March 2013 Green Fire Times Edition by Sun Publishing

News & Views

B u i l di n g

March 2013

from the

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

S u s t ai n ab l e R e g i o n a l E c o n o m y

New Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fifth Largest Circulation Newspaper

Vol. 5, No. 3

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ March 2013

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March 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ GreenFireTimes

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ March 2013

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Vol. 5, No.3 • March 2013 Issue No. 47 Publisher Green Fire Publishing, LLC

Skip Whitson

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

Yasine Armstrong, English Bird, Walt Borton, Damon Chavez, Zane Fischer, James Glover, Anne Wheelock Gonzales, Susan Guyette, Jack Loeffler, Kevin Lynn, Mary Ellen Merrigan, Tim Nisly, Kate Noble, Carloyn Parrs, Vicki Pozzebon, Seth Roffman, Kim Shanahan, Luke Spangenburg, Drew Tulchin, William A. White

Contributing Photographers

Yasine Armstrong, Chris Corrie, Tim Gray, Anna C. Hansen, Sandy McMahon, Norma Plemons, Seth Roffman, Stacy Wahlquist

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c/o The Sun Companies PO Box 5588 Santa Fe, NM 87502-5588 Ph: 505.471.5177 Fax: 505.473.4458 info@sunbooks.com www.GreenFireTimes.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. GFT is widely distributed throughout north-central NM. Feedback, announcements, event listings, advertising and article submissions to be considered for publication are welcome.

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

Contents

Newsbites . . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 6, 37 Incubator Spawns Business Diversity . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 7 Focus on Entrepreneurship . . .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 8 The Velocity Project . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 9 Rules of Engagement . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 10 Powering New Mexico’s Economy with Peer Pressure. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 10 New Mexico’s Clean Energy Economy Today . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 13 The Promise of Bioenergy Development . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 14 THE LOCAL VOICE: Be a Localist, Sustain Your Place . . .. . .. . .. . .. . 17 The Greenest Home Is a Remodeled Home . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . 18 Creating New Mexico Jobs in the Recycling Industry . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 20 The Flea… More Than a Place to Get a Used Cowboy Hat. . .. . .. . .. . .. 21 From Green to Gold: Breakthrough Branding for Today’s Green Market . . 22 Dapwood Furniture: NMGCC’s Business Recycler of the Year. . .. . .. . .. 23 EVERYDAY GREEN: Culture and Sustainable Economies. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 24 Native American Advised Endowment Fund Provides Nonprofit Support. . .. 26 You Holler—We Haul It!. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 27 B Corp Legislation: A New Frontier in American Business . . .. . .. . .. . .. 29 Growth for The Sake of Growth . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 31 What’s Going On. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . 38

New Mexico’s Growing Sustainable Economy

Sustainability does not need to come at the sacrifice of economic prosperity.

magine a place with decent jobs for all, a collaborative ethos and an economy that fosters community improvement. Businesses provide living wages so that all employees can afford to live in the communities where they work. Commercial activities address their social and environmental impacts along with generating reasonable financial returns. New markets arise that improve resource efficiency, repurpose waste and remediate environmental degradation.

Despite New Mexico’s rich cultures and hard-working entrepreneurial people, our standard of living statistics often evoke the refrain, “Thank goodness for Mississippi.” Among many examples: for per-capita personal income and child welfare, our state ranks 49th. Social issues—crime, homelessness and domestic violence—originate from inequality. Yet NM has a deep sense of place and belonging, foundational elements for strong community that can be leveraged so that local people can help one another. Healthy, resilient communities begin at home—buying locally, investing in neighbors’ businesses and collaborating for win-wins. We can do better by taking what works elsewhere and applying it here, while embracing our culturally based local and regional initiatives. Clean, sustainable local economies that work for everyone foster prosperity. Living wages enable people to afford to live here and to buy more things and help local businesses. This virtuous circle, a rising tide, lifts all ships. The articles in this edition of Green Fire Times share good ideas, spotlight bright initiatives and local companies making a difference—from bioenergy to recycling, entrepreneurship to B Corps to cultural economies. There are also articles that detail policy initiatives and things every individual can do on a daily basis that make a difference. We have received such overwhelming response to our call for articles that we will carry over other aspects of the ‘Building a Sustainable Regional Economy’ theme into the April edition.

Seth Roffman, Editor Green Fire Times

Drew Tulchin, Guest Associate Editor Social Enterprise Associates

COVER: Top (l-r): Luke Spangenburg makes biofuel at SFCC’s Trades and Advanced Technology Center; micaceous pottery and retablos at Spanish Market; the Cathedral Basilica sits near a hotel construction project; Santa Fe Mayor David Coss speaks in support of renewable energy. • Photos by Seth Roffman

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.

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

NEWSBITEs ABQ-area Green Jobs for Hispanos Looks Bright

A press release from the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), one of the largest national Hispanic civil rights advocacy organizations, says that the future looks bright for Latinos in relation to filling roles in the burgeoning sustainable economy. “Green jobs are more than a passing fad; they are a reality with the potential to shape the 21st-century job market,” the release says. The NCLR’s new report, “Bright Green: Five Metropolitan Areas Where the Latino Workforce and the Green Economy Overlap,” looks at the Hispanic workforce in communities with “rapidly growing green economies.” Albuquerque is one of those mentioned as having the most potential for green jobs. The others are Knoxville, Tenn., McAllen-Edinburgh-Mission, Texas, Little Rock-North Little Rock, Ark., and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, Calif. The NCLR’s research comes from US Census and Brookings Institution data. It says that 87 percent of Hispanic workers would rather work with clean energy than fossil fuels, and suggests that it’s important to invest in education to prepare people for the growing number of sustainability-sector jobs. Beyond their environmental benefits, green jobs consistently tend to pay more than their traditional counterparts, a potential boon for many low-wage-earning Latinos. The nature of the industries varies by area. Some examples: recycling center collectors, office support positions for green-focused companies, regulators and efficient mass transport workers. New jobs are also being added in the solar-energy sector and in energy-efficient construction. As the US works toward economic recovery and “bright green” hotspots such as Albuquerque showcase these sorts of opportunities, the NCLR’s report suggests that the growth of green jobs reflect a welcome change by increasing earnings for vulnerable communities and that Latinos are ready to be part of the solution. To read the report, visit www.nclr.org

Workshops Offer Business Owners Hands-on Experience

SCORE, a nonprofit resource partner of the US Small Business Administration, in partnership with the city of Santa Fe’s Business Ombudsman’s Office, is offering three-hour interactive workshops for business owners to learn how to solve their specific issues and problems so they can build a successful business. “The intention is to improve our local economy one business at a time,” said Maryanne Mowen, workshop coordinator. The workshops are free and are being held at the Santa Fe Business Incubator. To register, call 505.424.1140 (option 1) or email scoreseminars@hotmail.com

The following workshops are scheduled:

March 5 & 12, 6–9 pm—“Schedule C: Record-Keeping and Preparation” This workshop will help small-business owners organize for 2012 taxes, and get a running start on 2013 taxes. March 9, 9 am–Noon—“Effective Use of Social Media to Promote Your Business”—Participants will leave with accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other sites, according to their business needs. March 16, 9 am–Noon—“Understanding Contracts” will help smallbusiness owners understand basic contracts. March 23, 9 am–Noon—“Cash Flow Management”—will help business owners understand the importance of good cash flow and how to achieve it. The basics of budgeting will be discussed and personalized for your business. April 13, 9 am- Noon—“Pitching Your Ideas Effectively to Grow Your Business”—Whether prospective author, innovator or entrepreneur, you will come away with tips for presenting your ideas effectively.

Green Fire Times • March 2013

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Economic Development

Incubator Spawns Business Diversity

Mary Ellen Merrigan

Each of these entrepreneurial ventures is located in the Santa Fe Business Incubator, SFBI. SFBI has housed and supported a wide variety of businesses during its 15-year history, from lifestyle and service businesses to companies developing advanced engineering materials and processes. According to Marie Longserre, SFBI president and CEO since its 1997 inception, diversification is only one ingredient of a successful incubator. “Helping client companies grow requires ongoing evaluation and then adding, removing or adapting services accordingly. First and foremost, SFBI is responsive. That’s why incubation works.” According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan and the National Business Incubation Association entitled Business Incubation Works, an amazing 87 percent of business-incubation graduates stay in business.

Program support key to success

The 30,000-square-foot SFBI facility is one of six certified business incubators in New Mexico. It offers far more than housing to client companies. Business support ranges from educational and training programs to business coaching and mentoring by staff and experienced volunteers, to

connections to sources of capital and old-fashioned networking with other entrepreneurs. “SFBI helps people achieve their dreams to start and grow a business and create jobs,” Longserre continued.

manSanta Since facil2012,

Client companies echo praise

Near Sea Naturals, a sustainable fabric company, emphasizes its triple-bottom-line of people, planet and profit. President Tara Bloyd commented: “Moving to the incubator was definitely the right choice for us. We could grow while still maintaining both our commitment to ecofriendliness and the personal touch that so defines who we are. People at SFBI went out of their way to ensure that our environmental standards were upheld; they also made it possible for us to work with business experts who introduced us to new ideas and concepts that helped us mature our business plan and better focus our goals.” Sigma Labs, Inc., a client company specializing in machining processes, welding and manufacturing processes, plans an expansion this spring. The company recently was awarded two US patents for technology currently in development. Mark J. Cola, president and CEO of Sigma Labs, Inc. acknowledged, “Helping small start-up businesses is important to America.”

SFBI at a glance

10,000-sq. -ft. facility launched in 1997 20,000 sq.-ft. expansion 2002 to 30,000 sq. ft. total Marie Longserre, President and CEO since inception Home to more than 100 companies over the 15-year period More than 1,000 new jobs created by client companies Since 1997 it is estimated SFBI clients had: • Gross revenues of $116M • Payroll of $50M • Investment into SFBI companies of more than $13M Currently home to 19 client organizations and three co-located partner organizations

SFBI BioScience Lab at a Glance

Remodel of 700-square-feet in SFBI’s E-wing Project Architect and Manager: Frank Kalinski of Frank Kalinski & Associates LLC

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end-of-life agement for Fe County. entering the ity in late

hat do a sustainable sewingnotions company, a manufacturing-process inspection company and a homecare medical- and serviceassistance company have in common?

One of the newest clients at SFBI, Nurses with Heart Home Care, said this: “SFBI helps to grow small businesses, which can then further assist and employ others in the community.” Nurses with Heart Home Care provides medical and home assistance services to all individuals, covering infant care to

Nurses with Heart Home Care has added three full-time and two parttime employees.

SFBI Expands Offerings

Thanks to a $1.25 million grant from the US Economic Development Administration, SFBI is now gearing up to offer even more diverse opportunities to Santa Fe and Northern NM. Construction is expected to be complete in early second quarter. “This is today’s technology, and it brings a new meaning to shared resources,” Longserre said. “Start-ups and small companies can Top (l-r): Marie Longserre, president & CEO SFBI; Pedro now use highly spe- Garza, regional director, US Economic Development cialized equipment Administration; Pablo Sedillo, Congressional Staff, Sen. Jeff Bingaman’s office; Hugh Hinojosa, chairman, SFBI without the capital board of directors; Center: Mark J. Cola, president & expense of owner- CEO Sigma Labs, Inc.; Bottom: An employee of Brycon ship.” Board member Construction explains plans to a welder during construcand advisory commit- tion on the Santa Fe Business Incubator BioLab. tee chair Alex Padilla segments. Longserre added: “We’ll added: “Commercialization of innovacontinue to diversify. Our job is to rective bioscience technologies will create ognize the trends and respond with new businesses and jobs in NM.” resources to grow client businesses and Conclusion: the economy of our community.” i Incubators typically respond positiveMary Ellen Merrigan of the Merrigan Group ly to new industry sectors. SFBI has adds visibility to client marketing. To discuss fielded programs and clients in energypractical and accountable action steps with related businesses, green business and her, call 505.280.9772 or email Maryellen@ merrigangroup.com software analytics, to name just a few

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

Focus on Entrepreneurship

reating a culture of entrepreneurship. Cultivating an entrepreneurial ecosystem. In a nutshell, that’s what we’re trying to do in the Economic Development Division at the city of Santa Fe. Those statements may sound lofty, wordy, have too many syllables, but sometimes that’s what is necessary to communicate big goals. In 2013 these goals are activated through programs that are touching real people in this community. Those real people are making those lofty goals become reality. The city’s focus on entrepreneurship has evolved over the past five years with the help of hundreds of members of this community. Taking the city’s economic development plan (the Angelou Plan 2004) to the next level, in 2008, the city council adopted an Implementation Strategy that targets five industries: media, technology, green, arts & culture, and knowledge.

Since then members of the business Business Ombudsman community have put their heads toServices gether countless times, including at The city of Santa Fe is actively the Mayor’s Forum on Job Creation, working to streamline licensing and the Business Roundtable, the Expermitting processes for businesses isting and Future Economy comthrough the Business Ombudsman mittees. Then there’s MIX Santa Fe, which was begun as a talent-retention effort more than three years ago. Now, entrepreneurship has taken a central place in MIX projects designed to create oppor tunities for the young at RE-Mike: Re-envisioning St. Michael’s Drive heart, the energetic, and the die-hard Office. The Business Ombudsman is innovators out there. also available for individual counseling (in both English and Spanish) on All of this, plus input from professionfinancing, incentives and other busials in our robust business development ness development tools. community, has flowed into the programs and projects of the city’s EcoMIX Santa Fe nomic Development Division in 2013. Through monthly events that showcase talent and local resources, MIX Below is a brief summary (and guide provides an avenue for personal conto the acronyms) of this year’s major tact and networking. MIX works to initiatives: develop ideas, businesses and projects with opportunities for promoThe Velocity Project tion, recognition and start-up funding Launched January, 2013, TVP is an through innovative web tools, social eight-week entrepreneurial accelmedia and micro-stimulus. erator that is putting a class of seven start-up companies through an intensive program to develop growth strategies. TVP participants learn from each other and from experienced entrepreneurs in order to produce a 100day tactical plan, learn how to deliver a powerful pitch and how to have a robust, evolving business plan. The companies will be presenting their progress and pitch to the community on Demo Day, scheduled for March 23 from 10 am to noon at The Screen.

Santa Fe Business Incubator

The longtime flagship program for business development and cornerstone of economic development efforts in Santa Fe is better than ever. A new biosciences lab is under construction, and the high-quality facilities and services for growing businesses continue.

Green Fire Times • March 2013

Kate Noble

(l-r) City Councilor Rebecca Wurzburger, Santa Fe Mayor David Coss and Kate Noble speak at the 2012 RE-Mike event.

youth in the community. The program has evolved to include a new option for entrepreneurial training and mentorship in order to provide young people with the opportunity to start their own business.

RE–Mike

In September, 2012, Santa Fe came together for a weekend festival that included music, art, pop-up businesses, discussions, a car show, and a wide variety of demonstration projects (e.g. solar power, urban gardening, transportation). The effort to reimagine central Santa Fe continues in 2013 through the work of DeVargas Middle School students, other committed community members and city staff. Real, intentional, communitybased revitalization is hard work, but many Santa Feans continue to see the importance of working to improve the St. Michael’s Drive area for the benefit of everyone here.

None of this work would be possible without our numerous partners: businesses, nonprofits, institutions and committed individuals. YouthWorks participants listen to Tobe Bott-Lyons at a new Like entrepreneurship, we know that economic housing project. development happens Santa Fe Youthworks because of passion, sweat, love and most of A contract is in the works for the all, community. Thank you Santa Fe. i Workforce Innovation Program Santa Fe native Kate Noble was named 2012 (WIP), an evolution of the successful Public Servant of the Year in by the statewide internship placement program run by economic development organization IDEA. YW for the past four years. The WIP She has worked in the city of Santa Fe’s Economic Development Division since 2008. will provide workforce development for Santa Fe by training disconnected

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The Velocity Project

Business Boot Camp – The Next Generation of Growth Yasine Armstrong

elcome to The Velocity Project, where in a short amount of time early-stage businesses can grow up fast. It’s an eight-week business development boot camp, or “accelerator,” in which a select group of entrepreneurs are making big progress. Hundreds of communities around the country are utilizing this new style of business development. It’s not a long, drawn-out process of drafting a business plan; it’s intense, it’s fast and furious, it’s hard, and it takes a real commitment. Entrepreneurs have to be willing to sweat, to do the intense work for those eight weeks; and like many fitness boot camps, after the hard work and dedication, participants will emerge transformed. Sponsored by the city of Santa Fe Economic Development Division, seven growing businesses have been selected to be the first class of The Velocity Project. They are analyzing their products and target markets, reading case studies and best practices, troubleshooting with mentors, working shopping ideas and learning from each other’s successes and failures. The participants are developing a 100-day tactical plan with action items to help them move forward faster. They are also refining a clear and concise pitch about their company. At the end of the eight weeks, each entrepreneur will present their company pitch to investors and the public during Demo Day on March 23, from 10am-noon at The Screen at the Santa University of Art

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and Design. The public is invited to attend and can visit www.thevelocityproject.com for more information on how to get tickets.

have 5-7 minutes to pitch their company to the audience and ask them to support Velocity Project workshops their business in some way.

The Velocity Project Experience This is a chance for the selected companies to concentrate efforts on learning from other entrepreneurs to accelerate the growth of their company. Every other week (total of four full days) the participants meet for intensive workshop days and a curriculum taught by other entrepreneurs. Topics include: building great teams, structuring your company, finding your brand, and developing a marketing plan. The companies have also been provided a list of books on entrepreneurship, and those topics are covered across the workshop days.

The Velocity Project Companies The Velocity Project received 22 applications from a broad range of companies. A selection committee comprised of local entrepreneurs interviewed the applicants and picked seven companies to participate in the pilot program. The seven companies include:

In the intervening weeks, entrepreneurs meet with a variety of The Velocity Project mentors and attend a brownbag lunch series to share their progress and receive additional feedback and guidance. Companies selected to participate in The Velocity Project must meet the following criteria: businesses have to be already established, they have to have a product or service, and each business has to demonstrate its impact on Santa Fe’s economy. The Velocity Project Demo Day Demo Day is a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to give their company pitch to family and friends, local investors, community members and elected officials. Each company will

PlanitMapper: Haj Khalsa and Jonathan Repa. PlanitMapper is an innovative website and mobile app focused on helping outdoors enthusiasts, travelers and tourists “find their next adventure.” P. Nutty & Co.: Brad Bealmear. P. Nutty & Co. manufactures and sells a roasted peanut and honey-based energy/nutrition bar. Reunity Resources: Te j i n d e r and Juliana Ciano, Trevor Ortiz. Reunity Resources is dedicated to Tejinder Chino the promotion and sale of local biodiesel fuel made from recycled cooking oil. Rain Vessels: Bob Kreger. RainVessels provides a unique solution for

rainwater and greywater catchment and storage (patent pending). Designs of Erika: Erika Eckerstrand. Designs of Erika designs and produces a full line of personal accessories and home decor items. Cowboy Up: Ezra and Sonia Leyba. Cowboy Up is a local, healthy beverage made of a sparkling cider with a kick (mind/body/energy supplement). Bacon-Richards, LLC: Dawn Bacon-Richards. Bacon-Richards is a high-end fashion design studio, and is teaching upcoming designers & artisans the skills necessary to succeed creatively. The Velocity Project is also sponsored by the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, Los Alamos National Bank, New Mexico Bank and Trust and Century Bank. To learn more about the program, visit www.thevelocityproject.com i Yasine Mogharreban Armstrong, director of The Velocity Project, is a founder of the MVM Group, a strategic consulting firm. Prior to that, she was an associate at Flywheel Ventures, an earlystage venture capital company.

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

Rules of Engagement

How to stop building your business in a vacuum and become a part of the community Zane Fischer

ere at Anagram—a Santa Fe-based design- and development studio— we’re still a new kid on the business block. We opened our doors on April Fool’s Day in 2011. But our three partners have about 50 years of combined time in Santa Fe, and our respective, personal community roots run deep. We knew there would be challenges to operating a contemporary design firm in New Mexico, especially one with an emphasis on the kind of web development and technology that hasn’t yet filtered into the consciousness of potential clients in our laid-back region. We also knew there was nowhere else we’d rather be. One of our core beliefs is in the massive potential for smart, sustainable, economic growth and innovation in Santa Fe. We may not have the urban density or the university population that gives some cities a built-in edge, but the talent pool is here and it’s growing every year. Here’s our take on how to be a proactive part of NM’s quiet economic revolution.

Get over the competition

Stop thinking there’s a limited client pool for your specific service or product and start working with your “competition” to educate people about what you do. Are there a lot of clients in Santa Fe clamoring to pay fair prices for good, thoughtful design and expert, cutting-edge websites?

No. Are there a lot of clients in Santa Fe who would benefit from paying fair prices for this? Yes. The local pool of potential clients for us undervalues the kind of work we do. But that’s not their fault—the onus is on us to demonstrate that value. And the best way to do that is to grow and make visible everyone in the trade. We want our competitors to survive and thrive. We want our interns and contract workers to open their own businesses. We can all fight over a slice or we can bake whole pies together.

If we’re charging fair rates, we can afford to donate a bit of time and attention back to the community now and then.

Pay a fair wage

If you want to make a fair wage, you should be willing to pay a fair wage. Financial success that comes on the backs of others isn’t sustainable and, in our view, isn’t success. Santa Fe’s controversial Living Wage ordinance has been in the news again lately because some franchise businesses say they won’t operate here due to prohibitive costs. But the Living Wage, progressive though it may be, is still only survival-level pay. It isn’t an amount that enables daycare or private school or vaca-

tions or retirement savings. If you can’t afford to pay a fair wage—the kind of wage that actually allows your employees and contractors to get ahead in the world— then your business plan doesn’t work in a healthy economy. It’s that simple. By the way, it’s time to get off the free-intern bus. Interns should at least be paid an honorarium.

But you’ve got to be proactive about developing that community. Find an effective professional association and join it. Or take advantage of local networking activities. Anagram works closely with MIX Santa Fe (mixsantafe.com). I’m one of the organizers of the monthly events— and the relationships that have blossomed there are tremendously rewarding.

Charge a fair rate

Get involved

In order to pay fair wages, you’ve got to charge fair rates. Quit contributing to the undervaluing of your work and ask for what you’re worth. We’re culturally accustomed to paying too little in this country because the real costs of stuff like energy, gasoline and food are hidden from us. But that has to change to have a sustainable economy, and it has to start locally. Say “no” next time you’re tempted to compromise on your worth. And if you’re contracting services or buying products in your community, remember how important it is to understand the value of what you’re purchasing and budget accordingly.

Professional peers don’t just happen

In order to improve your product and emphasize your value, you’ve got to have a good peer group. It’s important to connect with people who understand the challenges you’re facing and are excited about innovating in similar directions.

Last year Anagram did both paid contract work and pro-bono work on the RE:MIKE project to consider the future of St. Michael’s Drive. Working with dozens of businesses, organizations, artists and hundreds of community members in an exercise geared toward a better future for Santa Feans really helped to put passion and purpose at the forefront of our work. It was a reminder that when passion and purpose are pushed to side in the name of chasing a buck, quality and morale suffer. If we’re charging fair rates, we can afford to donate a bit of time and attention back to the community now and then. Find a way to make a difference for a good cause; it doesn’t take much to engage. i Zane Fischer, professional culture reporter and social critic, is project manager for Anagram, an evolving entrepreneurial enterprise dedicated to effective design, disruptive thinking, creative iteration and unorthodox solutions. Contact: zane@anagr.am

Powering New Mexico’s Economy with Peer Pressure Tim Nisly

n 1964 a Harvard professor named Robert Rosenthal did a classroom experiment in San Francisco. His goal was to find out how children’s performance was tied to the expectations of their teachers, and to do this he took a standard IQ test, dressed it as a fancy new brain examination tool and gave it to the students. He then told the teachers the test had a very special ability to predict significant intellectual advancement and randomly chose about 20 percent of the students to “bloom.” As their teachers expected, at the end of the school year the randomly selected bloomers did outperform their classmates. Since 2007, I’ve had the good fortune to work at the South Valley Economic Development Center and watch the community kitchen there expand dramatically. In 2007, we had eight food entrepreneurs using the kitchen; today we have a community of over 60, with twice as many working to get their products ready to begin cooking there.

Green Fire Times • March 2013

That word “community” is key. In large part, we attribute the growth of this community of entrepreneurs to peer pressure and support. Immediately obvious is peer support: clients share buyer networks; they share employees before they can hire folks full-time: they share design services and distribution networks. They help each other succeed in a very tangible way. Less obvious, but perhaps even more importantly, the community kitchen in the South Valley has proven that a grandma with a great recipe and supportive family can sell her chile sauce statewide. It’s not some distant feelgood CNN story—it happens here, and time and time again, the other folks see that happening and get inspired. To bring this idea home, how might your life have been different if your next-door neighbor had built a successful tortilla-, salsa- or catering company when you were a child? Would your mom have been more likely to take her trademark family recipe to market? continued on page 11

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TEDxABQ

The nonprofit that helped start the South Valley Kitchen is also the parent nonprofit for the TEDxABQ movement in Albuquerque. Entirely volunteer-driven, TEDxABQ spends months looking for people who have broken the mold and done something remarkable, and then helps them hone their story to a short, powerful talk. TEDxABQ then has a day where those 15–20 speakers tell their story from the stage to an audience that started at 200 people back in 2009 and will reach over 2,500 local attendees in 2013. Just like the community of entrepreneurs in the kitchen, the TEDxABQ community highlights the stories of people who have made it big—people whose lives consist of more than just working eight hours a day and then going home and watching TV, people who make the extra effort, work the nights and the weekends, to create something bigger then themselves. There’s been a lot of talk recently about New Mexico’s government-dependent culture, and with over 20 percent of our jobs dependent on federal government services (before healthcare and local government), that is a problem. The expectations from peers and support staff in the community kitchen, and the expectations at a TEDxABQ conference are not to put in your 20 years, get a gold watch, and be the status quo—we expect each other to dream big and then turn those dreams into a reality. At the South Valley community kitchen, those dreams are realized with increasing numbers of friends and neighbors of entrepreneurs getting excited about their family recipes and taking the leap themselves, and that’s proven with real job-creation numbers. At TEDxABQ the evidence is more anecdotal but equally powerful. We hear about curricula being developed in Washington State using TEDxABQ ideas, the new collaborations between healthcare and local farmers, new building designs that come out of architectural TEDxABQ talks, and other exciting things being built out of the inspiration that comes from seeing the best of our entrepreneurs on stage. As a society, we need to expect more of ourselves and each other. By supporting the communities and events that highlight successful individuals and

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organizations, we can change our expectations and create an entrepreneurial culture. Together we can be the change that will power New Mexico’s economy in this new century. i Tim Nisly, founder of TEDxABQ, is chief operations officer at the Río Grande Community Development Corporation. TimN@RGCDC.org, www.tedxabq.com, www.rgcdc.org

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

Santa Fe

Transmissions Family Owned and Operated

Santa Fe Transmissions rebuilds transmissions with a 12 month / 12,000 mile warranty starting at $900.00. This includes R/R of transmission, new parts, torque convertor, gasket, filter and fluids.

Call 505-474-3232 for a quote 12

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ March 2013

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Renewable Energy

New Mexico’s Clean Energy Economy Today

By the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce and the Partnership for Responsible Business

Private Sector Green Jobs by Core Area

Green Jobs are Supporting New Mexico’s Families

New Mexico has 35,800 private sector jobs. According to the state of New Mexico, 5.9 percent of private sector employment is in energy efficiency, clean manufacturing, renewable-energy research and development. Workers in green occupations made on average $22 an hour, versus a $19-an-hour average for all occupations in New Mexico.

New Mexico Leads the Nation in Renewable-Energy Potential

According to the Western Governors’ Association, New Mexico has over 27,000 megawatts of solar-wind-and geothermal energy potential—higher than any other state. New Mexico can continue to export energy to other states and create thousands of jobs for our citizens.

Renewable Energy Is Competitively Priced

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory projects that solar energy will be costcompetitive with traditional energy in New Mexico in less than four years. Wind energy and biofuels are cost-competitive today. And the smart-grid technologies that allow us to harness these resources exist today.

The Green Economy Is Growing Fast

Green jobs in New Mexico grew 50 percent in a 10-year period. This is 25 times the growth of jobs in the same overall economy, which grew at 2 percent over the same timeframe.

Green Jobs Are Being Created in Rural and Urban Areas

Green jobs are growing in every corner of the state. Solar- and wind-energy projects are locating on ranches, while new transmission projects are under development across the state. In 2009 there were approximately:

• 21,500 green jobs in Central New Mexico • 8,300 green jobs in Northern New Mexico • 3,400 green jobs in Eastern New Mexico • 2,200 green jobs in Southwestern New Mexico

Protect New Mexico’s Renewable Energy Standard

The state of New Mexico has set targets for minimum renewable energy usage by public utilities: 10 percent by 2011, 15 percents by 2015, 20 percent by 2020. Utilities must meet those targets and should do so in an open and transparent way.

Keep New Mexico’s Incentives to Attract New Companies and Grow Local Businesses

New Mexico must not roll back incentives to expand homegrown solar-, wind-, biofuels-, geothermal-, biomass- and clean-tech businesses. These incentives have helped attract new businesses such as Schott Solar, CFV and Gestamp Solar, and have helped homegrown New Mexico companies like Emcore, Positive Energy Solar, PPC Solar, Q S & V Solar, Sapphire and SolLunaSolar to grow.

Speak Up, Speak Out, Get Involved

If you want to make your voice heard in support of moving New Mexico toward a clean economy, contact:

New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce

The New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce is a non-partisan association with over 1,200 business members dedicated to advocating on behalf of clean energy, seizing the green-business advantage, and supporting local economies. 505.859.3433, info@nmgreenchamber.com, www.nmgreenchamber.com

New Mexico’s Partnership for Responsible Business

The Partnership for Responsible Business is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating business and community leaders about opportunities for fostering responsible entrepreneurship. 505.819.3772

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March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

The Promise of Bioenergy Development

“W

e’re all scared,” said Paul Ehrlich, president of the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford University. “But we must tell the truth about what’s happening and challenge people to do something to prevent it,” Ehrlich recently told Inter Press News Service. As global populations increase and the Earth’s resources diminish, we are facing increasing pressures to find sustainable ways to meet our energy needs. Drilling deeper, converting tar sands or fracking deep underground deposits for fuels are band-aid solutions that often irrevocably damage ecosystems. Using sunlight to grow biomass for energy and food production is a viable alternative if we are careful not to exhaust other vital resources such as potable water or valuable nutrients during production. While there is no one silver bullet solution, algae is currently the best candidate for meeting our global energy demands. In addition to algae’s ability to sequester carbon and remediate wastewater, it can be produced using non-potable water sources that are not suitable for other agricultural applications. Also, employing co-generation strategies at dairies and municipal wastewater facilities makes good economic and environmental sense today. Algae has the potential to bridge us to a renewable-energy economy and is already being used to make oils, fuels, plastics, vaccines, nutraceuticals and healthy animal- and fish-food supplies. Algae can even be combusted to produce an energy output similar to coal.

New Mexico has seen its statewide algae industry expand in the past two years. Sapphire Energy, the largest algae-to-fuel company in North America, located in Las Cruces and Columbus, NM, is focused on creating fuels from brackish water. Eldorado Biofuels is successfully growing algae in produced or contaminated water generated by the oil and gas industry in Jal. Elixir Biotech, located in Engle, near Spaceport America, will be producing nutritional products and fuels from biochemical feedstocks. Joule Unlimited’s initial project goal in Hobbs is also to produce fuels. There are other NM bioenergy projects in the development stages. Given all of this bio-energy innovation, NM is positioned to become a global leader in the algae industry. My company, New Solutions Energy Corporation (NSE), is another exciting venture. NSE has developed one of the first commercially available allweather photo-bioreactors, suitable for growing algae in a wide variety of climates. In addition, NSE is committed to creating green jobs. In collaboration with the Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), NSE has consulted on classes in algae production and building pilot-scale algae systems for training. SFCC has served as an excellent platform for NSE to develop relationships with academia and the algae industry. I am the lead algae instructor at SFCC, co-directing The Biofuels Center of Excellence Program to develop and deliver biofuels trainings throughout the state. The program is supported by the New Mexico De-

partment of Workforce Solutions and offers trainings in Algae, Biodiesel, Biomass Energy and Ethanol to participants from NM and across the country. The program has received inquiries from international students as well. Programs such as this are critical to educating and training the public about the importance of bioenergy development and commercial deployment. The algae development and applied research community is another rapidly expanding network in NM. Los Alamos National Lab, Sandia National Lab, New Mexico State University, University of New Mexico and SFCC are all working on initiatives to stimulate and foster commercial bioenergy production. The New Mexico Consortium is preparing to open the new Entrada Park in Los Alamos, whose mission is to optimize the cultivation of algae and plants for energy as well as for food. Spearheaded by the dedicated and respected scientist, Richard Sayre, this project is an excellent example of the scientific community joining together with the education community to create one of the nation’s top algae research hubs. Collaborations such as these will lead to a more rapid deployment of practical solutions to today’s energy crises.

Luke Spangenburg

Strains of algae being grown at Santa Fe Community College’s research lab

tered the challenges we currently face on this planet, it is easy to feel frightened and overwhelmed. Yet if we are going to successfully confront the crisis, we must focus on the solutions and actions required. For each piece of bad news we hear about climate change, there is a story of inspiration about people working on viable solutions. In NM our innovative individuals and institutions are leading the charge when it comes to algae production for renewable energy and food security. At the state and national level, Sen. Tom Udall is providing critical support for some of the aforementioned projects and collaboratives. The NSE team is excited about the vision, hard work and dedication of the entire biomass energy community. Together we are making great strides towards creating a viable pathway to a sustainable future. i

Given that humans have never encoun-

Luke Spangenburg is the president of New Solutions Energ y Cor poration. 505.795.2081, luke@ newsolutionsenerg y. c o m , w w w . newsolutionsenergy.com

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Green Fire Times • March 2013

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March 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ GreenFireTimes

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ March 2013

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The Local Voice

Be a Localist, Sustain Your Place

n a recent Monday morning over coffee with a local artisan/ entrepreneur, we got on the subject of Wendell Berry. I credit the poet Wendell Berry as the guru of the local economy movement, a man whose poems and essays are not only useful for direct quotes on farming, community and economies in grant applications, but also as meditations to start my day. Berry’s very comments on the local economy movement, place-based economies and the love of community are the fuel in my gas tank. But on this particular day, my work of deep localism to inspire business owners, government leaders and organizations to dig down to the root of their communities to find the meaning in their local economy touched a nerve with my friend. I was accused of being an “optimist.” G A S P. (I gasp in mock Author Wendell Berry exasperation at this notion quite often.) Yes, I am an optimist. In these days of great change (you know you felt it too in the waning days of 2012) we must take action, in our own lives, our work, in the world, in whatever we do. If you don’t, who’s going to do it for you? You never know where the idea will come from to start over, start new, restart. Take action. Be the Change. Insert whatever mantra you need to get yourself motivated to make the world a better place for all of us. It is Berry’s very message and the message I gave to my friend who was overwhelmed by the idea that doing anything would do any good. I’m a Localist. Localists take action. See if you can be one, too, with a couple of simple changes in your life, in your community, in your work, in your business, in the places you visit, in the place you love to live:

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Move Your Money—Go. To your nearest credit union or community bank. Now. On-shore your products wn a manufacturing business? BringO ing the jobs back home is the new American way. Don’t own a business? Support one that practices on-shoring. Buy Local —That means more than you think. Food, clothes, whatever you can, although socks and underwear are not easy, I get it. See On-shoring. Grow Local, Eat Local Grow it yourself, pick it yourself, start a community garden, frequent the restaurants that support local producers, shop at farmers’ markets, go out of your way to support a local food producer. Ask for locally made products you love at locally owned places you shop. The more you demand, the more power you have as a consumer. And know that you are helping to change the world, one tomato at a time. Support your community Volunteer, give back. It’s worth more than a dollar in your pocket and double that to the organization you show up for. Go Green—Go beyond buying local. Being green can also be a way to be local. Buying close to home helps reduce your carbon footprint, but what about the products you are buying? How green are they? Where are they produced? How far did they have to travel to get to your own organic kitchen? Stop. Think. Go green. Be local. Renewables = New Economy Fuel your car with biofuels, support businesses that power up with solar. Because climate change is for real, and if you don’t believe me, go see the documentary Chasing Ice. It will blow your mind.

Vicki Pozzebon

Vicki Pozzebon encourages local food aficionados at a “Cook with the Chef” competition at the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market

Start Now—Are you thinking about a business/project/program/ organization, but something keeps stopping you? What is it? Get over it. Share your idea and ask for feedback. You won’t know unless you go, someone very wise once said to me. Just start. Maybe it takes you nowhere, maybe it takes you somewhere. Start with an idea, get creative, dance to your favorite song, write to your favorite music. Shake it out. Step it up and go.

Get yourself motivated to make the world a better place for all of us.

Be A Localist — Visit www. bealocalist.org and spread the word about why you are a Localist. Tell someone the importance of a dollar in your community and why you support Local First. I’ll leave you with a quote for inspiration to become a Localist: “We must proceed with a clear-eyed awareness of the social, political, and

economic context in which we live and practice. Once we awaken to where we are, we must take the responsibility to transform that world into a matrix of opportunity for wisdom and compassion, not just for ourselves but for all others.” - David Patt, “Who’s Zoomin’ Who? The Commodification of Buddhism in the American Marketplace” And this, a stanza from a poem by the great Wendell Berry from his book Leavings: Hope then to belong to your place by your own knowledge Of what it is that no other place is, and by Your caring for it as you care for no other place, this Place that you belong to though it is not yours, For it was from the beginning and will be to the end. Vicki Pozzebon is the owner/principal of Prospera Partners, a consulting group practicing bold localism. Visit www. prosperapartners.org. Follow her on Twitter: @VickiPozzebon

Think it through and think Local First—Think: where can I get it? Do I really need it if I can’t get it locally? Can I ask a local business owner to get it for me so I won’t have to go online? Ask yourself what you are doing to help your neighbor’s business stay in business. And grow. Because local business is the beating heart and soul of our communities.

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

The Greenest Home is a Remodeled Home

Santa Fe Home Show • March 9-10 • Santa Fe Community Convention Center Kim Shanahan

The Remodelers Showcase, an annual component of the Santa Fe Home Show, is a great way to see what professional remodelers can do to turn old, dilapidated energy hogs into sparkling new spaces that will give their owners a lifetime of improved comfort and energy efficiency. The showcase is presented in a portfolio format with before and after pictures and detailed descriptions of goals, obstacles and solutions for the project. The portfolios are judged by a panel of architects, builders, remodelers and building science professionals. Entrants choose remodeling categories in kitchens, baths, whole-house remodels, historic renovation and additions. Entries judged worthy of merit will be recognized with Excellence in Remodeling Awards at the show on Sunday, March 10 at 1 pm. In Santa Fe, because of strict Historical District guidelines, tearing down a home, even if common sense says it is too far gone to fix, is often not an option. Three courageous Santa Fe Area Home Builder Association members, along with homeowners with tremendous faith, took on the often-scary task of renovating old Santa Fe adobe homes.

Bill Deuschle and Chuck Caswell, the partners of Fabu-wall-ous Solutions, LLC, have made a career of historic renovations. Although they started renovating historic structures back East, their 10 years in Santa Fe have given them an entirely new genre of expertise in historic adobe renovations. Their project off Garcia Street was about as challenging as one could imagine. The old adobe home was literally falling apart, even though it had been cosmetically remodeled just a few years earlier.

home by adding insulation to walls and ceilings that had none, installing a passive radon control system, and increasing the efficiency of the underfloor ducted heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system. Another challenging project, undertaken by Lloyd Martínez of Edificio Builders, Ltd, was built in 1929 by the famous aviatrix Katherine Stinson-Otero, a friend and student of John Gaw Meem. As is often the case with historic adobes, the ceilings were very low compared to modern standards. But because one of the first rules in the Historic District is that roof heights cannot be raised, a challenge was encountered. Lloyd and his crew solved that by digging out the existing floor by two feet, and pouring a new floor with radiant heat.

allows for PEX tubing to be installed in grooves in aluminum-coated sheets of plywood subflooring. It means a radiant floor system can be installed on a joisted floor without needing to pour lightweight concrete. That was especially important in this case since the homeowners wanted a mesquite wood floor, which can easily be applied over the Warm Board. Danny Buck, of Daniel Buck Construction, also ran into the low-ceiling issue when he took on the remodel of a foreclosed and abandoned adobe home in the Historic District. Fortunately for his homeowner, they were able to raise the ceiling without raising the roof. While that may sound impossible, Danny encountered a situation that is not uncommon in Santa Fe—a dropped ceiling of drywall to cover up beams and vigas. While that seems ludicrous to us today, drywall was once considered “modern,” and folks thought they were improving their homes by covering up those oldfashioned-looking logs. Danny was able to spray foam between the exposed beams for half of their 12-inch depth to create a super energy-efficient roof while keeping the beautiful beams exposed. Danny also tore out all existing electrical, plumbing and heating systems and replaced them with new energyefficient ones. He was also allowed to replace windows with energy-efficient replicas of the originals.

Renovation by Danny Buck Construction

A rubble foundation was barely holding up the walls, and in some areas there was no foundation at all—just adobes on dirt! Massive excavation was necessary, while shoring up the existing walls, parapets and roof structure that stayed in place until the new foundation was installed. Great care was taken to dig up mature landscaping to be saved for replanting after work was completed.

Another area of fanatical oversight by the Historic Design Review Board is windows. If the old ones are “noncontributing” aluminum sliders, they can be replaced with windows that have an older look, but if the home has old “historic” windows, as did the Stinson-Otero house, then they have to be restored. Lloyd spent a good deal of time and effort to seal all cracks, rebuild frames and re-glaze panes.

Bill and Chuck, a trustee of the SFAHBA Green Building Council, also took great pains to improve the overall efficiency and comfort of the

They also took out the old boiler, which supplied steam heat to second-floor radiators, and installed a very modern product called “Warm Board,” which

Green Fire Times • March 2013

The portfolios of these fine builders, along with those of Bruno Lindner, The Home Construction Doctor; Bruce Wollens, Wollens Quality Homes; Douglas Maahs, D. Maahs Construction; and Will Prull, Prull Custom Builders, will be available for all to review at the 23rd annual Santa Fe Home Show. i Kim Shanahan is the executive officer of the Santa Fe Home Builders Association. www. sfahba.com

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t has been said that the greenest, most energy-efficient home is the one that never gets built—no new home, no new energy usage. Santa Fe area remodelers, however, take that notion one step further and say the greenest home is one that is remodeled to extend its functional life and improve existing energy efficiency.

On Paseo de Peralta (next to Kakawa Chocolates)

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March 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ GreenFireTimes

Creating NM Jobs

in the

English Bird

any people associate recycling as something that is good for the environment. But not many realize the number of jobs created and what a significant economic driver the recycling industry plays in our state and country. In fact, nationally the recycling industry represents more jobs than the car-manufacturing industry. A general rule of thumb is that for every landfill job there could be 10 recycling jobs for that same amount of material handled. The recycling industry is a $236-billion industry compared to the $45-billion waste industry. A new report released by the New Mexico Recycling Coalition (NMRC) details the estimated number of jobs in the recycling industry and predicts how many jobs could be gained through increased recycling activities. It is estimated that close to 5,000 new direct, indirect and induced jobs will be created in NM when the state’s recycling rate reaches 34 percent. With recent investments and commitments made in both rural and urban areas, NM is poised to meet this goal. Recycling activity is measured by the New Mexico Environment Department’s Solid Waste Bureau, which calculates the state’s 2011 recycling rate at 21 percent of the municipal solid waste stream. That rate has witnessed a 16-percent average annual increase over the previous five years. If this trend continues, reaching the national average of 34 percent could be attained by 2015. Jobs in recycling are created in four different sectors: collection, process-

ing, manufacturing and reuse. First, the material must be collected. Then the material is processed at a facility for sale © Tim Gray to the endmarkets. The material then becomes part of the manufacturing sector, becoming a new product made from recycled-content material. The fourth sector is the reuse industry. The majority of jobs in the collection and reuse sectors remain in state. Jobs in the processing sector occur both in-state and out-of-state, and currently the manufacturing primarily takes place out-ofstate and even out-of-country. Not only does job creation ring positive bells for local and state leaders, but developing more end-markets in our state will create a higher demand for the material. For example, if a small-scale recycled glass tile business opens up in Las Cruces, that business will then have created not only jobs and tax revenues; it will also create a stronger demand for that material to be collected and recycled locally. We see this already with aluminum cans. Many civic or youth groups collect cans to sell as a fundraiser. That particular material has established a strong market because the demand for aluminum is relatively constant. Most aluminum cans are recycled within a month right back into aluminum cans.

Green Fire Times • March 2013

Recycling Industry

A tour of the Rainbow Recycling processing facility in Carlsbad, NM; ground glass and aluminum at the BURRT facility in Santa Fe; computer boards: NM has two full-scale electronics recycling companies: Albuquerque Recycling, Inc. and Enchantment Recycling

currently has three communities with Pay-As-You-Throw models in place. The report uses established recycling industry job calculator formulas based on the amount of material generated in our state. It advocates for the use of solid-waste rate structures using a model called Pay-As-You-Throw and solid-waste bans in order to increase recycling participation and reduce solid-waste creation. The rate structure adapts solid-waste management fees so they function like electricity or utility billing—you pay for what you use, or in this case, for what you throw away. Many of the more than 7,000 US communities that have adopted the Pay-As-You-Throw rate structure across the country have seen a 45-percent decrease in their overall solid-waste generation, with significant leaps in recycling tonnage. NM

The report was conducted as part of NMRC’s multi-tiered Rural Recycling Development project, funded by a Department of Energy grant. The report sheds light on the value of recycling activity as an economic driver and provides case studies of how communities can reach higher recycling rates. It also describes small-scale economic development niche business models suitable for NM. To view the report, visit www.recycl newmexico.com. Go to the NM Recycling Directory to find out what and where to recycle in your community. i English Bird is executive director of the New Mexico Recycling Coalition.

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Recycling

The Flea . . . more than a place to get a gently used cowboy hat

Walt Borton

couple weeks ago, walking the aisles of The Flea at El Museo—the indoor flea market I launched on the Santa Fe Railyard in 2009—one of our 90 vendors steered a customer to me who asked, “Why is it called a “flea market?” The question sent me to Google. I not only found an answer (the market north of Paris, which is a few hundred years old, has long been called marché aux puces, Market of the Fleas), but quite a bit more.

And those vendors comprise less than half our market. The capacity of a community market to make retail real estate affordable and provide what is essentially co-op advertising and promotion possible, while encouraging individual businesspeople to take full advantage of their own look, their merchandising and the power of their personalities, provides important stimulus to our local economy and to its “part-time” entrepreneurs.

On the website for the oldest flea market in New Hampshire, The Hollis Flea Market, appears the following:

It was one of those “I-knew-that- but-Ididn’t-quite-get-it-before” moments.

Some of them have “day jobs” and are supplementing incomes. Some are collectors downsizing collections built over a lifetime, or collectors just starting or building collections. Some are traditional “pickers” on the multi-level “food chain” that comprises commerce in antiques, crafts, fine art and re-purposed or recycled goods. And some are just there for the fun of it—the thrill of the chase, the stimulation of bargaining, the satisfaction of making a “great screaming deal.”

In 15 years doing promotion and marketing for antiques shows around the country, I had tried, to no avail, to convince my show-producer clients to promote antiques as “ultimate recycling.”

Finally, the why-is-it-a-“flea-market” quest reminded me that The Flea is the continuation of a millennia-old tradition of community markets. The Hollis Flea Market website history page says:

Flea Markets are the incubators and breeding grounds of entrepreneurs ...the only opportunity available for a person to start a business without a large layout of capital and long-term commitments.

In July of 2009, at the suggestion of a real estate developer, my then-business partner Sarah Cook and I launched a small Saturday-only market on the Oshara Village plaza on Richards Avenue. We started talking about recycling and promoting sustainability, hoping to attract more young people and encourage them to decorate and dress from the market, Four views of vendor booths at The Flea at El Museo, the indoor winter weekly preequip their kitchens and shop for gifts. sentation of ‘Trader Walt’s Flea Market’ featuring antiques, crafts, art and the staple

Albert LaFarge, author of US Flea Market Directory, says, “Today’s American flea market is a modern version of a phenomenon that has endured throughout history in all civilized societies—wherever there is a high concentration of people, there will be market days when they assemble for the exchange of goods and services.”

Visiting Santa Fe in the 1990’s I was delighted to discover Trader Jack’s Flea Marof all flea markets …great stuff. Photos: Anna C. Hansen, Norma Plemons, Stacy Wahlquist ket, because it was so much like the amazNow, with my own enterprises, The Flea ing markets of Paris, London, Florence, Naples, Madrid, New York City, Boston’s at El Museo in the winter and The Flea at the Downs in the summer, I’ve tried North End and Istanbul. And Jack’s market not only proffered an astonishing variety to assure that both markets contribute to Santa Fe’s economic sustainability, not of great stuff; like every important market in the world, it was a gathering place for an just through recycling and repurposing all manner of objects, but by providing a entire community interested in art, craft, design, décor and deal-making. local sales outlet for community artists and craftspeople. The Google foray to re-discover the origin of “flea market” spotlighted two other important roles played by The Flea. First, both winter and summer markets provide entrepreneurs with unique business development opportunities. At least four former Flea vendors have, in recent months, used The Flea as a launching pad to open new shops in downtown Santa Fe. Of our current long-term vendors, more than 10 have shops or galleries in other locations, and use The Flea to grow and promote their enterprises without investing in full-blown expansions. For about a dozen current vendors, The Flea has made possible their transition to a new, less-demanding and potentially more profitable retail activity.

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Today, having completed three summers on The Downs and four winters on the Railyard at El Museo, The Flea is increasingly the sort of community meeting place and social marketplace it was in the days of Trader Jack. And now that Jack Daniel, the originator of that moniker, is no longer with us on this earthly sphere, I am comfortable enough with how we honor his market in our 21st century version of it, to take some pride in calling the Flea, “Trader Walt’s.” i “Trader” Walt Borton has been a university administrator, broadcasting and publishing executive, and management and PR/ marketing consultant specializing in communications. Contact: 505 982 2671; email: sfflea@waltborton.com

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

From Green to Gold

Breakthrough Branding for Today’s Green Market Carolyn Parrs

t was Super Bowl Sunday 2004 when Sesame Street’s beloved Kermit the frog declared “It’s Easy Being Green” in a TV commercial for Ford’s new hybrid, the Escape. Life was good, and green was growing at super speed. You couldn’t pick up a magazine or browse a bookstore without seeing a marketing message such as “Go Green in Five Easy Steps.” Then it happened: the 2008 economic nosedive. I remember seeing the fear in faces of the green business owners at a conference in San Francisco. Would green go south? Or was Advertising Age right when it said green business “defies the economic downturn?”

ing to pay a premium for green products and are more forgiving when it comes to efficacy. Medium Greens (33 percent) embrace environmentalism, but more slowly. They are practical and like to see the results of what they do, so are more likely to buy green products that make sense in the long run. Light Greens (16 percent) are generally unconcerned about environmental issues. They have a wait and see attitude and will only buy green products if they are economically equal, or better yet, less than conventional products and services. After all, shouldn’t green cost less if you are using fewer ingredients/supplies/parts?

Sorry to say that Ad Age was a bit too optimistic. Our industry did take a hit. However, smart green marketers that were savvy to the motivations of their customers shifted their marketing messages from saving the planet to saving the people. Joel Makower of GreenBiz.com called the shift “Me first, planet later.” Boy, did that create a rift in the green biz community. The truth is, if you want to “greenstream” your product or service, you need to go beyond the choir and bring your message from the planetary to the personal. That means, if you want to reach mainstream America, you need to dig deep into their real motivations for going green. And it’s rarely about saving the polar bears.

Know Your Tribe

Before developing your marketing strategy, first you have to know to whom you are selling. What’s your target market and what are their values and motivations? This may seem like a duh, but I can’t tell you how often I see misplaced marketing messages. So let’s start here… The consumer base is made up of what I call Shades of Green. Deep Greens (19 percent of US population) are the most environmentally active segment of the market. They are the most will-

Knowing your target market will go a long way in understanding how to craft meaningful messages to reach them. It is important to ask, “Who are you really talking to? How much do they know? What’s important to them?” Positive Energy Solar, a leading solar installer in New Mexico, did their branding homework and found that there remains a perception amongst NM consumers that solar is too expensive and too complicated to be easily implemented. In spite of their new, highly competitive financing options, this perception of a price-barrier lingered amongst potential clients. With a segmented market serving five very distinct geographic locations—Santa Fe, Taos, Los Alamos, Albuquerque and Las Cruces— we knew the ad campaign and media strategy would need to be diverse, but also highly focused. We cut to the

Green Fire Times • March 2013

heart of the matter with the branding campaign and tag line: “It Pays to be Positive” and created a series of print advertisements and digital communications such as “See the Light!” and “Get the Sun Without the Burn.”

Reframe Your Message

My cardinal rule for all green marketing is to bring your message down to earth. It is imperative to make your messages relevant to the lives of your potential customers. Most consumers require a mix of the three Es of Green: Ecology, Economy and Efficacy in order to make a green purchase. Gone are the days where green is a significant differentiator in the marketplace. Your product or service can’t just be green. It has to be great. That means it’s got to work as well or better than a conventional product. And if it’s competitively priced, all the better. So it is important to ask: “Where does my product/service land on this landscape?”

Growstone, an Albuquerque company, developed a breakthrough horticulture product, and their story couldn’t be better. They take the discarded glass from landfills (beer bottles, wine bottles, soda bottles, you name it), crush it, mill it and bake it into “sheets” that look like brownies. Then they break the sheets into small “stones” in various sizes. These highly porous particles become Growstones. They are 100 percent recycled and American made. What’s more, the company uses no water in the production of their product and Growstones help prevent the destructive strip-mining that is commonly practiced by their competition. How’s that for an environmental story? Well, all of that is well and good, but for growers, if the growing medium

doesn’t work, who cares? We learned this firsthand by interviewing hydroponic retail storeowners. It was no surprise that product performance was Number One – but right behind that was the fact that Growstones are made from recycled glass. That combination, ecology and efficacy (roots love Growstones), made the product a winner and inspired us to create a testimonial campaign using the very words of the growers. In one year, Growstones sales increased over 400 percent, their Facebook page exceed 10,000 fans, and today they are a major player in the growing hydroponic and gardening market.

Go Beyond the Choir

Ten years ago, a Roper Green Gauge study found that 51 percent of Americans would “go green” if they only knew how. Sadly, after all these years, consumers are still not getting it. In another green confidence study, GreenBiz.com found that only 45 percent of consumers felt like they had enough information to make the right decisions about the products they buy. Educating your customer is a vital aspect of marketing your green product. For Bioshield, a manufacturer of non-toxic, zeroVOC paints and finishes, we knew that people buy paint first to beautify their home. The fact that their paints are non-toxic makes them even better. The dilemma was that most consumers do not know the toxic load in everyday paints and home décor products, so we developed an ad campaign around the question “Did you know?” and built in scientific elements to educate the customer. Did you know that indoor air pollution is two-to-five times worse than outdoor air pollution, even if you live in a heavily industrialized city? (Source: EPA) Did you know a baby crawling on conventional carpet inhales the equivalent of four cigarettes a day?” (Source: Scientific American) continued on page 23

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Dapwood Furniture

NMGCC’s Business Recycler of the Year James Glover

hen a company is bestowed with the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce’s Recycling Business of the Year Award, it must be doing something right. In the case of Dapwood Furniture, an Albuquerque-based company that crafts durable handmade furniture, the recognition is the result of a culture of sustainability instituted into the workplace by company president Gregg Mich. Mich’s concerns for the health of the planet inspired his “business as un-usual” approach, which seeks to minimize any potential negative impacts on the environment and the community while maximizing positive impacts. Mich monitors the company’s daily operations to find ways to improve its sustainability footprint, such as being attentive to the sources of wood, types of finish, fabrics and re-use, as well as energy usage and conservation. Mich “up-cycles” what others might consider trash. His goal is to produce zero waste and turn a business cost into a value-added product.

Hand-crafted Dapwood furniture

Dapwood completed a project with a local national laboratory to discover options for utilizing the sawdust and shavings the lab generates. The company is also working with New Mexico State University to evaluate market potential for new products. One of the most exciting things they have researched is the production of biochar, which stores carbon in a stable form that is beneficial for soil and plant health. Biochar could play a major role internationally in reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

Dapwood’s interaction with community is another guiding principle. Mich always tries to work with local or regional suppliers so that there can be a greater, positive effect on the local scale instead of being lost in national or worldwide numbers. “Working locally also creates lasting friendships that make life more enjoyable,” Mich says. Donating time, money and products to local charities is another way that allows Dapwood to contribute directly to the community and see some of the benefits firsthand. Mich is frustrated by the overuse of the term “green” and its tendency to be misunderstood by the public. One example, he says, is when someone takes a simplistic view on purported benefits of a green product such as bamboo and doesn’t look at the entire picture. It is well known that bamboo grows quickly and is touted as a wonder product. However, Mich says that it takes an enormous amount of energy to convert bamboo into a marketable product. Applying natural linseed oil Furthermore, along the way, industrial components may be introduced, the energy waste of on a Dapwood frame shipping across the planet is ignored, as are substandard work conditions overseas. And, he points out, an environment loses biodiversity when stands of bamboo are planted instead of a diversified ecosystem. Mich believes that these sorts of complicated issues need to be taken into account before slapping a green sticker on something and calling it good. In conjunction with the 2012 Business Recycler of the Year award, the New Mexico Green Chamber erected a billboard in Albuquerque to share Dapwood’s philosophy and accomplishments with the community. Gregg Mich’s creation of a sustainable business culture could well inspire businesses of any size. i Did you know that conventional paints, stains and finishes off-gas dangerous toxins into the air you breathe? We redesigned their consumer catalog, sprinkled some of these “eco-wakeup calls” into it and called the campaign “Beauty Without the Beast.” This branding line assured customers that they could beautify their home without sacrificing the health of their family or the planet at large. Sales increased 63 percent.

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Green to Gold

Knowing your tribe, reframing your message and going beyond the choir can surely turn your green product to gold. That being said, green is beyond a marketing claim. It’s a big rethink of how we live on this big, beautiful planet we’ve been given. The trick is to communicate that in a way that meets the market we’re going for, so ultimately we all get it. So instead of standing on our planetary pulpit, let’s all get down to earth and remember, we’re all in this together. That’s the real gold. i

Carolyn Parrs is the CEO of Mind Over Markets, a dedicated Santa Fe-based green marketing communications and design company. For over 10 years, she has helped businesses and organizations succeed in the growing green market. Parrs is also board president of the Santa Fe G reen Chamber of Commerce. 505.989.4004, w w w. m i n d o ve r markets.com

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

EVERYDA Y GREEN

Culture and Sustainable Economies Susan Guyette

raditional economies in New Mexico differ from the mainstream American sense of economy in many ways. Interrelationships between culture, economy and the land necessitate a value-based approach. Rather than focusing on growth in economy-building, a focus on strengthening local economic forms or “making the old ways new again” is likely to help retain NM’s unique regional distinctions.

expertise developed in local communities and diversification within the economic system. In other words, internal strengths or capacity of a community develop over time, and dependency on external development and management expertise is minimized. Environmental stewardship is considered for long-term conservation of resources.

Clearly, the American mainstream model of business development, with a failure rate of over 60 percent, is not the ideal. Instead, taking a close look at those traditional economies in NM that survived well over hundreds (Hispanic) and thousands (Native American) of years will lead us to a sustainable economy.

Entrepreneurial activity is the strength of New Mexico.

Success economically, if the cultural strengths of NM are to flourish, depends upon working with communities effectively to build upon the existing economic systems—rather than an emphasis on introducing new forms and attracting largescale, corporate businesses. Entrepreneurial activity is the strength of NM. Nationally, 80 percent of tourism businesses are entrepreneurial. Tourism, one of the top two sources of employment in NM, is largely supported by entrepreneurial businesses. Yet, current promotional efforts tend to support a draw to large businesses.

As small-scale, entrepreneurial and locally-owned businesses develop, economic leakages to a larger, urban economy are reduced by offering a diversified and linked range of services. In small-scale local economies, true economic development only occurs—as economic multipliers increase, as leakages to the outside economy are reduced, as traditional items are produced, as traditional bartering, roadside vending and subsistence systems supplement cash income (thus reducing dependency on full-time employment)—and as cottage industries flourish and support extended families. This scenario contrasts sharply with business development focused on profit margins and the number of jobs created. As a frequent measure of success, the number of jobs created does not necessarily translate to a long-term means of sustainable earned livelihood. Local community needs may include employment options that offer freedom of schedule to participate in the annual cycle of cultural activities critical to cultural survival. In NM, this ranges from participation in traditional dances to acequia (irrigation ditch) cleaning. For rural and traditional (Hispanic, Native American) communities, there is an expanded range of employment options that also sustain culture, family, community, economy and environment—meeting basic needs of residents.

Government emphasis on attracting large corporate businesses to locate in NM does not foster the formation of small, local enterprises. The large-scale approach comes from a focus on generating tax dollars, rather than on increasing earned livelihood for local residents. The end result forces small, local businesses out of business, as an observer of the change in NM businesses over the past 25 years can readily see. Santa Fe Indian Market shoppers across from the New Mexico Museum of Art

What is the purpose of business? The depth of this question is rarely considered outside of the mainstream sense of business-for-profit. Decisions shaping a business concept might look different in a traditional community—such as working to keep traditional culture alive and strong. Small-scale business development requires careful consideration of cultural values. Will there be a community climate of competition or cooperation? Will business profits be reinvested back into the community? The business with the good “cultural fit” reinforces cultural values as well as providing financial support. A strong network of locally owned businesses functions as a “safety net” in times of economic fluctuations, as well.

ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

There exists a basic distinction between business and economic development— one that is frequently misunderstood. Business development is specific to one enterprise; whereas, what is termed “economic development” refers to a whole system of interconnected businesses, entrepreneurs, traditional economic activity—and if considered in a holistic perspective, all resources, including natural and environmental. True economic development takes a great deal more time and effort than largerscale business development. A solid, yet flexible foundation is created through

Green Fire Times • March 2013

CULTURE AND BUSINESS STYLE

In many cultures, the reason to own a business is to support the extended family and the community. The values of generosity, cooperation and connectedness in relationship characterize the traditional communities of Northern NM, rather than individual gain. Gradual business development, without large loans, is the traditional business style. In rural NM communities, multiple income streams are the norm. The “commons,” or the benefit of all in the community, is the “net worth.” A culturally-based system of earning income for family members still exists in some of NM’s traditional communities. Several family members participate in making and selling items, pool the inventory, and then divide the profits among the participating family members. This style of business encourages family cohesion and incentive for family members based on traditional values. Since much of culture and language is taught through everyday activities, in context, the future of cultural diversity depends heavily upon culturally appropriate economy. Technical assistance can either support continuity of local lifeways, contributing to the uniqueness of NM, or skew the underlying values, thus changing the unique local cultures that define regional identity. Commodification of people and natural resources is not congruent with local cultures. Use of the terms “best practices,” “branding” and “return on investment” are examples of cultural bias and commodification. The “best” business model is the local, value-based enterprise form. continued on page 25

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What is needed? Cultural value-oriented entrepreneurial training, based on inventories of local skills and desired employment, supported with micro-loans and grants, access to free- and low-cost promotion—in a coordinated system, rather than a piecemeal approach. Support for those programs fostering cooperatives, entrepreneurs and small farms —Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute, the Center for Southwest Culture, Global Center for Cultural Entrepreneurship, and New Mexico’s Own—are examples of great work needing more support. The shift that must occur for traditional communities to benefit is away from the profit motive and toward the community motive. This does not imply a lack of profits or jobs, only that profit is not the driving factor at the expense of culture, environment and community cohesion. Small-scale development carries less financial risk. The lower the capital investment needs, the greater likelihood of sustainability in economic and seasonal fluctuation.

RESILIENCE AND ECONOMY

Resilience, or the capacity to adapt to changing conditions, is central to sustainability. When wealth is defined by cultural capital, family, generosity and close ecosystem ties, communities embracing place-based practices are prepared for adaptation to shifting circumstances in the natural world. Cultural worldviews underlie all actions leading to resilience. At the crossroads, will NM retain unique regional economies based on culture, or become even further blended with mainstream US culture? Our future economy can be based on local farms, small businesses and entrepreneurial activity. Where we purchase determines which type of business thrives. Chose wisely, for our cumulative actions determine which forms will flourish into a sustainable economy. 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

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March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

Native American Advised Endowment Fund Provides Nonprofit Support

ne important aspect of building a sustainable regional economy is for community leaders, government (all levels, including tribes), local businesses and nonprofits to work together. The Native American Advised Endowment Fund (NAAEF) at Santa Fe Community Foundation (SFCF) provides support and resources for tribal initiatives and nonprofits working with the Native American communities in northern New Mexico. Established in 1993 with a $10,000 gift from Allan Houser, renowned Chiricahua Apache artist and sculptor, and supported by caring donors and volunteers, the Fund has grown to $325,000. The NAAEF Advisory Committee (which is always comprised primarily of Native Americans) makes grants from the earnings on the endowment. Since 1997, the Fund has given over $125,000 in support of more than 42 organizations and projects. Such assistance can supplement other funds for specific initiatives or provide discretionary funds for expenses not covered by federal funding or other grants. Through the grant cycles sponsored by Santa Fe Community Foundation in 2012, the Native American Advised Endowment Fund granted a total of $29,000 to these groups: Brave Girls Project at The Leadership Institute, Santa Fe Indian School; Fine Arts for Children and Teens for arts programs at Santa Clara Pueblo Day School; Life Skills for Youth of Northern NM for

programs with three Pueblos in northern NM; Pueblo of Tesuque Farming Department to help community members return to a healthier, traditional lifestyle; Railyard Stewards for healthrelated programs for urban American Indians; Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary for programs with three Pueblos in northern NM ; Santa Fe Mountain Center for the Tribal Youth Environmental Summer Camp; Southwestern Association for Indian Arts for providing economic opportunity to Indian artists; and Tewa Women United for a youth project to bring back traditional ways of sustaining our families, healing our environment and feeding our spirits, and for services to six Pueblos in northern NM. In October 2012, the NAAEF hosted the Regional Action Network gathering of the national nonprofit Native Americans in Philanthropy in support of their mission to advance philanthropic practices grounded in Native values and traditions. By continuing to establish partnerships locally and regionally, the NAAEF aspires to be a leader in Native philanthropy in northern NM. The NAAEF and SFCF are important resources available to the American Indian people in northern New Mexico. In addition to making grants, the Foundation houses and manages funds for individuals, families and agencies. The Foundation has also created the “Hub for Social Innovation” to help people

Green Fire Times • March 2013

Anne Wheelock Gonzales

A partial gathering of the SFCF’s Native American committee with an Allan Houser sculpture. Seated on the right is Anna Marie Houser, Allan’s widow, and their granddaughter, Emily, who is on the committee.

and organizations respond to the social, economic and environmental challenges facing our region. The HUB hosts gatherings focusing on a number of topics for our region’s diverse peoples. These services are available to anyone in the community, including tribal and other Native-serving entities. The year 2013 commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Fund. In honor and celebration of the work accomplished, and in anticipation of future needs, the NAAEF Advisory Committee is undertaking a campaign to significantly increase the size of the endowment with the goal of ensuring meaningful grant-making and other support for vital programs and projects designed to meet the needs of the Native American communities and organizations in our region. Events and appeals are planned throughout the year, and individuals,

businesses and tribal entities will be invited to participate. And, as a challenge to encourage matching gifts, the committee has pledged $10,000 amongst themselves toward the campaign (the amount of Allan Houser’s original gift). For more information on the Native American Advised Endowment Fund, grant opportunities and other services offered by Santa Fe Community Foundation, visit http://www.santafecf. org. Please explore the website. Then, click on “Current Local Initiatives” and “Native American Advised Endowment Fund.” To donate, click on “Give Now.” Then, either type “native american” into the “Search” box or select “Native American Advised Fund” from the drop-down list. i Anne Wheelock Gonzales is finance associate and NAAEF advisor at the Santa Fe Community Foundation. 505.988.9715, Ext. 7009

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Entrepreneurship

You Holler — We Haul It!

Damon Chavez, Kewa (Santo Domingo) Pueblo, Owner

e had a farm and equipment when I was growing up. I learned that working for yourself has rewards. You can make good money and support a family. After military service and working on the farm for a few years, I went back to school at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in Albuquerque. I studied accounting and business administration. Mr. Jeff Wilkins had a course in small business management, and that’s where I got the idea for the business. One day in class, Mr. Wilkins talked about a garbage collection business. I thought about the needs at home— fridges, tires and other things outside of houses. So I asked around: “Would you pay me $10 to haul away that old couch?” “Sure I would.” I thought, “This will work!” So I told Mr. Wilkins about this and said I’d do a business plan on the idea. He gave me an outline for a business plan. Ms. Joanie Goodman taught me qualitative and quantitative studies so that I could complete the plan, and I also took marketing.

full two years later. Acción said that they liked doing business with me and that they will do the next loan that I need.

Early Steps

Expansion

I want to build a separate shed for my office. I’ll need more trucks to expand the business beyond what we do now.

I run the business out of a bedroom in my house. I don’t need much space except for my computer. The business is an all-cash business, so the accounting is simple—loan payment, gas, trash bags.

I also want to start some other businesses. Maybe a tire shop or a wrecking company. I also want to build our farm. With a farm we can hire guys from home to ride horses and do what we’ve always done.

Our marketing has been mostly fliers, posters and word of mouth. One of my neighbors runs the Santo Domingo Gazette. She got the word out and did a great job telling everyone about my business.

Once I have the ideas and business plans, I know that Acción will work with me to finance new opportunities.

One thing that I didn’t consider is all the thinking, headwork and paperwork that go into a business. You have to run around and get tax ID numbers, and forms for the state and federal government. All of this to get a business ID! I also had to get approval from the governor of the Pueblo. There’s so much to do when you start a business.

Giving Back to the Community

Generosity is one of our most important values—helping those less fortunate. My dad always told me, if people ask and you have the means, stop what you’re doing and help out. “May you grow up to be wise, grow up in peace.” There are times when people don’t have money or vehicles and are not well-off. I’ll pick up their trash for them and they will pay when they can.

I want to sponsor a Little League team. I also want to start programs for youth and help others to succeed. Get more kids going to school and getting degrees.

Advice for Other Entrepreneurs

If you want to be in business, learn as much as possible in school. Stay on track. I was scared at first. But I thought, “I will never know if I don’t try it.” Now I know. If I can do this, others can. It’s possible, very possible. Everything happens as it’s supposed to happen. I learned from it. i Damon Chavez has lived his whole life on Kewa (Santo Domingo) Pueblo, except for military service. Sandy McMahon, adjunct instructor of Economics and Tribal Leadership at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI ) in Albuquerque, facilitated this article.

Financing the Business

I got a loan from Acción in downtown Albuquerque, which specializes in loans to small businesses. My first meeting with a loan officer was at the Hollywood Truck Stop Café off I-25. I was very nervous, but I knew all of the sections of my business plan. When I told the loan officer the name of my business—You Holler We Haul It!—she said it was a good name. She asked me about things that I didn’t have in the plan, but because I was prepared, I could answer her questions. I think that this is why I got the loan. She asked lots of questions. Finally she said, “I’m pretty positive—90 percent—about this loan. I’ll call you and let you know.” We had additional meetings at Acción’s Albuquerque office. They wanted some collateral for the loan, so we used animals from our farm and took pictures of them as documentation. I got the loan in 2010 and paid it back in

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March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

The Idea for the Business

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Economic Models

B Corp Legislation: A New Frontier in American Business

William A. White

ew Mexico could be next in line to join the handful of states that have passed legislation allowing private companies to incorporate as Benefit Corporations. Eleven other states, including Maryland, California, New York and Hawaii, have passed similar laws, which enable entrepreneurs to pursue broader societal or environmental goals beyond the profit-centered focus of traditional business.

Unlike Benefit Corporations, which are licensed by a state’s legislature, Certified B Corporations must meet B Lab’s social and environmental criteria before receiving certification. Benefit Corporations on the other hand only need to declare a social mission, usually in the company’s articles of incorporation, and report on their social returns annually. While B Corp legislation may not necessarily require companies to meet specific criteria, the new legal status represents a concerted shift away from businessas-usual.

Until recently, entrepreneurs pursuing the triple-bottom-line of social, environmental and financial returns had one of two choices: Incorporate as a nonprofit and 1) compete relentlessly for grant funding and reliable donors, or Incorporate as a traditional for2) profit and run the risk of sacrificing social impacts for profits. State Rep. Tim Blank of Albuquerque hopes to provide a new option for New Mexico’s social entrepreneurs by introducing legislation that would allow them to incorporate their businesses as Benefit Corporations or “B Corps.” These new corporations would be required by law to publish an annual report on their social or environmental impact in addition to their financial performance.

Doubting Business

Though the first B Corp legislation was passed in 2010 in Maryland, the idea is not exactly new. B Lab, a nonprofit organization, has been providing third-party certification for social ventures for a number of years. Companies interested in being certified apply to B Lab, which assesses the organization’s social and environmental impact. Once approved, companies can market themselves as Certified Benefit Corporations and receive access to B Lab’s portfolio of services in exchange for a fee.

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Drew Tulchin owns Social Enterprise Associates, a Santa Fe-based business consulting firm that has been certified as a B Corporation for three years.

to doubt business.”

B Lab has been a leading proponent of B Corp legislation across the country due to what its co-founder sees as shift in consumer thinking. In an interview with PBS, B Lab co-founder Bart Houlahan said that since the financial crisis, “the broader public really started

The New Consumer

This characterization may not be too far from the truth. Over the last decade, and particularly after the financial crisis, Americans have had to come to grips with their economy and are beginning to question some of their basic assumptions about how business should work. Are the raw materials for goods sustainably sourced? Are workers paid a living wage? These are important questions for the post-financial crisis consumer. No longer is he or she concerned only with having the highest quality at the lowest price. The new American consumer is discerning, cares about people and the environment and wants more than just low prices. The new consumer wants added value.

B Corps are providing this added value in a number of ways, either by donating a portion of profits to charity, ensuring that supply chains utilize sustainable production and procurement practices, or simply by paying employees a living wage. By reporting on these practices, B Corps provide a signal to consumers, letting them know that their purchase is making a difference.

True Diligence

While B Corps may act as a signal to socially conscious consumers, perhaps their greatest value is for entrepreneurs. The new legal status could aid social ventures in obtaining growth capital when bringing their start-ups to scale. With the rise in popularity of socially responsible investment, some investors are looking to put capital into projects that generate social or environmental returns in addition to profit. These investors can be a vital source of growth capital, and B Corps are well positioned to take advantage of this movement. However, socially responsible inves-

Some investors are looking to put capital into projects that generate social or environmental returns in addition to profit. tors run the risk of investing inefficiently if investees begin to pursue profits at the cost of their social mission. This wastes time and money, as greater social benefits could be accrued through an alternative investment. B Corps could increase the efficiency of socially responsible investments, as each company’s social impact report will help to ensure that capital goes to the right place. Rather than rely strictly on a company’s balance sheet to do their due diligence, B Corps provide investors with another layer of accountability

and give them a truer sense of an organization’s social impact. By making it easier for investors to assess that impact, B Corps may encourage higher levels of investment in social ventures and green businesses. For entrepreneurs, this translates into faster growth and deeper impact.

More than Just Money

So what does this mean for the people of New Mexico, and how will the new legislation affect the state’s business climate? Well, New Mexico has little to lose by passing the legislation and a lot to gain. Offering B Corp status will not cost the state anything, and similar legislation in other states has received wide bi-partisan support, making it unlikely that B Corps will be politically contentious. If anything, passing the legislation will help to spur increased investment within the state and encourage growth in the social venture sector and green economy. This growth could also result in job creation, as social ventures begin to expand and require more labor. Additionally, these new jobs will be quality jobs, as most B Corps make it a priority to pay their workers a living wage. At the very worst, few will take advantage of the new legal status, making B Corps another relic on the rulebooks. However, given the rise in socially responsible consumers and investors, this scenario is highly unlikely. B Corps have a bright future. They represent a new way of doing business, which puts people before profit. With any luck, New Mexico will be the next state to take the lead on this legal innovation, showing the rest of the country that businesses can do more than just make money. They can help to change the world. i William A. White is a graduate researcher with Social Enterprise Associates and is currently a master’s candidate in Urban Policy Analysis at The New School.

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS

for

Jack Loeffler

hat happens when there is a sun-warmed planet nearly 8,000 miles in diameter that harbors life, one species of which has evolved to become the keystone species that grows steadily in population, devours non-renewable resources at a rate commensurate with population growth, and finally exceeds the carrying capacity of the planet? Denial? Overshoot? Collapse? Extinction? All of the above? It is evident that this, our species, will be brought to our knees should we not collectively muster the wherewithal to veer our course into a state of balance with our Earthly habitat, beginning immediately. It will take time and an enormous shift in collective attitude. But we are an intelligent species. We should be able to do this. Indeed, it would be shameful not to. One place to begin is to examine the degree to which we are motivated by modern economics. Since we emerged from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle with the coming of warming trends at the beginning of the Holocene epoch, we’ve evolved a hierarchical cultural perspective largely founded on the accumulation of personal wealth and power. Witness the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, the emperors of the Orient, the monarchies of Europe and beyond, and what John Wesley Powell called the “money kings” of the corporate-driven democracy that is modern America. This characteristic, coupled with the advent of the Industrial Revolution in the late-18th and early-19th centuries resulted in hastening growth of both human population and average income, setting the trend for the next dozen or so generations. At the beginning of the 19th century, the human population of our planet hovered around one billion souls. Today, we are at seven billion, and anticipate leveling off at nine billion by mid-21st century. And as we’ve grown, we’ve become ever more inventive and frivolous in our expenditure of planetary nonrenewable resources, thus continuing

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the Sake

in pursuit of growth for its own sake. Economics remains our primary cultural driving force, blindsiding us to the broader spectrum. Somehow, we must collectively veer into a cultural paradigm dominated by the ecological imperative of which economics is but one of an array of factors. The good news is that we can use economics as one means of broadening our purview. How do we get there from here? We can take a major cue from the Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy, which points out that, “To be sustainable, a steady state economy may not exceed ecological limits.” It isn’t a giant step to recognize that a driving force is human numbers—as long as population continues to rise, so does the toll on natural resources. But it isn’t as simple as that. During the two centuries it has taken for our species to increase seven-fold, our complexity of lifestyle has increased by many magnitudes. Try to imagine the perspective of a family farmer in eastern America in 1813. Lifestyle was basically handcrafted. The ownerbuilt home was heated by firewood hewn from the nearby woods. Almost all of the food was grown with perhaps a bit left over to sell or trade for metal tools or a rare extravagance. Distant communication was limited to letters that might require weeks or months from pen to perception. Transportation was by foot, by horseback, by wagon, by boat. Education occurred in one-room schools. Social life revolved largely around the church. The already well-to-do maintained their lifestyle at the expense of enslaving fellow humans dragged from distant homelands. Otherwise, people were independent in their passage from birth to death, shaped by mores inherited from their parents, themselves mostly descended from Europeans.

Growth…

what we have wrought, both the good of it and the bad—and the frivolous— much of it borne within the context of modern economics that continues to advance unlimited growth in spite of the evidence that it is ultimately unsustainable. The 19th-century economist and philosopher John Stuart Mill developed the notion of steady-state economics that should occur after a period of economic growth. He surmised that when a steady-state economy had been achieved to the extent that the struggle to exist was tempered by adequate sustainable means, there would be “…as much room for the art of living and much more likelihood of its being improved, when minds cease to be engrossed by the art of getting on.”

To be sustainable, a steady state economy may not exceed ecological limits. Twentieth-century economist John Maynard Keynes clearly understood that economics should be a means to an end, resulting in collective wellbeing and pursuit of higher ideals rather than an end unto itself. He wrote “…that avarice is a vice… and the love of money is detestable.” This vice has crept into our society to the extent that for the three generations since the end of World War II, consumerism has come to be regarded as a fundament of modern culture, and the disparity between the rich and the poor has increased enormously over the last years. Economics has distracted societal attention away from what should be the most compelling condition of our time—our collective effect on our planetary ecology.

Charles Darwin was four years old. Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman had yet to be born.

In 1984, I conducted an interview with human ecologist Garrett Hardin, author of The Tragedy of the Commons and many other publications. I asked him why “Nature abhors a maximum.”

Since then, cultural evolution has flashed through time and space within our species, and today we can see

Hardin replied: “That’s a rather subtle idea, and I never realized the importance of it until a very unusual politi-

Museum of Contemporary Native Arts

Growth

cal scientist named William Ophuls pointed out that if you settle on a single measure of excellence, such as profit in a profit-and-loss system, and decide you’re going to maximize the profit no matter what, you can be sure that before you get through you will have minimized some other value that you hadn’t thought of, but which you have high regard for. So…don’t be so one-minded as to try to maximize any one thing. But instead, say, ‘Here’s a whole mixture of things I would like to have. Profit is one of them.’ Also, you would like to have beautiful scenery, you would like to have wild animals, some wildlife, some wilderness areas and so on; and you cannot maximize all at once. What you have to do is to agree on some sort of weighted system. How much do you want wilderness? How much do you want profits? How much do you want oil and gas out of the ground? You have to agree on limits to all of those, and that’s hard to do. That’s a political problem, but you have to try. And if you can agree on how to weight these things, then you can develop a compound measure which would be safe to maximize. Now that is very difficult; nevertheless, that’s the way you have to go. Don’t maximize a single variable.” Ophuls’ message is compounded by our gradual realization that Nature has indeed abhorred our having maximized the economic imperative at enormous expense to planetary habitat through increased pollution, vigorous extraction of non-renewable resources continued on page

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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Green Fire Times • March 2013

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Growth for the Sake of Growth and forwarding excessive consumerism as an ideal. Born to shop! What a distinction. In 1990, the International Society for Ecological Economics was founded, based on a model of steady state economics. The first of three major tenets is, “The human economy is embedded in nature, and economic processes are actually biological, physical and chemical processes and transformations.” The field of ecological economics is also founded on principles of gathering trans-disciplinary researchers to focus on economic processes relative to physical reality. In other words, we must conceive of the larger system, identify the entire array of factors, understand how economics ideally fits in with maintaining healthy habitat by gradually determining and achieving an optimum human population relative to the rest of the biotic community, pursuing the use of non-destructive technology and energy production, seeking out the perspectives of indigenous peoples to

continued from page 31

understand a balanced relationship of humanity to homeland, developing educational curricula that includes understanding how ecosystems work, coming to know the importance of a daily dip in the flow of Nature, and forwarding the realization that economics is a means through which human cultures may achieve new levels of well-being and creativity—or as the eminent entomologist Edward O. Wilson conveys in his book The Future of Life—truly become the mind of this living planet. This is not something that can be initiated at a national level, nor is it something that would be universally welcomed by the collective will of those who thrive on economic growth for its own sake, those who have specialized in the acquisition of wealth, those who are empowered by wealth. Wealth is addictive, once injected, hellish to come to terms with spiritually, ethically and consciously. Steady-state economics must foment

at the watershed or bioregional level and redefine governance. Farmers’ markets, food co-ops, community gardens, watershed associations, environmental organizations, celebrations and gatherings that harbor a sense of community are fertile turf for grassroots activism. Steady-state economics must then gradually come to be practiced within the context of the greater community, not overly emphasized, yet understood as a mode of ethical conduct to help achieve balance rather than become an end unto itself. Turning habitat into money for the sake of money is wrong. And as Ed Abbey pointed out nearly two generations ago, “Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.” i Jack Loeffler is the author of numerous books, including Healing the West: Voices of Culture and Habitat. Jack Loeffler and Celestia Loeffler are contributors and co-editors of Thinking Like a Watershed, a recently released anthology of essays published by the University of New Mexico Press. For more info, visit www.loreoftheland.org

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March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ March 2013

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New Mexico Coal Power Plant Retirement Agreement Proposed

Last month an agreement between the New Mexico Environment Department and the US EPA was announced. The agreement incorporates most of a compromise proposed by the NMED last year, and is expected to end a long-running dispute with the EPA over mandatory controls to reduce haze and climate-warming pollution at the 40-year-old coal-fired San Juan Generating Station in northwest NM. Two of the plant’s four units would be retired by the end of 2017 and replaced by a natural-gas-fueled unit. Two remaining units would be retrofitted with the stateproposed, less-expensive, selective non-catalytic reduction-technology pollution controls and would continue operations. The NMED will have to submit a revised implementation plan to the state Environmental Improvement Board, which will require final EPA approval. The state’s Public Regulation Commission will have to approve retirement of the two units and plans for replacement power. While Mariel Nanasi, executive director of the advocacy group New Energy Economy, heralded the agreement as “the greatest environmental improvement in the state’s history,” citing the major reductions of carbon and chemical emissions, coal-ash waste and water savings, the Sierra Club’s Nellis Kennedy-Howard said, “New Mexicans demand more than just a switch to another fossil fuel. Like coal, natural gas also contributes to air pollution and threatens our water supply.” Power plants remain the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, producing about 10 times that of the oil and gas industry. A peer-reviewed study published by the Union of Concerned Scientists says it may be cheaper to invest in renewable energy than extending the life of outdated coal plants. The study says that more than 350 coal generators in 31 states may no longer be considered economically viable. The Four Corners Power Plant west of Farmington is the 21st-highest emitter in the US. The plant’s operator, Arizona Public Service, is planning to decommission three of the plant’s five units later this year.

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March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

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.

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ March 2013

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NEWSBITEs Economic Development Agenda Proposed by the New Mexico Environment Department

• E nact an elective single sales factor that allows companies to be more competitive in NM. • Reduce the corporate income tax from 7.6 percent to 4.9 percent. • Invest $10 million in the Local Economic Development Act, which provides funding for infrastructure projects tied to direct job creation. • Invest $4.75 million in the Job Training Incentive Program that offers job creators financial support to hire and train new employees. • Reform the capital outlay process to prioritize and complete major public works projects. • Invest in the MainStreet program, which spurs business development in rural communities. This agenda evolved from the New Century Economy Summit, convened by the New Mexico Economic Development Department and facilitated by New Mexico First, the state’s leading nonprofit policy group. The summit involved business-, community- and economic-development leaders from every region of the state. It included representatives from various industries, labor leaders, community activists and higher education professionals.

Rural Business Development Grant Funding Available April 12, Application Deadline

The USDA Rural Development agency is accepting applications for the Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) program. State Director Terry Brunner, in an announcement, said, “The RBEG program is one of the most flexible economic development opportunities offered to create jobs. In the past the RBEG has been used to fund business incubators, feasibility studies, business plans, and it has financed technical assistance programs for business development.” The funding is available to public bodies, nonprofit organizations, public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education and Indian tribes to facilitate and finance the development of small and emerging private business enterprises in rural communities and cities up to 50,000 in population.

discouraged and stopped looking for work, or left the state for better employment opportunities. The Albuquerque area lost 3,100 jobs, while Las Cruces and Farmington each lost 1,500. The data reflect a better picture for Santa Fe County, which added 1,700 jobs in December, 2012, compared to December, 2011. Tourism accounts for much of this. The county’s unemployment rate is 5.1 percent. There is some cause for optimism, however. Housing prices are beginning to rise, and there has been some growth in construction and manufacturing, as well as in export trade. Moody’s Analytics ranks NM sixth in the country for private-sector growth over the next five years.

“Social Finance” Can Play Role in Funding Clean Energy

2012 advanced some innovative, democratizing financing alternatives, which offer new options for those seemingly radical business proposals or community-level projects that often don’t get much respect from traditional funding sources. Social finance tools, sometimes called “impact investing,” are playing a growing role in funding clean-energy projects and products. Community bonds, small loans from a nonprofit’s network of supporters, are one example of this trend. The money from these interest-bearing loans can be used to advance a specific social or environmental project that benefits the community. There are several renewable energy projects in Ontario, Canada, trying to leverage this approach. SolarShare Co-op is selling “solar bonds” to help finance 18 solar power projects. Members of the cooperative purchase bonds in increments of $1,000, and in return earn 5-percent annual interest over a five-year term. The money helps the co-op pay off higher-interest bridge financing used to construct the projects. A 20-year power-purchase agreement with the province essentially guarantees that money will flow back and interest can be paid out. The community bond model allows virtually anyone to buy into renewable energy, and in doing so, become participants in the electricity system. It potentially means that thousands of people can take the place of a single bank.

Applications are selected for funding based on a competitive scoring process. Priority will be given to requests of $50,000 or less. Applications receive points for projects that support goals in the following categories: • Renewable energy • Local food systems and value-added agriculture • Support of cooperatives • Business programs in persistent poverty counties • Underserved populations: minority and women-owned businesses

Another rising trend around social finance is crowdfunding. A typical set-up is a website that allows anyone with an Internet connection and credit card to donate or invest in a specific project or business idea. Popular examples include Kickstarter. com and Indiegogo.com

Information on the program can be obtained from the Rural Development State Office in Albuquerque at 505.761.4953 or by visiting: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ BCP_rbeg.html

One service that is taking advantage of this approach is Mosaic, a California-based start-up that’s beginning to raise capital from the crowd to fund solar projects, with a promise of interest in return. Daniel Rosen, co-founder of Mosaic, says that big banks and brokerage houses simply aren’t set up to mobilize the masses for this kind of investment. “Yet that is what so many people crave today,” he said in an online commentary. “People want to see impact. They want to be connected to the power of their capital and see its force in the world.”

NM’s Public Lands Attract Businesses

An important aspect of New Mexico that attracts new companies is the state’s public lands and their role in making a quality-of-life argument for businesses looking to relocate. One key to building loyalty is offering employees and their families a balanced quality of life. That can mean access to parks and outdoor recreation. A recent report from Headwaters Economics, a Montana-based nonprofit, on the economic benefits of protected public lands, was released late last year. It shows that places with a higher percentage of protected public lands had much more job growth between 1970 and 2010 than places with lower percentages. This suggests that protected lands, besides having intrinsic value, can be viewed as part of the state’s economic development picture.

New Mexico Job Losses

New Mexico lost 53,000 jobs during the recession, which is said to have ended in 2009. About 3,200 jobs were lost from December 2011 to December, 2012 according to the state Department of Workforce Solutions. Although employment increases statewide were reported in leisure and hospitality (3,700 jobs), and in education and health services (1,200 jobs), the increases were offset by the loss of 2,900 jobs in the professional and business sector as well as at least 5,600 fewer jobs in the combined government sectors. The state unemployment rate was 6.4 percent in December, 2012, up from 6.2 percent in November, 2012 but down from 8 percent a year earlier. More people became

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Momentum in the US picked up in 2012 after the Jump Start Our Business StartUps ( JOBS) Act was signed into law. It amends securities laws to recognize crowdfunding as an avenue for raising capital. This year, the Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to lay out the formal rules.

Designing a Sustainable Neighborhood

If you are a potential homebuyer or renter looking to live in a sustainable neighborhood, you may want to join a group of architects and design enthusiasts at a workshop in Santa Fe to brainstorm visions of a well-lived life. Big-picture concepts and design elements will be discussed, including floor plans, cluster arrangements, shared facilities and amenities, creative financing and “aging in place.” The intention is to create a walkable mixed-use neighborhood that offers affordable housing with onsite integration of energy, water, food and solid waste systems. The potluck design workshop on March 24 from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm will take place at the Southwest Annex at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design. A display presentation and “next-steps” discussions will then take place at the Solar Fiesta at the SF Community College, April 27-28. RSVP to Brian Skeele at 505.310.1797 or brianvida@nm.net . More info: www. sustainablesantafe.com

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

What's Going On! Events / Announcements

March 9, 9 am-2pm Youth Honoring Mother Earth NM Forum for Youth, 924 Park Ave. SW

Youth-led summit on environmental sustainability and advocacy. Info: tianietoya@ hotmail.com. March 2 application deadline: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ QRQGHT6

ALBUQUERQUE

Through March Retrofitting Buildings for Energy and Water Efficiency

Certificate course offered by the Assoc. of General Contractors, UNM’s Div. of Continuing Education and Global Energy. Designed for building and facility managers, building owners, contractors, engineers, architects and the trades that support them. Learn how to analyze a building and its systems, how to identify the best savings opportunities, how to write a retrofit plan. Free to most trainees. For eligibility and enrollment, contact Margo Maher: 505.842.1462 or mmaher@agc-nm

March 1 Water Conservation Conf. ABQ Marriott Pyramid North

18th annual water conservation conference, “Our Water, Our Future: Communication and Cooperation Across Disciplines” Presented by the Xeriscape Council of NM and Arid LID. Info: 505.468.1021, xquestions@ xeriscape.com

March 2, 9am-5 pm; March 3, 10 am-4 pm Water Conservation Expo Creative Arts Building, NM State Fairgrounds, 300 San Pedro NE

Seminars presented by the Xeriscape Council of NM, low-impact design experts and master gardeners.

March 4, 6-8:30 pm Local Food Marketing Opportunities Bernalillo County Cooperative Ext. Office, 1510 Menaul Blvd, NW Representatives from farmers’ markets, schools, restaurants, wholesalers and grocery stores. Info: http:aces.nmsu.edu/localfood

March 7, 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. Info: stacy@nmgreenchamber.com 505.244.3700

March 8, 8:30 am-4 pm Empowering Women in Agriculture Mid-Region Council of Governments Agricultural Collaborative

Free seminar for women interested in building sustainable and profitable farms and ranches utilizing Holistic Management®. Sponsored by the Natl. Center for Appropriate Technology. Registration: http://holisticmanagement.org/wmseminar

March 11-15, 9 am-3 pm Spring Break Farm Camp Los Ranchos Agri-Nature Center, 4920 Río Grande Blvd. NW K-5th grade campers will cook food, make crafts, play games, learn about farm animals, work in the greenhouse and fields to learn how food is grown. Visitors from ABQ Open Space, Bernalillo County Master Composters and Valley Flowers Farm. $250 (reduced price for families who qualify). Email: education@riograndefarm.org or visit www. riograndecommunityfarm.org

March 14-16 Trail Building & Maintenance Workshop

An evening classroom session followed by a day in the ABQ foothills. NM Volunteers for the Outdoors: nymphaea123@msn.com 505.227.1673

March 16 Water in New Mexico Conference: An Intercultural Dialogue Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St. NW

Hear water stories and a dialogue with people from Hispano and tribal communities, as well as other stakeholders. Free. Registration: www.nmwatercollaborative.org

March 19, 10 am-12 pm Rural Energy for America Application Workshop USDA Office, 1st fl. Conf. Rm 6200 Jefferson, NE

USDA Rural Development will hold a free application workshop. Energy Efficiency/ Renewable Energy Federal Funding for rural small businesses and agricultural producers. RSVP: 505.761.4952, jesse.bopp@nm.usda. gov, Info: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs

March 22, 9:30 am-2:30 pm Healthy People-Healthy Places IPCC, 2401 12th St. NW

A convening to bring together representatives from nonprofits, govt. agencies, businesses and other stakeholders interested in an initiative to increase access to healthy food and improve health through policies and environmental changes in communities. Presented by Con Alma Health Foundation, Farm to Table and other local and national partners. Registration required by 3/15. 505.438.0776, ext. 0, dmccutcheon@ conalma.org, www.conalma.org

April 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. Info: stacy@nmgreenchamber.com 505.244.3700

Green Fire Times • March 2013

April 22-28 Pueblo Days/ American Indian Week Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St. NW

Indian market, exhibits and dances, Info: 505.843.7270, indianpueblo.org

SANTA FE

Through March DIY: A Creative Tourism Journey

A creative way to discover Santa Fe. Artist workshops, classes and experiences. Participants are offered savings on lodging during March. www.diysantafe.com

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

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

March 1, 9 am-3 pm Renewable Energy Day at the Roundhouse West Hall, State Capitol Building

A variety of organizations, from nonprofits to colleges to industry groups will share information and activities on solar, wind and other renewable energy technologies in NM. There will be a press conference at 1 pm. Info: Eileen@santafewatershed.org or 505.820.1696

March 1-3 Santa Fe Startup Weekend SF Business Incubator 3900 Paseo del Sol

Entrepreneurs can pitch business ideas, make business plans and build a network with help from coaches. $99/$49. 505.424.1140, www. santafe.startupweekend.org

March 1-3, 8-10 Cold Water Greer Garson Theater, Santa Fe University of Art and Design

Documentary play about the survival of the village of Agua Fria. Tickets: $15/$12/$5. Info: 505.473.6511

March 2, 9 am-12 pm Plants for Santa Fe SF Community College

Given a changing climate, Tracy Neal presents a look at trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses. Registration: 505.428.1270, www.sfcc.edu

March 2, 10 am-12 pm Citizens Climate Lobby NM Academy of Healing Arts 501 Franklin Ave.

Monthly meeting, first Saturday of every month. Help create the political will for a stable climate. 10-11 am: discussion of local actions; 11-12 pm: national conference call. Info: 505.570.7586 or maria@myearthprints.com

March 2, 2-6 pm Rethinking Money The Performance Space, Eldorado

How new currencies turn scarcity into prosperity. Presentation and book signing by Bernard Lietaer and Jackui Dunne. Plus a screening of Money & Life by filmmaker Katie Teague. Info: tarango.norma@gmail.com

March 3, 24, 10:30 am-2:30 pm Sustainable Community Design Workshop SW Annex, SFUAD Campus

Join with fellow innovators, designers, engineers and enthusiasts to design onsite integrated energy, food, water and solid waste loops for a proposed neighborhood. Potluck. RSVP: brianvida@nm.net, www. sustainablesantafe.com

March 3, 11 am Food Justice for Thought Collected Works Books 202 Galisteo St.

Community Dialogue on indigenous food sovereignty with Lorraine Kahneratokwas Gray and Terra Matthews Hartwell. www. journeysantafe.com

March 5, 3-5 pm Eldorado/285 Recycles 16 Esquila Road, Eldorado

Eldorado area recycling group monthly meeting. 505.466.9797, ksweeney99@yahoo.com

March 6, 5:30 pm Santa Fe Green Drinks Vanessie SF, 427 W. Water St.

Informal networking event for people interested in local business, clean energy and other green issues. Speaker: Merle Lefkoff, founder of the Center for Emergent Diplomacy on “Happiness IS the Bottom Line.” A mixture of people from businesses, NGOs, academia and government. Meets the first Wednesday of every month at different locations. Hosted by the SF Green Chamber of Commerce. Info: 505.428.9123 or Glenn@ nmgreenchamber.com

March 6, 20, 5:30 pm Community Food Cooperative of Santa Fe Unitarian Universalist Congregation 107 W. Barcelona Rd.

Join a new working food cooperative providing healthy, affordable food. info@cfcsantafe.com

March 7, 5:30-6:30 pm Immigrants and the Railroad Railyard Park Community Room

Dr. Lois Rudnick and Marcela Diaz explore the historical and cultural foundations of immigration in northern NM. Info: 505.316.3596, info@railyardpark.org, www. railyardpark.org

March 7, 7 pm International Women’s Day Screening/Discussion The Lensic

Screening of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. Panel includes Judy Espinar (creative director, SF Intl. Folk Art Market), Paula Manda (assoc. chair, film school, SFUAD), Diana McArthur (Al-Murtaza Academy, Pakistan), Jenny Park (president, NM Community Fndn.), Singer Rankin (founder, WorldWomen Work)

March 8, 17, 30, 9 am-2 pm Trail Workdays Dead Dog Trail, off Old Buckman Rd. in the Caja del Río Enjoy nature while volunteering to help with projects including switchback, retaining wall and new trail construction. 505.753.7332, jasublett@fs.fed.us

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March 8, 5:30-8 pm; March 9, 9 am-5 pm Upcycle Santa Fe with Only Green Design

Ecological Design in the Heart of the Railyard District. Themed around issues of pollution, community disintegration and a lack of creative engagement in processes of design. Opening reception 3/8 at the CCA (1050 Old Pecos Tr.) with music, presentations, film screenings; 3/9 at Warehouse 21 (1614 Paseo de Peralta) art installation, panel discussions, workshops, green design/ build, arts & crafts marketplace, entertainment. Plus: 7-9 pm at the Zia Diner (326 Guadalupe) silent auction, music. 9 pm-12 am dance party. Info: 505.920.7565, http:// upcyclesantafe.wordpress.com/

March 9, 10 am-12 pm Seed Saving Techniques Class Railyard Community Room

Presented by Home Grown NM & Railyard Stewards. Free. Info/RSVP: 505.473.1403, homegrownnewmexico.com

March 9, 10 am Eldorado Community School Garden Kickoff ECIA Community Center Classroom Eldorado

Meeting for gardeners and “gardeners to be.” 505.780.8450, eldogarden@comcast.net

March 9-10 Santa Fe Home Show SF Convention Center

Events, drawings, awards, presentations, exhibition. www.sfahba.com

March 11, 6 pm China Express Lecture and Exhibit Opening SF Art Institute

Documentary photographer Carlan Tapp will give a lecture and exhibit The China Express, which deals with the effects of coal in China. $10/$5. http://www.sfai.org

March 15 Deadline Children’s Water Conservation Poster Contest

“Show UsYourWaterAppreciation”-themedcontest for students in grades 1-6.Winners featured in annual calendar and receive prize package. 505.955.4225, www.santafenm.gov/waterconservation

March 15-17 Permaculture Boot Camp SF Community College

Learn the basics of permaculture design, its core values, application of natural patterns and the indicators of sustainability. Leave the workshop with an initial permaculture plan for your own site. Presenter Iginia Boccalandro is the founder of the Carbon Economy Series. Info: 505.819.3828, 505.913.2877 or www.carboneconomyseries.com

March 16, 9 am-3:30 pm Gardening 101: Basics of Gardening in SF Center for Spiritual Living 505 Cam. de los Márquez

Taught by Tracy Neal and Jannine Cabossel. Presented by the SF Master Gardener Assoc. $45. Info/registration: 505.471.6251, www.sfmga.org

March 16 Green Café Eldorado

The first in a series of conversations. “Engaging Change as a Community” facilitated by Don McAvinchey, founder, Sustainable Eldorado Residents Alliance. greeneldorado.org/

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March 17, 2-4 pm The Tides Project IAIA Library & Technology Bldg. Auditorium, 83 Avan Nu Po Rd.

Exhibition, reading and performance showcases new work with poet Ann Filemyr, filmmaker Beverly Morris, textile artist Marguerite Wilson, composer Lawrence Ball, photographer Robbie Lacomb-Roach, artists Charles and Corinne Jones with musician Michael Mandrell. Info: 505.424.2354, www.iaia.edu

March 19, 26 Curanderas Milagro Herbs, 419 Orchard Dr.

Healing sessions and classes with Rita Navarette and Tonita González. 505.820.6321, info@milagroherbs.com

March 20, 4-7 pm Santa Fe Seed Exchange Frenchy’s Barn (Agua Fria & Osage)

Hosted by City Parks Div. & Home Grown NM. Info: 505.473.1403, homegrownnewmexico@ gmail.com

March 20, 5:30 pm Santa Fe Water Awareness Group La Farge Library, 1730 Llano St.

Presentation on this season’s NM water legislation. Outreach group of the newly formed nonprofit NM Global Water Institute meets every 3rd Wednesday. www. WaterAwarenessGroup.wordpress.com

March 22-24 Transformational Intensive IHM Retreat Center 1925 Aspen Dr., Ste. 500-A

Music, qigong, group process to deepen personal growth. 505.490.2808, kwilmering. com/workshops.php

March 23, 10 am-12 pm Velocity Project Demo Day The Screen, SFUAD See story, page 9 March 23, 2 pm Micaceous Clay Pot Cooking

$20, Slow Food Santa Fe, 505.474.3896, slowfoodsantafe@gmail.com

March 26 Regis. Deadline Foundation of Herbal Medicine Course

250 hours of professional training in SW botanical medicine, 4/2-11/12. Includes field trips, botany, pharmacy and clinical applications. Milagro School of Herbal Medicine. Info: 505.820.6321, info@milagroherbs.com

March 26, 6:30 pm Home Grown NM Pot Luck Whole Foods Community Rm.(St.Francis)

Speakers: “Grow Y’ Own” & Beneficial Farms CSA. Info: 505.473.1403, homegrownnewmexico@gmail.com

March 27, 9 am-4:30 pm Fundraising Workshop McCune Foundation, 345 E. Alameda

Tips on fundraising and new approaches for nonprofit organizations. Hosted by the NM Economic Development Dept. MainStreet Program. $50 registration. Info: Julie.blanke@state.nm.us, http://nmmainstreet.org//institutes.php

April 4 SF Business Expo and Job Fair DeVargas Mall

505.988.33279, bridget@santafechamber. com, www.Santafechamber.com

Educational opportunity for people to view both new and rehabbed homes in NM on June 8-9. Innovative green building techniques. sararain@me.com, http://usgbcnm. wildapricot.org

March 21 Deadline Ethical Corporation Awards

April 4-6 Healing Gardens Design Workshop 501 Halona Street

Acquire knowledge and tools to create gardens and outdoor spaces that nurture the body and soul with practical cost management strategies. Taught by landscape architect Susan Combs Bauer. $975. 505.216.0775, www.BigDogSeminars.com

April 27-28 Solar Fiesta Santa Fe Community College

Exhibits and workshops on renewable energy topics for children, homeowners and job seekers. Free. Sponsored by SFCC and the NM Solar Energy Association. Info: 505.246.0400, NMSolarFiesta.org

HERE & THERE

Through October Diabetes Prevention Course Río Arriba Health Commons, 2010 Industrial Park Rd., Española, NM

Lose 5 to 7 percent of your body weight and maintain at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. Classes limited to 15 participants. Sponsored by the NM Department of Health. Free. Info: 505.662.3100 or mchapman@laymca.org

March 2, 9 am-1 pm How to Start a Small Business NNMC Sostenga Center 1027 N. Railyard Ave., Española

Workshop overview of the necessary steps. Learn about resources available at NNMC’s SBDC. www.nmsbdc.org/state_calendar.html

March 2-3 Global Acequia Symposium Convention Center, Las Cruces, NM

“Acequias and the Future of Resilience in Global Perspective” Project partners include NMSU, UNM, Sandia Laboratories and the NM Acequia Association. Info: 505.995.9644

March 7, 1:30-3:30 pm Rural Energy for America Program Workshop NNMC, General Ed. Bldg, Rm. GE 207, 921 Paseo de Oñate, Española

USDA Rural Development will hold a free workshop on the REAP program. Trainings for Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy Federal Funding for rural small businesses and agricultural producers. RSVP: 505.761.4952, jesse.bopp@nm.usda.gov, Info: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs

Honors responsible businesses and aspect of sustainability. +44 (0) 207 375 7508, emmeline.rajasingam@ethicalcorp.com, http://events.ethicalcorp.com/awards

April 5-7 Water’s for Cooperating Over Ghost Ranch, Abiquiú

Earth Day workshop dealing on environmental and water issues with river guide Steve Harris, aural historian Jack Loeffler, Santa Clara Pueblo’s Dr. Rina Swentzell and historian/agriculturalist Estévan Arellano. 505.685.4333, ext 4106, www.ghostranch/org

April 13-14 SW Conf. on Botanical Medicine Tempe, Arizona

Over 30 presentations. Info/Registration: 541.482.3016, www.botanicalmedicine.org

April 14-16 Global New Energy Summit The Boradmoor, Colorado Springs, CO.

Former Sen. Jeff Bingaman is honorary chair of this summit, which will emphasize what role the energy sector can have in sustainable job creation. Info: 505.412.8537, dblivin@ earthlink.net, www.gnemsummit.org

April 16-18 Good Jobs Green Jobs Conf. Washington, DC

2013 theme: Let’s Get to Work: Climate Change, Infrastructure and Innovation. $225. www.greenjobsconference.org

April 16-20 ASES National Solar Conf. Baltimore, MD

42nd Annual conference on emerging trends, technologies and opportunities shaping the new energy economy. http://www.ases.org/solar2013/

April 20 Earth Day at Aztec Ruins Aztec Ruins Natl. Monument

Demonstrations and activities based around environmental stewardship. Free. 505.334.6174, nps.gov/azru

April 29-30 Slow Money’s 4th National Gathering Boulder, CO

Join thought leaders and hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists and regular folks who want to fix the economy from the ground up – starting with food. www.slowmoney.com

March 7-10 Taos Shortz Film Fest

June 2-6 NM Trade Mission to México City

March 8-10 Taos Pueblo Artist Winter Showcase Millicent Rogers Museum, Taos

June 30 Deadline Scholarships for Northern NM Counties

Short films from 18 countries plus 22 New Mexican-made films. Panel discussions with industry insiders, awards, parties. taosshortz.com

Opening reception March 8 (ticketed event) Presented by the Millicent Rogers Museum and Taos Pueblo Tourism. Info: 575.758.2462, www.millicentrogers.org

March 11 Deadline GreenBuilt Tour Application

Business opportunities for NM-México trade facilitated by the NM Economic Development Dept’s Office of Intl. Trade. Info: 505.827.0315, Edward.herrera@state.nm.us

Ten $1,000 scholarships will be awarded by MANA del Norte to assist Hispanic women from Los Alamos, Mora, Río Arriba, Santa Fe, San Miguel and Taos counties in continuing or completing their post-secondary education. Info and application materials: www.manadelnortenm.org or 505.795.4319

March 2013 • GreenFireTimes

Green Fire Times â&#x20AC;˘ March 2013