

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IT’S YOUR MARKET

by Karen Kendall, Vice President of the Los Alamos Cooperative Board Have you noticed the construction activity out at Entrada next to the Holiday Inn Express? Los Alamos Cooperative Market (Co-op Market) and Main Gate, LLC (Rick Reiss and Sam Gardner) are working closely together to make our market a reality.

The Co-op Market building will have a stucco exterior and exposed interior steel beams. The 7,000 square foot store will include a deli, fresh meat department, and fresh organic produce along with indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy the views.

The Co-op Market is creating approximately twenty new jobs in our community. We plan to have the store open in spring, 2011!

Mission The mission of the Cooperative is to serve Los Alamos County and surrounding communities by providing fairly priced, wholesome foods and other goods in an ecologically sustainable, socially responsible, and economically appropriate manner.

The Co-op will further strive to emphasize: • food for people, not for profit • to maintain a high standard of quality for the products it sells • to foster the development of northern New Mexican growers and producers through its purchasing policies • to employ a democratic and cooperative governance structure and ethical business practices • to promote fairness, participation, and empowerment in the workplace and the community • to work to encourage and implement appropriate environmental practices • to promote awareness about food, nutrition, health, and cooperative values, and • to be responsive and accountable to the community it serves.

General Manager Steve Watts has accepted the position of General Manager. Steve was the General Manager of the French Broad Food Cooperative in Asheville, N.C and was the Business Development Director for the La Montanita Co-op here in New Mexico.

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In his work with La Montanita, Steve was the project manager for two new cooperative store acquisitions. His experience in, and dedication to, natural food cooperatives qualify him for the challenges ahead. Steve is moving to Los Alamos and begins work in early October. Come out to meet Steve on October 17th.

The Co-op Market is member-owned The Co-op has raised $819,200 entirely through loans from its 500 member-owners. The Co-op is offering a socially conscious investment opportunity in your community-investing locally to grow locally.

Your investment will help the Los Alamos Cooperative Market to: • Allow the recently hired General Manager to oversee the store startup and hire the staff to run the Co-op.

• Complete the interior work; install the equipment and furnishing of the space; and initially stock the store to provide member-owners and other shoppers with an abundance of fresh, local and organically grown foods as well as other natural products.

• Support local growers and food producers, create jobs in a thriving local business, and support the local economy.

• Contribute to the community by providing a welcoming community-based environment in which to shop.

There are three ways to invest in the Co-op Market: member loans, investment certificates and annual or lifetime memberships.

What are Member Investment Certificates?

Member Investment Certificates are a great way for those who cannot afford to participate in the Member Loan Program or would prefer a different arrangement to help capitalize the startup of the Co-op.

Member Investment Certificates can be purchased by members. Each certificate has a par value of $20. The Member Investment Certificates are governed by the LACM By-laws and each member may purchase up to $10,000 in Member Investment Certificates.

Based on the financial health of the Co-op, the Board may award a dividend payment to holders of Member Investment Certificates and may also permit investors to redeem the certificates on an annual basis if funds allow.

Memberships What can you do now to help make the Los Alamos Cooperative Market a reality? If you’re not a member-owner yet – join today!

Charter annual membership - $30 Founding lifetime membership - $250 For more information visit the Co-op at http://www. losalamos.coop/join.html.

MEET THE MANAGER & LEARN MORE ABOUT INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

What is the Member Loan Program?

The Member Loan Program is an opportunity for Co-op members to financially support the Co-op. We still need to raise $280,000 to ensure that the store will open as planned.

Here are some details on the Member Loan Program: • The minimum investment amount is $1,000 • For loans below $5,000, the interest rate is your choice up to 3% • For loans of $5,000 and more, the interest rate is up to 4% • These are 10-year loans. For the first 4 years, interest will compound annually. The loan and interest will be paid out in years 5-10 • Member Loan Program is available until 12/31/2010 Member-owners supporting the Los Alamos Cooperative Market through member loans will play a vital role in the establishment and growth of our member-owned business.

Are there risks associated with this program? Yes, there are risks—these loans are unsecured and may be subordinated to other obligations. The risks and terms are described fully in the Member Loan Prospectus available at www.losalamos.coop/memberloans

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Financial institutions embrace green practices

By Carol A. Clark More often than not, local banks and credit unions now target environmentally friendly initiatives. A longtime leader in this field is Los Alamos National Bank. LANB, at 1200 Trinity Dr., is a subsidiary of Trinity Capital Corporation and the largest locally owned community bank in the state.

“LANB is proud to be a part of sustainable development in northern New Mexico,” LANB President Steve Wells said. “We are invested in the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the communities we serve. As supporters of ecological sustainability, we understand that each individual and business must do their part to maintain our current quality of life.”

Wells said he believes the bank’s success is directly linked to the sustainability of the communities it serves. “We also believe that actions speak louder than words and by establishing green initiatives within our organization, we hope to do our part to create an even brighter future for our organization and our communities,” he said.

The bank has set aside $50 million for special financing for green commercial projects and $10 million for environmentally friendly consumer purchases, Wells said.

As supporters of ecological sustainability, he said LANB understands that effective energy management is important to the future profitability and sustainability of its communities.

“As a sign of our commitment, we built our newest office to Gold ‘LEED’ Standards,” Wells said. “And when we built our Santa Fe downtown office, we voluntarily installed a state of the art water harvesting system that will save more than 100,000 gallons of water annually by capturing runoff and redistributing it to meet the needs of our facility.”

LANB also became one of the first companies in New Mexico to join PNM’s Sky Blue Program. The program allows residents and businesses to subscribe to New Mexico wind power for up to 90 percent of their monthly kilowatt usage.

“We own two hybrid-powered company vehicles to reduce fuel consumption and illustrate to our customers and staff the value we place on sustainability,” he said. “And we offer special financing for hybrid vehicle purchases.”

LANB continues to provide free online banking, electronic bank statements and other notices in its effort to make major reductions in paper production and use, Wells said. The bank also supports Clean-Up Los Alamos Day and Keep Santa Fe Beautiful with dollars and staff time.

Online banking is something other financial institutions in town have embraced as well.

ZIA Credit Union, at 1001 Central Ave., has an ongoing “Go Green with ZIA Credit Union” campaign.

“In an effort to save paper, effort and time, we offer our members online banking, online bill paying and e-statements, all at no charge,” said Ellen Rodda, vice president of marketing for ZIA. “Online banking also provides a safer manner of delivery for our members because nothing goes to their mailboxes and they don’t have to wait around for the mailman.”

Del Norte Credit Union, at 1000 Trinity Dr., also focuses its green efforts on paper reduction and recycling.

“We offer our members e-signatures where they sign on electronic key pads that go straight to imaging,” said Kerry Stacy, senior vice president of lending/director of marketing. “This reduces paper product usage in the way of receipts and other documents. We also offer e-statements and online banking and ‘shred it’ days where we invite our members to come in and shred their documents and we recycle the paper for them.”

First National Bank of Santa Fe, at 1910 Trinity Dr., and Wells Fargo inside Smith’s Food and Drug Center on Central Avenue are two other financial institutions that also offer environmentally friendly online banking services for their customers.

President Steve Wells of Los Alamos National Bank waves from inside one of two hybrid-powered company vehicles the bank uses to reduce fuel consumption. Photo by Carol A. Clark

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Being Green in our Schools:

What our local schools are doing to help our planet and teach children to be green.

By Lynn Strauss Like most schools, Little Forest Playschool has been recycling since before it was called “recycling.” For nearly 60 years, parents and teachers have saved re-usable items and brought them to the school for use in children’s art projects, like egg cartons for painted caterpillars and newspapers for paper mache projects.

But as awareness of environmental stewardship has grown, schools have stepped up to educate students about the importance of re-using and recycling, and the affect of resource depletion on the planet.

The Los Alamos Public School District has led the way and stepped up to include environmentally friendly measures in its renovations and improvements. Superintendent, Dr. Eugene Schmidt, says the School District is very energy-conscious.

“For the past five years, the district has partnered with Energy Education, Inc., whose specific purpose is to help school districts develop energy saving behaviors,” he says. “The direct result of this program is the estimated savings of over $1 million. Savings were the result of our school district’s Energy Education Specialists visiting classrooms during off hours to conduct energy audits.”

During these classroom audit walk-throughs, the Energy Education Specialist tracks and reports back on the number of energy using devices that could be turned off when not needed. “Consistently,” Dr. Schmidt stated, “we hear from appreciative parents whose children bring this energy savings habit home.”

Dr. Schmidt reports that Governor Richardson recently awarded Los Alamos Middle School a $300,000 grant for a 50kW solar array that will be installed at the middle school. The solar array will not only produce energy, which will save the middle school thousands of dollars in energy every year, but it will also serve as a demonstration site for going green. Sacred Winds, a solar company from Albuquerque, will install the solar array.

“Energy efficiency will be much on the minds of school architects during the upcoming middle and high school construction,” says Dr. Schmidt. “Plans include energy savings ideas built into the new schools such as natural lighting for classrooms.”

Los Alamos Middle School Principal Donna Grim shared the same focus when asked about the energy savings plans for the middle school that is scheduled for modernization in 2011-2012.

Dr. Schmidt also reports that the School District has done great things in recycling, including placing recycle bins in schools throughout the district.

At Barranca Mesa Elementary, staffer Elizabeth Watson spear-headed recycling education efforts spring of 2010, getting funding from the Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation to help fund additional recycle bins and educate students about what they can recycle from their lunches. The school had a Waste-Free Lunch Day in April where students were encouraged to bring lunches that included items that could be eaten, reused, recycled, or composted, and as few items as possible to be thrown away.

Also, in 2008 the Barranca Mesa PTO planted 20 new trees with funding from the Keep New Mexico Beautiful Foundation. The project was spear-headed by parent and PTO member Ann Thoma in an effort to create more shade for the playground and to improve its appearance.

Los Alamos High School is very involved in “going green.” Principal Sandy Warnock reported that students in Ms. Medford’s Environmental Class have partnered with Life Skills classes to recycle paper on the high school campus.

The LAPS Foundation Executive Director, Joanna Gillespie, says the Foundation undertook a restoration project in Julie Wangler’s science classroom at the High School. The classroom had eight lab stations constructed of hardwood, so the Foundation organized a work party to remove, sand and refinish the stations rather than replace them. (The classroom is located in E-wing, which is not being rebuilt.)

The Foundation also recycled lighting fixtures and bulbs from a building being taken down on Trinity for use in Pat Brousseau’s health classroom at the Middle School.

Teacher grants awarded by the Foundation also include Mountain School’s composting program, which uses food scraps from lunches to make newly composted soil for use in the

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school’s landscaping. Michele Altherr, the 4th grade teacher, led the project and reports that all grade levels participated.

Green measures at Sage Montessori in White Rock, a private preschool, include solar fountains in the garden that demonstrate solar power pumps, a rain barrel to catch water for the garden, a water-saving washing machine that’s used daily to wash kids’ nap sheets, wash cloths, and cloth napkins used at lunch.

Board President, Cheri Host, says the school has also lowered water pressure on hand washing sinks, and has long been re-using materials for art projects.

“We recycle what can’t be re-used,” she says. “Like aluminum cans, metals, ink cartridges, phones.”

Ms. Host says teaching the kids green practices is important. “If we start them young and get them used to the idea of re-using and recycling and using alternative power, they’ll carry it on,” she says.

Studying the Worms Mikaela Bayardo and Divine Fellers, Mountain Elementary School.

Keeping New Mexico Beautiful 2008 Baranca Mesa Elementary planting trees.

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DPU’S COMMITMENT TO RENEWABLE ENERGY - A REFLECTION OF ITS COMMUNITY

By Julie Williams Hill, Los Alamos County As a municipal-owned utility, the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is owned by the community that it serves. Its governing body is the Los Alamos County Board of Public Utilities and the County Council whose members all live in Los Alamos. Article V of the Charter for the Incorporated County of Los Alamos ratified in 1968, states: “There shall be a Department of Public Utilities which shall operate the Countyowned electric, gas, water and sewer utility systems under jurisdiction and control of the Board of Public Utilities.”

This wise decision has allowed the DPU to grow and shape itself to the values of its community rather than to stockholders in another city or state. It is not under the jurisdiction of the New Mexico State Public Regulatory Commission like investor-owned utility companies.

Long before the New Mexico legislature passed the bill in August 2007 that required investor-owned utilities like PNM to meet Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requirements, Los Alamos built two renewable energy hydroelectric facilities. These facilities along with the DPU’s allocation of federal hydropower provide anywhere from 20 – 30 percent of renewable energy to Los Alamos citizens each year – way ahead of Rule 572 and its RPS requirements.

Los Alamos is currently expanding its renewable energy generation through: • the addition of a third turbine to one of its hydroelectric plants • an agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers to better manage water releases from the dam to maximize renewable energy generation • the installation of photovoltaic panels to the closed landfill, a collaborative smart-grid investment with Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)

El Vado and Abiquiu Hydroelectric Plants Approximately twenty-five years ago, the Department of Public Utilities embarked upon a path to move the County of Los Alamos toward energy independence. A Citizen Review Committee recommended to the Los Alamos Board of Public Utilities and the County Council that the County construct small-scale hydroelectric plants at existing dams located in El Vado and Abiquiu. These plants could compete with rates from coal-fired plants while the DPU paid off the debt service. When the debt service was retired, power generation from these two resources would not only be inexpensive, but clean and safe for the environment.

The advantages are many. Utilizing renewable energy of water to generate power means the facility is not emitting greenhouse gases. Another benefit is stable electric rates. Operation of the facility is not dependant on fossil fuels with fluctuating costs, and operation of the plant is primarily automated, requiring few staff.

Furthermore, the life expectancy for these facilities is estimated to be over 100 years, and the debt service will be paid off in 2015.

Increasing Renewable Electric Generation at Abiquiu by 22% DPU has been investigating ways power production could be increased at the Abiquiu hydroelectric facility. Releases from the Abiquiu Reservoir through the dam are managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and are driven by flood

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Construction begins on the Abiquiu hydroelectric facility’s turbine expansion. control, snowmelt and irrigation needs.

Installation of a new 3 megawatt low-flow turbine will allow the DPU to capture generation when river flows are above or below the existing turbines’ capacity increasing renewable generation by 22 percent. Additionally, generation from this new unit will qualify as a producer of renewable energy credits (RECs) that can be used by certain customers to meet federal or state mandated renewable portfolio standards.

Work officially began last November. To assist with the $9 million price tag, James Alarid, Deputy Utilities Manager-Engineering applied for and received federal stimulus monies in the amount of $4.5 million from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The project is just about 50 percent complete and is proceeding on schedule and on budget.

Maximizing Renewable Generation at Abiquiu through an Agreement with the USACE Steve Cummins, Deputy Utilities Manager-Power Production wanted to collaborate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. When water releases are too fast or slow power production opportunities are lost.

Cummins, his staff and the USACE negotiated a way to proactively manage water releases to increase generation of renewable energy in a manner that still complies with the USACE’s primary objects: Flood control and water right obligations. In exchange, DPU will credit the Abiquiu Dam facilities (owned by the USACE) with 100 percent renewable energy to satisfy its renewable portfolio standard once the new low-flow turbine is placed into operation.

This win-win agreement was finalized on June 21, 2010 at a signing ceremony between Lieutenant Colonel Kimberly Colloton with the USACE, Los Alamos County Councilor Ralph Phelps, and Utilities Board Chair Paul Smith.

Lieutenant Colonel Kimberly Colloton of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signs the agreement while see Los Alamos County Councilor Ralph Phelps and on page 18 Utilities Board Chair Paul Smith look on.

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Abiquiu

continued from page 16

Smart Grid Collaborative The Los Alamos Dept. of Public Utilities and the Los Alamos National Laboratory are teaming with Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) to develop smart grid technology here in the United States. NEDO’s work in the Smart Grid arena with multiple demonstration projects around the world seeks to address global energy and environmental problems.

Smart grids are new-generation electrical power networks that efficiently control and balance the supply and demand of power through 2-way digital information that integrates small and large-scale renewable energy sources. According to Utilities Manager John Arrowsmith, “the price of power generated from renewable energy sources is often a hurdle for small utilities, but that cost could come down if renewables can be successfully integrated with other sources and managed through smart grid technology. That’s what this project hopes to demonstrate.”

The Smart Grid Community Project is slated to begin in the summer of 2011 and will: • Turn the former landfill on East Jemez Road into a bright field with the installation of a two megawatt photovoltaic system. This will produce enough renewable energy to power approximately 600 homes.

NEDO, selected 19 subcontractors to participate in the Los Alamos and Albuquerque projects. In Los Alamos, participants include: • Toshiba • Hitachi • Kyocera • Sharp • NGK Insulators • (CTC) Itochu Techno-Solutions • NEC • Shimuzu On March 5, 2010 with national, regional and local media coverage the smart grid parties held a Signing Ceremony at Buffalo Thunder Resort in Pojoaque, NM. In June 2010 a Memorandum of Understanding was finalized, solidifying the partnership between NEDO and Los Alamos in developing and demonstrating the Los Alamos smart grid community project. According to DPU, local businesses can also register on its website at http://www.losalamosnm.us/projects/utilities/Lists/NEDO/NewForm. aspx. Company specifics, abilities, materials, and certifications from the registry will be shared with NEDO’s sub-contractors for business opportunities related to the project.

Community-Owned Advantage Because Los Alamos DPU is a municipal utility, it reflects the values of the community it serves. Renewable energy ambitions and directives began in the 1980s solely with Los Alamos citizens. Today, current renewable energy decisions continue to be made

by Los Alamos citizens for the benefit of the community.

Utilities Manager John Arrowsmith and members from the Board of Public Utilities encourage citizens to attend Board meetings to continue to shape the operation of the DPU. Meetings are held every third Wednesday of the month, 5:30 p.m. at 170 Central Park Square. For more information on meetings call 311 or 505-662-8002 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Build a seven megawatt hour large scale battery storage system. Since solar is intermittent (producing power only when the sun is shining) the battery system allows energy from the photovolatic panels to be stored and used later, possibly to shave peak loads.

• Build a “Smart House,” demonstration home with the latest construction techniques, smart meters, and smart appliances for optimized power consumption to enhance conservation and comfort.

The large size of the new turbine at Abiquiu can be seen by the scale of the workers as they install it.

Local high-tech companies tackle complicated environmental issues

By Mandy Marksteiner

estimate how much money the company will save if they make the recommended changes.

Anyone can plant a tree, pick up litter along the side of the road or reuse shopping bags. But some environmental problems need to be solved by experts….

DeNuke provides their clients with expert staff, such as field technicians who are skilled in remediation of hazardous and radioactive areas, and health physics technicians who can make sure that people and the environment are protected from radiation when decommissioning any type of nuclear facility and develop plans for transporting and disposing waste.

Burns and Roe is an engineering company that works with independent power producing companies. They are involved in project planning, operations and maintenance as well as decommissioning and dismantling retired facilities. Burns and Roe helps their clients in traditional energy markets develop sustainable energy projects like wind and solar. They also introduce technology that reduces the carbon footprint of power plants that burn fossil fuels.

Edgewater Technical Associates is a small business that serves the Department of Energy Complex. They make complex and hazardous work environments (such as nuclear power plants and test sites) safer, more efficient and cleaner. They do this by focusing on human performance, improving safety management and regulatory compliance.

Environmental Engineering is one of many professional services offered by E2 Engineering, Inc. They clean up and remove various contaminants from facilities and their surrounding areas and choose the optimal storage method.

Adelante Consulting, Inc. keeps their clients up to date and ready to implement everchanging State and Federal environmental regulations, especially requirements that involve storm water, wastewater, air quality, green initiatives and environmental issues. In addition, they can analyze a facility’s energy use and recommend ways to conserve energy and

Energy Solutions disposes of radioactive and hazardous waste for commercial and government customers.

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Ten ways to reduce and recycle your trash 6. Try cloth diapers.

By Mandy Marksteiner

Americans throw away 49 million diapers per day. At first glance, cloth diapers seem expensive. Each pre-fold diaper is $2 and babies usually need two-dozen of each size. $144. Then to get seven covers in each size can be $210 if you buy them new (but you can get diapers and covers secondhand). But that’s much cheaper than buying disposables. Before being potty trained the average child will use between 8,000 and 10,000 disposable diapers. At 25 cents apiece for a name brand diaper, that comes out to $2,000-$2,500!

In the United States, the average person produces 4.39 pounds of garbage and only 1/10th of all garbage gets recycled. Here are ten ways to recycle more and throw out less.

1. Make sure that you’re using the curbside bins correctly.

“The main thing is to make sure that there are no contaminants in the bin,” said Environmental Services Specialist, Tom Nagawiecki. “That there are none of the items that we don’t accept.” Before they can take a load of recyclables to be sorted at the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station (BuRRT) in Santa Fe, the Environmental Services Division has to meet contamination standards. If there’s a large amount of plastics other than the accepted #1 and #2 or paperboard from cereal boxes, they have to sort through it by hand.

2. Find out where to bring things that can’t be picked up.

The reason Los Alamos doesn’t collect glass is that there isn’t a market close enough to make it environmentally or economically feasible to collect it. But with a little legwork, it’s still possible to recycle bottles and jars. The first option is to bring the glass directly to BuRRT during their 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m business hours. The address is 2600 Buckman Road, in Santa Fe. Albuquerque also accepts glass at several drop off sites listed on their website http://www.cabq.gov/solidwaste/recycling/dropoff.

The Hilltop Recycling Bin, located at 427 DP Road, recycles steel, copper, aluminum, brass and other metals in bulk, and pays for it. They don’t melt the metals down, but take them to another facility that does. If you plan to drop something off, call ahead.

The number is (505) 412-3437. “If I can’t help them out, I know who can,” said owner Kenny Stimson, who is a member of the New Mexico Recycling Coalition. “I constantly answer questions about recycling.”

7. Buy a reusable coffee mug and water bottle and carry it with you.

By doing this you can avoid throwing away up to 500 disposable cups every year.

Buy the perfect cup at Film Festival, Ruby K’s, Tea World or the CoffeeBooth Café.

8. Reuse plastic and glass containers in your home.

You can wash out your glass bottles and use them to store things.

9. Your trash may be someone else’s treasure.

Little Forest Playschool raises most of its budget by hosting a biannual community wide re-sale. Sellers can earn 70% of the sale price of gently used children’s toys, clothes, baby gear and books. The 2010 fall resale is scheduled for October 23rd and the 2011 spring resale will be on March 12.

The Black Hole (4015 Arkansas) will take anything they believe they can sell, like electrical equipment and motors, test equipment and metal objects.

10. Use the blank side of paper.

The Los Alamos County website lists where to dispose of appliances, electronics, household hazardous wastes, tires and other items, so that they don’t end up in a landfill. (http://www.losalamosnm.us/gogreen/Pages/HowdoIdisposeofmy.aspx)

Every year the typical American uses 650 pounds of paper, and every year Americans make 400 billion photocopies. That’s 750,000 copies per minute. Most of these copies are one-sided, so why not use the blank side for scratch paper to write complicated physics equations, shopping lists and rough drafts?

3. Support companies that make use of recycled glass.

Encelmo Jaramillo teaches sustainable architecture, green architecture and vernacular earthen architecture at the Northern New Mexico College. His fellow parishioners at the Los Alamos Unitarian Church were trying to find out who would take their glass bottles, and he said he would. Every Sunday he parks his truck outside the church and people drop off their glass recyclables. He plans to use the glass to build walls, insulation and roofs for earthen structures. In his research center in Espanola Valley, Jaramillo and his students build examples of Native American earthen hole structures, Nubian vaults from Northern Africa, Egyptian domes, Navajo hogans and buildings with Moorish designs from southern Spain. Because he has limited space, Jaramillo is mainly collecting cans for the members of the Unitarian church.

4. Start Composting.

The Eco Station sells backyard compost bins that come with an assembly guide and a composting guide, for $40. People can also get soil amendment at the county landfill.

This amendment is made from wood waste, stable waste and other compostable materials. Nagaweicki said that even though paperboard (like in cereal boxes) cannot be recycled, it can be composted. “It breaks up and provides nutrients to the soil.”

5. B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bag).

Over one million plastic bags are consumed per minute worldwide. These single-use bags are made of high-density polyethylene, a low-quality plastic that rarely gets recycled and does not biodegrade. Recycle these bags in the bins provided at Smith’s, not in your curbside bins. Several local businesses and organizations, like PEEC’s Kinnikinnick Club, are working together to eliminate plastic bag use by encouraging people to use durable cloth bags when they shop. Smith’s sells reusable shopping bags and offers a five cent rebate for every reusable bag.

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ACCEPTED Cardboard (with waffles) – glossy OK Tin and aluminum cans Magazines, catalogues and newspaper Junk mail, colored paper and white paper Plastic #1 and #2 bottles ONLY Brown paper bags and brown packing paper

NOT ACCEPTED Glass Small appliances or metal parts Cereal boxes or six packs Styrofoam Oil containers Manila envelopes Egg cartons (any kind) Plastic tubs Wax cardboard Yard trimmings or wood

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Events October 2010 1-2 The Milky Way and Surroundings on the Caldera

23 Los Alamos Heart Council Health Fair

Valles Caldera You will be able to see for yourself nearby planets, beautiful star clusters, the Milky Way, and spectacular distant spiral galaxies.

Duane Smith Auditorium Blood profile, Male Prostate Screening, Free flu shots, Education exhibits. Free bike helmets to the first 180 children accompanied by a parent!

2 Los Alamos Community Winds performs Tripping the Light Fantastic

28 Farmers Market

Crossroads Bible Church A fun evening of Broadway Tunes.

Mesa Public Library Parking lot Enjoy Northern New Mexico’s bounty from local farmers and ranchers

28 Authors Speak Series - Mark Dunn 2-10 Jemez Mountain Elk Festival Valles Caldera National Preserve During this first annual elk festival you will find many other activities to do and things to see in the surrounding communities. We will be celebrating the festival from Jemez Pueblo all the way to Santa Clara.

Mesa Public Library Mark Dunn is the author of thirty plays, a dozen of which have been published and are currently being licensed in productions throughout the world.

28 Los Alamos Arts Council Guitars and Gateaux

7 Farmers Market

Fuller Ldoge Guitarist Ricko Donovan

Mesa Public Library Parking lot Enjoy Northern New Mexico’s bounty from local farmers and ranchers

29 Trick or Treat on MainStreet

8-9 The Milky Way and Surroundings on the Caldera

Downtown Central between 15th & 20th St. Put on you costumes and bring your kiddies! 5pm to 7pm

Valles Caldera You will be able to see for yourself nearby planets, beautiful star clusters, the Milky Way, and spectacular distant spiral galaxies.

30 Los Alamos Arts Council Pumpkin Glow Fuller Lodge Lawn Carved and Lit pumpkins out on display

9-10 Pajarito Trail Fest Run 29 Lads of Enchantment Tribute to the Greatest Generation Show

Pajarito Mountain 15 mile, 10k and kids fun runs

United Church of Los Alamos Lads of Enchantment will honor the “greatest generation” with popular songs, patriotic music and slides from the World War II era.

14 Poetry Gathering Mesa Public Library Read your own, read your favorite author’s poems, or just listen . . . for all ages!

14 Farmers Market Mesa Public Library Parking lot Enjoy Northern New Mexico’s bounty from local farmers and ranchers

16 Los Alamos Piecemakers Quilt Show Los Alamos Baptist Church Stars of Enchantment Quilt Show.

17 Los Alamos Concert Association presents Julie Albers and Orion Weiss Duane Smith Auditorium Julie Albers, cello, and Orion Weiss, piano, brings together two of the most exciting young musicians in America for an extraordinary evening of classical music.

17 PEECnic Pajarito Environmental Educational Center This annual picnic will begin with talks about birds from Mexico and Colombia, continues with election of new board members and a wide variety of refreshments.

21 Farmers Market Mesa Public Library Parking lot Enjoy Northern New Mexico’s bounty from local farmers and ranchers

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November 2010 1 In the Mood - 1940s Big Band Swing Dance Musical Revue

18 Authors Speak Series - T. Jackson King

Duane Smith Auditorium IN THE MOOD is the 1940â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Big Band Theatrical Swing Dance Revue.

Mesa Public Library King writes hard Science Fiction, anthropological Science Fiction, dark fantasy, horror and contemporary fantasy.

6 Los Alamos Concert Association presents Concertante and Adam Neiman

15-20 Art Show at Fuller Lodge

Duane Smith Auditorium Concertante has acquired a sheen, warmth, and polish that are the hallmark of superb chamber music groups.

20 Los Alamos Arts Council Holiday Arts and Crafts Festival Los Alamos Middle School A great place for holiday shopping!

10 Poetry Gathering Mesa Public Library Read your own, read your favorite authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poems, or just listen . . . for all ages!

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Hocus Pocus, Pumpkin Stick. web of spider and apple pip.

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In this Cauldron I do mix a recipe for Halloween tricks. follow, letter, word and rhyme downtown for a frightful time.

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