An update on Strategic Energy Management at the Co-op
By Nina Friedman, Strategic Energy Management intern
“Sometimes there is no time to wait for the storm to calm down! If you have to reach your target, let your voyage start and let the storm be your path!” -- Mehmet Murat İldan
There’s a deadly virus raging, and the world is falling apart - y'know, in case you hadn’t heard. It is indeed a precarious time, but as the Turkish playwright suggests, there is no time to wait: so the Co-op remains steadfast in providing food to the community, prioritizing the health of shoppers and employees, and to our sustainability commitments. Even though some sustainability initiatives are paused during this time of increased precaution, the Co-op charges on through the storm, controlling what we can - like focusing on strategic energy management.
Happy Spring, Co-op owners. My name is Nina Friedman and I’d like to introduce myself as the Co-op’s Sustainability Intern. I joined the team in June of last year as part of the Co-op’s enrollment in the Energy Trust of Oregon’s Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program. My sustainability focus is very specific, as I concentrate on lowering our impact through greater energy efficiency and reducing our reliance on natural gas and other finite resources.
The Co-op began its enrollment in the SEM program at the start of last year; we saved 596 therms, achieving a 2.6% natural gas energy savings compared to our baseline annual energy consumption. Not bad for our first year! Last year’s successes also include establishing the Co-op’s first comprehensive energy policy and annual energy plan. January 2020 marked the beginning of our second year of participation in the Energy Trust of Oregon’s SEM program, and we’re optimistic that our savings will be even higher than last year’s. This year we hope to draw a more complete picture of the Co-op’s energy consumption by expanding our metrics to include electricity data.
To do this work means managing the minutiae, it means investing wholeheartedly in the concept of small actions creating small savings, which create big savings down the line. Small actions, like standardizing thermostat settings, insulating exposed hot water pipes, re-caulking windows, optimizing plug loads, and encouraging staff to flip the switch when lights aren’t in use. These are the wobbly baby steps towards carbon neutrality.
If you’re wondering how to implement some of these energy efficiency practices at home, consider ordering one of Energy Trust of Oregon’s free Energy Savers Kits (only available for Pacific Power or Avista customers). They’ll provide you with products and resources to help reduce your utility bills and your overall impact on the planet. The City of Ashland also provides incentives for a variety of energy efficiency projects around the house; more information can be found on their website. If, like many, you are stuck at home during this sweeping crisis, this may be the best time ever to invest in your home’s energy efficiency.
More Co-op News
Planning for Summer... and Smoke
By Emile Amarotico, General Manager
If we are lucky, we’ll only have another seven week smoke intrusion this summer. If we are not, we could be the next Paradise. In less than 13 hours, last November’s Camp Fire wiped out nearly 19,000 structures and more than 80 lives. With community help, we were able to raise over $14,000 to support Chico Natural Foods Co-op’s efforts to feed some of the nearly 20,000 displaced Paradise residents.
The Co-op's "Secret Garden"
Did you know the Co-op employees have a small garden on our campus? Planning and management falls on our fantastic Co-op volunteer: Henry Herting.
Below, Henry shares some background on the garden, what it’s used for, and some additional tales from over the years.
Originally, the need for a kitchen garden arose from having a kitchen classroom in which culinary classes were being held. Visiting chefs have always been invited to use the garden for any ingredients they may have forgotten or items they could use as garnish for their dishes.
Sustainable Ashland Food Co-op: You are the key!
By Steve Bowman, AFC Board Director
Tips for a Sustainable Kitchen
By Mahlea Rasmussen, Education Coordinator
Outside of work I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I find it a soothing space to create nourishing meals and lasting memories. I find it essential to be as eco-friendly as possible and a few changes can transform your kitchen into a sustainable center of your home.
Earth Day Bulk Sale! April 17-21
Save money while working towards a more sustainable shopping experience! The Co-op bulk department is a great "first stop" for your grocery lists - everything from hummus mix to local honey to pet food is available. Plus there's less waste, all the way from shipping to ended up in your shopping cart.
Check out a quick tour below:
Film festival giveaway
Enter your name and email below to be entered to win two film vouchers for the 2019 Ashland Independent Film Festival.
No purchase necessary. Giveaway is not endorsed or sponsored by AIFF. US residents only. Entry will be closed at 5pm PT on Monday, April 15.
The state of plastics
Many Co-op owners and shoppers have shared their interest in reducing plastic usage in the store. From bioplastics, to compostable plastics to recycling options, the Ashland Food Co-op continues to research what works best as we move towards our goal of being a zero waste store. Here is where we stand.
Ashland Food Co-op Celebrates 20-year Partnership with ACCESS
We are proud of a partnership with ACCESS that has benefited the community immensely over the past twenty years. Read on for more about the partnership, or watch the short video below.
Food waste at the Co-op
By Rianna Koppel, Sustainability Coordinator
How many times in the past month have you reached back in the fridge to snack on some fresh strawberries only to discover… mold?! In the United States, 40% of food is wasted every year. Luckily, how we address food waste can have a major impact. According to Paul Hawkin’s Drawdown, reducing food waste is #3 on the list of best ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. At the Co-op, we use the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy as a guide to bettering our own practices.
Meet Cooking Class Instructor, Gianaclis Caldwell
Get to know Gianaclis Caldwell ahead of her class, "Easy Mozzarella and Burratta - From Scratch!" on March 7. Gianaclis is the author of the award-winning book Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking and owner of Pholia Farm.
Tell us how your love of cooking (or cheese) and food began.
Wellness Secret Weapons
There are still plenty of colds and viruses making their rounds, and we want to help you better defend against them!
In January, we asked on social media what kind of secret weapons you use in the winter to stay healthy. We had a lot of responses, so we'll start with the All-Stars.
With your initial recommendations, our Wellness team reviewed the suggestions and picked the products with the highest quality standards and best feedback. Check those out below.
Mushrooms for wellness
You may have heard about the fascinating discovery that trees can communicate with each other. What’s the secret? The mycelia - tiny strands of fungus - in the soil form a vast underground network through which trees send chemical signals to their neighbors.
The mycelia differs from the fruiting body of the mushroom, which is the reproductive component that contains spores and is thought to be higher in Beta Glucans.
Meet class instructor, Joette Calabrese
This class instructor profile is connected to the February 27 free lecture, "You, Too, Can Beat the Flu!"
On an early Kolkata (Calcutta) morning, thick crowds gather outside the gates of the hospital while officials yell out "Brain tumor, kidney failure, cancer patients form a line here!” Hopeful patients, family members and caregivers arrange themselves by disease symptom.
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.