August Change for Good Partner: Rogue River Watershed Council
At Ashland Food Co-op, we are dedicated to fostering a vibrant and sustainable community. Each month, our Change for Good program partners with a local organization to support their mission and amplify their impact. For August, we are thrilled to announce our partnership with the Rogue River Watershed Council (RRWC).
Who is the Rogue River Watershed Council?
The Rogue River Watershed Council is committed to enhancing the resilience of the Rogue River watersheds through ecological restoration and community engagement. Their mission is to protect and restore the natural ecosystems of the Rogue River, ensuring that both the environment and local communities can thrive amidst the challenges of an ever-changing world.
Current and Upcoming Projects
RRWC is actively involved in several exciting projects aimed at improving water quality, restoring habitats, and ensuring sustainable resource management. Here are a few key initiatives:
Bear Creek River Mile 19 Active construction is underway along the Greenway between Lynn Newbry Park and Wranglers Arena in Talent. This project, which continues until mid-September, focuses on protecting infrastructure, safeguarding drinking water, and restoring fish and wildlife habitats. To learn more about this project, including radio interviews, videos, and greenway accessibility notices, visit the RRWC website.
Little Butte Creek River Mile 16.7 RRWC is collaborating with a private landowner to enhance water quality, improve fish passage, and restore fish and wildlife habitats. Key actions include the placement of large wood structures, recovery of the native riparian forest, and upgrades to irrigation infrastructure. A significant instream action this summer involves installing an irrigation system that eliminates the need for push-up dams, which have historically impeded fish passage and disrupted Chinook Salmon spawning.
Rogue Drinking Water Partnership In addition to their restoration projects, RRWC is a key partner in the Rogue Drinking Water Partnership, an initiative that brings together local drinking water providers and organizations to protect drinking and source water. This past May, during National Drinking Water Week, RRWC partnered with local coffee shops to distribute coffee sleeves highlighting the partnership’s work, raising awareness about the importance of protecting our water resources.
How You Can Support RRWC
As part of our Change for Good program, every time you shop at Ashland Food Co-op this August, you have the opportunity to round up your purchase to the nearest dollar, with the extra amount going directly to support RRWC’s vital work. Your contributions will help fund their ongoing and future projects, ensuring the health and sustainability of the Rogue River watersheds for generations to come.
To learn more about the Rogue River Watershed Council, their projects, and how you can get involved, visit their website.
Together, we can make a positive impact on our environment and community. Thank you for supporting Ashland Food Co-op and our Change for Good partner, Rogue River Watershed Council!
More Co-op News
What to do with all this citrus?!
So you grabbed a few too many extra oranges and grapefruits and lemons (and some finger limes, and some satsumas…), and rather than watch them go bad, we want to provide you with some ideas on how to reduce waste. You’ll also get to enjoy citrus in a lot of new ways!
There are many guides and recipes across the internet (like this one by our friends at Grow Forage Cook Ferment), so here are a few ideas to get your creative and citrus juices flowing.
Update from the General Manager: "Food for Paradise" campaign
Ashland Food Co-op's General Manager, Emile Amarotico, ends 2018 on a very uplifting note with a report back on the "Food for Paradise" donation campaign. Watch the video below, or read on for an extended written update.
Hello, this is Emile Amarotico, the general manager of Ashland Food Co-op with an update on the Co-op’s Food for Paradise initiative.
5 Fresh Ways to Save at the Co-op
We’ve all been there: your bank account is looking thin after a month of celebrations, but you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to save up for a big purchase later in the year
Now’s the time to make some changes to your spending - but that doesn’t mean you have to skimp on quality goods at the Ashland Food Co-op.
These are some lesser known ways to save at the Co-op. Think of them like ordering off the secret menu.
Savings Level: $
Board Report: How "Food For Paradise" Got Started
By Mira Wonderwheel, Board of Directors
4 Ways to Reduce Your Food Waste
It’s the New Year, our favorite time for goal-setting, making positive resolutions, and shifting our impact. One of the Co-op’s goals is to become a Zero Waste facility. Our staff works to divert as much food waste as we can - and we hope our member-owners will join us in this goal too.
2019 Community Grant Applications
The funding cycle for the 2019 Co-op Community Grants for nonprofit organizations begins in February.
Meet Cooking Class Instructor Charlie Douglass
Many talented local chefs share their expertise in the Co-op Kitchen. Charlie Douglass is no exception. As the former Master Chocolatier at Harry and David, Charlie knows a thing or two about chocolate and candy making.
Tell us how your love of cooking and food began.
Meet Cooking Class Instructor Tiazza Rose
Tell us how your love of cooking and food began.
Give the Gift of Wellness
Finding the perfect gift for a friend or loved one is an art. This winter, we carefully selected these assortments for those who love some good self-care, are working in partnership with their gut health, or for those making efforts to reduce their pain. Each of these gift ideas will help you make your loved ones feel extra special and extra healthful.
Give the Gift of Good Food
During the month of November, Co-op shoppers can nourish their own families and help fight hunger in the Rogue Valley. We’ve teamed up once again with Smart Chicken® for the Smart Giving Holiday Challenge.
Here’s how it works.
-
For every 10 pounds of Smart Chicken® you purchase from the Meat Department or the Deli, Smart Chicken® will donate one pound of chicken to a local non profit
We're All Turtles
By Dean Williamson, Board of Director
My grandmother loved to talk. Oh, could she talk! And she had one expression that I’ve always really liked. “If you come across a turtle on top of a fence post, you can be pretty sure it didn’t get there by itself.”
The Power of Principle Seven
By Emile Amarotico, General Manager
As we approach the holidays, I’d like to invoke the spirit of the Seventh Cooperative Principle: Concern for Community. The International Cooperative Alliance defines Principle Seven as when “cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members.”
So how does that work? How does Ashland Food Co-op demonstrate concern for community?
The Co-op is Certified Organic! What does that mean?
By Barry Haynes, Store Manager
Did you know that the Ashland Food Co-op is the only Certified Organic Retailer in southern Oregon. Well, that’s great! But what does that actually mean?
Love Local with the Local Guy
Throughout September, we will be celebrating all things local. And no one loves local or is more local than our Temporary Demo Coordinator, Brighton Litjens. He was basically raised at the Co-op, has a strong passion for local farmers and producers and loves delighting shoppers with delicious samples and great deals. Who better to tell us about loving local than the "Local Guy" himself?
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Owner Benefits: Independence and Connection
By Julie O'Dwyer, Board Secretary, Chair of the Owner Engagement Committee