We’ve always been careful about politics, but “Concern for Community” is one of our founding principles, so we do keep an eye on current events and legislation. Two bills have recently passed the New Hampshire House, HB 177 and HB 544, and both have now moved on to the Senate. They also happen to correlate with our mission of promoting healthy choices for people and planet alike.
House Bill 177 states that “No new landfill shall be constructed near a State Park”, and directly protects 68 state parks in NH, including our own local Forest Lake State Park. This is something we can fully support as a business that strives for ecological sustainability. We’ve included some resources here courtesy of the North Country Alliance for Balanced Change, including a template you can use to reach out to your local representatives, a fact sheet, and Letters of Opposition.
House Bill 544 is intended to restrict the way that businesses and schools teach Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Our Board and employees have invested significant time and resources in educating ourselves about DEI here at the Co-op, as part of our efforts to support people in our community. This is an ongoing process and we feel we have the right to proceed without outside restriction.
I would encourage people interested in these issues to do their own research and get involved if they so choose. I’m happy to talk about these and any other issues with our Members anytime. Thank you for your continued support!
Cooperatively,
Ed King, General Manager
