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As you may remember from our March Newsletter, the Co-op has opted to provide Preserve brand utensils for our ready-to-eat kitchen items. If you’ve visited our Co-op Kombucha Cart at Thursday Night Market, you have probably seen our new re-usable Co-op cups, which are also made by Preserve. And anyone who has come into the store in the past couple weeks has passed by our front register display, which features a variety of utensils, cups, bowls, plates, and other miscellaneous plastic items made by Preserve.
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You might be wondering: why the enthusiasm for Preserve, a company that manufactures plastic products?
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Preserve isn’t just any plastic company. The company’s founder, Eric Hudson, founded Preserve in 1996 in order to start producing recycled plastic products that were of a higher quality than the usual recycled items found at the time. Along the way, he and his co-workers managed to build a remarkably sustainable business—all while working with plastic!
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All of the Preserve products we carry, whether razor blades, toothbrushes, or drinking cups, are made entirely of 100% recycled materials. Not only that, they are 100% recyclable as well. But here’s what’s really special about Preserve: they will actually take all their items back and directly recycle them! No need to worry about whether or not Waste Management will take your used Preserve fork—just bring it back to the Co-op and we will send it directly back to the manufacturer. The life-cycle loop is guaranteed to be closed.
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Preserve items are well-made, too. Our new Co-op cups have all the incredible sustainable traits Preserve is known for, and in addition they are dishwasher safe, BPA- and phthalate-free, and can even hold up to being microwaved. If you need another reason to get excited about Preserve or our sustainability practices at the Co-op, bring your Co-op cup (or any other reusable drinking vessel) to the Kombucha cart--you’ll save a dollar on your drink!
The Co-op is vigilantly looking forward for new ways to make our operations as earth-friendly as possible, and supporting ethical, sustainable recycling systems is one major way of doing so.
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New from the Co-op Kitchen! Thai-style cabbage salad featuring grass-fed, grass-finished beef from Turri Farms, mint, cilantro, basil, and our very own house-made Thai sauce. Look for it in the deli case!
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KEEPING YOUR COOL WITH PRODUCE
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Summer months in the Sacramento Valley and foothills bring day time temperatures from the upper 80’s to the low 100’s. Combine this with long hours, low humidity and increased activity, and you have the perfect recipe for dehydration, heat stroke, skin rashes, sunburn and other forms of inflammation.
Fortunately nature has gifted us with ways minimize overheating and dehydration.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Eat more raw foods.
- Eat foods that naturally aid in cooling and hydration.
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Cucumbers and melons are among the top cooling fruits. They contain 90% water and are rich in minerals that the body tends to sweat out. Cucumbers have B vitamins that help reduce stress, vitamin C for healthy skin, and silica to help your joints remain flexible. Melons are high in beta carotene and vitamin C, and they are rich in phosphorous, folate, choline and natural sodium. Watermelon is particularly cooling, especially when you consume the rind. Cantaloupe and Honeydew can be put in a blender with fresh mint to make a wonderful cooling raw soup. Watermelon cubed with feta and mixed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar makes a great salad. Anything that makes your mouth pucker is also said to be cooling. This includes all citrus but especially lemons, limes and grapefruit. Cranberries, grapes and bananas are part astringent (causes body tissues to tighten) and encourage one to stay hydrated and cool. Start your day with lemon and cucumber in water for a cooling and cleansing! Lettuce and greens (NOT mustard greens) will also keep you cool. Romaine lettuce can replace bread and be used as wraps with fish, cheese, cold cuts, and avocado.
One surprising vegetable that cools your body is radishes. Although spicy, they are anti-inflammatory and can help lower cholesterol and dissolve kidney stones while keeping you cool. Mint, especially peppermint is another way to keep your body cool. Cilantro and parsley are also good. Finally, I’d recommend doing high quality salt, like Celtic sea salt and Himalayan pink salt to stay balanced with electrolytes and to keep your trace minerals up. Avoid heating foods like poultry, garlic, cinnamon and other spices that are considered heating. Eat more raw produce and stay cool this summer!
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Kevin Durkin
Produce Buyer, CNFC
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GMO-FREE SOY WAX CANDLES AND WATER-BASED SPRAYS Keep bugs away the all-natural way! We now carry these citronella & geranium soy-based candles and water-based bug sprays from Way Out Wax, an all-natural candle making company based in Vermont. Learn more about Way Out Wax here: wayoutwax.com.
We have them located at the end of the supplements aisle, near the registers. They smell fantastic, take a whiff next time you're in the store!
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BEING LOCAL
Many of us that frequent our local food co-ops and local farmer’s markets are aware of our troubled industrial food system that exists today. What can we do as an individual, and how can we educate our family and friends that Being Local is the way to go? I’ve given a few ideas and ways to think about being local that may help others embrace the local movement. Eating fresh local plants and animals goes beyond optimal human nutrition! Eating local foods CAN involve local communities, giving back, good animal welfare, and biodiversity.
When we seek local food and sources, the financial returns on the local economy can be tremendous. Compiled from the Civic Economics studies in 2012 (www.amiba.net), independent farmers and ranchers produce over 48% recirculation revenue compared to the “chain retailers” – chains only contribute about 13-14% recirculation revenue. In addition to stimulating the local economies through job generation, locally grown food simply tastes better, is fresher, lasts longer, and has a higher nutrient value than the shipped produce.
Locally raised and harvested animals are subject to less stress, less or no chemicals and antibiotics, and have happier living conditions. Local ranches are more likely to raise animals that will thrive in heartier conditions (not your typical CAFO breeds) preserving older, heritage breeds.
This goes for plant diversity as well. Being local means supporting CSAs and farmers that strive to grow a wide variety of plants for their members instead of mono-crops. These local growers practice crop rotation, and often incorporate animals for a complete biological circle. Learning to eat what thrives around us and is in season is important, instead of following a recipe and buying ingredients that are not from around here.
I say it often, “know your local farmer and rancher.” There’s a great deal of comfort knowing this – a security of sorts. Knowing these folks goes far beyond the “organic” label found on most foods now. Supporting local can strengthen our local economies and strengthen our nation. I’m very proud of Chico and the example we are creating for other cities to follow. Spread the word on “local” and what you’re doing to be local.
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Craig Almauguer
Board of Directors
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THE LEFT COAST INDEPENDENT COOPERATIVE!
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CNFC is proud to support a newly formed local news cooperative. The Left Coast Independent is a democratically owned online journal conceived of by long-time CNFC owners Christine Lapado-Breglia and Dave Breglia.
Cooperatives exist to serve their owners—the people who use the Co-op. CNFC exists to provide the highest quality food, supplements, and products to our shoppers. The Left Coast Independent exists to provide the most relevant, in-depth, and honest reporting to its community. The extension of the cooperative business model to the news industry is a major new development—one being pioneered right here in Chico!
Even better, come out to TLC’s launch event! The official kick-off will take place on Saturday, June 7th, at the Dorothy Johnson Center from 1 P.M. – 7 P.M. Food and refreshments will be provided by the CNFC Kitchen, while several local bands will be providing entertainment. Notable speakers include CNFC’s General Manager, Liza Tedesco, and Julia Murphy, who is a member of our Board of Directors, among many other distinguished occupations. “Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.” - 6th Co-operative Principle
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818 Main Street | Chico, CA 95928 US
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