That's Natural! September/October 2009

That’s Natural!

A Guide to Sustainable Products & Services in Southern Colorado

FREE “Only the educated are free.” - Epictetus

September/October 2009

Volume 6, Issue 5

Sustainability Conference Local Food Selections Book Review -

City Boy: Urban Planning, Municipal Politics, and Guerrilla Warfare

Eco-Capitalism à la Warren Beatty Restaurant Review

The Songbird Cafe

Meet the Team

We Are in the Business of $elling Social Change.

Kimberly Schaub Food & Nutrition

Back to School

That’s Natural! is a free news-magazine serving Southern Colorado. It is published bi-monthly, over 5,000 copies are circulated to more than 200 locations in Pueblo, Fremont, Huerfano, Otero, Las Animas, Teller, and El Paso counties. We serve small businesses with their marketing needs and specialize in marketing programs that capitalize on Sustainability - products and services that help people, the environment, and the community.

Jessica Lundie Editor

This issue has a great selection of reading for folks - we have so many events and activities around the southern part of the state - it is time for ALL of us to get “back to school” - get out there and learn how we can make a difference!

This Ad Was Paid for by a Chicken Clifton Casida Video Production 719-252-1377

Vinny Accounts Receivable & Loss Prevention

Tisha T. Casida Publisher

We believe that every human being has a right to health, education, the arts, and to be a part of the local economy. We believe that entities and products that encourage this should be promoted. We believe that educating the public about the inherent truths of our health, our education, our culture, and our economy is paramount to our rights as citizens.

We believe in hope, change, and the power of a free market economy. We believe in the power of a consumer. And we believe all of THAT is very NATURAL! That’s Natural!

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Marketing & Consulting PO Box 1476 Pueblo, CO 81002 (719) 210-8273 www.ThatsNatural.info Thats.Natural.Info@gmail.com

New That’s Natural! Tested & Approved In October, our company will hit our 4-year mark as a small business in Southern Colorado. In celebration, we are changing how we do things.

We have developed an application process for all of our advertisers and contributors. These folks and businesses will be held to the test - they MUST be contributing something to our community and they MUST be continually trying to improve their business, their relationships with customers, and their dedication to sustainability. In the spirit of service to our community, That’s Natural! will now only have content and advertising that has met the vigorous tests to be That’s Natural! Tested & Approved.

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For Subscriptions, please send $15 to PO Box above. *You will receive 6 editions per year - every two months.

(Please include your address and contact information) ** Make Checks Payable to “That’s Natural!”

The nutritional, health, environmental, and political information in this newsletter are based on personal experiences and research by the author(s). The author(s), editor, and publisher do not offer medical advice or prescribe the use of diet as a form of treatment for sickness without the approval of a health professional, nor do they accept any responsibility for your viewpoints being expanded or changed. If you do use the information contained in this newsletter without the approval of a health professional, an attorney, or a mentor that you deem worthy of your consciousness, you are prescribing and directing yourself, which is your constitutional right to pursue such activities (that we encourage you to exercise), but the author(s), editor, and publisher assume no responsibility.

That’s Natural! September/October 2009

Many of us have taken steps to become more in control of our food supply and our health. My Mom purchased approximately 16 baby chicks in April.

Although we have had farm animals all of our lives growing up, I have this strange feeling that my Mom is substituting pets for grandchildren. But hey, now we are enjoying fresh, natural eggs every day. And, my mom and dad, being patrons of disadvantaged, dysfunctional, and handicapped animals, have a chicken with a bum leg that my mom takes care of every day. Our good friends at A Wren’s Nest Farm, Tammy and Paul, mentioned to my Mom that they had a chicken that was blind. In the spirit of local economic development, I have traded some ad space for this blind chicken, which now has a happy home on the Casida-Funny-Farm (and it is thriving). This is just a small example of something we can do, each of us, to make a difference - a difference in our pocketbooks, our refrigerator, and for animals that deserve to live a happy life on a good piece of dirt.

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Tisha T. Casida, Publisher

2009 Southern Colorado Sustainability Conference

Erin Yount......................................................................3 Canon Food Co-op

Donna Knapp & Judy Van Acker ..................................4 The University as a Living Learning Sustainability Laboratory

Linda Kogan...................................................................5,6 Democracia USA

Isaac Medrano................................................................8 Good Health Naturally

Darlene Herbert.............................................................8 Tomato Vines

Marcia Beachy................................................................9 Pack to School (Or Work)

Kimberly Schaub............................................................10 The Dark Before the Dawn

Tamrah Jo Ortiz.............................................................11 Book Review - City Boy

Susan Fries.....................................................................12 Eco-Capitalism à la Warren Beatty

Savarin Wolfe.................................................................13 Restaurant Review - The Songbird Cafe

Tisha Casida...................................................................15 SCSC-Pueblo, Conference Wrap-Up

Alicia Archibald..............................................................15

Communities and Businesses come together in the name of Sustainability

By Erin Yount

Catamount Institute and the Pikes Peak Sustainable Business Network are pleased to present the 2009 Southern Colorado Sustainability Conference on November 3-4, 2009 in Colorado Springs.

The 2009 Southern Colorado Sustainability Conference is an educational and networking forum designed for participants from Southern Colorado and beyond to focus on principles and practices that specifically promote sustainability and ultimately, advance Southern Colorado communities as leaders in sustainability.

With an increased recognition of the need to employ innovative and collaborative business practices, organizers of the conference expect over 800 business leaders, business owners, community leaders, vendors, military personnel, and general public to attend. The conference will feature nationally recognized speakers and the Sustainable Products & Services Expo, where exhibitors will demonstrate: renewable energy, alternative transportation, green building, eco-friendly products and services, energy and water conservation products & services, office efficiency products, green government & military efforts, local agriculture, eco-furniture, eco-fashion, and more.

Information exchanges will include a “State of the Region”, workshops in solar/photovoltaic, green building techniques, Sustainability 101, local food and agriculture, recycling, greening your business, water conservation demonstration, alternative transportation, and much more.

These workshops will create opportunities for collaborative discussion, expert panels and educational information on the following subjects: Sustainable Business: A sustainable business operates in

balance with the triple bottom line - People, Planet, and Profit. This means its products, services, and business processes are such that no negative environmental, social, and economic impact is felt as a result of their existence.

Few businesses can truly claim to be 100% sustainable, but many in our community are on the right path. This track is an opportunity to share stories and business success, report best practices, demonstrate innovation, inspire change, promote technology and impart wisdom.

Sustainable Living: Living sustainably means many things to many people. This track provides an opportunity for business owners, consumers, service providers, and any individual or group interested in imparting their knowledge, abilities, innovations, products and practices in sustainable living. This provides an opportunity for members of the community to highlight the popular topic of sustainable lifestyles and practices which promote energy and water conservation, local agriculture and farming, fair trading practices, health and well being, and much more.

Sustainable Communities: A Sustainable Community is concerned with meeting the community needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Like many communities, activities are underway in our region to address issues that affect our environmental, social and economic resources. This track is an opportunity to present community efforts throughout Southern Colorado, encourage discussion and dialogue, bring to the table experts and laypeople alike, or to simply highlight accomplishments to an audience of fellow Southern Colorado community members.

Sustainable Military: The Military plays a key role in the Pikes Peak region and the overall community. Leading this

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track, Fort Carson - The Mountain Post will present speakers from companies, businesses, and organizations that help supply and support the Department of Defense’s future in our community.

With a sustainable philosophy guiding the 2009 conference planning, even the event venue, The DoubleTree Hotel, has risen to the challenge by committing to making this their first “green” event. Catering will maximize local and organic food, and serve without using disposable materials.

The opening evening reception on Tuesday, November 3rd, will feature a national keynote speaker, entertainment and refreshments from Bristol Beer. Additional keynote speakers are slated for Wednesday, November 4th and the Sustainable Community Awards will be presented by local leaders during the conference.

Special thanks to the generous partners responsible for supporting the 2009 Southern Colorado Sustainability Conference: Catamount Institute, Pikes Peak Sustainable Business Network, Fort Carson-The Mountain Post, Colorado Springs Business Journal, CH2MHill, Governor’s Energy Office, Colorado Springs Utilities, That’s Natural! and many more.

For more information on registering, exhibiting or sponsoring, please contact Jan Eitel at Catamount Institute, 719.471.0910 x107 or eitel@catamountinstitute.org.

Catamount Institute is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire ecological stewardship through science and standards-based education in the schools and sustainable business practices in the community. Visit www.catamountinstitute.org for more information.

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Local Food Selections

Canon Food Co-Op By Donia Knapp & Judy Van Acker It started with one woman’s vision of bringing healthy, organic/ naturally grown, locally produced food to Fremont County. The goal is a storefront in Canon City, a recycling center, community gardens, -- basically a friendly place for people to meet.

organic or chemically-free food to the public, as well as the latest co-op news updates, a place to view food related movie trailers, and a list of good books to read. And while you are there, pop into the Conversations page.

While the vision remains strong, a group of dedicated individuals (12- 15) meet on a monthly basis to share stories, eat healthy potluck dishes, and get a little bit closer to realizing the vision. The co-op has 38 member households who invite you to join them.

The group has a bunch of fun stuff planned – from canning together, to watching movies, to swapping seeds. Their main focus is creating a community of like-minded people who want to change their corner of the world.

The group has created a web site www.Canonfoodco-op.com, which boasts an impressive list of local producers (in SE Colorado) who offer

The Canon City co-op meets every 3rd Sunday of the month in Canon City at 4 pm. Please check the web site for location details.

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Back to School: The University as a Living Learning Sustainability Laboratory By: Linda Kogan As fall approaches and thoughts are turning back to school, it is a good time to consider how you can increase your knowledge about sustainability and reducing your environmental impact. In addition to highlighting the academic offerings in sustainability at UCCS, this article focuses on how buildings and gardens can provide hands-on learning about sustainable practices.

Did you know that you can earn a minor in Sustainable Development from UCCS? Whether you are majoring in English, Sociology, Engineering, or many other subjects, you can add this exciting new minor. The Sustainable Development minor offers interdisciplinary study of topics in three principal emphases: environment, equity, and economy.

Many courses emphasize experiential, project-based learning to help students develop skills vital to success in the coming decades.

Highlights of sustainability courses Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), in the Communications depart-

ment, focuses on global corporate citizenship, stakeholder management, and CSR/sustainability auditing and reporting. Students complete projects that identify challenges and opportunities organizations face in dealing with implementing CSR and sustainability. Ecological Economics, features a cross-disciplinary integration of economics with new knowledge in natural and physical science and provides some very different policy prescriptions for addressing our economic and ecological future. Communities in a Global Environment, in the Sociology department, examines the challenges in developing sustainable communities within a framework that is sensitive to both social and environmental justice. The course devotes special attention to the impact of globalization on community development and organization.

The Geography of Food, in the Geography and Environmental Studies department explores where our food comes from, how it is produced, the interaction between food

production and the environment, and cultural meanings of food production and consumption.

Students are completing a locavore project, an interactive web-based map of local food producers, retailers, and restaurants for the community.

The Geography of Panama provides a unique opportunity to see first-hand the challenges of implementing sustainable development in a developing country Highlights include a reforestation project which has received awards for environmentally friendly Continued Page 6

Carol Quinlin from Family Development Center

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Continued from Page 5 practices, and “coffee forests” that employ, house and educate indigenous Ngobe-Bugle migrant workers utilizing sustainable agriculture techniques.

The Minor in Sustainable Development is designed to complement students’ coursework in a major.

To complete the minor, students must complete 18 credits of coursework, including 12 upper division credits. To learn more about the minor in Sustainable Development, contact Director David Havlick at 719-255-4906 or dhavlick@uccs.edu or visit www.uccs.edu/~geography/sd_minor/.

Buildings have much to teach about sustainability.

Learn about green building by completing a selfguided 23 point tour of the Science & Engineering building. Learn what Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) includes and why it is an important commitment for the university. Visit the green touchscreen kiosk in the lobby to discover how much energy is currently being generated by the solar panels on the roof to provide electricity for the building. You can also access this touchscreen at www.uccs.edu/kiosk/seng.

Hands on learning in the garden. There are few places in Colorado where you can find purple potatoes; the Children’s Organic Garden at the UCCS Family Development Center is a surprising place to find them. Carol Quinlan, director of the four and five year old preschool class, has been gardening for over 20 years and started the garden three years ago

to use as a teaching tool. Children in the preschool class are involved in every aspect of the garden from voting on what produce they will grow (carrots are popular, onions are not), to constructing the plots, planting the seeds, and harvesting the vegetables.

The hands on involvement in the garden is not just an opportunity for children to learn about food and ecology, they develop math and science skills by counting seeds and measuring and charting the garden’s growth, and gain literacy skills by writing stories about their experience. Besides potatoes this year they are growing, tomatoes, lettuce, chocolate mint, zucchini (which they cook in a solar oven), corn, strawberries, grapes, and a variety of herbs.

Geography of Panama Class During a Tour do Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 30 bachelor’s degrees, 19 master’s, and five doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 8,000 students annually.

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs includes approximately 8,000 students in six colleges and more than 35 departments. The scenic 500+-acre campus is nestled against Austin Bluffs near central Colorado Springs.

UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colora-

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Democracia USA what can GREEN do for you!

Good Health Naturally

One year ago Democracia U.S.A opened its doors to register Latina/o voters, educate them in the election, and to conduct our work in areas that bring solutions to the challenges of life in Pueblo, CO for Latino/a families.

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my column, “Good Health, Naturally.” My name is Darlene Hopkins. I live in Hooker, OK. I am a mother and housewife by profession, and a Master Herbalist by choice. I obtained my Herbalist and Master Herbalist Degrees from the School of Natural Healing in Springville, Utah. Dr. John Ray Christopher started this school in 1953. I am a Master Gardener and a Native Plant Master and teach classes on Natural Health in Colorado, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma.

By: Isaac Medrano

Opening our doors in the Second City, the Steel City, meant that we were in the shadows of the heroes of the industrial age, with neighbors such as Rocky Mountain Steel and Xcel Energy’s Comanche Plant. They are heroes because they have supplied our great nation with the steel and the energy that brought us our economic boom and expansion. Now it’s time to transition from what was the “cash crop” to the new energy economy that will sustain us and save our planet.

This September we will be launching the first phase of our Green Jobs Public Outreach Campaign to educate and connect low and moderate income Latinos with sustainable living, community gardens, recycling, and of course green jobs, vis a vis green jobs training. There is a place for everyone in the Green economy and we plan to educate and connect Puebloans to those resources so that as a state, as a community, we can come together and lead the way, creating pathways out of poverty

and towards sustainable living.

Our four-phase pilot project will be highlighting three great American communities in which we Latinos reside: Miami, FL, Pueblo, CO, and Union City, NJ. The second through fourth phases focus on evaluating our work, greening our offices, and expanding our project to Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Nevada.

Nationally, Democracia U.S.A. is recognized as the premier non-partisan Latino civic engagement organization. With that recognition, comes great responsibility.

Thus we accept the challenge to walk the walk, go door to door, and be an example to the Latino community that being brown means you can be green. We are but one link in a green jobs pipeline.

If you would like to help or support, contact us at 719-545-2044 or visit us at www.DemocraciUSA.org Isaac Medrano Colorado State Director Democracia USA imedrano@democraciausa.org

By: Darlene Hopkins

This column will help to spread the word that there is a better way to improve and maintain one’s health without so much use and dependence on the medical profession and the various and sundry medicines that exist today. I hope that this column will help me to reach more people and do more good. I do not do this for money but with desire to do as much good while I am on this earth as I can.

When appropriate I will refer to God and his healing power, as I know that He should have a place in our life.

I have gained a practical knowledge that there is a better way to have good health and a better way of life, specifically in our later years.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I will share the results of studies, research, and knowledge gained from both the natural health and medical fields. In each column I will first address a topic and will then answer as many questions that have been e-mailed into me, from you, the reader, as space will permit. I will also answer all questions personally by return e-mail.

I am part of a very large network of people of various professions that are involved in Natural Healing and Health, so if I don’t know the answer, I can find some one that does.

I sincerely hope that you will continue to read my column, as I know that I can be of benefit to you and your health. Please send your questions to me at theherblady01@yahoo.com.

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September/October 2009

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Tomato Vines

By Marcia Beachy

My tomato vines sprawl over their raisedbed walls, giving their all to October. Giving their last, vast hallelujah to colder nights and tempting, sunny days. Who cares, they murmur, fully 4 feet across the garden path and even further from the mother root. I notice more scarlet orbs under the green vines, clumps of cherry tomatoes proving their durability right up until some cold, frosty morning zaps them good and proper.

Tomato vines amaze me and I cheer them on, marveling at their abundant, succulent offspring. But tomatoes in October are my secret heroes. I conspire with them to beat the odds. To last for some unimagined longevity in this fickle southern Colorado climate. I drag in the neighbors, come see these tomato vines! Look at them this year! I champion them as my own backyard county fair. I support them thriving in the midst of global warming, financial meltdowns and the general malaise.

If there is some secret tomato vine wisdom, it would go something like this: Just grow for all you’re worth! Who knows about next week? Or tomorrow for that matter! Take what you’ve been given. Take your corner of life’s garden patch and see how big you can be. It’s only for a season, and has always been so.

Toward the end of your span – put out the finest green tendrils, the juiciest fruits. In the midst of strange weather, bring forth a smile in those who walk your way. Bring nourishment into the world. Bring forth seeds for others to sprout, continuing the great and quiet jubilation of life. Even if few notice your hidden fruits ripening, do it!

October demands it. Celebrate our sprawling wonder as your own. Let your magnificence be so true to you, that you stop the world for a moment, just as we stopped you in your tracks this morning with our tomato vine wildness.

Lastly, be fearless. So what if you get stepped on because someone thinks you are in the way. Grow a new branch if the old one is too crushed. Knowing full well that your days are numbered gives you license to out-perform your earlier self. So go forth, bequeathing to life the bounty of your spirit. And open your arms to the grandeur Autumn showers upon its children.

Marcia Beachy, MS, LPC, is a part-time gardener and writer, and full-time psychotherapist in private practice in Pueblo. For more essays and info. go to www.marciabeachy.com

Pueblo Performing Arts Guild Invites you to....

Community After-Hours With the Artists!

Come join us on October 21st at the Rio Bistro in Pueblo 5:30 PM (126 S Union Ave Pueblo, CO 81003) Visit www.PuebloPAG.org Call: 719-242-6652 Looking for more Performing Artists!

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Pack to School (Or Work) Close your eyes, can you see it? Dozens of school children are gathered in the long-tabled rooms, digging anxiously into their brown sacks to see what they have for lunch today. Or they’re peering suspiciously – or excitedly – at their pale plastic trays laden with packages. Yes, this is the other American past-time – school lunch. Some of us recall those days fondly; most of us probably roll our eyes to think of the meals we’ve packed for ourselves. (Who says leftover apple pie isn’t a lunch?).\ Well, if you’re a parent, or someone who has to pack a lunch, here are some ideas for you.

Whichever lunch you take to school or work, just remember that dairy, meat, eggs, and leftovers must stay cold all day, so pack an insulated container or set your lunch in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat it. Don’t eat room temperature food, especially if it’s food designed to be served hot or cold.

Plain breads and crackers are safe to eat at room temp. Round off all your meals with fresh whole

By: Kimberly Schaub

fruit (apples, oranges, grapes, peaches), and you’ve got a pretty healthy lunch!

Tuna Salad and Crackers

Pack a small reusable container with 2 oz tuna, 1 Tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp curry powder, 1 Tbsp raisins, 1 Tbsp chopped pecans (stirred together).

Slice 1 apple into thin slices and place in a separate container. Pack a snack-size baggie with crackers of your choice. Refrigerate the tuna salad until ready to eat.

Chinese Burrito

Lay one burrito-sized tortilla on a sheet of aluminum foil. Scoop in 1 cup of leftover fried rice.

Roll tightly, folding the ends in to prevent the rice from falling out. Wrap in the foil. Refrigerate until ready to eat. You can do this with leftover Spanish rice as well.

Turkey Rollups

Lay one burrito-sized tortilla on your work surface.

Spread 1 tsp mustard or salad dressing over tortilla.

Lay 2 slices of turkey, 1 slice of cheese, 4 leaves of romaine lettuce, 2 thin slices of tomato, and 4 thin slices of cucumber in a thin row, roughly in the center of the tortilla. Roll up tightly. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Chips, Cookies and $$

Don’t waste money on convenience packages of snack foods. Buy the larger containers of chips, crackers, and nuts, and a package of snack-size zip bags. Take an extra five minutes and portion out your snacks into the baggies for the week.

Kimberly Schaub is a gourmet food writer whose passion for tasty food knows no bounds. Her dream would be to travel the world, learning about cultures through their cuisines.

Follow her adventures, cook her recipes, and read about her food opinions at www.jkschaub.blogspot.com - Blog for New Cooks.

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Every last Tuesday of the month - Various Speakers on Topics of Sustainability while networking with people in the industry! Always at the Cock N’ Bull Tavern (325 S Union Ave. Pueblo, CO 81003), between 5:00 and 5:30. Please Call Dena Stevens, Eco-Broker to RSVP at 719-369-9087

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The Dark Before The Dawn - Transitioning from Illness to Health Tamrah Jo Ortiz Whether you already practice holistic health maintenance and just had a set-back or you’ve seen doctor after doctor for your problem and are still researching ways to get better without ‘taking a pill every day for the rest of my life’ or you have been taking maintenance prescription medicine but it no longer works and you’d like to try a different approach – chances are as you start your journey of holistic care towards the goal of total health, you’re going to have moments where you wonder whether you really are getting better.

In my time as an office manager at an acupuncture clinic and during my own times of returning to health after illness, I often thought or heard the following complaints: “The first two treatments I felt great after, but this last one I didn’t feel so well. It’s like I’m going backwards.” “Physically, I feel great, but lately I seem to be very emotional/weepy.” “I’m so tired all the time. And I seem to always be thirsty.” Sometimes the road to health feels more like a detour – understanding the healing process helps you through the rough patches.

Your body needs energy to heal – The more ill you are, or the longer you’ve been ‘out of balance’ the more energy it will take to get well. Once your body is getting the support it needs it really resembles an army on the move. Long marches with skirmishes or even full scale ‘battles’ take place –as you know, while soldiers can and do fight on no food or sleep, they do much better with sufficient quantities of both.

Make sure you’re getting nutrient dense foods (appropriate for the issues you’re dealing with) in as easy-to-digest form as possible. (digestion takes lots of energy!) Light foods that are easily assimilated into your body with minimum digestion are one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. Deep bone broths, full of minerals and vitamins are a great way to ‘feed your army’.

Get Your Rest! While you rest, all the energy that would have gone into the thousand and one activities our bodies perform, (even while watching TV) can now be put towards healing. Be gentle with yourself. Soon you will be well and can happily resume your normal routines.

Part of Healing is Releasing Old Trauma – In many cases, the illness cycle started or was “fed” by emotional stress. As you start receiving the care you need to heal, you may find yourself overly emotional, crying often or feeling

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‘weepy’, vulnerable or moody.

You Are Not Going Insane or Loosing It – this is simply our built in mechanisms to release old traumas. Look at your crying or weeping the same way you look at taking a shower. Know the tears are the stream that carries the old hurts away, leaving the way clear to repair the damage internalizing those hurts caused. Deep Breathing exercises also support emotional release.

Before the New Order comes, A Period of Chaos – One of the best descriptions I ever received on why you feel so bad before you start feeling better was from an herbalist – “The body tears down the old structure that isn’t working and then block by block rebuilds the new, better structure.” Regardless of whether emotional or physical trauma started your spiral of illness, there may be times during the ‘tearing down of the old’ that you really wonder if maybe the old way wasn’t okay after all – keep the faith! This is the hardest part of healing to go through, but it is worth it!

Always keep your health care provider apprised of the changes you are experiencing – Sometimes we can get ‘too much of a good thing’ and hurry ourselves through a healing – this results in the discomfort of what I call “intense detoxification” - symptoms can include nausea, diarrhea, interrupted sleep cycles, flu-like symptoms. Intense detoxification can be hard on the body and your treatments/diet can be adjusted to slow down the process. While I like to be on the ‘fast track’ to being well, I also (preferably) like to enjoy the journey as well.

Keep Hydrated! – Any kind of healing results in detoxification of the toxins that were making you ill and other wastes from the work the body is doing to heal. Make sure to drink enough water to flush these out of your system! If you don’t keep the ‘flushing mechanism’ going, those wastes will back up and you will feel worse. Your healthcare provider may also suggest teas or herbal mixtures to drink throughout the day that will assist you with eliminating the ‘yucks’ from your system or may give you exercises that encourage the ‘pumping out action’ of your lymph system.

Remember the Four Magic Words - For thousands of years the human spirit has repeated this mantra and persevered through many a trial – “This, too, shall pass”. Happy Healing!

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September/October 2009

Page 11

Book Review

City Boy: Urban Planning, Municipal Politics, and Guerrilla Warfare

By Mike Tedesco, Sunstone Press, 2009 While most of us would consider it a success to quickly and thoroughly eliminate any memory of our most unpleasant job, Mike Tedesco has found solace in sharing his experience of rolling about in the swill of municipal politics.

Rather than this retelling being a self-inflicted torture trip, Tedesco guides the reader through a rollercoaster ride of a story (not excluding the dizziness and puking!), plus he gives us a healthy dose of urban planning theory.

Tedesco recounts the grizzly details of his high expectations and the tragic reality of his first job as Community Development Director in a small Colorado town. Tedesco quickly introduces the reader to the “villain” – it won’t take much for the reader to put a face to this character. And Tedesco, the “hero,” invades the town to save it from itself. Unfortunately, we find it’s more of a job for a superhero

armed with a golden lasso than for a city boy with a Masterbs in Urban Planning. Tedesco acknowledges that he’s not one to turn away from a fight; in fact he’s a magnet for them. But no amount of university education will prepare him for the need to balance the small battles with the Grande War. City Boy just may be the least painful way of exposing yourself to the theories of urban planning. Tedesco makes it very easy to digest the past and current theories of land use policies. Tedesco also made me wonder if New Urbanism would be better titled “Retro Planning,” or maybe Disney has already perfected this type of community development?

Many readers will wonder in just what “backwoods” town our hero lived as he suffered through this story of woe. While all the names and places in the story have been changed, it’s not hard to find out that Tedesco’s first job was in South Fork. However, with much dismay many readers will identify their own community’s governance with that in City Boy: the tragedy that we can identify with.

City Boy has all the elements of a classic melodrama: hero, villain, greedy capitalists, city on the brink of disaster, and fair maiden. It makes you want to stand up, boo, hiss and cheer throughout. The question remains, does the villain meet her match?

Or does the hero get saved by Pueblo, Colorado?

Tedesco cynically writes about those that go in for this type of zoned planning, “With one hand they vote for anti-government Republicans, and with the other they willfully agree to live in a neighborhood that is tantamount to a socialist enclave.” It’s clear from City Boy that if Urban Planners could have a special seat in city government entitled “Guru of Sustainable Living Communities,” and officials were compelled by law to follow the Guru’s advice, then our communities would be much healthier places to live, grow, shop, and work.

By Susan Fries Executive Director of the Pueblo Performing Arts Guild, an avid traveler, bookworm, gardener, and cook.

All the books reviewed for That’s Natural! can be found in the Pueblo City­County Library collection. Susan encourages you to walk or ride your bike to the library and check out a book.

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September/October 2009

Page 12

Eco-Capitalism à la Warren Beatty By: Savarin Wolfe “What if we had a good-guy tuna company on the [dolphin] team? A lot of guys would buy that so their kids wouldn’t get mad at them. If it costs too much, we charge a penny more. Would you pay more to save a fish who thinks?” -- Warren Beatty, Heaven Can Wait, 1978 Warren Beatty hasn’t been in the news much lately, but he used to be a big deal. He was a “sexiest man alive” movie star who could make even getting blown to bits look glamorous, as in his break-out hit, Bonnie and Clyde (1967), and then again in Bugsy (1991). He won a Best Director Oscar for Reds (1981). He’s also been quite active in politics, and has flirted with running for both California governor and U.S. president.

But despite his impressive resume, Warren Beatty’s most significant contribution to American society, in this correspondent’s opinion, is found in the quotation cited above.

This line of dialogue from a good-but-unexceptional romantic comedy reflected a business-based approach to a cultural movement that led, eventually, to marketing campaigns that target the ever-growing environmentally conscious consumer base. It also reflects the principles of market-based eco-capitalism, which emphasizes “convincing” consumers and businesses (both for-profit and not-for-profit) rather than “coercing” them through social-engineering taxes and government regulation.

“Dolphin Safe” (Beatty actually said “porpoise” in the movie) is a concept most American eco-consumers – those who favor environmentally friendly business practices – are familiar with and respond favorably to.

This development came as a result of market pressure, not government edict. Time magazine reported in 1990

that Star-Kist, Bumble Bee, and Van Camp, the three largest sellers of canned tuna in the U.S., were “faced with a growing consumer boycott of their product.” Their solution to this problem was a promise to their unhappy customers: they would no longer sell tuna caught by methods harmful to dolphins. Anthony O’Reilly, chairman of Star-Kist’s parent company, H.J. Heinz, put it this way: “Star-Kist will not purchase any tuna caught in association with dolphins.”

One goal of this policy was to significantly reduce the number of dolphins killed – estimated at 100,000 annually in 1990 – when they were trapped in the purse-seine netting used to catch yellowfin tuna. Another goal for the canning companies involved, probably the more important goal in their eyes, was to appeal to their customers and reduce or eliminate the effects of the boycott they had been suffering from. The tuna industry has made considerable progress toward achieving both goals. This is a win-win-win story: the businesses, won the consumers won, and the dolphins won. (The tuna may object as they, of course, are still getting canned.)

This eco-capitalism approach to marketing continues today. Dawn dish-washing liquid has recently been running an ad campaign that hypes its support of the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC), which has used the dish soap for three decades to clean oil off birds and other wildlife. For every bottle purchased, Dawn promises to donate fifty cents to IBRRC and another fifty cents to the Marine Mammal Center (assuming the customer registers on Dawn’s website).

Ziploc has introduced its evolve™ Sandwich and Storage

That’s Natural!

Bags, “made with 25% less plastic [than their regular bags] and manufactured using wind power.” Their advertising slogans are “We’re committed to keeping your food fresh. But we’re also committed to helping protect the environment” and “Keep all your meals and snacks fresh and tasty, so you can eat healthy while living a little greener.”

Each of these examples places the power for promoting environmentally friendly behaviors in the hands of individuals and businesses, both acting in ways that they think will best achieve their goals and result in helping to create a world in which they want themselves and their children to live.

Warren Beatty is a man of the left, but his movie character’s insight into how so-called “evil capitalists” and “tree-huggers” can pursue common goals for their mutual benefit is one that holds much promise in these highly polarized times. People will probably pay a little more for their tuna if it helps to save a “fish who thinks.” And any tuna-canning Scrooge who refuses to respond to his customers’ wishes is a fool – especially when doing so can result in making his company even more money that he can swim in during his surreptitious visits to the nowdolphin-free dungeon he calls his counting house.

Eco-capitalism works. Doing things because you want to do them trumps doing things because you have to do them. Just ask Warren Beatty.

Savarin Wolfe is a gourmand of Life. His opinions, like his eclectic choices of favorite films, are his own. He can be contacted through this publication.

September/October 2009

Page 13

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September/October 2009

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Restaurant Review - Songbird Cafe & Music Hall Twenty-four miles and about 20 minutes away, Beulah welcomes hungry guests with a fabulous, casual fine-dining experience at The Songbird Café. Invited

by Rod White, the owner and a long-time friend and supporter of That’s Natural!, a good friend and fellow publisher and I made our way due west on a Saturday, to try out this new family-owned and operated café.

Within the wide array of home-made items, it is easy for a food-junkie like me to pick up on the attention to detail and the menu selections that would appeal to any pallet – vegetarians (and even vegans) included. My friend and company for the day is a carnivore, and found multiple items that would satisfy his hunger – his selection for lunch – Grilled Ham & Cheese, Tomato-Basil Soup, Potato Salad, and a CocaCola. I, an omnivore, had a Greek Salad with Wild Salmon and a glass of their Cabernet Sauvignon.

As our extremely friendly waitress, Jesse, brought us the dishes, I was pleasantly surprised at the perfectly garnished dishes, and the first bite was a refreshing reminder that we have the opportunity to enjoy fine foods from some of the best chefs around, right here in Southern Colorado.

Keegan, Songbird’s experienced executive chef and son of the owner, has been cooking for over 15 years. He is very familiar working with natural foods, including tempeh and tofu, and is a native Coloradan (Beaulah-an at that). His fine dining experience comes from working in Oregon at several locales, and he was kind enough to come out and talk to us about the dishes we had ordered.

Each bite of my salad had yummy feta cheese and Kalamata olives, and the grilled salmon was decadent, its flavor perfectly accented by the lemon and lime juice from the wedges that garnished this beautiful dish. The grilled ham and cheese had a crunchy (but not too crunchy) buttery sourdough crust, with thick pieces of Pitt Ham, and Tillamook cheddar cheese.

My friend (a cross-country traveler and frequenter of restaurants nearly every day) noted the freshness of the potato salad, which had obviously just been made and had high-quality ingredients that would command

that kind of attention. And dessert? A whole tray of selections came out, and we settled on the Apple Pie. The thick, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust was out of this world. Perfect.

We headed out to the Beulah Mountain Park to hike the Devil’s Drool Trail. After enjoying several hours of quality-nature time and not falling once, despite my proclivity for falling (or walk for that matter), we headed back to The Songbird Café for dinner.

Once again, we were greeted by Autumn, our waitress, and Kesh, the daughter of the owner. Customerservice is something that I not only adore in small businesses, it is something I have studied for over eight years. You will not be let down at this café, folks.

These men and women are some of the nicest people with whom you could hope to enjoy your time eating and drinking libations.

The carnivore’s selection for the evening was the Buffalo Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes. I had the Fettuccini with Alfredo Sauce and Portabello Mushroom (their choices also included adding wild salmon, soy tempeh, or chicken breast). And when the piping hot food came out, we were once again delighted to see a beautiful presentation with generous portion sizes – enough for me to take part of my fettuccini home for a midnight snack. And dessert? This time we had a homemade brownie, adorned with cherries and homemade whip cream, followed by organic Solar Roast Solaris-Blend coffee for my friend, and a pint of Mirror Pond Pale Ale for myself. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

To conclude my weekend of fine-dining experiences, I returned Sunday with my parents to try out the café’s brunch. Fresh, hot, and well-balanced, the buffet-style brunch in the Music-Hall was extremely relaxed. Rod’s wife, Shaye Donohue, created the Music-Hall-concept. I enjoyed two plates full of fresh fruit, grits, warm corn-bread and biscuits and gravy, seasoned potatoes, pancakes, crisp bacon, sausage, and a fabulous concoction of sautéed seasoned vegetables, rice, noodles, and spicy sausage. There was also a vegan rendition of this mixture of vegetables, available

By: Tisha Casida to those wishing to skip the meat. My Dad, who could be called a peanut-ovore (that has to be his main food supply) actually ate two plates of most everything on the menu. My Mom fell in love with the vegetable and sausage medley that was also my favorite dish of the morning.

The Songbird Café will soon be hosting various musical events: blues bands, western swing, various concerts, including classical music (Veronica String Quartet), Dixieland jazz (“Changing Times Jazz Band” - Springs) and other groups. So stay tuned…

A perfect day trip, Beulah houses some of the most beautiful surroundings in Colorado.

The Songbird Café has a variety of menu choices, simple yet cooked with perfection, so that you can taste every flavor. The people, both the customers and the folks working here, are kind, courteous and obviously caring. You are minutes away from nature, and can enjoy delicious food at the Café, just around from the General Store in Beulah. A live entertainment lineup is available, and you can view updates to this and the menu at: www.songbird-cafe.com. This restaurant is officially That’s Natural! tested and approved, and we thank you for playing host to our weekend culinary adventure!

The Songbird Café 8881 Grand Ave. Beulah, CO 81023 (Center of the Village) LUNCH: Friday (11-3), Saturday (11-4:30) DINNER Wed., Thur., Fri. Sat. (5-8pm) SUNDAY BRUNCH BUFFET (9am-2pm) Contact.songbird@gmail.com

“Sustainability - Empowering the Future” By Alicia Archibald, Event Coordinator The Southern Colorado Sustainable Communities (SCSC) Technology Conference and Expo was held July 31-August 1, 2009, at the Pueblo Convention Center in Pueblo, Colorado. This first annual event, hosted by Action 22 Foundation, was a success with 150 attendees, 30 exhibitors of sustainable technologies, 8 education-filled concurrent sessions and plenary speakers that encouraged us to consider environmental, economic and social benefits of all that we do.

Educational sessions focused on areas such as “Sustainable Solid Waste Management” which discussed innovative solutions for developing reuse markets for discarded materials. Attendees participated in discussions addressing the current state of recyclable materials flow in Colorado. They heard from local businesses about end uses closer to the recyclable materials being generated. Roundtable discussion of potential niche markets included a variety of smallmarket speakers. Other topics included Funding Opportunities for Renewable Energy, Sustainable Business Strategies, Sustainable Smart Growth, Energy Efficiency in the Home, Sustainable Food

Systems, and Water Conservation efforts.

The conference was abundant with local leadership which included Pueblo County Commissioner John B. Cordova Sr., an inspiring video presentation by US Senator Mark Udall, Pueblo City Councilmen Ray Aguilera and Randy Thurston, State Senator Abel Tapia and a representative for US Senator Michael Bennet. These folks shared their thoughts about the focus of the conference – Empowering the Future. Mayor of Manitou Springs, Eric Drummond, gave an illustrative presentation of what a sustainable small town looks like from Manitou’s perspective. Other local community strategies presented included the San Luis Valley, Lamar and Buena Vista.

Exhibitors in the expo demonstrated and explained their technologies to each attendee in order to educate and encourage the use of the sustainable products and services. These exhibits were complementary to all of the education sessions as well as each other, providing great collaboration opportunities between both vendors and attendees.

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The Pueblo Convention Center did their homework as well. They provided organic foods (the most intriguing were the yellow carrots!), provided recycling bins throughout the facility, practiced many energy conservation strategies and provided some of the best customer service around – creating economic sustainability.

Lastly, Doug Fine, author of Farewell, My Subaru, graced us with much anticipated humor and encouragement that will help us remember that all success starts with the initial good idea, followed by tenacity to endure the trials and tribulations along the implementation way (And it helps to read the manual before you begin!). Thank you to everyone who participated and/or attended at every level - without you all it would not have been a success. For information on how to host your own zero waste, sustainability conference, contact Alicia Archibald, BETTR Recycling, at Alicia.archibald@ gmail.com or 719-322-6279.

September/October 2009

Page 15

Cattlemen’s Choice Beef

Even Cowboys want all naturally finished beef, FREE OF GROWTH HORMONES AND ANTIBIOTICS. This is Cattlemen’s Choice Beef Policy, here at THE MOUNTAIN FRONT RANCH, located at the base of the WET MOUNTAINS, (Fremont County Colorado).

Cattlemen’s Choice Beef cares about what your family eats. This is why our cattle are grown on native grasses and finished with native grasses, premium grass hay and oat hay. Our goal is to produce a beef product that is beneficial to your health without sacrificing what you expect from a cut of beef.

Cattlemen’s Choice Beef has a distinct delicious flavor and tenderness that is unsurpassed that will please your palate. You will taste the difference at the dinner table with your family.

Source Identified Cattle- Humane and Sanitary handling of our cattle is top priority along with No Factory Farming on the Mountain Front Ranch. Diets that are natural to cattle produce healthy and happy cattle without the use of antibiotics and chemicals, which is better for the cattle and you.

American Grown and Finished

For Information on Home Delivery: The Greater Brand.

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Call Keith at: 719-924-8532 Canon City, Colorado