July 2013 Green Fire Times

News & Views July 2013

from the

S u s t ai n ab l e S o u t h w e s t

New Mexico’s Fourth Largest Circulation Newspaper

Vol. 5, No. 7

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Vol. 5, No. 7 • July 2013 Issue No. 51 Publisher Green Fire Publishing, LLC

Skip Whitson

Associate Publisher

Barbara E. Brown

Managing Editor Seth Roffman Art Director Anna C. Hansen, Dakini Design Copy Editor Stephen Klinger Contributing Writers

Michael Aune, Kathleen Dudley, Lee Einer, Susan Guyette, Kahneratokwas, Katelyn Peer, Ray Powell, Vicki Pozzebon, Sabrina Pratt, Seth Roffman, Delores E. Roybal, Kris Swedin

Contributing Photographers Jeffrey Atwell, Daniel Barsotti, Anna C. Hansen, Kahneratokwas, Dr. Japa K. Khalsa, Alejandro López, Katelyn Peer, Sabrina Pratt, Seth Roffman

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c/o The Sun Companies PO Box 5588 Santa Fe, NM 87502-5588 Ph: 505.471.5177 info@sunbooks.com © 2013 Green Fire Publishing, LLC Green Fire Times provides useful information for anyone—community members, business people, students, visitors—interested in discovering the wealth of opportunities and resources available in our region. Knowledgeable writers provide articles on subjects ranging from green businesses, products, services, entrepreneurship, jobs, design, building, energy and investing—to sustainable agriculture, arts & culture, ecotourism, education, regional food, water, the healing arts, local heroes, native perspectives, natural resources, recycling and more. Sun Companies publications seek to provide our readers with informative articles that support a more sustainable planet. To our publisher this means maximizing personal as well as environmental health by minimizing consumption of meat and alcohol.

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Winner of The 2010 Sustainable Santa Fe Award for Outstanding Educational Project

Contents Valuing the Role of Culture in Sustainable Development . . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 7 The Alliance for Artisan Enterprise / Santa Fe International Folk Art Market.9 Healthy People – Healthy Places: Addressing Healthy Inequities. . .. . .. . . 13 Con Alma Health Foundation’s Grants. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 13, 15 Help Plan an Affordable Creative Space in Santa Fe . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 16 FANTASE Festival: Connected Community Engagement. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 17 Treats: The Superfoods of New Mexico. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 19 Everyday Green: Somos el Maíz – An Interview with Alejandro López . . .. . 20 The Local Voice: The Local Spirit Behind Santa Fe Spirits. . .. . .. . .. . .. 22 Four Bridges Links Northern New Mexico with South America . . .. . .. . .. 25 Geothermal Energy and Jobs Coming to New Mexico. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 27 Free Training for Green Collar Jobs . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 29 Wildfires and Watersheds: NM Legislature Takes Action . . .. . .. . .. . .. . 31 OP-ED: Our Constitutions Are the Avenue to Change the Injustice . . .. . .. 32 Newsbites . . .. . .. . .. . .. . ... . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 37 What’s Going On. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 38

The Passing of Diego Mulligan

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(1950-2013)

e are extremely sorry to note the loss of Diego Mulligan, long-time host of KSFR 101.1 FM, Santa Fe Public Radio’s daily show, The Journey Home, who died last month following a long illness. Diego brought many years of insightful and inspiring conversation to the airwaves, educating people of northern and central New Mexico about the human condition, our society and environment. Diego considered himself a progressive, embracing the best of liberal and conservative approaches to public policy.

He had little interest in the Left or Right political ideologies.

Believing in the innovative power of people, Diego knowledgeably and cheerfully interviewed a wide range of local-toglobal guests about the nitty-gritty of cultural transformation on our journey to a more livable world. With youthful curiosity and edgy humor, he explored practical solutions aimed at personal and planetary sustainability. As a cultural interpreter, he helped individuals, families, businesses and communities navigate their course.

Some of Diego’s many initiatives included the Center for Sustainable Community (1990) and co-founding The Commons on the Alameda (Santa Fe), the Southwest’s first successful CoHousing Community (1992).

He spent 12 years working abroad, where he studied traditional architecture and village design. He also did extensive fieldwork in arid land restoration and reforestation, technology assessment and transfer with UNESCO, group governance and consensus building (Findhorn Foundation, Scotland), community economic development (Suffolk, England), and resident-directed housing, environmental education and renewable energy systems, both in the nonprofit and private sectors (Santa Fe). In 2005 he co-founded the New Village Institute, and consulted with nonprofits, public institutions and real estate developers on the practical issues of creating sustainable neighborhoods, community and culture.

Diego is survived by his wife, Jennifer Hanan, and children Mikhaila (27), Joss (20) and Jaden (2). A fund has been created at Los Alamos National Bank—The Diego Mulligan Family Fund. Contributions can be made at any LANB branch. A memorial will be held at The Commons on West Alameda in Santa Fe, July 20 at 2 pm. i

COVER: maryem

hamdouni of santa fe harvests corn at the somos el maíz farm in santa cruz, new mexico. (story, page 20) • photo by alejandro lópez

Green Fire Times is not to be confused with the Green Fire Report, an in-house quarterly publication of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center. The NMELC can be accessed online at: www.nmelc.org.

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DEVELOPMENT

Valuing the Role of Culture in Sustainable Development The Hangzhou International Congress Sabrina Pratt

ulture and sustainability are becoming a priority worldwide. At the first international conference organized by UNESCO to discuss the link between culture and sustainable development since 1998, attendees from over 70 countries discussed culture and its role in raising the quality of life in developing countries as well as related issues, including how culture contributes to achieving sustainable cities and environmental sustainability.

The context of the discussion was the goals set by the United Nations for international aid to developing countries where basic needs such as food, health, housing and education aren’t satisfied; peace and reconciliation efforts are needed; job creation and economic growth are critical; or assistance is required from outside the country due to a natural disaster such as a tsunami. Conference attendees returned to their countries inspired to advocate for new international policies and implement culturally sensitive projects and programs.

© Bruna Carvalho, 2013

Culture: Key to Sustainable Development was held in Hangzhou, in eastern China. It was attended by more than 250 people—academics, leaders of international associations, business people, government officials, artists, philanthropists, architects and urban planners, cul-

tural experts, diplomats, UNESCO staff and associates—all passionate about improving the lives of people.

What are these terms, culture and sustainable development? Culture may seem quite abstract until you start thinking of your way of life. The type of house you live in, the foods you eat, the dances or songs associated with celebrations, religious practices. The culture of your community is made of these things and more.

The term development is used to describe assistance given to a community with the goals of raising the standard of living or quality of life. In the context of international aid given by the United Nations member countries, foundations and others, the work may be done by outside organizations working to help a community. The congress presenters emphasized that a key to the success of community development programs and disaster relief lies in these agencies understanding the local culture.

This is especially important if you care about sustainability. For example, after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti many international agencies provided the assistance of funds and experts to build temporary housing and supply food and medicine. Successful sustainable development lies in “resource use (that) aims to meet human needs while ensuring the sustainability of natural systems and the environment,” according to Wikipedia’s definition. If international aid is given without knowledge of the local culture, the desired result of improved quality of life may not be achieved. Michaelle Jean, UNESCO envoy to Haiti, pointed out that the layout of

Indigenous handicrafts for sale in Curitiba, Brazil

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© Sabrina Pratt

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Opening plenary session, Hangzhou International Congress

temporary housing in Haiti in straight rows instead of configurations typical of the area resulted in negative outcomes for the community and that knowledge of the local culture would have prevented some problems.

New Mexico has many organizations that understand the value of working with the local community so that programs are based in the local culture.

For me, attending the congress was an opportunity to find out what cultural sector colleagues across the world are doing. I spent over 22 years directing the city of Santa Fe Arts Commission, which is at the center of supporting an ecosystem of arts and cultural activities in Santa Fe. That work is accomplished through grants, coordination and networking, and programs that include the Art in Public Places Program and the Community Gallery located at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.

The opening plenary session was held in the formal setting of the Zhejiang People’s Great Hall, in a room designed for government meetings of perhaps 600 people. Seated in theater-style seats with a narrow table for note taking, we listened with

headphones on, receiving simultaneous translations into English, French and Chinese. Opening keynotes were

by Zhao Shaohua, vice-minister of culture for China, Michael Higgins, president of Ireland, and His Highness the Aga Khan, chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network. All made philosophical statements about the importance of culture in sustainable development. President Higgins, speaking in a recorded video message, said, “We need to recover a respect for indigenous wisdom as great as the excitement we have for technological innovation.”

The people attending the conference definitely have that respect. Speakers cited the importance of working closely with the local population rather than making assumptions. In some instances it was a case of a lesson learned when a program designed to help didn’t work. Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder and chairman of the BRAC Foundation, spoke about treating infant mortality due to diarrhea in Bangladesh in 1979. An oral rehydration solution was given to the mothers to give to the infants. When the program was first started, the fathers were not included. Later the organizers learned that the fathers discouraged the mothers from giving the solution. An essential aspect of the culture, the role of the father in the household, had been ignored. continued on page 8

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Development continued from page 7 Measurement of results was also a topic of discussion. UNESCO introduced a new framework for measuring cultural health, which has recently been implemented in Cambodia. Helena Norberg-Hodge, director of the International Society for Ecology and Culture, described Bhutan’s gross national happiness index, an alternative to measuring a country’s well-being by its gross domestic product. Santa Fe residents answered their first happiness survey in May this year during Sustainable Happiness Week, sponsored by the city of Santa Fe and the Center for Emergent Diplomacy. The survey and events were inspired by Bhutan.

In the 1990s the city of Santa Fe Community Youth Mural Program was funding murals created by Santa Fe’s youth. The purpose of these expressions of local culture was to combat graffiti with a sustainable approach: graffiti-tagged walls and utility boxes were much less likely to be tagged after a mural was installed. It might seem that a mural of any subject would be better than graffiti tags on a wall. Not so. People want their environment to be consistent with their local culture. A key to the success of these projects was determining what communities had an interest in the aesthetic quality of a particular wall.

Santa Fe’s International Folk Art Market is an excellent example of a USbased organization helping people from other countries through a sustainable development program based on local culture. The foundation of the annual market, held every July, is respect for traditional artistic practices. This respect is furthered through a UNESCO awards program, and artists and craftsmen are given training in how to market and sell their work. The result is new income generation that raises the quality of life in their home communities.

“We need to recover a respect for indigenous wisdom as great as the excitement we have for technological innovation.”

New Mexico has many organizations that understand the value of working with the local community so that programs are based in the local culture, and also understand the importance of respecting indigenous wisdom, as prescribed by President Higgins. The principle of taking into account the local culture, and therefore the desires of the community, is applicable on local and regional levels, not only in international aid situations.

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– Michael Higgins, president of Ireland

Con Alma Health Foundation’s work to improve the health of New Mexicans is also in keeping with recommendations made at the Hangzhou Congress. Con Alma recognizes the importance of community self-determination. Dolores Roybal, executive director, stated in an email: “We support the identification, preservation and communication of traditional practices that maintain, foster and improve health status, including cultural and linguistic competencies.”

What does that mean on a practical level? Con Alma’s staff and board understand that their work on health issues cannot be one-size-fits-all. Examples

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Women villagers prepare for terracing Burundi. UN Photo: Penangnini Toure 2006

of some of their grants are in a sidebar on page 12. They are each targeted to a particular community. Community members are driving the projects. The ideas and strategies have come from the community and are therefore culturally appropriate and much more likely to be successful and sustainable.

The Hangzhou International Congress ended with agreement by the congress participants on The Hangzhou Declaration, “Placing Culture at the Heart of Sustainable Development Policies.”

The five-page declaration includes these opening statements: We consider that in the face of mounting challenges such as population growth, urbanization, environmental degradation, disasters, climate change, increasing inequalities and persisting poverty, there is an urgent need for new approaches…

These new approaches should fully acknowledge the role of culture as a system of value and a resource and framework to build truly sustainable development, the need to draw from the experiences

of past generations, and the recognition of culture as part of the global and local commons as well as a wellspring for creativity and renewal.

The declaration has been and will be used to continue the conversation at United Nations meetings in New York and Geneva. Francesco Banderin, assistant director general for culture at UNESCO, stated in a letter to congress participants that “this is an ongoing process, and only through our joint and continued advocacy efforts will culture be an integral part of the global sustainable development agenda…”

Further information on the Hangzhou International Congress and the full text of The Hangzhou Declaration can be found at http://www.unesco. org/culture/hangzhou-congress. i Sabrina Pratt is the former director of the city of Santa Fe Arts Commission and the owner of SVPratt Creative Strategies, a small business focused on for ward thinking for cities and cultural organizations.

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© Anna C. Hansen and Seth Roffman

July 12–14, 2013

Alliance for Artisan Enterprise • Santa Fe International Folk Art Market Governments, NGOs, artisans, retailers and international organizations partner to tackle obstacles.

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undreds of thousands of people around the world participate in the artisan sector. Goldsmiths in Benin, silk weavers in Thailand, embroiderers in Afghanistan—all struggle for work that is real, that is used, that keeps ancient traditions alive, and that provides needed income for families.

Artisan enterprise is not generally considered a key driver of economic growth, nor looked to as a major component of development assistance efforts. And yet: • T he artisan sector is a major job creator globally—especially for women. In the developing world, behind agriculture, artisan businesses are the secondlargest employer and often the primary source of income.

• A rtisan enterprise accounts for a significant portion of export market share in many emerging economies.

• D emand for products from the artisan sector is significant and projected to grow exponentially, with consumer and corporate interest in sourcing locally produced artisan goods, greater international and domestic tourism, and increased willingness to pay a premium for distinctive handmade goods.

• The artisan sector fosters economic and community development, sustains ancient

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techniques and preserves culture and meaning, which is an essential component of sustainable development that respects the uniqueness of people and place.

Santa Fe’s International Folk Art Market, now the largest folk art market in the world, fosters economic and cultural sustainability for folk artists worldwide and creates important intercultural exchange opportunities. Every second full weekend in July the market features more than 150 select folk artists from over 55 countries, attracting national and international visitors to Santa Fe, the first US city named to UNESCO’s prestigious Creative Cities Network.

The SFIFAM is a founding member of the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise, a collaborative of 27 organizations, corporations and individuals who are working together to support the power and potential of artisan enterprises to developing economies, communities and women entrepreneurs all over the world. The Alliance was founded in November, 2012 to help grow artisan enterprises, provide best practices services to the organizations that support them, and support the broader recognition of the importance of the artisan sector to development and preservation of cultural heritage. The Alliance’s first official meeting will be held in Santa Fe this month. Many of the members will attend. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org/AllianceforArtisanEnterprise i

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NM Ranks Highest in Childhood Hunger, Lowest in Well-being A new report says that New Mexico has the highest rate of childhood hunger in the nation. Feeding America, a hunger relief charity and network of more than 200 food banks, says that about 30 percent of NM’s children, particularly in rural areas, are “food insecure”; they have limited or no access to nutritional and safe foods.

The report, which reviewed data from the Consumer Population Survey and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, says that this summer just a fraction of children in the Southwest will receive free or reduced-price school lunches they count on during the school year. The organization said that Native American and Latino children have some of the highest rates of hunger in the nation. Arizona ranked third for childhood hunger.

A national survey released last month, 2013 National Kids Count Data Book: State Trends in Child Well-being, compiled by the Annie E. Casey Foundation from federal government statistics, looked at four areas that affect kids: economics, education, health and family and community life. New Mexico ranked 50th.

Veronica C. García, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, cites NM’s slow recovery from the recession, a larger number of children living in single-parent families and parents lacking year-round full-time employment among the reasons for children faring poorly. In 2011, 37 percent of NM parents lacked secure employment. García also cited low numbers of children attending pre-school programs, 33 percent of high school students not graduating on time, and higher housing burdens due to the economic crisis. She advocates more health insurance for youth, improvements to their parents’ educational levels, and job training opportunities.

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Con Alma Health Foundation Grants A Culturally Sensitive Approach to Helping Communities Colonias Development Council—$14,000 (2012 Small Grant) to create a team of promotoras to distribute information about health, legal and social services in Doña Ana and Otero counties. The Desarrollando Conciencia para el Apoyo Familiar, a project of the Colonias Development Council, will create a cadre of promotoras—from traditional health, mental health, and promotoras de comunidad—who offer a broad range of assistance to the health system by providing information about health and social services through one-on-one contacts and outreach. Through an intensive, well-designed training and supervision program, promotoras para el apoyo familiar will expand and disseminate information about health, legal and social services in a linguistically, culturally and community-sensitive manner.

Mora Valley Community Health Services—$10,000 to support efforts to mobilize the community to address substance abuse in Mora and San Miguel counties. Funding was requested to support a community-wide effort to address a substance abuse crisis in Mora. In a community of fewer than 5,000 people, there were 11 overdoses in 2011; four of which were fatal. The work group is comprised of community leaders, elected and appointed officials, representatives from local schools, county commission, Mora Clinic, local churches and the general public. Recent overdoses have galvanized the community to take action on their own through the “Empowering a Substance Abuse Free Community” project. Mora is a predominately Hispanic community. This broad community approach reflects the culture’s value and respect for community.

New Mexico Asian Family Center—$8,000 to support efforts to provide culturally appropriate resources and access to health services and education for New Mexico’s Asian community. The New Mexico Asian Family Center is a place for Asian immigrants and their families to share their concerns, learn about their own and other cultures, build supportive networks and increase selfsufficiency.

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Community Health

Healthy People — Healthy Places Addressing Health Inequities

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hat are the two factors that best predict a community ’s health?

Kristine Suozzi, Ph.D., coordinator of the New Mexico Health Equity Working Group, pauses before she provides the answer: zip code and color of your skin. She begins her presentations with this illuminating fact when she speaks about health equity. Then she continues with other startling statistics: • People’s life expectancy in Bernalillo County differs by 22 years, depending on where they live.

• People who live in poor neighborhoods in Bernalillo County are two-tothree times more likely to die of diabetes before age 65 than those who live in affluent neighborhoods.

• Americans rank 29th in the world for life expectancy and spend more than twice as much per person on health care as any of the other industrialized countries.

“We created this system of inequities, and we can create the circumstances to change them,” said Suozzi, Bernalillo County Place Matters team interim leader.

The concept that your health depends on where you live—“Place Matters”— has been gaining attention as more organizations are looking at ways to achieve health equity: when everyone has an equal chance at leading healthy lives. This is an important focus of Con Alma Health Foundation, the state’s largest private foundation dedicated solely to health. The foundation believes everyone should have the same access to health services and the same Diné (Navajo) women planting corn opportunities to make healthy choices. Con Alma invited Suozzi to present information about health equity to advocates, health, business, nonprofit and government officials as a kickoff for a collaborative effort to promote health equity in NM. While this has always been a mission of Con Alma’s, the nonprofit recently received a national grant to promote health equity in NM. Con Alma is one of 13 foundations across the country that received funding from the Convergence Partnership, a collaboration of eight of the nation’s leading funders and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With support from the Convergence Partnership of Tides Foundation, Con Alma is launching a Healthy People – Healthy Places initiative to address health inequities that Suozzi describes as systemic, avoidable, unfair and unjust.

In NM, some communities don’t have safe places where their residents can walk, and they can’t get fresh fruits and vegetables without driving long distances. Con Alma is distributing grants to NM nonprofits this summer that work to address some of these inequities. Their work involves provid-

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ing rural residents with equal access to fresh produce through school- and community gardens, local farmers’ markets and mobile food pantries.

With a Healthy People – Healthy Places grant, El Valle Women’s Collaborative will work on building relationships between the school, corner store, restaurant, churches and health clinic so they can work together on addressing issues in the valley.

People who live in rural El Valle are land-rich but live in poverty, according to Yvonne Sandoval, one of the 35 members of the women-led collaborative.

continued on page 36

Con Alma Health Foundation’s 2013 Mini-Grants As part of the Healthy People – Healthy Places initiative, Con Alma Health Foundation awarded mini-grants to several nonprofits that are trying to help their communities achieve health equity. Those grantees are: Amigos Bravos is working with community organizations in Bernalillo County to quantify how many community members supplement their diets by catching and eating fish and shellfish along the Río Grande. The nonprofit will try to determine what health impacts there may be for people who eat these fish. Fish contaminated with PCBs, which can disrupt hormone balances and cause reproduction problems, have been found in the Río Grande.

The project will also look at who is most at risk and what can be done.

El Valle Women’s Collaborative is working to address health disparities in El Valle, a community in northern NM, by teaching young people how to farm, care for livestock and cook meals. The collaborative is trying to encourage healthy eating and future farming by helping connect people to their land and the food they eat. The group builds local partnerships by bringing organizations together to determine how they can work together to improve the health of the community.

New Mexico Farmers’ Market Association received a grant to increase awareness and knowledge about farmers’ markets as sources of healthy, culturally appropriate food. The association plans to improve communication between community health workers, farmers’ markets and other community stakeholders. The goal is to reduce nutrition-related disparities by linking more people to fresh, local produce through farmers’ markets.

Oso Vita Ranch is teaching people how to plant blue corn, a native food of Navajos, to improve the diets of people living in the Ramah community. The Blue Corn Enhancement Project will provide people with the knowledge and tools to farm and produce blue corn as a way to enhance families’ income and encourage them to include traditional foods in their diet.

Tribal elders will teach mostly women and young people how to farm as a way to encourage intergenerational and intertribal exchanges.

Valle Encantado is promoting health and equity through its La Cosecha Community Supported Agriculture Project. The project will make local, organic food and nutrition education available to low-income families in Albuquerque’s South Valley. The grant will help the project develop partnerships to expand the South Valley community’s knowledge of food access issues and create a reliable market for local produce.

Volunteer Center of Grant County in southwest NM will use its grant to provide technical assistance and training on policy and advocacy for the Grant County Food Policy Council. This training will ensure the council’s future viability as an organization that reflects the demographics of Grant County.

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Water’s edge

a new monthly water forum on KSFR 101.1

Help Plan an Affordable Creative Space in Santa Fe

Kris Swedin

Please join us at our New Time ON Thursday afternoon, starting July 11th, 4–5 PM

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he Arts + Creativity Center, envisioned as a vibrant hub where people working in creative industries gather to live, work, create, collaborate, rehearse, perform, conduct business and thrive, is closer than ever to becoming a reality.

rectly engaged in the creation, presentation or preservation of art and cultural activities. The other half is generated by the slice of the tourism industry related to arts and culture (from UNM BBER Study: Economic Impact of Arts and Cultural Industries on Santa Fe County).

As impressive as these economic figures are, Santa Fe has lost its edge, as other communities have invested in spaces and programs to increase their market share. In order to increase creative jobs and improve the economic health of Santa Fe, the community needs to invest in the creative industries.

Santa Fe can do better

960-C Highway 550 Bernalillo, NM 87004

The need for a facility of this type has been well documented through economic development and strategic planning studies over the past decade.

Santa Fe needs to strengthen opportunities for young and emerging artists and creative businesses to keep them in our community.

You can support this project by investing 15 minutes of your time in planning the future of affordable creative space in Santa Fe. Creative Santa Fe has launched market surveys for artists, creative individuals, arts organizations and creative sector businesses in partnership with the city of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County and Artspace Projects, the country’s leading nonprofit developer of affordable creative spaces.

License #13-00119974

The survey will be available online through July 30 at www.creativesantafe.org. Artists, arts organizations and for-profit creative sector businesses (including green-industry businesses) are all encouraged to complete the survey. This tool will provide critical data to help the community, the city and developers make educated choices and plan for future affordable spaces for arts, green industries and cultural activities. This project can only move forward if you participate by completing the survey.

Results will be shared with the community in the fall of 2013.

Why is an Arts + Creativity Center Important?

Santa Fe’s arts and cultural industries are among the top economic drivers in Santa Fe and in the state of New Mexico. In Santa Fe County these industries generate more than $1 billion in receipts annually and employ almost 18 percent of the workforce.

One half of the total employment wages of $231 million are generated by industries that are di-

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The affordability crisis in housing and in studio, creation, commercial and sales spaces causes creative young talent to leave Santa Fe. This is especially true for emerging artists, young professionals just starting their careers and traditional Hispanic and Native American populations.

© Katelyn Peer.

Artspace representatives and Creative Santa Fe Executive Director Cyndi Conn answer questions at the survey launch party. © Daniel Barsotti

There are challenges to the strength of the arts and culture industries that must be addressed for Santa Fe:

Artists and creatives share ideas about what they would like to see in affordable live/work/ creation/rehearsal spaces.

There is a weak tradition of entrepreneurship focused on the creative sector; investment networks are limited, and collaboration between the arts and cultural industries and new media technology has been weak, restricting the development of products and new markets.

Santa Fe is home to hundreds of arts, design, new media, green-industry and creative students studying at local colleges—Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe Community College, St. John’s, and Santa Fe University of Art and Design. Santa Fe needs to act now to create and expand the businesses and jobs needed to support these new workers entering the workforce.

Affordable arts and creation spaces matter

Through more than 30 years of experience in developing and managing affordable arts spaces across the United States, and in working with all sizes of communities, Artspace has found that: continued on page 18

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FANTASE Festival: Connected Community Engagement Katelyn Peer and Kris Swedin • Photos by Seth Roffman

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undreds of people gathered in downtown Santa Fe on June 15 to celebrate the opening of the newly redesigned DeVargas Park and Skate Park. The FANTASE Festival was a community event organized by Creative Santa Fe, along with nonprofit, business and governmental partners. DeVargas Park is located at the corner of Guadalupe and West DeVargas streets, halfway between the Railyard and the historic plaza.

The festival marked the completion of the first phase of the larger Parque del Río, envisioned as an urban linear park running along the length of the Santa Fe River.

The completed phase features new sidewalks, grassy areas, additional trees, permanent seating, a ramada and a newly reconfigured skate park and urban plaza.

Food, music, dancing in the grass, skating, disco, biking, face painting, rodeo princesses, the Rodeo Parade, break dancers, yoga classes, fire fighters, a flash mob of local chefs, and families with strollers and dogs were all part of the celebration.

Kids on bikes and skateboards ruled the day, starting at 6 am and jamming on past midnight. Interactive light installations by four local artists, supported by a generous contribution from New Mexico Arts, lit up the night sky.

After spending much of the day at the park, Santa Fe artist Larry Fodor said, “Downtown Santa Fe is not just for tourists. It is also for the people that live in this incredible city. The FANTASE Festival is absolutely proof positive events can be organized that cater to our entire population—so that everyone can enjoy the underused and re-structured parts of downtown.”

FANTASE Festival, June 15, 2013

The cultural diversity that embodied the festival was unmistakable.

“The full event had moments of true humor, whimsy and delight… surrounded by the widest range of Santa Feans I have seen together in over 20 years,” said Suby Bowden, principal of Suby Bowden Associates. Young Fathers of Santa Fe wrote to Creative Santa Fe, “Youth culture in Santa Fe, NM got a big hug yesterday and it was beautiful.”

Central to Creative Santa Fe’s mission is to bring our community together to engage in projects that reflect a shared vision. The FANTASE Festival was truly a collaborative day of fun with more than 75 participating community partners including: the city of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe Arts Commission, Surroundings, Rodeo de Santa Fe, Santa Fe Opera, Santa Fe Skate School, the National Dance Institute, Santa Fe Culinary Academy, Hutton Broadcasting, SITE Santa Fe, the CommunityProject, Global Water Dances, Sage Inn, and local bands The Sticky, Thieves and Gypsys, As In We, and more.

The key reason Creative Santa Fe hosted the festival was to highlight downtown walkability and connectivity. When residents and tourists are on foot they spend continued on page 18

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Creative Space

continued from page 16

Affordable creative spaces benefit artists and creatives by:

• Providing space that meets residential and professional needs at affordable rates • Catalyzing an arts community to become more than a sum of its parts • Increasing artistic production • Enhancing the professional reputations of individuals, and in some cases their income generated through creative activity

Affordable Creative Spaces Benefit Artists and Creatives by:

•A nimating deteriorated historic structures and/or underutilized spaces • Bringing vacant and/or underutilized spaces back on the tax rolls and boosting area property values • Fostering the safety and livability of neighborhoods without evidence of gentrification-led displacement • Anchoring arts districts and expanding public access to the arts • Attracting additional artists, creative businesses, organizations and supporting non-arts businesses to the area Please do your part. Invest 15 minutes of your time to make the Santa Fe Arts + Creativity Center a reality. i Kris Swedin is director of community action at Creative Santa Fe, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Santa Fe’s creative economy and to enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors through collaboration and innovation. Take the survey at www.creativesantafe.org

FantaSe

continued from page 17 more money locally—which keeps dollars at work in our city. A walkable city is a healthier, more vibrant city.

The FANTASE Festival was the first completed project that is part of the ConnectSantaFe program developed by Creative Santa Fe. Imagine what a connected walkable downtown would mean to our city:

• Bolstering Santa Fe’s businesses, home values and tourism • Convening cross-sectors of the community to develop a shared vision for connectivity • Engaging marginalized and overlooked members of the community to participate in dialog and planning • Increasing public safety • Creating paths and signage so that everyone can simply and comfortably navigate Santa Fe •D esigning innovation in buildings, parks, streets and infrastructure • I ncorporating arts and creative designs throughout the connected areas •B ecoming a more environmentally sustainable city The next project in ConnectSantaFe is an evening with Jeff Speck, a city planner and architectural designer who, through writing, lectures and built work, advocates internationally for smart growth and sustainable design. He is the author of the book Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time. Speck will present his ideas on walkable cities on August 13 at the Armory for the Arts Theater.

Watch Creative Santa Fe’s website for details and ticket information. i To learn more about Creative Santa Fe and ConnectSantaFe, visit www.creativesantafe.org

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Green Fire Times • July 2013

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Regional Cuisine

Treats: The Superfoods of New Mexico

Dr. Japa K. Khalsa

ravelers have the opportunity to sample the unique local foods of an area and indulge while vacationing. We often hear people say, “I need a vacation from my vacation” when they come back from a trip because they’ve put on a few pounds and have worn themselves out in different ways. Why not try a lighter approach, and strengthen and fortify oneself with the power crops from the region you have visited? Instead of pigging out, just sample the unique foods and stock up on the actual crop instead of the “chocolate-dipped” version of a specialty food. New Mexico’s crops that appeal to tourists (and locals) are a great example of healing foods that nurture the body and mind, and usually come chile-dipped instead of chocolate-dipped. The magic of chiles, pistachios and piñónes comes from the wide variety of ways they can be served and the special invigorating properties of these unique foods from the heart of the desert.

Spicy Salsas for Happiness and Healing; Chiles A tourist picking up a jar of red salsa to bring home to friends is also bringing a dose of happiness from capsaicin, the active ingredient in red pepper. This is such a hot substance that it has been known to help unblock depression and has been proven to help stimulate the metabolism. Weight Watchers lists chile as one of the best foods to eat for weight loss. There is also so much vitamin C in chile peppers (both red and green) that they are considered a superfood and give some people a “high” similar to exercising. Curanderas (traditional healers) in the area say that green chile is the antidote to chocolate cravings; so be sure to get both red and green (Christmas) salsas.

Pistachios: Crack Some for Nutrition This specialty crop of New Mexico is a plentiful source of B6 vitamins that help with nerves, skin and amino acid formation. They are a trustworthy snack, especially if you choose the unsalted kind, or even better, a New Mexico chile-roasted pistachio. Full of fiber, healthy fats and antioxidants, they hold a place in recent studies as a heart-disease preventative. Pistachios can serve as a protein replacement on top of a salad or with pasta. They can also be blended into an amazing pesto to serve on lean meats, fish or pasta.

Pistachio pesto

1/2 cup of shelled pistachios 2 cups of basil leaves 1 garlic clove 1 teaspoon of lime juice

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 pinch of sea salt (to taste) 1 pinch of black pepper (to taste)

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Add more olive oil if needed to blend.

Piñón Nuts: The Hiker’s Friend The New Mexico hard-shelled nut from the piñón tree grows encased inside pine cones, and is a treasure trove of healing nutrients. Take a friend to a piñón forest in the fall and open up a pine cone to cull some of these potent and tasty yummies. It’s easy to hike for hours when these nuts are fueling the journey. Eating foods like this with plenty of monounsaturated (plant) fats can help satisfy the body and cut back on cravings for junky or processed foods. Piñónes supply amino acids, phosphorous and healthy fats. Eating fresh and buttery New Mexico piñón nuts is a far cry from purchasing grocery-chain peeled piñónes shipped from China. The New Mexico piñón has a harder shell than other varieties but is worth the effort, as the taste is crisp and rich. Know your grower and purchase from a sustainable and local piñón harvester. A great contact is Piñón Penny, who has been working for 20 years to preserve piñón forests. Nuts from this company (www.pinenut. com) are so fresh they can be sprouted to grow into trees.

New Mexico Piñón or Pistachio Dip 1 cup of pistachios or piñónes Juice of ¼ lemon 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped chives 1 tablespoon chopped green onions Soak the pistachios or piñónes for 4 to 12 hours. Drain the water and combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth, adding fresh water as needed until creamy. Serve on top of crackers or thinly sliced zucchini, daikon radish or beets.

Raw Ravioli Pillows with New Mexico Piñón or Pistachio filling Cut a zucchini, daikon radish or beet with a mandolin slicer or vegetable slicer into thin rounds. Marinate in lemon juice and olive oil for an hour or two, then place a tiny bit of filling on top of each round. Cover with a similar sized piece of vegetable and serve these “raw”-violis with a lemon and olive oil pasta sauce. i Dr. Japa K. Khalsa received a Bachelor of Science f rom Northwestern University and completed her Master of Oriental Medicine at Midwest College of Medicine. She is a boardcertif ied and licensed Doctor of Oriental Medicine, and practices in Española, NM. 505.747.3368, drjapa@gmail.com, http:// www.drjapa.com

On Paseo de Peralta (next to Kakawa Chocolates)

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© Japa K. Khalsa

T

EV ERY DA Y G REEN

Somos el Maíz – A S chool of A griculture

An Interview with Alejandro López Susan Guyette • Photographs by Alejandro López

S

omos el Maíz, We are the corn—is a phrase that denotes a profound interdependence on, and identification with, this plant held in the highest esteem by many of the peoples of the Americas, including the Pueblos, the Mayas, the Navajo and the modern day Mexicanos.

There are innumerable stories of compassion toward people by protective beings who, usually in a moment of great need, sent the gift of corn to alleviate suffering. As a principal mother deity among many peoples and a constant source of nourishment, she sustains us physically, spiritually, socially and in every other way. As people gather to plant and cultivate maíz, as well as to use it as an essential ingredient in any number of dishes (pinole, atole, posole, tamales, chaquegue, tortillas, breads, etc.), they reaffirm the bonds of family, community and a common humanity in which we are here to respect and help one another.

Connected through corn as we are, we are able to witness a succession of astounding natural processes for which she depends on us, beginning with germination. We are therefore drawn into a common dance, not only with this tall and graceful plant pouring out her abundance, but also with the essence of seeds, earth, water, wind, rainfall and the sun. To this we add our effort and prayers and she gives us life—holy life.

Maíz, the cornerstone of the Meso-American diet (referring to the region extending from the American Southwest south into Guatemala), emerged from an intimate and mutually sustaining relationship between this plant, nature and human beings. It embodies the essence and energy of the deeply respectful, mutually interdependent relationship that human beings perhaps ought to cultivate once again with the earth and with each other during this age of unprecedented ecological and social changes.

– Alejandro López Located on a scenic ridgetop in the northern New Mexico village of Santa Cruz de la Cañada (24 miles north of Santa Fe), Somos el Maíz is a four-acre family farm owned for the past 70 years by the family of Alejandro López. It harbors an historic adobe house with a portal, a shade house, an horno, acequia, apple trees and a vast cornfield and vegetable garden. López and Guatemalan Edwin Lemus are involving the local community and the general public in workshops focused on Río Grande foodways, indigenous-style permaculture, holistic healing ceremonies, adobe construction, acequia education, Spanish language intensives, muralism and traditional relief carving in wood.

SG: Describe the core of your work.

Alejandro López: Somos el Maíz, as an agriculturally based field school, together with the Enseñanzas del Maíz (Teachings of the Corn) curriculum, serves as a kind of living museum or open-air school, La Universidad de la Vida, if you will. We merge traditional knowledge from northern New Mexico with Guatemalan agriculture. Learning occurs in a farm setting along the acequia de Santa Cruz, which allows for summer-long irrigation and intensive farming. The Teachings of The Corn employs the direct practice of small-scale intensive

organic agriculture and permaculture, with emphasis on growing corn and related crops, particularly those thriving in the high-desert ecological niche of northern New Mexico—tied not only to the history of the Americas, but also to the “Old World.” Permaculture focuses on the design of ecologi-

cal human habitats and food production systems, with the intention of offering an achievable alternative to destructive living practices in the form of sustainable small-scale, local food production.

Here, people learn through the implementation of projects that have to do with survival and the enhancement of our lives. The identification of seeds, preparation of tools, preparation of soil, the planting seeds and seedlings, irrigating, weeding, thinning, insect control, harvesting, processing, seed selection, thanksgiving and reflection—are all central lessons that emerge from our doing. The greatest and best lessons, however, may actually arise organically from the intense interaction between the people involved in an activity that is deeply life-serving and which is carried out in an inspiring cultural and natural environment.

SG: How is Somos el Maíz approaching the restoration of values, community and the land?

A community gathering at Somos el Maíz in Santa Cruz, New Mexico

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Green Fire Times • July 2013

Edwin Lemus: The starting place for restoring a mutually sustaining relationship with nature is the activation or reactivation of cultural values such as a reverence and awe for all life, generosity, devotion to family and friends, and

Fruits of the land, cared for common ground, and water, labor and love—the essential ingredients for a land base that abounds in beauty and life.

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Above: Alejandro Lopez with students, (r) co-director Edwin Lemus concerned with service learning, youth leadership and mentorship in order to address the needs of those with the fewest opportunities in our society for personal development, career training and entrepreneurship. These include immigrants, dropouts and those in need of rehabilitation.

In the last year, Somos el Maíz has organized hands-on agriculturally and culturally based workshops for nonprofits with an interest in furthering an interest in farming and permaculture. It has also hosted Bolivian author and defender of indigenous water sources, Oscar Olivera, and socially conscious artist, Lily Yeh from Philadelphia, who works with broken communities the world over.

The slow rhythms of farm life bring into sharp focus each step involved in growing food, including sharing and conversation, ceremony and solitary preparation of the field. the fostering of community, cooperation, caring and dialogue. The Teachings of the Corn comprise a body of knowledge and understandings related to the Earth as a living being and its cycles of gestation, birth, growth, decay and rebirth.

The teachings also address an analogous place that human beings occupy in the universe, the way in which we partake of similar cycles—and how we can draw our sustenance from pursuing a more gentle and harmonious relationship with Earth, as well as with one another.

Agriculture, culture, the Spanish language, art, music, ritual, poetry and the communalizing of everyone’s stories are all tightly woven into single or multiple daylong workshops aimed at personal enrichment and a deeper understanding of our place in the web of life. Through the sharing of everyone’s stories, coupled with vigorous land-based activities, people grow strong and more deeply committed to act on behalf of the Earth and its

well-being. Somos el Maíz aspires to be a place for the restoration of both the land and the self.

It strives to serve those who are dedicated to education, particularly around the areas of culture, ecology, language and his- Española Valley youth develop self-confidence by practory. Somos el Maíz is also ticing traditional self-sufficiency using local resources.

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For more information on workshops and ecological/cultural/historical tours offered by Somos el Maíz, visit www.somoselmaiz.com or contact Alejandro López at 505.410.0959 or alej@cybermesa.com i Susan Guyette, Ph.D. is Métis (Micmac Indian/Acadian French) and a planner specializing in cultural tourism, cultural centers, museums and native foods. She is the author of Sustainable Cultural Tourism: Small-Scale Solutions; Planning for Balanced Development; and the co-author of Zen Birding: Connect in Nature. susanguyette@nets.com

Somos el Maíz Workshops

590 El Llano Rd., Santa Cruz (near Española, NM) Teachings of the Corn July 11: 24: 31: Aug. 7: 21: 28: Sept. 11: 18:

Active honoring of the Earth Active honoring of the self and the other Active honoring of our partners and companions Active honoring of the food that we grow and eat Developing a sense of the Divine Finding our life’s purpose Learning to let go of emotional burdens A feast of gratitude for all life

Creative Adobe Workshops July 12: 26-27: Aug.2-3: 15-16: 22-23: 30-31:

Making adobes Wall building / horno construction Mud plastering Relief sculpture Relief sculpture Sculpture in the round

Permaculture, Intensive Agriculture and Acequia Irrigation Systems

July 16: 30: Aug. 6: 20: 27: Sept. 10:

How acequias work / flood irrigation The culture of corn / roasting corn The culture of chile / roasting chile Preparing a feast from the fields Preparing a feast from the fields The harvest

Contact Alejandro López: 505.410.0959, alej@cybermesa.com

www.somoselmaiz.com

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The Local Voice The Local Spirit Behind Santa Fe Spirits Vicki Pozzebon

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f you are a foodie, or maybe not even a foodie but just care about where your food comes from, chances are you also care where your beer, wine and spirits come from. Maybe you just like to impress your party guests with local brews. Whatever your defense of drinking local, you should know that your choice to do so matters.

At Santa Fe Spirits, a local microdistillery on the south side of Santa Fe, you get a contact buzz just walking into their tasting room. The barrel room is right off the tasting room, begging for a sniff of whiskey, aging in the barrels for the last couple of years. In the tasting room, you can sample the clear whiskey called “Silver Coyote,” or try a sip of locally sourced and produced vodka, gin, or apple brandy. It’s the gin and apple brandy that I’ve come for. I’ve come to find out why local booze matters in this economy.

“You don’t need alcohol. We know that. It’s a luxury item. So if you are going to buy it, why not buy a better product?” says owner Colin Keegan.

The “better product” he’s referring to are his micro-distilled products, featuring so much infused localism and love that you can smell it the moment you walk in the door. The apples in Santa Fe Spirits’ Apple Brandy start at Colin’s home property, growing on about four acres.

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And the ingredients for his gin are sourced within a 30-mile radius of Santa Fe. Talk about hyper-local.

The heart of a local economy is a locally owned business, and the heart of a locally owned business is the community culture created to serve the community.

The company throws “picking parties” for the staff, family and friends of the distillery. These are fun get-together events where everyone chips, picks, plucks, pulls, sorts and stems.

For the gin parties, the crews head out to the Bonanza Creek property to pick cholla cactus blossoms. After a good rainstorm when the cholla is in full bloom, armed with channel locks and heavy gloves, the crews head out to pick as many blossoms as they can, since the cactus blooms are in short supply, and who knows when the next rain will come these days?

At his orchard, Colin hosts picking parties for apple harvest, serving everything from local elk to homemade apple pie. It’s a family-like affair and everyone pitches in.

The heart of a local economy is a locally owned business, and the heart of a locally owned business is the community culture created to serve the community. This is what the spirit of Santa Fe Spirits is really about. When Colin talks with pride about the fast growth of the business, you can tell it’s not all about him. This business is about keeping ingredients sourced locally in order to keep more money in the community, keeping well-paid employees (he also relies on seasonal employees for harvest, often hiring off-season landscapers), and serving the community with expanding resources. For instance, their whiskey wort (mash) is made at Santa Fe Brewing Company from beer and then sent back to the Brewing Company once it is spent, to be transported to feed local cattle.

Green Fire Times • July 2013

The harvest for apple brandy doesn’t just come from the four-acre property. Apples are coming from a farmer in northern New Mexico and others in southern Colorado. What Colin envisions is a co-op of apple growers or barley growers in southern NM who can grow for the local brewers and distilleries. “Imagine if we all came together to purchase from local farmers. That could really change the farming economy.”

Indeed it could, but the questions of water usage come up. And the answer Colin has?

“We know that climate change is impacting our barley sources. So we do our part as a distillery: We recycle our water through a heatexchange system to make our mash and then vaporize it, saving us up to 1,500 gallons a day.”

Santa Fe Spirits is looking to go even greener with a full solar system on its roof in the next year or so. Helping the agriculture community is a goal too. The apple pulp from the brandy is a great source of nutrients when combined with other vegetation, and Colin says finding a local compost company to take it on and create a supreme compost would be ideal.

Growing the business into the Oregon and Colorado markets, where local distilleries are catching fire, is key to Santa Fe Spirits’ plans.

In Portland, Ore. distilleries are fast becoming a part of the foodand-drink tourism economy, even having a street of their own called “Distillery Row.” And Colorado ranks among the top five states for micro-distilleries.

Santa Fe Spirits’ growing parties could be a fun tourist attraction, engaging the savvy foodie tourist who is looking for adventures to connect with the food and drink they consume. The problem is relying on quality rain and organizing

such a tourist attraction. With a little help, a distillery tour of small companies around the state could also be of interest to traveling foodies coming to NM to eat their way around places like foodcentric Santa Fe. Farm tours have taken off, why not pick your away

across the state and have a cocktail afterwards? When you taste Santa Fe Spirits’ tasty concoctions you can savor the flavor of localness in each one—local white sage, juniper, cholla cactus and osha root are the notes you’ll experience. In moderation, of course. Alcohol, after all, is a luxury, and meant to be tasted, savored, and sipped, not consumed by the bottleful. i Vicki Pozzebon is the owner of Prospera Partners, a consulting group practicing bold localism, and the director of Delicious New Mexico. V isit www.prosperapartners. org and www. deliciousnm.com.

Follow her on Twitter: @VickiPozzebon

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Savor the Flavor Attracts Foodies From Near and Far

Delicious New Mexico and the Museum of International Folk Art teamed up last month to present a celebration of New Mexico foods—new and old. Over 1,200 attendees flocked to Museum Hill for “Savor the Flavor,” which showcased some of the best of the state’s locally owned food businesses. Creative cooking demos by Santa Fe Culinary Academy’s chef Rocky Durham attracted standing room only crowds, with samples of chocolate and savory tamales featuring locally made compound butters by Butter Beautiful.

Traditional horno baking demonstrations also generated a lot of interest.

© Seth Roffman

Over 20 food vendors participated, many offering samples of products as unique as tamarind chile sauce and NM sea-salt chocolate truffles.

Showcasing the new ways of using traditional NM foods was a theme for the event, which was held

in conjunction with the museum’s ongoing New World Cuisine exhibit.

Attendees also sampled local wines and enjoyed the special New World Cuisine menu at the Museum Hill Café.

Delicious New Mexico, a network for locally owned food businesses that helps them grow their businesses and reach larger markets, plans to co-present Savor the Flavor with the museum again next year. “This is a great way to showcase how diverse our foods are in NM while supporting the businesses owners who work so hard to put love and passion into their products,” said Delicious’ director, Vicki Pozzebon.

For more information, visit www.deliciousnm.com

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Four Bridges Links Northern New Mexico with South America

By Kahneratokwas

T

he Santa Cruz, New Mexicobased Four Bridges Traveling Permaculture Institute successfully completed its first service learning trip to South America in January. “It was a small group, but a great educational experience for all of us,” said Executive Director Emigdio Ballón. Ballón and co-founder Lorraine Gray began their journey in Peru with six fellow travelers, including Percy and Louise Schmeiser, internationally renowned for their 16year legal battle with Monsanto, as a result of having their canola fields contaminated with GMO (genetically modified organism) seed.

The group took a 22-hour bus ride from Lima to Cusco through the Andes Mountains to participate in several conferences, where the Schmeisers recounted their experience and warned the people of Perú to keep GMOs out of their country. The conferences concluded with an “Idle No More” march

through the streets of Cusco in support of Indigenous peoples’ rights and environmental protection. There were over 100 marchers carrying signs. The Peruvian portion of the tour also included a nature hike and seed blessing in Písac, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and visits to several Incan ruins where the travelers viewed ancient techniques of irrigation and terrace gardening.

The trip continued with a 10hour bus ride across the border to Bolivia. Although their stay in this thirdworld country was only five days, their time there was extremely productive. The visit coincided with the National Day of Indigenous People. Thousands of Indigenous people took to the streets of La Paz, waving flags, eating traditional food and honoring their Aymara president, Evo Morales, who addressed the masses in the plaza. The group also visited the ancient ruins of Tihuanacu to study the magnificent architecture and amazing irrigation system. Although many of the ruins are still intact, many sections of it were desecrated by the Spanish invasion in search of gold and are now being restored.

The Bolivian portion of the tour concluded in Cochabamba, where the group met with Oscar Olivera, leader of the Bolivian “Water Wars.” In 1999 Olivera led the people of Cochabamba in a battle with Bechtel Corporation and others against the privatization of water in their region. Olivera’s NNMC student Elijah Trujullo (r) at GAIA Fundación Abril, the organization Eco-villa in Argentina he co-founded in honor of their April 2000 victory, has built Escuela Andina del Agua, a school to support the protection of water rights. The organization is also working to establish a Montessori school for local indigenous “Idle No More” march in Cusco, Peru protested children.

Monsanto’s genetically modified (GMO) seeds.

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In honor of the group’s visit, the leaders of Fundación Abril organized a conference of local farmers and politicians to hear Percy Schmeiser tell of his battle with Monsanto. Ballón and Gray also spoke there, opening a dialogue that has Percy and Louise Schmeiser in Peru become the foundation for a partnership between the people of Cochabamba, Fundación Abril and Four Bridges Traveling Permaculture Institute. Programs are now being developed to bring a group of students from the US to Cochabamba to do much needed service work. As a result of this exchange, Oscar Olivera has joined Four Bridges’ board of directors.

The three-week trip concluded in Argentina at the Eco-villa GAIA in Navarro, a village that offers numerous examples of sustainable living, including solar and wind energy, natural growing methods, composting toilets and much more. This segment of the tour began with a two-day conference where Schmeiser, Ballón and Gray gave presentations. In the following days, the students who attended the conference completed service-learning projects to put into action the skills they were able to learn at GAIA. Lauren Mapp, a Culinary Arts and Journalism major from Mesa College in San Diego, summarized her experience: “Going on the eco-tour with Four Bridges was the chance of a lifetime.

From the beautiful journey through the Andes Mountains to the hard work at the Eco-villa GAIA farm in Argentina, this trip really opened my eyes to the field of sustainable agriculture.” Elijah Trujillo, who is studying Environmental Science and Sustainable Agriculture at Northern New Mexico College said, “It was a mind-opening experience that broadened my perspective and exposed me to different lifestyles and cultures.”

l-r: Louie Hena of Tesuque Pueblo with Bolivians Oscar Olivera and Emigdio Ballón

The staff at Four Bridges Traveling Permaculture Institute is planning several other service learning trips in 2013.

Besides bringing students from the US to South America, they hope to bring students from South America and other parts of the world to NM to study at Four Bridges’ educational farm in NM, and to tour and study with other organizations in the area.They are also planning to expand their programs to include the study of Korean natural farming in Hawaii, and to offer service learning work in Ethiopia and Uganda. Anyone interested in taking a tour to South America or hosting a tour group in NM should visit the website www.4bridges.org i Kahneratokwas, a Mohawk from Akwesasne, New York, now lives in Santa Cruz, NM. Her articles have appeared in Indian Time, The Akwesasne Phoenix and The People’s Voice, where she had a weekly column, The Medicine Bag, about the uses of traditional herbal medicines.

Background: Ancient Incan architecture

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Please email Skip@GreenFireTimes.com

Green Fire Times is also available at many locations in the metropolitan Albuquerque / Río Rancho area!

For the location nearest you, call Nick García at 505-304-2638

Jim Kentch, Lawyer 215 W. San Street # 202-C

Francisco

Santa Fe, NM 87501-2164 505-660-9160 jimkentchlawyer@gmail.com www.JimKentchLawyer.com

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Green Fire Times • July 2013

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Geothermal Energy and Jobs Coming to New Mexico Ray Powell, Commissioner of Public Lands

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s New Mexico’s Commissioner of Public Lands my job is to generate revenue from our 13 million acres of State Trust Lands while protecting the health of these lands and resources for future generations.

Despite last year’s record-breaking $653 million in State Land Officegenerated revenue, which goes to support our state’s public schools, universities and hospitals, we at the Land Office are always searching for ways to earn more money for the people of New Mexico and to better protect our lands and the environment. One energy source that can do both things is geothermal, an abundant renewable resource in our state.

watts of electric power to the utility.

Construction on the project is expected to begin in the last half of this year.

One thing that makes geothermal stand out among renewable energy resources is that it produces electricity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

This stands in contrast to solar energy, which depends on the sun being up, and wind energy, which needs to have the wind blowing at certain minimum speeds. In comparison, geothermal power provides a steady energy supply, just like the coal- and gas-fired plants it can replace. A number of western states already have geothermal power plants on line, but Cyrq’s project will be New Mexico’s first—with others to follow, if we do it right.

and create a strong, sustainable economic future.

In terms of royalty income, Cyrq will send nearly $150,000 per year to New Mexico for the first 10 years of the project. In subsequent years, that figure doubles to $300,000. If Cyrq were to double the size of the plant—perhaps on State Trust Land—then those figures could double again.

One of my priorities for the 2013 legislative session was HB85, our geothermal royalty bill, which was This is a very exciting time for geodrafted by the State Land thermal power production in New Advancing clean energy, creating Office and makes New Mexico. For example, about 20 miles jobs, and investing in New Mexico Mexico more competitive south of Lordsburg, on federal land, is are core priorities for me at the State in attracting these cleana project to generate electricity from Land Office. Construction of the energy companies to state relatively shallow groundwater that is plant will result in an initial investlands by matching federal heated to over 300 degrees Fahrenheit ment of $100 million in our state, royalty rates. The bill was by the earth’s natural heat. Cyrq, the create over 300 construction jobs over sponsored by Rep. Brian company that is developing the proja two-year period, and provide goodEgolf, carried by Sen. PeA well drilling rig; workmen pulling pipe ect, already has an agreement in place paying jobs in our rural communities. ter Wirth in the Senate, and of the New Mexico Legislature and with Public Service Company of New Initiatives like this are key to helping signed into law by the governor. The was a shining example of bipartisan Mexico to sell the plant’s 10 megaus shake our current economic blues bill unanimously passed both houses work—something all New Mexicans want to see more of at all levels of goveothermal eservoir inary ycle ower lant ernment.

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Finally, HB85 also requires the Land Office to manage geothermal resources as renewable resources. This means that we cannot allow users of geothermal waters to take so much heat from the waters that the temperature begins to drop. This added level of protection makes both good economic and environmental sense.

Water is pumped from a geothermal well through a heat exchanger, and cooled water is returned to the underground reservoir. A second fluid with a low boiling point is then pumped at a high pressure through the heat exchanger and then vaporizes, directing the turbine. It is then condensed by a cold air radiator or cool water and cycles back through the heat exchanger.

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In closing, geothermal power production is just one of the many things that my staff and I are working on at the New Mexico State Land Office to generate revenue for the state and to protect one of our most treasured resources—our land.

The bottom line is, when we take care of our land, the land takes care of us. i

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Green Fire Times • July 2013

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Education

Free Training for Green Collar Jobs anta Fe Community College (SFCC) is offering free job training through its Environmental Workforce Development program, which is designed to provide a single solution to the dual challenges of environmental protection and longterm unemployment.

The program is funded through a $300,000 grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and is part of the EPA’s Brownfields program, which arose out of environmental justice issues. Its purpose is to restore land that has been contaminated by industrial pollutants so that it can be made safe and returned to productive use. Perhaps the best-known example in northern New Mexico is the Santa Fe Railyard. Industrial activity had contaminated the water and soil there with

petroleum products, lead and other toxic substances, rendering it unfit for human use. In 2001 an EPA targeted assessment was done, and the city entered the site into the NM Environment Department’s Voluntary Cleanup Program. The cleanup was completed in 2006, and today the Railyard is a vibrant community resource and economic engine, featuring artists studios, galleries, museums, retail shops, a 13-acre park, and of course, the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market.

The Brownsfield program was eventually modified to provide training to the unemployed within the target community. “Since then,” said Ann Black, associate dean at SFCC, “other agencies outside the EPA have contributed their funding for job training. That’s allowed the programs to expand past Brownsfields to work on wastewater and renewable-energy projects. It allows communities to customize their job training programs.”

The program engages in several local partnerships. NM’s pueblos, being sovereign nations, administer their own Brownfields proSFCC students suit up to respond to mock hazardous material spill as part of SFCC’s Environmental Work- grams. SFCC has partnered with the Eight force Development Program.

New Mexico a Leader in Clean Technology

According to Clean Edge, a research and marketing firm in San Francisco, New Mexico is one of the leaders in clean-technology development. New Mexico ranked seventh in the nation based on criteria such as clean energy generation and capacity, green building deployment, state policy (utilities are required to provide a certain amount of renewable energy), energy-efficiency expenditures, smart meters, emissions, clean-technology patents and more.

Clean Edge’s annual US Clean Tech Leadership Index also praised the work the state’s national laboratories are doing in areas such as solar and smart grid research. Said study author and senior editor Clint Wilder, “In New Mexico’s case, this is the illumination: human and intellectual capital. That’s where NM shines.”

The top 10 includes: California, Massachusetts, Oregon, New York, Colorado, Washington, New Mexico, Illinois, Minnesota and Hawaii.

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US Sen. Martin Heinrich (r) toured Santa Fe Community College’s Trades and Advanced Technology Center in April. Luke Spangenburg showed him the PALL membrane equipment for harvesting algae and recycling water. SFCC’s Center of Excellence is a nationally recognized program that provides training for bio-energy applications.

Northern Indian Pueblos Council to provide the needed training.

The program also assisted the Santa Fe County Fire Department with a grant application for cleanup efforts in the Pecos area. “We’re just waiting for them to get funding,” Black said, “and then they’ll be looking to hire some of our forestry graduates to work on that project.”

The Environmental Workforce Development program initially focused on Environmental Technician training. This year a second training program for forest restoration and timber thinning was added. Both programs include Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response certification, a mandatory component of all of the EPA Brownfield job training programs nationwide.

The program is tailored to build on the existing knowledge and skill sets of the long-term unemployed. “Our goal, said Black, “is to take folks who already have some skills and education, and to really upskill them. When we work with those individuals and give them industry certifications, it gives them the extra bump they need to get a job.” Janet Kerley, the program’s manager, said that about half of the program’s first graduating class has gotten job placement. Two former graduates from that group stand out as success stories.

Thomas Gonzales is now facilities

operations manager with the state of NM and oversees the maintenance and operation of 23 state government buildings. Gonzales said he got that position because of the training he received. “The education was very broad but very useful,” Gonzales said. “We got certified in first aid, CPR, defibrillators, GIS, GPS and all the laws having to do with hazardous waste disposal.”

© Jeffrey Atwell

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© Seth Roffman

Lee Einer

Instructor Janet Kerley explains water sampling technique to student Adrian Chávez.

Adrian Chávez’s training got him appointed to the Northern NM Citizens Advisory Board, which focuses on direct remediation and waste removal from Los Alamos National Labs and also monitors the WIPP site in Carlsbad. His position on the board allows him to represent his community’s environmental protection interests.

Both Gonzales and Chávez pointed to Program Manager and instructor Janet Kerley as a big reason for the program’s success. Kerley, whose academic background is in anthrocontinued on page

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Resource Management

New Mexico Legislature Takes Action

Wildfires and Watersheds Michael Aune

major change in fighting wildfires in New Mexico occurred this year because state senators and representatives raised the issue to the agency directors in Washington, DC. Also, discussion and debate in both the state House and the Senate helped the Office of the State Engineer (OSE) and the Interstate Stream Commission revise their positions on watersheds originating on federally managed public lands. These are big deals, and tangible results are now being seen.

During the Whitewater Baldy Fire in 2012, the NM-based federal forest fire managers stated in writing: “The present tactical plan does not call for the use of air tankers. If the tactical plan is changed and fixed wing aircraft are required, we will request their use.” This is the same answer they had when the Las Conchas Fire in the Jémez raced out of control two years ago.

Two letters from state legislators were sent to NM’s congressional delegation.

One highlighted the fire danger to the headwaters of the San Juan-Chama project, which provides a water source for most of north-central NM. The signatures on those letters included eight NM senators and representatives. Copies were sent to the governor’s office, as well as to federal agency directors within NM for the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Copies of the

Las Conchas fire 2012

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letter regarding House Joint Memorial 24 (HJM24) also went to Sally Jewell, secretary of the Department of Interior and Tom Vilsack, secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

In 2013 we have had aggressive “tactics” by the federal agencies, including use of fixed-wing aircraft, i.e. tankers, including the DC-10 at the Thompson Ridge Fire, and immediate deployment of air tankers on smaller lightning-caused fires in the Sandias outside of Albuquerque.

Evolution of the Legislation HJM24 was introduced for public comment by Rep. Carl Trujillo in January. Being a Joint Memorial, it was intended to include a buy-in from both the House and the Senate. It called for the US government to “develop and implement proactive best management practices to preserve the infrastructure of the San Juan-Chama Project in southern Colorado and all watersheds on federal lands in NM prior to any potential forest fire and resultant debris flow and flooding.” However, prior to presentation to the House Agriculture and Water Resource Committee in early February, major sections of the wording were deleted by John Longworth, chief of the Water Use and Conservation Bureau in the OSE. The “Bill Analysis” detailed the OSE’s position that including the headwaters of watersheds originating on federal lands was too large an undertaking, too costly and time consuming…” The OSE’s alternative was to focus only on the San Juan-Chama project, and instead of considering “proactive best management practices,” the OSE proposed to “prepare a rapid-response plan to mitigate and repair the project’s infrastructure should a damaging

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McClure Reservoir, Santa Fe Watershed

fire occur.” Despite this, language in HJM24 was approved that stated the intention to “develop and implement best management practices to reduce and eliminate those risks prior to forest fire, flooding or other disruptions in the watersheds.” Significant discussion took place on why watersheds on federal lands within NM were being excluded, including during the House debate. On February 15, HJM24, as amended, passed with unanimous bipartisan support by the full NM House of Representatives.

This debate and conversation opened the door for ways to include watersheds and fire dangers on National Forests. Rep. Nick Salazar introduced HM64, which stated the need to “minimize the impacts of forest fires on the watershed.” Rep. Salazar limited HM64 to only the Gallinas watershed in his district. Language in HM64 was specific in that it addressed “the identification and implementation of hazardous fuel reduction treatments and post-catastrophic forest fire treatments on US Forest Service properties…”

Rep. Yvette Herrell introduced HM65, which stated, “Requesting the US Forest Service to engage with NM state agencies and local governments in meaningful watershed health planning and management.” Part of HM65 resolved “that state agencies be requested to integrate local, state and tribal watershed plans with those of the Forest Service, the federal Bureau of Land Management, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation.”

The OSE and the ISC, seeing the groundswell of support for these and other water issues, did not alter or oppose either HM64 or HM65. On March 1, both HM64 and HM65 passed the full House with unanimous bipartisan approval.

US Congressional Letters These actions led to the two letters sent to each of the US senators and representatives representing NM. The first letter sent was in regard to HM65. It stated in a forthright manner, “It is the view of the NM Legislature that the loss of vegetation, soil and water due to catastrophic wildfires on federal public lands constitutes a menace to the economic welfare of the State of NM.” It further stated that “the NM legislative leadership seeks to integrate local, state and tribal watershed plans” with federal land agencies “in an effort to increase wildfire prevention and watershed rehabilitation funding and projects.”

The second letter was in regard to HJM24, which passed both the full House and the Senate, including the Senate Conservation and Senate Rules Committees. This letter stated: “because of recent catastrophic wildfires on public lands that resulted in significant damage to watersheds including through Bandelier National Monument, Cochiti Canyon and Santa Clara Canyon, the San Juan-Chama Project watersheds in southern Colorado are at major risk of similar damage. It is the desire of the NM Legislature that proactive best management practices be initiated prior continued on page 32

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OP-ED: Our Constitutions Are the Avenue to Change the Injustice Kathleen Dudley “Our amazing intelligence seems to have outstripped our instinct for survival—we plunder the Earth hoping that accumulating material surplus will make up for it—the profound unfathomable thing we have lost.”

– Arundhati Roy, Imagining the World

O

ur rural lands are under siege by corporations who are “mining” our communities for their raw materials—water, forests, oil and gas, coal, iron ore, uranium, etc.— materials that are part of nature’s DNA and our DNA, in the words of acclaimed poet and activist John Trudell. The very ecosystems upon which we depend for our health, well-being and sustainable future are being ravaged in the name of corporate profit.

Our cities are rife with cell towers, polluted municipal water supplies, low-level smog and are upwind or downwind of industrial pollution. We have learned to accept this degradation as the cost of progress and the yardstick by which we measure our success.

What has happened to our own private dream of our “preferred community” and what it would look like if we had the power to shape it?

Recently we witnessed people in Wisconsin struggle mightily against the corporate Koch brothers’ influence, and not long afterwards, the Detroit city government falling to CEO management. Issues around water rights in the San Fernando Valley and Colorado are making headlines—“big oil” paying a whopping $2,500 an acre-foot— leaving our farmers unable to compete.

Roy says that the hope will come from those who resist. There is a growing movement of communities across the United States and around the globe doing just that. They are saying “no” to corporate and government power by asserting their rights to thrive

Mora County joins with the city of Las Vegas, NM, which passed a similar CELDF rights-based ordinance last year, the city of Pittsburgh in 2010, and over 150 other communities across the US which are working in solidarity to assert their rights to democratic rule and local self-determination.

Our rights to determine how we are governed are our choice. Our power is in knowing that our own state and federal constitutions allow such a choice by the people.

Twenty-seven existing amendments should encourage us to understand this ripe opportunity. It seems a few new amendments would go a long way to changing the plundering and access to our homes and communities. What do you think? i Kathleen Dudley is the board chair for the New Mexico Coalition for Community Rights and the CELDF community rights organizer for New Mexico. kathleendudley@nmccr.org

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to any potential wildfire and flooding in the headwaters region for the San JuanChama Project.” It further elaborates: “It is imperative that such damage be prevented in advance due to the even higher cost of major repair or replacement for the San Juan-Chama Project infrastructure.”

Recent Legislative and L ocal A ctivity The Joint Interim Water and Natural Resources Committee met on June 10.

This 46-member committee includes both representatives and senators and has a Drought Subcommittee. The state engineer, Scott Verhines, and the director of the Interstate Stream Commission, Estévan López, made a presentation before this committee. Of note was discussion on the OSE Active Water Resource Management (AWRM), which “is the term adopted by OSE to emphasize the agencies transition from water permitting and accounting duties… to an increased focus on duties relating to the physical administration of water in our fully appropriated stream systems.” The report encompassed many topics, including the Pecos River Compact Compliance, litigation relating to the 2008 Río Grande Operating Agreement (Elephant Butte and El Paso County, TX), and the Middle Río Grande, the Río

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With the help of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), a nonprofit public interest law firm, Mora County citizens presented a Bill of Rights to the Mora County Commission, who passed the first county-wide community rights ordinance in the US this April. This new law asserts the peoples’ rights to determine the future for their communities—their rights to local self-governance and a sustainable energy future—and prohibits oil and gas extraction from harming the community’s rights by banning these leviathans.

Chama Basin and the Colorado River Basin.

The Interstate Stream Commission is revising its regional water planning template “to guide plans that will be more compatible with each other and relate to the state water plan.” This topic had been discussed on February 22 before the House Agriculture and Water Resources Committee when testimony was presented that “plan templates should be revised to minimize political boundaries and instead address full natural boundaries of watersheds from their headwaters source within federal lands.”

What was not discussed was the damage caused to watershed resources by wildfires on public lands, even as the Tres Lagunas, Thompson Ridge and Silver fires were causing such destruction prior to that June 10 meeting. Since then, a wildfire has erupted in the San Juan River drainage in Colorado. Also lacking was any conversation on the action called for in HJM24, HM65 and HM64, despite HM65 calling for an integration of “local, state and tribal watershed plans.” The committee

Green Fire Times • July 2013

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Wildfires

and protect their families by banning corporate development from coming into their communities. Many of these communities are passing rights-based laws that assert a Bill of Rights that define a new paradigm that supports flourishing communities, ecosystems and the rights of nature.

Heron Lake, June 2013

did decide to go out to four locations within NM as an outreach to hear citizens’ concerns, though they did not even discuss ways to get those local communities to develop or revise their own watershed plans for “integration” with state plans.

In Santa Fe County, County Commissioner Miguel Chávez and County Hydrologist Karen Torres appear to be heading in the right direction. Both are looking into revising and adding to a compilation of divergent watershed plans so that Santa Fe County may have a seat at the table at such time the state and federal land managers convene, as called for in HM65.

The chairman of the Interim Water and Natural Resources Committee, Sen. Phil Griego from San José, did show photos

of Heron Lake State Park and El Vado Lake State Park taken in April and also after Memorial Day. The water levels are extremely low and pose significant risk to Chama River flows below El Vado Dam, and subsequently the San JuanChama Project water supply. Chairman Griego had a member of the NM State Parks called in to offer testimony about similarly low water levels at other state parks. Chairman Griego stated that this situation may be “devastating” for the economies of nearby communities due to decreased recreational use, as well as to the state parks, as they are primarily self-funded as an enterprise operation.

The vice-chairman of the Interim Water and Natural Resources Committee continued on page

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Wilfires

Free Training

is Rep. George Dodge from Santa Rosa.

The chair of the Drought Subcommittee is Sen. Joseph Cervantes from Las Cruces. There is not a need to reinvent the wheel, as the New Mexico Legislature included language towards a positive course of action when it passed HJM24, HM65 and HM64. If you would like to remind them of that or have other comments, perhaps that you like to drink water and don’t like to breathe in the smoke from forest wildfires, it is suggested that you personally contact your local elected officials as well as your state senators and representatives. Thank them for what they’ve done, and remind them that there is much yet to do. i

pology, archeology and chemistry, was responsible for much of the environmental and wastewater testing, and hazardous chemicals management at Signetics, which later became Philips Semiconductor. Additionally, she has been active for many years in the regulatory process, at both the federal and state levels, and helped shape some of the current regulations governing health, safety and environmental regulation. Today, joined by other expert instructors, Kerley spearheads this training program at SFCC.

continued from page 32

Michael Aune was the expert witness and assisted Rep. Carl Trujillo on the House Floor during debate of HJM24, for which he wrote the original draft. Aune has been asked to serve on the PRC Task Force. He first studied and explored the headwaters of major watersheds as a young man, and began studying wildfires on public lands and their impacts on watersheds. Aune wrote about and moderated community meetings on similar water issues in northern Arizona in the late 1990s.

After completing B.S. and M.S. degrees, he was a manager and government executive for 24 years.

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continued from page 29

SFCC also participates in a statewide partnership as a Center of Excellence, providing green jobs training in biofuels, green building and energy efficiency.

The next round of SFCC’s Environmental Workforce Development program will begin on July 15. For more information, visit www.sfcc.edu/epa_ training i Lee Einer is a Las Vegas, NM permaculturist and graduate of SFCC’s Environmental Workforce Development Program. Email: einerlee@yahoo.com

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JAIN STUDY CIRCULAR THE JAIN STUDY CIRCULAR HAS BEEN POSTED AT WWW.JAINSTUDY.ORG.

Please go our website and study the articles presented in the new issue.

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

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Green Fire Times • July 2013

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Healthy People continued from page 13 El Valle, about 40 minutes north of Santa Fe, used to be a farming community, but the last couple of generations have become disconnected from the land, Sandoval said. The collaborative is planning to bring back that cultural tradition by developing a seed bank, expanding the local farmers’ market and conducting workshops with young people to help them learn how to grow food.

“We want young people to see that raising their food and having a relationship with food is important,” she said. “Right now many of us go to Española or Santa Fe to buy food when those potential food sources are already here.”

Con Alma awarded grants based on a nonprofit’s ability to create systemic, long-lasting change. Another priority is honoring NM’s rich cultural traditions. That includes supporting locally grown and culturally significant foods, preserving agricultural traditions and encouraging elders and indigenous people to share cultural and traditional practices with their families.

Oso Vista Ranch, which is receiving a grant through the Healthy People – Healthy Places program, has developed the Blue Corn Enhancement Project. It is a perfect example of working toward health equity by connecting NM’s cultural traditions with economic opportunities and health improvement. “We want to revive blue corn as a native food and help people learn how to grow native crops so they can include more healthy, traditional native foods in their diet,” said Margaret Merrill, executive director of Oso Vista Ranch.

The project teaches people in the Ramah Navajo community to grow blue corn, including how to make the soil healthy, build fences to keep out elk, install a drip irrigation system and how to harvest and grind the blue corn, a native food for Navajos. As part of the program, an elder in the community is teaching young people traditional growing techniques. “By teaching people how to grow blue corn and native food, we are helping bridge the cultural gap in a hands-on way, bringing elders together with youth,” Merrill said. “Another thing I hope to be able to mitigate is the generational poverty. Growing native foods, as small businesses, would give people an opportunity to create additional income for their families.”

As with all the work Con Alma does, this effort involves multiple partners.

Some have joined Con Alma’s steering committee or advisory committee

In some areas, like this rural NM community, the environment makes it difficult for people to walk or bike safely in their neighborhoods.

to identify and support specific strategies that make it easier for people to get healthy food and be active. Others are contributing financially by matching the three-year $150,000 grant with another $155,000. Con Alma is also contributing $145,000 for the project, for a total three-year budget of $450,000.

“Farm to Table is delighted to have the opportunity to work with Con Alma Health Foundation, NM foundations and community partners in addressing system health-change,” said Pam Roy, Farm to Table’s executive director. “As a partner in this initiative, we look forward to working alongside NM’s communities as they look for innovative approaches to creating healthier food options, increasing opportunities for safer and more accessible communityfriendly spaces, and uniting their voices towards informing policy change.”

In addition to the national funding partners and Con Alma Health Foundation, NM foundations that helped make this project possible by providing financial support are: McCune Foundation, New Mexico Community Foundation, Notah Begay III Foundation, PNM Resources Foundation, Santa Fe Community Foundation and Simon Charitable Foundation. i To learn more about Healthy People – Healthy Places, visit Con Alma Health Foundation’s website: www.conalma.org or call Dolores E. Roybal, executive director, at 505.438.0776, ext. 3.

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NEWSBITEs At a Mora County Commission meeting last month commissioners voted to expand their countywide prohibition on fracking—the nation’s first—to include individuals as well as corporations. The commission is now considering further revising the county’s land-use plan to address oil and gas drilling.

The ordinance approved by the commission in April was based on a template crafted by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF), which has helped establish 150 community rights ordinances around the country; 35 of those bar oil and gas development.

Royal Dutch Schell PLC and other companies hold 144,000 acres of mineral leases in bucolic, rural Mora County, which has a population of 5,200, a high water table fed by the surrounding mountains, acequia agriculture and cattle ranches. Many families in the area have descendants who lived there since before it became part of the United States under a treaty that ended the Mexican-American War in 1848.

Most of Mora County’s residents apparently support the ban, some fearing that drilling would contaminate valued water resources and work against efforts to revitalize small-scale agriculture, expand ecotourism and develop renewable energy projects such as solar and biomass.

Fracking Comment Period Extended

Due to the high level of interest, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has extended the comment period until Aug. 23 on a revised rule to regulate hydraulic fracturing. The rule will be the first update to federal oil and gas regulations since the 1980s.

Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” using water, sand and chemicals to fracture deep rock to release deposits of hydrocarbons, has rapidly expanded in recent years. There are plans to exponentially increase its use in New Mexico. Questions are being debated about to what extent fracking contaminates underground water sources, whether the chemicals used should be publicly disclosed, and whether there is adequate management of well integrity and the “flowback” fluids that return to the surface.

The BLM oversees about 700 million acres of federal mineral rights and 56 million acres of tribal mineral rights. The majority of the wells drilled on federal and tribal lands reportedly use fracking.

Comments may be mailed to: US Dept. of the Interior, Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, Mail Stop 2134 LM, 1849 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20240, Attn: 1004-AE26 or online through regulations.gov

NM Atmospheric Trust Suit to Proceed Judge Denies Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss

Eighteen-year-old Akilah Sanders-Reed’s climate change lawsuit against Gov. Susana Martinez and the state of New Mexico will proceed on the merits. Last month First Judicial District Judge Sarah Singleton issued a written order denying defendants’ motion to dismiss and request for an immediate appeal. Judge Singleton’s order recognized that “plaintiffs have made a substantive allegation that . . . the state is ignoring the atmosphere with respect to greenhouse gas emissions.” SandersReed’s and co-plaintiff WildEarth Guardians’ lawsuit (No. D-101-CV-2011-1514) relies upon the long established principle of the public trust doctrine, which requires all branches of government to protect and maintain certain shared resources fundamental for human health and survival.

This order was issued days after Texas Judge Gisela Triana, hearing a similar case, found that all natural resources, including the atmosphere, are protected under the Public Trust Doctrine and the Texas constitution (Angela Bonser-Lain, et al. v Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Case No. D-1-GN-11-002194).

Judge Singleton’s order and Judge Triana’s opinion were issued as the Southwest US suffers from sustained droughts and severe wildfires that many scientists say represent the destructive impacts of climate change that is, to a significant extent, human-caused. “My generation will be stuck with the horrible consequences of our government’s failure to do anything about climate change,” said Sanders-Reed, a leader in the iMatter youth movement. “The longer my state’s leaders refuse to uphold their public trust obligations, the worse off we will all be. Judge Singleton’s decision gives me hope that New Mexico may be willing to step up and be accountable to my generation before it is too late.”

For more information visit www.ourchildrenstrust.org or www.imattermarch.org

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Protections Lost with the Gutting of the Pit Rule

Last month the New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission—the majority of its members appointed by Gov. Martinez—issued its final order adopting most of the oil and gas industry’s proposed changes to the waste pit regulation (the Pit Rule). As it stands, NM, which gets 90 percent of its drinking water from groundwater, has lost major groundwater and public health protections during a time of unprecedented drought. The losses include reduced setbacks for toxic mining waste pits from homes, schools and fresh water sources. Acceptable concentrations of toxins for burial at almost any drill site have been greatly increased, disincentivizing closed loop systems that reduce the volume of drilling waste. Site-specific groundwater data is no longer required to be collected prior to digging a pit.

“Frack lakes” are now allowed. “The new Pit Rule calls them multi-well fluid management pits,” says Eric Jantz, NM Environmental Law Center (NMELC) staff attorney, “but they are really multi-acre artificial lakes filled with toxic fracking fluids. They have no size limit. These lakes are new to NM and they may remain in place until drilling or fracking operations are completed—typically 5-15 years.”

The NMELC represented Earthworks’ Oil & Gas Accountability Project against oil and gas industry groups’ petition to weaken the Pit Rule. Since the rule’s adoption in 2008, industry groups have complained that the rule was an economic burden. Yet, as recently as May, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported that oil production is up 46 percent and that the Pit Rule hasn’t actually shown any negative effect on production. The NMELC and its clients are considering an appeal.

Department Of Energy Inspector General Cites Disaster Risks at Los Alamos Natl. LAboratory

An audit released on June 26 by the Department of Energy Inspector General criticizes Los Alamos National Laboratory’s management of its main plutonium facility, which sits atop an earthquake fault line. The report says that the facility, where plutonium cores of nuclear bombs are produced, could collapse in a large earthquake, releasing deadly doses of radiation.

The audit also cites deficiencies in the fire prevention and protection systems for LANL’s Area G, which holds low-level nuclear waste and more than 5,600 containers of transuranic waste scheduled to be removed from fabric-covered domes by the end of LANL’s Area G 2014. Systems designed to suppress fires in the structures that store the containers have suffered from numerous pipe breaks and freeze damage.

© Anna C. Hansen

Mora County Expands Fracking Ban

The report says that LANL is susceptible to forest fires, including those started by lightning. Since 2000, there have been two major forest fires that threatened Los Alamos, resulting in the evacuation of the lab and the city.

Echoing the concerns of watchdog groups and a federal oversight board, the audit states, “While a number of compensatory and corrective actions have been completed, in our view, further actions are needed to mitigate existing vulnerabilities.”

A statement from LANL is expected, pending approval from the National Nuclear Security Administration, which manages the lab.

2013 Santa Fe BizMIX Competition

The BizMIX competion brings together young entrepreneurs with drive and inspiration with resource networks and seasoned mentors in Santa Fe. It is a special project run by MIX Santa Fe, designed to cultivate an engaged community of professionals.

Eleven teams were selected from more than 50 applications. They are currently going through the competition and coaching process and will give their final presentations to judges on Sept. 26.

More than $15,000 in business-building cash and professional resources will be awarded when winners are announced in October. Along the way there will be numerous colorful and engaging activities, including the MIX pitch contest on Aug. 15 and the mentor/workshop nights on July 25 and Aug. 22.

For more information, visit MixSantaFe.com/bizMIX

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What's Going On! Events / Announcements Aug. 10, 10:30-11:30 Fall Vegetable Gardening Seminar Jericho Nursery, 6921 Pan American NE Horticulturist Jim Saís will explain what cool-season veggies can be started in August for fall harvest and how to feed them. $5.

ALBUQUERQUE July 3, 5:30-7:30 pm Green Drinks Hotel Andaluz, 125 2nd St. NW

Network with people interested in local business, clean energy and other green issues.

Guest speaker: James Glover of Once a Day Marketing, LLC, on “Positioning Your Brand in the Minds of Your Consumers.” Hosted by the Albuquerque & Río Rancho Green Chamber of Commerce. Info: 505.244.3700, lindsay@nmgreenchamber.com

July 13-14, 8 am-4 pm Lavender in the Village Agri-Nature Center, 4920 Río Grande NW, Los Ranchos de ABQ

Celebration of all things lavender. Pick your own, buy products and crafts, learn to cook with lavender. $5/$2. www. lavendarinthevillage.com

July 13, 10:30-11:30 am Native Plant Seminar Jericho Nursery, 6921 Pan American NE

Horticulturist Jim Saís will provide a list of good natives for the area and discuss how to maintain them. $5.

July 18-27 NM Jazz Festival Indoor & outdoor venues in ABQ & SF

Renowned jazz artists, National Endowment for the Arts jazz masters and local musicians. 505.268.0044

July 19, 10 am-9 pm “Following the Healing Ways” Workshop UNM North Campus

Free interactive workshop will give middle- and high-school Native youth a look at health careers. Held in conjunction with the All City Students With A Goal Showcase.

The day will close with students presenting their views on health and healing through art, poetry, etc. at the showcase. Meals and door prizes. RSVP to 505.340.5658, afleg@ salud.unm.edu by July 11.

July 24-28 Extraordinary Technology Conference ABQ Marriott Pyramid North

Tesla Technology, magnetic motors, zero-point energy, energy saving devices, more. 520.463.1994, http://teslatech.info/ ttevents/2013conf/prghome.htm

Aug. 3, 9 am-4 pm Gardens of the Camino Real South Valley

Annual garden tour sponsored by the Council of ABQ Garden Clubs, featuring seven gardens in an historic area. Tour only: $10, lunch: $12. Tickets from most local nurseries and at the ABQ Garden Center or www. albuquerquegardencenter.org

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Aug. 24 Gala Fundraiser Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

Celebrating Pueblo Indian Culture. An evening of art, food, dance, history. Individual ticket: $100; table: $1,200. www. indianpueblo.org/gala

Aug. 29 Sustainable Business Summit Crown Plaza Hotel

Recognizes NM organizations for whom green is integral to the way they conduct business. Co-hosted by the Albuquerque Business First publication. Half-day with an awards luncheon. 505.348.8326, tfenstermakere@bizjournals.com

Daily Degrees of Change: New Mexico’s Climate Forecast NM Museum of Natural History & Science, 1801 Mountain Rd. NW

With a focus on NM and the SW, this exhibit reveals current and predicted impacts on humans, landscapes and ecosystems.

Tickets: $7, $6, $4. Info: 505.841.2800, www.nmnaturalhistory.org

Through Oct. 9:30 am-2:30 pm Xeriscape Garden Club ABQ Garden Center, 10120 Lomas NE

Families are invited to visit the Wildlife Habitat Garden. Hands-on activities for children to learn about wildlife habitats and the importance of pollinators. Free. www. xericgardenclub.org

SANTA FE

Through Aug. 23 Viva Flora! Treasured Plants of New Mexico Santa Fe Community Gallery SF Convention Center

Exhibit co-sponsored by the SF Botanical Garden features 30 artists. Includes historic, endangered and native plants.

Through Dec. 12, 5:45 pm Local Organic Meals on a Budget Classes Kitchen Angels, 1222 Siler Rd.

90-minute classes, second and fourth Wednesday each month. Participants enjoy tastings of the meal being prepared. $18., Free for WIC and EBT recipients. Presented by Kitchen Angels, Home Grown NM, SF Farmers’ Market Institute. Info: 505.982.8285, 505.473.1403, www.localorganicmeals.com

Through Jan. 5, 2014 New World Cuisine: Histories of Chocolate, Maté y Mas Museum of International Folk Art

Exhibit focuses on the mixing of food cultures in the Americas. 505.476.1200, internationalfolkart.org

Green Fire Times • July 2013

Through March 16, 2014 Cowboys Real and Imagined NM History Museum

This exhibit explores NM’s contribution to the cowboys of both myth and reality from the 1600s to the present day.

July 3, 5:30-7:30 pm Green Drinks La Fonda Hotel on the SF Plaza

Laura Sánchez, the new CEO of the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce, will discuss the legal challenges—including jurisdictional, regulatory, environmental protection and financing issues involved in largescale renewable energy and transmission siting.

July 6, 4 pm Ampersand Open House Cerrillos, NM

Sustainable Learning Center site tour. $10 suggested donation, 5 pm potluck. www. ampersandproject.org

July 7, 9:30-11 am The New Understanding of Ecosystems: Soil, Air, Water and Life Railyard Park Community Room

Your home landscape as a patch of a community landscape ecosystem. This workshop will summarize the most significant research of a new understanding of this relatively new science. One of a free 3-part series presented

by Railyard Stewards. 505.204.4375

July 8-26 2nd Annual ArtFest SF University of Art and Design

This festival brings together students and faculty from around the world for academic and artistic workshops, cultural activities and social events. Courses on creative writing, sculpture, Latin American and southwestern architecture and recording arts. www.artfestsf.com

July 9, 11:30 am Not My Life Screening Bishop’s Lodge, 1297 Bishop’s Lodge Rd.

SF Council on Intl. Relations hosts a documentary directed by Academy Award nominee Robert Bilheimer on human trafficking, followed by lunch and a panel discussion with author Marty Braniff, author/Attorney General Gary King and others. $32/$26.

Register: sfcir.org or 505.982.4931

July 10, 6-8 pm Landscaping with Native Plants Community Gallery Santa Fe Convention Center Lecture by Tracy Neal

July 10, 7:30 pm Festival Au Desert: Caravan for Peace Concert The Lensic

Three musical groups representing Mali’s renowned festival in exile make their US touring debut. Soulful Malian blues, traditional Tuareg women’s trance rhythms and electric modern sounds of the Malian desert. Presented by the SFIFAM and Globalquerque! Tickets: $25$40. 505.988.1234, TicketsSantaFe.org

July 11, 5-9 pm SF Intl. Folk Art Market Community Celebration Railyard Park

Market Artists Procession, West African Highlife Band, community Japanese kite flying, artist demos, food trucks, more.

July 11-14 Art Santa Fe SF Convention Center

A mix of work from contemporary galleries from all over the world, art installations and emerging artists and dealers. Gala opening 7/11, 5-8 pm. Info: 505.988.8883, inquiries@ artsantafe.com, www.artsantafe.com. Tickets: 505.988.1234, www.lensic.org

July 12, 6:30-9 pm SF International Folk Art Market Opening Party Milner Plaza, Museum Hill

A global gathering under the stars. Shopping, dancing to music by TradiSon, food and drink. $175. ($125. tax-deductible)

July 13-14 SF Intl. Folk Art Market Milner Plaza, Museum Hill

10th annual market. 190 artists from 60 countries come together to offer handmade artworks. 7/13: Early bird market: $50, $15 adv/$20 day of event, 7/14: $10 adv/$15 day of event. 505.992.7600, askus@folkart market.org, www.folkartmarket.org

July 13, 10 am-12 pm Grilling in the Park Frenchy’s Community Garden (Agua Fria & Osage)

Learn how simple it is to prepare your fresh garden veggies. Presented by Jenna Proctor from the Daughter’s Kitchen. 505.473.1403, homegrownnewmexico@gmail.com, www. homegrownnewmexico.org

July 13 Everything About Water County Fairgrounds, 3229 Rodeo Rd. Options for watering your garden from largescale collection to simple ollas installed next to your plants. No registration required. Presented by the SF Master Gardener Association. Info: Sfmga.org/events-calendar

Begins July 17, Every Wed., 5:30-8 pm Business Development SF Business Incubator 3900 Paseo del Sol

Six-week series for beginners will provide tools to grow your business. $129 for series or $29 per class. Presented by WESST. Some scholarships available. 505.474.6556

July 17, 9:30-11 am The Community Landscape as an Ecosystem: Yours, Mine and Ours Railyard Park Community Room

Workshop examines the whys and hows of a new paradigm of community and landscape as a sustainable ecosystem. Focuses specifically on the phenomenon of cities and communities and the challenge of making them sustainable ecosystems. Presented by Railyard Stewards. Free. 505.204.4375

www.GreenFireTimes.com

July 17, 5:30-7 pm Local Organic Meals on a Budget SF School of Cooking (125 N. Guadalupe)

Handmade pizza with garden veggies. With Roland and Sheila Richter ( Joe’s Dining).

Comp appetizers and tastings. $22. Advance registration required. 505.471.7780

July 18-27 NM Jazz Festival Indoor & outdoor venues in ABQ & SF

Renowned jazz artists, National Endowment for the Arts jazz masters and local musicians. 505.268.0044

July 19-21 Grand Opening Celebration SF Botanical Garden at Museum Hill

7/19, 6-8 pm: Gala benefit reception $125; 7/20, 9 am-5 pm (10 am-noon Grand Opening/ribbon cutting): Members Only Day (purchase at gate); 7/21, 9 am-5 pm: Free community day with activities for all ages.

Music, refreshments. 505.471.9103, info@ santafebotanicalgarden.org

July 20, 2PM Memorial for Diego Mulligan The Commons on West Alameda

Celebration of the life of Diego Mulligan, See story, page 5.

com/event/397515, Info: 505.473.1403, home grownnewmexico@gmail.com, Tour map: homegrownnewmexico.org

July 31, 9:30-11 am The Path to a Sustainable Community Ecosystem: Plans, Plants and Practices Railyard Park Community Room

Santa Fe Creative Tourism Workshops, Classes and Experiences

Aug. 6, 6-8 pm Public Art, Censorship and the Visual Rights Act Community Gallery, Santa Fe Convention Center

9 am-4 pm daily except Weds.

Community Farm Project 1820 San Ysidro, Village of Agua Fría

Panel discussion includes topics such as First Amendment to the Constitution and the US obscenity law, current incidents of censorship in the arts and their relationship to public funding, the Visual Artists Rights Act. 505.955.6705, rdlambert@santafenm.gov

Aug. 10 Edible Gardening County Fairgrounds, 3229 Rodeo Rd. Tips for growing herbs and vegetables. No registration required. Presented by the SF Master Gardener Association. Info: Sfmga. org/events-calendar

Aug. 11-12 Renewable Energy Investment Conference

July 26-28 Rights of Nature Workshop

Aug. 17-18 Santa Fe Indian Market The Plaza and surrounding streets

Explore the foundational principles of this rising global movement and examine case studies.

Workshop and community conversation led by noted authors Osprey Orielle Lake and Shannon Biggs. Sliding scale: $50-$300.

Scholarships for community members.

Info/registration: 505.986.9232 or info@ allianceforearth.org

July 26-28 Traditional Spanish Market The Plaza

Homemade traditional art from hundreds of local Hispanic artists, as well as ongoing live music and dance, art demos and regional foods. 505.982.2226, market@spanishcolonial.org

July 27-28 Contemporary Hispanic Market The Plaza

Arts & crafts made by Hispanic artists living in NM. 505.296.2749, Ramonave@swcp.com

July 28, 9 am start Kitchen Garden & Coop Tour

Six locations with seven beautiful backyard gardens. Self-paced tour with homeowners as the main guides with help from Master Gardeners.

Chickens, bees and other self-sustaining elements such as solar, water catchment and more.

Tickets $35: http://www.brownpapertickets.

www.GreenFireTimes.com

August book: Cooked. Author Michael Pollan explores the cook’s special place in the world, standing squarely between nature and culture. Once a month, Slow Food members get together in a private home to discuss a book over a potluck dinner. Info: 505.474.3896, slowfoodsantafe@gmail.com

The final workshop of a 3-part series will attempt to answer “What can I do now in my own garden or landscape?” Presented by Railyard Stewards. Free. 505.204.4375

July 24, 7 am-3 pm Solar Fundraising Brunch Café Fina, 624 Old Las Vegas Hwy.

Join New Energy Economy’s efforts to solarize the Tesuque Fire Station.

Details: newenergyeconomy@gmail.com

Slow Food Dinner & a Book

Co-hosted by Sen. Tom Udall’s office.

Details TBA

More than 1,000 Native artists sell jewelry, pottery, weavings, paintings, clothing and sculpture at this event, which many consider the most prestigious Native art fair in the US. Visitors can also see the Native American Clothing Contest, the Native Cinema Showcase, attend docent and artist lectures and take in concerts. 505.983.5220, swaia.org

Aug. 30-31 Robert Mirabal: Music and Myth Santa Fe Opera

Musician/storyteller Robert Mirabal, from Taos Pueblo, with a troupe of musicians and pueblo dancers. Filming for a national PBS TV special.

Tickets: 505.986.5900, www.santafeopera.org/ tickets

Wednesdays 11 am-5 pm Farmers and Crafts Market Poeh Tower, Pojoaque Pueblo (78 Cities of Gold Rd.) EBT and WIC accepted. 505.455.9086

Thurs., Fri., Sat., 4-6 pm Native Artists Showcase Hotel Lobby, Buffalo Thunder Resort, Pojoaque, NM

Advanced Poeh Cultural Center student and faculty artwork and demonstrations.

Through August. Free. www.facebook.com/ NativeArtistsShowcase/info

Last two weeks of July Learn to Save Money on Energy in Your Home

Home energy audit workshop with Jessica Lehmann. Sponsored by the city of Santa Fe. Details: 505.955.4204, jalehmann@santafe.gov

http://santafecreativetourism.org/

Volunteers of any age needed. 80 percent of the produce is given to the Food Depot and distributed to 120 organizations. sfcommunityfarm@ gmail.com, www.santafacommunityfarm.org

Shop with the chef. $15 members; $20 non-members.

Registration required.

505.695.1579, outreach@losalamos.coop

July 28 Submission Deadline Arte de Descartes XIII Stables Gallery, Taos, NM

Artists are invited to create, from remnants and odds & ends (90 percent recycled) something for this juried show opening Aug. 24 of “art from discards.” Download entry form at www. whollyrags.org (events page).

Info: 575.751.9862

Aug. 3, 9 am-4 pm Annual Garden and Home Tour Venues in and around Taos, NM

Lots of ideas for small-scale waterwise gardening.

575.751.0191, http://www.gardencluboftaos.org/ Tour2013

Saturdays, Approx. 2 pm Meet Your Farmer Joe’s Dining, Rodeo & Zia

Aug. 3 Places with a Past Tour Las Vegas, NM

Here & There

Aug. 4-11, Oct. 6-13 Vital Yoga with Meta Ghost Ranch, Abiquiú, NM

A lunch experience. An opportunity to ask questions about farming, enjoy a local meal and meet farmers who grow NM foods. Vendors from the farmers’ market have an after-market lunch and meet the community. Info: Sheila@joesdining.com

Through July 14 Annual Wood Show Tomé Gallery, 2930 Hwy. 47, Los Lunas

Tour seven homes and buildings as well as United World College’s Montezuma Castle during this event, which kicks off Las Vegas Heritage Week. 505.425.8803

Personal enrichment and instructor certification program. $995. 505.685.4333, Ghostranch.org

Wood from the Río Grande bosque to the far reaches of Africa turned into a beautiful array of art and furniture.505.715.1560,visualescapes@mindspring.com

July 13, 9 am Celebrando las Acequias Missión Embudo, Dixon, NM

Agenda includes a presentation about repartimiento, discussion of issues facing Embudo Valley acequias including drought.

Afternoon break-outs. Lunch served to attendees. For info, contact Estévan Arellano: 505.579.4027, estevan_2002@yahoo.com

Aug. 7-11 Gallup InterTribal Ceremonial Red Rock State Park, Gallup, NM

For more than 90 years, members of the Navajo Nation and tribes such as the Apache, Hopi and Zuni have gathered for this contest powwow. The weekend also includes the AllIndian Invitational Rodeo, a parade featuring Native dancers and World War II Code Talkers, an art & craft fair and the queen’s pageant. 505.863.3896, theceremonial.com

July 13, 9:30 am-4:30 pm Wise Woman Retreat for Women with Horses Abiquiú, NM

Aug. 9 Sustainable Grazing Practices to Mitigate Drought Mesteño Draw Ranch, Mountainair, New Mexico

July 15-17 Southwest Marketing Network Conference Inn of the Río Grande, Alamosa, CO.

Aug. 15 Deadline Nm Healthy Families Award Nominations

A retreat for women who have a desire to embrace their inner wisdom through the horse. No horse experience necessary. Healing Through Horses: 505.685.0596, Judy@healingthrough horses.net, www.healingthroughhorses.net

11th annual conference for farmers, educators, administrators, nonprofits, agencies and policy makers to explore Farm to School programs and related issues of distribution, food safety, increasing local production, sustainable production practices, education and civic engagement. 7/15, 1 pm: afternoon tour of traditional farms in the San Luís Valley followed by local foods dinner. www.swmarketingnetwork.org

July 19-21 Fiestas de Taos Taos Plaza, Taos, NM

Honors the feasts of St. Anne and St. James.

Music & dance performances, parades, Fiesta Queen, commemorative mass and more. Free.

July 23, 6-8 pm Vegan Baking Class Los Alamos Co-op Market

On-farm learning opportunity to see what fellow New Mexicans are doing to maintain land health and profitability during drought. Presented by Holistic Management Intl. Registration required. $20.

Info: http://holisticmanagement.org/mesteno/

Nominate a family with good communication skills, strong family values and stability within their home. The 2013 award celebration will be on Nov. 4. Sponsored by the NM Coalition for Healthy Families. Nomination form on NMCHF website. 505.417.7586, NMCoalitionforHealthy Families@gmail.com, www.nmchf.org

Oct. 25-26 8th Annual Traditional Agriculture & Sustainable Living Conference Salazar Center for the Performing Arts, NNMC, Española, NM

Keynote speakers: Dr. Vandana Shiva, Ph.D, Dr. Greg Cajete, Ph.D. Panel discussions, workshops, demonstrations, entertainment and more. Presented by the Pueblo of Tesuque, Four Bridges Traveling Permaculture Institute and the Sostenga program of NNMC. www.4bridges.org/conference-information

July 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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40 Fire Green Fire• Times • July 2013 Green Times June 2013

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