yearofplenty

Battle Over World's Coal Supply on Track to Go Right Through Spokane

Photo by Paul K Anderson

It's seems a little strange to be talking about coal as an issue in the clean hydro-and-wind-abundant state of Washington. After all, lawmakers recently passed legislation that will make us the first state to be free from coal-fired energy. But a coal battle is brewing around the potential of Washington ports becoming major outlets for shipping Wyoming's Powder-River-Basin coal to China. According to the Wyoming's Trib:

Peabody Energy has completed a deal to ship Powder River Basin coal to Asia via a planned export terminal in northwest Washington.The deal with Seattle-based SSA Marine will allow St. Louis-based Peabody to ship up to 24 million metric tons of coal per year via the Gateway Pacific Terminal near Ferndale, Wash.The port would be Peabody’s West Coast hub for exporting Powder River Basin coal to Asian markets, Peabody said in a media release Monday.

Another coal export terminal proposed in Longview in southwest Washington has drawn environmental opposition. That Millennium Bulk Logistics terminal would be a joint venture between Australia-based Ambre Energy and St. Louis mining giant Arch Coal Inc.

The problem for Spokane is that our abundance of railroad tracks would serve as the major artery to transport the uncovered coal cars, with their clouds of toxic dust, to the coast.

Leaders in Spokane are mobilizing to keep the coal trains out of Spokane and are hosting a gathering next week:

What:  Spokane Happy Hour event to learn more about Coal Hard Truth
When: Tuesday, August 23^rd 6-8 p.m.
Where:  Rooftop of the Saranac Building, downtown Spokane, 25 W. Main (http://bit.ly/qRP4Y3)

March 26 Earth Hour Event in Spokane Calls Faith Communities to Care About Environment

I'll be at this event on Saturday signing books and enjoying the conversation. Here are the details:

The Faith and Environment Network’s annual Called to Care event will take place on Earth Hour Day, Saturday, March 26, 2011, beginning at 4 pm at the Cathedral of St.John the Evangelist, 127 E. 12th Avenue, on Spokane’s South Hill. Earth Hour is an event initiated by the World Wildlife Fund in 2007 in Sydney, Australiawhen 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for onehour to take a stand against climate change. At Earth Hour 2010 a record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet. It included the Earth Hour event offered in Spokane by the Faith and Environment Network.

This year’s annual event will feature
• a panel of artists and naturalists discussing our observation, awareness and mindfulness of theenvironment,
• a presentation on the Dark-Sky movement which seeks to preserve and protect the nighttimeenvironment and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting,
• a time of music, readings, and meditations from various faith traditions, and
• turning off of lights in the Cathedral at 8:30 pm in observation of Earth Hour.

A light supper will be provided. A donation of $15 is suggested for the event, but all are welcomeregardless of donation. For further information please contact Evita Krislock (220-6532) or Thomas Soeldner (607-7115).

From Black Friday to Buy Nothing Day - Subverting the Consumer Culture

Friday, November 26 will be celebrated by most as a way to get the Christmas shopping season kicked-off. A lesser known way to celebrate the day after Thanksgiving is to pay homage to Buy Nothing Day. It's not that complicated. It just means buying nothing as a way to say "No" to our crazy consumer culture. There is a Christian movement that has some affinity with BND called the Advent Consipiracy where the invitation is to give "presence" instead of presents.

It was almost three years ago at the end of 2007 that we devised our own little conspiracy to subvert the status quo and explore more life-giving patterns of consumption. That plan turned into a year of consuming everything local, used, homegrown, or homemade. At the time we felt so stuck that it was hard to see that there are different ways of going at these rhythms of life. But after only a couple of months we realized that what we had thought was our fated destiny was actually a choice, and that our consumer ways need not be inevitable. At the time I said:

One lesson we're learning is that our previous patterns of consumption seemed so unchangeable. It was just the way the world was. Everybody did it that way. It was hard to imagine that there were other ways of doing things. We're learning as a family that all habits, patterns, and practices of consumption are changeable. It might take 5 months to feel comfortable with them, but nothing need be inevitable or set in stone.

Here's and excerpt from one of my favorite Wendell Berry poems to give inspiration for your own experiments and ways of living that don't compute with the status quo.

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Libertation Front

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.
And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.
When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.

So, friends, every day do something
that won't compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.
Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.

Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns....

As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn't go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

International Food Blogger Conference in Seattle This Weekend

This weekend in Seattle Foodista is hosting the sold out International Food Blogger Conference. Here's a list of interesting looking participants in the conference:

• Beecher's Handmade Cheese
• Cooking With Amy
• Kristine Kid Blog
• Urban Spoon
• Theo Chocolate
• Full Circle Farm
• Gluten-Free Girl

The Blogroll of those attending the conference is dominated by western Washington blogs but there are two east side attenders;

• Passion for Eating - Colfax, WA
• Walla Walla Wine Alliance, Walla Walla, WA

Now that I'm officially a food blogger I'll have to think about attending next year.

Spokane's "Sustainable September" Calendar of Events

This will be the second year for Spokane's Sustainable September series of events and activities. I think this concept was originated on the west of the state, but some leaders in Spokane, specifically the folks at Community Minded Enterprises, are takin it to the next level. Here's the description;

Sustainable September is an annual month-long series of events dedicated to promoting sustainability in the Spokane community. Sustainable September includes discussions, activities, presentations, and tours designed to build community and increase awareness so that Spokane can become more environmentally and economically resilient.

There are currently a diverse variety of environmental and community building non-profits in our area. Sustainable September’s goal is to bring many of these organizations together to build a united front in supporting the environment and health of our community.

Community-Minded Enterprises is partnering with several organizations and businesses to build a strong coalition in promoting action and education within the greater Spokane area. This year Sustainable September is building on partnerships including The Lands Council, the Community Building, LaunchPad INW, Avista, the Sierra Club, and the Northwest Eco-Building Guild.

Here are some off the food related events:

Kickoff Luncheon
September 1, noon at Masonic Temple

This event will kick-off the month long series of Sustainable September. Please join us for a talk from your chef, Jeremy at Sante Restaurant, a speech from Mayor Verner and a Keynote address by Kevin Danaher, founder of Global Exchange. Tickets available at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/123974

The Ethics of Eating Event
September 9, 5:30pm at Trezzi Farm

Guest speakers explore the ethics of eating and access to healthy food in our community. Meal will feature local ingredients. Tickets required and available at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/122812. Download SSS Ethics of Eating for this event.

Green Drinks Spokane
September 14 at The Swamp

Green Drinks monthly event, www.greendrinks.org Featured Organizations: Down to Earth, Sustainable September Cost: FREE Time: 5:30 pm

Food Summit
September 27, 1-3pm - (location to be determined)

Gathering for non-profit and other groups committed to local food and food access issues. meet and greet, and discuss current projects, goals, and challenges. Potluck lunch. RSVP to Kristi at lavenderlaver (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Wheat, Wine and Wild Salmon 4th Annual Dinner
September 29, 10-11 am at Hills Restaurant

DescriptionEach year 3 local organizations, Slow Foods Spokane River, Save Our Wild Salmon & Spokane Falls Trout Unlimited, come together in support of one single issue... supporting the longevity of wild salmon & steelhead in Salmon Nation. Many challenges face these fish, so critical to the health of the NW ecosystem, economy and culture. Extremely local and delicious meal. Tickets available now at www.brownpapaertickets.com/event/118578 Discount for early ticket purchase (before 9/22).

There are a full slate of activities. Go here for the full calendar of events.

Picture: Indian Paintbrush at Mt. Spokane taken last week.

Food On the Table Conference in Moscow, ID | March 26-27, 2010

This conference looks great. It's sponsored by Rural Roots, a Moscow, ID based organization that promotes sustainable food and farming. Here's the scoop.

Join local growers, educators, sustainable food advocates, and community members as we collectively address our regional food system priorities in this unique "working" conference.

Friday Community Dinner at the 1912 Center (5:30 pm - 9 pm) | "Shepherding Change:  How Localizing Food can Transform the Landscape and our Communities"

Saturday Conference Sessions at the UI Idaho Commons (8 am - 5:30 pm)

Farm to Institution:  Integrating local food into restaurants, schools, hospitals and universities

Processing on the Palouse:  Bringing local meat and value-added products to market

Farming as a Business and Lifestyle:  Starting your farm and selling to your community

Backyard Bounty:  Increasing community self-sufficiency

View Conference Flyer

Friday dinner $20 | Saturday conference $20 (lunch not incl.) | Saturday lunch $15

Registration deadline is March 18 (Space is limited so register early!)

"Fresh" Movie Now Showing at the Magic Lantern

"Fresh," a new movie about food, is playing at the Magic Lantern in downtown Spokane tonight, Feb 18 at 7pm. The site indicates it will be playing through Feb. 21.

Here's the synopsis;

FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

Spokane's Ninth Annual Festival of Foodies Coming Jan. 23

A friend recommended I attend this weekend's Festival of Foodies. I think I'll try to check it out. Here's the scoop from Spokane 7.

A culinary show of food and beverage samples to support the Spokane Restaurant Association. Event will also feature live music and food preparation seminars. Tickets are available at Vino! A Wine Shop, 222 S. Washington St.; Hallett's Chocolates, 1419 E. Holyoke; Just American Desserts, S. 213 University Ste. 2; Stanek's Nursery, 2929 E. 29th Ave.; and at All Things Irish, 315 Sherman Ave. in Coeur d' Alene.

When: 2-6 p.m, Saturday January 23, 2010

Location: Spokane Community College, Lair Building.

Cost: $10/advance, $15 at the door. Individual drink coupons are available for only $1.