Staying Sustainable in A Changing World
By Rianna Koppel, Sustainability Coordinator
In the midst of a health crisis, how can we focus on sustainability? Let’s be real - these are tough times!
What does sustainability look like now? I like to refer to the definition of sustainability - meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. How can we meet the needs of the present, while keeping the future in mind?
Here are some suggestions for staying sustainable in our changing world, based on two of the Co-op’s 2030 goals, Zero Waste and Sustainable Relations.
Staying Zero Waste
Eat Fridge First
The best way to save money and reduce food waste is to shop at your local refrigerator first. An easy practice that I like to use at home is organizing the shelves. Use clear containers to store food - seeing what is in front of you can make a difference. Move that fresh produce to the front to make sure it gets eaten first! Do a weekly fridge clean-up to see what’s hiding in the back. Use a whiteboard to write down meal plans, and keep a running shopping list.
Shopping Strategies
Going to the store for groceries is an essential need - be sure to come prepared. Choose one person to shop for the whole family if you can to reduce exposure. Make a clear list, thinking of what is needed for an entire week or more. You can also order from our Deli online.
Bring sanitizer, gloves, and a mask. Sadly, we can no longer bring reusable mugs, containers, or bags inside, so leave them at home. Be prepared to wait outside if the Co-op has enacted metered entry to ensure safe social distancing.
When leaving the store, sanitize your hands before touching your car door handles. Consider cleaning your steering wheel too.
If you are an at-risk community member, our store hours are reserved for you from 7 am - 8 am every morning.
If you need help with grocery shopping or can help others, check out the City of Ashland’s Adopt A Neighbor program.
Choose Local Products
Now is a wonderful time to support local farmers and producers. Look for local cheeses like feta or fromage blanc from By George. Try out Ton Ton’s hummus on local breads from Rise Up! or the Village Baker. For a tasty and nutritious crunchy snack, Kale Yeah! chips do not disappoint! Ask a Produce clerk about which vegetables are coming in from local farms. Stock up on immune support from Herb Pharm, and make sure to wash those hands with bars of soap from Sappo Hill. You can find local products marked with our green circular “Local” marker.
Don’t forget to order from small stores when possible - before buying a book online from Amazon, call up Bloomsbury books or Powell’s. Choosing small businesses can be a lifesaver for those employees!
Clean Out Your Container Collection
Do you have a shelf hidden in the kitchen where you put all those clean glass jars that you could use for storage? Guilty as charged! Jump into spring cleaning and clear out your containers. Take time to label bulk jars, check expiration dates in the pantry, and recycle what you don’t use.
Recycle It Right
Take a moment to read about what goes in your recycling cart through Recology. Remember that recycling should be clean, dry, and free of food residue. No egg cartons, lids, soft plastic, or items contaminated with food should go into a commingle cart.
For more information, visit Recology.
If you live outside of Ashland or Talent, contact Rogue Disposal.
Start A Victory Garden
April is the best time to start a garden to grow your own food. Plant starts like kale, lettuce, beets, cilantro, sugar snap peas, carrots, and so much more are ready to go outside! You can find a variety of vegetable starts from local nurseries outside of the Co-op entrance.
Maintaining Sustainable Relationships
Stay Connected
There’s never been a better time to call up friends and family, whether they’re across town or a few states away. A one-on-one conversation can be the perfect remedy to feeling down or overwhelmed. Use online apps to have a video chat, or create a group text with friends. It can be heartwarming to see photos of pets, garden projects, or hear about a book someone is reading. Even sharing frustrations can be affirming - it’s helpful to know other people out there are also having rough days.
Say Hello To Your Neighbors (From A Distance!)
If you’re sheltering at home, most likely your neighbors are too! Welcome those serendipitous moments when checking the mailbox or walking the dog. Say hello and ask how they are doing. Check to see if your area has a Nextdoor neighborhood hub at www.NextDoor.com.
Take 10 And Meditate
The most important person to stay connected to is yourself! Give yourself the gift of time, and take ten minutes for a quiet moment. A meditation can be as simple as closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing, or putting attention on your heart.
Focus On Gratitude
Find three things to be grateful for each day. Here’s one - I’m glad that I have toilet paper at my house! Gratitude doesn’t have to be extravagant, just noticed. Be mindful of blooming flowers, laughter, and sunshine. Let yourself enjoy a comedy special, take a nap, or blast some music for a dance break.
More Co-op News
Nourish Your Family and Fight Hunger
The holiday season is upon us. Amidst the shopping frenzies, family gatherings, and parties it can be hard to remember this is also a season of giving. That’s why we want to make it easy for you to give back. So easy that it’s as simple as doing your everyday grocery shopping. You can nourish your own family and help fight hunger in the Rogue Valley.
For the month of November, we are once again teaming up with Smart Chicken® for the Smart Chicken® Smart Giving program.
Here’s how it works.
5 Reasons to Love Co-ops
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
October is National Co-op Month, so what’s the big deal? Being a co-op is special. Yes, we know we are biased, but being a cooperative enterprise means we do business differently. We don’t have a single owner living on their private island drinking margaritas all day without a care in the world. We are owned and governed by you, our 10,000 members. We share the burden in hard times and share the benefits in the good times. We put people, the planet and our principles before profit.
From the General Manager's Desk
By Emile Armarotico
This spring, National Co-op Grocers recognized Ashland Food Co-op as a Co+efficient Sustainability Star for our excellent sustainability efforts.
Our Sustainability Vision aims at being carbon neutral by 2030. We’ve taken a great stride toward this by installing a 39 kilowatt solar electric system on our rooftop with the capacity to generate approximately 7% of our electricity usage. The cost was partially offset by a $27,000 REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) Grant.
Local Starts at the Co-op
When we say local, we mean local. We source our local goods from within 200 miles of the store. By purchasing goods from local producers, we aim to create and maintain a healthy local economy and support family farms. What could be better than helping your community by buying local goods?
With all the local products that we offer, it’s hard to pick a favorite. But that’s exactly what we asked our staff to do. Here are some of their go-to local eats.
Your Fruit. Your Cider.
How often can you browse the shelf at your neighborhood grocery store, see a bottle of hand crafted, local cider and say, “Hey, I help make that!” Well, at the Co-op you can.
Millions of Peaches, Peaches for Me
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
Many of us wait all year for this moment. We spend the winter months dreaming of a certain fuzzy stone fruit, its sweet juices dripping from our face and the buttery golden pie crust those yellow-orange slices will inhabit.
Good news! The wait is over. That local, sweet orb of sunshine has finally arrived. That’s right. Rolling Hills peaches are here!
2017 Board Election Results
We're Sustainability Stars!
Deep in our hearts we've always known we were sustainability stars, but now we have an award to prove it.
We recently received a Co+efficient Sustainability Star award from National Co-op Grocers (NCG) recognizing our positive environmental and community impacts.
Co+efficient, NCG’s sustainability program, measures social, environmental and local economic impacts from participating food co-ops across the country.
Give Where You Live
It’s the most wonderful time of year! Yes, we know that phrase is generally reserved for the holiday season. But for us, this truly is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s OUR season of giving.
Dine In and Bike Your Way to Savings
Did you know that approximately half of our landfill waste stream is composed of Deli trash? A significant part of that is “to-go” containers, which are sometimes used for dining in and don’t end up “going” very far at all.
Sustainability matters in everyday actions and we want you, our customers, to help us reduce unnecessary waste and make the most ecologically sound choices possible.
Participate in YOUR Co-op!
Spring Picks
The sun is (mostly) out and the weather is finally getting warmer. That must mean summer is right around the corner, right? We sure hope so. We’re ready to grill, soak up some sun and enjoy the many fruits and vegetables that are in season. Our Floral Coordinator, Rachel Chastain, shares some of her favorites.
Be the Sustainable Change
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
Sustainability is not a new concept at the Co-op. It has always been part of our DNA. We’ve been using sustainable business practices before it was the “cool”, “responsible” thing to do. In fact, the Co-op was founded 45 years ago largely on the principles of sustainable, local organic food production as an alternative to modern industrial agriculture.
A New Look
By Laura Pfister, Media Coordinator
For 45 years we’ve been loving local and fostering community. Throughout our almost half a century history, our identity and logo has gone through many iterations.
Some of you might remember the logo above from our newsletter in the early 1980s.
As we’ve done multiple times throughout our history, it’s time to refresh our brand and launch a beautiful, new logo to take us into the next decade.
Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili
Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili is one of my favorite Co+op Basics recipes. It is full of flavor, color and shatters the myth that a healthy meal has to cost a fortune and take all day to prepare. This recipe is also a clever way to use sweet potatoes, which are not only tasty but high in fiber and vitamin A.