Wednesdays and Thursdays in August are Peachy-Keen LOCAl Peaches & nectarines on Sale $ all month long 1.99 lb. The Shuttle August 2014 Vol. 42 No. 8 Community-Owned Food Markets Open to Everyone Board Corner Board of Directors Update by Jeremy Thomas, Weavers Way Board President HILE THE SPRING 2014 ELECTIONS DIDN’T LEAD TO ANY Wturnover on the Weavers Way Board of Directors, there were a few changes in board members and leadership that I’d like to report. After two years serving as President, Margaret Lenzi decided to step down; she will remain an at-large member. The Board elected me to serve as President. Chris Hill replaces me as Vice President, Stu Katz was re-elected Treasurer and Laura Morris Siena was re- elected Secretary. I’m very ex- You Could Look ’Em Up cited to serve as President and look forward to all the exciting For bios of all the Board things to come in the next year. members, and info on how I’m also honored to work with the Board operates, visit the Chris, Stu, Laura and the rest of Weavers Way website at www. the Board in partnership with weaversway.coop and click on Glenn and Co-op staff to con- About Us and Board of Directors. tinue serving our members and the community. Rebecca Torpie photo Meanwhile, the day of our June meeting, Dave Tukey resigned, Chestnut Hill staff ers Candace Green and Al Lassiter had almost forgotten it was there. leaving an unexpected opening on the Board for the remaining year of his three-year term. Under Co-op bylaws, vacancies between elections are fi lled by a vote of the directors. Over the following month, an ad A Screen Too Far? WW Members Speak hoc Board committee reviewed the candidates in the recent election by Rebecca Torpie, Weavers Way You wondered why we put it up. OK, it was and recommended Larry Daniels to fi ll Dave’s seat. The Board voted Marketing Director an experiment. We wanted to gauge shoppers’ unanimously to approve him, and Larry will serve until the next elec- feelings about getting Co-op info in this format. tion, when he will have to run again if he wishes to stay on the Board. O-OP MEMBERS HAVE NEVER BEEN SHY We thought we might be able to use it to provide As we discuss important topics like growth and expansion, diver- Cabout voicing their opinions. And you’ve information on events and membership, and to sity and community impact, we will be transparent, approachable and been letting us know exactly what you think of show photos of the farms. engaging. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions, com- the new TV in the Chestnut Hill store through lots “Whose crazy idea was this?” ments or ideas. of channels (pun intended) — emails, comment Let’s just say it was a team decision. (We cards, conversations and our online survey. [email protected] had hoped for some lama-like input from Norman The results are in: Nearly 60 percent of those Weiss, Conscience of the Co-op, but all he said who had something to say said ditch it. was, “I have no thoughts about the TV. I’d rath- It reminded you of a “sports bar or airport er see a display of EdenSoy and condoms there.”) lounge.” You reminded management that “there But before we pull the plug, we’re going to see are already way too many screens in our lives” and what you think about the Co-op-related program- were “saddened and disturbed” that we’d lost sight ming we had hoped to show. After all, 60 percent of the Co-op as a “space for people to talk, to see said turn it off, but 20 percent said you didn’t care. each other, to share their shopping experience in a So stay tuned, and continue to fi ll out the sur- real-time, real-person context.” vey (www.surveymonkey.com/s/TVatWW). Oh, and Not everyone hated it. Watching the World what else did many of you tell us loud and clear? Cup while waiting to check out was an “unexpect- “Put the music back on in Chestnut Hill.” ed treat” for some. Others were “happy that you had the … games on,” and said “it would be fun to We’re on it. Jeremy: Stepping up Larry: Coming aboard watch the Phillies, too.” [email protected] INSIDE The Trouble with Eden Foods: Pages 2-3 General Manager’s Corner . 2 WW Environment Committee . 15 September Member Coupon . 2 People’s Climate March. 15 Suggestions . 3 August Calendar . 16 Letters to the Editor. 3, 6-7 The Passionate Gardener. 17 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED REQUESTED SERVICE CHANGE What’s in Store. .4-5 WW Education Committee. 20 www.weaversway.coop www.weaversway.coop Weavers Way Community Programs . .8-9 Time4Time Repair Cafe. 22 559 Carpenter Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19119 PA Philadelphia, Lane, Carpenter 559 WW Health & Wellness Committee. 11 Sta Celebrity Spotlight . 23 Weavers Way Cooperative Association Cooperative Way Weavers 2013 Ends Report . 12-13 Co-op Specials . 24 2 THE SHUTTLE August 2014 Editor’s Note General Manager’s Corner by Mary Sweeten, THE TROUBLE WITH Weavers Way Shuttle Editor Birth of an Issue by Glenn Bergman, ICHAEL POTTER, FOUNDER AND Weavers Way General Manager Msole shareholder of organic-bean canner Eden Foods, sounds pretty sore HERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF EMAILS GO- about Obamacare. Here’s part of the com- Ting around the offi ce these last few pany’s statement from when it sued last weeks since the Supremes decided to allow year for exemption from the Affordable Hobby Lobby a religious exemption from Care Act: Affordable Care Act requirements to cover “On March 21st, 2013, a press release birth control. Eden Foods, one of our suppli- announced our lawsuit against the uncon- ers of organic products, is seeking a similar stitutional government overreach in the exemption. This has started a discussion both HHS mandate. Parts of the mandate vi- at Weavers Way and nationally on the subject olate the Free Exercise Clause of the First of what to do about Eden Foods. Amendment of the United States Consti- In the Co-op bylaws, all it takes to get tution, the Religious Freedom Restoration an item on the agenda of the General Mem- Act, and the Administrative Procedure bership Meeting is a petition signed by 10 Act. This overreach of the federal govern- members — and the Board has received such ment infringes on religious freedoms.” a petition to bring a boycott of Eden Foods This actually puts Eden and its presi- to a membership vote. Stay tuned for details dent in pretty robust company, since lots about next steps. of folks have been complaining all along My view: I will stop purchasing Eden about alleged ACA overreach. The Eden products and will look for substitutes or just case got as far as the federal appeals court, not use the product. I will not put pressure on which ruled against the company, partly because these comments Potter made to Eden soymilk on the shelves in Mt. Airy. (Continued on Page 18) Salon.com sort of undermined his claim that it’s all about his religion: Top Eden Foods Items Sold April-June 2014 Quantity Sales Value “I don’t care if the federal govern- Yeah, We Carry ment is telling me to buy my employees Eden Organic Black Beans,15 oz 972 $2,184.52 Jack Daniel’s or birth control. What gives Those Beans Eden Organic Garbanzo Beans, 15 oz 831 $1,953.34 them the right to tell me that I have to do Eden Organic Cannellini Beans,15 oz 826 $1,939.34 ERE’S A CHART SHOWING WEAV- that? That’s my issue, that’s what I object EdenSoy Extra Original Soymilk, 32 oz 645 $2,033.77 ers Way’s best-selling Eden prod- to, and that’s the beginning and end of the H Eden Organic Kidney Beans, 15 oz 268 $626.36 story . I’m not trying to get birth con- ucts. As you can see, canned legumes EdenSoy Original Soymilk, 32 oz 247 $753.78 trol out of Rite Aid or Walmart, but don’t and soymilk are the leaders, but Eden tell me I gotta pay for it.” also supplies organic versions of other Eden Organic Pinto Beans,15 oz 209 $471.77 products like tea, mustard, fl avorings Now, in light of Hobby Lobby, the Eden Dry Roasted Pumpkin Seed, 4 oz 197 $575.75 and other canned vegetables; the Co-op Eden Organic Udon Pasta, 8 oz 164 $478.96 Supreme Court has ordered the lower listed nearly 70 different Eden products Eden Pumpkin Seed Spicy, 4 oz 148 $445.95 courts to reconsider Eden v. Sibelius and this year. a number of other decisions. (In case you EdenSoy Extra Vanilla Soymilk, 32 oz 142 $486.65 We stock Jyoti and Westbrae brand missed the Hobby Lobby thing, in June the Eden Organic Soba Pasta, 8 oz 120 $352.51 Supreme Court exempted “closely held” alternatives for many of the beans, al- Eden Organic Navy Beans,15 oz 110 $248.40 corporations from the ACA birth-control though Eden beans have much less salt, mandate if it interfered with their owners’ with sodium in the 10-15 mcg range Eden Organic Black Eyed Peas, 15 oz 108 $243.50 “sincerely held religious beliefs.”) compared to over 100 mcg for all oth- Eden Toasted Sesame Oil, 10 oz 99 $1,013.70 er organic labels.