Greetings and thanks for writing. As usual, suggestions and responses may have been edited for brevity, clarity and/or comedy. In addition, no idea, concept, issue, remark, phrase, description of event, word or word string should be taken seriously. This also applies to the previous sentence.

The soda tax was in the news again, notably as a commentary posted on Philly.com by Atif Bostic, executive director of UpLift Solutions, which works to increase access to groceries in underserved neighborhoods: Bostic referenced “the proposed tax, which would dramatically increase the average grocery bill.” 

In last month’s Shuttle, I pointed out that “groceries” are food, and soda is not food, so this proposed tax is not a tax on groceries and would have no effect on grocery spending. This month I’m questioning if the soda tax can be characterized as a “dramatic” increase. I would think for something to be a dramatic increase, it would be a major fraction, like a 33 percent increase or more. The USDA Moderate meal plan for a family of four is like $250 a week — how much taxed soda would it take to be a “dramatic” increase? If a family of four drank one 12-pack a week, three cans a week per person, it would be another $4, a 1.6 percent increase, hardly “dramatic” for a drink no one should be drinking anywhere near that volume anyway, if they care about their health. 

Atif goes on to write about lower-income families in Kensington and North Philadelphia: “Their wallets will take a further hit when they are forced to pay 3 cents an ounce for a range of beverages.” I’d like to know how anyone is “forced” to pay anything for soda, as my observation is that purchase of soda generally appears to be voluntary.

Another observation: The anti-soda tax writings I’ve seen seem to be written by people with connections to companies that profit from soda sales. Hence I conclude the scare-tactic language is designed to protect profits of the soda industry, as opposed to an honest and open debate on what is best for our community and the public’s long-term health. 

This does not mean I agree that this is the  best way to fund programs the tax would support, but the disingenuous “grocery” spin is getting even worse.

suggestions and responses:

s: “What about possibility of compostable produce bags? I assume it’s something you’ve looked into. I assume it would be cost-prohibitive, which is why we don’t have them.”

r: (Norman) When I looked into it years ago, it wasn’t so much cost as it was not clear the compostable bags available were any better for the environment than plastic. Made from corn, which seems more sustainable than petroleum until you dig a little deeper and see if it’s GMO corn, or Chinese super-monocropped corn, or what. Plus what’s involved in the process is basically to make plastic out of corn. And it seems they are only compostable under pretty specific conditions, or they have to be done in commercial composter. There are bags now made from non-GMO corn, and even if they don’t compost, they are probably better than petroleum bags, so we’ll look into them. 

s: ”Can we get fresh tortillas (from South Philly, e.g.).”

r: (Norman) I spoke to Tortilleria San Roman in South Philly and there were two problems: One is they use conventional corn, probably GMO, and second is they aren’t really set up to do wholesale. We know we need a better fresh tortilla, preferably non-GMO and local, and we have found one, El Paisano, made in New Jersey. We’re figuring out the logistics of getting them in.

s: “Could the Co-op include a confessional in member services at 555 Carpenter? Perhaps the membership coordinator could hear Co-op members confess to uncooperative things that they’ve recently done, or thought of doing, and then tell them that their transgressions are forgiven and they’re still welcome to be members of Weavers Way. For those of us who are lapsed Catholics, this would make us feel quite at home.”

r: (Kirsten) What a creative suggestion! Being a lapsed Catholic myself, I do get the appeal. It just so happens that I am a skilled active listener. I can also be quite empathetic. These are excellent qualities for a confessor. Given that, I would be more than willing to hear the litany of your uncooperative behavior. This may include, but is not limited to, the time that you took up more than one basket space on the counter, or the day you jumped in line with your overflowing basket, pretending not to notice the member with one loaf of bread right behind. Whatever uncooperative transgression you may have committed, I will listen, without judgement, and absolve you of your lapse in interdependence. Unburdened, you will be free to go forth to renew your commitment to cooperation.

s: “Today you have a full tray of white pizza dough, all dated 3/7. It’s the 13th. I use this regularly and would never buy six-day-old dough. However, I was here 3/10, and there was not one pack of dough of either type. I asked a Deli staffer, and she checked for me and said it was all gone and to come back for a new delivery. Now you have dozens of packs dated 3/7! Your whole approach to pizza dough needs to change. This is messed up.”

r: (Matt MA) I’m sorry you were given incorrect information. Four Worlds dough is delivered Mondays and Fridays, while De Palma is delivered on Saturdays. I am more than happy to take pre-orders for any product we carry. Please email me at matt@weaversway.coop.

s: “The Silk soy yogurts are pretty good! Could we try stocking the larger sizes? Also, seconding the Treeline cheese request.”

r: (Kathryn MA) It’s so good to hear that you like the Silk yogurts. We’ve had a hard time finding a good dairy-free yogurt. Anyway, if the small Silks do well over the next couple months, we will consider bringing in the 24 oz. too. Thanks for the suggestions!

s: “I was just wondering if we have ever considered carrying crackers/chips/pretzels in the bulk section in MA? Seems like we carry an awful lot of candy/chocolate items, and there’s space for at least a few options. I originally thought maybe we didn’t for logistical reasons (freshness/dispensing), but I’ve since heard of other bulk stores selling items like this.”

r: (Norman) Bulk crackers, chips and pretzels would be fine, although I’m sure there would be some breakage and difficulty dispensing, but we could probably cope with that if the price was right and it would be good to allow shoppers to save the packaging and buy just the quantities they want. We do have a lot of candy and some could be probably be eliminated. But the main reason we don’t have chips and crackers in bulk is we don’t deal with any suppliers that offer them. Probably big food-service vendors like U.S. Foods and Sysco have them, but we don’t deal with them, plus, often their items are of low quality or have ingredients we would shy away from. If a company like Newman’s Own or Nature’s Path or Bearitos came out with a line of bulk chips, we’d be happy to give them a try. It’s actually a bit surprising to me some of the larger natural food companies haven’t come out with more bulk versions of their products for the food-service industry, I guess the demand isn’t there yet.

s: “I love Pequea Valley yogurt and often take one to work with me for breakfast or lunch. The problem though is that no matter how slowly I peel back the foil top it still manages to splatter on my clothes and face. It embarrasses me. Might you have some suggestions for the folks at Pequea Valley Farm? Also, a separate question related to etiquette. I’ve noticed that a substantial amount of the yogurt adheres to the inside of the foil. Do you think it is socially acceptable to lick it in public?”

r: (Norman) Life is full of interesting little conundrums like this. I asked around to see if others experience this problem. Annette says she slowly peels off the lid and then slides it across the rim to scrape the yogurt back into cup. Crystal just lets it rip and lives with the splatter; she believes it’s part of the yogurt experience. Mary was shocked that someone would ask my advice about etiquette.

I think licking in public is perfectly acceptable — not sure what anyone’s objection would be, people lick ice cream cones and lollipops and their own lips with no issues so there is plenty of precedent. Plus, in general, eating is something virtually all animals occasionally do to live, and licking is often part of eating, so why would something so essential that everyone does be socially unacceptable?

s: “I heard Bernie Sanders is a socialist. Curious as to what socialists eat.”

r: (Norman) Socialists believe in community ownership of the means of production, so they mainly eat produce from farms owned and operated by cooperatives, like Weavers Way Farms. When no cooperatively produced food is available, as in winter, socialists slow their metabolism down to such a point (via years of practicing yoga and meditation learned in Waldorf schools) that they can live on the farm’s storage vegetables, mainly turnips. Surviving for months on one root vegetable offers socialists the psychological stability of a root (you are what you eat), but the yang to that yin is that eating old roots also tends to make you kind of stubborn, especially in discussions about politics.