the Essence OctoberNovember 2011

Essencethe

of Los Alamos and White Rock

LIVING GREEN LIVING GREEN IN LOS ALAMOSIN LOS ALAMOS

Green Halloween bull LANL Cleanup bull Recycling TipsGreen Halloween bull LANL Cleanup bull Recycling TipsElectric Vehicles bull Organic FarmingElectric Vehicles bull Organic Farming

OctoberNovember 2011 Volume 4 Issue 6OctoberNovember 2011 Volume 4 Issue 6

2 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

SEARCH

Just go to wwwfyiLAcom to fi nd what we actually have

right here on the hill

Find out whatrsquos really available on

the hill

Type in the Product or Brand

Yoursquore Looking forClick

Find It Locally

Dave amp Andy FoxCB FOX

Get events information and updates on your

mobile phone

2 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

SEARCH

Just go to wwwfyiLAcom to fi nd what we actually have

right here on the hill

Find out whatrsquos really available on

the hill

Type in the Product or Brand

Yoursquore Looking forClick

Find It Locally

Dave amp Andy FoxCB FOX

Get events information and updates on your

mobile phone

3the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

the EssenceGetting Green Locally 6Commuter to Community 8Green Halloween 10Environmental Milestone Achieved by LANL 12Upcycled Art 14 Local Inventor Shares Green Ideas16LA Businesses Grow Greener1810 Recycling Tips 20

Calendar of EventsLocal Happenings in Your Town 22Organic = Quality on Area Farm 23Electric Vehicles Offer Clean Quiet Alternative 23

4 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Welcome to the Essence The Essence a bi-monthly publication created to inform and remind the community of whatrsquos special about living in Los Alamos and White Rock

The Theme of this issue is ldquoGoing Greenrdquo We must change our lifestyle to benefi t the environment Itrsquos up to us to make a conscious decision every minute of the day that effects global warming pollution and loss of animal habitats The future depends on us

Going green involves sustainable living using environ-mentally friendly products and reusingrecycling

Sustainable living is limiting the use of natural resources and increasing self sufficiency by altering modes of transportation conserving energy changing onersquos diet and buying locally produced items Please try to buy local fi rst - support our CommunityMatters participants (left)

Buying environmentally friendly products is so easy now They are available at our local markets and retailers Recycled paper products nontoxic household cleaners and organic foods minimize the damage or harm to our air water soil and animal life

The Essence is printed on 100 recycled paper All of the inks are soy based We recycle all of the printing plates and any other materials used in the process

Recycling has become second nature We just have to go the extra mile to recycle the things like glass that cannot be taken by the County

Information is knowledge I hope you can take away important information from these articles

Upcycled Art Romero Farms organic methods Top 10 Ways to Recycle Essential Person ndash Robert Hockaday Green Halloween Local Business Owners offer sustainable gifts CommunityMatters interview with Jim Nesmith Green Businesses

The smallest steps can be taken towards living green Just start The more you learn the more you will want to do for our planet earth

Suzette Fox EditorCommunity Projects CoordinatorLA MainStreet ManagerLos Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation5056614844 suzettelosalamosorg

Editorrsquos NoteParticipatingCommunityMattersChamber Members

Assets in ActionAtomic City CleaningB amp B Environmental Safety Inc Bennettrsquos JewelryBest Westerm Hilltop House HotelBlue Window BistroBrownells HallmarkCB FOX amp CB FOX KidzDon Taylorrsquos PhotographyEnchanted Paradise SpaFamily Strengths NetworkFamily YMCAFuller Lodge Art CenterHill DinerHope FellowshipJuvenile Justice Board- LALorraine HartwayLos Alamos Co-Op MarkeLos Alamos Family CouncilLos Alamos Farmersrsquo MarketLos Alamos Fitness CenterLos Alamos Heart CouncilLos Alamos Historical MuseumLos Alamos Medical CenterLos Alamos National BankLos Alamos PropertiesLos Alamos Public SchoolsLou Santoro State FarmNew York LifeNorth Road InnPajarito GreenhousePajarito Mountain Ski AreaPet Pangaea Real Estate AssociatesRuby KrsquosUnited Way of Northern NMUNM Los AlamosUPEX ABOVE The exterior may be blue but under the hood this car is all green This 1974 Porshe 914 convert-

ed to battery power can be seen cruising the streets of Los Alamos

ON THE COVER Matt Romero cooks up his organically grown green chilies at the Los Alamos Farmerrsquos Market

5the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

HOMEMADE MASHED POTATOES HOMEMADE MASHED POTATOES C H I C K E N F R I E D S T E A KC H I C K E N F R I E D S T E A K

HALF LB HAND FORMED BURGERS HALF LB HAND FORMED BURGERS ALL YOU CAN EATSEASONED FRIES ALL YOU CAN EATSEASONED FRIES

BANANA CREAM PIEBANANA CREAM PIEMAPLE BOURBON PECAN PIEMAPLE BOURBON PECAN PIE

LARGEST DINNER SALAD IN TOWNLARGEST DINNER SALAD IN TOWNFOUR HOMEMADE SOUPS DAILYFOUR HOMEMADE SOUPS DAILYPRIME RIB NIGHT FRI AND SATPRIME RIB NIGHT FRI AND SAT

HILL DINERHILL DINER

OLD FASHIONED OLD FASHIONED COMFORT FOODCOMFORT FOOD

the EssenceSuzette Fox

Editor

Claire RoybalAds Coordinator

Cindy Whiting Katy Korkos Kevin Holsapple

Content Editors

FYILAcomYour best local resource for news

events business directory and more

visitlosalamoscomOnline visitor guide to Los Alamos

locatelosalamoscomOnline relocation guide

losalamoschambercomChamber of Commerce

Your North Face fl eece has just arrived

For Men Women

STAY WARM

6 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Deep down inside we all know how much our community matters to us- but some-times it takes a crisis to bring that knowledge home to us The CommUnity Matters pro-gram of the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce got its start when our largest employer was threatening layoffs and there was a real need for connections and support from both the business and the non-profi t community Since that time the program has contin-ued to try to strengthen the ties between the community and Chamber members

When you read The Essence you are reading a publication of the Chamber of Com-mercersquos CommUnity Matters initiative In it wersquore not trying to beat anyone over the head with any message about ldquoshop locallyrdquo ndash wersquore just trying to tell the story of our Community- the people and organizations that make it a unique and wonderful place to live The Chamber started this initiative because our members requested itThey came to us saying ldquowersquore having a hard time telling our story and getting the word out about how much we care about the community Features of CommUnity Matters include not only the Essence but lots of other programs such as our booth at the Gordonrsquos Con-

certs our Destination Retail Summit and even the fyiLA calendar If yoursquove ever used one of the special offers from LA Deals or fi lled out a feedback card at a local busi-ness yoursquove been a part of this program Wersquove handed out all of the thousands of reusable bags that CommUnity Matters produced and helped the whole Community come together after the Las Conchas fi re by providing communications to the business community from Bandelier the County and from state government

You can read these words many different ways and all of them are correctbull These are Matters that concern our Communitybull Our Community Matters (is of importance) to us

The Unity of our Community is what matters- the fact that we can gather together and form lasting relationships

Getting GreenLocally

Products from renewable resources products made from post-consumer things like soda bottles and paper natural products that take the place of synthetics cleaning supplies that can be tolerated by babies and people with allergies- products that will keep us our pets and the planet happy and healthy Our local business owners like Cheryl Sowder from Finishing Touch Cyndi Wells from Pet Pangaea and Dave Fox from CB Fox are all looking out for those perfect products and bringing them to us savvy shoppers

Pet Pangaea- poison-free fl y trap biodegradable dog waste bags pet toys made with recycled materials that have the added benefi t of donating a percentage of sales to canine service organizations

Finishing Touch- HunterDouglas shades made from recycled soda bottles cork fl oor-ing made from leftover cork (renewable resource) after wine corks are punched from it Mohawkrsquos Carpets made from corn tiles made from more than 50 post consumer re-cycled materials from a factory less than 500 miles from the Finishing Touch creating a smaller carbon footprint

CB FOX- lightweight refi llable water bottles eco-friendly bags that roll up into a tiny pack-age to fi t inside a womanrsquos purse yet carry up to 44 pounds comfy furniture made with re-cycled leather blankets made 100 percent from recycled materials pillows and comforters that mimic down but are made completely without petroleum or animal products

Holiday Inn Express- is working to save both energy and money with low water fl ow fi xtures timers and dimmers for lighting air-conditioning controls and a master switch for electricity

Los Alamos Cooperative Market- as you might expect the Coop is at the forefront of environmentally sound business practices in Los Alamos with organic and local produce and organically produced milk and meats But itrsquos not all brown rice and beet greens- or-ganic chocolates fair trade coffee and tasty fresh fruit are in ample supply

Ulirsquos- Stylish natural fi bers are the order of the day at Ulirsquos Boutique Owner Uli Camp-bell is constantly on the lookout for locally sourced items such as the Naptime Bears and organic wool-fi lled bedding from New Mexico She also prefers to buy direct from artists and artisans where she can have input on how the items are produced

Shopping locally is a good way to reduce your carbon footprint too

CommUnityMatters

Fresh organic produce and recycled paper towels available at the Los Alamos Co-Op Market

At CB FOX you can fi nd a recliner made from recycled leather or a reusable shopping bag that is both stylish and eco-friendly

Finishing Touch carries a variety of fl ooring made from renewable and earth-friendly materials

7the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

8 (a) Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Minority Owned Chemical amp Radioactive Remediation Environmental Assessment amp Sampling

Radioactive Waste Brokerage Decommissioning Surveys Technical amp Worker Safety Training NRCAgreement State License Maintenance

Environmental Consulting Health Physics Surveys Mold Investigation amp Remediation Hazardous amp Universal Waste Disposal

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Allow us to cater your event for 15 to 300 guests at our place or yours

We also welcome potlucks amp personal caterers

Call to reserve your space 505 662-1118

We pride ourselves on working withinany budget

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Powered by

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For details contact Claire Roybal at 661-4836 or email clairelosalamosorg

Looking for a Job Check out our community Job board at

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Help Spark a Healthy Community Healthy Youth with Assets In Action

Contact uswwwAssetsInActioninfo

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Sponsored by the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board

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wwwlafsnorg 1990 Diamond Drive

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505-662-4515

8 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

CommunityMattersCommuter to Community Commuter to Community

Essence Interview Essence Interview with Jim Nesmithwith Jim Nesmith

Essence Tell us about yourself and your history with the Los Alamos community

Jim Nesmith I fi rst came here around 1990 from Chicago as an immigration specialist My wife Jamie had a position as an immigration offi cer in Albuquerque and I commuted to work here -- we lived in Rio Rancho at the time Life as a commuter to Los Alamos went on for eight years into the late nineties and we eventually relocated to Texas where after continuing to commute to Los Alamos for another year or so I was able to get a position as international faculty coordinator at Texas Tech In 2006 another position came up in Los Alamos that I wanted and I became a long distance commuter again commuting weekly for the next three years As a commuter you live a somewhat schizophrenic existence The communities were so different and I never spent enough time in either to feel like I was fully part of a community The commute in New Mexico was sure better and a lot more beautiful than in Chicago But Irsquom sure glad that commuter days are behind me

Our kids stayed in school in the Lubbock area and my wife was still working at her posi-

tion there Jamie was killed in a car accident in in Lubbock in 2009 and there was no way for my kids and I to stay in Texas with my job being here We moved up here and the response of this community to our needs during the incredibly diffi cult times for us was just phenomenal My son and daughter transitioned to the schools here and are in high school here now Linda Hull and Lou Santoro were truly phenomenal in helping us out They were the ones who introduced me to Rotary Club a community organization that I have gotten involved with that has given me a great perspective on our community and what it means to get involved with helping a small town to be its best

Essence I know that you have become active in the Los Alamos Rotary Club What has that been like and what gets you excited about that

Jim Nesmith Rotary is working on some really fun things and it is a group that works at personal and community growth in a collective way It is also an organization that makes a difference world-wide and that connects well with me as my work at LANL is about helping foreign nationals to make the transition to working and thriving here My own aspiration for Rotary is that its membership will increasingly represent the whole demographic of the Los Alamos community We have a fascinating international diversity here and I donrsquot know that the whole community recognizes that You know we have more than 90 countries represented here

Essence Tell us about your work and what you think are the key challenges for foreign nationals who come here

Jim Nesmith For foreign nationals I work with Los Alamos is often their fi rst experience with the US For the spouse that works at the lab there is an established built-in support system But for their spouse and family it can be much more diffi cult Language can be tough although programs like the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at UNM-LA

are important resources Often immigration law prevents the trailing spouse from seeking a job so compatible opportunities to volunteer can be both a big help and a great oppor-tunity A story I heard recently was that one of the founders of Self Help here in Northern New Mexico was a trailing spouse of a LANL scientist from India who saw a need and an opportunity and helped to get that organization started Something that I think would help this part of our community would be a center or a gathering place for the trailing spouses

Essence What other things have you been getting involved with

Jim Nesmith Keep an eye on the Rotary Crabfest That is A fairly new event in the community but I think it has been a kick I am also working on this yearrsquos Ruby Krsquos Yum Run The Yum Run is a fun event that benefi ts LA Cares Itrsquos about fun community spirit I got involved by accident as Irsquove been taking up running and the Yum Run was suggested as an event that wouldnrsquot be too much to handle for a beginner like me Irsquove been working with Ruby and many other people who have been involved with the Yum Run over the years on a plan to permanently move the Yum Run to the Saturday morning of Halloweekend and encourage runners to wear costumes Rotary has already pledged additional donations for the fi rst fi fty entrants to wear costumes and I hope other organizations and individuals will consider doing the same Events like the Yum Run are yet another example of what makes this a fun community to be a part of I have to say that there is so much that goes on here I can only participate in a fraction of what I hear about that interests me

What 1K 5K and 10K fun runs to benefi t LA CaresWhen Saturday October 29th as part of Los Alamos Halloweekend Costumes encouraged Invite a friend from out of townWhere Downtown Los Alamos start and fi nish

9the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

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10 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

By Mandy MarksteinerLast fall I found an enormous package on my doorstep I used both hands to pick it up a

knife to cut through the packaging tape pulled out a thick wad of paper used a pair of scis-sors to rip into the protective inner bubble wrap bag and fi nally ripped the inner-inner plastic bag to reveal a tuft of brown polyester fur

My sonrsquos Chewbacca costume had arrivedUnfortunately the joy of seeing my two-year-old son dressed up like a Wookiee (and

frankly looking more like an Ewok) was short lived He couldnrsquot wait to get out of the itchy costume and I couldnrsquot wait to get rid of the heap of packaging

I made a resolution to never again buy a costume online but make them myself After all Halloween is the perfect opportunity to teach your kids how to be both creative and sustain-able Here are some ways to reduce your Halloween carbon footprint

Attend Family Strengths Networkrsquos Costume Swap On October 4th from 345 ndash 500 Family Strengths Network will host a costume swap for children ages newborn through 6th grade Cookies and milk will be served Bring costumes dresses and craft materials to swap If you donrsquot have a costume to give come anyway and bring a small donation Any costumes that remain after 500 will be donated

Use your old costumes to make new onesUse your old costumes to make new ones In my case I could turn my toddler Wookiee costume into a Viking costume by cutting out a

fur vest and use hot glue to make a fur lined hat and fur lined boots (wwwgreenhalloweenorg has directions for easy DIY costumes) In addition my husbandrsquos Darth Vader cape could be turned into a wicked witch cape and the Darth robotic utility belt could become part of a robot costume The sky is the limit with what I could do with the infl atable Jabba the Hut costume I wore

Use cardboard boxes and other packagesUse cardboard boxes and other packages Village Arts has everything you need to make a wild box costume They have pipe clean-

ers foam shapes paint construction paper yarn and knitting supplies and ribbons Create box-shaped items you might want to be ie a toaster refrigerator or a box of Kelloggrsquos Frosted Flakes

Raid your recycling bin Raid your recycling bin Have your kids glue scary faces to milk jugs and place a candle in the bottom to make

ghost lanterns for your front walk Use cardboard boxes to make a robot or a fi re truck cos-tume

Want to decorate your haunted house with super scary monsters like the ones in the win-dows of Village Arts The book Paper Mache Monsters Turn Trinkets and Trash into Magnifi -cent Monsters was their inspiration and guide

Use maternity clothes Use maternity clothes New moms have plenty of usable fabric in the form of maternity clothes And (maybe itrsquos

the hormones) but a lot of maternity dresses have bright colorful designs perfect for a baby costume

Visit secondhand storesVisit secondhand stores Second hand stores usually put out a rack of costumes that have been donated through-

out the year

Hand out sustainable candy Hand out sustainable candy Donrsquot give your trick-or-treaters more of the same-old The Co-Op has 13 fl avors of Endan-

gered Species Chocolate as well as other brands of organic and fair trade chocolate Fast Company named Endangered Species ($329) one of the four most sustainable brands of candy They also carry Surf Sweets ($199) pouches of all-natural gummy bears gummy worms and jellybeans made with organic fruit juice When Halloween approaches they will have displays of smaller organic and sustainable candy

Think outside the box Think outside the box Sometimes it seems like kids are only interested in being Dora the Explorer Sponge Bob

Squarepants or some other prepackaged trademarked character from TV which makes it hard for them to accept a homemade costume Try having a contest to see who can come up with the most creative costume

Start small and have fun Start small and have fun Nalani Kimball is a YMCA instructor and mother of three Although she didnrsquot have time

to make a costume for her kids she was able to make simple costumes for her dogs using old t-shirts There wasnrsquot as much pressure to make it perfect but taking the dogs door to door dressed as Peter Pan and Captain Hook was fun

Sourceshttpwwwfastcompanycomblogariel-schwartzsustainabilityethical-halloween-candy-4-most-sustainable-brands

The FrolicHave a Have a GreenGreen HalloweenHalloween

11the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

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12 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

By Carol A ClarkLos Alamos National Laboratory has completed excavation of its

1940s Waste Disposal Site at Technical Area 21 Also known as the Delta Prime Site on DP Road it was the area of chemical research for refi ning plutonium and plutonium metal production from 1945 to 1978 and as a result most of its waste disposal activities involved plutonium

ldquoThe American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus fund-ing was a tremendous boost to our TA-21 legacy cleanuprdquo said Man-ager Kevin Smith of the National Nuclear Security Administrationrsquos Los Alamos Site Offi ce ldquoThe skyline change is observable to the residents of Los Alamos and a clear symbol of NNSArsquos commitment to cleaning up the environment We are certainly pleased with the TA-21 ARRA results and we look forward to transferring the property to Los Alamos County for its reuserdquo

The laboratory received $212 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to perform environmental re-mediation work In addition to the excavation of MDA-B LANLrsquos Re-covery Act projects included demolition of 24 Manhattan Project and Cold War-era buildings and the installation of 16 regional groundwater monitoring wells

As LANLrsquos oldest waste disposal site Material Disposal Area B (MDA-B) at TA-21 was used from 1944-48 as a waste disposal site for Manhat-tan Project and Cold War-era research and production The excavation project involved removal of about 43000 cubic yards of contaminated debris and soil from the six-acre site

The environmental cleanup work was funded by the US Department of Energy Offi ce of Environmental Management through the ARRA

ldquoThe completion of the excavation of MDA-B is a landmark for our Recovery Act projects and environmental cleanup effortsrdquo said George Rael assistant manager for Environmental Operations at the Los Alamos Site Offi ce

To protect workers and the public the excavation of MDA-B was performed inside sturdy metal structures that resemble airplane hangars The structures were equipped with fi re and dust suppression systems and high effi ciency particulate air (HEPA) fi lters Excavation was monitored via closed circuit television and infrared sensors

ldquoOur crews removed the waste from this 65-year-old disposal site safely and effi cientlyrdquo said Bruce Schappell executive director of the Recovery Act projects at the Lab ldquoSafety for the public the environment and our workers was always our top priorityrdquo

MDA-B consisted of narrow trenches up to 35 feet deep Though most of the waste exca-vated from MDA-B was soil and run-of-the-mill trash such as cardboard and protective cloth-ing items uncovered during excavation included the remains of two mid-1940s pickup trucks nearly 30 inert artillery shells and a calendar from 1946

The excavated waste has been packaged per regulations and transported to appropriate disposal facilities

ldquoThough work remains to be done at MDA-B the completion of excavation is a real suc-cess storyrdquo Smith said in a news release ldquoWhen the stimulus funded project is complete the land will be available in the not too distant future for county reuserdquo

As per Public Law 105-119 Tract A-16 which includes MDA-B will be conveyed in whole or in part to Los Alamos County

The laboratory also has made signifi cant strides in terms of shipping its transuranic (TRU) waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in Carlsbad

ldquoWersquove eclipsed our goal for shipping 158 shipments and will probably reach 170 ship-ments by the end of the monthrdquo LANL spokesman Fred deSousa said

As part of its environmental endeavors LANLrsquos new waste-processing capa-bility allows for the repackaging of oversized TRU waste containers and accel-erate inventory reduction of TRU waste at TA-54 Area G

As part of the TRU Waste Program the new process repackages TRU waste originally packed in fi berglass reinforced plywood boxes called FRPs The waste consists of debris from the demolition of the Labrsquos fi rst plutonium facility in the mid-1970s and process waste from the Chemistry and Metallurgy facility in the 1980s

About 90 percent of the waste is packaged in FRPs ranging in size from 4 feet by 4 feet by 7 feet to 30 feet by 12 feet by 12 feet About 200 FRPs are stored aboveground in domes and an additional 200 are buried and will be retrieved as part of the project

ldquoThis new operation opens up a huge capability for usrdquo said Program Direc-tor Kathy Johns-Hughes in a statement ldquoFRPs account for roughly half of our radioactive inventory so wersquoll be able to repackage this waste for eventual ship-ment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and make real progress toward removing our legacy TRU wasterdquo

The new process began July 21 with a phased startup approach of low-com-plexity boxes with lower levels of radioactivity Project Manager Mike Romero estimates that one small box per day and one large box per week will be repackaged

By reducing the amount of TRU waste the process helps the Lab comply with the Consent Order an agreement signed with the State of New Mexico to remediate legacy waste TRU waste must be removed before Consent Order remediation can take place at TA-54 Repackaging the waste into metal con-tainers also reduces the risk that the waste could be impacted by fi re

Plans are also in the works for a similar waste-processing program that will repackage larger more complex waste such as glovebox trains duct work and machining equipment

INSIGHTINSIGHTLANL achieves environmental milestone

13the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

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14 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Arts amp Culture

By Mandy Marksteiner

After my mom died I kept a bag of her old clothes I stuffed the bag in the top shelf of the closet in my New York apartment There was nothing valuable about them they werenrsquot stylish and they didnrsquot even fi t me But I couldnrsquot throw them away because they were hers and so they collected dust and deteriorated in the closet

When I became a mom I decided to stitch her clothes together to make a quilt for my son I joined a Monday night craft club and got to work After two hours I man-aged to join two squares At the rate I was going the quilt would no longer be a baby blanket but a graduation present

Luckily help was down the street at Dunn Quilting I brought the bag (which now contained my dadrsquos paja-mas and sweatshirt because he too had passed away from cancer) to Nicole Dunn

I explained the situation I wanted to show my son that his grandparents loved him I wanted a special quilt that would keep him warm secure and safe

Nicole was excited about the project and started spreading the garments across her worktable and ask-ing questions about what my parents were like Together we made a sketch of what the quilt would look like

A few weeks later it was done and I was able to start using it to tuck Calvin in at night I loved that Nicole was so sensitive to my feelings and that she believed that using the old clothes was what made the quilt special Using her artistic skills she was able to transform something that was losing value every day to something priceless that we will hold on to forever

When my daughter Gloria was born I went back to Dunn Quilting This time I included a dress (with an impossibly tiny waistline) that my grandma wore some hand-embroi-dered baby clothes that I found in my dadrsquos house and some pajamas that Gloria wore when she was just born

Narra Tsiagkouris designed this quilt with little angles hearts and Gloriarsquos name embroidered on the front

Tsiagkouris is a fi ber artist who often takes apart garments and repurposes them for other things Quilts are the fi rst things that come to mind but she also makes pillows and handbags

When she started working at Dunn Quilting she became inter-ested in the long rigid cardboard tubes the fabric is shipped on They were already recycling them but she started coming up with other uses for the tubes

Tsiagkouris started small and made recycled pincushions which were featured in a recent issue of Greencraft magazine published by Stampington Inc She then thought of dozens of other projects using the

tubes like a fort in a childrsquos bedroom a piratersquos treasure chest or a picture frame ldquoIt just doesnrsquot end itrsquos so coolrdquo

She has so many ideas that she is writing a craft book about all the things you can make for kids using cardboard tubes Recycling tractor parts hardware and Grandmarsquos knick-knacks

The Karen Wray Fine Art Gallery on Trinity is in a non-descript building that is easy to miss Luckily there is an enormous scrap metal dragon in the front garden

Richard Swenson is a prolifi c scrap metal sculptor who began his artistic career after he retired from a scientifi c career As he restored a complete collection of 64 John Deere tractors built in the 50rsquos he had accumulated a ton of spare tractor parts He said ldquoI started looking at the geometry and making fi gures out of itrdquo

Swensonrsquos neighbor David Trujillo became interested in scrap metal art and Swenson helped him to quickly develop the skills needed to make his own scrap metal creations (like snakes and armadillos fi sh kokopelli and Saint James slaying a dragon) come to life

Because they are fun and reasonably priced Trujillorsquos sculptures are very popular Karen Wray sells about two a month and he sold six paintings at his booth at the Contemporary Indian Market in Santa Fe He is currently working on a 6-foot snake made from a chain that must have come from a big tractor

Trujillo started out using extra parts from Swensonrsquos stash but now he mainly fi nds the parts that he needs at the metal recycling center in Espantildeola where they take cars apart and sell the scrap for fi fteen cents per pound

Once Trujillo buys it he has to sort through it take it apart sandblast it polish it and weld it together ldquoIrsquom always on the lookout for metal partsrdquo he said ldquoPeople give it to me some-times Unfortunately 50 of the stuff I get isnrsquot weld-able but Irsquom happy to get it anywayrdquo

Once he found a set of tools that someone threw away in the dirt of the scrap yard and was able to buy them by the pound He also checks engine and transmission shops for parts but he has to get there before the shop owner sells it to a refi nery to be melted down and reused

ldquoSteam Punkrdquo and ldquoVictorian Industrialrdquo are two phrases that Garth Tietjen used to de-scribe his artwork sculptures that are made from 50-80 recycled materials ldquoI use gears cogs and watches Most of my parts actually come from relativesrsquo housesrdquo said Teitjen ldquoI also get some of my things from the Black Hole and second hand stores Itrsquos economical And therersquos just so much stuff thatrsquos thrown awayrdquo

Insects inspire him particularly how all the parts of an insect fi t together so elegantly For ex-ample a beetlersquos shell is so hard and shiny but then it opens up to reveal the wings and legs

Using recycled materials allows (or forces) him to create art that is as unique as the insects he studies ldquoA lot of the parts and pieces become obsolete so quickly I have to be very non-caring about what Irsquoll be using because every day is a new day and I may not have all the parts and pieces that I had yesterday So if I decide that I want to make robots theyrsquore all uniquerdquo

Upcycled ArtUpcycled ArtUpcycled Art

15the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

Free Admission 930-430 Mon-Fri 11-4 Sat 1-4 Sun

wwwlosalamoshistoryorg505-662-6272

Preservation is greenBe a part of it

Discover Our History

Visit the Los Alamos Historical Museum 1050 Bathtub RowJust North of Fuller Lodge

What ever happened to that sweet little girl

Los Alamos Family Council

505-662-3264

For a full range of

mental health and

substance abuse issues

Donrsquot wait until therersquos a

serious problem

Counseling for children teens adults couples

and families

NowMore Than EverNowMore Than Ever

made made in the

in the uussaaKathy Ireland Home by OMNIA FurnitureregEUROPEAN CONTEMPORARY STYLING

comfortable and smart not massive100 styles 120 leather colors and fabrics

sectionals to sleepers all made in Americawwwomnialeathercom

More Choice More Choice More Choice

OMNIA Westpoint

Furniture1735 Central bull Los Alamos bull 662-2864

16 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Essential Person

By Kelly DolejsiRobert Hockaday looks like an ordinary guy Hersquos a little tall but not outrageously Hersquos

thin but not scrawny His graying mustache is demure his spectacles the standard wire-framed variety He favors khakis and collared shirts He looks perfectly harmless until he starts talking about solar panels heat sinks military goggles and the human simulator

At that point his blue eyes become so excited electric energized theyrsquore almost giggling and one starts to realize hersquos not just unusual Hersquos a guy out to change the world As he puts it ldquoI want to infect the world with a better ideardquo

Hockaday is the founder of Energy Related Devices a small Los Alamos business devoted to wacky engineering ideas that just might save the planet He is an organizer of and regular presenter for Los Alamos Sustainable Energy a subchapter of the New Mexico Solar Energy Association Earlier this month he also exhibited his work at Los Alamos MainStreetrsquos Next Big Idea festival and led hands-on activities with kids on STEM Student Day an event de-signed to stimulate interest and inspire young people to seek careers in science technology engineering and math He said he likes to show kids safe explosions because as it turns out most of todayrsquos engineers were inspired by explosions

Mostly though Hockadayrsquos an inventorHe created a heat-exchange system for goggles that keep out moisture under the hottest

most sweat-soaked conditions He made doll hair that curls up and straightens depending on the temperature The ldquohairrdquo is made out of the same material as bags of potting soil and fro-zen green beans The Mylar and polyethylene plastic can also potentially be used to make air vents for green houses and even photovoltaic solar roofs that store heat for use during the night -- ldquolike a venetian blind that runs itselfrdquo Hockaday said Itrsquos similar to what plants do It costs pennies

Hockaday formulated kind of steel mesh that signifi cantly increases the effi ciency of solar panels Because anything that gunks up the surface greatly decrease a solar panelrsquos energy absorbance hersquos also working on a photocatalyst that will ldquoeatrdquo bird excrement right off

In the near future Hockaday envisions making infi nitely rechargeable batteries and a car that runs on algae He wakes up with new ideas every morning Itrsquos easy to fi gure out devices and products the world needs The hard part is convincing the world

ldquoItrsquos a tough thing we dordquo he said ldquoWe create gadgets Wersquore trying to sell inventionsrdquo Smiling he added ldquoInventors need a spouse with a good jobrdquo

Hockadayrsquos wife Mary is the Deputy Associate Director of Weapons Physics at Los Ala-mos National Laboratory Before Robert took an entrepreneurial leave of absence in 1995 he and his wife were colleagues at LANL He was a physicist trained in X-ray physics working in nuclear weapon test diagnostics a relatively narrow fi eld that didnrsquot quite suit this self-ad-mitted daydreamer and compulsive inventor But once their son turned 5 and the couple had enough income Mary gave her husband permission to fully explore his ldquoBook of Dreamsrdquo a list of inventions he compiled while at the lab

According to Hockaday inventions donrsquot have to be complicated or expensive Some-times an invention is merely a novel application of a familiar product such as the affordable plastic he is looking at for solar roofs Whether used on the eyelids of a doll or on top of a home it curls In terms of solar roofs if the plastic is white on one side and black on the other it can be fl at and white in the summer refl ecting the sun and then curl to expose its black energy-absorbing side in the winter Simple

And yet as Hockaday said ldquoitrsquos not obvious to everyonerdquo Inventions require someone to see all the untapped functions all the planet-saving possibilities Occasionally they require someone who used to roast little green Army men as a kid and swears he learned about spherical solar cells by playing in the dirt Hockaday meets those criteria More importantly hersquos also someone who aims to improve life not only for humans but also for all animals and plants for our entire biosphere

ldquoWersquore related to all liferdquo Hockaday said ldquoWe want to continue to exist not just turn back into dust But at the rate wersquore going wersquore going to have to fi nd an energy alternative quicklyrdquo

He said that in the past for every one barrel of fuel we used harvesting petroleum we gained 30 But today that gain has plummeted to fi ve

Journalist Russell Baker once quipped ldquoIs fuel effi ciency really what we need most des-perately I say that what we really need is a car that can be shot when it breaks downrdquo But in the absence of a living biological car Hockaday suggested we really are desperate However in his view wersquore also capable

ldquoWersquore smart enough to be able to harness solar energyrdquo he said ldquoThe answer is just beating down on us And the wind -- tremendous amounts of energy are just blowing by usrdquo

Hockaday added ldquoWhy dig when we can just grow (our energy in the form of algae) or take it from the sun and windrdquo

How can humankind fi nd the energy it needs to survive Itrsquos a serious question but the solution will undoubtedly involve a lot of fooling around and seeing new applications for fa-miliar objects As Hockaday said ldquoImagining and daydreaming are very important Theyrsquore our way to be playful and manipulate things Itrsquos not pre-ordained what will happenrdquo

It seems our future is in the hands of the daydreamers the grown men and women who arenrsquot afraid to play with dolls

Contact Hockaday and his staff at Energy Related Devices located at127 Eastgate Drive at 662-0660 Visit ERDrsquos Web site at httpwwwenergyrelatedevicescom

Day Dream Believer

17the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

Donrsquot Trick Treat

ChamberChecksWith

To Purchase or for more information visit the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce call 661-4815

And

A local favorite since 1983 Located at 813 Central AvenueFor reservations call (505) 662-6305

Sun Oct 23 -- A Wine-Tasting featuring wines of the

Pacific Northwest 5 - 7 pm Reservations required $25 per person

Sat Oct 8Jazz Night with The Jan McDonald Trio 7 - 9 pm $15 per person Dinner reservations required

18 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

BusinessLocal businesses grow ever greenerBy Carol A Clark

Even before opening its doors March 2 the Los Alamos Cooperative Market proactively sought expert advice to create a sustainability plan for its business

ldquoWe wanted to identify best practices prioritize recommendations and develop a sustain-ability roadmap for us to use over the next decaderdquo said General Manager Steve Watts of the community-owned grocery store at 95 Entrada Dr ldquoWe commissioned Village Green Builders Inc which is doing business as EcoBuild Systems LLC to conduct a study of our sustainability strategy to leverage the biggest impact that we could utilizing a limited amount of fundsrdquo

ldquoThe Co-op is much more than a grocery store ndash it is a place to learn share your gifts and be inspired about where you live how you live and your effect on the planetrdquo Watts said

ldquoAlmost every decision the store makes is within the framework of a unifi ed sustainability strategyrdquo he said ldquoItrsquos a conduit for community enrichment Sustainability is much more than throwing a couple of solar panels on the roof We want the Co-op to serve as a model of sustainability through innovative decentralized thinking ndash creating energy creating jobs cre-ating food that its members buy and eatrdquo

Board President Karen Kendall explained that many sustainable features are dependent not upon capital resources but upon efforts of the staff members and volunteers

ldquoThe Co-op was founded and funded entirely by its members through peer-to-peer lend-ing and without a single dollar from any bank and serves as a model for other socially responsible businessesrdquo she said ldquoThe store was built near bike pathways and a public transportation stop which reduces its carbon footprint It utilizes LED and fl uorescent lighting and intends to install a 2900 gallon water catchment system in the spring that will provide recycled water to fl ush toilets and water its herb gardensrdquo

The Co-op recycles 100 percent of its cardboard and paper With the help of two 180-gal-lon composting bins 100 percent of its compostable waste is recycled

ldquoWe have an ambitious goal to have 100 percent of the storersquos waste recycled in the next two to three yearsrdquo Watts said

From inception the Co-oprsquos guiding vision was to establish a sustainable creative com-munity commons centered on a thriving natural food grocery store It purchases a signifi cant percentage of food and merchandise from local suppliers providing a retail outlet for local small businesses

The Co-oprsquos 2011-2012 Board of Directors includes President Karen Kendall Vice Presi-dent Andrew Erickson Secretary Jane Riese and Treasurer Cecile Hemez Nancy Savoia the initial driving force behind getting the Co-op started and built is the immediate past president

Other companies in Los Alamos focused on sound environmental practices include Primak Builders at 1391 44th St The residential construction company has been operating in Los Alamos since 1996 and specializes in building green

Primak also is involved in volunteer work for the Habitat for Humanity of Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties He took the lead and served as the project manager for Los Alamos

National Bankrsquos Habitat for Humanity home constructed in Espanola ldquoAll of the Habitat homes are now energy star rated solar equipped and we have recently

received a grant to incorporate solar electric as wellrdquo Primak said Primak Builders constructed the fi rst certifi ed ldquoEnergy Starrdquo rated home in Los Alamos

County The home at 520 Camino Cereza in North Mesa is 40 percent more energy ef-fi cient than a conventional home of equal-size

ldquoTo earn the lsquoEnergy Starrsquo certifi cation a home must meet strict guidelines for energy effi ciency set by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energyrdquo Primak said

Certifi ed homes are a minimum of 15 percent more energy effi cient than homes built to the 2006 International Residential Code he said and include energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30 percent more effi cient

As a company Primak and his team began asking themselves what the term ldquogreenrdquo actually meant he said The resulting outcome has been the growth and development of incorporating green building practices into their homebuilding business

ldquoWe believe that green building concepts are important and that it is a responsibility we hold as professionals to educate not only ourselves but our citizenry in tackling the energy issues we all facerdquo Primak said

Primak Builders utilized Value Engineered Framing stacking wood on top of one another using 20 percent less material than a typical home of equal size for the Camino Cereza home The 2100-square-foot home is oriented for winter solar gain low E glass has no win-dows on north side of house and only one sliding glass door he said

ldquoWe used superior insulation including polyurethane foam with an effective rate of R54 in the ceiling and R24 in the walls an insulated concrete slab and foundation with a radon gas barrierrdquo Primak said We also used a 92 percent effi cient boiler with a built-in tankless on-demand hot water heater as well as effi cient in-fl oor heatrdquo

Along with its involvement in the Habitat for Humanity project LANB also maintains an as-sertive environmental commitment The bank has dedicated $10 million in special fi nancing to fund consumer loans for earth friendly purposes such as renewable energy or low energy consumption vehicles and appliances

As part of its commitment to creating a sustainable future LANB is promoting ecologically-friendly development and has dedicated $50 million in low-cost commercial loans for green construction projects

ldquoLANB is proud to be a part of sustainable development in northern New Mexicordquo Presi-dent Steve Wells said ldquoWe are invested in the economic social and environmental sustain-ability of the communities we serve As supporters of ecological sustainability we understand that each individual and business must do their part to maintain our current quality of life We also believe that actions speak louder than words by establishing green initiatives within our organization we hope to do our part to create an even brighter future for our organization and for the communities we serverdquo

Los Alamos Co-op General Manager Steve Watts demonstrates one of the storersquos two composting machines Photo by Carol A Clark

19the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

CommunityMattersldquoSTRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN

OUR MEMBERS AND OUR COMMUNITYrdquo

Sign up for CommunityMatters today and

get your FREE18 page Ad in the ESSENCE

JOIN US

For more information Contact Katy Korkos at 661-4816

1571 Los Griegos Rd Jemez Springs MOVE IN TO YOUR OWN RETREAT IN THE MOUNTAINS

~35 MINUTES FROM LANL

$322000

Sierra Los Pinos Subdivision NM

1460 Trinity Dr Suite 1 bull Los Alamos NM 505-662-7717 Offi ce

Francine J Mendoza CRSAssociate Broker

505-670-1407 DirectFrancineMendozaRealtorcom

wwwFrancineMendozacomwwwFrancineMendozacom2177 43rd St Los Alamos bull $2690002179 34th St Los Alamos bull $260000

3550 Ridgeway Dr Los Alamos bull $175000

Join HOPE FELLOWSHIP a miracle-believing Christian ministry

Tuesdays at 630 pm for prayer and Bible study 2390 North Road in the Youth Room of Bethlehem

Call 505662HOPE or visit wwwHOPEACTScom

Rev Allen Weiser an ordained minister with the United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI) leads the group

The views and policies of Hope Fellowship are not necessarily endorsed by Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church

GIVE LOCAL SEE RESULTS Your generous donation helps

United Way Community Partners

directly serve friends families

and neighbors in Los Alamos

and Rio Arriba Counties

RREACH OUT A HAND TO ONE AND

INFLUENCE THE CONDITION OF ALL

Give wwwUnitedWayNNMorg

United Way of Northern New Mexico

At the co-op fresh delicious food is just the beginning

95 Entrada Drive next to Holiday Inn Express

Open Daily Mon - Sat 7 am - 9 pm and Sundays 8 am to 8 pm

695-1579 - Membership not required to shop

20 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

In the United States the average person produces 434 pounds of garbage per person per day Here are ten ways to reduce waste reuse materials and recycle more to help create a more sustainable Los Alamos County

1 Make sure that yoursquore using the curbside bins correctly

ldquoThe main thing is to make sure that there are no contami-nants in the binrdquo said Environmental Services Specialist Tom Nagawiecki ldquoThat there are none of the items that we donrsquot acceptrdquo Recycling loads that are taken to the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station (BuRRT) in Santa Fe have to meet contamination standards If therersquos a large amount of plastics other than the accepted 1 and 2paperboard from cereal boxes or other contaminants the load will be disposed of as trash

2 Find out where to bring things that canrsquot be picked up

The following items can be brought to the Eco Station for recycling refrigerators tires concrete and asphalt electronic waste books metal brush and household hazardous waste There are also additional items that can be recycled at local businesses and this information is available at the ldquoHow do I recycle myhelliprdquo page on wwwlosalamosnmusgogreen

Los Alamos doesnrsquot recycle glass because a dependable market is not close enough to make it environmentally or economically feasible to collect it To fi nd out more about the reasons behind why glass is not recycled in Los Alamos County check out the article posted on wwwlosalamosnmusgogreen But with a little legwork itrsquos still possible to re-cycle bottles and jars The fi rst option is to bring the glass directly to BuRRT during their 800 am to 500 pm busi-ness hours The address is 2600 Buckman Road in Santa Fe Albuquerque also accepts glass at several drop off sites listed on their website httpwwwcabqgovsolidwasterecyclingdropoff

The Hilltop Recycling Bin located at 427 DP Road re-cycles steel copper aluminum brass and other metals in bulk and pays for it They donrsquot melt the metals down but take them to another facility that does If you plan to drop something off call ahead The number is (505) 412-3437 ldquoIf I canrsquot help them out I know who canrdquo said owner Kenny Stimson who is a member of the New Mexico Recycling Co-alition ldquoI constantly answer questions about recyclingrdquo

3 Support glass recycling

Recycled glass pebbles that can be used for landscaping applications are available from the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station (BuRRT) for $ per ton This material has been used in the landscaping at the Los Alamos County Eco Station feel free to stop by and check it out

4 Start Composting

The Eco Station sells backyard compost bins that come with an assembly guide and a composting guide for $40 People can get mulch and manure from the Eco Station to assist in their backyard composting Nagaweicki said that even though paperboard (like in cereal boxes) cannot be

recycled it can be composted ldquoIt breaks up and provides nutrients to the soilrdquo

5 BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag)

Over one million plastic bags are consumed per minute worldwide These single-use bags are made of high-density polyethylene a low-quality plastic that rarely gets recycled and does not biodegrade Recycle these bags in the bins provided at Smithrsquos not in your curbside bins

6 Try cloth diapers

Americans throw away 49 million diapers per day At fi rst glance cloth diapers seem expensive Each pre-fold diaper is $2 and babies usually need two-dozen of each size $144 Then to get seven covers in each size can be $210 if you buy them new (but you can get diapers and covers secondhand) But thatrsquos much cheaper than buying disposables Before being potty trained the average child will use between 8000 and 10000 disposable diapers At 25 cents apiece for a name brand diaper that comes out to $2000-$2500

7 Buy a reusable coffee mug and water bot-tle and carry it with you

By doing this you can avoid throwing away up to 500 dis-posable cups every year Buy the perfect cup at Film Festival Ruby Krsquos or the CoffeeBooth Cafeacute

8 Rethink plastics and use glass containers in your home

You can wash out your glass bottles and use them to store things Be sure your plastics are BPA free BPA stands for bisphenol A It is an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics such as water bottles baby bottles cups toys dental sealants and composites There is some concern BPArsquos ef-fect the brain (behavior and prostate gland) of infants and children

Seeking PBA-free products in not always easy - some man-ufacturers label their products BPA-free If a product isnrsquot la-beled keep in mind that most aluminum cans or bottles have linings that contain BPA while steel bottles or cans donrsquot Mi-crowave cautiously use alternatives like glass porcelain or stainless steel products for hot foods and liquids and reduce your use of canned foods

9 Your trash may be someone elsersquos trea-sure

Visit second hand stores check out Craigrsquos List and freecyclecom

Little Forest Playschool raises most of its budget by hosting a biannual community wide re-sale Sellers can earn 70 of the sale price of gently used childrenrsquos toys clothes baby gear and books

The Black Hole (4015 Arkansas) will take anything they believe they can sell like electrical equipment and motors test equipment and metal objects Complete the loop by buy-ing used items there like bookcases and fi ling cabinets and giving them a new home in your home

Use the blank side of paper Every year the typical American uses 650

pounds of paper and every year Americans make 400 bil-lion photocopies Thatrsquos 750000 copies per minute Most of these copies are one-sided so why not use the blank side for scratch paper to write complicated physics equations shop-ping lists and rough drafts

Source for recycling and garbage statistics United States Environmental Protection Agency Municipal Solid Waste Generation Recycling and Disposal in the Unit-ed States Facts and Figures for 2009

10

ACCEPTEDACCEPTEDCardboard (with waffl es) ndash glossy OK

Tin and aluminum cans

Magazines catalogues and newspaper

Junk mail colored paper and white paper

Plastic 1 and 2 bottles ONLYBrown paper bags amp brown packing paper

NOT ACCEPTEDNOT ACCEPTEDGlassSmall appliances or metal partsCereal boxes or six packsStyrofoamOil containersManila envelopesEgg cartons (any kind)Plastic tubsWax cardboardYard trimmings or wood

Source httpwwwlosalamosnmusgogreenDocumentsRollcartInstructionsFlyerpdf

Ten ways to reduce ampTen ways to reduce amprecycle your trashrecycle your trash

21the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

Just some of the many benefits of being a Y Member

FREE to Members Fitness Classes Over 50 fitness classes a week to choose from Zumba Yoga Pilates Y-Ride (ldquospinningrdquo-type classes) Step Aerobics PowerUp Exercise Lite SilverSneakers

FREE to Members Child Watch Child Watch provides Y Members with free on-site

supervision for their children while in the facility working out or attending classes

Too many benefits to mention here call us come in or visit our website wwwlaymcaorg

for information on all of our programs

The Family YMCA

1450 Iris Street 662-3100

wwwlaymcaorg

Call 662-5232 or visit wwwlosalamosfitnesscom for dates amp times

FREE Monthly Lecture Series Join LAFC and Trinity

Natural Health professionals for our FREE health amp fitness lectures mdashheld at the

beginning of every month of 2011

Topics include arthritis fibromyalgia therapeutic yoga stress management

herbology massage acupressure injury prevention emotional health

and much more

22 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

October 20111 Petroglyph Hike presented by Pajarito Environmental Education Center meets at Red Dot Trailhead in White Rock 900 am to 1230 pm Dorothy Hoard will lead a hike into White Rock Canyon to view manypetroglyphs in their natural settings

1 ndash 9 Valles Caldera National Preserve presents Jemez Mountains Elk FestivalDaily festival activities will include elk viewing elk education booths and vari-ous demonstration booths This event is free and open 9AM-5PM daily

6 Los Alamos Farmers Market at Mesa Public Library parkng lot 700 am to 100 pm Produce meats cheeses plants prepared food items crafts and more from Northern New Mexico An inviting and colorful community tradition

8 ndash 9 Pajarito Trail Fest Run at Pajarito Ski Area 900 am The fi rst half of the 10k course in unchanged from years past and is nearly unburned The second half of the course is using new trails this year due fi re damage We think the new route down the mountain is just as fun if not more so that the previous course

8 Wine Appreciation Class at Don Quixote Distillery 1200 pm to 300 pm Class focuses on how to purchase taste store and pair wines and spirits with food History and production methods are discussed

11 Historical Lecture Homesteads on the Pajarito Plateau at Fuller Lodge 730 pm Joe Gutierrez president of the Pajarito Homesteaders Association will talk about some of the history of homesteading in the community 1880-1942

13 Los Alamos Farmers Market at Mesa Public Library parkng lot 700 am to 100 pm Produce meats cheeses plants prepared food items crafts and more from Northern New Mexico An inviting and colorful community tradition

15 A Musical Potpourri at Crossroads Bible Church 700 pm to 930 pm Los Alamos Community Winds - With special Guest Conductor Dr William Carson director of bands Coe College

16 Piffaro The Renaissance Band at Duane Smith Auditorium 400 pm to 600 pm Shawms sackbuts krumhorns recorders and bagpipes Lutes guitars harps and percussion

20 Los Alamos Farmers Market at Mesa Public Library parkng lot 700 am to 100 pm Produce meats Produce meats cheeses plants prepared food items crafts and more from Northern New Mexico An inviting and colorful community tradition

22 The Milky Way and Surroundings on the Caldera 830 pm to 1030 pm During this two hour tour of the universe you will be able to see for yourself many different wonders including nearby planets beautiful star clusters the Milky Way and spectacular distant spiral galaxies

23 Fuller Lodge Arts amp Crafts Fair at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church 900 am to 300 pm The 34th Annual Fall Arts amp Crafts Fair features artists from all over northern New Mexico

27 Los Alamos Farmers Market at Mesa Public Library parkng lot 700 am to 100 pm Produce meats Produce meats cheeses plants prepared food items crafts and more from Northern New Mexico An inviting and colorful community tradition

28 Trick or Treat on MainStreet at the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce 400 pm to 630 pm Downtown Los Alamos will play host to trick-or-treaters

28 ndash 29 Los Alamos Light Opera Performance - Into the Woods at Duane Smith Auditorium 730 pm to 1030 pm Stephen Sondheimrsquos Into the Woods Tickets at the door or CB Fox in advanceAdults $15 Students and Seniors $12

29 Los Alamos MainStreet Halloweekend (Saturday) on Fuller Lodge LawnRuby K Yum Run 7am-11am Ruby Krsquos Pumpkin Carving 10am-12noonHaunted Trail Fuller Lodge Lawn 5pm-630pm Pumpkin Glow 6pm to 9pm

30 Los Alamos Light Opera Performance - Into the Woods at Duane Smith Auditorium 200 pm to 430 pm Stephen Sondheimrsquos Into the Woods Tickets at the door or CB Fox in advanceAdults $15 Students and Seniors $121

November 20114 Los Alamos Light Opera Performance - Into the Woods at Duane Smith Auditorium 730 pm to 1030 pm Stephen Sondheimrsquos Into the Woods Tickets at the door or CB Fox in advanceAdults $15 Students and Seniors $12

8 Lecture and Book Signing Peggy Pond Church at Fuller Lodge at 730 pm to 900 pm Peggy Pond Church was a beloved New Mexico poet and the daughter of Los Alamos Ranch School Founder Ashley Pond Her long-awaited biography by Sharon Snyder will be released by the Los Alamos Historical Society in November

12 Festival of Chocolate at the Betty Ehart Senior Center 700 pm to 900 pm Come delight in delectable desserts while listening to live music

19 Festival of Trees at the Betty Ehart Senior Center 1000 am to 200 pm The Festival of Trees will showcase a variety of holiday trees pictures with Santa and a craft fair

Events

Community Calendar searchable business directory full event details more events

and contact information at fyiLAcom

23the Essence OctoberNovember 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

By Bonnie GordonMatt Romero grows beautiful food Strolling through his fi eld Romero paused to point

out glistening purple eggplants and perfectly formed bell peppers ldquoLook at this pepperrdquo he said holding up a huge bright red one ldquoItrsquos perfect Every vegetable is a work of artrdquo

Of course food isnrsquot just about looks itrsquos all about fl avor Romero uses his training as a chef to cook up samples for his Los Alamos Farmerrsquos Market customers every Thursday ldquoYou donrsquot have to tell them your produce is the bestrdquo said Romero ldquoThey tell yourdquo

Romero farms 12 acres in three fi elds near Alcalde His farm is 100 organic and sav-ing energy and water are important considerations ldquoThis is the way yoursquore supposed to farmrdquo he said

Romero uses only BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) a naturally occurring bacteria deadly to caterpillars but harmless to benefi cial insects animals or people to protect his crop from pests like tomato worms He uses locally produced compost about 15 tons of it to fertilize his crops His soil is a rich deep black by mid-summer

Romerorsquos drip irrigation system uses the natural pressure of the 10 to 12 foot drop from his ditch to his fi elds There is no energy lost to pumping and the drip system delivers water directly to the plant rather than wasting it where it isnrsquot needed Weeding is done the old fashioned way by hand

When food is ready to pack up for sale no refrigeration is needed This not only saves energy it keeps the food fresh Wet burlap bags are the secret Vegetables are washed then placed in boxes lined with wet bags The food goes in moist and cool and another layer of burlap holds in moisture

ldquoThe temperature in the box will slowly rise to 60 degrees but the produce will stay moist and freshrdquo Romero pointed out

The farm produces more than 100 crops including 25 kinds of peppers and 10 varieties of melons Romero sells his crops at farmerrsquos markets in Los Alamos and Santa Fe as well as to the Los Alamos Cooperative Market and La Montanita Coop Produce also goes to high-end restaurants like The Coyote Cafeacute Chefs appreciate the good looks good taste and great variety of Romerorsquos produce

Romero has been farming for 11 years He gave up a high-stress career as a chef to return home to New Mexico and farm Organic farming is profi table but itrsquos hard work he said Romero is out in the fi elds seven days a week from dawn to dark He doesnrsquot stop for lunch he just picks something right from the plants It doesnrsquot stop in the winter Two large greenhouses keep production going all year Hardy crops like bok choy and greens can grow outside when protected by row covers

Romero couldnrsquot keep us his grueling schedule without the support of his family His wife

Emily is a speech therapist at Chamisa and Pinon Elementary Schools in White Rock They have three daughters He also has the help of his employees Romero employs three work-ers to help on the farm and fi ve others who sell at the market

When Romero began farming he had no experience as a farmer He jumped right in and learned as he went

ldquoI didnrsquot teach the plants anything but theyrsquove taught me a lotrdquo he saidThe Los Alamos Farmers Market is a program of Los Alamos MainStreet Los Alamos

MainStreetrsquos goal is to bring more people downtown more of the time

by Skip Dunn Electric Auto AssociationEditorrsquos note The Northern New Mexico chapter of the

Electric Auto Association had a popular exhibit at last week-

endrsquos Next Big Idea Festival presented by Los Alamos Main

Street The EAArsquos mission is to accelerate the widespread

adoption of plug-in electric vehicles through education and

advocacy For more information look for the New Mexico

chapter at wwwelectric autoorg

Readers are probably familiar with all the reasons for re-ducing carbon fuel use and their attendant CO2 emissions One goal often mentioned is a reduction of 80 by the year 2030 A car that uses 80 less gasoline would mean it would have to get 100 mpg Is that possible

Internal combustion engine (ICE) cars just canrsquot make the 100 mpg threshold But electric vehicles (EVs) can The EPA just released its mileage estimates for the Nissan Leaf and it rests right around 100 mpg equivalent

The EPArsquos wwwfueleconomygov website explains why EVs are so effective they are 4x more energy-effi cient en-vironmentally friendly have performance benefi ts and re-duce energy dependence EVs produce no noise no heat no stink and need no tailpipe no pollution equipment no oil

changes no antifreeze and no trips to the gasoline stationWhile new EVs are coming on the market they are expen-

sive and are unavailable in New Mexico But for those who would like to have an EV now one can do an EV conversion of an ICE car Since 1967 the Electric Auto Association has been encouraging and assisting members in the building promoting and exhibiting of electric vehicles Last December a Northern New Mexico chapter (NNMEVA) was re-estab-lished to carry on the mission and purpose of the EAA in New Mexico The Chapter already has over 100 members and friends

What kinds of cars can you convert Well most anything Singer Neil Young converted a 1959 Lincoln to a Micro-Turbine powered Bio-Electro-Cruiser dubbed the LincVolt

Locally a NNMEVA member is building a Tesla-like ex-otic car from the ground up Other local members have conversions of smaller lighter cars and pickups with manual transmissions A couple of local conversions include a 1980 Honda Civic and a 1973 Porsche 914

If you like to scrounge for bargains you can do with much less A Los Alamos family is converting a Suburu Sidekick that they purchased with a dead engine for the proverbial song They promptly got much of their money back selling

the radiator the alternator and various other accoutrements needed for an ICE car They unearthed a big castoff electric motor and are making an adapter plate to connect it to the clutch housing They also found a set of gently used batteries from another chapter member

As gasoline gets more scarce and prices go up and the air becomes more fouled ICE cars will become lawn orna-ments Meanwhile PV-charged EVs will be providing us with mobility as long as the sun shines

Electric Cars Reduce Energy Use and Emissions

Edible Essence

Neil Young stands next to the ldquoLincVoltrdquoNeil Young stands next to the ldquoLincVoltrdquo

The smiles says it all as Romero holds up The smiles says it all as Romero holds up a beautiful organic chili he has grown on a beautiful organic chili he has grown on his Alcalde farmhis Alcalde farm

Organic methods produce gorgeous vegetables and high profi ts at Romero Farms

24 the Essence OctoberNovember 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Darkness falls across the landthe midnight hour is close at hand

Ghostly Ghouls roam the streetsin search of sugary scrumptious treatsCome downtown

If you dare Join us for a frightful scare

Halloweekend

Trick or Treat on MainStreetFriday October 28th

400-630pm

Haunted Trail on Fuller Lodge LawnSaturday October 29th

500-630pm

Pumpkin GlowSaturday October 29th

600-900pm