celebrate the earthA Community - Owned Natural Foods Grocery Store

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

Valley/ 7am-10pm M-Sun.2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NWAbq., 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

UNM Co-op ’N Go/ 7am-6pm M-F, 10-4pm Sat.Closed Sunday, 2301 Central Ave. SE Abq, NM 87131 277-9586

Cooperative Distribution Center 901 Menual NE, Abq., NM 87107 217-2010

Administrative Staff: 505-217-2001TOLL FREE: 877-775-2667 (COOP)• General Manager/Terry Bowling 217-2020terryb@lamontanita.coop• Controller/John Heckes 217-2029johnh@lamontanita.coop• Computers/Info Technology/David Varela 217-2011 tech@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/Robin Seydel 217-2027robins@lamontanita.coop• CDC/MichelleFranklin 217-2010mf@lamontanita.coop

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

Co-op Board of Directors:email: bod@lamontanita.coopPresident: Martha WhitmanVice President: Marshall KovitzSecretary: Ariana MarchelloTreasurer: Roger EldridgeKristy Decker, Lisa Banwarth-KuhnSusan McAllister, Jake GarrityBetsy VanLeit

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

Co-op Connection Staff:Managing Editor: Robin Seydelrobins@lamontanita.coopLayout and Design: foxyrock incCover/Centerfold: Co-op Marketing Dept.Advertising: Rob Moore Editorial Assistant: Rob Moorerobm@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 © 2012La Montanita Co-op SupermarketReprints by prior permission.The Co-op Connection is printed on 65% post- consumer recycled paper. It is recyclable.

Tuesday, April 24: Film Screening and TalkThe Rights of Nature: An Idea Whose Time hasCome: 7pm at the National Hispanic Cultural Center,Bank of America Theatre.Film to be followed by a discussion framed around theRights of Nature in New Mexico. A Community Collabor-ation: Bioneers, KUNM, National Hispanic CulturalCenter, and Your CO-OP. Burque Bioneers blog:www.bbabq.wordpress.com.

In this talk from the 2011 Bioneers Conference, presenterNatalia Greene discusses Ecuador’s revolutionary consti-tution which recognizes Nature as a subject of rights andoffers an example of how to protect Nature not justthrough regulation, but also by increasing people’s con-nection with Nature.

Historically, Ecuador has been an exporter of Nature.Nature was a commodity. The new constitution, written in2008, is intended to guide Ecuador’s development withNature in mind. New Mexico’s story is similar in somestriking ways. Our state exports over 90% of the food itgrows. New Mexico agriculture is fraught with con-tentious issues such as genetically modified chile, waterscarcity and much more. La Montanita Co-op and otherlocal organizations work to build the capacity of localgrowers to produce food that feeds New Mexicans, reduc-ing our consumption of natural resources. How can local,state, and federal regulation add to these existing efforts?The screening provides the inspiration and opportunity fora community dialogue following the screening.

2 April 2012

The Burque Bioneers’ Film Screening Series has expanded into a communitycollaboration between Burque Bioneers, the National Hispanic CulturalCenter (NHCC), La Montanita Co-op and KUNM 89.9 FM. The BurqueBioneers would like to thank the NHCC and co-sponsors La Montanita Co-op and KUNM for their generous support.

Wednesday, April 25th: Film ScreeningFarmageddon, Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute’s MOVIES THATMATTER: 7pm at Santa Fe Farmers' Market Pavilion, located at 1607

Paseo de Peralta. Info: www.santafefarmersmarketinstitute.org or call983-4098.

Americans’ right to choose fresh, healthy food is under attack. FAR-MAGEDDON tells the story of how small family farms are beingharmed by regulations created for industrial-scale agriculture andthreatened using extreme enforcement measures. FARMAGED-DON highlights the urgency of food freedom, encouraging con-sumers and farmers alike to defend their rights to eat and grow fresh,unprocessed foods.

Movies at the Santa Fe Farmers' Market Pavillion are entertainingand informative evenings that include a state-of-the-art film aboutfood, sustainable food, water, land and energy issues, and of course,the politics that influence them all. Following the movie enjoy speak-

ers and an interactive Q & A session with fellow moviegoers, as well aslocally made food, snacks, and other goodies. Movie nights are truly com-munity events that inspire and are fun!

Thursday, April 26th: FREE ClassHealing the Land with Livestock: an introduction to sustainablegrazing practices with Dr. Ann Adams: 4pm at 117 Gold Street,downtown Albuquerque. For more information contact Robin at 505-217-2027.

Dr. Adams is education director of Holistic Management International. Inhonor of Earth Week and due to the important nature of this talk, thisweek’s Boots and Roots Veteran Farmer Project class is open to the public.

Thursday, April 26th: Wildlife Watch!Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area and Belen Marsh BirdingAdventure. Meet in the parking lot behind the Hawthorne Suites onGibson and University at 8am or at the WWCA on Highway 47 at 8:30am.

Check out the wildlife at the Conservation Area! Enjoy a day of birding andwildlife watching and lunch at Teofilo’s in Los Lunas. To register or formore information contact Linda at 565-1441 or manzanogal@gmail.com.

CO-OPYOU OWN IT

al damage to public land, and the spread of "nature deficit disorder"—a termcoined by author Richard Louv to describe the dissolving bond between peo-ple and nature, especially among youth.

Quivira began to embrace a more holistic vision of land health and restora-tion, involving grass, water, cattle, and people result-ing in a major restoration project on ComancheCreek, the adoption of the Valle Grande Grassbank onRowe Mesa, publishing a monitoring manual, the cre-ation of the New Ranch Network, the implementationof an Annual Conference, and workshops on ranchroad repair, water harvesting, “reading the land-scape,” monitoring, and much more.

Then in November of 2007, the Quivira Board ofDirectors added two new words to the mission state-ment of the organization: “build resilience.” The mis-

sion of the Quivira Coalition is to "build resilience by fostering ecological, eco-nomic and social health on western landscapes through education, innovation,collaboration, and progressive public and private land stewardship."

In their effort to build resilience, Quivira’s focus is on three areas: 1)Reversing Ecosystem Service Decline, 2) Creating Sustainable Prosperity, 3)Relocalization of Food. Specifically, our projects include: an AnnualConference; a ranch apprenticeship program; a long-running riparian re-storation effort in northern New Mexico on behalf of the Rio GrandeCutthroat trout; a capacity-building collaboration with the Ojo EncinoChapter of the Navajo Nation; various outreach activities; and the promo-tion of the idea of a carbon ranch, which aims to mitigate climate changethrough food and land stewardship.

Whether the concern is climate change, peak oil, ecosystem service decline,overpopulation, species extinction, food and water shortages, or somethingelse, the challenges ahead are daunting and varied. The Quivira Coalition hassuccessfully evolved to meet changing values, markets, and needs in society.

Check the website for volunteer workshop opportunities and don’tmiss the 11th Annual Conference on November 14-16, The QuiviraCoalition’s: How to Feed Nine Billion People From the Ground Up: Soil,Seeds, Water, Plants, Livestock, Forests, Organics, and People. Formore info go to www.quiviracoaliton.org.

BY CATHERINE BACA

Founded in 1997 by two conservationists and arancher, the Quivira Coalition is a nonprofitorganization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, ded-

icated to building economic and ecological resilience inwestern working landscapes. We do so via four broadinitiatives: (1) improving land health; (2) sharing knowl-edge and innovation; (3) building local capacity;and (4) strengthening diverse relationships.

Our original mission was "to demonstrate thatecologically sensitive ranch management andeconomically robust ranches can be compati-ble." Proposing common sense solutions to thegrazing "debate," which at the time was markedby extreme polarization on both sides, we brokethe gridlock by advocating a new set of tools:grass banks, dormant season grazing, plannedgrazing, restoration, and collaboration. TheQuivira concept of The New Ranch is defined as "anemerging progressive ranching movement that operateson the principle that the natural processes that sustainwildlife habitat, biological diversity and functioningwatersheds are the same processes that make land pro-ductive for livestock." The goal was to expand the "rad-ical center"- a neutral place where people could exploretheir interests instead of argue their positions.

After five fruitful years promoting The New Ranchthrough workshops, tours, outdoor classrooms, demon-stration projects, publications, speaking engagements,media outreach, and other acts of education and bridge-building, it was time to adjust our mission. The grazingdebate had crested, giving way to other conservationconcerns, such as the accelerating loss of open space tosprawl (often on former ranch lands), the threat of nox-ious species to native biodiversity, the rise of recreation-

BBUUIILLDDIINNGGRESILIENCE

WEEK EEVVEENNTTSS!!EARTH

QQUIVIRA COALITION

FFUUNN&&IINNFFOORRMMAATTIIVVEE

celebrate the earth

April 2012 3

In some ways, too, the population boom that was transforming NewMexico – especially the Santa Fe–Albuquerque corridor – also broughtnew ideas about how rivers should be managed, posing a direct chal-lenge to the many decades of building dams, pipes, diversions, and lev-ees, or the use of jetty jacks and channel dredging to make rivers likethe Rio Grande more “efficient”. In particular, the new ideas actuallylooked like some of the old ideas that had existed among Native peo-ples and Hispanic settlers—that rivers were important in their ownright and—an idea still not widely accepted—have rights to water.

One other important source of energy for the environmental movementstarted up in the 1970s – the role of the federal government as a forcethat could push states to do the right thing by the environment.Important here were the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act,and the EPA, among others. Unfortunately, these are now being erod-ed by Supreme Court decisions, and efforts in Congress and state leg-islatures to dismantle the agencies that make and enforce the rules.

Here in New Mexico, Native nations have also exerted their rights assovereign nations to block activities they see as threatening their peo-ple and culture – such as the Navajo nation ban on uranium miningand the hard-won right of Pueblos and tribes to set their own waterquality standards.

It’s been over four decades since Earth Day and it will be 40 years thisyear since the “Blue Marble” photo. Much has changed in people’sattitudes about the environment and about the relationship betweenhumans and nature (or humans in nature). The gains have comebecause people were willing to look at their common interests and setaside their differences and distrust.

For the moment, it appears that we are in a time where people want ahealthy environment and see it as important for the health of theircommunity. On this Earth Day, please remember how far we havecome and how far we still need to go and that it has always been pos-sible to find common ground if people are willing to look for it. Formore information, contact Michael Jensen at mjensen@amigosbravos.org.

BY MICHAEL JENSEN, AMIGOS BRAVOS

A lthough the first Earth Day was celebrated onApril 22nd 1970, the image that has come to sym-bolize that day and the larger environmental

movement wasn’t taken until December 7th, 1972, aboardApollo 17 (earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=1133). The famous “Blue Marble” photo gave the growingenvironmental movement a potent symbol: “This is ourhome, this is all we have”. In fact, 1972 was also the yearthat “sustainability” began as a concept—at a UnitedNations Conference in Sweden.

Here in New Mexico, protection ofthe environment has depended on asense of shared interests among a di-verse range of groups, even if many ofthose groups don’t see eye-to-eyewith “enviros” much of the time.

A case in point is hunters and anglers,who often think of environmentalistsas people who are working to keepthem from pursuing their passion orhobby. In fact, alliances with huntersand fishers were instrumental in gain-ing permanent protection for theValle Vidal and in the struggle forOtero Mesa and other proposedwilderness areas now pending.

Even agricultural interests – in particular cattle growers –have come to support environmental organizations. This hasbeen the case regarding the Pit Rule – mandating improvedmethods of extraction that helped protect surface andgroundwater from pollution – and, again, with the ValleVidal and Otero Mesa. When a foreign interest purchasedland in the San Augustin Basin in Catron County – not anarea known as hospitable to environmentalists – farmers andranchers there sought out groups like Amigos Bravos and theNew Mexico Environmental Law Center (www.nmelc.org)to help them fight back against a proposal to pump ground-water from underneath them and pipe it to the Rio Grande.

Other groups of farmers – The Acequia Association, landgrants, and pueblos – have had an uneasy relationship withthe traditional environmental movement, which has oftenbeen skeptical of their traditional land use practices, such asgrazing and small-scale timber harvesting. This conflict prob-ably reached its worst point during the Spotted Owl contro-versy in northern New Mexico, but patient community-basedwork by environmental organizations committed to socialand environmental justice (Amigos Bravos was a leader inthis effort) managed to rebuild cooperation among tradition-al land-based groups and environmental organizations.

Problems still remain however, particularly regarding the roleof flood irrigation along the river, which some environmen-tal organizations see as a huge waste of water and others seeas a reasonable mimic of the original “braided river” and asource of both wildlife habitat and recharge for the aquifer.

EARTH DAY 2012FINDING COMMON GROUND

CCOO--OOPPPPRROOGGRRAAMM

DONATEyour BAG CCRREEDDIITT!

Co-op ValuesCooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidar-ity. In the tradition of their founders, cooperative mem-bers believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness,social responsibility and caring 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 La Montanita Co-op Supermarket to provide information on La MontanitaCo-op Supermarket, the cooperative movement, and thelinks between food, health, environment and communi-ty issues. Opinions expressed herein are of the authorsand are not necessarily those of the Co-op.

The Veteran Farmer Project continues its series ofclasses at the Downtown Action Team office at 117Gold Street in Albuquerque and our plantings at theAlvarado Urban Farm on Second and Silver are doingwell. Each class, while building on the knowledge of pre-vious classes, is a stand-alone opportunity to learn someaspect of farming, gardening or animal husbandry.

We have a variety of cold weather crops growing well, atthe time of this writing, including lettuce, collards, chard,broccoli, cauliflower, onions and more. Help with weed-ing and continued cultivation of the raised beds donatedmost graciously by Albuquerque’s Downtown Action Team wouldbe most appreciated. The Downtown Action Team is also in needof volunteers to help get fencing up and other infrastructure builton this urban community garden site.

Boots and Roots: Veteran Farmer Project classes are FREE toactive service or veterans of all branches of the military and the

National Guard. For more information or tovolunteer contact Robin at 217-2027.

APRIL CLASSES4/5 Herding Hens: producing protein—JenDwyer, Urban Chicken Farmer4/12 Tool Use and Maintenance—JoranViers, ED Bernalillo County ExtensionService4/18 Water Management, working withdrip tape and other water issues—MonteSkarsgard, Los Poblanos Farm

4/26 Healing the Land with Livestock: an introduction to sus-tainable grazing practices—Dr. Ann Adams, education directorof Holistic Management International.

BOOTS AND ROOTS: VETERAN FARMER PROJECT

UPDATE

BRING A BAG...DONATE THE DIMETHIS MONTH BAG CREDIT DONATIONS GO TOThe Quivira Coalition, building resilience by foster-ing ecological, economic and social health on Westernlandscapes.

Your FEBRUARY Bag Credit Donations of $2011.61went to Santa Fe Watershed Association. THANKS TOALL WHO DONATED!

how far we’ve come...how far we needTO GO!

FFIINNDDIINNGG CCOOMMMMOONN GGRROOUUNNDD

BY INIGNIA BROCCALANDO

In a nutshell, when disaster strikes a forest or a natural settingthe consequences are exacerbated exponentially when the firstrain falls. That rainfall and how it is managed will determine how

long, how well, and how successful the restoration processwill be. Historically, fire remediation and restorationefforts are very costly, slow to respond and not very suc-cessful in establishing new ground cover.

Applying learned lessons from natural systems we can eas-ily and quickly create precision interventions that willslow water down, spread it and make it sink in. Using liv-ing biology, structured soil and keyline principles we canestablish seedlings with companion plants to generate aforest that is stronger than the one destroyed. Looking atexamples like Mount Saint Helens and other natural dis-asters where soil biology is strong, the rapidity of regener-ation astounds the scientists. (Featured on NASA’s EarthObservatory World of Change site).

Human Habitats as HealersMany recovery areas are in or adjacent to human habitat. So with a smallamount of precise, well-directed effort, we can let the water do the workand welcome the moisture we receive. When storm water is slowed down,the detritus builds up behind low impact felled logs, slash or straw wattles;all "on contour."

These "on contour" repetitive small structures are like topographic ribs.A small rainfall event of less than 1" can build up 2" of detritus, ash, andsoil particles behind one of these ribs; after 3" of rain, 4-6" of detritusbuilds up; the perfect place to broadcast quick cover seeds for germina-tion. The continual build up in this area backs up water, and lets it sit andsink into the soil. These same ribs are the perfect place, in the next sea-son, to start seedlings to further speed reforestation in areas closest tohuman habitat.

sustainable futures April 2012 4

Zero WasteA huge economic opportunity exists for disaster sitesto adapt the zero waste model (www.garyliss.com).The cleaning up mode often amounts to millions andmillions of dollars spent on disposal and transporta-tion. Instead we can look at the debris as an asset orresource.

On-site debris in a burn recovery area containsburned logs that can be felled on contour, in place.

These logs are laid end to end, one log high. Thestumps are left on the low side to wedge the log.Branches can be limbed off with a chainsaw and usedto fill in the gaps between the log and the existing ter-rain grade insuring soil contact. The remaining vege-tative debris from a burn area can be shredded inplace to provide a mulch for soil moisture protectionand retention.

The Water Carbon Equation Water follows carbon so the more organic matter/ car-bon available in the soil the greater the capacity of thesoil to hold water. The intercapillary water in the soilis greater than all the water in the oceans, streams,rivers and aquifers combined many times over. (Ascarbon is reduced in the soil so is its ability to holdwater). The capacity to absorb water is the differencebetween life and disaster.

In traditional methods of fire damage restoration thecosts are very high due to heavy machinery, fuel costs,bureaucracy and specialized personnel. Just cutting out

transportation saves 70% of the regeneration costs attoday’s fuel prices and generates local employment.

We must act swiftly, precisely and with the most per-tinent data. The Carbon Economy Series can helpeducate and train local New Mexicans with cuttingedge forest and food regeneration strategies. Dr.Elaine Ingham is the Chief Scientist at RodaleInstitute, President and Director of Research at SoilFoodweb, Inc., and one of the world’s leading soilmicrobiologists with 30 years of research and teach-ing experience. Soil Foodweb, Inc., helps farmers allover the world to grow more resilient crops by under-standing and improving their soil.

New Mexico is perfectly poised to become a show-case for sustainable living and fire restoration. Join Dr.Ingham and the Carbon Economy Series for a series oflectures on fire remediation and soil restoration.

Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Farmers’Market Institute, Soil Symbiotics and the Inn ofGovernors is Hosting the Carbon Economy Serieson Soil.

April 13-15SEMINARS ON HEALTHY SOILPresented by Rodale Institute’s Dr. Elaine Ingham

April 13, Living Soil is Where It’s AtDr. Elaine Ingham, Rodale Institute, discusses healthysoil biology, fertility and high production yield.

April 14th, Introduction to Soil FoodwebDr. Ingham explains in detail how soil becomes foodsfor plants.

April 15th, Soil Foodweb and Compost TeaTechnologyDr. Ingham teaches how to heal soil and plants byaltering the biology of the soil instead of addingexpensive chemical additives. Includes work withmicroscopes and soil samples, nutrient retaining com-post and compost teas and vermicompost.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, LOCATIONS, TIMESAND TO REGISTER, contact Iginia at 818-913-2877or 505-819-3828 or visit www.carboneconomyseries.com.

Becoming Sustainable on Campus andin YOUR Community!

SOIL-BASED REMEDIATION & RESTORATION

theCARBONEconomySERIES

2012

Life with dramatically lower energy consumption isinevitable. It’s better to plan for it rather than be takenby surprise. -ROB HOPKINS

T ransition is a world-rec-ognized movement thathelps real people design

strategies for their neighborhoodsand communities to thrive in chal-lenging times, such as increases ingas prices, rising levels of CO2,water supply restrictions, and aneconomy where jobs are scarce,wages are low and food is expen-sive. Transition Initiatives havebeen formed in 110 US cities and 430 cities worldwide.Transition UNM (students committed to a sustainablefuture) and Transition Albuquerque initiatives are form-ing in 2012.

Transition founder Rob Hopkins is a permacultureteacher from Totnes, UK, who wrote The TransitionHandbook. As Hopkins says,“Transition supportscommunity-led responses to climate change and shrink-ing supplies of cheap energy, building resilience andhappiness.”

In Albuquerque, Transition has taken root at theUniversity of New Mexico under the tutelage of studentPily Rodriguez and Lecturer Maggie Seeley in the UNMSustainability Studies Program. Transition UNM strivesto be the first campus Transition Initiative with goals toinspire campuses all across the world. Students formedan official Transition Club. They are looking at the pur-

chase of non-disposable bottles to start a campaign torid the campus of plastic bottles. Reflective roofs, solarenergy, and more “Lobo Gardens” are a part of theirvision. Sustainability Studies student Jake Wellman

spearheaded the effort to get La Montanita Co-op operating on campus next to the UNMBookstore. UNM students in this programhave different majors but a common inter-est in creating a sustainable future.

Transition Albuquerque is taking a secondbreath under the leadership of Jeness May. Sheis a UNM Arts and Ecology graduate.Transition will seek to identify the many organ-izations and groups in Albuquerque already

contributing to low carbon solutions and to foster col-laboration between them.

RESERVE APRIL 21-22ND AND ATTEND TRANSITIONTRAINING IN ALBUQUERQUE ON THE UNM MAINCAMPUS. • Bill Aal, a dynamic Transition Trainer from Seattle,will co-lead the training. • If you are interested in becoming a part of TransitionAlbuquerque or want to attend the Transition Training,contact Jeness May at jenessmay@gmail.com orMaggie Seeley at maggieseeley44@gmail.com or call505-268-3339. • You also may register at: www.transitionus.org/event/training-transition-unm-albuquerque-nm.

Get EXCITED about joining a WORLDWIDE move-ment through www.TransitionNetwork.org.

ALBUQUERQUE COOP TOUR: June 9 and 10, a FREE, family-oriented tour celebrating local backyard chicken keepers, also featuring vegetable and ornamental gardens and other livestock. Chicken Keepers please enroll as a participating Tour stop.Contact Jennifer at www.albuquerquecooptour.com or at scouty_d@yahoo.com or 505-508-0131.More Chicken Coop Tour info next month!

ALBUQUERQUE CCHHIICCKKEENN COOP TTOOUURR

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NEEDED !

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aqua es vida April 2012 5

Does Santa Fe County need legal standing for protections of itsair, land and water?The clean-up of toxic chemical, hazardous and radioactive wastes; the"legacy" waste at LANL’s Area G, was given a time schedule and goalsunder what is known as the Consent Order of 2005. The Consent

Order meant that money and personnel would beassigned to the enormous task of cleanup (63 acres tobe excavated to 70 feet deep).

Unfortunately, the Las Conchas fire last June turnedattention to another huge risk area at LANL, where42,000 drums of plutonium-contaminated waste arestored under fabric tents on top of the mesa. Thedrums only narrowly escaped the fire. As a result,Governor Susana Martinez told LANL and the NewMexico Environment Department (NMED) that theshipment of 17,000 of these drums to the WasteIsolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) was her priority.

In a regrettable trade-off, the NMED has granted morethan two dozen extensions to LANL to delay the

schedule of the Consent Order by two years. NMED considers thatLANL cannot perform work under the Consent Order while cleanup ofthe drums of toxic waste is being handled. So once again cleanup atArea G is postponed, and the inevitable contamination continues toflow into the nearby canyons and the regional aquifer.

The dramatic change in the implementation of the Consent Order wasdone without public participation, although public participation isrequired by the hazardous waste laws and regulations. The impositionby the Governor of a "priority" in the face of LANL’s reluctance toclean up has resulted only in limiting LANL to shipping less than halfof what was planned before the Consent Order schedule was altered.

Joni Arends, of Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety, says of the ordi-nance, "We are excited to be involved in the process of preparing a doc-ument that will help protect the residents of Santa Fe County. It is aDeclaration of Independence for the local community and will helpinsure our safety from the incursions of harmful toxins coming into theCounty from LANL."

For more information on the ordinance, contact David Bacon attocino8@cnsp.com.

BY BASIA MILLER, CCNS BOARD MEMBER

Asmall group of Santa Fe residents has beenmeeting weekly to draft a CommunityWater Rights and Local Self-Government

Ordinance. An ordinance like this for Santa Fe Countywill prohibit Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)from polluting the Rio Grande, which now providesdrinking water to over 50% of the residents of Santa Fevia the Buckman Direct Diversion Project.

The group came together at an open meeting at theMain Library on February 21 to discuss how to applythe work of the Community Environmental LegalDefense Fund (CELDF) to Santa Fe’s situation. Many ofthem had attended a Democracy School sponsored bythe CELDF in Albuquerque on February 3rd and 4thand learned of its support of local ordinances that havebeen drafted in Mora County and Las Vegas in NewMexico. These were modeled on ordinances that havebeen passed in 150 communities across the countrywhere corporate "fracking" operations for oil and nat-ural gas drilling threaten water safety.

The group was also inspired by the unveiling, in theRotunda, on February 2, of a large color map of NewMexico showing the air, water, and soil contaminationcaused by the oil and gas industries, by LANL and thenuclear test site at Trinity, and by the plumes of theCerro Grande and Las Conchas wildfires. The map andaccompanying informational materials can be found atwww.sacredtrustnm.org.

WHO and WHAT would be PROTECTED by theordinance? The Santa Fe group is focusing on the threats to air, land,and water in Santa Fe County and wants to protect Santa

Fe County’s watersheds andaquifers with the ordinance. The draft ordinance statesthat until now, "residents of Santa Fe County have beenaffected by contamination in their air, soil, and waterwithout a legal instrument that asserts their rights." Theordinance is intended to close the gap between the resi-dents and the harms they are subjected to by providinglegal recourse that specifies the rights of County residentsto clean air, water and land.

Does the ordinance duplicate the efforts of variousofficial entities to supervise and control continuingcontamination in Santa Fe County? A local ordinance is needed to supplement and enforcethe work of other official entities. The federal and stateregulatory agencies do not take a zero-tolerance posi-tion on air or water quality and in some cases workclosely with LANL’s polluting activities.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is enforcingan Individual Storm Water Management Program atLANL that is one of the most stringent in the nation.Beyond that, LANL is exempt from important provisionsof the Clean Water Act.

assertingccoommmmuunniittyyRRRRIIIIGGGGHHHHTTTTSSSS!!!!

Santa Fe Ordinance: Community Water Rights and Local Self-Government

BY JANET GREENWALD

Last August a number of you attended apanel/discussion on our endangeredaquifer; some of you signed up to attend

working groups. These working groups andAqua es Vida Action Team (AVAT) have takensome steps toward protecting our aquifer, themain source of our tap water. But the path is longand winding and these working groups andAVAT need your help.

The Plan to Inject Treated River Waterinto OUR Aquifer Last autumn, Aqua es Vida Action Team inspired theAlbuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority(ABCWUA) under the direction of then chairperson, ArtDe la Cruz, to hold a public meeting on the plan to injectour aquifer with treated Rio Grande water. Presentationsand public comments were made. Though the basics ofthe plan were laid out by the staff and consultants of theABCWUA, the public had many comments and questionsnot covered by the ABCWUA staff presentations. Agua esVida and its workshop participants chose three of thesequestions to ask the WUA to expand upon, preferably ina workshop setting:

1) Current, detailed tap water quality data, includingdetection limits2) Details of design plans for aquifer injection3) Financial feasibility of the injection project: cost/ben-efit analysis

One reason for asking for dataand detection limits is that plutonium and other contami-nants from Los Alamos Na-tional Laboratories enter ourdrinking water through the SanJuan-Chama Project diversionproject. You will not find thatinformation in any currentABCWUA public disclosers,however, because the Utility

only reports the contaminants that reach the level ofEPA’s outdated drinking water standards; standards thatdo not protect women, children and the fetus.

Aqua es Vida Action Team is a volunteer organization;every new member expands its ability to monitor thesafety of our tap water. Please contact them if you areinterested in protecting our drinking water: contactavat@aguaesvidaactionteam.net, 505-242-5511.

CLEAN-UP BBBBEEEEFFFFOOOORRRREEEE NOT AFTER!Contamination of Our Aquifer by SandiaNational LaboratoriesThere are three sites considered environment manage-ment sites by the Department of Energy at SandiaNational Laboratories (SNL). These sites either haveleaked contaminants into the aquifer or contaminantsare poised to enter the aquifer from these sites. SNL’spolicy is to monitor contamination or looming contam-

OUR ENDANGERED AQUIFER:

AN UPDATE

Ampersand, located in Cerrillos, NewMexico, is a place to explore sustain-able living. The off-grid site demon-strates sustainable systems including permaculture, land restoration, organicgardening, passive solar design, wisewater techniques, building with naturaland salvaged materials and cooking withsolar ovens.

Ampersand’s whole approach to sustainability is about ourrelationship with our resources, starting with the basics:water, food, shelter, and energy. They gather, experiment

LEARNINGforSUSTAINABLE LIVINGAmpersand Center

with, and demonstrate sustainable solutions for living inharmony with our bioregion. Ampersand hosts work-shops, internships, and volunteer opportunities for every-day folks wanting to respond intelligently to the state ofthe Earth. Come learn a specific skill, discover and build

confidence, connect and share resourceswith like-minded folks in order to encouragewise practices to grow roots everywhere.

Upcoming Ampersand events andclasses include APRIL 29TH, Ampersand Volunteer Day10am-3pmMAY 12TH, Native Plant Hike, 4-6:30pm

For more details and a full schedule of events atAmpersand or to register, visit www.ampersandproject.org, or call 505-780-0535; PO Box 773, Cerrillos,NM 87010.

ination of the aquifer until the contamination violates regulatory limits;then cleanup commences. Our Endangered Aquifer Working Group whosemission is to protect our aquifer from contamination holds that contami-nation should be stopped before entering the aquifer rather than cleanedup after the aquifer is contaminated. In relation to that position, the work-ing group has written a letter to SNL, which they will present to the labsafter gathering more support for their position: SNL should allocate moreof its funds to clean up.

AAAACCCCTTTTIIIIOOOONNNN AAAALLLLEEEERRRRTTTT::::Sign on to Our Endangered Aquifer Working Group’s letter to SandiaNational Laboratories! Let’s hold our nuclear neighbors accountablein a way that protects our future. A COPY OF THE LETTER IS AVAIL-ABLE ON REQUEST AT: contactus@cardnm.org, 505- 242-5511.

free classon

dripirrigation

designapril21

The Metropolitan Homeless Projectand Jeff Parks of Triple Drip are co-sponsoring a FREE class on drip irri-gation systems. Learn drip irriga-tion design, installation and main-tenance. 715 Candelaria NE from11-1pm. Donations accepted bythe Metropolitan Homeless Project.

I N F OJeff Parks at 268-1315 ORt r ip ledr ip@hotma i l . com.

Classical Homeopathy in Albuquerque since 1992.Specializing in Visceral Manipulation & Lab Analysis.204 Carlisle Blvd. NE Albuquerque NM 87106

(505)266-6522 info@drmaryalicecooper.com

Mary Alice Cooper, MD

a business plan. Each board member attends sessionsthat educate and prepare for participation in listeningto and understanding the general manager’s businessplans and financials. This ensures informed discussionand evaluation. In addition, board members learnabout access to a library of sources and myriad arti-cles and books for personal edification. We have toprepare ourselves for discussion of books, ideas,changes and policy.

The biggest piece of the puzzle, for me, is how to keepCo-op members and employees informed of changesbefore and after they are implemented. The MemberEngagement Committee meets outside the regularthird Tuesday meetings to address membership issuesand discuss ways to increase membership and how toimprove communication. I would love to see NewMexico become more aware of La Montanita’s con-nection to and support for local community and ourpartner businesses. Members in the past have had theopportunity to have "coffee with the board" and arestill welcome to the committee meetings. Hopefully,with continued discussion and brainstorming, we candevelop some fresh and new, cleverly informativeplans that bring together Co-op members old andnew, employees and others in the community.

No matter what we discuss, evaluate or plan, we haveto stay conscious of La Montanita’s statement ofends: "A cooperative community based in the sharedbenefits of healthy food, sound environmental prac-tices and a strengthened local economy with resultsthat justify the resources used." and the values thatwe proclaim: "Cooperatives are based on the valuesof self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equity andsolidarity. In the tradition of their founders, coopera-tive members believe in the ethical values of honesty,openness, social responsibility and caring for others."

co-op news April 2012 6

BY LISA BANWARTH-KUHN

My father was born in 1906 in asmall farming community. He wasconservative with small town val-

ues, two characteristics that aptly describemany facets of his life. My grandpa owned thetown store and was the area undertaker. As aboy, my dad learned to work hard. He helped inthe family store, washed windows, and put nick-els on dead men’s eyelids. You know, the regularchildhood chores. His family worked closelywith the town’s people and farmers in the area.The stories my father told conveyed great pridein the Banwarth commitment to trading withfriends and lending to the benefit of both mer-chant and neighbor. My dad witnessed generations of amazing discoveriesand inventions like the American car, national radio, the pop-up toaster, tel-evision, frozen foods and bubble gum!

I grew up near San Francisco. California has a rich history of co-ops andworker collectives. In the 1960s, the Bay Area was a hotbed of social andpolitical movements that drove my father crazy! After witnessing all themodern improvements to farming and food production, conscientiously andcautiously my old man found common ground to share with all the “dangedhippies” making trouble. The organic and natural food movement amusedhim because to him it was merely a return to the farming he already knew.My dad understood the economic and social choices that created the co-ops,buying clubs and food collectives. He actually joined two local co-ops andwould affectionately announce to the family that he was going to "the alfal-fa store. Would anyone like to join me?"

After years of membership in La Montanita FoodCooperative, and eleven years as an employee, I real-ized where I got my passion for healthy, wholesomefood, my conviction to support local economy, and my

sense that cooperatives and collectives aresocial and political economic choices thatreflect a connection to the needs of thecommunity and its future. Over the yearsthere have been many changes as our Co-op works to contribute to our community,and my quiet, personal commitment, (evenas an employee) did not keep me informedas much as I wanted to be; I did not knowjust who to ask or what to ask to satisfywhat I wanted to know. Reading the Co-opnewsletter, voting and attending boardmeetings is an effective way to contributeand stay informed, but I wanted to feelmore effective as a Co-op member. Aha!

The Board of Directors seemed like the place where Icould find a solution to my conundrum.

The Board of Directors is a venue to explore and studythe continued health of our cooperative. It requires acommitment to organized and civil discussion.Political infighting and boycotting products havebrought about the demise of many co-ops across thecountry. Along with politics and heady disagreements,too rapid expansion toppled some long lived co-opsand corporate grocery stores. We currently live in aneconomic atmosphere that requires a strong businessplan in order to weather competition and survive theups and downs of our wallets. La Montanita has amission based on community concern and supportinglocal producers, but the quest for funds to support thismission should not cloud a cautious interpretation of

Great Expectations: A Passion for Community

COCONN NN EECCTTIIOONN

plant-filled greenhouse can seem so relaxing: the plantsand creatures in the soil mean that there is more oxygenaround for us to breathe.

Surprisingly, this perfect natural processholds a key in helping counter theeffects of global warming and climatechange. Excess CO2 ends up acting likepanes of glass in a greenhouse, trappingheat within the atmosphere and inter-fering with a host of human-made andnatural processes. While oceans contin-ue to take in CO2 , rapid changes inacidity levels over the last few decadeshave begun to impact the ability of theseas to sequester large amounts as

plants and microbe life struggle to survive. These changesmake the value of grass and prairie lands even more sig-nificant in healing the climate.

The Rodale Institute has been promoting the benefits oforganic farming practices for decades, and has backed theirrecommendations with clear and demonstrable science. Forfolks who make their living from farming, results speaklouder than debate, and the best practices emphasized byRodale (and others) highlight the wisdom of minimizingchemical interference and resisting "fast track" farmingtechniques that deplete the soil of nutrients. In the UnitedStates, current levels of re-sequestration vary from about 56up to 120 metric tons per acre per year. By adopting organ-ic practices in agricultural management, that number couldbe raised to between 73 to 159 metric tons per acre per year.Given that the United States has over 442 million acres ofcropland in use, making a shift to organic methods couldremove a minimum of seven and a half BILLION addition-al metric tons of atmospheric CO2 per year in the UnitedStates alone. Organic farming not only can bring better andmore profitable yields for farmers, it turns out that it canhelp by sequestering carbon, too!

Further studies have demonstrated that minimizing pesti-cide and herbicide use on farmland allows the growth of

mycorrhiza, a fungus family that acts in symbiosiswith plants to protect roots and help both waterand nutrient retention. Mycorrhiza also allow for(you guessed it) better utilization of carbon stores,again helping to remove excess CO2 from theatmosphere and better crop yields.

The Pew Center on Global Climate Change esti-mates that a further 257 to 807 million metric tonsof CO2 per year could be sequestered in U.S. crop-land soils under sustainable practices. Such prac-tices include combining greater amounts of silageand plant matter into surface soils via overlay, aswell as promoting use of foraging animals andminimizing tilling to preserve the presence of soil-based microorganisms like mycorrhiza. All of thesepractices are cornerstones of organic farming,demonstrating that the value of going organic con-tinues to expand as our understanding of the agri-cultural/climate/natural web deepens.

While oceanic and forest sequestration is stillabsolutely vital and ongoing, using intentionalmethods through adjustments in farmland cultiva-tion is a direct and simple method to promotesequestration here and now. Planetary grasslandsoffer some of the best carbon sequestration oppor-tunities available, and given the tremendous sizeand value of American farmlands, expanding ourefforts to utilize lands as a natural ally in the fightto restore climate balance makes perfect sense.

To learn more about using landmasses to heal theatmosphere and about carbon sequestration in gen-eral visit: www.rodaleinstitute.org, www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/agphome/documents/climate/AGPC_grassland_webversion_19.pdf and www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/carbon_seq/overview.html

OWNERSHIPMEMBERSHIP IS

BY ROB MOORECarbon Sequestration

The quest to find ways to counter climate change is pushing sciencein new directions. A host of national and international agencies aredevoting billions of dollars, tens of thousands of work-hours, and

enormous amounts of human capital to finding ways to slow theeffects of global warming and the catastrophic disruptions inweather, food production, and species impact that accompany it.

These proposals vary widely, from the highest of high-tech fan-tasies (gigantic orbiting mirrors to deflect sunlight away from theatmosphere and nanoscale machines to deconstruct particulates)to simpler solutions involving changes in behavior and minimizingthe use of chemicals and man-made changes. One solution that hasgained greater attention is promoting carbon sequestration.

On our planet, carbon sequestration takes place when Earth’soceans, atmosphere, and the terrestrial biosphere (including vegetation andsoils) take in CO2 and other gases from the air. CO2 is used by plants andmicroorganisms to complete their processes of feeding through photosyn-thesis. After these life forms have processed the CO2 they release oxygen asone of the byproducts, which is one of the reasons that a deep forest or

Online VOTING atyour CO-OPVoting online is easy, green, andcosts less than paper ballots. Tovote online we must have your emailaddress. Come by any store to giveus this information. At election time,we will email your password. Wehonor your privacy. If you wish, wewill use your email only for the pur-

pose of voting. Unlike previous years,you will not receive a mailed ballot inNovember. If you want to vote bymail you will have to request a paperballot and envelope in person at anystore. Voting and candidate informa-tion will continue to appear in thenewsletter. For more information,contact the Board of Directors:bod@lamontanita.coop.

Goinggreen!

Climate Change, Carbon Sequestration andORGANIC FARMING

organic farmssequester more carbon!grow, purchase, eat organic!

FOODSHEDUPDATE SUPPORT YOUR CO-OP

DISTRIBUTION CENTER

Enjoy the GREAT FOOD atthese LOCALLY OWNEDESTABLISHMENTS:

The fine establishments,restaurants, coffee shops andeateries of all sorts listed hereare committed to supportingthe LOCAL FOOD system and

purchasing locally grownproducts from the CO-OP

DISTRIBUTION CENTERWarehouse. Please support

them and let them know thatyou support their patronage

of the Co-op’s initiative togrow the local/regional food

economy. Please thankthem for purchasing

products from the CO-OPDISTRIBUTION CENTER.

Albuquerque:Mint Tulip • ArtichokeCafé Lush • FarinaThe Grove • Farm and TableFlying StarThe Hyatt, DowntownThe Hyatt, TamayaLos Poblanos Inn • Ortega’s

Santa Fe:Andiamo • Better Day CoffeeChocolate MavenDulce • Joe’s DinerJunction • Pizza, Etc.Real Food NationRevolutionary BakeryTree HouseThe Tea House

Taos:Love Apple • World CupTaos Cow

2,4-D contains dioxin, one of the"dirty dozen" group of extremelytoxic chemicals that are resistant toenvironmental degradation and hasbeen linked to many diseases,including birth defects in children ofexposed parents; according to theEPA, 2,4-D is the seventh largestsource of dioxin in the U.S.

For more info and to sign on to the petition thatdemands the USDA deny approval for Agent OrangeCorn go to www.organicconsumers.org to send lettersto President Obama and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Re: Docket No. APHIS-2010-010 The President, The White House1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20500Re: Docket No. APHIS-2010-0103 The Honorable Tom VilsackSecretary of Agriculture1400 Independence Avenue, SWRoom 200-A Whitten Bldg.Washington, DC 20250

co-op news April 2012 7

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting several small-er co-ops in our region during the past month.It’s wonderful to see the co-op move-ment moving forward in small under-served communities. My first stop wasAlamosa, Colorado. Although not anew co-op, Alamosa is making plans tomove from a smaller space to a 4,000square foot location. I enjoyed theenthusiasm of both staff and board asthey discussed their plans for their newstore. This project will be the biggeststep this co-op has taken to date. I look forward toseeing the space completed. As with many other co-ops, La Montanita will assist Alamosa as needed.

My second stop was the Dixon Co-op, in Dixon,New Mexico. Dixon is doubling their retail space.I have visited several times and was pleased to see

what a difference the extra space has made. AfterDixon completes this expansion, the co-op will be

a viable food option for this commu-nity.

Co-ops come in all shapes and sizes;large or small, the co-op businessmodel is taking its place in the main-stream business world.

Please contact me with any sugges-tions or comments at terryb@lamon-

tanita.coop or by phone at 505-217-2020. Thankyou for your support of La Montanita.

See you at ONE OR ALL of our La MontanitaSpring events. See page 1 for details.

-TERRY BOWLING

THE INSIDE SCOOP

Dow’s Agent Orange Corn:USDA Considering APPROVAL

Dow Chemical is currently requestingan unprecedented USDA approval: agenetically engineered (GE) version of

corn that is resistant to 2,4-D, a major compo-nent of the highly toxic Agent Orange. Agent Orangewas the chemical defoliant used by the U.S. in Vietnam,and it caused lasting ecological damage as well as manyserious medical conditions in both Vietnam Veteransand the Vietnamese people.

ACTION ALERT: Tell USDA to do its Job and REJECT2,4-D RESISTANT GE CORN!Exposure to 2,4-D has been linked to major healthproblems that include cancer (especially non-Hodgkin’slymphoma), lowered sperm counts, liver disease andParkinson’s disease. A growing body of evidence fromlaboratory studies show that 2,4-D causes endocrine dis-ruption, reproductive problems, neurotoxicity andimmune system suppression.

Calendarof Events

ACTION ALERT! PROTECT OUR

FOOD!FOOD!

DEADLINE for COMMENTS EXTENDED to 4/30

EARTH WEEK!Celebrate Spring with the Co-op

Come to one or all of our celebrations!See page 1 for details

4/17 BOD Meeting, Immanuel Church, 5:30pm4/22 Nob Hill Celebrate the Earth Fest

4/28 Earth Day Santa Fe5/5 North Valley Garden Party

TBA Finance Committee Meeting

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.

co|opALBUQUERQUE • North Val ley

10:30 Watermelon Jug Band11:30 The Full Circle Project

12:30 Jasper 1:30 En-JOY Cuban Dance Band

Saturday, May 5, 10am-3pm

12th Annual North Valley Garden Party2400 Rio Grande Blvd. NW

E N T E R T A I N M E N T S C H E D U L E

Come early and stay late.Dance in the streets withfriends and neighbors.

H H H H H H H H H

Celebrate life on earth at Albuquerque and Santa Fe’s favorite Spring Gatherings!

ALBUQUERQUE • Nob Hil l

10:00 Ehecatl Aztec Dancers11:00 Squash Blossom Boys12:00 Alma Flamenca 1:00 Sol Calypso 2:00 Baile Baile Dance Company

2:30 Youth Ambassadors to Africa & Odigbo Adama Dancers3:00 Johnny Bones4:00 Le Chat Lunatique5:00 Mala Maña

Sunday, April 22, 10am-6pm

22nd Annual Celebrate the Earth FestOn Silver Street between Carlisle & Tulane, behind the

Nob-Hill Co-op, 3500 Central SE

E N T E R T A I N M E N T S C H E D U L E

SANTA FE • West Alameda

Saturday, April 28, 10am-3pm

Honor the Earth Day - Santa Fe913 West Alameda, in the Solana Shopping Center

E N T E R T A I N M E N T S C H E D U L E

10:00 Michael Combs & Friends11:00 Zoltan Orkestra

12:00 Anthony Leon & the Chain 1:00 Kumusha Mirimba Band

The Co-op Annual Spring FestivalsOne for Your Garden - Two for the Earth

H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

Celebrate Life on Earth!Come Early and Stay Late!

using april’s produce April 2012 10

AT YOUR CO-OP! Featured produce for April:Artichokes, Asparagus, Spinach, Peas, Mangoes,Strawberries, Chard

BY DEBORAH MADISON

I hate to say goodbye to all those wonderful rootsand tubers, and I won’t altogether; I’m hooked onsweet potatoes and winter squash. But by April it’sabout time to turn to vegetables that are new, freshand feel like spring. We should be seeing the firstasparagus, artichokes, and greens still – bouncy,lively and oh so good.

Bright Green Spinach and Pea Soup

Serves 4 to 6. When bunches of spring spinach lookgenerous and not as if they’ve just gone throughthe worst wind and rain ever, buy them! This soupalso uses fresh peas, another spring treat. Thecooking time here is brief; the color is bright springgreen. The vivid hue lasts only about 10 minutes,so organize yourself to serve the soup right away.It’s a perfect first course for a dinner, not a maindish soup unless you’re a very light eater.

2 tablespoons olive oil, butter or a mixture2 bunches scallions, including half of the greens1 small onion, thinly sliced3 medium carrots, thinly sliced1 celery rib, thinly sliced10 parsley sprigs, chopped1 tablespoon chopped marjoram or basil or 1 teaspoon dried

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper6 cups water or light chicken stock1 large bunch of spinach, stems removed 1 cup peas, fresh or frozenlemon juice to tastefor garnish: crème fraîche, small toasted croutons and calendula petals

Warm the oil in a soup pot, add first four vegetables, theherbs, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup water. Cover and stewfor 5 minutes, then add the rest of the water and bring to aboil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 min-utes. Add the spinach and peas. Poke the spinach leaves intothe soup and cook until they turn bright green, 2 to 3 min-utes. Remove from the heat and blend the soup in 2 batch-es until perfectly smooth. Taste for salt, season with pepper,and stir in enough lemon juice, starting with 1/2 teaspoon,to bring up the flavors. Serve immediately with a swirl ofcrème fraîche, the croutons and the blossoms floating ontop. From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.

Artichoke Sauté with Toasted Bread Crumbs

Serves 4 to 6. The first artichokes, like all firsts, can beexpensive, so this recipe mixes them with other vegetablesto make them go further. Because it’s a vegetable main dishit makes a lot. You could easily use fewer artichokes, makesmaller portions and serve them as a first course or a sidedish if that works better. On the other hand, if you want toreally splurge, use some of the interesting mushrooms theCo-op now carries in lieu of plain button mushrooms.

Basic Approach to Preparing ArtichokesFor Quarters and Slices: Whether you’re using large or babyartichokes, first snap off several layers of the tough outerleaves by pulling them downward so that they break off atthe base. Stop when the inner leaves become a lighter yel-lowish green and look tender. Slice off the top third of theartichoke. The stem is edible so just peel it with a knife orpeeler. Using a sharp paring knife, smooth the rough areasaround the base, removing any dark green parts. Cut thetrimmed artichoke into quarters. Remove the fuzzy chokesof mature artichokes with a paring knife. (Babies don’t havea choke.) Leave in quarters or slice them thinly for sautéing.As you work put the finished pieces in a bowl of acidulatedwater to cover.

3 large or 4 medium artichokes, trimmed and quartered (see Basic Approach to Preparing Artichokes)

8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced1 bunch of scallions, including an inch of the greens,

chopped2 zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick1/2 cup parsley leaves2 garlic cloves

a taste ofof Spring

inspiredbirth and families

try-a sling programlending libraryFREE classes

positive parentingso much more!

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4916 4th St. NW at Griegos

Grated zest of 1 lemon1/2 cup bread crumbs1/4 cup olive oil, in all1/4 cup white wine1 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock, or waterSea salt and freshly ground pepper2 tablespoons chopped parsley or tarragonFreshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Simmer the artichoke quarters in 1 quart of waterwith 2 teaspoons salt until tender-firm, 5 to 7 min-utes. When done, remove the chokes if you haven’talready, and slice them thinly. Slice the rest of thevegetables as described. Chop the parsley, garlic,and lemon zest together. Brown the bread crumbsin 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small skillet, then setaside. Heat the remaining oil in a wide, non-stickskillet. When hot, add the artichokes. Sauté untilthey take on some color, then add the scallions andmushrooms, and sauté five minutes more. Seasonwith 1 teaspoon salt. Add the wine. Let it sizzle andreduce, then add the stock and simmer a few moreminutes, or until the vegetables are cooked to yourliking. From Local Flavors, Cooking and EatingFrom America’s Farmers’ Markets.

Chard and Cilantro Soup with NoodleNests

Serves 4 to 6. The chard has looked great lately—smallish leaves that aren’t all battered and torn. Icould include chard recipes every month foreverbecause it’s such a good vegetable and so easy touse. Here’s a chard soup that’s light and brothy,seasoned with cilantro, and embellished with noo-dle nests which give this light soup both substanceand texture. If the leaves are very small, you mightwant to bunch them.

The Noodle Nests2 eggs, separated3 ounces (1 3/4 cups) fine egg noodles (fideos)1/3 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese2 tablespoons chopped cilantroSea saltOil for frying

Beat the egg whites until they hold firm peaks, thenstir in the yolks, noodles, cheese, and cilantro.Season with a few pinches salt, then really work themixture with your hands or a wooden spoon sothat it’s more or less homogeneous. It will lookfairly hopeless. Heat enough oil in a medium skil-let to float the noodles, at least 1/3-inch deep.When it’s hot and shimmery, drop the batter intothe oil, dividing it into four or six portions by eye.Fry until golden, then turn and fry the second side,about two minutes in all. (They will also cook inthe soup.) Set aside on paper towels.

The Soup1 tablespoon olive oil2 bunches scallions, including an inch or two of the greens, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, diced1 cup finely chopped cilantro stems and leaves, packed

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

The leaves from 1 bunch green chard or Rainbowchard, about 6 cups, packed

6 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock

Warm the oil in a soup pot. Add the scallions andcelery and cook over medium-high heat, stirringoccasionally. After a few minutes, add the cilantroand 1/2 cup water so that the vegetables stew ratherthan fry. Add the chard leaves, sprinkle with 1 tea-spoon salt, then cover and cook until the chard haswilted down. Add the water or stock. Bring to a boil,lower the heat, and add the noodle nests to the soup.Simmer until the chard is tender, about 10 minutes.Taste for salt and season with pepper. Ladle the soupinto soup plates, include a noodle nest in each bowl,and serve garnished with a sprig of cilantro. FromLocal Flavors, Cooking and Eating from America’sFarmers’ Markets.

Mangoes with Minced Strawberries

Serves 4. You don’t always have to have cups, quarts,or pounds of fruit to make a fruit dessert. This com-pote uses a handful of strawberries, finely diced andspooned over the luscious mangoes. It’s just pretty,simple, and sufficient. Mincing a few choice straw-berries to spoon over ice cream or other fruits is anunexpected and a good way to share a small treasure.

1 small basket organic strawberries, or even a smallhandful

1 teaspoon sugarJuice of 1 key lime2 or 3 yellow kidney shaped Ataulfo mangoes, or 1 larger variety (see below)

Rinse the berries, set them on a clean towel to wick upthe moisture, then remove the leaves. (Never rinsestrawberries before you’re ready to use them; they’llquickly spoil.) Dice them into small pieces. Put them ina bowl and toss with the sugar and lime juice. As theystand, they’ll release their juices to make a little sauce.

Peel the mangoes. Then, using a sharp knife, slicethem into neat pieces. They won’t be at all uniformbecause of the big seed that runs down the center ofthe fruit. Divide the pieces among your plates, thenspoon the strawberries and their juice over andaround the mango.

A SEASONAL NOTE: Mangoes and strawberriesoverlap in farmers markets’ as well as in supermar-kets. Champagne, or Ataulfo mangoes, the small yel-low ones, appear first; the big green-skinned silky-fleshed Keitt in late summer, and in between areHaydens, Tommy Atkins and others. Strawberries arenot just for June, but span the months from late springthrough fall, so keep this in mind! From SeasonalFruit Desserts from Orchard, Farm and Market.

FRESHFAIR

LLOOCCAALL...CO-OP

Celebrate theEARTHAT YOUR CO-OP!the 22nd annual Earth Fest at

the Nob Hill Co-opApril 22nd, 10-6pm

LOVE YOURMMOOTTHHEERR

using april’s produce April 2012 11

BY DON HANCOCK, SOUTHWEST RESEARCH

AND INFORMATION CENTER

T he Department of Energy (DOE) wants to carryout insufficient cleanup at Los Alamos andSandia Labs, while expanding the mission of the

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Public involvementcan make a difference!

On Earth Day 2012, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP),east of Carlsbad, will have been receiving transuranic (TRU,plutonium-contaminated) nuclear waste for more than 13years. The site has more of that type of nuclear weaponswaste than any place on Earth outside of Russia. NewMexico also has more uranium tailings waste (from minesand mills) than any other state, much of which continues to cause illnessand death because of air, water, and soil contamination. Nuclearweapons research and development activities at Los Alamos NationalLab (LANL) and Sandia National Lab have generated significantamounts of radioactive waste contamination.

New Mexico has received jobs and state and local tax revenues fromdecades of federal government spending at LANL, Sandia, and WIPP,and the federal government is sending about $4 billion of taxpayermoney, this year, to those three Department of Energy (DOE) facilities.There are no operating uranium mines in the state now, though numer-ous companies have plans and are seeking permits that could eventuallybring renewed uranium mining and milling to New Mexico. It will takeyears and billions of dollars to clean up the existing large amounts ofnuclear and toxic chemical wastes from previous activities.

Get Active or Get Radioactive: A Mandate for Clean-upTwo of the major uranium contamination sites – Homestake/Barrickuranium mine near Milan and the United Nuclear/GE Churchrock andQuivira/Rio Algom uranium facilities near Gallup – are scheduled forsome cleanup this year. At the Homestake site, the Bluewater ValleyDownstream Alliance advocates more cleanup of contaminated waterand soil, decontamination of houses and land, more technical assistance,and more responsiveness from federal and state officials and the compa-nies. The community wants specific actions this year to address radonexposures and ground water contamination that threaten its health.

earth day special April 2012 12

NM’S RADIOACTIVE WASTE PPRROOBBLLEEMMSSmanagement and remediation activities at dozens of locationsto protect the irreplaceable Middle Rio Grande aquifer.

In the last six months the New Mexico EnvironmentDepartment (NMED) has granted more than a score ofextensions on scheduled activities under the LANL cleanupagreement Consent Order (CO). Decisions about what kindof cleanup will happen at Area G, the radioactive and haz-ardous waste dump, have not been made. The delays in COmilestones are intended to require LANL to expedite ship-ments of TRU waste to WIPP because of heightened con-cerns about additional contamination if there were anotherlarge forest fire like last summer’s Las Conchas fire.

Expanding WIPPThis spring, DOE plans to announce that it will considerWIPP as the long-term above-ground storage site for up to10,000 metric tons of elemental mercury. DOE previouslyspent two years and millions of dollars on a draft and finalenvironmental impact statement (EIS) that did not includeWIPP and chose the Waste Control Specialists dump inTexas as the preferred site for that mercury.

The WIPP Land Withdrawal Act prohibits mercury waste,but DOE apparently plans to ask Congress to amend thatlaw. After the election in November, DOE also intends torelease a final EIS on "Greater-Than-Class C" (GTCC)commercial waste that also is prohibited by the WIPP law.Hundreds of New Mexicans during public comments in2010 said that WIPP is an inappropriate site for GTCCwaste that contains 30 times more radioactivity than all ofthe TRU wastes planned for WIPP.

These actions to expand WIPP makes it much more likelythat all highly radioactive waste would be transportedthrough New Mexico for many decades and buried hereFOREVER.

ishing at an alarming rate and there arehigh mercury levels in fish. My researchfor this article has indicated that sea veg-etables from the US East Coast are saferthan those harvested from elsewhere onthe planet—especially the Pacific Ocean.

Two components of seaweeds are sodi-um alginate and agar. They help withdetox by binding with heavy metals,helping the body excrete them. Sea veg-gies also reduce the amount of strontium

90 absorbed in place of calcium by bone tissue.Strontium 90 is a key element in fallout, low levelradiation, bomb testing, and nuclear plant leaks.The iodine in sea veggies protects the body fromiodine 125 and iodine 131. A safe source of sea-weed is from "The Seaweed Man.’’ Check out thewebsite, www.the seaweedman.com.

The thyroid gland can’t tell the difference betweenstable and radioactive iodine. Once breathed intothe lungs or consumed in contaminated food andliquids, it travels through the body and isabsorbed by the gland. It causes DNA damage,thyroid cancer and cancer to surrounding tissues,organs and bones.

Potassium iodine (PI) protects the thyroid glandand only the thyroid gland. Flooding the body withnormal stable iodine 5-12 hours prior to exposureor even a few hours after exposure will crowd outthe radioactive iodine and the thyroid will take upthe more abundant stable iodine. Iodine stays inthe body 24 hours. I would suggest having enoughon hand to protect one’s self and family.

Children who received PI immediately afterChernobyl have not been diagnosed with thyroid

cancer. Those who did not receive PI have not been sofortunate. The pharmaceutical dose is for severe immedi-ate nuclear exposure only. At the Linus Pauling Institutewebsite you can learn more about iodine and dosages.

WARNING: Do not take iodine water purificationtablets or tincture of iodine.WARNING: Do not take delayed release PI. It can cre-ate bowel lesions, hemorrhage, obstruction, and perfo-ration.WARNING: Pregnant women should only take PI inhigh doses if there is an immediate danger of radiationexposure.

OTHER SOURCES OF IODINE ARE: radishes, straw-berries, watercress, onions, and yoghurt. Milk, cheese,and beef also contain iodine, but be aware of theirsource to ensure they are contamination-free.

Kelp Rice

3 cups cooked brown rice or amaranth or quinoa2 tbls sunflower oil1 small sweet onion1 grated carrotGarlic cloves, at least 31/2 cup chopped soaked kelpCayenneFresh grated gingerCilantro (optional)Thyme1 tbls toasted sesame seeds

Sauté rice and chopped and grated vegetables for about5 minutes, sprinkle with thyme, stir in kelp and cook 2minutes longer. Add cayenne, ginger to taste; finish withsalt and toasted sesame seeds.

RADIOprotective foods

GetACTIVE... or get

RRRRAAAADDDDIIIIOOOOAAAACCCCTTTTIIIIVVVVEEEE

Protection from Radiation, #4BY JESSIE EMERSON, RN

I t has been a year since the Fukushimanuclear power plant disaster. Radioactive fall-out has been confirmed across the entire North-

ern Hemisphere. French citizens have been warnedabout consuming rainwater, leafy greens, and all milkproducts due to fallout contamination in Europe.

So, why not just take iodine pills and be done with it?Ah, I wish that life could be that simple. Iodine isnecessary for thyroid function and proper metabolism. Proper thyroidfunction is necessary for all body systems, for skin, hair and nail healthand wound healing. The body doesn’t store iodine, so one must eat a lit-tle each day.

Getting Your Daily DoseSeafood and sea veggies are both high in iodine. I choose to limit my fishand sea creature intake. I do this for two reasons: sea creatures are dimin-

The Red Water Pond Road community includesNavajos that were previously temporarily movedfrom their homes in the shadows of theChurchrock site while some of the contaminationwas removed. The area is to have additional cleanup this year and residents face several years of"voluntary housing options" while approximately1.4 million tons of radium- and uranium-contami-nated soil is moved to the nearby mill site.Additional cleanup at the Quivira mines is underdiscussion. The Multicultural Alliance for a SafeEnvironment (MASE) brings together communitygroups that are promoting cleanup and opposingnew uranium mining.

At Sandia, DOE wants to declare that cleanup iscomplete. But community groups advocate addi-tional funding for completion of environmental

NUCLEAR NEW MEXICO?OUR PLANTAAAA LLLL LLLL IIII EEEE SSSS

SAVE THE DATES! • April 22nd, 22nd Annual Nob Hill Celebrate the Earth Fest• April 28th, Earth Day, Santa Fe!• May 5th, 12th Annual Valley Garden Party

BE THERE !

Support community groups addressing contamination and future mining:• Bluewater Valley Downstream Alliance, PO Box 1651, Grants, NM 87020,bvdownstreamalliance.org.• Multicultural Alliance for a Safe Environment, PO Box 4524, Albuquerque, NM87196, masecoalition.org.Tell DOE not to consider New Mexico for mercury waste storage:David Levenstein, Document Manager, Office of Environmental Compliance (EM–41),U.S. Department of Energy, PO Box 2612, Germantown, MD 20874; E-mail: david.levenstein@em.doe.gov. More information at: www.mercurystor ageeis.com.

For more information: Southwest Research and Information Center, 505-262-1862, www.sric.org. Information on Sandia, Citizens for Alternatives toRadioactive Dumping, 505-266-2663, www.cardnm.org and Citizen Action,www.radfreenm.org.

FFOOCCUUSSOONN

CCOONNTTAAMMIINNAATTIIOONNCCLLEEAANN--UUPP!!

SAY NONO to NEW MEXICO asthe Nation’s Nuclear Sacrifice Area

actionaalleerrtt!!

BY LILIA DIAZ, NEW ENERGY ECONOMY

Imagine Santa Fe being a model clean energy citypowered by 100% renewables. This would meanour city was actualizing longstanding community val-

ues such as cultivating sustainability by generating clean,local, and affordable energy that wasn’t produced by coalplants at the expense of our health, skies and waterways.

Santa Fe holds tremendous solar power potential thatcould reduce negative impacts from fossil fuel use, cre-ate new jobs, and build enduring prosperity. Currently65% of Santa Fe’s energy needs are met by PNM’s com-bustion of coal, with adverse affects to our economy,environment and health. Existing pollution controlmeasures can minimize but not eliminate toxic emis-sions from coal-fired power plants. Long-term energy,economic, and health solutions are needed to shift ener-gy production from coal plants to cleaner, non-pollutingtechnologies. We know that reducing energy consump-tion and replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy areessential steps to a healthy and sustainable Santa Fe.

Our largest source of electricity comes from PNM’scoal-fired power plant, the San Juan Generating Station,

will employ locally trained installers. An Advanced Photovoltaic classat the Santa Fe Community College (for urban designers, city plan-ners, electricians seeking their solar certificates) is analyzing electric

consumption and assessing solar systemsize, conducting a site survey and feasibil-ity study, and will be intimately involvedin the technical installation under thetutelage of the local solar installationcompany. An interactive kiosk has alsobeen proposed for the Fire Station to pro-vide community members with informa-tion about solar energy and the amount ofelectrical power being generated at thestation during any given day or year.

ACTION ALERT!It will take all of us to improve our cli-

mate and support our economy. We are asking you to join NewEnergy Economy with a contribution of $20 or more to pay for thesolar system. Energy democracy means all of us coming together andcreating the energy solutions we need. We will not accept PNM’splan (rising rates, dirty coal, unhealthy society, fouling our air andwater). With your help we can democratize the way we produce andconsume energy!

Sol Not Coal is a solar energy campaign to bring brighter pos-sibilities for the health, prosperity and sustainability of SantaFe. 100% of your contribution goes directly to solarizing FireStation #3, and is tax deducible! Donations can be made atwww.newenergyeconomy.org.

SOL!SOL! NOT COAL

abrighterSantaFe

which is outdated and is one of the largest sourcesof nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution in the US.Nitrogen oxide pollution and other hazardous tox-ins from the plant are a major source of asthma,lung and heart disease, and responsible for thebrown haze that is polluting our skies.The plant also consumes about 18,000gallons of clean water an hour.

While the law mandates that utilities pro-duce 10% of their energy from renew-ables, PNM is only producing 7.3%.PNM is challenging the law with claimsthat they cannot afford solar and windeven though their profits since 2008jumped an extraordinary 2,500% in largepart to the continued rate hikes that areburdening hard- working New Mexicanbusinesses and families.

Frustrated with PNM’s stranglehold on our energydemocracy, New Energy Economy is partneringwith the City of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe FireDepartment to install a solar electric system at FireStation #3. The project will showcase two solarapplications: solar panels mounted on a carportstructure that will be installed in the station’s park-ing lot and a twelve module solar tracker (that likea “sunflower” follows the trajectory of the sun).The community scale solar electric power installa-tion will use locally manufactured solar panels and

Sustaining the FUTURE:Golf and WaterBY JOE FRANKE

"In a high desert community such as Albuquerque,water is our most precious resource."- Albuquerque official city website

Last summer was a hot one inAmerica, with 4,000 record hightemperatures set in June alone. In

Albuquerque, we found ourselves in themidst of a serious drought year. The majori-ty of Albuquerque residents, and their elect-ed city and state governments, seem to per-sist in an antiquated fantasy of a West ofunlimited resources, including water. Thereare a number of bizarre manifestations ofour collective madness, one being our continued adher-ence to the idea of a green lawn, a strange cultural carryover from England that has absolutely no place in thehigh desert. Another is the grass golf course.

There are about 17,000 golf courses in the United States,which average 150 acres apiece, with total land coverageof about 3 million acres, or about 5,000 square miles.This would be the same as the total area of Delawareand two Rhode Islands. Albuquerque has no less thanfour golf courses, and the amount of water that thesecourses consume is staggering. As an example, theUniversity of New Mexico is home to two courses; theexistence of which remains unquestioned by an institu-tion that is host to the region’s only university-level pro-gram in "Sustainability Studies."

According to R. Gary Smith, Ph.D., Associate DirectorEnvironmental Services and Maintenance and Oper-ations, over a 16-year average, the 9-hole North courseuses 57,880,256 gallons per year and the Championshipcourse south of town uses 220,627,900 gallons per year.Those figures aren’t typos; golf course consumption ofwater is always measured in the millions of gallons. Theprivately owned Desert Greens Golf Course onAlbuquerque’s West Side uses 185 million gallons ofwater and faced a $500,000 water bill for 2011. Underpolitical pressure by neighborhood residents wishing toprotect their property values, the Water Authority cut adeal with the owners of the course in which theyremoved one million square feet of turf in exchange for

earth day energy April 2012 13

a $1 million credit that will keep the course open foranother two years.

Opponents of change in our present unsustainablepatterns of water usage like to point out that thewater used on some courses is "wastewater" thatwould otherwise simply escape unused. There is nosuch thing as "wastewater." We have only two

sources of water, the aquifer and theriver that we share with farms, citiesand a plethora of non-human beingsfrom Colorado to Mexico. Waternot used to grow our food to sustainourselves should return to thesesources, for the good of humans andthe ecosystem as a whole.

The Albuquerque golf-going publicmight be horrified by the prospect of"grassless" and thus waterless golf

courses, but they might partially be reassured by a visitto the website of the Desert Lakes Golf Course inJeddah, Saudi Arabia. It’s an entirely sand course, asare most of the courses in that land; rich with moneyand oil but essentially without precipitation. Thecourse is made of compressed sand, with the "browns"(their term for "greens") made by compacting sandmixed with waste oil. It sounds pretty grim but a visitto their website reveals a large contingent of sun-roast-ed and contented expat golfers from all over the worldwho maintain that it plays like grass.

Clearly, we would need to use something in place ofthe waste oil to bind the "browns", but this couldeasily be replaced with a non-toxic polymer such asthose used to bind the grouting sand used by someNew Mexico masons. In an environment such as oursonly a sand course would be truly sustainable. I’dsuggest that in keeping with UNM’s new statedemphasis on sustainability that part of at least onetheir courses be turned into a center for research into"brown" golf; figuring out how to construct coursesthat are waterless like those in Saudi Arabia andother desert regions.

In order for our city to have a sustainable future, every-body is going to have to give up something, and to beintellectually and morally flexible enough for change.Yes, you live in a desert—love it and preserve it; let’snot try and make it into something that it isn’t.

GOLF in the DESERT? Loving theBROWNS!

On April 6 at 7pm, come hear Judy Dain explain how geologyhas shaped the soils of Albuquerque. Then four MasterGardeners—Cheryl Mitchell, Margo Murdock, Robin Romero, andBarbara Shapiro—will tell how they have molded those soil challenges into beautiful and sustainable gardens. FREE: Sponsoredby the Albuquerque Chapter, Native Plant Society of N.M. at theN.M. Museum of Natural History, 1801 Mountain Rd. NW,Albuquerque.

www.npsnm.unm.edu/albuq

GEOLOGY, SOIL AND MASTER GARDENERS

NATIVE PLANT SSSSOOOOCCCCIIIIEEEETTTTYYYY

community forum April 2012 14

BY FELICITY BROENNAN

2012is a significant year for the Santa FeWatershed Association’s flagship pro-

gram: Adopt-the-River. For ten years, our goal hasbeen to help the residents of Santa Fe connect with theriver corridor by taking a personal interest in its care.From 2002-2012, thousands of citizens have joinedforces to support successful stewardship from the TwoMile Dam site east of town all the way through the tra-ditional village of Agua Fria.

The Santa Fe Watershed Association works with the Cityand county of Santa Fe to enlist businesses, groups andindividuals to share looking after the river. Adopt-the-River gives busi-nesses the opportunity for visibility via signs along Alameda Street andthe money they give covers materials and staff time to recruit, train andcoordinate the monthly trash collection of each steward group. Thereare 26 reaches of the Adopt-the-River program along the Santa Fe River(ranging from a few blocks to over one mile), sponsored by businesses,foundations, and even a few individuals. The reaches are stewarded withmonthly cleanups by volunteers from schools, businesses and civic andenvironmental groups. Average annual participation in our program hasgrown from 200 in the past to over 600 people.

In 2011, 619 volunteers removed 560 bags of trash along with shop-ping carts, tires, and even a rug! Our favorite shared memory from thelast year was from a ten-year-old student at the Dragonfly School whowas telling a two-year-old volunteer, "That is a leaf. It is part of nature.Please leave it in the river and put trash in the bucket." Thank you LaMontanita Co-op for being a stalwart Sponsor and Steward for oversix years! There are currently two Sponsorships and two Stewardshipsavailable. Please contact Robin Hilliard, Adopt-the-River Coordinator,at robin@santafewatershed.org, or 820-1696.

A River Needs Water Too!After more than eight years of promoting "A Living Santa Fe River",we celebrated "a watershed moment" on February 29th when theSanta Fe City Council voted for a detailed and thoughtful ordinancethat guarantees water for the river channel. This was the result of along-term effort by the Santa Fe Watershed Association, Mayor Coss,

the Santa Fe River Commission, diligent City Staffand a volunteer group of diverse stakeholders whocontinually championed this effort. It really doestake a village to raise a river! It also takes laws and

the "Santa Fe RiverTarget Flow for a Living

River Initiative" has given us the framework; nowup to 1,000 acre-feet per year will pass throughMcClure and Nichols Reservoirs, and run throughthe city. (One acre-foot equals 326,000 gallons ofwater).

Consistent, predictable flows will surely rebuild theriver’s ecosystem. Native plants and wildlife willreturn both in and around the channel, the river-banks will stabilize, and the residents and visitorswill have a healthy, natural waterway to enjoy.Santa Fe is New Mexico’s first city to enact a lawthat allows for water releases into a river solely foruse by the river. Lest we forget in this age of thirst,"A River Needs Water Too!" To get involved ormake a donation contact the Santa Fe WatershedAssociation at: www.santafewa tershed.org, or con-tact robin@santafewatershed.org.

SANTA FE WATERSHED ASSOCIATION:

VICTORYFORFOR AA LIVINGLIVING RIVERRIVER

ADOPT THE RIVER PROGRAM’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY

GGOOOODDstewardship

SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 10-3PMThe Annual Bike Swap is a fund-raiserfor BikeABQ, a non-profit bicycle advo-cacy organization in Albuquerque. It isan event many look forward to for eitherselling bicycle items or finding a gooddeal. This year it will be held on Saturday,April 21, between 10am and 3pm atSport Systems, 6915 Montgomery NE, in Albuquerque.

Bicycles and bicycle related items such as parts,clothing, trailers, and racks can be sold at the BikeSwap by checking in the items with BikeABQ

Volunteers at Sport Systems on Thursday andFriday, April 19 and 20th, between 10am and

6:30pm, also at Sport Systems onMongomery. For details about sell-ing items, including costs, seewww.BikeABQ.org.

On Saturday, some people arriveearly (9am) to park and line up toawait the sale opening at 10:00am.It is such a popular event that 50%

of the items are sold in the first 3 hours. Usuallythere is quite a variety of bikes for sale – mountain,road, comfort, commuter, BMX, tandems, youth – ina wide range of vintages and prices. BikeABQ usesthe proceeds of the Bike Swap to help makeAlbuquerque a more bicycle friendly city. For moreinformation go to: www.BikeABQ.org.

18TH ANNUAL BIKE SWAPTO BENEFITBBiikkeeABQABQ

co-op comix April 2012 15

STORY AND PENCILS BY RAS ELIJAH TAFARI, INKS AND LETTERS BY CHRISTOPH KNERR

TO BE CONTINUED

HASTA LA PROXIMA