volume ff, number 8 april 21, 2011 - food coop

Allen Zimmerman was inthe limelight at theMarch 29 General Meet-

ing: debunking radioactiveproduce reports, explainingrecent pricing fluctuations andeven having a Japanese filmcrew on hand to preserve themoment for posterity. Plus itwas his birthday. And JoeHoltz’s too. All the nightlacked was a giant organicbirthday cake.

Price FluctuationsThe first open forum ques-

tioner asked about the seem-ingly astronomical rise infood prices lately at the FoodCoop.

[I]n an ironic twist, some non-organic fruits

and veggies are as expensiveas, if not more so than,

organic ones.

As Allen Zimmermanexplained, while prices at thePSFC are 21% above wholesaleand fluctuate hundreds oftimes in any given month,recently “produce prices arechanging so much, I can’t evenpredict two days out. Some ofthe prices are pretty shocking.”

Scarcities and hard-hitcrops have meant that allbets are off this year. Some

produce particularly priceyor altogether absent at themoment: organic cukes at$3.88/lb, Haas avocadoes,non-organic l imes, Thaicoconuts, non-organic car-rots, Romaine hearts,spinach, leafy greens, non-organic fennel, eggplant. Infact, in an ironic twist, somenon-organic fruits and veg-gies are as expensive as, ifnot more so than, organicones.

Threats of RadiationWhen asked about foods

that help combat radiationand whether the Coop has aGeiger counter (uh, that’s ano!), Zimmerman said thatwhile he doesn’t want todiminish people’s concerns,there are people in Japan whourgently need supplies likeiodine tablets right now andthe PSFC would not want toundermine them by hoardingwhat we don’t need.

Better, he said, to tally upwhat you’d spend on protecting yourself from ahypothetical and unlikelythreat and make out a checkin that amount to the JapanInternational Volunteer Center instead (at ngo-jvc.net/en/). Over 80% ofdonations go directly toemergency medical aid.

Zimmerman did quicklyreel off a list of foods thoughtto help fight radiation,including garlic, onion, cauliflower, cilantro, kiwi andlaxatives to shed poisons ifyou’ve been exposed.

PSFC inventory turns overmore than four times as fast as the typical

big cooperative grocery.

As a cancer survivor whohas undergone radiationtherapy, Zimmerman saidthat you’d run more risk ofradiation poisoning fromyour cell phone than fromJapan’s nuclear facilities.There are no detectable levels of radiation in Califor-nia, and Zimmerman clarifiedthat Japan is not in a positionto export anything, let alonecontaminated foods.

Going PaperlessMember Sabine Hoffman

asked if the Coop is consider-ing going paperless. To whichGeneral Coordinator Jessreplied, with some chagrin:“In general, the Coop isabsolutely behind the timesin terms of going paperlessand we’re aware of this andworking on it.”

Next General Meeting on April 26The General Meeting of the Park Slope Food Coop is held on thelast Tuesday of each month.* The next General Meeting will be onTuesday, April 26, at 7:00 p.m. at the Congregation Beth ElohimTemple House (Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place.

The agenda is in this Gazette and available as a flyer in theentryway of the Coop. For more information about the GM andabout Coop governance, please see the center of this issue.* Exceptions for November and December will be posted.

IN THIS ISSUESeventh Peace Fair Launches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Coop Hours, Coffeehouse, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Coop Calendar, Workslot Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Environmental Committee Reports:

How Green Are Your Funeral Plans? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Pharmaceutical Take-Back Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Classified Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

G E N E R A L M E E T I N G R E P O R T

Ballooning Produce Prices,Radioactive Milk andGross Margins ExplainedBy Allison Pennell

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 6

Volume FF, Number 8 April 21, 2011

O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E P A R K S L O P E F O O D C O O P

Established1973

CoopEventHighlights

Fri, Apr 29 • Band Nite at Jalopy Theatre 8:00 p.m.

Thu, May 5 • Food Class: Flavors of Mexico 7:30 p.m.

Fri, May 6 • Film Night: The Mad Cow Investigator 7:00 p.m.

Sat, May 7 • Food Drive 9 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

Sun, May 8 • Food Drive 9 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

Tue, May 10 • Safe Food Committee Film Night: Bananas!7:00 p.m.

Look for additional information about these and other events in this issue.

By Nicole Feliciano

No. We’re not talking about the kind of mush-rooms consumed at psychedelic concerts.Our friends the fungi are responsible for

some pretty amazing things in the world ofhealth and science. What may end up on ourgrill or salad can potentially save lives ofhumans and delicate ecosystems—MotherNature to the rescue.

Magical MushroomsMagical Mushrooms

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2 � April 21, 2011 Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY

Read the Gazette while you’re standing on line OR online at www.foodcoop.com

Fit for FungiThough the Coop only

stocks a dozen or so varieties,there are more than 3,000edible varieties of mush-rooms. And for almost aslong as humans have beeneating these beauties, they’vealso been used in other waysto boost health.

Roughly 700 varieties ofmushrooms are known topossess medicinal properties.Though you should never eatwhat you can’t identify, thegood news is fewer than onepercent of mushrooms arerecognized as poisonous.New studies pop up each yearlinking mushrooms toadvancements in health.

Medical MarvelsIt’s not news that mush-

rooms have been used inmedical research. Traditional

Chinese Medicine has a longhistory of using mushroomsfor healing purposes. Recentmedical studies prove timeand again that these storiedmethods of healing havemerit.

What’s so special about themushroom? Studies suggestthat mushrooms are probiotic,which means that they helpour body fight off illness andaid in the natural resistance todisease. That is one of the rea-sons they are currently used asadjuncts to cancer treatmentsin Japan and China.

Over the past few decadesmajor advancements in

medicine have come frommushrooms (fungi). Did youknow the first antibioticswere extracted from fungi?Thanks to Cyclosporine (adrug derived from a fungus),organ transplants are moresuccessful. Cyclosporinesuppresses the immune sys-tem of transplant patients,hence lowering tissue rejec-tion rates.

Healthy HabitsMushrooms are a valuable

food resource. They are low incalories, high in proteins,fiber, essential amino acids,vitamins and minerals. Oneof the most popular mush-room varieties, the oyster,has been shown to lowerunhealthy cholesterol andhave anti-cancer properties.

Oyster mushrooms are highin nutrients, containing signif-icant levels of zinc, iron, potassium, calcium, phospho-rus, vitamin C, folic acid,

niacin, and vitamins B-1 andB-2—all good news when itcomes to battling cancer.

Beyond the Salad BarWhile health benefits of the

medical sort are astounding,there’s more good news. Theoyster mushroom is also help-ing to clean up the environ-ment. According to a 1997study published in the Journalof Agricultural and Food Chemistry,oyster mushrooms have sig-nificant antibacterial activity.The study found that the activecompound from the mush-room called benzaldehyde hasbeen shown to reduce bacteri-al levels. Benzaldehyde mayform on the mushroom as a

reaction to stress.The oyster mushroom is

considered to be an aggressivespecies. It grows in large clus-ters with caps that can mea-sure up to 12” in diameter.Scientists have been usingthis fast-growing type ofmushroom to battle radiation.In a recent article, “Do FungiFeast on Radiation?” by DavidBiello in Scientific American, theauthor shared some prettyexciting findings about theability of mushrooms to helpclean up the environment aftera nuclear disaster.

Dirty WorkIn his article, Bielle shared

discoveries that melanin-con-

Coop Job Opening:

Membership CoordinatorDescription:The Coop is hiring a Membership Coordinator to fill an afternoon/evening and weekend schedule.Membership Coordinators divide their time between shifts of approximately 6 hours in theMembership Office, Technical Support shifts of approximately 6.5 hours working on the shoppingfloor, and oversight/ coordination of the Coop's administrative functions. Applicants must haveexcellent people skills, excellent communication and organizational skills as well as patience, com-fort with computers and computer technology, and the ability to do detailed record keeping.Applicants should be able to remain calm in hectic surroundings, oversee the work of others, teachand explain procedures, delegate work, give feedback, pay attention to several things at once andmaintain high standards of accuracy.

As a retail business, the Coop's busiest times are during traditional holiday seasons. Applicantsmust be prepared to work during many of the holiday periods, particularly in the winter.

Hours: Approx. 38 hours in 5 days/week: Thursday–Monday. Weekday schedulewill be afternoon/evening hours (some shifts until 11:30 p.m.). Saturdayand Sunday hours will vary, though shifts are between 5 and 8 hours inlength.

Wages: $23.88/hour.

Benefits: —Health insurance—Pension plan/401(k) plans—Vacation–three weeks/year increasing in the 4th, 7th & 10th years—Health and Personal time

How to Apply:Please provide your résumé along with a cover letter stating your relevant qualifications, skills andexperience. Materials should be e-mailed to [email protected]. Please put"Membership Coordinator" in the subject field. Applicants will receive an e-mail acknowledgingreceipt of their materials. Please do not call the Office to check on the status of your application.Applications will be reviewed and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis until the position hasbeen filled. If you applied to a previous Coop job offering, please resubmit your materials.

Probation Period:There will be a six-month probation period.

Prerequisite: Must be a current member of the Park Slope Food Coop for at least six months immediately prior toapplication.

No Membership Office experience necessary to submit application materials. However, in order to beconsidered for an interview applicants must have worked at least four shifts in the MembershipOffice. After submitting your materials, if you wish to schedule shifts in the Office please contact theCoop at [email protected]. Please put "Schedule Shifts" in the subject field.

We are seeking an applicant pool that reflects the diversity of the Coop's membership.

Magical MushroomsC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

Please protect yourfeet and toes whileworking your shiftat the Coop by not

wearing sandals orother open-toed

footwear.

Thanks for your cooperation,The Park Slope Food Coop

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Looking for something new?Check out the Coop’s products blog.

The place to go for the latest information on our current product inventory.

You can connect to the blog via the Coop’s websitewww.foodcoop.com

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Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY April 21, 2011 � 3


The Diversity and Equality Committee Seeks New Members

Are you interested in Issues of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion?

The Diversity and Equality Committee is dedicated toimproving human relations and communication in

all policies and procedures in the Coop. Our goal is towork toward preventing and eliminating discriminationin the Coop. If you are interested in issues of diversity,

equality and inclusion, you can help us to achieve ours goals by becoming a member of the DEC.

We are currently seeking new members, with experience in conflict resolution and mediation,interviewing, and leading and organizing workshops,ideally around diversity. General computer skills and

editing and writing skills are also helpful.

Requirements:• Must be a member for at least one year

• Have good attendance record• Attend monthly committee meetings on

Thursdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m.• Participate in subcommittee work as needed

We seek members who are reflective of thediversity of the Coop membership.

If interested, please send an email with your name,PSFC member number, and details of your relevant experience to [email protected].

Please put “Diversity and Equality” in the subject line.

Attention Coop Squad Leaders!• Do you want your shift to operate more smoothly?

• Are there folks on your squad who seem to irritate one another, and it’s difficult to see what the problem is?

• When a conflict occurs between shoppers during your shift, what can you do to ease the situation on the spot?

• Do you know what resources are available for people who want to follow up?

The Park Slope Food Coop’s Diversity and Equality Committee is holding a series of workshops for Squad Leaders (and other squad reps who are not Squad Leaders).

The goal of the two-hour workshop is to increase awareness and understanding of diversity in the Coop. Through interactive discussions we will talk about the values of diversity,

how differences can create both collaboration and conflict and strategies for dealing with issuesof diversity. We will discuss conflicts that have arisen in the Coop, the findings of the diversity

survey and what you can do to make the Coop a more welcoming place for all.

Please call 888-922-COOP (2667) box 89 or send an e-mail to [email protected] (with “SL Training”in the subject line) to confirm your attendance and/or for more information.

In either case, please tell us your name, Coop member number, contact information and the date you are interested in attending. We will reply with a confirmation within a week.

Diversity and Equality CommitteePARK SLOPE FOOD COOP

Workslot credit (make-up or FTOP) is available to those who attend.

Saturday, May 1410:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 267 –9 p.m.

Saturday, June 410:30 a.m. –12:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 237– 9 p.m.

taining breeds of fungi are able toabsorb high levels of energy in ionizingradiation. Mushrooms are able toabsorb the radiation and somehowturn it into a biologically useful formthat is no longer harmful to humans.Scientists had never been able to figureout why truffles and other fungi areblack—a possible answer might be thatthese mushrooms have always beenharvesting some variation of radiation.This new research may show that fungiwith melanin—the protective pigmentin human skin—thrive in the presenceof ionizing radiation. Biello calls it “adark and dangerous version of photo-synthesis.”

While the initial studies on mush-rooms’ helpfulness in harvesting radi-ation is just beginning and in need ofmore study, it is an exciting develop-ment. And wouldn’t that be welcomenews with all of the potential radia-tion being released in Japan?

Blooming MushroomsAnother field of environmental

clean-up benefiting from mushroomresearch is the world of toxic oil spills.In the article Growing Mushrooms toGreen Oil Spill Clean-up by Trilby duPontof the Urban Alliance for Sustainabili-ty, the author looks at mushroomsand their ability to skim oil fromwater.

Out in San Francisco work is beingdone with mushrooms and hairislands. When 58,000 gallons of bunkerfuel from a container ship flooded intothe San Francisco Bay, most of us weredistracted by the ongoing crisis fromthe BP spill. To clean up the catastroph-ic West Coast mess, a San Francisconon-profit called Matter of Trust hasused oil-soaked hair mats and straw

that transformed into mini mushroomfarms.

Turns out that the very mushroomsmany of us love to feast on from theCoop—the oyster mushrooms—arealso pretty good at removing toxinsfrom water and turning them intocompost. Human hair and straw arewoven together into floating bargeswith mushrooms planted on them.The same mushrooms that have beenshown to absorb radiation and notpass it along are seemingly able tosoak up petroleum and continue tothrive.

Some mushrooms can potentially save lives of

humans and delicate ecosystems—Mother Nature to the rescue.

Early results of the hair clustershave been encouraging. Now thegroups involved are looking to findfast and inexpensive ways to sharetheir findings to see if large-scale oys-ter mushroom islands can fight moresizable oil spills.

This innovative solution is lowcost—it makes use of waste (hair forprocess has been collected for freefrom Bay-area beauty salons)—andthe by-product, the mushrooms, canbe eaten for dinner since they containno contaminants.

Building the RecoursesPaul Stamets (www.fungi.com) is a

researcher working to harvest thepower of the oyster mushroom in oilspills. He’s developing a slightly dif-ferent floating farm called a “Myco-Booms™.” His team uses straw andthen nests oyster mushrooms

encased in hemp-tubes on the straw. This scientist believes developing

these floating resources is impera-tive to quickly contain spills. Accord-ing to Stamets, oyster mushroomsemit an enzyme that can break downoil continuously for weeks ormonths, offering a more viable solu-tion for oil than trying to burn it offor contain it.

After the SpillThe best news about these

“booms” and islands is that thecleansing agents are all biodegrad-able (straw, hair and hemp) and someof them are edible! The oyster mush-rooms used are proving to be fit for

human consumption. So after clean-ing up an oil slick, residents couldenjoy not only a clean bay but also thedelicate, earthy flavor of the mush-room in a favorite meal.

There are over 14,000 types ofmushrooms in the world—and that’sgood news. With these recent developments we might just need allthese varieties to help us out of the environmental disastershumans seem to incur. So the nexttime you pass the mushroom sectionof the Coop, give a nod to the fungi—these fine specimens are not onlytasty, they might bring us closer to solving some of our worst environmental dramas. ■

Oyster mushrooms to the rescue.

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Please show your support of the Coop’s campaign to protect New York’s watershed and foodshed and support local farmers. More information about

hydraulic fracturing gas drilling (hydrofracking) in New York State is available at ecokvetch.blogspot.com.

Schwinn bike donated by Cliff bars. Gift cards donated by Small Planet Foods (makers of Cascadian Foods, Larabar, and Muir Glen). T-shirts donated by the Park Slope Food Coop.

Raffleto support

Chenango Delaware Otsego Gas Drilling Opposition Group

1st Prize: Schwinn Coffee Cruiser Bike2nd Prize: $100 VISA Gift Card3rd Prize: $25 VISA Gift Card

4th Prize(s): Park Slope Food Coop T-shirt

$5.00 tickets on sale in the Membership Office beginning Monday, March 14th. Drawing to be held on Monday, May 2nd.

What Is That? How Do I Use It?

Food Tours in the CoopEveryone is looking forwardto spring — the longer, warmer daysthe flowers, the fresh startand all the rest

But somewhere, just underneathis a feeling of uneasea kind of desperationthat somehow we'll miss it —that it will come and pass us bythat we have to seize itand make it our ownor we'll be left outstill cold

Here's the trick:we see out with our eyesInstead let the world stream inthrough our eyes

The purple clouds turning to rosein the new morning —let them flow into your body

The crowds at the train station —move into younot you through them

The purple crocus

spangling the winter grass —bloom inside you

It's a small shiftwith big movementa shift from graspingto one of receiving

Turn GETInto RECEIVEand you will never miss anything

Your every day will be a blessing

The Park Slope Food CoopReceiving each day, every day

by Myra Klockenbrink

Monday April 25noon to 1:00 p.m.

and 1:30 t0 2:30 p.m.

You can join in any time during a tour.

Seventh Peace Fair Launches May 7

In addition to workshopson current events, the freePeace Fair features music,arts activities, discussiongroups, video presentations,information tables, and per-formance—all designed tohelp “develop a vision of acountry where all people canenjoy their human and civilrights and lead lives of digni-ty and fulfillment.” In addi-tion to discussion sessions,this year’s fair will includesessions on yoga, medita-tion, and “music as an orga-nizing tool,” according to

Brooklyn for Peace’s website. Corbett emphasized events

for all age ranges, with thegoal of a free family event.“One of the major componentsis bringing community togeth-er to give the opportunity totalk about their communityand what’s going on in theworld—disguised as fun andentertaining experiences.”

The Peace Fair runs fromnoon to 5 p.m., at which pointthe Rude Mechanical Orches-tra will lead a march to a mili-tary recruiting station onFlatbush Avenue.

Organizers expect approxi-mately 100 community organi-zations to present workshopsand lead discussions through-out the day. Offerings alsoinclude spoken word, music,and dance performances, aswell as a range of activities forchildren.

Award-winning journalist,writer, and activist JuanGonzález will deliver thekeynote address at the 2011Brooklyn Peace Fair. Gonzálezco-hosts the radio programDemocracy Now, and has beena staff columnist at the NewYork Daily News since 1988.González won the George PolkJournalism Award in 1998 andhas twice been named one ofthe United States' 100 mostinfluential Latinos by HispanicBusiness. He received a lifetimeachievement award from theHispanic Academy of MediaArts and Sciences.

More on Juan GonzálezIn 1981, González helped

launch the National Congressfor Puerto Rican Rights,becoming its first president.He also teaches at the CityUniversity of New York'sBrooklyn College, where he isthe Belle Zeller Visiting Pro-fessor of Public Policy andAdministration.

The current world economiccrisis offers an important

opportunity to move forwardtowards a peaceful, more

productive society.—Brooklyn For Peace

González is known for cri-tiquing U.S. news reportingeven while working in main-stream media. He promotesdiverse viewpoints and analy-ses as an alternative to stereo-typical coverage, and hashelped train African-American,Asian, and Latino and Latinajournalists. He helped foundthe National Association ofHispanic Journalists, and waselected its president in June2002. He is also a foundingmember of UNITY: Journalistsof Color, Inc.

Last Year’s FairLast year’s Peace Fair fea-

tured Nobel Peace Prize nom-inee Father Roy Bourgeois,the founder of the School ofthe Americas Watch, whichcritiques and opposes U.S.policies in Latin America.

Performers included iLL-Literacy (a Californian hip-hop/spoken word/funkensemble) Raging Grannies,the Rude Mechanical Orches-tra, the New York SambaSchool, the Last Interna-tionale, Geo Safari, VeronicaNunn, Dave Lippman, Spir-itchild and Stephanie Rooker.

The Israel Palestine Com-mittee of Brooklyn For Peaceshowed two films, and stu-dents from the BrooklynCollege Community Partner-ship read letters written byNew York immigrants jailedin Monmouth and PassaicCounty and led a workshopabout immigrant detainees.

Brooklyn for PeaceThe mission of Brooklyn For

Peace is “eliminating war andthe social injustices that areits causes.” Central to its workare educational activities andpromotion of “U.S. policiesbased not on coercion and vio-lence, but on peace, justice,democratic advancement,human rights and respect forinternational law.”

Brooklyn for Peace has tenstanding committees, includ-ing groups that meet andhost discussions regardingDarfur, Iraq, and Afghanistan,said Corbett.

The organization describesitself as “a diverse network ofBrooklyn residents—parents,non-parents, adults, youths,

By Hayley Gorenberg

The Seventh Annual Brooklyn Peace Fair, centered on the theme “War,Military Budget, and the Economy,” takes place Saturday, May 7 at

Brooklyn College. Peace Fair Coordinator Melissa Corbett explained thatsponsor Brooklyn for Peace chose its theme because of overwhelmingconcerns about the economy. She says, “In light of recent budget cutsand economic issues that have been going on, we wanted to focus onhow peace and war and defense related to the budget. Sometimes ithelps to put things in a context that people can relate to. It seems to beat the forefront of everything right now.”

Check-in at the 2010 Peace Fair.

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VALET BIKE PARKING IS

HERE ON SUNDAYS!

Every Sunday through November 20, from3:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m., Coop members canleave their bikes with our valet parking service, which is like a coat check for bikes.Working members will check in and watchyour bike for you. Just drop off your bike, do your shopping or your shift, and hop back on. No locks, noworries, no theft. Service operates rain orshine. Look for us in front of the yellow wall. (Note: no bike check-in after 7:30 p.m.)Valet bicycle parking atthe Coop is brought toyou by the PSFC Shop &Cycle Committee.

Followthe

FoodCoop

on

@foodcoop

and neighbors—alarmed bythe militarism of our societyand its impact on our lives aswell as the lives of peoplearound the world… Webelieve, when given the righttools, ordinary people willchange the world.”

Brooklyn for Peace orga-nizes community meetingsand forums and distributesanalyses of internationaland domestic policies. Itsmembers participate inphone and advertising cam-paigns, meet with electedofficials and participate indemonstrations.

Key Goals Include:• Transferring resources

from military to human needsto promote “economic andsocial justice within andamong nations”

• Eliminating nuclear, bio-logical, chemical and conven-tional weapons around theworld

• Using the United Nationsto resolve international con-flicts and promoting “interna-tionally accepted rules of law”

The U.S. invasion of Grena-da sparked the organization’sfounding in 1984. Originallyknown as “Brooklyn Parentsfor Peace,” it went on tomobilize local opposition tothe 1991 Gulf War and soughtto defend public benefits and

public education in New YorkCity throughout the 1990s.

In the wake of September11, 2001, the group organizedagainst the detention ofimmigrants arrested withoutcharges and advocated toprotect civil liberties.

After passage of the NoChild Left Behind Act in 2001,Brooklyn For Peace promotedlimits on military recruiting inpublic schools, and the groupopposed the Iraq War begin-ning before it started in 2003.

The group suggests that“the current world economiccrisis offers an importantopportunity to move forwardtowards a peaceful[,] moreproductive society.” ■

Melissa Corbett, Project Coordinator, Brooklyn for Peace

MAKE YOUR OWN PSFC WORK SHIFT!Be a part of forming a new food co-op in the Fort Greene Clinton Hill area. Join us in getting ready to open our store and Buying Club on Putnam and Grand (near Fulton).

CREATIVE? WRITER? TALKATIVE? LAWYER? SOCIAL-BUTTERFLY? WEB-DEVELOPER?

MOREINFO

www.GreeneHillFood.Coop [email protected] 718-208-4778

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LEFFERTS FARMFOOD COOPERATIVEWe are a newly-formed group made up of residents from Flatbush, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights, working to develop a new medium-sized food cooperative in the area.

JOIN US: www.meetup.com/plgfoodcoop

WE NEED YOUR HELP!There’s no question Brooklyn needs more food cooperatives, but it’s not simple. Food co-ops are businesses and development projects created for and by the community.

JOIN OUR PLANNING GROUPIn order to make this happen, we need YOU! Why? Because as a member, you have experience with food co-ops. And as a worker/community member, you have experience we need—from organizational development, branding/messaging, finance/accounting, fundraising, to real estate development and community outreach. Even people you know or the groups you belong to are a valuable asset to the process!

GET INVOLVEDPSFC members will receive FTOP credit in exchange for their participation. Join our MeetUp group at www.meetup.com/plgfoodcoop or contact [email protected] for more information.

Gross MarginsI wouldn’t know a gross

margin if it hit me on thehead but the PSFC’s for thelast year was 16.7%. Per GCMike Eakin, the PSFC keeps17 cents on the dollar ascompared to 38 cents on thedollar at your average coop.This amounts to $14 millionin savings from labor and effi-ciency, a number that wasgreeted with applause fromthe membership.

Other Cool Facts• Thirteen cents out of the

seventeen kept by the Coopgoes to payroll, pension andever-rising health care costs.

• Sales are up to almost$42 million annually over lastyear’s $39.4 million.

• Inventory turns overmore than four times as fastas the typical big cooperativegrocery.

TheftTwo serious thieves were

arrested on the same day inFebruary in unrelated inci-

dents. As Disciplinary Com-mittee member Karen Kramersaid, “We don’t call the policelightly, only when it’s neces-sary. We don’t leave it to theexit worker. We make sure wehave a case and have it onvideo.”

Kramer and another long-time member of the Coop’sDisciplinary Committee,Yuko Uchikawa, were re-appointed to their positionsfor another term.

MembershipAs a result of a yearlong

policy of limiting orientationattendance, PSFC member-ship as of 1/30/11 was holdingsteady at 15,771 up only 1%growth in the last year.

The Pension PlanAs previously noted, Joe

Holtz and Allen Zimmermanboth celebrated birthdays atthe General Meeting andwhile they may decide towork until their centennialcelebration, they may justdecide to retire someday.Which brought us to the topicof the pension plan: the sin-

gle largest liability of thePSFC and under-funded onpaper to the tune of $1.5 mil-lion.

Before departing to cele-brate with his family, Joe tookthe microphone to explainthe ins and outs of why thesituation isn’t actually sodire. The accounting-over-sight organization, the Finan-cial Accounting StandardsBoard (FASB), requires theCoop’s auditors to come upwith a figure of a fully fundedpension plan that is well inexcess of the actual project-ed. Thus, the PSFC is requiredby law to report the higherestimate but by the real actu-arial estimates, we are only$500,000 short as opposed to$1.5 million short. The plancurrently has assets ofapproximately $3 million.

In Other NewsNominations for the Board

of Directors were pushedback a month. Candidate pre-sentations will take place atthe next GM with an electionto follow at the Annual Meet-ing over the summer.

A motion to create an Ani-mal Welfare Committee

passed by a large margin. TheEnvironmental Committeecan’t always go into the depththey’d like with ten membersand the new committee willmonitor and research prod-ucts on the shelves to makesure they adhere to theCoop’s mission against ani-mal mistreatment and test-ing. Their goal will beeducational rather than mak-ing unilateral decisions onremoving products fromshelves.

Discussion ensued on cre-ating a similar committee tolook into labor rights issuesalong the same lines. Allen Znoted that the Food Coopdoes not buy produce fromChina because of their poorlabor record and reports ofchemical contamination, andalso that Thai coconuts areproduced under the worstworking conditions of anyfood stocked at the Coop. ■

Stepping Out

Puzzle author: Stuart Marquis. For answers, see page xx.

O R A N R E I N

R O U N D C R A N E R E B U T G R A I N

M E T O I S

D E M E A N A C T I O N S I M M E R

A S A T I T

M A D N E S S E A S T E R N A N Y T I M E

Each of the puzzles here begins with a two-letter starting word. On each subsequent line you are toadd one letter to the previous word and shuffle the letters to form a new word. Continue until youreach the final word.

For example, if the starting word is OR and the ending word is DINOSAUR, the words would be:

OR Add a D to get... ROD Add an A to get... ROAD Add an N to get... RADON Add an I to get... ORDAIN Add an S to get... INROADS Add a U to get... DINOSAUR

In each case the starting word and the final word are given. Puzzles with more steps are moredifficult. Alternative answers may be possible in some cases.

GM ReportC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

Coop members listen to the Coordinator’s Report.

PHO

TOS

BY L

ISA

CO

HEN

Dawn Irby and James Callanan sell bike raffles at the GM.

Puzzle author: Stuart Marquis. For answers, see page 16.

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After my sophomore yearof college, I wasn’t ready formore of the same. I withdrewfrom school and returned toPennsylvania, living at home,looking for work in a tougheconomy, and alternatelyreading great novels—likeWar and Peace—and yawningmy way through periods ofintense boredom.

My father was a machinist,repairing mining equipmentat the mine where hisfather—my grandfather—hadworked for 35 years. My dad’sskill as a machinist broughthim into contact with compa-ny higher ups, including thehiring manager, a man namedWarren.

One day, tired of makingno money and probably suf-fering a bout of temporaryinsanity, I mentioned to myfather that I wanted to work inthe mine. He told me that hewould talk to Warren. I canstill quote verbatim thetouching father-son dialoguethat ensued. It went like this:

“Dad, did you talk toWarren?”

“No, I’ll talk to him nextweek.”

Next week came around.“Dad, did you talk to

Warren?”“No, I’ll talk to him next

week.”The week after, we had the

same exchange. And the weekafter that.

Imagine this ritual contin-uing for months. A messagewas hidden there in plainsight. But “next week” had sobenumbed me that I failed tosee it.

I had no such problemwith Coal. Its message comes

through clear and simple.Coal isn’t about mining coal.It’s about the masculinityinvolved in the job. Masculin-ity in various disguises: com-petition, physicality, danger.

When the miners gounderground, says the narra-tor of Coal, it is to “do battlewith the mountain,” to com-pete with nature. The ownersof the mine, who sit in theoffice and fret about money,compete with chance. The$4.5 million they have sunkinto the mine is not aninvestment. It is the “gambleof their life.”

Man-to-man combat ishow competition betweenday shift and night shift tooutdo one another in produc-tion is framed. Day shift is ledby Andy Christian, Sr., calledthe best continuous mineoperator in West Virginia.Night shift’s leader is RandyRemines, a gloomy sort, per-haps because he has hadthree heart attacks. Guesswho wins.

Coal does an impressivejob of getting near to the

action. The show puts viewersup close to masculinity’s dirtyphysicality. Or does it? Coaldust clouds the air when theywork, but these men are notminers as they have beenconjured in the popularimagination. They’re techni-cians, button pushers. Thework is done by an electricmining machine. This behe-moth’s oversize teeth chewinto the seam, spitting coalonto a conveyor heading outof the mine.

In contrast, my grandfatherused a hand-cranked auger tobore three feet into the coal.He set an explosive chargethat broke the coal. Then heshoveled the coal into a minecar to be hauled away. Mygrandfather was not moremasculine than modern min-ers. His work was simplymore physically demand-ing—and, given the explo-sives used, probably moredangerous.

But there is no denyingthat these modern miners dodangerous work, too. Theirwork area is three and a half

feet high. Claustrophobia isaccompanied by “a milliontons of mountain” waiting tofall. One roof fall in Coal dropshalf a ton of rock where aminer had crouched amoment before. The narra-tor’s dramatic intonationcranks up the tension. Youalmost begin to sweat withthe miners.

But the masculinity of Coalis overdone and hollow. Aphoto on Spike.com capturesfour miners in mid-stride, likegunslingers heading to ashowdown. No matter their

toughness, all the masculini-ty in the world can’t protectthem from the hidden threatof black lung. The coal dustwe see on their faces is alsoclogging their lungs.

My father’s continuingpromise to speak to Warren“next week” was a silentreminder to me that hisfather had suffered fromblack lung for years before itcarried him off. Some of themen of Coal won’t think min-ing is such a sexy occupationwhen they’re middle-agedand gasping for breath. ■



DO YOU LIKE DESIGNING FLYERS? HOW ARE YOU AT

MARKETING? DO YOU LIKE SOCIAL NETWORKING?

ARE YOU A WEB DEVELOPER? CAN YOU WRITE PHP?

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE WORDPRESS? DO YOU LIKE

TABLING AT EVENTS? DO YOU LIKE RESEARCHING FOOD? DO YOU NEED FTOP CREDIT? DO YOU LIKE

COMMUNITY, EATING GOOD FOOD, AND FUN? COME

HANG OUT WITH THE BUSHWICK FOOD COOP

AND GET WORK CREDIT! A BUYING CLUB AND CSA ARE SATIATING US WHILE WE WORK TOWARDS MAKING THE DREAM OF HAVING OUR OWN STOREFRONT A REALITY. WE ARE REALLY INVESTED IN OUR COLLECTIVE GOAL OF BRINGING AFFORDABLE, LOCAL AND ORGANIC FOOD TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF BUSHWICK. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP, PLEASE EMAIL US AT [email protected].

A REVIEW

SpikeTV’s Coal—The Reality ShowBy John D’Antonio

Coal, the fossil fuel we love to hate, is so au courant that it has its ownreality show, appropriately titled Coal. Airing on SpikeTV, Coal follows

miners at the Cobalt Coal Co. mine in West Virginia. While viewing thefirst episode, I was reminded of the time when I half-seriously tried tobecome a coal miner and why I am thankful that it never happened.

Member Contribution

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COOP HOURS

Office Hours:Monday through Thursday

8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.Friday & Saturday

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Shopping Hours:

Monday–Friday8:00 a.m. to 10:00* p.m.

Saturday6:00 a.m. to 10:00* p.m.

Sunday6:00 a.m. to 7:30* p.m.

*Shoppers must be on a checkout line 15 minutes after closing time.

Childcare Hours:Monday through Sunday

8:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.Telephone:

718-622-0560Web address:

www.foodcoop.com

This Issue Prepared By:Coordinating Editors: Stephanie Golden

Erik Lewis

Editor (development): Wally KonradTom Moore

Reporters: Hayley GorenbergNicole FelicianoAllison Pennell

Art Director (development): Mike Miranda

Illustrators: Rod MorrisonCathy Wassylenko

Photographers: Lisa CohenIngrid CussonKevin Ryan

Traffic Manager: Barbara Knight

Thumbnails: Rose Unes

Photoshop: Adam Segal

Preproduction: Susan Louie

Art Director (production): Kris Britt

Desktop Publishing: Doug Popovich Lee SchereKris BrittMaxwell Taylor

Editor (production): Nancy Rosenberg

Puzzle Master: James Vasile

Final Proofreader: Teresa TheophanoIndex: Len Neufeld

P L A S T I C S

RECY

LING

Monthly on the...Third Thursday

APRIL 217:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.

Last SundayAPRIL 24

10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.Second Saturday

MAY 1410:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

On the sidewalk in front of the receivingarea at the Coop.

What plastics do we accept?Until further notice:

• #1 and #6 type non-bottle shaped contain-ers, transparent only, labels ok

• Plastic film and bubble wrap, transparentonly, no colored or opaque, no labels

• #5 plastic cups, tubs, and specificallymarked caps and lids, very clean and dry(discard any with paper labels, or cut off)

•NOTE: We are no longer accepting #2 or #4 type plastics.

PLASTIC MUST BE COMPLETELY CLEAN & DRY

We close up promptly. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the

collection end time to allow for inspection andsorting of your plastic.

The Linewaiters’ Gazette is published biweekly by the Park SlopeFood Coop, Inc., 782 Union Street, Brooklyn, New York 11215.

Opinions expressed here may be solely the views of the writer. TheGazette will not knowingly publish articles that are racist, sexist, or oth-erwise discriminatory.

The Gazette welcomes Coop-related articles, and letters from members.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINESAll submissions must include author’s name and phone number andconform to the following guidelines. Editors will reject letters andarticles that are illegible or too long. Submission deadlines appearin the Coop Calendar opposite.

Letters: Maximum 500 words. All letters will be printed if theyconform to the guidelines above. The Anonymity and Fairnesspolicies appear on the letters page in most issues.

Voluntary Articles: Maximum 750 words. Editors will reject articlesthat are essentially just advertisements for member businesses andservices.

Committee Reports: Maximum 1,000 words.

Editor-Writer Guidelines: Except for letters to the editor, whichare published without editing but are subject to the Gazette letterspolicy regarding length, anonymity, respect, and fairness, allsubmissions to the Linewaiters' Gazette will be reviewed and ifnecessary edited by the editor. In their review, editors are guidedby the Gazette’s Fairness and Anonymity policies as well as stan-dard editorial practices of grammatical review, separation of factfrom opinion, attribution of factual statements, and rudimentaryfact checking. Writers are responsible for the factual content oftheir stories. Editors must make a reasonable effort to contactand communicate with writers regarding any proposed editorialchanges. Writers must make a reasonable effort to respond toand be available to editors to confer about their articles. If thereis no response after a reasonable effort to contact the writer, aneditor, at her or his discretion, may make editorial changes to asubmission without conferring with the writer.

Submissions on Paper: Typed or very legibly handwritten andplaced in the wallpocket labeled "Editor" on the second floor at thebase of the ramp.

Digital Submissions: We welcome digital submissions. Dropdisks in the wallpocket described above. The email address forsubmissions is [email protected]. Receipt of yoursubmissions will be acknowledged on the deadline day.

Classified & Display Ads: Ads may only be placed by and on behalfof Coop members. Classified ads are prepaid at $15 per insertion,business card ads at $30. (Ads in the “Merchandise–Non-commercial”category are free.) All ads must be written on a submission form(available in a wallpocket on the first floor near the elevator). Classi-fied ads may be up to 315 characters and spaces. Display ads mustbe camera-ready and business card size (2"x3.5").

Printed by: Tri-Star Offset, Maspeth, NY.

FridayMay 208:00 p.m.

A monthly musical fundraising partnership of

the Park Slope Food Coop and

the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture

53 Prospect Park West [at 2nd Street] • $10 • 8:00 p.m. [doors open at 7:45]Performers are Park Slope Food Coop members and receive Coop workslot credit.

Booking: Bev Grant, 718-788-3741

Jen Chapin’s music is urban folk—story songs that searchfor community and shared meaning, powered by the funk,

soul and improvisation of the city. Critics have hailed her workas “brilliant... soulfully poetic” (NPR), “thoughtful... worth-

savoring” (People), “addictive” (Boston Globe), “smart, obser-vant, lyrically deft, politically aware and emotionally intuitive”

(Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). Her performances are powerful,spotlighting the world-class musicianship and rare chemistryof Rosetta Trio: husband/acoustic bassist Stephan Crump and

guitarists Jamie Fox and Liberty Ellman. Special guest Dan Rieser on drums.

Stephan Crump & Rosetta Trio: Memphis-bredBrooklynite, bassist/composer Stephan Crump will performwith his unique all-string Rosetta Trio in support of their latestSunnyside Records release, Reclamation (“a low-key marvel”,Jazz Times). The freshness of the compositions is matched bythe intimate synergy of the ensemble, which was recentlyhailed as “ingenious originals” by The New Yorker and fea-

tured in The New York Times’ weekend Arts section. Rosetta Trio renders with power andgreat sensitivity Crump’s often profound, sometimes playful and always honest music.

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WO

RK

SL

OT

NE

ED

S

IT Department seeks FTOP workersJava DevelopersThe Coop is looking for help developing ournext generation applications. We are lookingfor members who program in Java and havesome experience with all or some of the follow-ing technologies:

• Eclipse• JFC/Swing• JDBC• JasperReports/iReportsIf you are interested in using your pro-

gramming skills to help make the Coop bet-ter and receive FTOP work credit, pleasecontact it.ftop @psfc.coop.

Mac Sys AdminsThe Coop is looking for help maintaining andstreamlining the administration of our MACworkstations. We need members that haveexperience administering Mac OSX systems.You do not have to be a full-time admin. Inaddition to admin experience, the followingtechnologies will be useful:

• Experience on Mac OS X 10.6+• Scripting (Applescript, Bash shell script,

Python, etc.)• Experience installing memory, changing

hard drives, cleaning internals, etc.)• Experience repairing and maintaining

printersIf you are interested in helping the IT group

Our Governing Structure From our inception in 1973 to the present, the openmonthly General Meetings have been at the center of theCoop’s decision-making process. Since the Coop incor-porated in 1977, we have been legally required to have aBoard of Directors. The Coop continued the tradition ofGeneral Meetings by requiring the Board to have openmeetings and to receive the advice of the members atGeneral Meetings. The Board of Directors, which isrequired to act legally and responsibly, has approvedalmost every General Meeting decision at the end ofevery General Meeting. Board members are elected atthe Annual Meeting in June. Copies of the Coop’s bylawsare available at the Coop Community Corner and atevery General Meeting.

Next Meeting: Tuesday, April 26, 7:00 p.m.The General Meeting is held on the last Tuesday of eachmonth.

Location The Temple House of Congregation Beth Elohim(Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place.

How to Place an Item on the AgendaIf you have something you’d like discussed at a GeneralMeeting, please complete a submission form for theAgenda Committee. Forms are available in the rack nearthe Coop Community Corner bulletin board and atGeneral Meetings. Instructions and helpful informationon how to submit an item appear on the submissionform. The Agenda Committee meets on the first Tuesdayof each month to plan the agenda for the GM held on thelast Tuesday of the month. If you have a question, pleasecall Ann Herpel at the coop.

Meeting FormatWarm Up (7:00 p.m.) • Meet the Coordinators • Enjoy some Coop snacks • Submit Open Forum items • Explore meeting literatureOpen Forum (7:15 p.m.) Open Forum is a time formembers to bring brief items to the General Meeting. Ifan item is more than brief, it can be submitted to theAgenda Committee as an item for a future GM.Reports (7:30 p.m.) • Financial Report • Coordinators’Report • Committee ReportsAgenda (8:00 p.m.) The agenda is posted at the CoopCommunity Corner and may also appear elsewhere inthis issue.Wrap Up (9:30-9:45) (unless there is a vote to extendthe meeting) • Meeting evaluation • Board of Directorsvote • Announcements, etc.

A l l A b o u t t h eG e n e r a l M e e t i n g

Attend a GMand Receive Work Credit

Since the Coop’s inception in 1973, the GeneralMeeting has been our decision-making body. At theGeneral Meeting (GM) members gather to makedecisions and set Coop policy. The General-Meeting-for-workslot-credit program was created to increaseparticipation in the Coop’s decision-making process.

Following is an outline of the program. For full details, seethe instruction sheets by the sign-up board.

• Advance Sign-up required:To be eligible for workslot credit, you must add your

name to the sign-up sheet in the elevator lobby. The sign-ups sheet is available all month long, except for the day ofthe meeting when you have until 5 p.m. to sign up. On theday of the meeting, the sign-up sheet is kept in theMembership Office.

Some restrictions to this program do apply. Please seebelow for details.

• Two GM attendance credits per year:Each member may take advantage of the GM-for-

workslot-credit program two times per calendar year.

• Certain Squads not eligible:Eligible: Shopping, Receiving/ Stocking, Food

Processing, Office, Maintenance, Inventory, Construction,and FTOP committees. (Some Committees are omittedbecause covering absent members is too difficult.)

• Attend the entire GM:In order to earn workslot credit you must be present

for the entire meeting.

• Signing in at the Meeting: 1. After the meeting the Chair will provide the

Workslot Credit Attendance Sheet.2.Please also sign in the attendance book that is

passed around during the meeting.

• Being Absent from the GM:It is possible to cancel without penalty. We do ask that

you remove your name if you know cannot attend. Pleasedo not call the Membership Office with GM cancellations.

Park Slope Food CoopMission Statement

The Park Slope Food Coop is a mem-ber-owned and operated food store—analternative to commercial profit-orientedbusiness. As members, we contribute ourlabor: working together builds trustthrough cooperation and teamwork andenables us to keep prices as low as possi-ble within the context of our values andprinciples. Only members may shop, andwe share responsibilities and benefitsequally. We strive to be a responsible andethical employer and neighbor. We are abuying agent for our members and not aselling agent for any industry. We are a partof and support the cooperative movement.We offer a diversity of products with anemphasis on organic, minimally pro-cessed and healthful foods. We seek toavoid products that depend on theexploitation of others. We support non-toxic, sustainable agriculture. We respectthe environment. We strive to reduce theimpact of our lifestyles on the world weshare with other species and future genera-tions. We prefer to buy from local, earth-friendly producers. We recycle. We try tolead by example, educating ourselves andothers about health and nutrition, coopera-tion and the environment. We are com-mitted to diversity and equality. Weoppose discrimination in any form. Westrive to make the Coop welcoming andaccessible to all and to respect the opin-ions, needs and concerns of every member.



C O O P CA L E N D A RNew Member OrientationsAttending an Orientation is the first step towardCoop membership. Pre-registration is required forall of the four weekly New Member Orientations. To pre-register, visit www.foodcoop.com or contactthe Membership Office. Visit in person or call 718-622-0560 during office hours.

Have questions about Orientation? Please visitwww.foodcoop.com and look at the “Join the Coop”page for answers to frequently asked questions.

The Coop on the Internetwww.foodcoop.com

The Coop on Cable TVInside the Park Slope Food CoopFRIDAYS 2:30 p.m. with a replay at 10:30 p.m. Channels: 56 (TimeWarner), 69 (CableVision).

General Meeting InfoTUE, APR 26GENERAL MEETING: 7:00 p.m.

TUE, MAY 3AGENDA SUBMISSIONS: 8:00 p.m. Submissions will be considered for the May 31General Meeting.

Gazette DeadlinesLETTERS & VOLUNTARY ARTICLES:

May 5 issue: 7:00 p.m., Mon, Apr 25May 19 issue: 7:00 p.m., Mon, May 9

CLASSIFIED ADS DEADLINE:May 5 issue: 7:00 p.m., Wed, Apr 27May 19 issue: 7:00 p.m., Wed, May 11

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 1 6

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Finances for FreelancersFor freelancers, financial issues can be overwhelming, but there is help available.This workshop will take you through the issues we need to deal with and identifystrategies and recourses that will help. Julia Fitzgerald is a long-time Coop mem-ber with a love of number-crunching. This love and her professional background innonprofit management has led to her current work, providing accounting andfinancial management services to nonprofits and freelancers. Coop member ArthurGoodman is an accountant who helps freelancers and individuals organize andplan their finances.

PSFC APRIL General MeetingItems will be taken up in the order given. Times in parenthesesare suggestions. More information on each item may be avail-able on the entrance table at the meeting. We ask members toplease read the materials available between 7 and 7:15 p.m.

Meeting location: Congregation Beth Elohim Social Hall (Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place at Eighth Avenue.

Item #1: (30 minutes)Discussion: “Presentation by candidates for the Board of Directors followed by ques-tions for the candidates.” —mandated by General Meeting

Item #2: Formation of a Committee on Climate Change (30 minutes)Discussion: “To form a Committee for Climate Protection dedicated to providing infor-mation to PSFC members regarding issues related to climate change.”

—submitted by Maggie Sweeney and Claudia Friedetzky

Item #3: Changes to the Point of Sale System that Enable Enforcement of Coop RulesPertaining to Shopping Status (30 minutes)Discussion: “Discuss the planned activation of a feature of the point of sale (POS) sys-tem that will enforce the Coop’s member status-shopping rules. The planned change is:Suspended members, who attempt to checkout beyond their 10-day grace period, willbe prevented by the POS system. The proposed date for implementation is September12, 2011.” —submitted by the General Coordinators

For information on how to place an item on the Agenda, please see the center pages ofthe Linewaiters’ Gazette. The Agenda Committee minutes and the status of pendingagenda items are available in the Coop office.

Philosophical Counseling:The Art of Living Well

Philosophical counseling is a form of rational inquiry whose aim is to help us sortthings out. But what sorts of things? Everything from everyday problems thatcause us anxiety to existential crises that lead us to despair. Traditionally, philos-ophy has helped people examine courses of action, weigh various approaches totheir problems, adopt useful outlooks on life and achieve mental clarity. Coopmember Andrew Taggart is an ethicist, educational consultant and philosophicalcounselor living in Brooklyn.

Acupuncture for Seasonal Allergies

Learn what factors contribute to seasonal allergies according to the energetic principlesof Oriental medicine AND what you can do to reduce symptoms. Workshop will includeQi Gung exercises and acupressure to promote health. Participation limited. PleaseRSVP by e-mail: [email protected]. Presented by licensed acupuncturist and Coopmember Annie Reibel-Coyne.

Band NiteBands scheduled to perform at the Coop’s second-annual Band Nite

include: Mixed Nuts; Sounds of Greg D; Angel Band; Mappa Mundi;The Mystery Keys; and Didge Project. Show starts at 8:00 p.m.Admission is $5. For more info and directions, check out the FUN

Committee blog: psfcfun.wordpress.com. Event takes place at Jalopy Theatre, 315 Columbia St., between Hamilton

Ave. and Woodhull St., (718) 395-3214, www.jalopy.biz.

What’s All This About Fracking?

Heard about fracking and want to learn more? Worried about fracking and wonderingwhat to do? Join Coop member David Publow as he examines the environmental, social,economic, health and political impacts this technology will have on New York State.Whether you have a lot of time or a little, learn how you can contribute to the effortenvironmental groups across New York State are taking to preserve our pristine water,beautiful forests, fertile soil, native wildlife and fresh air.Presented by the Safe Food Committee.

ForgivenessHolding on to feelings of hurt, guilt, blame, and anger binds up your own energy and keepsyou locked in the past, instead of being fully present. Learn to forgive yourself and others;experience unconditional love; align your head and your heart; use the energy of love torelieve stress; and participate in an unconditional love meditation. Moraima Suarez is a Coopmember, certified Holoenergetic® Healing practitioner, certified Bowenwork therapist, ReikiLevel II practitioner, and certified hypnotherapist.

Knit and Sip SeriesCome and learn how to spin ray fiber — such as cotton and wool — into yarn, by using asimple spindle. Coop member Jillan Louis is a knitter, crocheter and spinner and all-aroundfiber fanatic. Her passion is spinning raw fibers into yarn. Coop member Naeemah Senghoris a knitter, crocheter and raw-foodist who loves to organize swaps and community events.Materials fee: $15 (spindle, yarn and light refreshment).

Agenda Committee MeetingThe Committee reviews pending agenda items and creates theagenda for this month’s General Meeting. Drop by and talk withcommittee members face-to-face between 8 and 8:15 p.m.Before submitting an item, read “How to Develop an Agenda

Item for the General Meeting” and fill out the General Meeting Agenda Item SubmissionForm, both available from the Membership Office. The next General Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 31, 7 p.m., at Congregation Beth Elohim Social Hall (GarfieldTemple), 274 Garfield Place at Eighth Avenue.

Food Class: Cinco de Mayo:The Flavors of MexicoCelebrate quick, delicious and easily replicated at-home recipes.We will create two different vegetarian quesadillas with dips andclassic guacamole. Tricia Brown is a chef, culinary instructor andfood and wine blogger. Her culinary focus is flavorful, health-sup-

apr 23sat 2 pm

apr 26tue 7 pm

apr 26tue 7:30 pm

apr 29fri 7 pm

apr 29fri 8 pm

apr 30sat 10 am–1 pm

apr 30sat 2–4 pm

apr 30sat 5–7 pm

may 3tue 8 pm

may 5thu 7:30 pm

Susan Baldassano, Coordinator

For more information on these and other events, visit the Coop’s website: foodcoop.comAll events take place at the Park Slope Food Coop unless otherwise noted. Nonmembers are welcome to attend workshops.

Views expressed by the presenter do not necessarily represent the Park Slope Food Coop.

11-4-21 p01-16_Layout 1 4/20/11 9:50 PM



portive cuisine utilizing local ingredients. She teaches private and public cooking classes atnumerous locations. She is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health andCulinary Arts and holds an advanced certification from the International Wine Institute. Sheshares this passion for all things food and wine on her culinary tours to Santa Fe, Sonomaand her hometown in Brooklyn. Menu includes asparagus and red onion quesadillas withlime crema; smoky black bean, roasted red pepper and jalapeño quesadillas with salsa rojo;and guacamole with chips. Materials fee: $4.

Film Night: The Mad Cow InvestigatorOut of concern for her mother who may have been exposed by eat-ing meat tainted with mad cow disease, Janet Skarbek, a wife,mother and accountant, takes on an unlikely new role as “MadCow Investigator.” As she independently researches deaths in herarea, she finds a disease cluster and uncovers alarming informationabout meat production and government policy. As she dedicates

herself further to this new cause, her personal life begins to fall apart. This film is NancyeGood’s first independent project. She honed her sense of story development producing pro-grams for Japanese Network television. Several projects she collaborated on have gone on toair on National Geographic and the Discovery Channel here in the U.S. She envisions this pro-ject as part of a series of profiles of citizens who take action to improve food quality. To book a Film Night, contact Faye Lederman, [email protected].

Zero BalancingZero Balancing is a deep and profound healing modality that balances and inte-grates one’s structural and energy bodies. In this workshop, you will do exercises toexperience: your physical structure, your energy body, your whole self, differentways to run your own energy, and types of contact which create consciousness andease. This is a time to become more aware of your body and how it relates tohealthy life choices. Athena has been a Coop member for 10 years. She’s had ahealing-arts practice in Brooklyn for 15 years, where she accesses BiodynamicCranial Sacral Therapy, Hypnosis, Massage Therapy, Klein Technique MovementTherapy, Reiki and Zero Balancing.

Food Drive to Benefit CHIPS Soup Kitchen

CHIPS Soup Kitchen, located at 4th Avenue and Sackett Street, is the recipient ofmuch of our edible but unsaleable perishable food. They also need donations ofnonperishable foods. This food will go to CHIPS to help them feed people in theneighborhood who are in need of a nutritious meal. Consider contributing nonperish-able foods and commercially packaged foods; canned fish; canned fruits and veg-etables; pasta sauce; pasta; pre-packaged rice; pre-packaged beans; canned beans;canned soups; Parmalat milk; dry milk; peanut butter; cooking oil; or boxed raisins.Give donations to the collection table outside the Coop.

Safe Food Committee Film Night:Bananas!Juan “Accidentes” Dominguez is on his biggest case ever. Onbehalf of 12 Nicaraguan banana workers, he is tackling DoleFood in a ground-breaking legal battle for their use of abanned pesticide that was known by the company to causesterility. Can he beat the giant, or will the corporation get away

with it? In the suspenseful documentary BANANAS!, filmmaker Fredrik Gertten shedsnew light on the global politics of food. Meet Gertten in person! Other special guests tobe announced.

Wordsprouts: On FoodWriters talk recipes, politics and culinary delights. Award-winning author Fran Hawthorne has spent more than 20years tracking how public pressure has changed U.S. busi-ness, as an editor at Fortune and Business Week, and also

writing regularly for The New York Times, The Scientist and many other publica-tions. Her books include Inside the FDA and The Overloaded Liberal. JanPoppendieck is a Professor of Sociology at Hunter College, City University of NewYork, and the author, most recently, of Free For All: Fixing School Food inAmerica (University of California Press, 2010). Melissa Vaughan is a cookbookauthor, recipe developer and tester. Her recently published cookbook, The NewBrooklyn Cookbook, features recipes and stories from 31 restaurants that putBrooklyn on the culinary map.To book a Wordsprouts, contact P.J. Corso, [email protected].

Sugar ImbalancesDiabetes isn’t sweet and it isn’t funny either — it is a serious disease. With good nutrition,exercise and the right herbs and supplements, it is possible to prevent, and even reversethis serious health problem. Come and see how. Diabetes and hypoglycemia are epidemicand increasing worldwide. Learn how to kill those sugar cravings, and hear about the latesthorrifying statistics. It is absolutely necessary to take a look at the mental/emotional side ofthe diseases and have full success at reversing it. Coop member Marija Santo is a certifiednaturopath and a Geotran practitioner and teacher for more than 10 years.

The Living Matrix: A Film onThe New Science of Healing

In this full-length film, see the breakthroughs that will transform your understanding ofhow to get well and stay well. Now you can get an up-close look at the science of infor-mation as medicine. Leading researchers and health practitioners share their discover-ies on the “miracle cures” traditional medicine can’t explain. Coop member EsmeCarino is an Angel Therapy Practitioner and Reiki Master. She runs meditation groupsin Park Slope and Lefferts Gardens. Join her in a discussion afterwards.

may 6fri 7 pm

may 7sat 1:30 pm

may 7-8sat-sun 9 am–7 pm

may 10tue 7 pm

may 13fri 7 pm

may 14sat 2 pm

may 15sun 1 pm

Harmonize Your Body

The Very Good Coffeehouse Coop Concert SeriesJen Chapin, Stephan Crump & Rosetta Trio

Fibroids, Cysts and PMS

Food Intolerances

PSFC MAY General Meeting

Food Class: Aging Gracefully

Film Night

Why You’re Not Losing Weight

Nutrition Response Testing

Agenda Committee Meeting

Blood Drive

may 20

may 22

may 29

may 31

jun 2

jun 3

jun 4

jun 5

jun 7

may 20

jun 10–11

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By Regina Sandler-Phillips

We live in an era of med-ical miracles, which have

extended the lifespan of theaverage North American farbeyond what was imaginablein generations past. Onebyproduct of this success isthat many of us find it increas-ingly difficult to accept that wewill eventually die—and toplan for that eventuality. Theimpact of this lack of advanceplanning is both economicand environmental.

Food coop organizing haslong been motivated by ethi-cal/environmental considera-tions as well as rising prices.Similar concerns have galva-nized consumers to seek outcooperative solutions to thechallenges of funeral plan-ning. In 1963 consumer coop-erative groups from acrossNorth America formed anorganization known today asthe Funeral ConsumersAlliance or FCA (www.funer-als.org) to safeguard “digni-fied, meaningful andaffordable” funerals.

The national FCA and itslocal affiliates engage in citi-zen activism and legislativemonitoring. In addition, manyFCA affiliates enter into dis-count arrangements with localfuneral homes, similar tocooperative buying clubs. Fora lifetime membership fee of$40, the Funeral ConsumersAlliance of Long Island/NYC(www.nyfunerals.org) annuallyupdates and distributes a listof cooperating funeral homeswith member prices for crema-tion and burial services.

Funeral industry profitshave historically centeredupon the practice of embalm-ing bodies for viewing inornate, elaborate “caskets”(coffins). In response, funeralconsumer groups haveencouraged the option of cre-mation as a less expensivealternative. More recently,the “green” or “natural” burialmovement has emerged tobring an environmental per-spective to the range ofchoices involved in funeralplanning.

According to the GreenBurial Council (www.green-burialcouncil .org), which isinvolved in developing third-party environmental stan-dards, “Green burial is a wayof caring for the dead with

minimal environmentalimpact that furthers legiti-mate ecological aims such asthe conservation of naturalresources, reduction of car-bon emissions, protection ofworker health, and therestoration and/or preserva-tion of habitat.” GreenspringsNatural Cemetery (www.nat-uralburial.org), one of onlytwo burial grounds in NewYork State currently approvedby the Green Burial Council,even declares that “Naturalburial is a new idea—theidea that in choosing howand where we are buried,each one of us can conserve,sustain, and protect theearth—the earth from which,of course, we came and towhich we shall return.”

Since this statement actu-ally draws upon the ancientlanguage of Genesis 3:19 (“forfrom [the earth] you weretaken; for you are dust, and todust you shall return”), thenewness of the idea may bequestioned. Similarly, today’senvironmentalist values maysound familiar to the genera-tions that remember “Use itup; wear it out; make it do ordo without.” The nationalFuneral Consumers Allianceobserves on its website thatthe basic connection betweenburial and biodegradability is“hardly a new phenomenon.Returning to the earth in littlemore than a shroud is whatmost of humanity has done forthousands of years until theadvent of the modern ‘death-care’ industry.”

The FCA also warns con-sumers about the funeralindustry hyping “green” as anew way to drive up funeralprices. That said, funeral con-sumer and natural burialactivists tend to come togeth-er in their concerns aboutembalming, which increasestoxins for workers and theearth, as well as prices forconsumers. They also shareconcerns about veneeredwood and/or metal coffins,which are non-biodegradableas well as more expensive. Onthe issue of cremation, thetwo groups are more likely topart company.

“For most environmental-ists, it’s actually better tofade away than burn out,”noted journalist Leo Hick-man in an October 2005 col-

umn of The Guardian on envi-ronment and ethical living.“Our lives, they say, alreadyresult in enough gratuitouscombusting of fossil fuels.Much better, in death, tocompost down as natureintended.”

“...crematoria contribute0.2% of the

global emission of dioxins and furans and are

considered the second largest source of airborne mercury

in Europe.”

According to the NationalBurial Co-operative/Centrefor Green Burial (www.natu-ralburial.coop), “The amountof non-renewable fossil fuelneeded to cremate bodies inNorth America is equivalentto a car making 84 trips to theMoon and back—each year.The major emissions fromcrematories include: nitrogenoxides, carbon monoxide,sulphur dioxide, mercuryvapour, hydrogen fluoride,hydrogen chloride, and otherheavy metals, including per-sistent organic pollutants.Modern crematoria do havescrubbers over the smokestacks, but they can’t get

everything. According to theUnited Nations, crematoriacontribute 0.2% of the globalemission of dioxins andfurans and are consideredthe second largest source ofairborne mercury in Europe.”

There are also issues ofenvironmental justice, rais-ing awareness that cremato-ries—like other incinerators—are generally located inpoorer communities. A Janu-ary 2007 article by TerrenceChea of the Associated Pressreported on neighborhoodcampaigns to block the con-struction of new crematoriesin various states and coun-tries—particularly in Califor-nia, which leads the U.S. inthe growing number of bod-ies cremated each year.

Toxic emissions from mer-cury in dental fillings havebeen a primary concern forcommunity environmentalactivists, especially since theuse of dental silver with mer-cury accounted for two-thirdsof all dental fillings as recent-ly as 1990. Hickman reportsthat 16% of the mercury pol-lution in the U.K. is attribut-able to cremation, accordingto the British EnvironmentAgency: “The industry hasbeen told that all...cremato-ria must halve mercury emis-sions by 2012, but, ironically,

one way to do this is to cre-mate at a higher tempera-ture, thereby leading to moreemissions.” Chea reportsthat, according to industryofficials, “emissions controlson crematorium smoke-stacks...could be expensiveand put small operators outof business.”

While the financial costs ofcremation have risen overrecent decades, they remainsomewhat lower than thecosts associated even withsimple, “green” burial. Howev-er, as with disposable plasticsand other uses of non-renew-able fossil fuels, the true envi-ronmental costs are muchhigher than what the individ-ual consumer pays. Here aselsewhere, the most environ-mentally friendly options arethe ones that require fore-thought, planning and com-munication. For the sake ofthe earth and future genera-tions, Coop members areencouraged to review the web-sites above and begin thisplanning process soonerrather than later. ■

This is Part One of a two-partseries. The follow-up report willaddress the “recycling” issues oforgan, tissue and full body dona-tion, and provide additional plan-ning resources for Coop members.

E N V I R O N M E N T A L C O M M I T T E E R E P O R T S

Cooperative to the End: How Green Are Your Funeral Plans?

By Cynthia Blayer

The amount of pharmaceuticals currentlyin use has become an environmentalproblem because, like everything else,

sooner or later the drugs turn into waste prod-ucts. Trace elements of a wide variety of drugsincluding antibiotics, anti-depressants andsex hormones have been found in lakes andrivers as well as numerous municipal watersupplies. In an effort to mitigate this problem,pharmaceutical take-back events have beenorganized to properly collect and dispose ofleftover medications so they do not migrateinto the environment.

The first national pharmaceutical take-backday, September 25, 2010, was a success, collect-ing 121 tons of medications nationwide. The USDrug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has organizedanother pharmaceutical take-back event onSaturday, April 30 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. inlocations across the United States.

The Drug Enforcement Agency websitewww.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html allows you to type in yourzip code and find the locations nearest to you.There are locations in Brooklyn and other NYCboroughs—more will be added to the data-base until the day of the event.

This is not a reason to switch to bottledwater, much of which comes from municipalwater supplies. Our drinking water is carefullymonitored. The Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) requires hundreds of tests eachmonth on municipal water supplies, but theFood and Drug Administration (FDA), whichregulates bottled water, requires only one testper week. New York City is blessed with anexceptionally good water supply—let’s dowhat we can to keep it that way.

Contact the Environmental Committee withquestions or comments via our blog athttp://ecokvetch .blogspot.com. ■

Pharma Take-Back Event: April 30

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LETTERS POLICY

We welcome letters from members.Submission deadlines appear in theCoop Calendar. All letters will beprinted if they conform to the pub-lished guidelines. We will not know-ingly publish articles which are racist,sexist or otherwise discriminatory

The maximum length for letters is500 words. Letters must include yourname and phone number and betyped or very legibly handwritten. Edi-tors will reject letters that are illegibleor too long.

You may submit on paper, typed orvery legibly handwritten, or via emailto [email protected] oron disk.

AnonymityUnattributed letters will not be

published unless the Gazette knowsthe identity of the writer, and there-fore must be signed when submitted(giving phone number). Such letterswill be published only where a reasonis given to the editor as to why publicidentification of the writer wouldimpose an unfair burden of embar-rassment or difficulty. Such lettersmust relate to Coop issues and avoidany non-constructive, non-coopera-tive language.

FairnessIn order to provide fair, comprehen-sive, factual coverage:

1. The Gazette will not publishhearsay—that is, allegations notbased on the author's first-handobservation.

2. Nor will we publish accusationsthat are not specific or are not sub-stantiated by factual assertions.

3. Copies of submissions that makesubstantive accusations against spe-cific individuals will be given to thosepersons to enable them to write aresponse, and both submissions andresponse will be published simultane-ously. This means that the originalsubmission may not appear until theissue after the one for which it wassubmitted.

The above applies to both articlesand letters. The only exceptions willbe articles by Gazette reporters whichwill be required to include theresponse within the article itself.

RespectLetters must not be personally

derogatory or insulting, even whenstrongly criticizing an individualmember's actions. Letter writers mustrefer to other people with respect,refrain from calling someone by anickname that the person never useshimself or herself, and refrain fromcomparing other people to odious fig-ures like Hitler or Idi Amin.



THE MIDDLE EASTDEBATE

TO THE EDITOR:David Barouh states: “Actually,

until modern times, Jews and Arabscoexisted tolerably well....Only afterthe advent of Zionism, which for Mus-lims and Arabs has meant Europeancolonialism, have tensions and vio-lence heightened.” This statement ishistorically incorrect.

The Moslem Empires of theMediterranean, the Middle East, andSoutheast Europe maintained lawssubjugating their non-Moslem popu-lations. These included special taxes,special dress, limited property owner-ship, seizure of property, exclusionsfrom certain professions and govern-ment positions, and public humilia-tions. Outbreaks of ethnic violence,directed mainly against Jews, werenot uncommon in the 19th century.Riots occurred in Safed, Hebron,Jerusalem and Damascus (see ArabRevolt 1934 and Damascus Affair).These are all well documented in thefirst-hand accounts of British envoysin the region.

Mr. Barouh’s statement is about asaccurate as saying “Southern Blacksand Whites coexisted tolerably well.Only after the advent of the CivilRights movement, did tensions andviolence heighten.”

Rhudi Andreolli

SHOULD THE GAZETTEPUT THE KABOSH ONTHE BDS DEBATE?

TO THE EDITOR:April 7th’s Linewaiters’ Gazette again

had calls to end BDS letters. RodgerParsons asks that the Coop “focus onthe harvest bounty” and the “pleasurethat great food can bring.” He’d preferthat the Gazette “abandoned discus-sions on the commotions of the worldand stayed with the Coop’s primedirective,” healthy food, fair prices,cooperative efforts, etc., that we“leave the hand wringing over thegreat tragedies of the world to otherpublications that do it better.”

Perhaps. But those “commotions”seem to find their way to—andthrough—our doors. The politicaldecisions of elected officials haveenabled companies like Monsanto tobe close to rendering its greatestcompetition—the organic label—meaningless from genetic drift oftheir GMO crops. If New York Stateallows fracking to proceed, our localproduce sources will be imperiled.Fukushima, the Gulf, pesticides pol-luting land and water, global warm-ing—all these affect that harvestbounty and our fair prices.

We have boycotted human rightsabusers in the past, and currentlyboycott Coca-Cola. On the otherhand, do we want to target Israelibusinesses, which are after all not theIsraeli government. But yet again, the

Divestiture movement against SouthAfrica’s apartheid policies provedquite effective. So where else shouldwe debate this but in the Gazette, espe-cially as preparatory to a GeneralMeeting proposal?

Barbara Mazor says that Gazette,besides being the improper venue,doesn’t “provide sufficient space fordiscussing the complexities of theMiddle East conflicts.” But 500 wordsis a rather generous allotment for aletter to the editor, and more thanenough space to make several pointseffectively.

I’m personally sympathetic to theBDS movement, but still undecidedon the wisdom of the Coop’s partici-pating as an institution. I appreciatereading the arguments, when wellmade, both for and against. However,most of those against arguments havebeen dubious, inappropriate compar-isons like those of Rhudi Andreolli(“Coop and BDS” April 7th) that aremyopic and treat each situation citedas an entity in itself, without historyor context.

The writer concludes BDS is inap-propriate for our Coop because:“Other coops have rejected it.” (Whatabout the institutions that haveadopted it?) “Boycotts take away free-dom of choice” (Freedom of choicemeans more than Coke or Pepsi.) “Itforces an association with a politicalposition...” (How? It simply means amajority of voting members favoredit. Who would believe every Coopmember supports this?) “It would sowseeds of enmity and tear up ourCoop.” (Why? Would anti-BDS mem-bers loose rights, be discriminatedagainst, be regarded with hostility?Again, hostility to Israeli governmentpolicies doesn’t mean anti-semitism.This is a false argument.) “It conflictswith the general principles of theinternational co-op movement.”(Which principle is that? I found noprinciple of the International Cooper-ative Alliance even remotely suggest-ing this.) And “it is immoral.” (What’simmoral about it? Who’s morals?)

So to answer the headline’s ques-tion, no, let’s not put the kabosh onthis debate.

David Barouh

I HEAR AMERICA CALLINGI hear America calling, the varied

cellchats I hear,Those of mechanics, each one

detailing the need for extensiverepairs to customers and justifyingthe cost,

The carpenter explaining to a dis-traught woman why the shelves hebuilt have collapsed,

The lawyer directing an assistant toresearch tort decisions in 18th centu-ry Alabama ,

The college student calling a newlytransferred sophomore for a date, theprofessor ordering copies for his stu-dents of the course-required textbookhe’s rewritten for the ninth time,

The teenage girl shifting from onecellphone to another as she balancesthe worlds of obedient daughter andadventurous hottie,

The afternoon shopper sharingher treasured finds with her enviousbest friend, whose credit cards havemaxed out,

The theatergoer at a musical whoholds up his instrument to transmit atune to a friend, who chatters straightthrough every bar,

The subway rider waiting impa-tiently for the train to climb to thesurface so she can call ahead for abagel and coffee to be set on her desk,

The psychotherapist taking a breakfrom the talking cure, whispering intohis cell to his newest passion as apatient rattles on,

Each unburdening himself andherself, whether sitting, standing,lying down or crossing the fume-filled streets,

The weekend farmer inquiringabout the cost of barley and corn,

The middle schooler fibbing to hismom about being kept after school,

The politician on a conference callto everyone in his directory who maycontribute still more money to hiscampaign, three years off in the future,

The clerk on the line with a boredLotto employee to determine if hismillions have come in yet,

The saleswoman confiding to anagent at the electric company’s con-sumer department that her legs arebecoming wobbly from hours behindthe counter,

The agent not bothering to stifle a yawn,

All talking, talking into their palmfrom bed-up to bed-down,

All except the would-be caller whocurses his fate—his cellphone’s pick-ing up no signal.

Leon Freilich

WATCH AND LEARNABOUT GMOS

DEAR EDITORS,Sometimes the work of the mem-

bers of the Coop’s GMO Shelf Label-ing Committee feels a bit likechopping through dense thickets ofresistance, as we try to educate andhelp the Coop be a place where mem-bers can make informed choicesbecause they know whether or not thefood on the shelves is free of geneti-cally modified organisms (GMOs).Many members, and many, manyAmericans, still don’t know whatGMOs are or why we all need to knowabout them.

But then sometimes there comes amessage that is so clear and simple,so revealing of the direct connectionbetween the personal and the nation-al, that it shines a bright light on theurgent need for action.

Check out this mother’s story.When her daughter suddenly devel-ops a food allergy, she wants to know


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Classified advertising in the Linewaiters’ Gazette is available only to Coop members. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Coop.


BED & BREAKFAST

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serving Park Slope for 20 yrs.!

Beautiful parlor floor thru, sleeps

4-5 in comfort and privacy. Queen

bed, bath, double living room,

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overlooking yard, kitchen. Visit our

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FB at The House on Third St. B&B

or call Jane at 718–788–7171.

CLASSES/GROUPS

INTRO TO YOGA starting May 7.

This special 4-class series is for

the brand new or “I haven’t done

Yoga in 20 years” practitioner.

Come learn the basic poses and

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wisdom tradition designed to alle-

viate suffering in all its forms.

Taught by a Coop member! More

info at JenniferBrilliant.com.

PETS

RETIRED SOCIAL WKR. 35 yrs.

exp. w/ all breeds, wants to board

your dog in my home. One dog at a

time. Rates include 3 walks a day.

If your dog is your baby I am the

boarder for you! Day boarding too.

Call Jane at 347–860–2142 or

e-mail me at Petnanny01

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able. Your dog will thank you!

SERVICES

TOP HAT MOVERS, INC., 145 Park

Place, Bklyn. Licensed and Insured

Moving Co. moves you stress-free.

Full line of boxes & packing materi-

als avail. Free estimates 718-965-

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EXPRESS MOVES. One flat price

for the entire move! No deceptive

hourly estimates! Careful, experi-

enced mover. Everything quilt

padded. No extra charge for

wardrobes and packing tape. Spe-

cialist in walkups. Thousands of

satisfied customers. Great Coop

references. 718–670–7071.

ATTORNEY—Experienced per-

sonal injury trial lawyer repre-

senting injured bicyclists and

other accident victims. Limited

caseload to ensure maximum

compensation. Member of NYST-

LA and ATLA. No recovery, no fee.

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ATTORNEY—Personal Injury

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Free phone or office consultation.

Prompt, courteous communica-

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Tom Guccione, 718–596–4184,

also at www.tguccionelaw.com.

CLASSIFIEDS


COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Community calendar listings are free. Please submit your event listing in 50 words or less to [email protected]. Submission deadlines are the same as for classified ads. Please refer to the Coop Calendar in the

center of this issue. An asterisk (*) denotes a Coop member.

SAT, APR 23

Green Edge NYC and botanist

Leda Meredith* invite you to

sign up for urban foraging in

Prospect Park. Leda will teach

participants to identify edibles

in the urban terrain. Event runs

from 9:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and

requires $20 contribution. Kids

free with a paying adult!

www.greenedgenyc.org/events/

urban-foraging-with-leda.

SAT, APR 30

Peoples’ Voice Cafe: Magpie;

Marie Mularczyk O’Connell and

Friends. 8-10:30 p.m., Commu-

nity Church of New York, 40 E.

35th St. (between Madison &

Park). For info call 212-787-3903

or peoplesvoicecafe.org. Sug-

gested donation: $15 gener-

al/$10 member/more if you

choose, less if you can’t/no one

turned away. Sat, Apr 30

Make a Solar Module One Day

Workshop. 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. at

the Commons, 388 Atlantic Ave.

(btw Hoyt/Bond). $125, registra-

tion limited to 12, if full another

workshop will be scheduled.

Please call/write for more info:

City Solar 347-254-0019 or

[email protected].

SUN, MAY 1

GMO Speaker & Activism Train-

ing with Jeffrey Smith. How we

can drive genetically modified

organisms out of the food

chain? 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Columbia

University, Uris Hall (business

school), room # 301. $80/indi-

viduals, $40/students, partial

scholarships available. Register

at www.ResponsibleTechnolo-

gy.org/NYC workshop.

HAITI SUNDAY SOCIAL. 3 to 7

p.m. at St. Francis Xavier School

Auditorium, 763 President St.

(btwn 6th & 7th Avenues).

Entrance fee: $15 Adults/$10

Child. Potluck supper. Live Music.

Dancing. Update on Haiti.

SAT, MAY 7

Peoples’ Voice Cafe: Sally Camp-

bell; Bruce Markow*. 8-10:30

p.m., Community Church of New

York, 40 E. 35th St. (between

Madison & Park). For info call

212-787-3903 or peoplesvoice-

cafe.org. Suggested donation:

$15 general/$10 member/more if

you choose, less if you can’t/no

one turned away.

SAT, MAY 21

Peoples’ Voice Cafe: New York

City Labor Chorus. 8-10:30 p.m.,

Community Church of New York,

40 E. 35th St. (between Madison

& Park). For info call 212-787-

3903 or peoplesvoicecafe.org.

Suggested donation: $15 gener-

al/$10 member/more if you

choose, less if you can’t/no one

turned away.

THU, MAY 26

The David Bindman Ensemble

performs at Sunset Park Library

at 6:00 pm. Featuring Reut

Regev, trombone; Frank London,

trumpet; Art Hirahara, piano;

Wes Brown, contrabass; royal

hartigan, drums; David Bind-

man*, saxophones. Original

compositions incorporate ele-

ments from jazz and world

music traditions. For people of

all ages. FREE.

why—and what she learns is what you will be glad you havelearned, too.

Here’s the link: www.youtube. com/watch?v=rixyrCNVVGAFor greater convenience, we have made it available at

www.saynotogmo.com.At our site, click on the link and watch this vitally important

call to responsibility. Stay tuned in the months ahead as our committee develops a

comprehensive strategy for the labeling of GMOs at the Coop.Yours in cooperation,

Julia Herd and Greg ToddMembers of the GMO Shelf Labeling Committee

DISCIPLINARY HEARING COMMITTEE

TO THE EDITOR:Thanks to the editor of the April 7th issue for printing my letter

about the Glesta affair. Which was, also, of course, about thepossible good effects of Democracy if we had it here.

I (we) have no way of knowing what life would be like undera Democratic system all these years, but still I keep buildingsystems that differ constructively from the unnecessarilyrepressive appearances that keep growing here. I’ve proposedalternatives to the shockingly insular structure of the Gazette—or rather, eight Gazettes as I’ve recently learned! To the Chair-Pool Committee and the Agenda Committee, combining theminto one and more. To the alarmingly secretive, sinister, andrapidly growing Disciplinary Hearing Committee (DHC). To theFamily Rule, and of course to the “Town Impunity” form of gov-ernment—ehehehh!

The Disciplinary Hearing Committee (which has now mor-phed into three sections!) was originally a response to the obviousdysfunctionality of taking up disciplinary issues at general meet-ings (GMs). Too public! A circus! But who would have thoughtthat we would get a too-secret, overprofessionalized organizationtotally insulated from public view, as a substitute?

I never attended a “trial” under the old system, but Ibelieve the new order was rung in around the time I joined, in1992. Amid much fanfare, they crafted a procedure and airedit over several general meetings. The democracy and trans-parency claim was brought in via the “Hearing and DecidingGroup,” now a separate committee, composed of randomlyselected members. Doesn’t that sound good? But thenthrough a friend who was expelled by the Committee, I beganto see a chink in the armor. And then again, the hearing itselfis not open to the public!

At about two GMs I suggested that the Committee report thefollowing figures at least four times a year: The number callsmade for each type of offense. How many times each suspectwas called, and whether they were called by the same person(i.e., consistency in case management) or not. The results of theinterventions, tabulated by the number of calls. What I am think-ing, of course, is that a large proportion may simply quit after thefirst or second call rather than have any further contact with theCo-Op. In view of our 25% annual turnover, this could be a seri-ous concern.

I’d like to know the number of hearings conducted each quarterand their results, not just those the Committee allows to be cov-ered in the Gazette! I’d like to have all these figures since theinception of the Committee, to see trends. It seems to me thatnot only hearings (trials!) but also arraignments, whatever thoseare, are pointedly public in the wider world. How did we manage togive this up?

If you agree, please support me for my bid to join the Board ofDirectors after approximately nine attempts. Thank you, and I amproud not to have the endorsement of the Management.

In cooperation, I remain,Albert Solomon718-768-9079

[email protected]

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1 3

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HAIRCUTS HAIRCUTS HAIRCUTS

in the convenience of your home

or mine. Color, high lights, low

lights, perms, oil treatments.

Adults: $35.00. Kids $15.00. Call

Leonora 718–857–2215.

DO YOU or a senior you love need

to downsize & move? Or just get

organized? We are a senior move

manager here to help: create a

floor plan of your new home, sell &

donate possessions, pack &

unpack and manage the move.

Insured. 917–374–1525. Email:

[email protected] or

visit www.papermoonmoves.com.

MADISON AVENUE HAIRSTYLIST

right around the corner from the

Food Coop. So if you would like a

really good haircut at a decent

price, please call Maggie at

718–783–2154. I charge $60.00.

ELECTRICIAN, ART CABRERA. Cel-

ebrating 38 yrs. Wiring P.S. Bklyn.

“Can’t do not in our Lexicon.” Add

an outlet, light, switch or wire your

entire home or business. Trouble

shooting specialist, L.V., phone or

cable. 110 or 220 v. Patching +

painting provided (additional). 718-

965-0327. Emrg. 646-239-5197. art-

cab16@gmail. com. PEACE.

PAINTING AND WALLPAPERING -

Over 25 years experience doing

the finest prep. Cracked walls and

ceilings meshed and plastered

smooth. Brownstones are my spe-

cialty. All work guaranteed. Fred

Becker, 718–853–0750.

SERVICES-HEALTH

HOLISTIC DOCTOR in Naturopathy

stimulates body’s natural ability to

heal chronic conditions, allergy,

skin, muscle, cancer support with

homeopathy, physical & chelation

therapies, bioenergetic acupunc-

ture, lab tests, hair analysis & more.

Research Director. 20 years exp. As

Featured in Allure Magazine. Dr.

Gilman 212–505–1010.

HOLISTIC DENTISTRY in Brooklyn

& Manhattan (SOHO). Dr. Stephen

R. Goldberg provides comprehen-

sive family dental care using non-

mercury fillings, crowns, dentures,

thorough cleanings, non-surgical

gum treatments with minimal X-

rays. For a free initial exam in a

nutrition-oriented practice and for

insurance information, please call

212–505–5055.

THERESE BIMKA LLSW LICENSED

PSYCHOTHERAPIST Exp. w/

Children, Adolescents + Adults.

Compassionate, interactive + expe-

rienced integrative approach using

strong clinical skills + diverse

modalities such as Jungian Sand-

play Therapy, Expressive Arts, Guid-

ed Visualization + Relaxation Tech-

niques. Park Slope 718-622-5220.

www.ThereseBimka.com.

PSYCHOTHERAPY: I offer individ-

ual and couples therapy in my

Park Slope and Manhattan offices.

I am a non-network provider which

allows greater confidentiality and

non-HMO directed therapy. Multi-

cultural competence. Diversity

welcomed, respected, affirmed.

212–714–4691 [email protected]

Beverly Rohlehr, LCSW.

NATURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATES

offering naturopathic & allopathic

med- IV therapy - colonics - biop-

unture for pain - allergy testing -

massage. Call for our “Spring Into

Health” special. Insurance Reim-

bursable.Call:718–636–3880.

BUNGALOWS FOR RENT in

charming cooperative summer

community. Beautiful wooded

grounds. Olympic pool, tennis,

basketball, swim & boat in lake.

Near Bethel Woods Performing

Arts Center. Great family vacation.

Reasonable prices. Contact Mar-

lene Star, [email protected],

914–777–3088.

HAVE FUN WITH YOUR FAMILY at

Common Ground Center Family

Camp - an all-inclusive vacation

in beautiful Vermont. A great

cooperative community, fabulous

programming, 700 acres with a

lovely pond, meadows, starry skies

and delicious vegetarian food.

Register today at 800–430–2667 or

www.cgcvt.org.

BERKSHIRES 4-BEDROOM

HOME. Deck and dock on beauti-

ful clean lake. Rowboat, kayak and

canoe. Sleeps 7-9. Well-equipped

kitchen. Large screened in porch.

$975 Saturday thru Friday. Call

Marc 917–848–3469.

VACATION RENTALS

VACATION-PENNA. country house

rental: 4 BR, 2 bath, private pond

and stream, large lawns, full

kitchen and screened porch. 3

hours from NYC. Available various

weeks in July, August or Sept.

$600/wk. Great for families and

kids. Call 718–622–8175.

SUMMER VACATION! Traditional,

rustic Adirondack Camp on Lake

George. Weekly rentals. Unchanged

since 1890: lacks modern amenities.

Swimming, hiking, boating paradise.

For more info, photos: 917–776–9571

or [email protected].

CLASSIFIEDS (CONTINUED)

Classified advertising in the Linewaiters’ Gazette is available only to Coop members. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Coop.



To Submit Classified or Display Ads:

Ads may be placed on behalf of Coop members only. Clas-sified ads are prepaid at $15 per insertion, display ads at $30.(Classified ads in the “Merchandise–Non-commercial” cate-gory are free.) All ads must be written on a submission form.Classified ads may be up to 315 characters and spaces. Dis-play ads must be camera-ready and business card size (2" x3.5" horizontal).

Submission forms are available in a wallpocket near theelevator in the entrance lobby.

11-4-21 p01-16_Layout 1 4/20/11 9:50 PM

THANK YOU!

Thank you to the following members for referring friends who joined the Coop in the last few weeks.

Meki AdefrisEric AdlerIan Marcus AmelkinClare AmoryAndrewIoanny AndritsosAnn Marie AniseAdam AstonChristiane BakerShermaine BarlaanRobert BayerNicholas BedellDavid BenoitStav BirnbaumRachel BlattAndrew BlomquistDolores Brandon

Zach BrockShannon BrunetteKwanza ButlerPetr CancuraTom CannellJohn CannonJared CarranoCynthia CascioneJill CherninKate ChumleyEdward CopelandJeremie DelonSara DierckNancy DoddKarni DorellHeather DuBoisWendy Eberhardt

Alexandra F.Suzanna FinleyMichael FruminAnne-Marie G.Christine GarciaMika GedeonBill GerhardHiroko GildeaRebecca GiordanoNatural GittensRobert GlassEmma GoldenGeoffery GreenMelissa McHam GreenSarah H.Lana HalvorsenJocelyn Ho

Becky HutchesonKrismin InocentesMadeleine JacksonJennifer JacobsTristan JohnJosh KantorSara KeenanKwasausya KheperaKate KingJennie KixmilllerGracie LandesBeatriz LeonEllie LotanVivian Chenxue LuConan MageeBobby MarkowitzLinda Marsanico

Darragh MartinJean MartinSara MatthewsAmy McCarthyCandice McLeodSonia MendezJenica MillerHanakyle MoranzAnn MurphyVanessa NisperosMaxwell OrensteinChrista OrthKatie PallattoMeredith PalmerMichelle PeakeCandace PetersDavid Perrin

Matthew PintoStephanie PopeFreya PowellKarla R.RachelAisha RabDounia RathboneThe RawesCathy ReslerGrace Robinson-LeoHeather RowleyJosie S.Laura S.Nancy SaldivarDavid SchillerRachel SchragisShawn

Andrew SmithEdward SteinVictoria Misrock SteinRemle Stubbs-DameMieko TakahashiLidia TamplenizzaTaylorBhav TibrewalDan ToropLiz VelikonjaTeresa Von FuchsJohn WebberKathryn WeselcouchAmber WinickRebecca WisotskyRebecca Yochelson

WELCOME!

A warm welcome to these new Coop members who have joined us in the last few weeks. We’re glad you’ve decided to be a part of our community.

Anna AmmariBahiyyah AsanteMarguerite AtterburyJordan BarringerDavid BartlettBalthazar BeckerBeatriz BeckfordBen BeineckeJennifer BernsteinJohn BernsteinTom BootheAndrew BottoneFlorent BrisardChristopher BrokawAmanda Burr

Andrew ChadseySusan CrandallMichelle CruzMelanie L. DauzaStephen DennisTara DuvivierLola FaynleybJim FeichtmannAurelia FilatoLaura FisherPaulette FollettAdio GarnerSetareh GhandehariAmanda GilgeoursMarisol Gonzalez

Sandra GrandchampsTobias HaleneSpencer HallRobert HartMegan HaseltineElliot HellerMichael HicksonLeah Hooper Papa-

zoglouBrian HorihanElizabeth HorowitzMichael IanelloYelena ItkinaMara JebsenKelly Jeffcoat

Erin JohnsonJennifer KaplanskiSarah KehoeLisa KersavageKyle KilnessYong Lea KimPrita LalMelody LedwonAlex LevittKaren LiMartin MartinezJanet MaxwellColleen McCarthyJohn McClellandMelanie McNair

Morgan MercerAimee MillsMeghan MooreLena NehrkornLaena OrkinPeter PapazoglouJared QuintonKaia RafossMichelle Randall-

WilliamsLaurence ReddinStephen ReidCarly RiesJudith RubensteinFabienne Schaller

Rolf SchallerJacqueline SchoeffelJase SchwartzJeremy SchwartzDonna ScimecaAnnie SegrestDawn M. SmithAnnie SongNelson SotoAristeidis SoultanosHelen StillmanCecilia StuderDavid TepperOyonola TommyMike Tuccillo

Carrie WajdaMichael WajdaFarhaana WashingtonLucas WestbrookAllison WinstonAlicia WolfePashtoun YoussofJolene YukesJian Zhuang



W O R K S L O T N E E D S

improve our workstation administration and receive FTOP workcredit, please contact [email protected].

To be considered, you must be a Coop member for at least sixmonths and have a good attendance record. Please realize thatCoop IT staff members need to spend their time bringing you on-board these projects, so only apply if you see this as a long-termmeans of fulfilling your work commitment.

Check Store SuppliesMonday 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.This workslot is responsible for restocking supplies on the shop-ping floor, at checkout lanes, entrance desks and the cashier sta-tions, and in the basement. This is a task and detailed-orientedjob, ideal for someone who likes working independently and ispro-active. Please speak to Alex in the Membership Office or con-tact him at [email protected] if you are interested.

Refrigerator CleaningMonday, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.This position requires a desire to do physical work, enjoycleaning, and organize refrigerators. You will thoroughlyclean the refrigerator, removing all movable parts and clean-ing them, label food items, and discard old or out-of-dateproducts. Please speak to Adriana in the Membership Officeif you are interested.

Office Set-upThursday, 6:00 to 8:30 a.m.Need an early riser with lots of energy to do a variety of physicaltasks including: setting up tables and chairs, buying food andsupplies, labeling and putting away food and supplies, recycling,washing dishes and making coffee. Sound like your dream cometrue? This job might be for you. Please speak to Adriana in theMembership Office for more information.

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 9Stepping Out: AnswersO R A N R E I NO U R R A N R U E G I ND O U R N E A R T R U E R I N GR O U N D C R A N E R E B U T G R A I N

M E T O I SM E N T O N S I RM E N D I N T O S I R EA M E N D T O N I C M I S E RD E M E A N A C T I O N S I M M E R

A S A T I TS E A S A T T I NS A N E S E A T T I N YM E A N S T E A S E M I N T YA M E N D S S E N A T E E N M I T YM A D N E S S E A S T E R N A N Y T I M E

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volume ff, number 8 april 21, 2011 - food coop

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