2005-07-CCN

coop

J u l y 2005

connection

Special Section:

free

Cooperative Social Change and Ecological Sustainability

Economic Democracy in The Heart of the Co-op: Member Linkage

T

he heart of the Co-op engine and what makes it hum is the group of over ten thousand plus members in Albuquerque, Gallup and Santa Fe, who invest $15 a year and shop at La Montanita for all or part of their family food and grocery needs. Additionally, many members contribute three hours a week to the Co-op in any given week or for consecutive weeks, in exchange for an 18% discount. While members are restricted from volunteer jobs that a paid staff person could do, there are plenty of opportunities to help strengthen the Co-op, including committee work, serving on the Board, helping with seasonal events, grocery delivery to those with mobility challenges and community outreach.

In order to be successful, your Co-op needs ethical and competent management, sound physical structures and a functional, knowledgeable Board of Directors. But without a vibrant, involved and growing member base the Co-op organism is anemic in its ability to engage in the rich dialogue of commerce that happens in the cooperative marketplace where wholesome goods are bought and sold. There are few places in the market economy where consumers have the status of owners and not merely as shareholders, where the influence and voice of the member/owner really matters. Beyond buying and selling, members of La Montanita participate in a radical model of consumerism, where members own equity in the organization, where the locus of control is local and where members can create and sustain a refuge of organic, less harmful, less corporate, more locally/regionally produced food and related products. The

Action! choice to consume wisely is one of the most revolutionary acts possible in the world today and folks can make that choice at La Montanita’s four locations in New Mexico!

Without a critical mass of members who fuel the cooperative engine, La Montanita would stall in the competitive marketplace and cease to exercise the full-steam power of member-owned business in the larger community. Our

member

linkage BOD President Martha Whitman and long-time staff member, Shirley Dulabone

strengths lie in the member/owner model, in adherence to community- based cooperative values and in our commitment to the growth of a local, sustainable economy.

it’s your

COOP!

On the Board of Directors side, we want to make sure that the rudder of the Co-op is steered in a direction that resonates with what the membership wants. How to do that when there are conflicting opinions within the membership and/or on topics that generate controversy is another matter. One way to meet that challenge is to cultivate connection with members and to provide plenty of avenues for

members to contribute to the various ongoing discussion threads. One of those discussion threads takes places in the Member Linkage Committee. Member linkage work has almost endless possibilities, some of which have already been set and are well rooted and some of which are barely off the ground, from partnering with elementary schools to figuring out ways to integrate the new La Montanita communities of Santa Fe and Gallup, to the monthly Coffee with the Board event. Other events such as Earth Day and the Garden Party also serve to link members, build community and perhaps most importantly, have fun and appreciate the diverse skills and dedication that exists in the La Montanita family.

The monthly Coffee with the Board events rotate from store to store and provide members with an opportunity to chat with Board directors. We are interested to know what your thoughts are about La Montanita, how the Co-op works for you, what you would like to see improved, as well as questions and comments for us to take back to the General Manager (C.E. Pugh), who is responsible for the daily operations of the Co-op. We’d like to see more members participate in Co-op committees, come to Board meetings and to consider running for the Board when elections are held each November. While the Board of Directors is not involved in the day-to-day operational aspects of La Montanita, it is the Board that provides direction. We then rely on the General Manager to implement the policies we have democratically decided on.

We invite members to get involved with the Member Linkage Committee, especially in Santa Fe and Gallup but also here in Albuquerque. We meet at the Rio Grande store on the second Wednesday of each month at 5:30, but we can also discuss what’s going on via e-mail for those in Santa Fe and Gallup.

If you have member linkage ideas and the energy to help implement them, please e-mail us (bod@lamontanitacoop.com) or come to a meeting. We’d be happy to talk with you about how you can help your Co-op be more responsive to the needs of the members in our expanded community. Member Linkage is all about cultivating the connections that make La Montanita a vital, community-based alternative to corporate food and an affirmation of local/regional autonomy over global control.

by Tam Saimons

Run for the Board!

Y

ou read the Co-op Connection each month. You've written enough comment cards asking for the return of Tofutti Too-toos and commending staff friendliness to develop a cult following at the bulletin board. You espouse the benefits of co-op membership, take friends there for lunch, and are proud to support the local economy with your grocery dollars. What more can you do?

RUN FOR THE CO-OP’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS DATES TO REMEMBER July 1, 2004: Deadline for Membership for Board Candidates Nominations: August 15-October 1, 2005 Oct. 23, 2004: Annual Membership Meeting Hear reports from our Board, General Manager and meet the candidates. At Immanuel Presbyterian Church, across Carlisle from the Nob Hill Co-op.

Nov. 1-14, 2004: Voting Period Members: your ballot will be mailed to your home.

Call 217-2001 ext. 105 for more information

Run for the Board of Directors! Co-op members are the co-op, and they run the co-op. While the board stays out of operational details, leaving those to the General Manager, it does hire, supervise, and, if necessary, fire him or her. The Board is a group of members who bridge the gap between store management and owners/shoppers, between the bottom line that the co-op must meet, and the needs and interests of the households it serves. The Board works to align the practicalities of business with the health of the community.

As elected representatives of La Montanita's member/owners, the Board listens to members and to store management, then creates a vision and strategic plan for the co-op's long-term success. The GM runs the daily operations of the co-op, and as this is his/her area of expertise, we don't try to manage her/him on a dayto-day basis. Instead, we rely on a system called Policy Governance: We set up broad policies and limitations, then make sure the GM works within those policies. At it’s monthly meeting, the Board reviews management's

work by examining performance reports and comparing them to the policy standards the board has established.

Board meetings are also used to debate and vote on committee proposals dealing with new policies. At each meeting, time is set aside to receive input from members.

If elected to the board, you'll serve a three-year term.

You can expect to spend three hours a week on board duties, including the 2-hour monthly meeting, committee work, and other activities, such as manning tables at Earth Day and the Garden Party. The board also meets once or twice a year for day-long planning and visioning retreats. In exchange, your household will get an 18 percent discount on all co-op purchases and, of course, the rewarding experience of shaping the direction of the co-op.

If you have a background in business or finance, have done grassroots organizing and group process, or simply work well as a collaborator, you may be an ideal candidate. What other areas of knowledge do you think are relevant to our members? Let us know! Nominations run from August 15 to October 1, but even before then, current board members would be glad to answer your questions about what they do. Email the board at bod@lamontanita.com, or leave a note for Marshall Kovitz at the Nob Hill store's information desk. Better yet, come to a board meeting: 5:30, the third Tuesday of the month, at Immanuel Presbyterian Church (across from the Nob Hill store on Carlisle).

by Jill Ogata

Participate in your community! email: bod@lamontanitacoop.com

YOUR CO-OP NEEDS YOU!

CALLING ALL SANTA FEANS: Want to Reduce your food costs?

Volunteer for your Coop and Receive 18% off on your groceries!

We need help with newsletter distribution around town. Go to your favorite haunts, drop off the Free Coop Connection News around town and get to shop at the Coop in Santa Fe at an 18% discount. If you are a Health Care Provider: Participate in our Staff Wellness program. For every treatment you give to one of our staff members you can shop at the Coop for one week, as many times as you like at an 18% discount. For more info contact Robyn at memb@lamontanitacoop.com.

cooperative

social change

A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

Ecological Sustainability

La Montanita Cooperative Nob Hill 3500 Central S.E. Albuq., NM 87106 265-4631

Elements of Longer Term System Change Editors Note:

Valley 2400 Rio Grande Blvd.

Albuq., NM 87104 242-8800

At last month’s national Consumer Cooperative Management Conference (CCMA) Gar Alperovitz gave the keynote address on Saturday morning. His vision of the role cooperatives have to play in long term social change is inspiring, exciting and challenging. A few excerpts from his article “Ecological Sustainability—Elements of Longer Term System Change” are reprinted below. For the complete article go to the web at www. bsos.umd.edu/gvpt/alperovitz/

Wild Sage 105 E. Coal Gallup, NM 87301 863-5383

La Montanita Coop will be hosting showings of a DVD of Dr. Alperovitz’s keynote address as well as a discussion group on the role of cooperative’s in social change. His and other pertinent writings will be featured in the Coop Connection in the months to come. Watch for times and dates in upcoming issues of the Coop Connection News.

Santa Fe Marketplace 913 West Alameda Santa Fe, NM 87501 984-2852

Dr. Alperovitz is a professor of Political Economy at the University of Maryland, a former Fellow of the Institute of Politics at Harvard and of King’s College, Cambridge University. He is a founding principal of the Democracy Collaborative. His writings have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, The Nation and the Atlantic Monthly. His previous books include “The Decision to Use the Atomic Bomb.” His newest book ”America Beyond Capitalism” is inspiring the national cooperative movement and is available at local independent booksellers.

Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001 General Manager: C.E. Pugh x113 ce@lamontanitacoop.com Accounting/Toni Fragua x102 Business Development/Steve Watts x114 Computers/Info Technology/ Interim: Mary Bieri x108 Human Resources/Sharret Rose x107 Marketing/Edite Cates x104 Membership/Robyn Seydel x105 Store Team Leaders: Michelle Franklin/Nob Hill 265-4631 John Mulle/Valley 242-8800 William Prokopiack/Santa Fe 984-2852 Tim Hankins/Gallup 863-5383 Co-op Board of Directors: email: bod@lamontanitacoop.com President: Martha Whitman Vice President: Marshall Kovitz Treasurer: Ken O’Brien Secretary: Julie Hicks Roger Eldridge John Kwait Tamara Saimons Andrew Stone Tom Hammer Membership Costs: $15 for 1 year $200 Lifetime Membership Co-op Connection Staff: Managing Editor: Robyn Seydel memb@lamontanitacoop.com Layout and Design: foxyrock inc Covers & Centerfold: Edite Cates Advertising: Robyn Seydel Printing: Vanguard Press Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 256-4594 email: memb@lamontanitacoop.com Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated.

Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, memb@lamontanitacoop.com website: www.lamontanitacoop.org Copyright © 2005 La Montanita Co-op Supermarket Reprints by prior permission.

The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post consumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.

The Co-op Connection is published by La Montanita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, food, nutrition, and community issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authors and are not necessarily those of the newletters or the Co-op.

CO-OP

YOU OWN IT

2

By Gar Alperovitz, Thad Williamson, and Alex Campbell

The difficulties of the Soviet Union and China, of course, also derive from development problems common throughout the world, and, too, the consequences of militarized economies. However, the results can also be traced to certain basic properties or design features of the state socialist system. Real world socialist systems have typically concentrated the political power of the state while simultaneously weakening and suppressing civil society.

H

ow might we begin to develop an overview of politicaleconomic structures, which could in principle form an ecologically sustainable system? And if we were able to do this, how might we begin to develop a coherent path, which could get us from here to there? This dual problem, of course, is at the heart of a vast literature on ecological matters—and, too, of a great deal of political and citizen activity. Direct analyses of the underlying structural features of political- economic systems, and the impact of these features on a society's ecological practices, however, are still relatively rare—even though the need for a thorough re-thinking of the building blocks of a truly sustainable society has never been more urgent. A start, we believe, can be made by recognizing, first, that these questions are inherently "system" questions (not simply policy and political questions), and, second, that they take us well beyond some of the structural and dynamic principles associated with both capitalism and classical socialism.

There is a growing consensus that to avoid compromising the needs of future generations any political-economic system must significantly reduce ecological stress, repair past environmental damage, and generate sufficient political and policy momentum so that net environmental deterioration can be halted. Although precise definitions vary, many now recognize that "sustainability" requires both an institutional structure and a culture with the capacity to achieve these bottom-line results in an ongoing fashion.

Confronting the System Problem It has become increasingly obvious that neither of the two major "systems" of the twentieth century—capitalism and socialism—is organized in a manner compatible with achieving these goals. This is not to say that modest and occasionally substantial goals cannot be achieved within the existing structures. But if the larger judgment is correct, then the conventional debate will obviously need to push much deeper to confront the underlying design characteristics of these and other systems to see if any are—or might be—sustainable.

A few examples: In 1988 (just before the collapse of the system) air pollution in more than a hundred cities in the former Soviet Union was over ten times higher than legal standards. Sixty-five percent of Poland's river water was deemed too polluted even for industrial use, and large segments of the Polish population were not served by any waste treatment facilities. At the end of the 1980s it was estimated that one out of every seventeen deaths in Hungary was due to air pollution.

In Asia, eight Chinese cities are among the ten with the worst air pollution in the world according to World Health Organization studies. Acid rain, the result of sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide pollution, affects nearly one-third of the Chinese land area. Severe water quality problems face the majority of the population; perhaps 700 million Chinese drink water contaminated with animal and human waste.

China also faces severe soil erosion, solid waste, and desertifaction problems.

What about us? Consider natural resource consumption. The World Resources Institute has recently noted that major capitalist industrial economies consume between 45 and 85 metric tons of material per person each year. The U.S. consumes 333 kilograms of paper per person per year, compared to approximately 15 kilograms per year in the developing world. Deforestation world wide has left only one-fifth of the planet's original forests intact. (Americans also consume a highly disproportionate quantity of the world's meat: 118 kilograms per year per person, in 1996, compared to just 24 kilograms per year in the developing world.

T

he trends are no more comforting when one looks at pollution. U.S. yearly production of synthetic organic chemicals grew one-thousand fold—from 150 million kilograms to over 150 billion kilograms— between 1935 and 1995.

Confronted with such data illustrating the ecological consequences of our current development path, many environmentalists have emphasized the "greed" of corporate and other economic actors in generating such problems. It is important, however, to recognize that growth in capitalist systems is not motivated simply by hunger for profit but by fear that derives from the central logic and dynamics of the capitalist system: Companies for the most part must cut costs if they are to withstand competition. They must externalize: If a company willingly spends money on a pollution reduction problem and then must raise its prices to cover the cost, it risks finding its market share reduced or destroyed by a less conscientious rival firm.

Insecurity Communities often face similar pressures in deciding, say, between continued logging of declining forests or loss of jobs. We see cities and states commonly prostrating themselves in order to attract corporate investment—because the consequences of not doing so are so severe: high unemployment, tax losses, continued social breakdown, and, of course, negative political outcomes for incumbent government officials. For communities as for capitalist firms the built-in system logic is obvious: very often it is simply a matter of "grow or die."

The same propositions unfortunately commonly hold for many individuals as well. Consider the life cycle of a typical middle-class American: one goes to college in order to get ahead and thereby incurs debt; paying off the debt requires accumulating as much money as possible; then it's time for a family, children, and if you're lucky, a mortcontinued on page 3

july 2005

cooperative gage—more responsibilities, and more pressure to accumulate as much as possible—now; parents come to realize that if they don't live in the right neighborhood, their child's education will suffer, and they had better start saving for college; by the time that's over the question "Who will take care of me?" in old age or sickness becomes central.

F

or the vast majority of Americans whatever security one achieves is fragile at best. In addition, status differences based on income and consumption—which are endemic to the system—exacerbate the drive to consume. In a society of massive inequalities and growing insecurity, and in which the media make very visible the lifestyles of the affluent (both through advertising and the content of programming), it is hardly surprising that there is general adulation of the rich and the secure in the system, or that the capacity to consume so often becomes a measure of self-esteem and status.

social change absolutely essential, however, to discriminate much more clearly among the following three categories of change: type "A," reforms and gains which mitigate but do not end specific ecological problems; type "B," which include occasional breakthroughs on a particular issue or substance (such as the complete removal of lead from gasoline); and type "C"—significant, comprehensive long-term trend reversals in an entire category of ecological concern (such as a much hoped-for but little accomplished reversal in the generation of greenhouse gases in order to minimize the risk—or at this stage, in all likelihood, mitigate the consequences—of global climate change).

Will the next generation of environmental problems emerge from biotechnology, cold fusion developments,

Towards a Systemic Response Our strategy for a first stage response proceeds on several levels: We begin by emphasizing the fundamental need to rebuild—and add to—the basis of enforceable ecological norms "from the bottom up." This in turn involves four issues: achieving greater local economic stability; nurturing local civic environmental culture; building new forms of embedded and democratized capital; and altering the larger structures of inequality and time availability (which in turn forces the analysis upwards towards larger institutional issues). A fifth issue involves the matter of scale.

Finally, and not least, there is the political power and political culture which accompanies advanced capitalist economies—and the impact both have on ecological policy-making (and, indeed, democratic practice in general). Countless studies—and common observation— indicate that corporate institutions have the capacity and interest to wield disproportionate political influence, to manipulate regulatory agencies, thwart citizen action groups, and impact both electoral politics and legislation.

A first principle of an ecologically sustainable society is that it must provide economic security for individuals and communities nanotechnology, space junk, attempts at desalinification, or another area of technological advance? "Normal accident" theory suggests that the various elements of complex processes are likely to interact with each other—and with the very safety systems with which we attempt to protect ourselves—in highly unpredictable ways. (For instance, the Chernobyl melt-down was caused by a safety test of the backup power sources.)

communities A recent study found that several polluting industries out-contribute all environmental PACs by an order of magnitude—and also spend $1 billion a year on corporate advertising and "greenwashing." Largely in response to corporate pressures the U.S. government has regularly intervened in the economy to promote ecologically inefficient and destructive practices. Two examples among a multitude serve to illustrate: While allocating a pittance to the development of solar and wind power, the Federal government sank $100 billion into nuclear power between 1950 and 1990, and it continues to subsidize the fossil fuel industry with billions of dollars each year. Similarly, in what amounts to an indirect subsidy for private automakers, the government has lavished billions on the Highway Trust Fund and created the interstate highway system, while allowing public transit of most types to decay.

Distinguishing Outcome Realities Part of our difficulty in confronting the systemic nature of the problem is that we often have trouble distinguishing between reforms, which help ameliorate the worst aspects of environmental degradation, and changes that actually result in altering trends. It is

july 2005

A third requirement of an ecologically sustainable society is that producers who damage the environment should bear the costs of their damage. Since the true costs of production are not reflected in the prices of goods on the market, firms benefit by externalizing costs such as pollution cleanup (or lack thereof) to the public.

Finally, and perhaps obviously, a fourth requirement of an ecologically sustainable economy is simply that growth no longer be a top priority. Economic growth per se need not be eliminated entirely: One way to reduce resource use and pollution is to cut production and shrink the economy; another is to make productive systems more efficient. If the nation decided to hire more elementary school teachers—and at the same time to buy fewer sports utility vehicles—ecological damage would decline even as the size of the economy stayed roughly the same.

At the same time that capitalist development undercuts individual economic security and increases inequality it also undermines the basis of community integration and support as a matter of course: companies come and go, jobs appear and disappear. Often as not the social fabric is allowed to unravel, the local culture disintegrates, the community fragments, and young people leave. There is little "community" left to nurture a less materialist orientation; individuals must face the powerful influences of our corporate-driven media largely alone.

rooting capital in

on the other, building up sources of social and community support for individuals that begin to offer satisfactions from interactions with people rather than from consumption of goods. A long-term alternative path would also include a reduction in work time, a concomitant reduction in consumption, and an expansion of free time (or a shift to more intrinsically rewarding—though possibly less technologically advanced—work). This is also clearly inextricably linked to the first principle (economic security): people are unlikely to seek any reduction in work time as long as they face insecurity.

The implications are not pleasant to consider. Whatever one thinks of the regulatory system's ability to handle ecological issues, a further question remains: Does the political-economic system generate new problems at a faster rate than it generates the capacity to solve them?

Elements of an Alternative We believe that it is not only essential but possible to begin to sketch at least some of the properties of a system which might reduce the underlying pressures that generate the negative outcomes.

If unsustainable growth patterns are encouraged by the reality of widespread economic insecurity, it follows that a first principle of an ecologically sustainable society is that it must provide economic security for individuals and communities. So long as most citizens are only a few paychecks away from insolvency, and so long as they worry that their income may be taken away, economic expansion and job creation will be a higher political priority than environmental protection for large numbers of people. At the community level, so long as localities remain dependent on uncertain investment decisions for their economic health, protection of the environment will take a back seat.

A second principle is reducing the dominance of consumerism. This in turn requires reducing the pressures of inequality-driven status envy, on the one hand—and,

W

hat can be done, concretely, to facilitate the further evolution of strong ecological norms, starting at the local level? A first step is to increase individual and community economic stability. One set of strategies involves traditional local, state, and national tax, loan, regulatory, procurement, and other efforts to keep jobs in communities and to reduce the pressure of globalization and destabilizing trade. A second line of defense involves the development of "anchored" community industries, which inherently increase stability. These include community-owned firms, small businesses, employee-owned companies, community development corporations, non-profits in business, etc. The key characteristic of such firms is that they are owned by local people and are much less likely to "get up and go." A third strategy is to attempt to enhance local "multipliers," that is, the number of times a dollar re-circulates within a particular local economy.

"Buy local" strategies and enhanced local supplier networks also tend to increase local stability. Another approach is based on new forms of local currency, such as "Ithaca Hours" in Ithaca, New York—that is "money" which can only be spent at local businesses.

A slow build up at the local level of a variety of embedding mechanisms requires rooting capital in communities so that there is a community of responsibility for the consequences of economic activity—and wherever possible also some form of local democratized ownership.

One of the most important developments occurring just below the surface of public awareness is the growth of economic institutions that democratize capital in some way, and that are potentially more capable of being embedded and made accountable to community ecological concerns. For instance, currently functioning in the U.S. alone there are: • Some 3,500 to 4,000 Community Development Corporations.

• More than 48,000 cooperatives generating over $120 billion in annual economic activity. (The *National Cooperative Bank estimates that one-third of all Americans, roughly 100 million, are directly served by at least one type of cooperative.)

• More than 15,000 significanlty worker-owned firms whose employees own 9 percent of corporate equity in the U.S. continued on page 4

3

cooperative social

change

Ecological Sustainability continued from page 3

The remaining three categories are less well developed and less well known. There are: • Some 120 community land trusts in 32 states and the District of Columbia—the vast majority of which have gotten off the ground in the past 15 years.

• A wide range of municipally-owned enterprises—from the 2,000 municipally owned utilities to municipal-owned recreational facilities and transportation systems to less traditional ventures such as cable television, Internet provision, retail stores, hotels, and baseball teams.

• More than 350 community development finance institutions (including community development banks, community development loan funds, and community development credit unions).

lives of "voluntary simplicity." However, as Jerome Segal has argued, a key requirement of any serious approach to reducing the work week for the vast majority is the provision of a stream of income unrelated to work. Significant opportunities for change in this area are likely to emerge as the economy changes. The basic fact is that the productive potential of the U.S. economy is already massive: If the output of the American economy—today—were to be divided equally among all families (or groups) of four, each would receive over $125,000. Even Social Security

If one removes equity in owner-occupied housing from the picture and looks simply at financial wealth, the richest 0.5 percent of households alone possess 42 percent.

A

nother emerging model for local-level governance and "embeddedness" of economic activity—"civic environmentalism"—offers additional possibilities for future development. Locally negotiated, flexible approaches have been adopted in numerous areas as alternatives to traditional "command and control" regulation—in, for instance, habitat preservation, forestry, toxic release control, green space preservation, and land trusts, etc. "Civic Environmental" experiments are those which provide for sustained citizen input into local corporate decision-making.

Redistributing Resources It is now a commonplace that wealth and income inequality has increased dramatically over the past quarter century. Since 1973 the top 5 percent of families has seen its share of national income increase by more than a third (from 15.5 percent to 20.7 percent); the top fifth has seen its share increase by 15 percent (from 41.1 percent to 50.4 percent). Meanwhile, the share of every other income group has fallen: The rise in the top share has come at the expense of all households in the "bottom" 80 percent. If one removes equity in owner-occupied housing from the picture and looks simply at financial wealth (which includes all forms of business ownership, bonds, real estate, etc.), the richest 0.5 percent of households alone possess 42 percent.

Even more challenging: these relative comparisons ignore the much larger absolute income and wealth gap, which is growing annually (even at times when relative inequality stays the same). Thus, if we make $10,000 and you make $500,000 one year and we make $20,000 and you make $1 million the next, relative inequality has stayed the same (a ratio of 1 to 50)—but the real-world, absolute gap between us has increased from $490,000 to $980,000! The absolute inflation-adjusted gap between the average family in the top 5 percent and the average family in the bottom 20 percent grew from $137,365 in 1979 to $233,994 in 1998 (all in 1998 dollars).

Administration projections, based on very conservative assumptions, suggest the economy could produce $308,000 per family of four by the end of the last century. Indeed, the work week might well be trimmed to half the current norm or less—even as families enjoy the same or greater economic abundance as today.

New norm patterns are necessary to control the ecological thrust of any large scale economic entity and make it accountable to the public. But the development of these norms in turn requires that citizens have the time and income to participate in democratic oversight—time and income which only such larger institutions can provide. If the "virtuous cycle" inherent in the relationships here described can be achieved—and bolstered community-bycommunity through "bottom-up" norm evolution—the larger system structures can potentially be organized in a systematically sustainable manner.

local democratized

ownership

A small number of privileged Americans now have sufficient wherewithal, financial and psychological, to personally attempt to live

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Scale The United States is so large today that it is extremely difficult to generate a social consensus in favor of expanded ecological protection. If we agree that the size of a polity has implications for consensus building, then we ultimately need to look to entities that are smaller than the continental national government: states or groupings of states within a region, for example. Smallerscale and semi-autonomous regional polities with increased powers and responsibilities vis-avis the national government are ultimately likely to be another important element in a reconstructed ecologically sustainable system.

At the very least, a reconstructed system would need mechanisms at the state or regional level to ensure that one community does not pollute another. There would also inevitably need to be a planning mechanism to help allocate sufficient capital to each community to guarantee locallevel economic stability and to help communities adjust when some industries decline due to market shifts.

I

t is possible, of course, that no significant changes may ever occur—even over very long stretches of time. On the other hand, it is not inevitable that all positive change will be slow. An illustration of how ongoing activity may erupt into new power is the new—and largely unpredicted—explosion of efforts to limit sprawl in many urban areas: For decades wasteful land use, transportation and other destructive and unplanned urban development went largely unchecked in many parts of the nation. Suddenly, however, a movement of surprising strength emerged during only a very few years: In the fall of 1998 alone over 70 percent of 240 state and local ballot measures were approved at the state and local level for "capital investments in green [anti-sprawl] infrastructure." The powerful new citizen activities to limit growth are a phenomenon of importance in their own right. They also suggest that long-term norm, institutional, and system change may possibly be more open in the future than many now think.

For the full and footnoted article please go to www.bsos.umd.edu/alperovitz

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july 2005

consumer

news

Sizzling Summer S

ummer is here with its sunshine, long lazy days, farm fresh sustainable food, and eating outdoors. It's a time to gather together with family and friends and enjoy the delicious bounty the land provides us. American barbecue means beef in Texas and pork in the Carolinas, and anything goes here in New Mexico. Its origins can be traced to the economical practices of smoking meat for long-term preservation in the colonies. The origins of the word barbecue have been traced to the Spanish word “barbacoa,” which was used to describe the meat smoking and drying methods of the indigenous peoples that Spanish explorers encountered upon arrival in the Americas. Smoke was used to drive away the bugs that were attracted to exposed raw meat, and to give a tasty flavor to the meat-preserving process. There is also speculation around the French combination of words “barbe” and “queue” (beard-to-tail) as the origin, as well as theories of an American version, “bar–beer–cue” (as in pool cue).

Do You Barbecue or do You Grill?

Within the United States, the difference between barbecuing and grilling is an important distinction for outdoor chefs. Barbecue “low and slow” uses an indirect heat source like hot coals and cooking times between 2 and 12 hours (up to a day for a whole pig, goat or lamb, for instance). Grilling uses very high temperatures and direct heat from flames. Cooking times range between 3 and 30 minutes.

Summer Food Safety As temperatures increase, so do the chances of bacteria getting into your food and making you sick. To help ensure you have a healthy and safe summer, make sure to purchase, store, prepare, and cook your food properly. Start by purchasing sustainablyraised, grass fed meat and poultry; in addition to being better for your health and the environment, these products have been shown to contain lower levels of harmful bacteria than foods produced on factory farms.

Wash fruits and vegetables in cold, drinkable water before cooking, grilling, or eating, especially produce that has been treated with pesticides. Buy fruits and vegetables locally when they are in season – less pesticides are used on foods that are not stored for long periods of time and are not shipped long distances. And, remember, even fruits with skins or rinds (like watermelons or oranges) should be washed – any contaminants on the outside could penetrate the fruit when you cut it or spread onto your hands when you pick it up.

Instead of a fork, use tongs or a spatula to turn steaks or other meat - piercing meat with a fork can contaminate the inside of

the meat with bacteria. It can also cause juices to escape from the meat, causing it to dry out quicker. Make sure the utensils are long, so you don't accidentally put your hand over the grill when turning meat. Refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Perishable foods should not be left un-refrigerated for more than two hours (if the temperature is 90 degrees F or higher, foods should be refrigerated after one hour).

Carolyn's responsibilities include working with donor organizations and channeling and coordinat-

coffee

KIDS

july 2005

Be creative and make vegetable kebabs with a variety of your favorite vegetables. If you're making kebabs, metal skewers are best. But if you only have wood or bamboo, make sure to soak them first for at least 30 minutes so they don't catch fire when placed on the grill. To help prevent food from falling through the slats, use larger pieces that you can cut before serving. Please note - fruits tend to have a high water content, which can make them very hot. Make sure to let

for gr eat grilling...

The Coop has what you need!

Come to your Coop for the finest local, grass fed and organic meat and poultry products. Also FRESH FISH, all types and stripes, just about as fresh as if you caught it yourself, some farmed raised lots of wild. Come to your Coop for your fresh and natural grill favorites! Need to feed the vegetarians too: Our produce department has the most beautiful luscious fresh fruits and veggies to grill, and in our cooler and freezer you’ll find a wide assortment of veggie burger, tempeh and tofu grill-ables. Eat and enjoy!

Grilling Grassfed Beef Grass fed or pasture-raised meat is best when cooked differently than factory produced, grain fed industrial meat. For example, grass fed meat is leaner than grain fed, so it doesn't have a lot of extra fat. The number one rule for cooking pastured, grass fed meat is not to overcook it. It needs about 30 percent less cooking time than most conventional beef and is best if cooked medium-rare to medium. Otherwise, it might be too tough.

Vegetables and fruits Grilling vegetables couldn't be easier! All you have to do is brush on some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste (if desired at all), and throw on the grill. Fruits and vegetables don't need the same high heat that meat does, so it's best to cook them toward the sides of the grill where heat tends to be lower. Vegetables are best cooked over medium heat; fruits cook most evenly when cooked over low heat. The best option for grilling fruit is to wait until the coals begin to die down. The key is to use locally grown, sustainably raised/organic fruits and vegetables. When you eat produce that has

Grounds for Hope Coffee Kids is an international nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization that helps children, women, and men in coffee-producing regions in Mexico and Central America improve the quality of their lives and build sustainable communities. As a globally traded commodity, coffee is exceeded only by oil in economic value. Despite the immense wealth that coffee generates worldwide, the irony is that most of the people and communities that grow coffee live in total poverty. Founded by coffee roaster and entrepreneur Bill Fishbein in 1988 as a way of giving back to the families and communities that grow coffee, Coffee Kids and its partner organizations in Latin America have helped over 30,000 children and their families improve their lives. Managing Director Carolyn Fairman has been instrumental in helping guide this success.

been picked only a day or two beforehand, you won't need sauces or many flavorings. The natural taste of the food will come through.

ing both financial resources and program development expertise to local partner non-governmental organizations (NGOs) based in Latin America. In turn, partner NGOs create and implement longterm programs in community-based projects, education, health-care, training, and micro enterprise for coffee farmers and their families.

Originally started with the idea of sponsoring children, Coffee Kids soon learned that to help kids they needed to produce long-term change, and to do that they needed to work through local partner organizations culturally and logistically capable of producing sustainable change. They also learned that to help kids they needed to help parents, especially mothers. The programs that Coffee Kids has put into place focus on education, community development and micro credit.

Coffee farmers can earn as little as 4 cents a pound for their harvest. Even when the crop does well and prices are high, children and their families lack almost everything we take for granted. When the coffee crop is poor or market prices are low, life itself can become unsustainable.

Coffee Kids helps people create supplemental income so they aren't totally dependent on the seasonal coffee crop.

The micro credit program is owned and managed by the women themselves and has been particularly successful. Women are organized

the food cool a little before eating, and taste a small portion first so you don't burn your mouth.

And, remember, any of your grilling leftovers can be thrown into a salad for lunch the next day.

Reprinted form the Sustainable Table web site, a project of GRACE (Global Action Center for the Environment). For more great grilling and barbeque ideas go to www.sustainabletalbe.org.

fresh grilled

fish & seafood

into savings groups (GMAS) and encouraged to save. Members are given loans to start or improve small businesses such as restaurants, bakeries, and sewing collectives. Interest they pay on loans replenishes the fund and lets more people participate. As the micro credit funds grow through interest and savings, the savings groups require less money from Coffee Kids and more from their own funds. There are now 130 micro credit groups totaling over 3,500 women. The small businesses started and run by these women are providing life altering supplemental income for the part of the year when coffee isn't harvested.

Education programs provide high school scholarships to kids who otherwise cannot afford to attend high school, as well as grants for school infrastructure improvement and the purchase of classroom materials. A scholarship of just a few hundred dollars is enough to help a child finish high school. Since inception, Coffee Kids' educational programs have helped its partner organizations to provide over 1,000 high school and university scholarships and 87 grants to elementary schools. Thousands of coffee farmers' kids have benefited.

Community development programs focus on health care delivered through health education services financed via Coffee Kids' micro credit program and owned and operated by health care promoters. In countries where there are few doctors in rural areas - these health education enterprises are vital to many.

Carolyn says: "Coffee Kids marks its success by how much we support and foster stable, long-term and local programs that will serve their communities for years to come. To the extent that we can help families take control of their own lives and solve their own problems, we are successful."

Next time you enjoy that cup of coffee, think of Coffee Kids and how you can make your coffee taste even better by making a donation to the Coffee Kids projects. To learn more about Coffee Kids, or to make a donation, please visit www.coffeekids.org or write or call: Coffee Kids, 1305 Luisa St., Suite C, Santa Fe, NM 87505; phone: (505) 8201443. Carolyn may be reached at: carolyn@coffeekids.org.

5

co-op news

july 2005 6

LOCAL SALE ITEMS SHOP LOCAL & SAVE Seeds of Change Santa Fe, NM Organic Pasta Sauce, 25 oz. Assorted flavors, Sale $3.29

Bite Size Bakery Santa Fe, NM Bite Sized Cookies, 6.5 oz, Assorted flavors, Sale 2/$6

Hatch Chile Company Deming, New Mexico Red & Green Chile Enchilada Sauce 15-16 oz, Assorted varieties and heats, Sale $2.59, Other Hatch products also on sale!

La Montanita Food Coop Albuquerque, NM Tree-Free Kenaf Co-op Greeting Cards, Assorted designs, Reg. 2/$5 Sale 99¢ each!

VALID IN-STORE ONLY from 6/29-8/2, 2005: Not all

items available at all stores.

COOP SPECIALS BUY LOCAL SAVE $$$$

Member to Member Community

Resour ce Guide Additions!

Business Debby Kruzic/ Document Handling & Information Services, Inc. 505-888-3620, dhinfo@dhinfo.com, www.dhinfo.com Special: one hour free needs analysis for a paeprless office.

Retail Kenny & Brenna Aschbacher/ American Surf N Turf 75 Sunflower Ln, Peralta NM 87042 505.385.9480 www.fishhugger.com, Special: Silver salmon: Buy one get one free Brian Grossnickle/ Micaceous Cookware P.O. Box 27149 Albuquerque,NM 87125 505-281-1853, brian@micaceouscookware.com, www.micaceouscookware.com Artistic, handbuilt, earthen cookware. Call for your special.

Professional Services Melvin Allen/ Middle School Math Tutor 1821 Quiet Lane, Alb., NM 87105 505-489-5290 mallen@unm.edu, Special: $5 off per hour Richard Rochlin/ Berkeley law grad, legal research & mediation 2190 W. Alameda, Apt. D, Santa Fe 505-986-2097, Cell 660-0096 remainsmon@hotmail.com, Special:15% discount

HBA Product Spotlight:

W.S. Badger Company

S

ummer fun got to your skin? Maybe the bugs have been biting, the sun and water and just being outside 24/7 gardening, biking, hiking or camping taking its toll? A small family owned company has just what you are looking for to sooth those cracked hands, feet and generally dry summer skin.

Back in the winter of 1993, “Badger� Bill was a carpenter with cracked fingers. He also loved working with herbs and natural remedies. He says, “This turned out to be a fortunate coincidence. As fate would have it, I went into my kitchen and made up a batch of what later became Badger Healing Balm. It healed my fingers, and a business was born.�

He goes on to say, “We tend to trust the obvious. In our case, the obvious includes essential oils and herbal extracts that have been used safely and effectively across continents and cultures for thousands of years.� The main ingredient in all of their balms for instance, is organic extra virgin olive oil. Other Badger ingredients include, fresh aloe vera, coconut oil, shea and cocoa butters, bees wax, and castor oil. All of their essential oils are naturally processed and most of them are either organically grown or otherwise ecologically produced. Their products are not medicines or drugs, but rather natural remedies that support your body's innate ability to heal itself.

How Green Is Badger?

Badger supports organic, sustainable agriculture through all of their purchasing practices. More than 70% of all ingredients used in Badger products are organic. Other remaining ingredients are ecologically harvested or wild-crafted. They purchase organically grown and processed olive oil (their # 1 ingredient) from an organic farmers’ cooperative in Spain. “We use enough olive oil to

represent approximately 10,000 naturally cultivated trees basking in the sun,� says “Badger� Bill.

Badger tins are recyclable. They are made of “tinned steel,� which we commonly refer to as tin cans. (Some people save them and use them to organize buttons, drill bits, etc.) Badger tins are made from 78% post consumer recycled material.

They use local artisans and suppliers whenever possible and of course no Badger product is ever tested on animals. In keeping with their company mission, Badger donates 7% of their before-tax profits to non-profit organizations that focus on the healthcare and welfare of children.

The Coop is pleased to be able to carry many Badger products, including a full line of their wonderful balms: the Anti Bug Balm, Sleep Balm, Baby Balm, Foot balm, Sore Muscle Rub, Evolving Body Balm, Bali Balm, Cuticle Care Balm, as well as both the unscented and the original Healing Balm.

And look for the full line of all their great lip balms and body butters. Product selection may vary from Coop to Coop. You many special order any Badger product at your local Coop HBA Department.

Special Thanks to the Badger folks for supporting our work on the national Consumer Coop Management Association Conference last month.

get the badger!

Health Care Suzanne Hruschka LMT#2232/ A Breath of Joy suzhru@netzero.com, 286-0818 www.abreathofjoy.us For Women: Therapeutic Massage, Hatha Yoga, Original Art, Special: 15% discount Pamela Edmondson/ Spectrum Counseling and Psychotherapy 404 San Mateo Blvd NE Suite 41 Albuquerque NM 87109 505-232-3000 www.spectrumcounseling.com Quality counseling and psychotherapy services Special: $5 off negotiated fee

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Community Voices: Letters to the Editor

Protecting Good Nutrition in NM New Mexico is fortunate to have the very powerful Environmental Improvement Board (EIB). The members are astute and perceptive, and they show a profound intelligence and real concern for the future of New Mexico. Using heretofore unused New Mexico State statutes which prohibit poisonous or deleterious food additives, the New Mexico Attorney General would take a serious stand against neurotoxic food additives if the EIB of New Mexico could reach a determination on the artificial sweetener, aspartame.

Aspartame is found in 7000 products and consumed by 70 % of Americans, including 40% of the children in the USA. Aspartame was discovered and patented in 1966 by G.D. Searle. In the body aspartame breaks down into methanol, which then turns into formaldehyde. The FDA refused to approve it for commercialization until 1981, when the president of G.D. Searle essentially got his own man, Arthur Hull Hayes, appointed as FDA commissioner under Ronald Reagan. Hayes promptly approved aspartame for human consumption, then left his position at the FDA to work for Searle's public relations firm. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until 1983, over the objections of the National Soft Drink Bottler's Association, that aspartame was approved for use in soft drinks. "Diet beverages" became a big hit, and Searle and its executives made millions of dollars.

Unfortunately, there began a concurrent sharp increase in neuro-degenerative cancers of the brain, pituitary, and pancreas, and other afflictions.

The New Mexico statutes have been on the books since 1941, with some minor updates in 1982, but have never been used! Why? Like most Americans, New Mexicans naively believe that the FDA is there to protect them and conclude, "if this aspartame is really so bad for you, the FDA would get rid of it."

Do the math: 70% of New Mexican adults ingest aspartame daily x 1.8 million New Mexicans = 1.24 million NM

adults. Forty percent of the 350,000 New Mexico school children = 140,000 children ingesting aspartame daily.

I hope you agree that it is both tragic and reprehensible for the FDA and industry collusion that ensures nothing can be done to correct these errors. It would be even more tragic if the EIB does nothing and defers these matters to the usual old myth of FDA preemptionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a kind of usurpation of our states' consumer protection and tort laws. Based on what I saw at the EIB meeting, I firmly believe that in time the NM EIB will send this message to all New Mexicans: Don't continue to poison yourself with aspartame, and, a more important message to the corporations, â&#x20AC;&#x153;we ORDER you not to continue to poison New Mexico's children, families and elderly.â&#x20AC;?

That, in essence, is the new rule we are going to ask the NM EIB to formulate and adopt, and it is completely in accordance with NM Statutes 25-2-7, 25-2-10, and 25-2-13.

Coca Cola's lobbyists were at this EIB meeting, by the way, and the acting EIB chair explained the rule making process at the hearing and made a significant comment that the â&#x20AC;&#x153;EIB is not shy about confronting large corporations.â&#x20AC;?

Please write or call Environment Secretary Ron Curry, 1190 St Francis, Harold Runnels Bldg. Ste 4050 North, Santa Fe N.M. 87502 or call him toll free at 1-800-2196157 and Governor Bill Richardson (505 827-3000) about aspartame poisoning as well as speak to as many legislators as possible. No matter what the EIB does about these matters, the 2006 Legislative session, should see relevant legislation introduced to protect New Mexicans. In the meantime if you want more info on aspartame go to www.dorway.com or use your search engine to check out the Aspartame Toxicity Information Center. I welcome all replies.

by Stephen Fox, Santa Fe stephen@santafefineart.com

co-op news

july 2005 7

General Manager’s Column The National Co-op conference we hosted last month was a fabulous success, and we were delighted at the opportunity to showcase La Montanita to over 400 participants from other natural food co-ops around the country. I want to personally recognize the wonderful job that Robin Seydel, our Co-op staff, and many Co-op volunteers did on our behalf in hosting this event.

packets as does the “Spike” seasonings made by Gaylord Hauser. While the products make no mention of MSG, one of our members brought to our attention that hydrolyzed vegetable protein is analogous to MSG and our research has confirmed this.

As this fiscal year comes to a close on August 31st, we are now preparing our budgets for next year. Each Department Thank you to everyone comTeam Leader at each location pleting this year’s member surprepares quarterly projections vey. We will be compiling the for their department and we roll results over the next few weeks those into the total Co-op budgand sharing your feedback in et. We are closely monitoring this column in the next several the financial performance of months. We greatly appreciate our two new locations, and our the inside scoop your assistance in helping us focus this coming year is to improve your Co-op and increase our service to you. work internally to improve our systems and procedures.

While we have made many improvements in our “store The August Board of Directors’ meeting will be held in operations” systems over the past few years, we have Santa Fe on Tuesday, August 16th at 6:30 p.m. The meet- many opportunities in our check-out and membership ing will take place at the Cloud Cliff Bakery located at processes. We also see great opportunity in partnering 1805 Second Street. We hope our Santa Fe members will more closely with our local producers, and we believe join us and take this opportunity to participate in the gov- that some strategic investment in this area has value. ernance of La Montanita.

Please don’t hesitate to let us know how we are doing. La We have recently labeled several products we stock that Montanita is your Co-op and we greatly appreciate your contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein – a form of MSG. input and feedback. We are grateful for your support and Several Thai Kitchen items have this in their seasoning hope to see you soon.

C.E. Pugh

Calendar of Events 7/11 7/13 7/17 7/19 8/1

Social Responsibility Research Committee, 5:30pm 122 Tulane Member Linkage, 5:30pm Valley Coop Coffee with the Board, 10am-12pm Santa Fe location Board of Directors Meeting, 5:30pm Immanuel Church Finance Committee Meeting, 5pm Coop Annex

FRESH DELICIOUS & ORGANIC SHOP YOUR CO-OP Lauri Norton Licensed Massage Therapist # 4199

Cheese Depar tment Spotight Tillamook Cheese Cooperative: Stands up to Monsanto

B

ack in 1909 the farmers of Tillamook County, Oregon joined hands, so to speak, and formed the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) to serve as quality control system.

Later TCCA expanded to incorporate all 25 operating cheese factories in Tillamook County, Oregon.

To this day, the cooperative continues to produce top quality milk, dairy products and a sound future for the farmers of this beautiful Oregon valley. They are committed to stewardship of the environment and community involvement.

As a farmer owned cooperative, they take pride in continuing the tradition of quality cheese making started a century ago. “We believe it takes a purity of purpose to make cheese like Tillamook. That's why we've used the same great cheese recipe for over 100 years, and why we'll continue to use it in the future.”

In the early months of 2005 Tillamook cooperative was in the news a lot due to their decision to ban the use of recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH, a.k.a.

Letters to the Editor

Coop says

NO!

La Montanita Coop recently stopped selling Natural American Spirit cigarettes at their Santa Fe location.

Of course, the coop has only been in possession of the Marketplace in Santa Fe for a couple of months. But after two Marketplace employees expressed their concerns about a natural foods grocery selling a deadly product, the General Manager of the coop agreed to phase out the cigarette sales. The GM deserves our thanks for making this decision. Here’s why: The Marketplace in Santa Fe used to sell 10,000 packs annually, making $14,000 in profit. That means that the coop gave up a chunk of money in making this decision. So it may sound like coop members lost out. But look for a moment beyond money. That’s enough cigarettes sold annually to addict 1000 coop members a year. It’s also enough cigarettes sold annually to kill one coop member and their second-hand-smoke-exposed family (27 years of cigarettes at a pack a day). As a coop member, I’d prefer if my annual patronage refund came from more socially responsible sources than the sale of what is arguably the most addictive and deadly product on the market.

Some coop members smoke Natural American Spirit (NAS) cigarettes because they’re advertised as using “natural” tobacco; NAS even markets an

BST or by Monsanto’s trade name Prosilac) from use on any farm that was bringing milk into the Tillamook Cooperative. As the second largest producer of chunk cheese in the nation that ban didn’t sit well with Monsanto officials.

Nationally Certified Cranio Sacral, Polarity, Swedish, Reflexology (505) 243-1701 cell 410-3741 Insurance accepted with Doctor’s referral.

One of the first biotech products to be approved for commercialization in 1993, the dairy cooperative’s board voted last May to phase out the hormone, following consumer complaints. Monsanto’s legal staff proposed an amendment to the ban that would have circumvented it. But 126 of the 147 co-op members met in a special session last February to discuss the issue and cast their votes to reject Monsanto’s proposed amendment. The ban on Monsnto’s genetically engineered growth hormone was fully implemented April 1, 2005.

Tillamook, which had 2003 sales of $260 million, is the nation's second-largest maker of chunk cheese behind Kraft Foods Inc. Tillamook makes cheese, sour cream, butter and other dairy products. Look for Tillamook cheeses at all four Coop locations.

to Big Tobacco organic tobacco cigarette. Every coop member knows that natural and organic products are healthier, right? Unfortunately, that’s not true for cigarettes; their most dangerous ingredient is the tobacco, natural or otherwise. In fact, the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, the maker of Natural American Spirit cigarettes, was fined by the Federal Trade Commission in 2000 for deceiving customers into thinking that “no additives” means a safer, healthier cigarette. It doesn’t. While smoking the ammonia and formaldehyde you’ll find in Marlboros is not healthy, “natural” and “organic” tobacco will kill you just as fast. And a recent study showed that Natural American Spirit had the highest level of free base nicotine of any cigarette on the market, which scientists believe makes them more addictive than other brands.

Further, many people believe that Natural American Spirit cigarettes – whose packages sport a stereotypical “Indian chief” smoking a sacred pipe – are made by a Native-owned company, or that their sale somehow supports Indian communities. Neither is true. That’s why the American Indian Tobacco Education Project (AITEP) has called for a boycott of Natural American Spirit cigarettes and other tobacco brands that manipulate Indian culture for profit. The name and logo, AITEP believes, confuses Native Americans’ tradi-

tional use of tobacco for ceremonial and religious purposes with the addictive use of commercial tobacco. It demeans Native American cultures and traditions.

Here’s the kicker: Santa Fe Natural Tobacco is actually owned by RJ Reynolds, the maker of Camel, Winston, Salem and Doral cigarettes.

Natural American Spirit is RJR’s premium brand, targeted to younger, well-off consumers interested in natural products, like coop members.

Help La Montanita’s management stick to their good decision.

Thank them for discontinuing the sale of Natural American Spirit cigarettes. Cigarettes have no place in a coop devoted to the health of its members and the community. For more information, contact the New Mexico Media Literacy Project 505-828-3129 or www.nmmlp.org, MASCOT (Multicultural Advocates for Social Change on Tobacco) 505-265-0732 or the American Indian Tobacco Education Project 916-929-9761 ext. 1513.

by Eric Chrisp/Health Sciences Research Specialist, UNM Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

w h a t ’ s N e w ...What’s up hard Working

Working hard Kendra always has time to enjoy a joke or two with regular Co-op customers that freq u e n t t h e Va l l e y D e l i f o r l u n c h a n d d i n n e r. E v e n w i t h 2 art shows in July and working full time at the Rio Grande D e l i , K e n d r a ’s a t t i t u d e i s uplifting.

Originally from Guatemala City, Trinidad works 2 jobs to keep up. Last month he took a well deserved break from his job as a prep cook at the Santa Fe Co-op Deli and SF Prep School to visit his family in Guatemala.

new santa fe co-op store team leader He aint just whistling Dixie, the new tune is - “do you know the way to Santa Fe.” After any years as the Nob Hill G r o c e r y D e p a r t m e n t M a n a g e r, Will Prokopiac, the new Santa F e S t o r e Te a m L e a d e r i s u p f o r the challenge. “Organic groceries have always been my bag” Will says.

MORE GROCERIES Check out the grocery reset at the Santa Fe Co-op.

Greater Selection!

More fine eats!

It’s on Isle 4

neW & IMPROVED BULK BINS

Josh, the Grocery ADTL at the Santa Fe Co-op also helps stock Bulk and Dairy. if you need help locating a product, Josh is you man. In a former life he was a Social Worker in Maryland.

more bulk foods, better e c o l o g y. . . s h o p b u l k a n d save.

Came out west on a camping trip and decided to “change up his life.”

Way to go Josh

member /owner Sound Bites

NEW Sign The new Santa Fe outdoor sign makes it official! ...Santa Fe has a Co-op again.

We ’ d l o v e t o g e t a a p i c t u r e o f y o u and hear your your co-op sound bite.Call(217- 2024) or e-mail editec@lamontanitacoop.com.

ARound town

NEW EMPLOYEE???

Co-op member /owner Nicole enjoying a quick break between her brokering gigs.

New Evidence Director of cancer epidemiology and prevention Marianne Berwick,PhD, at UNM, speculates that vitamin D, which is made by skin during sun exposure, may be what helps to limit t h e s p r e a d o f c a n c e r. B o t t o m line, more research on the the benefits of sunshine is needed.

Emma-Gene Cocoa?

N o i t ’s N o b H i l l F r o n t End Coordinator Becca Jay sporting her new look. Becca has been at the Co-op for 15 years..

Eat your Antioxidant Antioxidant in foods can b o o s t t h e s k i n ’s r e p a i r process and the ability to r e j u v e n a t e i t s e l f . Vi t C i s critical for producing new collagen to replace the old sun damaged cells.

Shop the Co-op Produce for all your antioxidants.

Co-op economics 101 The cooperative model meets the needs of enlightened consumers who wish to take more control of their personal and community economy. In my opinion, the foremost reason is that cooperatives are true democratic and transparent organizations that exist solely to serve the needs of their members. Additionally, cooperative owners elect the board from their memberships ”No outside investors can serve on the board or have

corporate model, many in our community are happy to know that co-ops are a successful business model. Currently, U.S. co-ops serve over 120 million (yes, million) members, or 4 in 10 Americans. Worldwide, 750,000 co-ops serve 730 million members.

Cooperatives operate in every industry including agriculture, childcare, energy, financial services, food retailing and distribution, health care, insur-

any control of the organization. This is important because surplus revenues are not siphoned off to entities outside the co-op, but are returned to individual members in proportion to their use of the co-op (expenditures). This is opposed to the corporate model of returning excess revenues according to ones”™ investment or ownership share.

ance, housing, telecommunications, and purchasing and shared services. The top 100 U.S. co-ops have combined revenue of $177 billion. I am encouraged by these facts and look to assure that the more fair and equitable economic model of cooperatives continues to thrive.

While the skeptics may wonder if the cooperative model can remain a viable alternative to the

(Source: National Cooperative Business Association, 2005)

- Steve Watts, Member/ Owner, Staff

new school economics

I'm interested in new economic models.

The basic idea of our current model, the free market theory, is that that informed and educated consumer makes choices between competing small and medium sized enterprises (which pay the total

turn out is down substantially over the last few decades, as is confidence by the citizenry that the country is actually run by and for its people.

An increasing number of the people in the country see the government as run by and for the

cost of production) based on complete information

wealthy. New structures are needed to address

about the market and product. This relegates the

this inequity. I believe that new forms of wealth

quality of the product upward and the cost down.

ownership are going to be instrumental in solving

The problem is that many of our current market

this problem. I believe that commonwealths,

entities don't obey those rules. For example, ener- cooperatives, public trusts, and worker owned gy companies that put millions of tons of pollutants firms have the power to create the small and in the air every year have effectively socialized that medium sized economic actors necessary for free market theory, distribute the benefits of cost, and pharmaceutical companies that make incredible profits every year demonstrate that com- wealth and capital ownership to local communipetition among giant corporations does NOT reduce ties, and increase meaningful participation in democracy by its citizens on the local level. the cost to consumers. Nor does it evenly distribI believe that will catalyze the development of ute the wealth. The gap between the top and the larger economic theories and ... bottom in the country has grown every year since I ver y much want to be a par t of World War II. This in turn has crippled our democracy. Voter

this process.

- Tim Morrison, Co-op Member /Owner, Staff

Participate

Inspiring! That is how Tim described the keynote speaker at the recent Consumer Cooperative Management Association Conference held in Albuquerque last month. Gar Alperovitz, Professor of Political Economy at the University of Maryland most recent book has been described as “ A tonic and eye opener for anyone who wants a politics that works” After “ripping” through the book Tim was jazzed, enough to pen some of his thoughts.

- attend monthly Co-op Board meetings - vote for Co-op Board members and by-law amendments - join a Board committee - run for one of three Board seats up for election each November.

The Coop has a Board of Directors elected by you, the membershipIt is directed through the Co-op's by-laws to use a variety of channels to understand what the membership wants and to integrate that understanding with the realities of the marketplace.

By law, the Board is bound to protect the assets of the Co-op's member owners and must navigate through the competitive economic environment while striving to meet the needs of the community it serves. As a member, you are encouraged to exercise your rights and responsibilities by voting for Board members and by-law amendments.

The nine Board members serve three-year terms and these are staggered so that we have three Board seats up for election each year. Members may run for the Board and the election is held the first two weeks of November.

By-laws stipulate that Board candidates must be members by July 1st of the current year to be eligible to run in the November election. If you have an interest in Board candidacy,

please contact Marshall Kovitz at: bod@lamontanitacoop.com or marshall@swcp.com or (505) 256-1241.

You may also send mail to Marshall in care of La Montanita at 3500 Central Ave., SE Albuquerque, 87106.

great summer

eats

FAIR TRADE COFFEE

A T YOUR COOP

july 2005 10

cool foods for

hot days

From grilling outside to blending fresh veggies and fruit, below are some fun ways to get good nutrition while keeping cool.

Adapted and reprinted from the following: www.bbc.co.uk/food www.alanskitchen.com www.razzeldazzlerecipes.com www.epicurious.com www.diabetic-lifestyle.com www.vegweb.com Andalusian Gazpacho 1 cucumber, peeled and diced 1 green bell pepper, diced 5 green onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tomatoes, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 2 1/2 cups cooked navy beans, rinsed and drained 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh oregano 1/4 teaspoon salt In a 4-quart serving bowl or soup tureen, combine cucumber, bell pepper, green onion, garlic, tomatoes, celery, navy beans, olive oil, vinegar and tomato juice Season with cumin, parsley, basil, oregano and salt. Adjust spices and seasonings to taste. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving cold. 10 servings, keeps well in a refrigerator.

Mediterranean Marinade for Chicken 6 pieces of chicken on the bone (breasts, thighs and/or legs) 5 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp. dried) 1 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic 1 lemon Salt and pepper to taste Trim any extra skin or fat off the chicken and put in a one gallon ziplock bag. Measure out the olive oil and pour into a small bowl. Strip the rosemary leaves off the twigs, and do a "rough chop" (you want them to be about 1/2-inch in length); set 1 tablespoon of the rosemary aside (1/2 teaspoon if using dried).

Crush the garlic with the side of a knife or the heel of your hand. Grate the lemon on a boxor hand-grater, reserving the rest of the lemon.

Add the rosemary, garlic, and lemon peel to the olive oil, pour in with the chicken, press out air bubbles, and seal the bag. Put the bag in a small dish with sides and keep in the fridge until ready (this minimizes the risk of contaminating the rest of the fridge).

As the grill heats up, mince the reserved rosemary so that it is a little smaller, maybe 1/4 inch.

Take the chicken out of the marinade and brush off most of the rosemary, garlic and lemon peel, leaving a few pieces clinging to the meat (a little bit of burned, crunchy rosemary goes a long way). Grill on low heat to ensure the inside cooks, cooking each side twice, and brushing on more marinade.

For extra flavor, toss the rosemary twigs onto the fire just before you take the chicken off the grill--the smoke adds a great smell.) Before serving, sprinkle the chopped rosemary and spritz a little lemon juice over the chicken.

Corn and Haricots Verts in Lime Shallot Butter 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 lb haricots verts or other thin green beans, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces 3 cups corn (from about 6 ears) 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lime zest 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice, or to taste Cook shallot in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add beans, corn, and salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime zest and lime juice. Makes 6 servings.

Roasted Salmon with Red Pepper and Corn Relish Relish 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 4 red bell peppers 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 4 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 4 ears) 4 green onions, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1/4 cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley Salmon 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons paprika 2 teaspoons salt 10 5- to 6-ounce skinless salmon fillets (each about 1 3/4 inches thick)

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Juried Photography Exhibit

www.EricsTreeCare.com “Your Professional Team of Arborists” “ISA” Certified Arborist Certified Tree Workers on Staff All EmployeesFirst Aid & CPR Certified “Care About Your Air” We use B20 Biodiesel Alternative Fuels in our truck and chipper

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Integrated Counseling, Therapeutic Bodywork and Movement

Penny Holland M.A., L.P.C.C, L.M.T.

1114 7th Street NW at Mountain Road. For more information, call 505-242-6367

505-265-2256 LPCC Lic. 0494, LMT Lic. 1074

great summer

eats

Toast coriander seeds in small skillet over medium heat until aromatic, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

Crush in mortar with pestle. For relish: Char bell peppers over gas flame or under broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers; cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and green onions and sauté until corn begins to brown in spots, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; sauté 2 minutes. Add wine and stir until liquid evaporates, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat. Stir in bell peppers, lemon juice, honey, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed coriander seeds. (Relish can be made 8 hours ahead.

Cover and refrigerate. Stir over medium heat until heated through before serving.) Stir parsley into relish. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For salmon: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line large baking sheet with foil. Mix first 5 ingredients and remaining crushed coriander seeds in medium bowl. Brush salmon all over with mixture.

Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Roast salmon until opaque in center, about 10 minutes. Transfer to platter. Spoon relish over salmon and serve. Makes 10 servings.

Armenian Achot (Garlicky Farmer's Cheese with Walnuts) 1 cup farmer Cheese 3 tablespoons Walnuts, chopped fine 1/4 cup low-fat Yogurt 1 tablespoon fresh Dill, chopped fine 1 tablespoon fresh Parsley, chopped fine 1 Garlic clove, minced 1/8 teaspoon Salt Lettuce, boston 1/4 cup Walnuts, chopped coarsely Pita, toasted triangles Process the farmer's cheese, finely chopped walnuts, and yogurt in a food proces sor until smooth. Transfer the cheese to a bowl and mix with herbs, garlic, and salt. Shape into a ball, cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours. Line a small serving platter with several lettuce leaves and carefully transfer the cheese ball to the platter.

Press the coarsely chopped walnuts into the ball so they more or less cover it. Serve with the toasted pita triangles. Serves 6.

Thai Coconut Soup 2 cups coconut water or milk 1 1/2 cups water 1 cup tomatoes 2 cups young coconut meat 1/2 avocado

july 2005 11

1 medium garlic clove 1 inch fresh ginger 2 Tbs. mellow miso 1 Tbs. garlic-flavored flax seed oil, or olive oil 1/2 tsp. sea salt 2 Tbs shoyu, or tamari sauce 2 limes or lemons, juice of 2 pinches cayenne pepper, to taste 1 cup cilantro, or parsley 1 cup tomatoes, diced 1/3 cup onions, chopped Blend all ingredients except for the last three.

Then add the cilantro or parsley, and blend briefly, so it1s not entirely liquefied. Pour in a bowl. Add last two ingredients and mix well.

Add more cayenne pepper if you desire the soup spicier. Serves 4.

Raw Veggie Soup 1 cup cucumber 1 red bell pepper 1 cup arugula 1 cup parsley, or cilantro 1/2 medium avocado 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, ground 1/2 medium apple 1 cup water 3/4 tsp. sea salt 2 tsp. nama shoyu, or tamari sauce 2 Tbs. garlic-chile-flavored flax seed oil, or olive oil (if using olive, then add a pinch of cayenne pepper and 1 clove of fresh garlic) spirulina flakes to taste (optional) Blend all ingredients except spirulina flakes.

Place in a bowl. If desired, add some spirulina flakes.

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health & healing Talking Dirty Part 2: Cleaning Up and Out

by Nalini Goordial, ND believe there is an order to cleansing. If your colon is not functioning properly, then it won’t be able to move out the toxins that you flush out from the other organs. More and more people are suffering from health problems, including pain, constipation and lack of energy and many of these can be related to a dirty colon.

These problems do not happen by accident. Many of these problems are caused partly or largely by eating and drinking that which nature did not intended.

I

Most healers prefer to talk about nice, clean things like vitamins.

These are important, but relying on vitamins and pharmaceuticals is often money down the drain because many people are rotting from the inside out. They continue to ingest toxic substances, including caffeine, sugar, white flour, aspartame, microwaved food, hydrogenated fats and deep fried foods and they don’t drink enough water.

You should have a bowel movement twice or three times per day, that is after every meal. Most people are lucky if they go once a day and there are some that only go once per week. Often problems that don't appear to be related to the colon improve with colon cleansing. Simply put, pain and disease are caused by toxins. And a dirty bowel is full of toxins.

There is no ``one way", no ``magic bullet that will change all of this for you overnight. But there are ways that work; ultimately

Classical Homeopathy Visceral Manipulation Craniosacral Therapy

MARY ALICE COOPER, MD St. Raphael Medical Center 204 Carlisle NE Albuquerque, NM 87106

505-266-6522

it is up to you. Here’s where herbal cleansing and nutrition can do wonders for you.

There are quite a few different colon cleanse formula out there, and most of them do the job intended. You can always make your own formula if you are so inclined, but if you are new to natural healing this might be a bit daunting. Below is a list of ingredients to look for in a good colon detox product, you may need to get two different

• Activated willow charcoal removes over 3,000 known harmful chemicals • Psyllium seed and husk adds needed fiber, reduces inflammation • Fennel seed or Peppermint leaf , aids digestion, moves gas You will probably have to make this formula yourself, just combine all ingredients in equal parts and store in a dry place. Again you can get the ingredients at our COOP.

No one should rely on the same herbs all their life.

It is important while taking these formulas to keep working on ways to get your digestion working by itself. products that compliment each other in order to fulfill the ingredients requirement. So take your list, head over to the Coop and let’s get started.

PART ONE CLEANSE • Aloe leaf is strong cathartic, very bitter cleanser • Senna is a strong cathartic that has been used for thousands of years • Cascara Sagrada strong cathartic. Bitter cleanser.

• Barberry rootbark stimulates the liver, gall bladder and bile flow • Ginger rhizome increases downward contractions • Garlic bulb destroys candida and infection, and promotes healthy flora • Turkey Rhubarb gets peristalsis action working better • Cayenne Pepper is a stimulant and increases the circulation.

• Fennel cleanses out matter that produces gas.

• Ginger calm and soothes the digestive tract so the other herbs can do their job.

NOTE: No one should rely on the same herbs all their life. It is important while taking these formulas to keep working on ways to get your digestion working by itself. For example, take extra fiber with your breakfast (psyllium, wheat germ, oat bran, rice bran). Improve your diet.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER! At least 8 glasses a day. If you get any cleansing reactions such as a headache (which is normal), increase your water intake.

At the end of the first week, part two begins. It is done in combination with the part one regime.

PART TWO CLEANSE People whose problem is too many bowel movements, such as some people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, should omit intestinal part one just do part two.

• Flax seed contains a natural cleansing and laxative oil • Apple fruit pectin removes radioactive waste, mercury, lead, heavy metals • Pharmaceutical grade bentonite clay removes 35 times its weight in waste

This formula is a strong purifier and intestinal vacuum. It draws old fecal matter off the walls of your colon and out of any bowel pockets. It will remove poisons, toxins, parasites and heavy metals. It will also remove over 3,000 known drug residues. This regime should be done for at least two weeks.

GOOD NUTRITION For breakfast have a Nutritional Drink, e.g. 8-16 ounces of freshly squeezed organic carrot and apple mixed with 4-8 ounces of water.

Take one teaspoon of your mix in 8 oz. freshly squeezed juice 5 times a day. Take it one hour after your morning nutritional drink, _ hour before lunch, between lunch and dinner, _ hour before dinner and 1 hour before bed. In addition, drink additional 8 oz. water after each dose. Do this daily. If you don't make freshly squeezed juice, it would be much better to take the formula in water.

Avoid foods containing white (bread making) flour; all processed foods; sugar or food with sugar in it; significant amounts of meat; milk (yogurt made from organically fed cow's milk is okay); peanut butter (this may be continued after this cleanse); cheeses (some in moderation after this cleanse is okay); eggs (free range eggs may be eaten after this cleanse).

Avoid caffeine as much as you can, this may be a challenge because it takes 3-6 weeks to come off caffeine, and there are healing reactions such as headaches. Do the best you can for now.

Do not use any oil that is not cold pressed oil.

Do not use butter during this cleanse, but you may use it moderately after.

No microwaved foods, you should not be using a microwave to cook your food at all.

Do not use normal table salt (sodium chloride).

Use sea salt instead.

Never use Monosodium Glutamate, artificial colorings or artificial sweeteners especially aspartame (nutrasweet).

Restrict all cooked foods to fresh vegetables and grains. The problem with cooked food is that much of its nutritional value is destroyed in the heating process. All enzymes are destroyed, and about 83% of the vitamins, plus the heat changes many of the protein structures into a form that is very difficult to assimilate.

When fruit and vegetables juices are consumed, 92% of the nutrients are able to reach the cellular level. Juicing is the fastest way to nourish the cells and rebuild the immune system and essential body organs. Exercise will help you flush out toxins, and dry brushing your skin before a shower will speed up the removal of dead skin and toxins.

aloe leaf is a strong

cleanser

I realize that some of you may need more information or clarification of this topic, please feel free to e-mail me at nalinigoordial@direcway.com.

Happy cleansing.

KEEP YOUR $$ AT HOME BUY LOCAL KEEP YOUR $$ AT HOME 12

july 2005

thinking long term

Drought: It ain’t over til’ it’s over...

O

n the TV news the other night, I heard that the drought in New Mexico is over, which is what everyone wants— especially land developers, golf courses and (sorry) people who insist on growing wasteful green lawns in the desert. There was some meteorologist talking about rain and snow levels, how much water is in the river and so forth. He stated that things are looking very good in New Mexico in the short term. The message was clear: don’t worry, everything’s fine!

Wait. Back up a couple of sentences.

What was that “in the short term?”

Bingo! That statement was aired only once while others saying how great everything is were uttered again and again. Any meteorologist worth his degree knows that drought is a cumulative event, taking years of no or low itchy green rainfall to deplete moisture reserves in the soil. Deep rooted trees and desert-adapted plants like cacti or yucca or chamisa may take years to die even in high heat and no water. Reversing drought takes just as many or more years.

where annual rainfall averages anywhere from 40 to 80 to 100 (!!) inches a year. Is water rationed and controlled in Vietnam? You bet it is! Even a communist undeveloped “backward” country realizes that just because there’s lots of water it’s not all clean or potable.

Clean water is a precious and valued commodity everywhere except in the US. Or, actually, it is valued here but by its price tag through privatization.

thumb

It can take years for moisture passing through layers upon layers of soil structure to reach deep aquifers—that is, if the moisture isn’t already tapped out by deep rooted plants or trapped in shallow formations.

One extremely wet year (reported to be the wettest in New Mexico since weather patterns were first recorded in detail in the last hundred-fifty or so years) will not make up for years of drought. Sure, the majority (not all!) of New Mexico is green, wildflowers are spectacular, the rivers and acequias are brimming, maybe with even enough water to stave off the silvery minnow question for another year… yeah, things do look good—in the short term! But even if the drought were truly broken that doesn’t mean it’s time to use water recklessly, as we always do. I have an old buddy who lives in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam,

Corporations are gaining control by buying formerly public water resources from thirdworld money-poor governments and then selling it back to the

Let’s see… soda pop is pretty much maxed out: how many different varieties of one brand name cola can you fit on one grocer’s shelf anyway? Juice blends have been on the rise but may have reached a plateau. Sports drinks are making a big impact with a good profit margin: mostly water with some sugar, coloring and flavors (even cheaper than making soda—no carbonation!).

But, hey! why not leave out all those other costly ingredients and just peddle the water? Slap a picture of a mountain on an aesthetically-pleasing blue-tinted bottle, pour in purified tap water and the profit margin climbs through the roof. And it can be peddled as healthy, clean and good for you.

And—wink, wink—it doesn’t hurt the manufacturer’s image as enviro-friendly. Why do you think Coca Cola is one of the largest players in the bot-

Clean water is a precious and valued commodity everywhere except in the US. Or, actually, it is valued here but by its price tag through privatization. people at a handsome profit. No, this isn’t hysterical leftist conspiracy theory but documented fact: see Water Wars: Privatization, Pollution, and Profit by my hero, Vandana Shiva, a so-called “radical scientist” (she’s actually more conservative—in the true sense of the word—than just about anyone in her field).

But we need not look as far as the River Ganges to witness this. It’s no accident that bottled water is one of the fastest growing sectors of the beverage industry. Why?

tled water biz? And incidentally, also in the global soymilk business. How many beans does it take for Coke to fill the lucrative Asian markets with soy beverages? Lots! Do they care whether that soy is GMO-derived? Most likely not because although many countries are refusing GMO crops, few have drawn the line at GMO derived products. But that’s another story.

Boy, it’s kinda hot today. I’m thirsty but I’m not sure what to drink that won’t stick in my craw.

by Brett Bakker

Rapid Ride After Dark : Stop in Nob Hill!

You’ve seen the new big red “Rapid Ride Buses” streaking around town and enjoyed the shade and comfort of the new Rapid Ride bus stops. Now Rapid Ride is going a step further.

ABQ RIDE is proud to announce the extension of Rapid Ride service on Friday and Saturday nights until 3am from Memorial Day weekend through September. The extended hours will allow Albuquerque residents and visitors to leisurely have dinner and take in many of the entertainment venues along the route without having to worry about time constraints.

Passengers using Rapid After Dark will be able to use their monthly bus pass or pay the $1 fare. If their hotel or residence is not immediately along the Rapid line, the city encourages people to use

one of the Park & Ride locations at either end of the Rapid route. One is located at the Uptown Transit Center near Coronado Mall and the other is located at the Southwest Mesa on the corner of Central and Unser. There is no charge for parking in these lots.

A security guard will be stationed on each Rapid After Dark vehicle. The Rapid will travel its entire length along Central Avenue from Unser to Wyoming and then I-40 to Uptown. As usual, the Rapid service will run every 10 minutes until 8pm and then every 20 minutes between 8pm. and 3am.

Mini Ride service will be available during the same Rapid After Dark hours within three quarters of a mile of the route for persons whose mobility impairment makes it impossible to ride the fixed route service. Please call 243-RIDE for more information. Rapid Ride makes several stops in Nob Hill, one right in front of the Coop!

lavender in the valley Sponsored by the Village of Los Ranchos.

Visit the lavender fields at Los Poblanos Ranch and pick your own bunches to take home. Enjoy live bluegrass music, lavender distillation demonstrations and crafts classes, expert advice on growing lavender in New Mexico, and Children's workshops. Enjoy special events put on by local businesses in Los Ranchos. The Growers' and Arts & Crafts Markets will have extended hours on Saturday, 7am-3 pm.

For more information go to www.lospoblanos.com or call (505)344-9297.

july 9&10 july 2005

13

forum Childr enâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Water Festival!

community

by Susan Gorman etâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s see what happens if we spill oil on the ground and it rains.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ooh, the oil runs right into the river. Yuck!â&#x20AC;?

In a room next door, students fill cups with rocks, clay and sand to create a mini-aquifer complete with a straw â&#x20AC;&#x153;well.â&#x20AC;? Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll learn that an aquifer is more like a lot of wet sand and rocks underground than an underground lake.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;L

Experiences like this will be happening again this fall at the Albuquerque Convention Center as 4th grade students enjoy the exhilaration of discovery as they see â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why the River Runs Brownâ&#x20AC;? at the annual Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Water Festival.

Students will discover real water facts and concepts and exercise their critical thinking skills through fun, hands-on activities.

Different activities will be presented in each room, 21 in all, throughout the West Complex of the Albuquerque Convention Center, about water science, history, geography, and our water

future. The students, more than 1000 4th graders from schools in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, will participate in the seventh Middle Rio Grande Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Water Festival that will be held October 13 and 14. In order to ensure this important environmental, educational experience happens, local community sponsors are needed now.

We have identified the six Big Water Questions that encompass the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Pictureâ&#x20AC;? of water: â&#x20AC;˘ Why is water so important to life? â&#x20AC;˘ What is the water cycle and why is it important? â&#x20AC;˘ What is a watershed and how does it function? â&#x20AC;˘ How do trees, plants, animals, people, soils, and water depend on each other? â&#x20AC;˘ How do our actions affect water quality? â&#x20AC;˘ How much water does my family use?

july 2005 14 Over 7,500 students have participated in the Water Festivals held since 1999. That means the students who participated in the first Water Festival are now in high school! Before long, they will be making lifestyle decisions and, we hope, voting! Will they remember the lessons of the Water Festival way back when they were 10? We believe the answer is YES! Join Us! Be a Water Festival sponsor! Make a tax deductible donation to make the Water Festival a reality! Sponsors are recognized through press releases, logos and large signs displayed at the Water Festival and lists on the T-shirts, teacher packets and on the website. Sponsors receive a VIP invitation to the Water Festival. Other ways to participate include presenting an activity or volunteering on the Big Days!

For more information, contact Festival Manager Susan Gorman, at (505) 259-7190, or at H2ofest@aol.com. To learn more about the Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Water Festivals go to www.pioneer west.net.

Gorilla Tango Comedy Theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Komedy Kidzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Gorilla Tango Comedy Theaterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (GTCT) Komedy Kidz program will premier the original campy send-off, Godzilla Vs. _____ , on July 16. This silly parody of the old Godzilla movies is a unique mix of a scripted play, improvisation, kids, adults, and audience participation that gives the audience a level of involvement unlike any other theatrical experience.

Featuring a cast of a dozen 8-13 year-olds who mix onstage with professional improvisers, for a fun filled evening for all ages. The production, which runs approximately 45 minutes long, will perform on two dates, Saturday, July 16 at 7pm, and Sunday, July 17 at 3pm.

Gorilla Tango Comedy Theatre (GTCT) is a yearround theatre dedicated to local improvisation, sketch and comedic productions. Located at 519 Central Ave. NW in the heart of downtown Albuquerque, and created by Second City and Improv Olympic Alum, Dan Abbate. GTCT hosts weekly long and short-form improv shows every Friday (8pm, 10pm) and Saturday nights (8pm); as well as a variety of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and adult productions For more info or tickets visit www.gorilla tango.com, or (505) 245.8600 fax: (505) 245.9151, suzanne@gorillatango.com

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Albuquerque Independent Business Alliance Independents Week: July 1-7 AIBA will celebrate Independents Week July 1-July 7th, by bringing awareness to the benefits of supporting locally-owned businesses. The Independents Week will culminate with an AIBA Networking Event at Formulations Herbal Market and Treatment Center, 1816 Lomas Blvd NW on July 13th from 5:307:30pm. More info contact Deborahlise Mota at Formulations, 247-4372. For AIBA questions, email info@keepitquerque.org or www.keepitquerque.org.

Work at Home Opportunity Fair The Work At Home Opportunity Fair will be held from 9:30-11:30 am July 9 at Body, Mind & Spirit Family Resource Center. Body, Mind & Spirit is located within The Birth Center at 123 Wellesley S.E. in Nob Hill.

The event is a free opportunity for the public, with lots of vendors and people who have immediate need for others like you to join them in their enterprise. There will also be business advisors and general information about starting your own business. You can ask questions, interview vendors (and get interviewed!) and get motivated to find or create your next opportunity.

Another great resource is a fantastic website created by a local work-at-home mother and entrepreneur, Amylee Udell. This website, www.cafe-

wahm.com, is a treasure trove of helpful hints and resources, including information on the Work At Home fair, web links and resources for website creation, marketing tools, business tools, telecommunication resources, and even recipes and helpful ways to balance work and home life. This website is a terrific way to get started in your search for what comes next (or what to do in the meantime!).

The key to breaking out of the isolation of early parenthood is to network. Find other parents looking to share childcare or even job-share. Be creative as you consider the wide range of alternative work arrangements available. Check out the free online parenting community available on the website, www.bodymindandspiritabq.com or call 804-3726.

"We ART the People" Folk Art Festival Don't miss a FAMILY event celebrating the arts of the everyday and the artists who make it happen! Join OFFCenter in a visual feast including a large scale puppet parade, samba drummers and dancers, street theater, story telling, music of all kinds, demonstrations of visual and performing arts, displays of wheeled vehicles, hands

on art activities, a paint-by number art competition, and sales of 100 vendors promoting FOLK arts and skills.

Bring your picnic lunch, your lawn chairs and parade gear.

We welcome unexpected, spontaneous acts of creativity from neighborhood and community groups. This year's festival will feature visiting poets from the National Poetry Slam, a large paint-by-number public art project and a "plastic fantastic" civic sculpture.

To be held at Robinson Park, 8th and Central immediately following Saturday morning's Downtown Grower's Market.

August 13, 2005, 11-4pm. Please call 247-1172 to be a volunteer! No experience necessary, only a willingness to work and play. Planning meetings are held every Friday at 12:30pm. Emerging artist meetings are Fridays from 4-5pm.

OFFCenter's FREE community studio hours: Tues 12-8; Wed 12-8, Thurs 12-8, Friday 1-4, and Saturday 1-4 for making festival arts leading up to the event. PLEASE CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION: 247-1172. OFFCenter Community Arts Project, 808 Park Avenue SW across from Robinson Park in Downtown Albuquerque.

community

forum

july 2005 15

2005 National Poetry Slam Comes to Albuquerque!

by Don McIver othing compares to standing on a stage and reciting poetry. My heart is pounding.

My breath is shallow as I tell myself, “Breathe, just breathe.” I squint as I stare into the stage lights and step up to the microphone.

Sharing my own poetry with complete strangers is not something I did willingly, but my art demanded it of me, and now, some 20 years later, I get the opportunity to help over 500 poets do the very same thing in the town I choose to call home.

N

Started in 1990 in San Francisco, the National Poetry Slam has grown from a small event with two teams: Chicago and San Francisco, to a four day festival featuring over 70 teams from all over the United States, Canada, and France. And this year, the largest, most diverse poetry festival in the world comes to Albuquerque for the very first time.

Started in the 80’s by construction worker/poet, Marc Smith, Slam was a way of making the poets accountable to the audience. Prior to the slam, poetry readings mainly consisted of a small circle of poets reading to each other. Smith wanted to change all that, and drawing on Baseball and Bridge terminology and America’s love for the Olympics, asked random audience members to rate the poems from 0-10 after the poets recited them. A simple idea, but one that has spawned a literary movement that is still being written.

Saturday, August 13th, at the Kiva Auditorium.

This isn’t the quiet sedate readings of quaint poems. This is poetry meant to be heard, delivered with the intensity of the rock star, the timing of the stand up comic, the musicality of the jazz vocalist, the presence of the actor, and the wit and wisdom of the poet. This is poetry that invites the audience to react.

Besides the evening competitions, there will also be a variety of readings at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Some of these readings are themed.

Clarifying Meditative Work: A Fresh Look. A workshop for people from any meditation tradition or no tradition at all. The workshop is sponsored by New Mexico Center for Meditative Inquiry and Retreat on July 23 and August 20th from 2 to 5 pm at the Wat Center, 145 Madison NE. Reservations, info call 281-0684.

The Nationals is all ages, all ethnic groups, and all sexual preferences getting together and speaking and listening to each other. The day events are free and open to the public. Ultimately Slam is about honoring voices, all voices and recognizing that we all have something important to say. And we all want to listen. That is what the slam has taught me. Festival passes and more information are available at www.nps2005.org or by calling the Harwood Art Center at (505)242-6367.

Kicking off on August 10th and 11th in a variety of venues all over downtown, up to 80 teams of 3-5 poets each will compete against each other with the teams that win advancing into the semifinals of 20 teams on August 12th. From there, the top 4 teams will advance to the Finals on

Mightier then the Sword Writers Address the Nuclear Age

by Claire Long ithin minutes of the explosion on July 16, 1945, a mushroom cloud rose, towering over 38,000 feet. The heat of the explosion, 10,000 times hotter than the surface of the sun, melted the sand of the surrounding area into a green glassy substance.

The blast obliterated every living thing within a mile. The shock from the explosion shattered windows 120 miles from the source of the blast and was felt by people 160 miles away.1 According to one eyewitness, “I saw first a yellow glow, which grew almost instantly into an overwhelming white flash, so intense that I was completely blinded.”2 The public-relations story given by U.S. Army officials for the phenomena witnessed by so many was “an accidental explosion of a munitions storage bunker.”

W

The “Trinity” test of the new implosion-weapon design, developed at Site Y, now Los Alamos National Laboratory, was conducted at the Alamogordo Test Range, on the Jornada del Muerto (“Journey of Death”) desert between Socorro and Las Cruces. The 21-kiloton explosion ignited the nuclear age. On the 60th anniversary of the test, writers and poets will come together in Santa Fe and Albuquerque to publicly reject nuclear weapons and to propose alternate philosophies and solutions. The event, titled “Mightier Than the Sword: Writers Address the Nuclear Age,” is sponsored by the Los Alamos Study Group and will take place on July 15 and 16.

The historical importance of the Trinity test was immediately apparent to many involved in the Manhattan project.

I.I.Rabbi, who worked at Los Alamos under Oppenheimer, describes, “[A] few minutes afterward, I had goose flesh all over me when I realized what this meant for the future of humanity. Up until then, humanity was, after all, a limited factor in the evolution and process of nature. The vast oceans, lakes and rivers, the atmosphere, were not very much affected by the existence of mankind. The new powers represented a threat not only to mankind but to all forms of life: the seas and the air." In his response to the experience, Oppenheimer quoted from the Bhagavad-Gita: “I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”

More and more people believe that the alternatives to violence, death and domination are the only pathways to

peace, whether on the individual, local, national or global scale. On the 60th anniversary of the Trinity test, the Los Alamos Study Group is providing the stage for people to voice their opposition to nuclear weapons and their vision for a nuclear-weapons-free world.

“Mightier Than the Sword: Writers Address the Nuclear Age” will take place on Friday July 15 in Santa Fe at the James A. Little Theater and in Albuquerque on Saturday July 16 at the Lobo Theater. Both shows will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will feature five writers. The events will also include silent auctions of quality art, jewelry, gift certificates and other items of value and beauty. After the featured writers, the evening will conclude with a “round robin” open mike and poets from the community will be invited to add their voices to the chorus of calls for nuclear disarmament and a sustainable future.

The five featured writers at the Santa Fe event will be John Bradley, poet and educator; Judyth Hill, poet and educator; Karen Jones Meadows, author and award-winning playwright; Elaine Maria Upton, poet, author and educator; and William Witherup, poet. Public-radio host and poet Mary Oishi will serve as emcee. The five featured writers at the Albuquerque event will be poet, playwright and educator Maisha Baton, John Bradley, Karen Jones Meadows, Mary Oishi and William Witherup.

“Mightier Than the Sword” is a fundraiser to build momentum for “August 6th: Hiroshima 60 Years,” happening in Los Alamos on August 6. Activists and concerned citizens from New Mexico and throughout the U.S. will convene at Ashley Pond Park in Los Alamos for an all-day event (10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) to oppose nuclear-weapons research and production at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and other nuclear-weapons facilities.

It will be a day to remember the devastation of the atomic bombings of 1945, reject nuclear weapons and commit ourselves to working for a political culture based on the dignity of the human person rather than the ever more pervasive politics of fear, hate, greed and war. All “Mightier Than the Sword” writers are donating their time and talents to bolster the movement for nuclear disarmament.

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To participate in “Mightier Than the Sword,” contact Claire Long at clong@lasg.org or call 505-265-1200. Tickets are $10 in advance (www.lasg.org or 505-265-1200) and $12 at the door. For more information about “August 6th: Hiroshima 60 Years” or the Los Alamos Study Group, go to www.lasg.org or call (505)265-1200.

NOTES: 1. http://www.cddc.vt.edu/host/atomic/trinity/trnty10a.txt.

2. Trinity Test, July 16, 1945, Eyewitness Accounts — Robert Serber. Source: U.S. National Archives, Record Group 227, OSRD-S1 Committee, Box 82 folder 6, “Trinity.”

3. Ferenc Morton Szasz, The Day the Sun Rose Twice (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1984).

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