Raj:
If I were in your shoes, my evaluation would be whether or not it's more realistic for me to:
1) Permanently create/increase a *stable* revenue stream, or,
2) Permanently reduce server load.
Between the two, #2 is the easier way to go. Not necessarily the more desirable, but rather, the easiest solution in front of you. Whether that means eliminating the section, reducing the number of mixes or finding a 3rd party solution, I think what you need to figure out is just how crucial this section is to the site as a whole. Maybe it's time for another poll, just to evaluate actual usage?
#1, I think, is fraught with too many variables. A t-shirt sale could raise short term revenue but not long term. Same goes with some kind of heatrocks fundraising option. You need a stable stream of revenue to maintain this upgrade and the only way I see that happening would be for you to charge a subscription fee for all members but 1) I'm sure this runs against your personal impulse and 2) you're likely to run into people who'd argue, "if I don't use the mixes section, why should I subsidize it?"