Green TA O S A Guide to Sustainable Living in the High Desert
2014 Complimentary Publication of The Taos News
© Tina Larkin
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Table of Contents
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Farmers Markets As green as it gets
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UNM-Taos hosts Sustainability Institute Humanitarian Design 2014
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Taos News Staff/Green Taos Robin Martin, owner
Taos Land Trust New leader, same goals
Chris Baker, publisher
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Chris Wood, advertising manager
Mimicry How nature takes care of its own
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Joan Livingston, editor Andy Jones, special sections editor Michelle M. Gutierrez, lead editorial designer Virginia L. Clark, copy editor
Columbine-Hondo A jewel just waiting for recognition
Jennifer Taphorn, production manager
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Cover Design:
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RMYC offers program to promote energy efficiency
Empowering everyone with solar Kit Carson Electric offers a new business model and widens access to solar power
Debunking 7 common myths about solar power
Taos Green ChambeR Promoting sustainable economic development
Photo taken at Cerro Vista Farm, by Tina Larkin, cover design by Michelle M. Gutierrez
Cleaning the future The fight against illegal dumping
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Green Taos
celebrating the eco-warrior in all of us
G
reetings solar fanatics, folks living off-the-grid and organic farmers ... and everyone who aspires to any of those titles. Most people in Taos seem to be striving for a lifestyle that has less impact on the environment. Green Taos is a celebration of that ethos and a testament to the spirit of all things eco-friendly. In this publication we invite you to a local farmers market (page 6), and to UNM-Taos’ Sustainability Institute (page 8). You can read about Rocky Mountain Youth Corps Energy Efficiency Program (page 10) and freelance writer Yvonne Pesquera offers information about Kit Carson Electric Co-op’s innovative Community Solar project (page 12). Speaking of solar, Larissa Weinman from PPC Solar debunks some popular myths about what solar energy can and should look like at your home (page 14). Jim O’Donnell talks with the new executive director of the Taos Land Trust, Kristina Ortez de Jones, about the
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organization’s goals for conservation in Northern New Mexico (page 16 — full disclosure: Ortez de Jones is married to this editor). And as always, our trusty nature writer, Steve Tapia, gives us a lesson about mimicry and some of the other evolutionary processes by which animals protect themselves (page 20). O’Donnell returns on page 24 with an article about the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Study Area, an area of land that is long overdue the protection it deserves. Taos Green Chamber executive director Erin Sanborn wouldn’t disagree with that statement, as she knows the importance of open space and protected space, and what those places can mean to our struggling economy. Her article on page 28 breaks down the benefits and strategies involved with creating a sustainable business. And finally, Elliott Martin takes us out of our comfort zone with a piece on how, why and where our garbage
goes, and what is being done to make sure it all gets to the right place (page 34). If Martin’s story is any indication, we have some truly dedicated people working to make sure Taos stays clean and green. To accompany that story, the good folks at the New Mexico Recycling Coalition updated their local brochure and allowed us to print it on page 34. It’s a handy bit of information, with everything you need to know about local recycling locations, what you can and cannot recycle and when and where. So celebrate the “eco-warrior” in yourself by making Taos County a model of green thought and innovation. There is much work to be done, but if we do it together, the benefits far outweigh the option of living in a junkyard. — Andy Jones, special sections editor
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FARMERS MARKETS A crucial part of any “green” lifestyle starts with the choices you make when it comes to feeding yourself and your family. Ecologically speaking, it’s always best to buy organic and even more important to buy local. The amount of energy it takes to ship food to a somewhat isolated place like Taos can add up quickly, which is why our local farmers markets are such an important community resource. We are fortunate to have several local farmers market in the Taos area, with different offerings and different atmospheres. Not only can you find fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, you can also visit with your neighbors, enjoy some freshly brewed coffee and hear music from local bands. Here’s a rundown of the area’s farmers markets: Taos Farmers Market When talking about local farmers markets, the discussion usually begins with Taos Farmers Market, held every Saturday morning from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., May through late October.
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Due to road and parking construction in the market’s old location (Town Hall parking lot), Taos Farmers Market recently moved to Taos Plaza. The center of town, with its large cottonwoods and festive square seems to be a great fit for the market. Taos Farmers Market offers farm-direct groceries from eight counties in Northern New Mexico and Costilla County, Colo. In addition to local vegetables and fruits, vendors sell cheese and dairy products, baked goods, honey, grassed meats, eggs, jams, chutneys, flowers and plants. The Taos Plaza bandstand is perfect for local and regional bands playing live music. For more information on the Taos Farmers Market, visit taosfarmersmarket.org. Red Willow Farmers Market For fresh fruits and vegetables year-round, no place beats the Red Willow Farmers Market at Taos Pueblo. At 855 Star Road, Red Willow offers shoppers a chance to get locally grown produce from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Wednesday.
As green as it gets By Andy Jones
All of the food sold at Red Willow Farmers Market is grown and raised on Taos Pueblo and young Pueblo members are offered employment, via an internship program and an entrepreneurial incubation program, and the opportunity to learn about small-scale agriculture and the technology and processes involved. Red Willow also hosts community fundraisers in addition to fresh tamales and buffalo burgers. To keep up with everything happening at the Red Willow Farm, visit Facebook.com/RedWillowFarm. Dixon Farmers Market The picturesque community of Dixon is a half-hour southwest of Taos on State Road 75 (take State Road 68 south and turn east on State Road 75). Every summer since 2003, the Dixon Farmers Market has been offering patrons fresh food and other wares every Wednesday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. The market usually starts in early June and goes throughout the summer and into fall. Fittingly, the market takes place in front of the Dixon Cooperative Market, the community’s grocery store and meeting place. Everything sold at the Dixon Farmers
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Elliott Martin Customers peruse the produce at the Taos Farmers Market on May 31, on Taos Plaza. The market was moved to the Plaza location due to pending construction at Town Hall.
VISITOR & NEWCOMER GUIDE SUMMER/FALL
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THE OFFICIAL GUIDE OF THE TAOS COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE TOWN OF TAOS VISITOR CENTER A COMPLIMENTARY PUBLICATION OF THE TAOS NEWS
2014 COMPLIMENTARY PUBLICATION OF THE TAOS NEWS
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Market is locally produced farm and food products. For more information, visit dixonfarmersmarket.com. Eagle Nest Farmers Market Other communities in the region feature weekly farmers markets throughout the summer and fall months. The village of Eagle Nest, on U.S. 64 east of Taos and Angel Fire, holds its market every Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Golden RV Park. Vendors from Northern New Mexico and southern Colorado bring eggs, cheeses, meats, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Dining Out Summer/Fall 2014
Ojo Caliente Farmers Market The small community of Ojo Caliente (40 miles west of Taos), home of Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs and Resort Spa, hosts a farmers market every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at the St. Marys Catholic Church parking lot. The market offers naturally grown produce and more. Last year’s market didn’t open until late July, so check the market’s Facebook page for more information and dates of operation.
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UNM-Taos hosts Sustainability Institute Humanitarian Design 2014
By Bill Knief
T
his summer, Aug. 5-8, UNM-Taos will be hosting a Sustainability Institute providing an innovative, multiday seminar and workshops focused on Sustainability and Humanitarian Design. It is the first in a series of Sustainability Institute presentations focusing on sustainable, resilient design for a changing world.
“Since the UNM-Taos Klauer campus is known for being 100 percent solar-powered, this emphasis on sustainability is a natural for us,” conference organizer and UNM-Taos director of development, Louis Moya explained. Participation in the institute is open to sustainability professionals, architects, designers, advocates and the general public, with UNM-Taos class credit available for students wishing to participate in the program as a college course. The program will also provide complimentary Continuing Education Units certified by the American Institute for Architects. The seminar will be headquartered at Bataan Hall in Taos, with workshops throughout the Taos area. Lectures, films, informal social gatherings and ample interaction with presenters are also planned. The event’s designated information website is sustaintaos.com. A great deal of thought, research and planning has gone into designing seminars and workshops that clearly demonstrate local and global examples of viable and efficient construction, food-growing, water catchment, clothing, heating and many other proven ways to meet the needs of the world’s population and planet without compromising our future. Louis Moya said that he was particularly excited about the lineup of highly talented presenters, which features experts from throughout the United States and abroad.
Courtesy Photo Top, Adobe bricks are a component in many sustainable structures in Northern New Mexico. Courtesy Photo Left, Presenter Illac Diaz Victoria Ballard Bell Above, speaker Bryan Bell
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The event will be hosted by Rachel Preston Prinz, the face and founder of the architectural cooperative Archinia. Professionally, she’s an architectural designer, preservationist, television producer, photographer and sustainability advocate. Described as an “architectural visionary,” Prinz loves to share her passion for great design through public speaking, giving tours, and writing for various media outlets. Her passion resides in discovering the “genius loci” – the “Spirit of Place.” Presenters will include, among others: Illac Diaz, who is a MIT- and Harvard- educated social entrepreneur based in the Philippines, whose MyShelter Foundation works to
empower disadvantaged communities through the use of appropriate, low impact, innovative technologies. This is his second visit to Taos. Bryan Bell has organized more than 40 internships for graduates of major universities throughout his career. In 1991 Bell founded Design Corps, which teaches critical community organizing skills to the student designers. Also the founder of the Public Interest Design Institute and a co-founder of SEED, he is the Academic Leader of Seminar sessions. Taos’s own Michael Reynolds is known internationally as the creator of the Earthship system of building completely sustainable, off-the-grid structures made with earth-filled and pounded discarded tires. Reynolds founded his successful company, Greater World, more than 30 years ago in Taos. Mark Goldman is an architectural designer, general contractor and founder of Onyx/Construction Design, based in Taos. The company was created with the purpose of developing traditional regional unfired earthen architecture into commercial and nonprofit projects. Goldman is one of the founding instructors of the UNM-Taos Green Technology Program and the program’s current chair. Solar entrepreneur Daniel Weinman is the CEO and president of Paradise Power Company Inc. (PPC Solar), one of the oldest solar installation companies in the Southwest. Other speakers include architectural and environmental designer Pratik Zaveri, Sol Feliz Farm proprietor (among many other things) Miguel Santistevan, and Michelle Locher, an expert in the production of food in Earthships. The Humanitarian Design Seminar aims at being a transformational experience bringing practical approaches to the theoretical world of sustainable design and energy systems. UNM-Taos is partnering with a number of local and national entities (such as the New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce, Earthship Biotecture, Habitat for Humanity, SketchUp, Liter of Light, PPC Solar and The Taos News, among others) to provide this programming to the community. Passes for the entire four-day event are $300, which covers all activities and materials, including access to high-definition video of each speaker and presentation after conclusion of the event. Other levels of participation, including discounted tickets for students and tickets to individual workshops are available. For reservations and additional information, including the detailed schedule of events, and additional speakers and sponsors, please visit sustaintaos.com or call (575) 737-3737. Christine Romero Miguel Santistevan, left, working on the Garden at Enos Garcia Elementary’s Parr Field.
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RMYC offers program to promote energy efficiency By Mary Passaglia
F
or the past twenty 25 years, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (RMYC) has reached into our community to find and help cultivate our nation’s most precious renewable resource; our young men and women. Our Corps Members protect our forest, grasslands rivers and wildlife for all generations to appreciate and enjoy. Like all precious resources, RMYC has realized that to be sustainable, we too, must adapt and diversify. That’s why we started RMYC’s Weatherization and Energy Efficiency Program. A little more than two years ago, RMYC was awarded the state’s Energy $mart Program’s contract and has since been providing various weatherization measures to those who qualify. Through a dedicated effort with MFA, Santa Fe Community College and the Department of Energy, RMYC is now capable of conducting full Home and or Building Energy Audits.
Courtesy Photo Angelo de Hererra is the auditor/inspector for RMYC’s Energy Efficiency Program.
We strongly believe that Energy Efficiency and Green Energy must work hand-in-hand to secure the sustainability of “off the grid” Green Energy sustainability. Our expert staff is training Corps Members to identify and correct faulty energy barriers in your home and/or business thus maximize the structure’s efficiency. Once complete, these measures can help assure that your solar, wind or geo-thermal energy system will be properly sized and custom fit for your needs and energy consumption. For more information, go online to youthcorps.org, visit RMYC on Facebook or call (575) 751-1420. Mary Passaglia is deputy director of Rocky Mountain Youth Corps.
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Empowering everyone with solar Kit Carson Electric offers a new business model and widens access to solar power By Yvonne Pesquera
T
he sun never lets Taos down. Over the past century, the famous “Taos light” has drawn artists from all over the world.
Homeowners too seek to harness our region’s abundant light, by installing solar panels to power their homes with the sun’s energy. The whole objective of solar power is to participate in renewable energy and decrease reliance on fossil fuels. In fact, the environmental benefits of solar power are undisputed. And according to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the U.S. solar market continues to expand. In the first quarter of 2014 alone, a whopping 74 percent of newly generated electricity came from solar. But this isn’t just for homes. Schools, government offices, and
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nonprofit organizations added more than 100 megawatts for the second quarter in a row. Talk about a bright future! Yet, installing solar panels on a roof isn’t an option for everyone. For example, not everyone in Taos is a homeowner. The Taos real estate market comprises large shares of rentals, condominium units, and commercial real estate (properties which are typically leased). Additionally, the topography of Taos is not homogenous. Even for people who own their own homes, the direct sun exposure may be limited in shady, alpine areas such as Taos Canyon. Kit Carson Electric Cooperative has now brought a whole new business model to Taos called “Community Solar.”
“We’re now making solar energy available to everyone in Taos, not just for homeowners,” says Steve Fuhlendorf, public information officer for Kit Carson Electric. The Community Solar program is essentially a solar farm. And it is open to any Kit Carson Electric customer: such as residents (homeowner, condo owner, renter) and any commercial business and nonprofit. That just about covers everyone in Taos. Through this program, customers purchase a solar panel (or however many are needed) from Kit Carson Electric’s solar array. It is centrally located on the property of the Taos Charter School. “It’s a great location,” says Fuhlendorf. “There are no obstructions and the panels take advantage of the available
sunlight. People driving by see the solar array and know that this is Taos.” The solar array’s photovoltaic (PV) panels deliver reliable, commercial-scale renewable energy right back to Kit Carson Electric’s grid. In return for the power produced, customers receive credits on monthly electric bills. This reduces today’s expenses, and limits exposure to tomorrow’s rising electricity costs. Since PV panels have no moving parts, they are generally very low-maintenance. But as any homeowner can attest: solar panels still require basic maintenance. Here in Taos, we experience heavy blizzards, pounding monsoons, and intense dust storms. The panels must be kept clean and clear of debris.
Under the Community Solar program, it is Kit Carson Electric’s responsibility (not the solar owner) to professionally maintain the array for maximum power production. This continues to extend bill savings over the lifetime of panel ownership.
business or involved with environmental issues, you get to advertise that your business’s power production is clean.
Community Solar is not just a new business model for Taos; it is popping up all over the nation. A quick online search shows how regional solar players in places like Colorado, Massachusetts and California are leading the way –– and now Taos is among them.
According to the SEPA site (which is a division of the U.S. Department of Energy), Kit Carson Electric was selected from among 11 nominees: “In recognition of innovative solar projects and the utility’s continued integration of solar and its Community Solar Initiative.”
For anyone who purchases solar power through the Community Solar project, they get savings on monthly electric bills and they get to take care of the planet. For a business or nonprofit, especially those in the outdoors
Fuhlendorf says, “We’re proud that Kit Carson Electric was just named ‘Utility of the Year’ by the Solar Electric Power Association.”
Elliott martin Solar power is right for anyone. The new Community Solar array at taos charter school now gives access to everyone.
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Debunking
7
common myths about solar power By Larissa Weinman
S
olar power is abundant, nonpolluting, and mainstream. In fact, there is now enough solar in the U.S. to power three million homes. In this day and age, solar has now become an energy solution with widespread benefits to our health, economy, and environment. Still not a believer? Let’s debunk the myths and spread the facts on solar.
Myth #1: Solar is too expensive/I don’t have the money upfront for the cost of solar Solar is one of the few household expenses that will pay for itself (unlike that new deck). If you can afford to pay your electric bill and have good credit, you can afford to install solar. Different financing options are now available, some with no money down. Studies show that on average, solar panels return two to four times their cost in saved electricity bills and typically pay for themselves completely within 7 to 15 years. According to a recent study by Harvard Medical School, if coal and other fossil fuels had to tally the total hidden expenses their use imposed on society (i.e. health problems and pollution), coal wouldn’t be the cheapest source of electricity and clean-burning solar wouldn’t look nearly so costly. —CONTINUED on PAGE 18
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Taos Land Trust
Courtesy Photo The Attiyeh property in El Prado, just west of the Overland Sheep Ranch, is one of the more prominent pieces of land protected by the Taos Land Trust.
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New leader, same goals By Jim O’Donnell
“We’ve got families who’ve had farmland for generations and they want to keep that land in the family – and they want to keep it rural,” she says. “But because of financial constraints they are faced with the choice of selling to developers or going under. Taos Land Trust offers another opportunity.”
local communities actually need.”
The organization Ortez de Jones now heads has an impressive history. The Taos Land Trust was founded in 1988 by local land activists depressed after watching one tract of land after another sold off to developers because the owners couldn’t afford the taxes or ran into other financial hardship.
Rebuilding the financial resources of the organization is a top priority for Ortez de Jones. That and completing the projects that were in the works before the organizations ran into hard times.
The main tool the land trust employs to protect land is known as a voluntary conservation easement. These easements allow the private landowner to choose how they want their land to be protected by giving them a legal path to retire some or all of the rights to develop their land. The easements leave the land in the hands of the landowner who can then pass ownership on to heirs or simply sell the land. Either way, the land protection covenants remain with the land forever. To date, the land trust has protected more than 24,000 acres across Northern New Mexico. Tina Larkin Taos Land Trust executive director Kristina Ortez de Jones.
“T
aos is unique. There is no place like it,” says Kristina Ortez de Jones. “It’s important to protect the lands that make Taos unique. Without the land, what is Taos?” Ortez de Jones is the new executive director at the Taos Land Trust. Brand-spanking new as it turns out. She started June 1 of this year.
According to Ortez de Jones, Taos Land Trust isn’t going to make any dramatic changes any time soon. “TLT is coming out of a difficult period,” she said. “The board has been running the organization for several months. Now we can move on from that period.”
The land trust Is not focused solely on private land. They are responsible for protecting the 2,500-acre Taos Valley Overlook as well as the crowning jewel of our new National Monument, Ute Mountain. “The movement to protect lands in Northern New Mexico is critically important and has had some setbacks because of short-sighted politics,” she says. “But we are ready to move forward now. We need to protect both places in town that can improve the quality of life of our residents as well as wild places and irrigated farmlands.”
Ortez de Jones has a wide-ranging background that makes her a great fit for the job. It all started in 2003 while working in Indonesia for a publisher. She was asked to do a coffee table book for British Petroleum about West Papua.
Ortez de Jones said the trust is working on a few specific pieces of land for preservation and that it is in conversations with several land owners. “I can’t tell you more than that at the moment but I know the community will be pleased.”
“It was an odd mix of amazing landscape pictures and shots of these incredible indigenous people but then also of pipelines and clear cuts in the forest. They didn’t see the disconnect but I did and I couldn’t reconcile the two.”
One of the most recent acquisitions into the trust involved the donation of an 831-acre tract of pristine high-altitude ranch land near Black Lake in Southwestern Colfax County.
So Ortez de Jones returned to California to work on air quality in her home town of Madera. Later she worked at the Campaign for America’s Wilderness, for the Natural Resources Defense Council on water issues and at the National Hispanic Environmental Council. It was as a board member of the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust that she cut her teeth on land trust issues. While there she focused on protecting agricultural and riparian areas. “That experience really gave me a good lesson in who you have to work with — what players are key — when you work to protect special places. I learned a lot about what
Everyone in the community is invited to attend the Taos Land Trust’s 25th anniversary party on Sept. 17 at Taos Mesa Brewing. The event is free and open to the public. Taos Land Trust 25th Anniversary Party When: Wednesday Sept. 17, 5-9 p.m. Where: Taos Mesa Brewing, 20 ABC Mesa Road (off
U.S. 64 west)
Admission: Free and open to the public For more information: call (575) 751-3138 or
visit taoslandtrust.org
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Debunking
7
common myths about solar power
—CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
Myth #2: Solar will get more efficient and cheaper, so I should wait Don’t wait! Unlike cell phones and computers, modern solar panel technology has changed little for decades. While solar panels are getting slightly more efficient and cheaper every year, the incentives that are available for solar are declining every year. The U.S. is also imposing new tariffs on solar modules from China; therefore the costs for many U.S. solar consumers will increase. Myth #3: Solar power is not ready for mass consumption This particular myth can be harmful, because it causes homeowners to wait, although the technology is proven and reliable. The idea that solar generation will make the grid fall apart, is false. In Germany, solar power capacity is already half of the power demand, even though they receive less sun than America. Solar decreases deadly pollution and cuts water use. However, beyond that, it also guards against fuel price volatility, decreases the risk of power outages, adds grid stability, increases grid security, and cuts the price of electricity. Myth #4: Solar energy is causing power prices to rise Solar is actually an insurance policy against rising costs. The single largest reason for rising power bills is the cost of
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upgrades to transmission and distribution infrastructure. This would exist with or without the addition of solar power systems. Solar power actually brings down the price of wholesale electricity. Electricity suppliers get their electricity on the grid through a bidding process. Because the costs of solar and wind power plants are essentially just in the process of building them (the fuel costs are $0 and the maintenance costs are negligible), they can outbid pretty much every other source of power. As a result, they drive down the price of wholesale electricity. Myth #5: I will have to change all my appliances if I get solar Many homeowners perceive solar is a complete switchover from regular utility electricity. In fact, you don’t have to change out any of your appliances. With a grid-tie system, there is no change with the way power is distributed through your home or the way you use your power. You are simply offsetting your electricity as a whole. Myth #6: Solar will increase my property taxes Solar is actually exempt from property tax in the state of New Mexico. Also, solar increases the value of the house. According to Department of Energy research, solar homes sell at twice the rate of a conventional home. Its research
also found that homeowners consider energy costs an extremely important factor in the decision to buy a home. Solar panels provide a competitive advantage because a home’s owner is not as subject to constantly rising utility prices. Myth #7: Solar is just a fad Solar panels were first invented in 1954 by scientists at Bell Labs. It is a well proven, well developed technology, utilized for decades by NASA and the U.S. military. Thousands of Americans are installing solar in their homes every year, and there is a growing industry and shift toward using it for power in the U.S. In fact, 74 percent of all new electric-generating capacity installed in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2014 came from solar. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has found photovoltaics to be “the most reliable source of electric power ever invented”. In numerous polls, we can see that most people will favor solar energy. Perhaps it’s because they realize that energy from the sun is clean, reliable, and affordable.With all that in mind, there’s no better time than now to embrace solar energy. Larissa Weinman is in charge of marketing and media for PPC Solar in Taos. Learn more at ppcsolar.com.
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Perfectly secluded 16.19 acre estate featuring multiple solar applications. Passive/2 active. A 1983 sq.ft. 2 bedroom, 2 bath main home. 518 sqft guest home & 1000 sq.ft. studio/office complex. 3 car heated garage and shop. Extensively remodeled with great attention to detail. Custom cabinetry throughout. Water rights, 1.3 acre pasture with 2.5 acre/ft of coverage. John Deere 4120 Tractor/Loader with 5 attachments. Price based on professional valuation. $1,100,000 MLS 91015 - To appreciate fully, please view film/ video go to http://prudentialtaosrealestate.com/video.php (Video correction) 1.2 Kw solar array actually 1.02 ©2014 BRER Affiliates Inc. An independently owned and operated broker member of BRER Affiliates Inc. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are registered service marks of Prudential Financial. Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Used under license with no other affiliation with Prudential. Equal Housing Opportunity.
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Mimicry
How nature takes care of its own
By Steve Tapia
O
ne of the most fascinating aspects in nature is the way it has equipped every creature to withstand enemies and obtain the necessities of life. From protective coloration and concealment, also known as camouflage, to mimicry, to immobility and speed, to sight and smell, warning signals and body armor, we see all of these in nature. Concealment is one of nature’s greatest tools for avoiding predators and blending in with surroundings. For instance, snowshoe hares are white in color in the winter to blend in with the snow, but the spring color of its fur coincides with the changing season and provides it with a patchwork of white and brown that resembles a snow-dotted landscape. As summer progresses the fur of a snowshoe hare changes yet again to harmonize perfectly with the grass of its denning site. Another means of concealment is “mimicry.” Mimicry is closely related to protective coloration, but differs in that the mimic resembles a conspicuous “model” feared or disliked by its enemies. This is demonstrated by the butterfly in the picture accompanying this article on page 22. “Eyespots,” also called an “ocellus,” are eye-like markings meant to deceive potential predators and draw the predator’s attention away from the critter’s most vulnerable body parts or make it appear inedible or even dangerous to other animals. Ain’t nature grand! The most well-known example of an eyespot is probably the eyespot on a peacock’s tail feathers. Eyespots are found on butterflies, reptiles, birds, fish, cheetahs and other Felids. Eyespot “mimicry” then is a protective measure designed to deceive potential predators. Sneaky ... hey, whoever said nature is fair? —CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
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—CONTINUED from PAGE 20
I
n “Nature’s Way, How Nature Takes Care Of Its Own” by Roy Chapman Andrews, the author states that insects are perhaps the greatest mimics we have. I remember seeing a “walking stick” as a kid that I thought for sure was a twig or part of a branch. This is another example of mimicry in nature. Remaining absolutely motionless, “freezing,” can be the most potent factor in safeguarding an animals’ life. I just experienced this with a young cottontail rabbit in my yard, who finally twitched his ear after I had loaded the trunk of my car and stomped all around where he was hunkered down. Not only was he motionless the whole time, but he was completely concealed by the color of his fur against the tan-colored gravel in the parking lot. Almost every creature knows, instinctively, that no matter how well its color blends in with its surroundings, absolute immobility is its best protection. In the case of the cottontail, speed and agility is a great backup defense mechanism should immobility and concealment fail to do the trick. Sight, smell, warning signals and body armor are other methods for critters to protect themselves and obtain resources. Nature has given some animals, like the vulture, geese and ducks incredible eyesight both for protection and to enable them to find food. On the other hand, the black bear relies on an extremely delicate sense of smell and keen sense of hearing, but very poor eyesight. But the champion “smeller” of the world is the moth. The moth can scent a female during the breeding season more than two miles away! The warning signal is another of nature’s protective methods. I have seen a herd of pronghorn antelope peacefully grazing on the plains suddenly throw their heads up and dash away headlong in flight. Last but not least are animals and fish that have body armor and protective spines. On a trip to Peru we went up the Amazon River and came to a village where the people were catching fish with “jagged armor plates.” That’s something you don’t see every day.
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Jim O’Donnell Lobo Peak is a popular hiking destination in the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Study Area.
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ColumbineHondo A jewel just waiting for recognition By Jim O’Donnell
J
ust northeast of Taos the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Study Area is a dramatic and ecologically significant area crowned with peaks reaching nearly 12,000 feet. Clear mountain streams tumble from the rim of those mountains and spruce-fir forests blanket their flanks. It is a wild chunk of land with pine meadows and expansive high-altitude grasslands. It boasts one of the healthiest mountain watersheds in the region and is the largest unprotected roadless area in the Southern Rockies Ecosystem. If you want beauty and solitude, endless hiking and a place for non-motorized outdoor recreation, the ColumbineHondo is your kind of place. If you haven’t been there, it’s time you go.
The Columbine-Hondo boasts a 75-mile trail system that is well-developed and diverse enough to offer a spectacular hiking experience for any fitness level. My two favorite hikes, Gold Hill and Lobo Peak, climb from the valley bottoms to dominate the ridgeline at over 12,000 feet. At 12,115 feet, Lobo Peak is New Mexico’s 33rd highest peak … but you might think you were on top of the world thanks to the view. To get there, you’ll take
Manzanita Trailhead, located on the road to Taos Ski Valley. Manzanita is a 4.2 mile trail that gains 3,600 feet as it travels up the bottom of the canyon on the south facing slope of Río Hondo Canyon. The trail is extremely steep. Manzanita also provides access to Flag Mountain, Gold Hill and the rest of the WSA. Another way up is the Yerba Buena Trail located just west of the Manzanita Trailhead on the same road. Yerba Buena is just less than four miles one way to Lobo Peak.
As one of the highest peaks in New Mexico, Gold Hill is far from a hill and thanks to it being separated by dozens of miles from other high peaks, the view from the top is astounding – and it is a great place to catch of glimpse of bighorn sheep. The shortest route up Gold Hill is the Bull-of-theWoods Trail that begins in the Taos Ski Valley. Long Canyon, beginning from the same trailhead is also a wonderful, albeit slightly longer, route. Neither of these routes are technical and both pass through fabulous pine groves, stands of aspen and into expansive alpine meadows above tree line. It can easily be hiked in half a day, but there are also excellent camp sites along the route.
The trailhead for the Bull-of-the-Woods (as well as Long Canyon) is located at the parking lot of Taos Ski Valley. Gold Hill can be climbed year round, but the best time is between May and October. Be sure to summit by noon during summer so you can be down in time to avoid any thunderstorms. San Cristóbal Canyon is another must see. A pure strain of the endangered Río Grande Cutthroat Trout thrives there. Instead of fishing this creek, just sneak up the trail and peer into the fresh pools to see these gorgeous fish. Still another wonderful hike starts at Columbine Canyon on the north side of the WSA on the road between Questa and Red River. The Columbine-Hondo is the perfect place for solitude. This is the perfect place to recalibrate and get back to your wilderness roots. When you head up, please respect this land, this water and these wilds. The Columbine-Hondo Wilderness Study Area is currently being considered for full Wilderness designation. Learn more at columbinehondo.org/
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Taos Green Chamber Promoting sustainable economic development by Erin Sanborn
Can your business become a sustainable business? The answer is yes. The more a business embraces sustainability the more creative and innovative practices there are. The number one issue for any business, especially in a rural community, is profitability. It is a fact that turning a profit is essential for any business to exist, survive and thrive. Sustainability and profitability go hand-in-hand. But here is a key question: In business, is profitability a goal, or is it an outcome? Considering profitability as an outcome enables a business to more freely plan strategically and implement sustainable practices. When capitalism has only one goal — making money — then the age-old philosophical question arises: “does the end justify the means?” When profitability is the outcome of good work, values-based marketing, customer loyalty, a conscious contribution to people, planet and profit (the triple bottom line), then sustainability has become part of a community’s economic foundation. Sustainable business practices are like a living system, continually mimicking nature’s ever-evolving capacity to plan, design, and develop the business within the context of place, culture and community.
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TAOS
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Taos Green Chamber Promoting sustainable economic development
Manufactured capital financial capital SOCIAL capital
HUMAN capital
NATURAL capital
How does a business begin implementing —CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 sustainable business practices? In May 2014, Taos, Rió Arriba and Santa Fe county stakeholders and business owners in the tourism sector met and challenged themselves to identify the infrastructure priorities that would benefit all tourism businesses from Santa Fe to Costilla, and from Chama to Angel Fire. The participants gallantly took on a very difficult task: to think systemically about the whole Northern New Mexico tourism corridor first and then second, think about their own business practices. The participants used The Five Capitals Model – A Framework for Sustainability, as a way to shape their capacity to think systemically. The Five Capitals Model provides a simple way of understanding the full range of economic wealth and how to generate “capital” for long-term profitability. The Five Capitals are: natural, human, social, manufactured and financial. Most people are familiar with financial and manufactured capital when the words ‘infrastructure” and “wealth” are used. Identifying the mechanisms for wealth creation in the environmental, human, and social capitals is new to many. New academic endeavors in assigning financial value to natural capital have progressed so that people truly —CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
SMU-in-Taos: Natural Resource Capital
All electricity bought from Kit Carson Electric Company is in the form of blocks of wind-generated electricity All defensible space (forest management for fire prevention) wood-cutting results in all wood used for campus fireplaces All wooden posts and railing used on campus comes from campus defensible clearing All recyclable materials are collected by Recycle Taos Collection Dining Hall buys locally sourced food from local farmers whenever possible from Food waste from the dining hall is given to a local pork farmer to feed pigs Improvements have been made to trout habitats in both Pot Creek and Río Grande del Ranchos plus an additional 1,000 rainbow trout have been stocked All laundry and kitchens use biodegradable soaps Replacement of several old septic systems with new, efficient systems Protect biodiversity and eco-system functions with careful stewardship of forest, soil and water resources Provide mountain bikes to students and faculty to
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minimize vehicular traffic Campus participates in local cleanup day along highways and roads
Human Capital
90 percent of the staff lives locally Staff receives training in CPR and child safety laws on an annual basis Outdoor spiritual center is open to campus participants and staff Wellness classes (including yoga) are available for campus participants and staff Weekly team meeting to share ideas and hear staff input lead to business improvements Summer colloquium series is open to the public, free to all. Fall colloquium series with UNM-Taos brings over 10,000 people to the Taos Community Auditorium Natural setting of campus and wellness activities provide inspiring learning and working environment for students, faculty and staff 75 percent of staff hold benefit-eligible positions, up from 15 percent in 2006 There is a new conference center for training,
TAOSNEWS.COM/GREENTAOS
education, and retreats built with sustainable technologies There is a new chapel on campus retreats built with sustainable technologies Staff receives meals as benefit to employment Ongoing archaeological research projects add to knowledge of local history and cultures. The archeological collection is open to the public Local native plant society uses campus for meetings and field trips Staff employment duration has grown from an average of 6 months a year to over 9 months a year
Social Capital
A member of the Green Chamber of Commerce and the Taos County Chamber of Commerce Partnership/collaboration with Mercyhurst University in research programs Host internships that benefit local businesses Collaborative lecture series with UNM-Taos Provide pro bono meeting space for local organizations including Taos City Council Collaboration and respect for cultural traditions with local Native American communities
Curates and stores Picuris archaeological collections pro bono Reburied human remains in collaboration with Taos and Picuris Pueblos. Partnerships with many local businesses: Students and faculty participate in local mudding (enjarre) of St Francis de Assis church (National Monument) Annually host archaeological excavations and training for UNM-Taos students and faculty Participate in local fundraiser for Holy Cross Hospital (Run for the Health of It) Participate in Bridges’ college day for Taos area high school students
Manufactured Capital
Has 8 LEED-certified Gold Buildings Installed cell tower service for campus and local community enhancing communications and safety of campus and locality Built new road bridge allowing emergency vehicles on west side of Río Grande del Rancho Installed fiber optic lines to allow more efficient distribution of information and web content in 2009
Insulated and acclimatized 12 of 33 buildings on campus Added Clements Casita residential space on campus
Financial Capital
Switched campus banking from international banking organization to locally owned bank Annual 4-day Cultural Institute brings 200+ people to Taos community, adding significant support of local economy; $250K plus Gross Receipts Tax generation All employees paid locally Duration of employment for employees increased 50 percent since 2006 Enhanced awareness and investment of SMU in Taos Executive Board The opportunity to become a sustainable business while honoring all capitals is unparalleled. The first step starts where you are, takes steps that work for your business, stretches your capacity, and sets you on a path that will constantly surprise you and will always challenge you. SMU-in-Taos started this process and will continue. Wealth comes from all capitals not just printed money.
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Taos Green Chamber Promoting sustainable economic development
—CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28
begin to see the wealth nature generates. The true wealth in dollars of a watershed begins to shift how people see the need to maintain a healthy forest. A full-cost accounting for energy systems changes the conversation and investment strategies between nuclear, coal, gas, solar and wind energy investments. Only through the inclusion of natural, human, social, manufactured, and financial capital accounting can a business truly begin to move toward sustainability, where profitability is an outcome of business practices.
Courtesy Image The cover of the program for the Sustainable Tourism Conference the Green Chamber recently held at Blackstone Ranch.
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How can sustainable tourism move us all forward? Sustainable tourism includes: Eco tourism, agricultural tourism, cultural tourism, volunteer tourism, and outdoor adventure tourism. Eco tourism is a business and policy commitment to continuously monitor the impacts of tourism on culture, land, water, wealth and community. It is also about consciously designing projects, initiatives, tours, and experiences that enrich the visitors’ experience in a way that also gives back to people, planet and profits. A recent sustainable tourism conference participants identified infrastructure projects, project costs, implementation partners, and the priorities for each participating city/ town, as well as the priorities for the Northern New Mexico corridor. As projects were identified, other participants asked how each project would concurrently
enhance all “five capitals.” Participants realized that lifting all capitals would also lift their businesses. How does a business owner continually enhance sustainable business practices? First, consider what your business has already implemented within the different capitals: natural, human, social, manufactured and financial. Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Taos is the first organization to do an assessment within the Five Capitals framework. The SMU-in-Taos example (see sidebar on page 26) is meant to inspire other businesses to begin sustainability practices by considering the contributions they are already making to a sustainable world. You too, can make your business sustainable as well as profitable. Take the Five Capitals Model – A Framework for Sustainability and identify what your business is doing within each of the Five Capitals. Work systemically to figure out how to keep profitability as an outcome of all that your business does. Take one step at a time. Ask for assistance. Let the ends and means be aligned through a commitment to sustainability. Invite all businesses to come onboard. And discover how far we can go together. Erin Sanborn is the executive director of Taos Green Chamber. To find out more and download the Sustainable Tourism report, visit nmgreenchamber.com.
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Cleaning the future The fight against illegal dumping
By Elliott Martin
A
sickly sweet aroma of decomposing foam filled the air. Two high school juniors, wearing face masks, orange vests and gloves, filled black bag after black bag with discarded clothing. Trash was scattered everywhere throughout the sagebrush.
1,220 pounds of trash. Another team that morning had already picked up 1,180 pounds making the day’s total well more than one ton. It was one ton of mostly clothing, some of the pieces still with price tags on them, which had been scattered on the side of the dirt road.
Kylie Lujan and Javier Rasco, students at Vista Grande High School, were helping to clean up an illegal dumpsite as part of an academic project. With the help of mentor Scott Moore, who started Beautiful Midden, and the support of Taos County Solid Waste, the two teenagers found themselves deep in an age-old problem: trash.
The chain of events placing Lujan and Rasco at the illegal dumpsite on that hazy Wednesday in late April started many weeks before. Moore, along with his wife, started the Beautiful Midden as a way to draw attention to the county’s illegal dumping problem through art and activism. According to its website (beautifulmidden. org), midden is an archeological term for a refuse heap. “Beautiful Midden is by nature transformative,” it says.
“It’s not that hard to stop dumping. It’s hard to clean it up,” said Rasco at the end of the afternoon’s cleanup. Along with his classmate Lujan, the two helped pick up
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They received a grant from the Taos Community
Foundation, making it possible for them to work with local schools. Moore, also an artist, helped students use various forms of art, photography and other media to make a documentary to expose people to the problem. As they worked, Moore said they discussed topics such as how toxins enter the environment, especially waterways, and the effects they have. In their cleanups, they would run across sick and dying animals, poisoned from trash. Lujan explained that they planned their cleanup for about a month. They hung up flyers and got on the radio to let people know about the event. She said she was hoping people would come help, but no one showed. The lack of the public’s involvement raised an important question for Rasco. “If two teams can do it, why can’t the whole community do it? Its just that simple,” he said. This very question dominates the lives of Edward Martínez, Taos County Solid Waste director, and Lorenzo Gutiérrez, the department’s code enforcement official. Locked in a struggle of trying to keep the department running with limited resources and funds while addressing illegal dumping has them stretched thin. Nonetheless, the two have maintained a positive attitude and continue to come up with more and more ideas to address the issue. “The county doesn’t have a whole lot of money, but attitude is a lot more than money sometimes,” said Gutierrez. Now that the department has a code-enforcement official, they are able to give citations for littering and
illegal dumping, ranging from $300 to $1,000, and violations can even result in as many as 90 days of jail time. The department is also enforcing an ordinance requiring people to put tarps over their trash when hauling it to the dump or transfer stations. Failure to comply can result in a ticket of $300 or up to 90 days in the county jail. During a meeting between Beautiful Midden and the solid waste department in early June, Gutiérrez and Martínez got up to answer phone calls from people and explain the current laws. When they pick up trash and find people’s information, they give them a call. They have found Social Security numbers, bank statements, personal cards and even a crack pipe made out of a prescription medication bottle with the name still on it. Before pressing charges, they give people a chance to pick up their trash. That is the one and only warning. Even with lots of information, the department can have a hard time following up on cases because of limited resources. For example, a radioactive waste drum, riddled with bullet holes, was found in an arroyo near Miranda Canyon in Ranchos de Taos last August. It was properly disposed of by a hazardous materials unit, but since then there has been little progress on the case. Even though it’s been almost a year, Martínez said he still wants to know where it came from and how it ended up in his county. He wants the situation resolved so he can “sleep better.” The department is financially self-sustaining, with
funds coming from the punch cards each household in the county must purchase, rather than from county taxes. Martínez said the cards are some of the cheapest in the state, costing $100 per year, which breaks down to a little more than $8 per month. As a result, Martínez has been applying for grants to help improve his department. He finally got two new trucks, after being down to “half a truck,” as he put it. Through grant money, he is also hoping to get video cameras installed at some of the more popular illegal dumpsites so they can identify and catch the dumpers. As of June, one grant application for cameras was denied but he is already trying again. Other plans include improving the local recycling program. Getting people to change their behavior is not easy, but Martínez and Gutiérrez are slowly making progress. “I’ve seen more trucks being tarped. Lorenzo is doing an awesome job,” said Martínez. “It’s a worldwide problem that needs to be solved. The only thing we can do is start with our postage size stamp of Taos County,” said Gutierrez. Even though the job of confronting people about illegal dumping, especially in remote locations is dangerous in itself and above the pay grade, Gutierrez is not giving up on the problem. “I’m not going to live with it. I don’t
have to,” he said. Since he became the code enforcement official, he picked up a book on environmental law to learn more about the legal side of the situation. The long hours, spending unpaid Saturdays assisting community cleanups and the constant reminder of trash on the side of the road, makes it hard for Martínez, Gutiérrez and Moore to get away from the job. Yet there is nothing more rejuvenating then seeing the youth take charge. “Their project was really substantial. The amount of clothing … over a ton that day,” said Moore with regards to Lujan and Rasco’s project. The two students also made a sculpture, called “Another Day in Taos,” from items they found while at the illegal dumpsite. “Everyone that did [the project] felt immediately empowered in their community. That can be hard for the youth here,” explained Moore. “If we focus on [the youth], we’ve got a chance. If we don’t get them on board, forget it,” said Gutiérrez. As Lujan, Rasco, Moore and Gutiérrez were about to take the bags of trash they spent all afternoon collecting to the landfill, another truck appeared on the remote dirt road. As it came into view, it stopped, turned around and headed back out of sight toward U.S. 64. The back of it was brimming over with un-tarped bags of trash. Elliott Martin Heavy machinery covers trash at the Taos Regional Landfill with dirt, keeping it from blowing away april 3. —CONTINUED ON PAGE 34
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The fight against illegal dumping
Cleaning the future
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A recycling brochure provided by the new mexico recycling coaltion offers a quick guide to what can and cannot be recycled at local recycling stations.
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