Theater has been a favorite entertainment for chil-dren of all ages throughout New Mexico for manyyears. Ethnosphere is a youth ensemble dedicat-ed to sustainable music in Santa Fe. Mariachi deOro was formed in the fall of 2006 when EddieHernandez realized he could use mariachi musicto teach children to have respect for one anotherand work together as a team. Mariachi de Orokids range in age from 9-14 and perform through-out northern New Mexico, helping to keep tradi-tional mariachi music alive and loved by future generations.

Enjoy youthful musicians and other performances, puppet the-ater, button and art making activities, readings and book sales,delicious, healthy, local and natural foods, environmental edu-cation and action to inspire the understanding of all we can doand be when we TURN OFF TV and TURN ON LIFE.

Come and participate in this FREE, FUN FESTIVAL for chil-dren of all ages. Local community organizations and child-related businesses are all welcome to participate. Toreserve your FREE space contact Robyn at 877-775-2667 ore-mail her at robins@lamontanita.coop.

Entertainment Schedule4pm: Loren Kahn Puppet Theater4:30pm: Ethnosphere Music Lab 5pm: Loren Kahn Puppet Theater5:30pm: Mariachi de Oro

mitment to restoring and sustaining our blue/green planetary gem.

Our little street fills up quickly so please reserveyour booth space early. We do give first priorityto environmental, social and economic justicenon-profit organizations and farmers and farmingorganizations. Join your friends and neighbors aswe educate and inform ourselves and joyouslydance in the streets at Albuquerque's favoritespring gathering. Mark your calendar, this is oneevent you don't want to miss. Sunday, April 27,2008, from 10:30am to 6pm at the back door ofthe Nob Hill Co-op location.

For more information or to reserve your freebooth space please contact Robyn at 217-2027or toll free at 877-775-2667.

Spring is in full force in New Mexico and with it comesthe Co-op’s Annual Celebrate the Earth Festival. Thisyear there are plenty of important environmental issues to

tackle and lots of dedicated community people working torestore and sustain our little planet. People all overAlbuquerque and throughout the state are getting ready forthe 19th Annual Celebrate the Earth Festival.

You can expect an inspiring day filled with information andeducational booths from dozens of environmental, social andeconomic justice organizations, local farmers, seedlings,drought-resistant plants, beautiful art from fine local artistsand crafts people, inspiring music and dancing by some of ourfavorite local performing artists and of course great Co-opfood. Again this year the festival will cover two blocks onSilver Street between Carlisle and Tulane for an expanded andbetter than ever fun and educational time.

Alternative Transport: Bike it!Don’t let high gas prices get you down. Ride a bike! Onceagain we are honored to be working with Bike Albuquerque,the City of Albuquerque’s Bicycle program and theAlbuquerque Police Department on a wide variety of bike safe-ty and educational activities. Look for our Kids Bike SafetyRodeo and learn about new city bike helmet requirements.“Vici Accion” will be offering on-the-spot education on bikemaintenance; and don’t miss the Endorphin Power Company’s“Power Tower.” Thanks to Commander Conrad, of the

THIS APRIL IT’S ALL HAPPENING AT

A Festival for Children of all AgesTuesday, April 22 4pm-7pm. At theSanta Fe Co-op, 913 W. AlamedaSt./Solana Shopping Center

The Co-op on W. Alameda Street in Santa Fe ispleased to be participating in Turn Off TV Weekagain this year. Each year Turn Off TV Week is

sponsored by the Santa Fe Public Schools’ Office ofStudent Wellness and the Santa Fe TV Turn OffCommittee.

On Tuesday, April 22nd, the Co-op will offer a free healthypizza party to honor all the elementary school childrenthroughout the public school system who participated inthe project and turned off their TVs for one whole week.We also welcome other children of all ages in the hopes ofinspiring more of us to TURN OFF TV and TURN ON LIFE.

Since this year’s TURN OFF TV... TURN ON LIFE event fallson Earth Day, joining the fun for youth environmental edu-cation will be the Sierra Club and Green Tag New Mexico.Collected Works will offer readings and have childrens’books for sale. Children will be able to make their own pin-on art buttons with Apollo Art Studios.

Don’t miss performances by the Loren Kahn PuppetTheater, Ethnosphere and Mariachi Oro. Loren Kahn Puppet

Turn OFF TV... Turn ON Life

19th Celebrate the Earth

Festival!

your CO-OP!

Sunday, April 27, 10:30am-6pm

Southeast Sub Station for bringing our southeast area bikeofficers. Come and get to know our local bike officers!Also, thanks to the City of Albuquerque’s Chuck Malagodiand Astrid Webster for their help on all things bicycle! See

page 3 for more bicycle details.

Global warming and its effects remain one of ourgravest environmental issues. This year we arepartnering with the Sierra Club to educate onglobal warming solutions we can all take rightnow. This year Immanuel Church (just acrossCarlisle), Sierra Club and the Co-op are teamingup to provide a free mini environmental film fes-tival in Immanuel’s Fellowship Hall. (See page 2for times and details.)

Get Your Green Tags: Grow Alternative Energy SourcesAgain this year we are partnering with GreenEnergy New Mexico to green tag our event. Ourpurchase of green tags for all the energy we use at

the Festival is an investment in alternative energy source cre-ation here in New Mexico. Everyone who comes to theFestival will have the opportunity to “green tag” their energyuse to invest in renewable solutions developed in our state.

Environmental Education and Action:We are looking forward to having groups as diverse asHawkwatch, Bethany Organic Farm, New Mexico SolarEnergy Association, Amigos Bravos, New MexicoWilderness Alliance, Citizens for Alternatives toRadioactive Dumping, Defenders of Wildlife,Albuquerque Bio-diesel Project, Desert WomanBotanicals, Animal Protection of New Mexico,UNM Sustainability Department, New MexicoOrganic Commodity Commission, BernalilloCounty Extension Service, The Los Alamos StudyGroup, Sparrow Hawk Farm, Albuquerque Centerfor Peace and Justice, No Cattle Farm, Con-servation Voters Alliance, Citizen Action, EQNM,and Wild Earth Guardians, to name but a few ofthe many wonderful organizations confirmed atpress time.

As always you can count on seeing some of ourcommunity’s fine local artists and crafts persons,hearing some of your favorite musicians andthrilling performances from our gifted local per-formers. Some festival favorites are coming back,and we are once again honored to have themgrace the little stage under the big tent, in themiddle of Silver Street. For more information onwhich great local bands you will get to hear forFREE, see the full entertainment schedule.

We're praying for a beautiful day, and withMother Earth's blessing we will once again taketime to celebrate "Her" and reaffirm our com-

2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NWDon’t miss this fun and educational family event. Get yourseeds, veggie and flower starts, green garlic, tree pruningeducation and other gardening info and supplies. Sit at anumbrella -shaded table and enjoy free local music, Co-opfood, friends and more.

Earth FestEntertainment Schedule10:30am: Traditional Native American Drum Group11:30pm: Susan Clark12:30pm: Alma Flamenca1:15pm: Joe West and Friends2pm: Baile, Baile Dance Company3pm: Saltine Ramblers4pm: La Chat Lunitique5pm: Wagogo

Celebrate the Opening of

THE SANTA FEEXPANSION!and the Grand Opening of the New Mexico Educators Federal CreditUnion • Friday, April 18th, 11:30-1:30pm, 913 West Alameda

Join the Credit Union and the Co-op as we celebrate the opening of thefirst Santa Fe branch of the New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Unionin the newly expanded La Montanita Co-op. Sample great natural foodtreats and delicious lunch delicacies from our newly expanded Co-opDeli. Enjoy the music of Young Edward.

April 5garden

PARTY

9th Annual ValleyGardenParty!Saturday, April 5, 10am-3pm

think outof the

BOX!

earthfest ‘08A Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

La Montanita CooperativeNob Hill/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun.3500 Central SEAlbuq., NM 87106 265-4631

Valley/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun.2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NWAlbuq., NM 87104 242-8800

Gallup/ 10am-7pm M-S, 11am-6pm Sun.105 E. Coal Gallup, NM 87301 863-5383

Santa Fe/ 7am-10pm M-S, 8am-10pm Sun.913 West Alameda Santa Fe, NM 87501 984-2852

Cooperative Distribution Center 3361 Columbia NE, Albuq., NM 87107217-2010

Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP)• General Manager/Terry Bowling 217-2020terryb@lamontanita.coop• Controller/John Heckes 217-2026johnh@lamontanita.coop• Computers/Info Technology/David Varela 217-2011 computers@lamontanita.coop• Food Service/Bob Tero 217-2028bobt@lamontanita.coop• Human Resources/Sharret Rose 217-2023hr@lamontanita.coop• Marketing/Edite Cates 217-2024editec@lamontanita.coop• Membership/Robyn Seydel 217-2027robins@lamontanita.coop

Store Team Leaders: • Mark Lane/Nob Hill 265-4631markl@lamontanita.coop• John Mulle/Valley 242-8800jm@lamontanita.coop• William Prokopiack/Santa Fe 984-2852willpro@lamontanita.coop• Tim Morrison/Gallup 575-863-5383timm@lamontanita.coop

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanita.coopPresident: Martha WhitmanVice President: Marshall KovitzSecretary/Treasurer: Ken O’BrienWilliam Bright Lonn CalancaStephanie DobbieAriana MarchelloTamara SaimonsJonathan Siegel

Membership Costs:$15 for 1 year/$200 Lifetime Membership

Co-op Connection Staff:Managing Editor: Robyn Seydelrobins@lamontanita.coopLayout and Design: foxyrock incCover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept.Advertising: Robyn Seydel Editorial Assistant: Kristin Whitekristinw@lamontanita.coop 217-2016Printing: Vanguard Press

Membership information is available at all four Co-op locations, or call 217-2027 or 877-775-2667email: robins@lamontanita.coop

Membership response to the newsletter is appreciated. Address typed, double-spaced copy to the Managing Editor, robins@lamontanita.coopwebsite: www.lamontanita.coop

Copyright © 2008La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.

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

The Sierra Club, Immanuel PresbyterianChurch, and La Montanita Co-op team up!

“Building A Clean Energy Future FilmFest"— The Sierra Club and other groupsrepresenting faith, youth and labor com-

munities will host a series of films documenting positivecollective actions against climate change. Stick aroundto hear inspiring stories of local campaigns and projectsthat you can join — or contribute your own ideas tospark additional ones!

The Earth Fest-Film Fest will showcase the feature film“Everything’s Cool,” among other films. “Everything’sCool” follows the journeys of global warming messen-gers as they reveal the consequences of climate changeand highlight the solutions that will help moveAmerica from laggardnation to world leaderon global warming.

This Earth Fest Film Fest will be held during the Co-op’s 19th Annual Celebrate the Earth Festival onSunday, April 27th, across Carlisle at ImmanuelPresbyterian Church, from 11:30am to 5pm. There willbe a schedule of films posted at the Co-op Board ofDirectors table and elsewhere around the Festival area.The Earth Fest Film Fest is a FREE event.

The Sierra Club in New Mexico: Helping SolveGlobal WarmingWhat a momentous year 2007 was in the effort to solveglobal warming! From people organizing in their com-munities to our representatives at the state and federallevel, there has been a true awakening in this countrythat global warming is real and that we must act nowto avoid reaching the tipping point.

Congress raised fuel efficiency standards for the firsttime in 30 years. It was the biggest single step towardsreducing our greenhouse gas emissions, while saving usbillions at the pump – $153 million by 2020 here inNew Mexico — and reducing our dependence on oil.Closer to home, the state legislature established aRenewable Electricity Standard (RES) to guarantee thatat least 15 percent of our electricity comes from renew-able sources by 2015, increasing to 20 percent by 2020.

These are just a few of the many smart energy solutionsenacted over the course of 2007, thanks to the determi-nation of countless people and organizations, as well asthe leadership of key lawmakers. No doubt more leg-islative battles lie ahead, but we should take great hopein the progress made over the last year.

2 April 2008

Seizing the momentum from 2007, the Sierra Club and its volunteers— often in partnership with other community groups — are workingto ensure that we continue moving forward towards a clean energyfuture. Less of our hard-earned income would go towards energy costs,our air would be easier to breathe and our water safer to drink.

LIGHT BULB EXCHANGEIn order to turn this dream of a clean energy future into reality, SierraClub volunteers are spearheading a massive light bulb exchange pro-gram. We replace people’s incandescent bulbs with energy-efficientCompact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) that use one-fourth the energyand last ten times longer. The school-based project is the most innova-tive piece of this program. It involves an educational slideshow entitled“Bright Ideas about Energy” for grades 3-5, and then a light bulbexchange with the parents, teachers and staff at the school over the nextthree days. Sierra Club volunteers have also distributed CFLs throughneighborhood walks and at public events, while a number of churches

that are members of New Mexico Interfaith Power & Lighthave organized bulb trades with their parishes. Thanks to

The Stove, a relatively new art stu-dio at Morningside and Copper, theincandescent bulbs will become anart project rather than end up inour landfills. We will have distrib-uted 40,000 CFLs in Albuquerqueand Santa Fe by the end of May2008, which will help prevent theequivalent of about 16,000 tons ofcarbon dioxide from being releasedinto the atmosphere.

Another team comprising our CoolCities campaigns in Albuquerque

and Santa Fe is working with the city governments to develop a ClimateAction Plan. The focus of this effort is to set and implement a plan thatwill ensure we reduce greenhouse gas emissions 7 percent below 1990levels by the year 2012. We remain committed to applying this targetto emissions city-wide, not just in terms of city government operations.

Desert Rock

We sometimes shift our focus from solution-oriented programs todefeating dirty energy projects that would condemn our country

to the worst effects of climate change. Alongside Navajo activists,Sierra Club volunteers have been fighting the proposed Desert Rockcoal-fired power plant with a clear message: Doodá (which means"NO" in the language of the Navajo people) Desert Rock, if opera-tional, would emit an estimated 13 million metric tons of carbon diox-ide per year while consuming about 4 million gallons of water per day.After helping defeat a tax subsidy for Desert Rock at the state legisla-ture in 2007, we continue to work with Navajo community groups andother partner organizations in preventing the construction of a thirdcoal-fired power plant on the Navajo Nation. Please stay alert for thenext call to action as the Final Environmental Impact Statement isreleased and open for comment.

We will seize other opportunities to move towards a clean energy futureas the year progresses. Regardless of the campaign, we need more vol-unteers to help us build community power and focus our collectiveattention on solving global warming.

BY SHRAYAS JATKAR

For more information or to volunteer, contact Shrayas Jatkar(Grassroots Organizer) at the Sierra Club’s New Mexico FieldOffice in Albuquerque, (505) 243-776, shrayas.jatkar@sierraclub.org.

CO-OPYOU OWN ITImage of Roadrunner this page: courtesy ofJess Alford Photography

EARTH FESTFILM FEST: April 27 at theCo-op’s Celebrate theEarth Festival

ANEARTH FESTFILM FEST! EVERYTHING’S COOL?

pairs. In the Land of Enchantment, only 23 wildMexican wolves remain. This is unacceptable andhas to change.

Mexican wolves are ecological pioneers. We knowthat wolves help maintain landscapes and ensurethe health of deer and elk herds: in short theyrestore the balance of nature for all. It is up togood management, sound science, and all of us tomake sure that this recovery succeeds. By workingtogether, we can ensure wolves are able to survive,

restoring balance to natural areas in the Southwest.

Join Defenders of Wildlife at the Co-op’s 2008 Celebrate the EarthFestival at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church at 1:30pm to learnmore about the status of our wild Lobos and what you can do tohelp ensure that their howls will be heard in the forests of theSouthwest for years to come. You may even get to meet a liveambassador wolf from Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary!

BY LISA HUMMON, DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE

This year we celebrate the 10thanniversary of the initial release ofMexican wolves to the wilds of the

southwest. After being brought to the brinkof extinction in the 1900s’, the last fiveremaining wild Mexican wolves were cap-tured in Mexico in the late 1970s’ to begin avery careful captive breeding program. OnMarch 29, 1998, those efforts paid off wheneleven Lobos were released into the ApacheNational Forest in Arizona.

But ten years later, the wolves are in trouble again.Over the years, twenty-four wolves have been ille-gally shot, with only one offender being brought tojustice. In 2007 alone, nineteen wolves were eitherpermanently removed or killed for conflicts with cat-tle. The population has declined in three of the lastfour years. We are now down to just 52 wild Lobosin Arizona and New Mexico and just four breeding

LOBOSIN NEW MEXICOCLELBRATE 10 YEARS OF

This program takes donations of bicycles for the purpose of refur-bishing them, making them safe and rideable, to be distributed tofamilies who may find themselves in financial hardship. Bring thatbicycle (or bicycle parts... it doesn't have to be a working bicycle)to the Community Bike Recycling Program at the Co-op’s 19thAnnual Celebrate the Earth Fest. Donate your bike and meet someof the volunteers that make this program happen.

"Something as small as a bike can have a real impact on ourcommunity." Learn more about the program: www.communitybikerecycling.org or contact Richard Rivas at richardrivas@comcast.net

BY TWO MOONS

Bicycle riding is an integral part of Earth Day andevery day. However, all too often by the time EarthDay rolls around, the New Year's resolution to getmore exercise ("I'm going to ride my bike everyday”) has fallen by the wayside.

Now you have an opportunity to salvage some of thatself esteem and help someone else. Donate that bike orany other bicycle to the Community Bike RecyclingProgram.

earthfest ‘08

April 2008 3

Co-op ValuesCooperatives are based on the values of self-help,self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity andsolidarity. In the tradition of their founders, coop-erative members believe in the ethical values ofhonesty, openness, social responsibility and car-ing for others.

Co-op Principles 1 Voluntary and Open Membership 2 Democratic Member Control 3 Member Economic Participation 4 Autonomy and Independence 5 Education, Training and Information 6 Cooperation among Cooperatives 7 Concern for Community

The Co-op Connection is published by LaMontanita Co-op Supermarket to provide informa-tion on La Montanita Co-op Supermarket, thecooperative movement, and the links betweenfood, health, environment and community issues.Opinions expressed herein are of the authors andare not necessarily those of the Co-op.

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

Valley

Gallup

Santa Fe

COMMUNITY

RECYCLING

for more informationwww.lamontanita.coop

bike

BY ASTRID WEBSTER

Many consider bicycles as green as we can get.Bicycles are good for our health, reduce roadcongestion and greatly re-

duce our environmental impact inmultiple ways. Studies show that everymile we bicycle keeps a pound of carbondioxide from spilling into the air webreathe. Cycling may just be the bestway to get around town.

19th Annual Celebrate the EarthFest Bike Events10am-noonBikeABQ joins La Montanita on Earth Day to help getAlbuquerque biking. Greenwheels, Albuquerque's first ven-ture into bikesharing, will help out with minor bike repairsbetween 10 and 12. Both groups will staff tables with a hostof information and encouragement.

12:30-4pmBetween 12:30 and 4, the City's Parks and Recreation Dept.will hold a bike rodeo on the west end of the Earth Day cel-ebration. The rodeo is best suited for youth between theages of 8 and 12. Parents may quickly ask why not teachthese skills to younger children. Our past experience showsthat when you teach 5-year-old children street smarts, theywant to go out on the road to practice what they havelearned. For safety's sake, children under 8 should be rid-ing with parent supervision. Before children of any age take

to the road on a bike, they need a properly fitted bike helmetas now required by law.

Other Bike Classes and HappeningsFor adults who want a more in-depth bicyclingprogram, the City's Parks and Rec. Dept. andBikeABQ will be offering four Bicycling 101classes this year. Classes will be offered April 12,June 21, September 20 and October 18. A bicyclerepair class will be offered on August 23. Formore information call Chuck Malagodi at 768-Bike (2453) or Julie Luna at 224-3454.

As an added bonus for greening transportation, SpecializedBicycles is developing a used bicycle tire recycling program.For more information, please contact Sportz Outdoor's bikeshop at 837-9400 and ask for Lee. Sports Systems will hostthe Bike Swap again this year on May 3. Contact BikeABQto volunteer if you want to get a peek at bike offerings beforethe swap officially opens. Perhaps you'll be the first to spy thebike of your dreams at a bargain price. Then, oh the funnever ends, ride off to your favorite breakfast stop on Bike toWork Day, May 16. To find out where these are, stop atBikeABQ's information table and pick up a free bike map, ifyou need one.

If you have questions about cycling, come to theAlternative Transport Tent at the west end of theCelebrate the Earth Fest and just ask. A variety of bikeorganizations and activities will be happening all day.

RECYCLE YOUR OLD BIKE AT EARTH FEST!

BIKES MAKE EVERY DAY

EARTH DAY!!

How are Green Energy NM Green Tags different?Green Energy NM is a unique non-profit collaborative thatemphasizes economic development through renewable energy pro-duction. The goal of Green Energy NM is to increase the amountof renewable energy generation in New Mexico — by sellingGreen Tags to New Mexico businesses, organizations and resi-

dences, we are creating a reinvestment fundfor new wind or solar project generation, thusbenefiting the state with clean energy produc-tion, new sources of jobs and a new tax base.The Green Tags are also certified by Green-e,the most credible and respected nationwidecertification organization. Businesses or resi-dences can buy Green Tags for their electricityor natural gas consumption, and can also pur-chase them for emissions related to automo-bile and airline travel.

Green Tags can offset more than electricity When you visit www.greenenergynm.org you can determine yourcarbon footprint by using the carbon calculator to know howmany Green Tags offset your footprint.

Many businesses and residences throughout NM are participating inGreen Energy NM, including local events. For the second year in arow, the Co-op’s Earth Fest offset the energy used at its event with apurchase of Green Tags. Positive Energy, a solar design and installa-tion company, offsets office activities and vehicle travel. ThePermaculture Credit Union purchases Green Tags to offset officeoperations. If you are a merchant or planning an event you can sellmini-tags to your customers or attendees to offset their travel.

Support renewable energy production in NM! Visit us atwww.greenenergynm.org, call us at (505) 428-7764, or cometo the Co-op’s Earth Fest!

BY MARIE CLAIR VOORHEES

AT EARTH FEST

Offset your carbon intensive activites withrenewables! Celebrate Earth Day by reducingyour environmental impact and your carbon

footprint with the purchase of Green Energy NM, GreenTags. Green Energy NM is a partnership betweenBonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), theRegional Development Corporation (RDC) andthe Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy(CCAE). The goals of the program are to increasepublic awareness of the economic and environ-mental benefits of renewable energy. A key com-ponent of the program is the sale of renewableenergy certificates (RECs) a.k.a. Green Tags.

What is a Green Tag?Green Tags represent the environmental benefitsassociated with electricity generation from new renewabletechnologies like wind and solar power. A renewableenergy facility produces two distinct "products." The firstis energy. The second is the environmental benefits result-ing from not generating the same electricity — and emis-sions — from a conventional gas or coal-fired powerplant. The renewable electricity displaces the dirtier (coalor natural gas) power that would otherwise have beengenerated and delivered to the power grid. These envi-ronmental benefits can be separated from the electricalpower and packaged into a Green Tag.

Each Green Tag is equal to one megawatt hour (onethousand kilowatt hours) of renewable energy, theapproximate amount of electricity used in an averageAmerican home in one month. A BEF Green Tag costs$20 and there is a minimum purchase of two GreenTags, or three Green Tags for monthly payment orders.

GET YOUR

GREENTAGS

BIKE IT!

Life on planet Earth has managed to survive by means ofwater. All life is brought into existence on Earth throughthe life-giving energy of water. The water cycle is what con-

tinually churns the cycle of energy and provides the resources thatsustain us all. Humanity must realize the importance of protectingand preserving the natural qualities of the water cycle. We must workto maintain the purity of water in terms of the Earth’s health as were-think our own personal consumption and wasteful misuseof water. In the high desert of Northern New Mexico and themountainous regions of the Sangre de Cristos, there is a deli-cate balance between water and survival for all species. Theco-existence of plants, animals and all other organisms with-in the ebb and flow of the water cycle is dependant on theavailability of a clean water source.

NATURAL CYCLESWater is the only molecule that can exist in every naturalstate: liquid, solid, gas and vapor. The special polar nature ofa water molecule provides a unique environment for life tothrive and diversify. We are blessed with a relatively abun-dant supply of water in this region compared to most of thehigh desert plateau regions of the world. There is a distinct waterflow dynamic within the landscape of Northern New Mexico. Watertravels from the high mountains down to the watershed and on tolowland bosque wetlands as it descends in altitude. The bio-geo-graphical distribution of animals and plants follows the trends ofresource availability: varying with temperature and altitude. As weobserve the patterns of collective groupings of plant and animalcommunities within a distinct inter-dependant relationship with thesacred lay of the land, we begin to notice the role of humanity whenit comes to water. Humans have the most dramatic effect on the bal-ance and use of water within a natural ecosystem. The change inallocation of water due to human use is far more influential than anyother source of change in the environment. This can be measured bythe environmental disturbance that is a direct product of the humanecological footprint.

CULTUREThere is a strong culture behind the structured use and distribution ofwater in Northern New Mexico. The longtime collaboration withwater in agriculture by Native peoples and the more recent use ofwater by Spanish and Anglo cultures continue to influence the way inwhich we honor and protect water in current day Northern NewMexico. Agriculture, ranching and personal use dominates waterusage, and current technologies allow people to increase the efficien-cy at which we grow food through a variety of ways including stor-ing, catching and recharging the aquifer. However, there are alwaysways to improve our consciousness when it comes to the use and per-petuation of clean water. For the next generation to truly appreciateand be aware of the value of clean abundant water, the elders musteducate and instill the worth of water for all the forms of life.

agua es vida APRIL 2008 4

Many of the myths and stories told by the ances-tors of this land tell of feast and famine depend-ing on precipitation. Our livelihood depended on whether or not the rain would water thecrops, fill the rivers and allow the animals to drink. Of the Earth and for the Earth, thewater provided by the spirits only comes when we honor and hold ceremony for the bless-ings bestowed upon the land for food, water andshelter. During

periods of life whentechnology and sci-

entific advancement weren’t the only tools weused for the health and wealth of our families, wetrusted the Earth and knew that although not pre-dictable, the rain would come.

There is a compromise between old traditionsand the new ways of life that are embraced bythe youth of our communities. The way in whicheach individual perceives its environment willlead to the lifestyle choices that are made. Allchoices must be looked at in terms of the healthand diversity of all life, not just humanity. Theways in which we have been looking at Earth aredramatically evolving as the general public inthis nation begins to realize that we are usingEarth rather that mutually living in harmonywith the blessings of Earth.

By utilizing specific agricultural, domesticand civil practices that use less waterand return clean water back into the sys-tem, we can assure ourselves that there

will be clean water for the present and into thefuture. The basic premise of the water cycleensures that whatever we put into the cycleworks itself through with ardent strength.Everything unnatural is magnified and accumu-lates to the point of danger for the environment.

WATER CONSUMPTIONThe capacity of water to nourish and do work isimmense. Irrigated agriculture accounts for 78%of the total water withdrawals in the state ofNew Mexico. Over half of this 78% is used pri-marily for livestock and recreational animalfoodstuff. Irrigated agriculture and domesticatedanimals have a long history in New Mexico with

NEW WORLDWWWWAAAATTTTEEEERRRR

PROTECTING QUALITY PRESERVING QUANTITYby Adam Trujillo

a variety of positive detrimental and permanenteffects; for example, the number of invasive exoticspecies that have spread as a result of mismanagedgrazing land and the use of cattle in our diet. Theseries of holistic management range practices thatallows the land to heal after livestock grazing shouldbe required for all cattle and ranching operations.

Limited in quantity and some areas by quality, wateris a primary factor in determining the future growth ofNew Mexico. Residential water use is comprised of

two components: indoor use and outdoor use. Ithas been concluded in water use studies that theamount of water use depends more on lifestylethan family size or age. Water conservation isdefined as any beneficial reduction in water useor water losses. The demand for water utilities isincreasing every day in Taos County, as the devel-opment and construction industries are well outof hand and have been for quite a long time.Many of us locally raised New Mexicans can

barely recognize the land as the influx of people hasled to a loss of traditional agrarian lifestyle and is tear-ing apart the matrix of respect, integrity and intercon-nectivity with the land, water, air and fire.

Now is the time to implement a public re-educa-tion program, and require that building codes

are effective in reducing the average daily use in ourcommunity. All of these measures may reduce thelocal demand and may add years to the life ofaquifers that are being mined, reduce the cost ofwastewater treatment, save energy, postpone or elim-inate the expansion of water treatment and distribu-tion systems, and decrease the volume of wastewaterdischarged into rivers and streams.

WITHIN THE FLOWThe procedures and human dealings with water inthe last 200 years are mind-boggling. Our exhaustiveconsumption and creation of an ethno-centeredmindset around water has resulted in challenges thatwe try to solve with technologies that may wastemore water, all in the process of trying to save theenvironment. The solution is not found in anotherprogram to save water but rather the solution lies inour own individual ability to value and commit tothe earth and the elements that allow our familiesand communities to thrive. The techniques are sim-ple: mimic the Earth, be the plant that sends rootsdown, absorbing water, gathering life force and let-ting go of water in other forms so that it can contin-ue on giving life to other beings and communities. Ifthere is any place and people that can be guides forthe rest of society, let New Mexico be that place.

BY JOHNNY MICOU

The Houston-based oil exploration companyTecton is planning to drill eight exploratory wellson private residential land in the

fragile Galisteo Basin. The companyclaims the Galisteo Basin holdsbetween 50 million to 100 million bar-rels of sweet light crude; however, theone well that Tecton currently operatesis producing a mere 5 barrels of oil aday, leading to doubts about the accu-racy of their production estimates.

If allowed to commence, drilling in Santa Fe Countywould be devastating to the quality of life, environ-ment and economy. Surface water and groundwater,including private residential water wells, would becontaminated, damaged or depleted. Importantarchaeological and cultural sites may be destroyed.Wildlife habitat would be ruined. New roads and thehigh volume of tanker and truck traffic would erodeunstable soil and threaten public safety. Noise and

light pollution would reach unacceptable levels.Property values would likely plummet and real estatesales would decline. Local businesses (bed-and-

breakfasts, art galleries and restau-rants) would lose money because ofthe drop in tourism.

As you are no doubt aware, SantaFe County’s mining ordinanceclearly and expressly applies to oiland gas activities. Although it istrue that the provisions of the ordi-nance are more focused on hard

rock mining, there is absolutely no doubt that theordinance was specifically intended to apply to allmining – including mining for fluid minerals. Thecurrent mining ordinance provides the citizens ofSanta Fe County with significant protections fromthe adverse effects that are inevitably associatedwith oil and gas mining. For example, the currentmining ordinance provides for set-backs for drillingactivities, which afford landowners a degree of pro-tection from industry. continued on page 5

a fragile enivronment

DRILLING THEGalisteoBasin

Creating a compromisebetween tradition and

new technologies

New Mexico’sdistinct water-flowDYNAMIC

JACK OF ALL TRADES

MASTER OF

DRIPIRRIGATION

345-9240

BY MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS

Pharmaceuticals and City ConservationOrdinance

I n early March this year, the Associated Press ran aseries of articles on a five-month study it conducted ofpharmaceuticals in US drinking water. The AP found

that, “a vast array of pharmaceuticals – including antibi-otics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers, and sexhormones – have been found in the drinkingwater supplies of at least 41 million Americans”in 24 major metropolitan areas.

The reaction to the AP story was dramatic, get-ting massive coverage in the media and calls inCongress for an investigation.

In New Mexico, the state EnvironmentDepartment said that New Mexico doesn’thave the same problems with drug residues inits drinking water that other states have. Thisclaim is based on a 2002 report that tested fordrug, but not antibiotic, residues. That reportfound low levels of pharmaceuticals associated withall four water treatment plants tested, as well as theBuckman Crossing of the Rio Grande and the SanJuan River at Bloomfield.

The AP suggested that their results are just the visiblepart of the problem. There are no federal requirementsto test for pharmaceuticals and no standards. The APstudy contacted 62 major water suppliers and only 28tested their water for pharmaceuticals. Even thosewho do test sometimes test for only a couple of typesof pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the AP tested thewatersheds from which most Americans get theirwater; of 35 watersheds tested, 28 had pharmaceuti-cals, but 6 of the municipalities in those watershedsdid not test their drinking water.

The AP also noted that water providers don’t like toreport such findings, because, as one major Californiasupplier put it, the public “doesn’t know how to inter-pret the information.” However, the EnvironmentalProtection Agency has a different reaction. BenjaminGrumbles, Assistant Administrator for Water at theEPA said, “We recognize it is a growing concern andwe’re taking it very seriously.”

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water UtilityAuthority (ABCWUA) has insisted that they have

The new ordinance imposes new requirements for city-owned prop-erty, commercial property and new residential development and man-dates that the new requirements be phased in between the end of 2008and 2011. The business community, represented by NAIOP (NationalAssociation of Industrial and Office Properties), doesn’t want therequirements to take effect until 2018, arguing that it would be toocostly and “chaotic” to implement the changes more quickly.

The Water Utility Authority has also not been enthusiastic about thestricter conservation requirements, stating that the WUA has 20years from the start of using its San Juan-Chama water (2004) tomeet a per capita daily consumption under 155 gallons. (Santa Fecurrently uses a little over 108 gallons per capita per day.)

Some of the requirements are such things as:• Setting seasonal time restrictions on watering of publiclandscaping;• Requiring medium- or low-water use turf in parks, golfcourses and athletic fields except in high-traffic areas, andsetting maximum annual water usage;• Limiting high-water-use turf on new public and non-pub-lic residential sites to less than 20% of the landscape sur-face and new commercial sites to 0% high-water-use turf;• Installing low-flow toilets in all public and non-publicfacilities by the end of 2009 (unless the installation wouldrequire major renovation);• Requiring irrigation systems to have automatic pro-gramming schedules, a rain sensor to shut off the systemand other conservation features.

Pressure from the business community has already led Cadigan to backoff on some of the deadlines and ease the turf requirements for privateparks that also serve at least some public function. While it may becostly to retrofit toilets and replace turf, it is also undeniable that thesechanges will result in lower water bills for those businesses and lowerwater consumption for the city as a whole. The Water Utility Authorityis still offering rebates on low-flow toilets, for example, and smallerturf areas with better irrigation will substantially reduce outdoor wateruse, the largest source of non-drinking water use.

Councilor Cadigan needs to hear from the community and not justthe business interests. We may have a record runoff and flows in theRio Grande this year, but the long-range forecasts for New Mexicoand the Southwest are still for reductions in river flows. We need toget serious about conservation.

The next Council meeting to discuss the ordinance is April 7th. You canlet Councilor Cadigan know that you support his efforts by contacting hisoffice at (505) 768-3189 or maledo@cabq.gov (Mimi Aledo, his staffassistant will take your input).

A PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN

A PHARMACY RUNS THROUGH IT

WATER UPDATEnever detected pharmaceuticals in the RioGrande, either above or below the City.However, two UNM graduate students, in sepa-rate studies released in 2004, both found phar-maceuticals in the river, especially associatedwith the water treatment plant. The more exten-sive of the two studies, by Maceo Martinet – nowwith the US Fish and Wildlife Service Al-

buquerque office – tested for 19 pharmaceuticalsand endocrine disruptor compounds. Martinet’slab analysis detected contaminants in seven of 15pharmaceutical categories. He also found themin the shallow groundwater that spreads out toeach side of the river.

The emerging science on these pharmaceuticalsis that low doses, comparable to the levels foundin rivers and drinking water, can affect cellgrowth and disrupt endocrine (hormone) activi-ty. Combinations of these drugs also producenovel effects that each drug individually doesnot. This is the growing concern that the EPAand other researchers in the US and Europe arenow investigating.

Business Opposes New ConservationOrdinanceCity Councilor Michael Cadigan wants to movethe city and the Water Utility Authority aheadmore aggressively to conserve water. To do that,he has drafted the “Water ConservationLandscaping and Water Waste Ordinance”, arevision to Chapter 6, Article 1, Part 1 of theRevised Ordinances of Albuquerque.

agua es vida APRIL 2008 5

At Drilling Santa Fe, we have looked carefullyat the State's Water Quality Act and the State'sOil and Gas Act. Looked at together, it seemsclear that the New Mexico Legislature hasintended to preserve the authority of local gov-ernments to protect water resources more stri-dently than those resources are protected by thestate. We insist that independent studies be con-ducted to analyze the hydrogeological, environ-

mental, cultural and economic impactsof oil and gas drilling.

We demand that the county defer con-sideration of all permit applications foroil and gas drilling activities withinSanta Fe county until such time as thecounty promulgates an ordinance oramendments to the hard rock miningordinance that specifically addressesthe many adverse impacts that the oil

and gas industry would cause to its citizens andthe cultural, environmental and economicresources of the county.

The citizenry of Santa Fe County must have thefortitude to support county officials who willstand up to the oil and gas industry. We needstrong leadership that places our health, safety,economy and environment above the interestsof an out-of-state company.

A petition can be found on the Drilling Santa Fewebsite http://www.drillingsantafe.org. DrillingSanta Fe is a growing group of citizens concernedabout impending oil and gas activity in Santa FeCounty. For more information, please contactJohnny Micou drillingsantafe@earthlink.net, 505-474-3061).

continued from page 4However, at least three of the proposed well sites are inviolation of county ordinance. One well is plannedwithin 400 feet of a residence; another ranges fromapproximately 900 to 1,600 feet from several resi-dences. The ordinance establishessetbacks of no less than 0.5 mile(2,640ft.) from residences. Thereare other violations, as well.

Does Tecton believe that thecounty will permit these vari-ances to the ordinance? There aresome people who have expresseduncertainty about the county’sauthority to protect our preciouswater resources from oil and gas activities. We believethat this uncertainty is misplaced and that the countyhas full authority to protect its water resources – bothsurface water and groundwater – from the certaindamage that would be caused by oil and gas activities.We further believe that it would be disastrous for thecounty to "throw in the towel" on the basis of a per-ceived preemption issue, instead of exercising its fullauthority under the New Mexico Constitution andNew Mexico statutes.

The New Mexico Court of Appeals and the US Courtof Appeals for the Tenth Circuit have addressed theissue of whether state law preempted Santa Fe coun-ty's mining ordinance and Rio Arriba county's timberpractices ordinance. In both instances, the ordinanceswere found NOT to be preempted. Likewise, webelieve that it is unlikely that a court would find thatthe county does not have authority to protect thecounty's water resources from the adverse effects ofoil and gas activities.

DRILLING THE

GALISTEO

PROTECTING COMMUNITY WATER SUPPLIES

DRUGSin the RIVER

Consumer Alert:NEW ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION

REPORT RELEASED

A newly released study commissioned by the OrganicConsumers Association (OCA), a nationwide networkof more than 500,000 organic consumers, and over-seen by environmental health consumer advocateDavid Steinman (author of The Safe Shopper’s Bible),revealed the presence of the undisclosed carcinogeniccontaminant 1,4-Dioxane in leading shampoos, bodywashes, lotions and other personal care and household cleaning products claiming to be “natural”or “organic”.

Laboratory tests showed that products certified organ-ic under the USDA National Organic Program did notcontain this toxin. All leading self-proclaimed “organic”brands have at least a few individual “certified organic”ingredients, but for most of these top-selling brands,the product, as a whole, is not USDA organic certified,thereby allowing the presence of synthetic toxins.

What is 1,4-Dioxane?Ethoxylation, a cheap short-cut companies use tomake harsh ingredients milder, requires the use of thecancer-causing petrochemical ethylene oxide, whichgenerates 1,4-Dioxane as a by-product.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Stay warmly dressed while making the transitionfrom winter to spring, even though the air may bewarm. Increase physical and breathing exercises. Avigorous walk or hike will help you to exhale a con-siderable amount of built-up wastes. It may alsomake you sweat a little, stimulating the skin

and helping to exude toxins.Practicing proper breathingtechniques increases oxygenintake, which purifies theblood, cleanses the lungs,calms and clears the mind andinvigorates the body. One ofthe most beneficial and deli-cious ways to clear out livercongestion is with food.

Continue eating winter foods(heavier, oilier, more carbohydrates and warm),but don’t overdo it! Eating too many heavy foodsmay make your body too dense for this time ofyear. Add more vegetables and salads. Greens areplentiful this time of year. Bitter greens, such askale, collards, mustard, chard, dandelion orwatercress, help stimulate the flow of bile andcleanse the liver. Lightly steam or sauté them withgarlic or ginger and a pinch of cayenne in olive oilfor delectable flavor. Squeeze the juice of a lime orlemon on top, just before eating, and enjoy!

Eat green salads on a daily basis. Choose endive,watercress, romaine, mizuna, arugula, parsley orother greens. You can make a simple and tastydressing using olive oil, minced garlic, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, a pinch of cayenne pepperand a spoonful of tahini. The liver’s favoritefoods are right out of the garden or on color-ful display in the produce section of yourfavorite local Co-op.

Herbs, Etc. Santa Fe, NM Allergy ReLeaf System, 120 caps, sale $29.99

High Country Kombu ChaEagle, CO • Organic Kombucha Tea, 16 oz.,Assorted Varieties, sale $3.29

Rudi’s Organic Bakery Boulder, CO • Organic Sandwich Bread, 20-22 oz.,sale $2.99. Additional Rudi’s items on sale

Third Street ChaiBoulder, CO • Organic Chai Latte, 32 oz., AssortedVarieties, sale $3.99

Tijeras Organic AlchemyAlbuquerque, NM • Clary Sage & Cucumber DailyShampoo & Conditioner, 12 oz., sale $8.99

VALID IN-STORE ONLY from 4/2-4/29, 2008:Not all items available at all stores.

co-op news APRIL 2008 6

LOCAL SALE ITEMSSHOP LOCAL & SAVE

For 30 years La Montanita Co-ophas been a community leaderon food, health and environ-

mental issues. Over 20 years ago LaMontanita Co-op was the first in thecommunity to offer shoppers a five-cent bag credit for each bag they do nottake at the register. This 5-cent bagcredit continues today.

Last October we asked for your inputon the phase out of plastic bags at theregister. Overwhelmingly, you let us know that to protect ourenvironment you would support that change. We are using up the lastof our plastic bags and, sometime this month, you will no longer beasked: “paper or plastic?” at Co-op registers.

Some plastic bags will still be available in the produce, bulk and meatdepartments. Please use these sparingly and re-use them whenever possi-

ble. Over the years we have had a wide variety ofreusable bags available. We have ordered a variety ofstring, canvas and other reusable bags, some as

inexpensive as 99 cents.Thanks for joining us inour efforts to protect ourplanet. Please call orwrite Robyn at 217-2027or toll free at 877-775-2667 or e-mail robins@lamontanita.coop withquestions or input.

PACKAGING WASTE

FACTOIDS

1. US consumers use anestimated 300-700 plastic bags per person per year.This is an estimated 380 billion plastic bags, sacksand wraps a year nationwide, utilizing an estimated12 million of barrels of oil per year.

2. If everyone in the United States tied their annualconsumption of plastic bags together in a giant chain,the chain would reach around the Earth 760 times!

3. Estimates for plastic sack use worldwide rangefrom 100 billion to one trillion per year, degradinglandscapes and filling landfills.

4. Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photo-degrade — breaking down into small toxic bits,contaminating soil and waterways and entering thefood chain.

5. The EPA estimates that it can take 1,000 yearsfor the average plastic bag to decompose

6. The EPA also estimates that only 5.2 % of the plas-tic bags in the waste stream in 2005 were recycled

7. According to the American Forest and PaperAssociation, in 1999 the US alone used 10 billionpaper grocery bags, requiring 14 million trees to becut down.

Sources: New York Times, April 1st, 2007, EPAWebsite, www.chicobags.com, Paper or Plastic,Searching for Solutions to an Overpackaged World,by Dan Imhoff, published by Sierra Club Books.

APRIL SPECIALSWANT TO SEE YOUR LOCAL PRODUCT ADVERTISED HERE?

Contact Angela at angela@lamontanita.coop

We use 300-700plasticbags perperson per year!

BY KRISTIN WHITE

A s the days grow longer and warmer, theenergy of spring, lying dormant in winter,begins to flow. We awake, stretch and stir,

becoming more alive and active. Our bodiesrespond to this increased movement by alert-ing the eliminative organs, i.e. liver, kidneys,intestines and blood, to remove the collectedwastes of winter. The colon, kidneys, lungsand skin play key roles in this importantprocess; but it is the liver, stimulated by thesespringtime energies, that cleanses the bloodand internal organs of impurities, or toxins.

Toxins are poisonous substances producedby living cells or organisms that are active atvery low concentrations. They may be caused by fatty,processed or undigested foods, a deficiency inenzymes, or environmental toxins including heavymetals, drugs, poisonous chemicals, polluted air andcontaminated water. When the body is overloadedwith toxins, the liver may be stressed and cause symp-toms such as allergies, headaches, nausea, irritability,mental fogginess, muscle tension, skin conditions,itching and fatigue. In women, signs of liver stressinclude PMS, fibroid tumors and endometriosis, giventhat the liver must process excess estrogens out of thebloodstream.

In spring, your body’s internal heat rises just as thetemperature outside becomes gradually warmer.Your body heat moves closer to the surface in rela-tionship to the increase in external temperature. Allthe same, you are still sensitive to cool weather andprone to getting a chill. If your body is sluggish anddoesn't heat up fast enough, or if you rush the tran-sition from cool to warm, you are susceptible tocolds and flu. It is best to make a gradual transitionto warm weather in dress, food and routine.

Carcinogens in Body Care ProductsCOMING CLEAN CAMPAIGN

Paper or Plastic?neither please!

GREENSSpring Cleaning with

continued on page 7

Personal Growth

Childhood Trauma • Illness

Drugs/Alcohol • Loss

Women’s Issues

Louise Miller, MA LPCC NCC

Psychotherapy

louise@louisemiller.org Phone (505) 385-0562

www.louisemiller.org Albuquerque, NM

co-op news APRIL 2008 7

CO-OPS: A Solution-Based System A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons

united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social andcultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and

democratically-controlled enterprise.

Calendarof Events

I recently attended the Organic Farming Conference herein Albuquerque. What a wonderful opportunity to experi-ence New Mexico’s farming and farm support community. Itwas a pleasure to meet the farmersthat supply our Co-op. The chal-lenges they face in today’s farmingand marketplace environment aremany and complex. I’m proud thatthrough our Food-Shed Project andthe Co-op Distribution Center (CDC),La Montanita has been able to sup-port these farmers and have a role intheir success. We look forward tostrengthening our relationships withlocal producers and bringing more local products to ourmember owners and customers during the upcoming year.

After months of hard work, the Santa Fe expansion con-struction phase is coming to a close. The New MexicoEducators Credit Union has opened a branch inside ourstore. We are excited to have them aboard and wish themthe very best. We believe this will be a mutually beneficial

endeavor for us and for the people of Santa Fe. Any Co-opmember is welcome to join the Credit Union and utilizetheir compliment of full financial services.

I would like to thank the Santa Fe staff for their hardwork and patience during the construction phase ofthis project. I recognize that our staff had their worklives turned upside down during this time but haveremained strong and committed to the completion ofthis project. This great new expansion would not havebeen possible without their dedication. Thanks alsogo out to our member owners and customers.Without your patronage, this vision would have neverbecome a reality.

I would like to extend an invitation to all of you to visit ournewly expanded Santa Fe Co-op and see what your Co-ophas become. Join us for the Credit Union Grand Openingon April 18th from 11:30am-2pm.

Thanks again for your support of your Co-op. You own it!In Cooperation, Terry Bowling

4/5 Valley Garden Party, Valley Co-op, 10am-3pm4/15 Board of Directors Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm4/18 Santa Fe/Credit Union Grand Opening, see page 14/21 Board Member Engagement Committee, CDC, 5:30pm 4/22 Turn Off TV, Turn On Life, Santa Fe, see page 14/27 Celebrate the Earth Day, Nob Hill Co-op, 10:30-6pmTBA Finance Committee Meeting, CDC, 5pm

THE INSIDE SCOOP

BY ERIN GORMAN

Researchers have found that Americanwomen appear to crave chocolate morethan women elsewhere in the world. But

for women cocoa farmers inGhana, chocolate is much morethan a craving. For the women ofKuapa Kokoo, a fair-trade farm-ers’ cooperative and part owner ofDivine Chocolate, chocolate is theway to a bright future.

Fair trade means that farmers arepaid a fair price for their crops andreceive premiums to invest in theircommunities. An equally important part of KuapaKokoo’s commitment to fair trade is the advance-ment of democracy to empower farmers in the localand global markets.

Democracy makes it possible for the farmers ofKuapa (45,000 members in 1,200 villages) to discusshow to improve their communities in ways that ben-efit the greatest number of people. In a world wherecocoa farmers are exposed to the vagaries of a mar-ket beyond their control, farmers value the ability tospeak up for themselves, say what is on their minds,and chart their own futures. Democracy alsorequires that both men and women take part.

Cecilia Appianim is a cocoa farmer from the villageof Asemtem in the Central Region of Ghana. She isalso a member of the national executive council for

Kuapa Kokoo, and she visited the United Statesrecently to help promote Divine. She explained theimportance of women taking part in this way: “Fair trade has helped us a lot. Because of fair

trade, women can come out boldly andtake part in every event. Before, it wasnot like that. Before, we would stay athome and watch the men. And wewould work with our husbands and theywould take the money, put it in theirpockets, and when it came time to buyfood or pay school fees they would saythe money is gone. But Kuapa has openedour eyes to see that everything should be50-50. So if a man has one vote, a

woman has one as well. If the men come together tomake a decision, then the women are there to takepart as well. So now we are empowered. “Alsobecause of fair trade, we have many projects forwomen. We make soap, t-shirts, batik. We growother foodstuffs and sell in the market and then putsome money into the credit union for hardship timesor to pay our children's school fees.”

Divine Chocolate is co-owned by the farmers ofKuapa Kokoo in Ghana, so women and men farm-ers are involved in decision-making at every level.

So, think of Divine Chocolate as more than a wayto satisfy your cravings. You can purchase DivineChocolate at La Montanita and your support isa contribution to democracy and the empow-erment of women around the world.

BRANDS FOUND NOTNOTTO CONTAIN 1,4-DIOXANE

DIVINE CHOCOLATE:FAIR TRADE GOODNESSGOODNESS

1,4-Dioxane is considered a chemical “known to theState of California to cause cancer” under proposition65, and is also suspected as a kidney toxicant, neuro-toxicant and respiratory toxicant, among others,according to the California EPA.

Read Your LabelsYou won’t see 1,4-Dioxane listed on product’s ingredi-ent labels, because it is considered a “contaminant” or“by-product” of the ethoxylation process, rather thanan ingredient. OCA’s study indicates the toxin is pres-ent in products with synthetic ethoxylated ingredi-ents, including those with myreth, oleth, laureth,

ceteareth, any other “-eth,” PEG, polyethylene, poly-ethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol, in theirnames. In general, avoid products with unpronounce-able ingredients to be sure to avoid synthetic toxinsand carcinogens.

Conventional Non-Organic Products AlsoContain the CarcinogenAlthough previous studies have revealed 1,4-Dioxaneis present in many conventional personal care prod-ucts, this new study indicates the toxin is also presentin a number of leading self-proclaimed but non-certi-fied “natural” and “organic” branded products.

All USDA Certified Organic brands tested in this study were 1,4-Dioxane-free, including: Dr.Bronner’s, Sensibility Soaps (Nourish brand), Terressentials,Aubrey Organics, Dr. Hauschka, Burt’s Bees Products.

Support the OCA’s Coming Clean Campaign to rid themarketplace of synthetic personal care products mislead-ingly labeled as “organic”. To join the campaign, donatefunds to support this and other OCA work and research,go to www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/

continued from page 6

Classical HomeopathyVisceral Manipulation

Craniosacral Therapy

MARY ALICE COOPER, MD

St. Raphael Medical Center204 Carlisle NE Albuquerque, NM 87106

505-266-6522

In springtime it is favorable to eatlocal fresh fruits, vegetables andherbs in season. Fresh young greens area traditional part of spring diets. Therecipes below incorporate spring greensand vegetables such as asparagus, let-tuce, spinach, watercress, radishes andarugula.

(Key: C = cup, T = tablespoon, t = tea-spoon, lb. = pound, oz. = ounce, qt. =quart)

Spring Ephemeral Salad

1/2 C sunflower seeds1 t fresh grated ginger1 clove garlic, minced3 T lemon juice3 T organic, extra virgin olive oil2 C spinach leaves2 C dandelion greens, picked beforeflowers open1 raw, medium beet, grated1 medium carrot grated2 scallions thinly sliced1 C alfalfa sprouts 15 violets (or as many as you can find),with stems

In a medium serving bowl, combine gin-ger, garlic, lemon juice and oil. Addspinach, dandelion greens, beet, carrot,sunflower seeds, scallions and sprouts.Toss the salad and dot with violets.

Spring Greens with WheatBerries

1 T butter8 mushrooms1/2 t salt1/4 t dried hot chilies5 C spring greens (lettuce, spinach,

green cuisine APRIL2008 10

beet greens)1/2 C spring onions or garlic scapes,sliced8 radishes, sliced1/4 C dried tomatoes, sliced1 C cooked wheat berries, chilled1/2 C grated Farmer's cheese (or otherhard cheese)1 t fresh mint, mincedapple cider vinegar, to taste

Heat butter in a pan and sauté the mush-rooms until they've released their juices.Season with the salt and chilies and setaside. Layer the remaining ingredients,except for the vinegar, into a large saladbowl. Just before serving, pour the warmmushrooms with their cooking juices overthe salad. Dress with the apple cider vine-gar. Serves 4

Spring Greens with AcornSquash

2 small acorn squash (about 2 pounds total)2 T brown sugar2 T butter or olive oil4 C leaf lettuce (romaine, red-leaf, green-leaf, butter or a mixture)2 T sunflower seeds4 t honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pierce theskin of each whole squash in severalplaces to let the steam escape duringcooking. Place on a baking sheet in 375-degree F. oven for about 1 hour. Squeezethe squash to test for doneness. When ityields to gentle pressure when poked witha fork, it's done.

Or, if you prefer the quick version usingthe microwave, pierce the squash severaltimes with a sharp knife. Microwave eachsquash on high until tender, about 5 min-utes. Turn the squash after 3 minutes toensure even cooking.

Place the cooked squash on a cuttingboard and cut in half. Scrape the seedsout of the center of each half and discardthe seeds. Remove the pulp of the squashand put into a mixing bowl. Repeat withthe second squash. There should be about2 cups of pulp. Sprinkle squash with thebrown sugar and add the butter. Mixuntil smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Divide the lettuce amount on 4 saladplates. Top each with 1/2 cup of thesquash mixture, 1/2 tablespoon sun-flower seeds and 1 teaspoon honey. Serveimmediately. Serves 4

Pasta with Asparagus andSpring GreensThis simple pasta dish showcases leafygreens as well as asparagus, another clas-sic spring vegetable.

10 to 12 oz pasta, any short shape 1 lb fresh asparagus2 T olive oil2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced 6 to 8 oz fresh greens, such as arugula,watercress or baby spinach leaves (or a combination), well rinsed, stemmed if desired1/2 C grated fresh parmesan, feta orcrumbly goat cheese salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to directions inplenty of rapidly simmering water, thendrain. Meanwhile, trim woody ends fromthe asparagus spears and scrape anytough skin with a vegetable peeler (slen-der spring asparagus usually needs noscraping). Cut the spears into 2-inch longpieces and set aside. Heat the oil in asmall skillet and add the garlic. Sautéover low heat for a minute or two or untilgolden. Add the asparagus and a smallamount of water. Cover and steam untilthe asparagus is done to your liking butstill bright green. Add the greens, cover

greenCuisne!

and steam very briefly (less than a minutewill do), just until wilted down slightly.Combine the pasta with the asparagusand greens mixture and cheese in a serv-ing bowl and toss well. Season with saltand pepper and serve at once. Serves 4

Spring Vegetable Soup

2 T vegetable oil2 scallions, trimmed and sliced2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced2 small turnips, peeled and diced2 new potatoes, scrubbed and diced2 carrots, diced1 spring fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoondried thyme1/2 C chopped fresh parsley6 C vegetable stock or chicken stock1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into1 inch pieces1 cup peas, fresh or frozen1 bunch (6 oz) watercress, leaves only2 T tarragon vinegarsalt and pepper

In medium saucepan, heat oil over medi-um-high heat. Add scallions, garlic,turnips, potatoes and carrots. Cover andcook until vegetables are starting to soft-en, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme, pars-ley and stock and bring to a boil. Reduceheat and simmer 15 minutes.

Add asparagus and peas and cook anoth-er 5 minutes. Purée half the soup withwatercress and return it to remainder ofsoup. Stir in tarragon vinegar, taste forsalt and pepper, and serve.

Potage PolentaCooked cornmeal makes a delightfullydense soup base. Serve this meal-in-a-bowlwith a bountiful salad and crusty bread.

2 T olive oil3 to 4 cloves garlic6 C water

1 C yellow cornmeal, preferably stoneground1 16-oz can small red beans, drained and rinsed1 medium-small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced1 C diced ripe tomatoes1/4 C oil-cured sun-dried tomatoes, plus morefor topping if desired1 t Italian herb seasoning blend6 to 8 oz Swiss chard or spinach, well washed,stemmed and choppedsalt and freshly ground pepper to tastebasil leaves, handful, cut into strips1/2 C grated mozzarella-style nondairy cheesefor topping, optional

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the garlic andsauté over low heat until golden. Add 4 cups ofthe water and bring to a gentle simmer. Pour thecornmeal into the pot in a thin, steady stream,1/4 cup at a time, whisking constantly. Stir inthe beans, tomatoes, dried tomatoes and sea-soning. Cover and continue to simmer gently.Uncover to whisk well every 5 minutes or so, for25 minutes, or until the cornmeal is cooked.Whisk in 1 cup of water with each of the lasttwo stirrings. Stir in the chard or spinach. Cookfor an additional 7 to 10 minutes for the chardand 3 to 5 minutes for the spinach, just untiltender but still bright green. Adjust the consis-tency with more water if needed.

The soup should be fairly thick, but thinnerthan a cornmeal porridge. Season with salt andpepper and serve. Top each serving with a fewstrips of basil, and if desired, a sprinkling ofcheese and a few extra strips of dried tomato.

Yellow Split Pea Soup This version of split pea soup instructs you tocook the split peas separately so if you want todouble the amount of split peas, you can savehalf for some other use. You can use a vegetablestock, if you like, in place of the water.Rapunzel Herb Bouillon with Salt is recom-mended; use about 1/2 of one cube in the soupto make a nice, light flavorful broth. If you wantto go 2% on the Greek yogurt, that is fine. Lookfor yellow split peas in the bulk department ofyour favorite Co-op.

2 C dried split yellow peas, picked over and rinsed6 C water1 T extra virgin olive oil2 large onions, chopped1/2 t fine-grain sea salt3 C water1 7-oz container of Greek yogurt1/2 C shredded, de-seeded, unpeeled cucumber1 clove garlic, mashed and mincedscant 1/4 C fresh mint, choppedbig pinch of saltchopped black olives for garnishmore olive oil to drizzle

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a largesaucepan, add the yellow split peas, and cookfor 20 -30 minutes, or until tender. Drain, salt totaste and set aside. Add olive oil to a big potover med-high heat. Stir in onions and salt and

cook until the onions soften, just a minute or two.Add the cooked split peas and stock/water. Bring toa simmer and let cook for a few minutes. Nowremove from the heat. Using a large cup or mugladle half of the soup into a bowl and set aside.

Using a hand blender or regular blender, puree thesoup that is still remaining in the pot. Stir thereserved, (still chunky), soup back into the puree -you should have a soup that is nicely textured. Ifyou need to thin the soup out with more water (orstock) do so a bit at a time. Give the soup a taste,if it needs more salt, add more a bit at a time untilthe flavor of the soup really pops.

In the meantime, make the yogurt topping by mix-ing together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, mint andsalt. Set aside. Ladle soup into bowls or cups, andserve each with a generous dollop of the yogurt, adrizzle of olive oil, a touch of chopped mint (anythat was left on the cutting board) and a sprinklingof black olives. Serves 4

Spring Tonic SoupA medicinal soup to awaken your body for spring!

2 T cooking oil1 onion chopped1 fresh burdock root sliced2 cloves garlic minced1 carrot sliced1 celery stalk sliced1 handful of fresh, young nettle leaves or 1 C of nettle tea1 C vegetable broth1 C brown rice fresh ginger root, grated (to taste)fresh chopped parsley and cilantro to garnishsalt, pepper and/or other spices to taste

In a frying pan, sauté oil, onion, garlic, ginger, bur-dock root, carrot and celery. Make one cup of nettletea unless you have fresh leaves. Cook brown rice.In soup pot, combine sautéed vegetables, nettle tea,vegetable broth, spices and rice. Cover pot and sim-mer on low heat for two hours. Serve with freshlychopped cilantro and parsley as garnish.

The recipes above have been adapted and reprintedfrom the following sources:www.mayoclinic.comwww.care2.comwww.thedailygreen.comwww.101cookbooks.comwww.tummytemple.comhttp://blog.vegkitchen.com/2008/03/www.globalgourmet.com

green cuisine APRIL2008 11

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Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto(Penguin, 2008).Ann Vileisis, Kitchen Literacy: How We Lost Knowledge of Where FoodComes from and Why We Need to Get It Back(Island, 2008).REVIEWED BY VENETIA PIMLEY

Two new books about the American food sys-tem both confirm that shortening our foodchain will make us healthier and happier. In

In Defense of Food Michael Pollan calls for a morecommonsense approach to eating, faulting food scien-tists and the food industry for making food too com-plex. The problem is the way most Americans viewfood, believing that nutrients, not food, matter, that weneed scientists to explain food to us, and that the pur-pose of eating is to deliver fuel and chemicals. He callsthis view nutritionism. We’re bound to fail, he shows,when we try to understand food by studying nutrientsout of the context of foods and by studying foods outof the context of diets.

Pollan traces many health problems to the Western diet, pointing outthat several leading causes of death are chronic diseases linked to diet(coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer). To understandthe relationships between chronic diseases and the diet of refined foods,we need to stop looking at food in terms of its chemical constituents.

local food APRIL 2008 12

Also, to benefit from food (which Pollan distin-guishes from processed foodlike products), forgettrying to tease out which nutrient is responsible forwhich health benefit: foods are more than the sumof their parts.

Pollan proposes we think of food not as a thing butas a relationship. We should replace our reduction-ist, utilitarian view with “a broader, more ecologi-cal, and more cultural” one. That is, we should

understand how the health of all parts of the foodchain are related. And we should let appetite, pleas-ure and tradition be our guides to eating.

In Kitchen Literacy, Ann Vileisis tells the story ofhow our food chain lengthened from 1800, whenAmericans knew where their food came from, tonow, when most of us don’t. She details the move-ment of people to cities, the rise of processed foodsand additives, the first cross-country transport ofbeef, the ignorance about pesticides movingthrough the food chain, and the absence of truthfullabeling. This story includes the birth of nutrition-ism. After the turn of the 20th century, kitchen lit-eracy “evolved from being a matter governed by anindividual’s sense, common sense, and tradition, to

one governed by outside experts representing analliance of commerce, science, and government.”

When consumers no longer knew the farmers whosupplied their food, producers, processors and mar-keters did what benefited themselves. Ads exploitedhomemakers’ “inferiority complex” as cooks, andpictures on labels exploited city-dwellers’ nostalgiafor the country (increasingly, a manufactured ver-sion of nature). Knowing brand names replaced tra-ditional knowledge: a leading home economist in the1920s recommended shoppers give up the “burdenof knowing,” learn only brand names, and notworry about ingredients or methods.

Atroubling feature of the lengthened foodchain has always been the use of preserva-tives, synthetic foods and colorings because

they nullify our ability to relate to food through oursenses. From their inception, Vileisis writes, addi-tives and “made-foods” threatened “what hadalways been a direct, natural, sensuous relationshipbetween eater and food.” And today, Pollan argues,“foods that lie to our senses are one of the mostchallenging aspects of the Western diet.” Eaters needexperience to interpret a food’s signals of smell,color, taste, and to understand ideas of ripe orspoiled, an experience many of us have never gotten.

Pollan and Vileisis recommend we eat lower on thefood chain, grow some of our own food, and buyorganic and local foods. In fact, Vileisis says thatthe local and organic foods movement is a way to“exercise… social consciousness in a mass-market-driven society.” Foods bought directly from thefarmer or with the organic label are foodsgrown in ways that are better for the land, theanimals, and us, the eaters.

book reviewTROUBLE ON THE FOOD CHAIN

A celebration of food from theground up! Saturday, May 17th •11am-3pm, Hubbell House andDemonstration Farm • 6029 IsletaBoulevard, SW

Come and enjoy the 2008 LocalFood Festival and Field Day, at thegrand opening of the HubbellHouse in Albuquerque’s South Valley. AMONG THE MANYTHINGS YOU’LL GET TO DO:

• Taste locally grown foods prepared by local chefs• Get gardening tips on what to plant• Find out how much you need to water• Discover the perfect time to prune

• Meet the people who grow local food• Explore preparing and selling food from your

own fields• Learn how to cook with the seasons• Find out what’s so important about bees

Pet a chicken, feed a goat, listen to livemusic and just enjoy the beauty at thegrand opening of one of New Mexico’shistoric treasures!

The event is organized and co-sponsored by the Mid-Region Council of Governments’Agriculture Collaborative with Bernalillo Countyand the Hubbell House Alliance. For information,contact Jen Silverman or KT LaBadie at 724-3619or localfoodnm@mrcog-nm.gov. The festival isfree and open to the public and celebrates allthat our local Food-Shed has to offer.

Local Food Festivaland Field Day

Celebrate food from the ground up!

Redefining ourrelationshipwithFOOD

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farming & gardening APRIL 2008 13

cheese actually contained much if any dairy anyway. Still, it’s encour-aging that Kraft, Starbucks and Kroger Foods are all responding to theconsumer’s voice that rBGH/rBST-free products are made available.Meanwhile, Kevin Holloway of Monsanto went on record to say that“We're not aware of any consumer demand for this type of product.It is just a marketing effort to differentiate and charge more.”

E.U. P.U.The European Union’s famous stance against GMcrops seems to be slowly eroding. EU attorneys haveblocked Poland’s bid to ban all trade and planting ofGMs within their borders. They say Poland (or anyEU member country) must be GM crop-specific inban requests and have solid reasons backed by sci-entific study. As any GM company will tell you, GMcrops are the most studied crops in the history ofagriculture. Two things they fail to mention: (1) thestudies focus on GM development and not safety,(2) most of these studies are funded by the GM com-panies themselves and (surprise!) find little faultwith their products.

BIOTECH WALKOUTThe three-year collaborative International Assessment of Agri-cultural Science and Technology for Development (in a nutshell,how to feed the world while improving rural livelihoods) did notencourage the use of GMs but instead pointed out ecological andeconomic risk. Monsanto, Syngenta and BASF (the world leaders inGM technology) all withdrew from the project. Apparently, 4,000participants (including scientists) from 110 countries didn’t offerGMs as the answer. These biotech companies claim they have theanswer but they don’t appear to be listening to the questions.

“RESISTANCE IS FUTILE”Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, is a naturally occurring bacterium thathas long been cultured in the lab and used to kill crop-devastatingcaterpillars by both organic and non-organic farmers alike. The bac-terium has been genetically engineered (by our old friends atMonsanto, among others) into crops that then produce their ownBt, whether there is a caterpillar infestation or not.

Its well known among pesticide developers that pests eventuallydevelop resistance to pesticides if they are used ubiquitously. A2003-2006 study in Mississippi and Arkansas conducted byUniversity of Arizona scientists found the first bollworm populationto evolve resistance to the Bt cotton plant. Worldwide, 400 millionacres of Bt cotton and Bt corn have been planted, comprising whatthe scientists’ report calls “one of the largest selections for insectresistance ever known”. Bt versions of apple, broccoli, cabbage,tobacco, tomato and soybean have been developed but have yet tobe released.

BY BRETT BAKKER

C otton, canola, corn, papaya, potato, soy-beans and squash account for the most-planted genetically modified crops while

wheat, plums, alfalfa and others wait in thewings. To date, not one GM crop has been developedfor better nutrition, increased yield or drought-toler-ance. Four out of five acres planted to GM cropsworldwide have been bred for resistance toMonsanto’s weedkiller Roundup, the most used pes-ticide around the globe (a note to clarify the nomen-clature: bugs and weeds are pests, therefore insecti-cides and herbicides are both classed as pesticides).

BITTER SWEETSThese days there’s a longer list of processed productsthat contain corn syrup or its derivatives than thosethat don’t. That sweetener is more abundant, cheaperand more “plastic” (as in malleable) than “old fash-ioned” sugar from cane or beets. Its also derived fromcorn that is Genetically Modified. The use of import-ed cane sugar is falling dramatically but beet sugaraccounts for 1.3 million acres in the US alone. Thisspring hundreds of thousands of acres, mostly inIdaho, will be planted to GM sugar beet seed fromMonsanto for the first time. Beets, like corn, easilycross-pollinate, which means genes from the GMsugar beet can easily pass to table beets and to chard

(botanically speaking, chardis a beet green that doesn’tproduce a beet). A suit in US District Court ofCalifornia is attempting to block the use of GM beetsuntil environmental impact studies are complete,much the same as last year’s suit against GM alfalfa.The case is pending.

KRAFTYIn response to consumer demand for dairy productsfree of recombinant bovine growth hormone (a.k.a.rBGH or rBST), Kraft is releasing a specialty line ofgrowth hormone-free products. At a higher price ofcourse. Not all of us were convinced that American

Just say NOto GMO’s!

GMGMOO ROULETTE

BY CRAIG SPONHOLTZ OF DRYLAND SOLUTIONS

Do you consider making water with rocks to besome sort of fanciful alchemy? Do you believethat virtually every culture that has occupied

the arid lands of the Earth has possessed this power?

It is in fact true that dryland cultures throughout historyand around the world have utilized gravel and rocks to har-vest dew, rainfall and runoff. The ancient Nabatean cultureof the Negev desert in what is now Israel employedthese techniques to develop a thriving agriculturalsociety in a very harsh environment. Here in NewMexico, the Ancestral Puebloans engineered entirewatersheds with rocks to provide their staplecrops of corn, beans and squash. They used boul-ders to build networks of terraces, cobbles to slowrunoff in gullies and layers of gravel on their fieldsas a moisture-conserving mulch. These are sim-ple, time-tested techniques that we are just nowrediscovering.

Consider a typical xeriscaped suburban yard with drought-tolerant plants and ample amounts of rock and gravel neat-ly separated for just the right aesthetic. I am always amazedthat when we do use rocks and gravel that we carefully sep-arate them from the soil surface with weed barriers thatprevent any vegetation from growing. This creates a veryhot and dry growing environment for isolated clumps ofxeric plants.

The whole point of thriving in drylands and living harmo-niously in the landscape is to maximize every drop of rain-fall that is naturally available to enrich your surroundings ina sustainable way. Cisterns are great, but can be expensive.Consider that the soil under your feet provides more waterstorage capacity than any tank ever could and it is literallyfree. Our job is to simply allow every possible drop of rain-fall to soak in. This is where rocks come in.

We can use many different sizes and configurations ofrocks to encourage moisture storage in soil. The simplesttechnique is gravel mulch. This thin layer of gravel protectsthe soil from the heat of the sun, holds in moisture, increas-es microorganism populations in the soil, which therebyincreases moisture infiltration and provides protective envi-ronments for seedlings. Young plants further shade the soilsurface and continue the positive feedback loop. Moremoisture - more plants, more plants - more moisture. Thisis true until the area reaches its equilibrium of water stor-age and water use, its carrying capacity.

An area of barren gravel xeriscaping can become a densestand of native grasses without any supplemental irrigation.If you lay down native grass and wildflower seeds andcover them with a thin layer of gravel mulch, leaving out theweed barrier altogether, you can end up with a very lowmaintenance, naturally xeric meadow that is dense withdiverse species of drought tolerant plants. Once a year inlate winter you can mow the area with a string trimmer to

disperse seeds and add organic mat-ter to the soil. Eventually most ofthe gravel will disappear under thecover of grasses and wildflowersand become incorporated into thesoil. For those who desire a moremanicured look, the same techniquecan be isolated or even retrofittedinto existing landscaping by remov-ing small areas of weed barrier,seeding and replacing the gravel

while leaving the rest in place. In this simple way you toocan make water from rocks.

On a slope you can achieve great results by using one-rockdams – these are made with stones laid on contour to trapdebris, seed and eroded soil. One-rock dams are in essencesmall and very simple terraces, very effective in curtailingerosion on gentle slopes and starting the revegetationprocess. Soon after one of these is in place, life will returneven to the most challenged landscape, with young seedlingscolonizing moist protected soil under the rocks.

Between May 11 and 16th, The Permaculture DrylandsInstitute will be offering a 5-day Applied WatershedRestoration workshop with Craig Sponholtz, where onecan learn first hand the art of making water with rocks insituations ranging from home-to landscape-scale applica-tions. To read more about this educational opportunity, visitwww.permaculture.org

Craig Sponholtz earned an M.A. in Agro-EcologicalRestoration from Prescott College and studied permacultureat Tagari Farm in Australia. He has had extensive training andhands-on experience in water harvesting, erosion controland stream restoration. His business, Dryland Solutions, Inc.designs and implements watershed restoration projectsthroughout the Southwest. Craig teaches a wide variety oftechniques that foster beneficial relationships between peo-ple and the watersheds they live in.

WITH ROCKS!MAKING WATER

Harvest dew, rainfall and runoff!

itchy green

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clean inside &OUT APRIL 2008 14

BY AILEEN O’CATHERINE

The asparagus has sprouted and the forsythia is inbloom. Spring has sprung. Spring cleaning can’t befar behind. But how safe are your household cleaning

products? Before pulling the old standbys off the shelves, itmight be a healthy idea to take a closer look. Standard clean-ing products found on grocery and drug store shelves can con-tain toxic ingredients, which when exposed to over long peri-ods of time, keep us from optimum health.

When it comes to cleaning products, it’s important to becomea label reader. Although many cleaning products do not listtheir ingredients on the label, look for the following SIGNALwords, and avoid products that contain them on the label: CAUTION, WARNING, or DANGER. Here’s the meaning ofthe signal words, according to the National Safety Council:

CAUTION: The lowest level of potential harm, this word indicatesexposure to the product is not likely to produce permanent damageif first aid is immediately given.WARNING: indicates you could become seriously ill or harmed.Also used to identify products that easily catch fire. By law, theseproducts are required to be in child-resistant packaging.DANGER: The highest level of potential harm. Accidental exposureto the eye or skin could produce tissue damage. Swallowing the prod-uct could result in damage to mouth, throat, stomach or even death.Product could explode if exposed to flame. Required by law to be inchild-resistant packaging. Often contain a skull and crossbones sym-bol and the words “Danger-Poison.” A systemic poison.

Although it would be wonderful to have cleaning products with nowarning labels, many commercial products carry a CAUTION label.

A WARNING orDANGER label requires rubber gloves and goodventilation. It might be a good idea to search forhealthier alternatives.

A Matter of ProtectionUsing healthy cleaning products isn’t just a matterof protecting ourselves and our indoor environ-ment. Many of today’s household cleaning prod-ucts produce toxic pollutants. Poured down drains,they pass through the local wastewater treatmentsplants and find their way into local waters, to ulti-mately harm fish and wildlife. Although waste-water treatment plants are designed to remove thetoxins found in common household products, theydon’t remove them all. Next time you think draincleaner, think twice.

The FixThe good news is the fix is as easy as switching tosafe, environmentally friendly cleaning products.Healthy cleaning products. First, evaluate the prod-ucts being used in the home. Either use up what isalready in the home or dispose of it in a safe man-ner. Then switch to using healthy, natural cleaningproducts. And while working to maintain a healthyhome, watch out for air quality as well.

There are many fine non-toxic products that canbe substituted. The Co-op carries several lines.Or make your own cleaning products, whichsaves money and puts you in charge of what’s inthe home.

Natural Air FreshenersKeep the home well ventilated, and if possible,keep windows open when you can. Good ven-tilation keeps air pollution levels low.

Help maintain a home’s air quality by usingplants. Spider plants and golden pothos helpremove carbon monoxide and formaldehydefrom the air. Benzene, a known carcinogenic,can be removed from the air with Chineseevergreen, peace lilies, Marginatas andEnglish ivy. Benzene is found in paints, pesti-cides, adhesives, dry cleaning products andlubricants.

Keep the air clean by storing air pollutants outsidein a shed, away from the house and garage.Common solvents such as toluene, found indegreasing materials and alcohol, should all bekept outside and well away from indoor air.

Healthy Cleaning ProductsBaking soda, mixed with water: for countertops,cabinets, stovetops and other general areas. Hydrogen peroxide, instead of bleach, to disinfectand wash.Distilled white vinegar is an excellent cleaner,especially on glass and tile surfaces, and to removeany residue from baking soda cleaner.Lemon juice to remove grease, and as a generalcleaner.Toothpaste, for cleaning silver, or a mixture ofwater and leftover fireplace ash.Castille or other vegetable soaps, diluted in water,are good as an all-purpose cleaner.Borax is an excellent disinfectant. Use it toremove toilet bowl stains (be careful not to comeinto contact with eyes). Use a pumice stone toremove any hard rings.Essential Oils add a pleasant fragrance to yourhomemade cleaning formulas.

HEALTHYand SAFE

Choosinghealthieralternatives

Making your own nontoxic cleaning productstakes little time, keeps your home naturallyclean, and saves money. Be sure to label bot-

tles and jars, and keep out of the reach of children.

BASIC INGREDIENTS TO KEEP ON HAND

Baking sodaWashing soda (also known as sodium carbonate, sal soda or soda ash)White distilled vinegarCastille or other liquid soap or detergentTea tree oil

ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY CLEANER

Pour 2 cups of hot water into a spray bottle.Add a dab of liquid soap and 1/2 tsp. of wash-ing soda. Shake until the washing soda has dis-solved. After applying, wipe clean with a rag.

DEODORIZER

Nothing works as hard as vinegar to deodorize. Keep aspray bottle of 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen todeodorize cutting boards, cabinets and countertops. Itworks well on toilet rims as well. Just spray on and wipeclean. Vinegar works well to kill mold too; spray it ontomoldy bathroom areas and let set overnight before wip-ing clean.

DISHWASHER DETERGENT

1/2 cup Castile saop1/2 cup water1 tsp. lemon juice1/4 cup white vinegar3 drops tea tree oil extractbaking sodaMix all ingredients in a squeeze bottle, except the bakingsoda. Use 1 to 2 Tbsp. in the automatic soap dispenser fora standard dishwasher. Sprinkle baking soda over the dirtydishes and on the bottom of the dishwasher to add acleaning and deodorizing boost.

FURNITURE POLISH

Mix 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice in a jar. Add 1/2 tsp.olive oil and mix well. Dab the solution onto a soft rag

and wipe onto wood surfaces. Cover the jar and the solu-tion can be stored indefinitely.

OVEN CLEANER

Most oven cleaners use caustic lye, a known carcino-genic. Try this cleaner instead, which reduces the work.

Generously cover the bottom ofthe oven with water. Cover withbaking soda until the area is com-pletely white. Sprinkle the sodawith water. Let it sit overnight. Thegrease and grime should wipe upeasily the next morning. Once themess is cleaned, put some liquidsoap on a sponge and wash anyresidue from the oven.

SOFT SCRUB

Put 1/2 cup of baking soda in a bowl and add liquid deter-gent. Stir and continue to add detergent until the con-coction reaches the consistency of frosting. Place someon a sponge, and scrub. Then wash the surface. Thiscleaner rinses well and doesn’t leave grit. To make ahead,place the mixture in a glass jar and add 1 tsp. of veg-etable glycerin. Seal and store.

WINDOW CLEANER

Pour 2 cups of water into a clean spray bottle. Add 3 Tbs.vinegar and 1/2 tsp. of liquid detergent. Shake and use.

MOLD KILLER

The wonders of tea tree oil never cease, a little goes a longway. Place 2 cups water in a spray bottle, add 2 teaspoonsof tea tree oil and you’ve got an effective mold killer.

If you do an inventory of household cleaning productsand find yourself ready to box old, volatile chemicalsaway, the Environmental Protection Agency has sometips. Visit their website at www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/hhw.htm to learn how you can safely disposeof those products.

MAKE YOUR OWNOWNCLEANING PRODUCTSPRODUCTS

SPRING CLEANING

Postural CorrectionsW orking Deeply from the Inside OutFun and Varied approach to Movement

Studio and Home Visits

Michele WhittekerCertified Pilates Instructor

North Valley

michelelee613@hotmail.com Phone: (505) 345-0149Albuquerque, NM

community forum APRIL2008 15

May 30-June 1 • Join us for a three-day immer-sion into the world of Intentional Communityand the Evolution of Sustainable Culture! We aregathering at the University of New Mexico to explorethe intersection between community-building, sus-tainability and cultural change. Topics will includeResidential Intentional Community and GuerillaCommunity Building, Sustainable Urban Regen-eration, Permaculture & Ecovillages. We will exploreCommunity as part of Peace and Social Justice work,Community as Spiritual Path, Consensus, Facilitationand other group dynamic topics.

The Art of Community Southwest will feature speakers,workshops, tabling and networking events, and aSaturday night banquet and benefit auction. Whetheryou currently live in community or not, we hope youwill be inspired to bring this learning home and makeyour life more sustainable... and much more fun! Earlyregistration discounts until April 21st.

For information, contact Ma'ikwe at (505) 514-8180, maikwe@solspace.net, or get tickets at:http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/26402

The Art of Community SouthwestConference at UNM

Early childhood is the foundation for life-long learning and success! Waldorf schoolsgive this time of child-

hood, between the ages ofbirth and seven, special careand consideration. We knowthe needs of young childreninclude warmth and love.They also include appropri-ate physical opportunitieswith free, unstructured move-ment.Children learn by doingand ask for meaningful work(“Mommy, may I wash the dishes?”). They needadults to imitate, adults worthy of imitation, andother children to imitate. Healthy sensory impres-

sions are like food for the soul as well as for thegrowing body. Beauty, play, imagination and

creativity are vital. Rhythms, repetitionand reverence for nature are nourished ina Waldorf school.

If nature and these qualities are of valueto you, you can find out more about thenew Tierra Madre Waldorf School open-ing in Albuquerque by calling 244-3433or attending an informational meetingon Tuesday, April 8, 2008 from 7:00-8:30 at the Center for Action and

Contemplation, 1705 Five Points Road SW.TMWS will be offering mixed-aged programsfor children ages 2-7.

The Child’s Garden:WALDORF EDUCATION

LEARN to LOCATEand identifylocalplantsA Plant Identification class with noted local herbalist Bert Norgarden willstart April 23. The class will consist of 10 meetings, 5 classroom and 5 fieldtrips. Classroom time will concentrate on learning Plant Characters and PlantFamily Characteristics with a focus on the following families: Apiaceae(Parsley), Asclepiadaceae (Milk Weed), Asteraceae (Sunflower), Brassicaceae(Mustard), Fabaceae (Pea), Lamiaceae (Mint), Ranunculaceae (Buttercup),Roseaceae (Rose), Scrophulariaceae (Snap Dragon) and Solanaceae(Nightshade). Plant Family Characteristics allow you to quickly narrow yoursearch when you are trying to identify a plant. For more information or to reg-ister for the class or summer herb walks call 345-9132 or e-mail: plantworks@mac.com.

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Clarifying Meditative Work - A Fresh Look: A workshop for people from any meditationtradition or no tradition at all. We'll explore directly what meditative work is and how itsheds light on the concerns of our lives. Sat., 4/5 and 5/17 from 2-5pm at the WatCenter, 145 Madison NE, corner of Madison and Copper in Albuquerque. $2 donation.Reservations, info: Jay Cutts, New Mexico Center for Meditative Inquiry and Retreat,at 281-0684 http://www.cuttsreviews.com/jcutts/meditation/

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! GET A CO-OP DISCOUNTKSFR Santa Fe's Public Radio Station is looking for Phone Volunteers for their Fund- Drive April1-15. Call Cheryl Davis at 660-4656. Co-op Members can get 18% Discount Shopping Cardsfor helping KSFR. Call Robin at 877-775-2667 for more info.

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