Natural Awakenings April 2015

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

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H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

NATURE’S WISDOM Its Lessons Inspire, Heal and Sustain Us

CABELL SPRING DOGS IN BRAND’S GREENING LIBRARIES Wisdom and Legacy

Easy Ways to Detox a House

Kids Read Better Around Animals

April 2015 | Virginia’s Blue Ridge Edition | NABlueRidge.com

letterfromthepublisher contact us Publisher Tracy Garland Publisher@NABlueRidge.com Editor Karen Adams Marketing & Advertising Bonnie Cranmer Bonnie@BlueRidgeGreenMedia.com

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elcome to Spring! And welcome to the April issue of Natural Awakenings. Our themes this month are “Nature’s Wisdom + Healthy Home.” To inspire you, here are some great thoughts about nature – which is, after all, our true home. We hope you will enjoy the great reading we offer this month, and every month, on how to protect our precious earth and those that live upon it. Enjoy!

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

Albert Einstein On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it. Jules Renard

Design & Production Courtney Ayers Karen Garland, Graphic Design

I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes. e.e. cummings

Distribution Leigh Anne Woods distribution@nablueridge.com

Nature always wears the color of the spirit. Ralph Waldo Emerson

To contact Natural Awakenings Virginia’s Blue Ridge Edition:

Phone: 540-384-1815 Fax: 540-444-5668 Email: Publisher@NABlueRidge.com 1390 Southside Drive., Suite 118 Salem, VA 24153 NABlueRidge.com Follow us on

Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books. John Lubbock Water is the driving force of all nature.

Leonardo da Vinci There are always flowers for those who want to see them.

Henri Matisse I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.

Henry David Thoreau Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky.

Khalil Gibran I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.

Walt Whitman For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream. Vincent Van Gogh

© 2015 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.

Although some parts of this publication may be reproduced and reprinted, we require that prior permission be obtained in writing.

I’ve loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night. Galileo Galilei

Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is available in selected stores, health and education centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever free publications are generally seen. Please call to find a location near you or if you would like copies placed at your business.

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. Lao Tzu

We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed in the articles and advertisements, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.

We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions are available by sending $15 (for 12 issues) to the above address.

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous. Aristotle

To sit in solitude, to think in solitude with only the music of the stream and the cedar to break the flow of silence, there lies the value of wilderness. John Muir I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.

John Burroughs The earth is what we all have in common.

Wendell Berry

Happy Earth Day and Happy Spring!

Natural Awakenings is printed on recycled newsprint with soybased ink.

Tracy Garland, Publisher

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newsbriefs healthbriefs globalbriefs

Natural Awakenings is your guide to a healthier, more balanced life. In each issue readers find cutting-edge information on natural health, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, green living, creative expression and the products and services that support a healthy lifestyle.

ecotip blueridge greentravel

14 community

12 FARMERS’

16

MARKETS

in the Roanoke Valley

by Anne Piedmont

spotlight

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19 20 22 24 26 28

greenliving healingways healthykids naturalpet calendar resource directory

advertising & submissions HOW TO ADVERTISE To advertise with Natural Awakenings or request a media kit, please contact us at 540-384-1815 or email Publisher@NABlueRidge.com.

Deadline for ads: the 5th of the month.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Email articles, news items and ideas to: Publisher@NABlueRidge.com.

Deadline for editorial: the 1st of the month.

CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Email Calendar Events to: Publisher@NABlueRidge.com. or fax to 540-444-5668.

Deadline for calendar: the 10th of the month.

REGIONAL MARKETS Advertise your products or services in multiple markets!

Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. is a growing franchised family of locally owned magazines serving communities since 1994. To place your ad in other markets call 540-384-1815. For franchising opportunities call 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com.

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14 COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

The Wisdom and Legacy of Cabell Brand

16 NATURE’S

20

WISDOM

Its Lessons Inspire, Heal and Sustain Us

by Christine MacDonald

18 HOME-GROWN ORGANIC MADE EASY

10 Time-Saving Tips for a Healthy Garden

by Barbara Pleasant

20 SPRING

GREENING

Easy Ways to Detox a House

by Lane Vail

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22 EARTH IN PERIL Children Confront Climate Change

by Avery Mack

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24 DOGS WITH

LIBRARY CARDS

Kids Love Reading to Animals

by Sandra Murphy

natural awakenings

April 2015

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newsbriefs Natural Awakenings Earns Top Franchise Business Award

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Virginia Tech Researchers Find Too Many Food Choices Boost Obesity

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new study in mice by researchers in the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic has shown that the environment in which children live may be an equal if not stronger force in determining obesity than their mothers’ diets.

The researchers found that having too many food choices increases the obesity problem. Their findings were recently released in the journal Endocrinology.

“We like variety,” says Deborah Good, an author of the paper and an associate professor of human nutrition, foods and exercise at Virginia Tech. “But when there is a choice, we eat more than when there is not any variety.”

The study can help inform researchers of how natural environment can affect food choices and weight. This information is central to the philosophy of osteopathic medicine, which promote swellness and preventive care in medicine. The team had two sets of mothers – those given a high-fat diet and those given a low-fat diet. The offspring were then given a diet that was high fat, low fat or one in which they had a choice of foods.

But having a choice of either a high-fat or low-fat diet can lead to overeating, the researchers found. These results suggest that if low-fat foods are more readily available, or priced competitively with high-fat and unhealthy foods, even babies born to overweight mothers could counter their prenatal environment and avoid being overweight themselves.

For more information, visit VTNews.

VT.edu/articles.

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NABlueRidge.com

atural Awakenings has been ranked in the best 50 in its size class among 200 companies named in the Franchise Business Review’s 2015 Top Franchises Report. The healthy living magazine was one of five franchise companies cited as best-in-class in the advertising and sales category. To select the top franchises across industries and performance categories, the organization surveyed more than 28,500 franchisees.

“We feel privileged that it was our franchisees’ expression of high satisfaction that earned us this award,” says Sharon Bruckman, CEO of Natural Awakenings Publishing Corp. “Gaining this recognition proves that our process of providing franchisees with editorial, promotional and operational support, partnered with their enthusiastic dedication in individual markets, serves communities well. Together, we are nourishing and growing a healthy living consciousness in America.” The network now encompasses nearly 100 franchisees nationwide and in Puerto Rico.

Franchise Business Review, headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is a national franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and franchise buyer experiences. 2015 marked its 10th annual Top Franchises Report.

For more information, call Anna Romano at 239-530-1377 or visit NaturalAwakeningsMag.com and FranchiseBusinessReview.com. See ad, page XX.

Moonlight Bootlegger 5K at Explore Park

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he Moonlight Bootlegger 5K will be held on April 24 at Explore Park, in Roanoke County. The nighttime race begins with registration from 6:15 to 7:55 p.m., and the first wave of the race begins at 8:20 p.m. A celebration follows.

The Moonlight Bootlegger 5K features candle luminaries along the moonlit path and speakers playing bluegrass music at mile markers. Each participant receives a t-shirt, commemorative mason jar, access to post-race concert and (for those age 21 and over) two drink tickets for a moonshine cocktail. Awards are handmade candlelit lanterns or bottles of moonshine. Everyone, including those under 21, can compete for a prize of homemade pie. Music for the event will be provided by a local bluegrass band.

Organizer Trivium Racing is partnering with nonprofit Leisure Legacy for this event and donating part of the day’s proceeds to the organization. Leisure Legacy was created to assist Roanoke County’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department and make recreation opportunities possible and available to all.

Cost: $28 to $42; registration required. Location: Explore Park, Milepost 115, Blue Ridge Parkway, Roanoke. Bootlegger5K.com.

New App Reminds Blacksburg Residents About Trash, Recyclables and Hazardous Materials

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ast fall, the Town of Blacksburg launched a free app called My Waste for its curbside trash and recycling customers.

With My Waste, Blacksburg residents can check details for regular and special collections and events for spring and fall cleanup, household hazardous waste collection and e-waste days. My Waste is tailored to each user’s neighborhood. Once residents have downloaded the app it can be set it up to provide regular reminders for any of Blacksburg’s collection programs.

For example, residents can set a reminder for the day recycling is collected and set up alerts for household hazardous or electronic waste collection days.

This app can reminded residents about when they need to set out trash and recycling and when hazardous waste can be turned in. It can also answer questions about what can and cannot be recycled.

Residents can download the free My Waste app at m.My-Waste.Mobi/VABlacksburg/. After opening the app, select either the Apple or Android icon on the first screen, depending upon which type of smart phone is used.

The My Waste app was funded by a recycling education grant from the Curbside Value Partnership (CVP) Connect Education Award Program in 2013. The grant program provides resources to selected communities that have been dedicated users of CVP Connect. CVP Connect is a free, online education training tool for recycling coordinators that was launched last year to help communities be more strategic and effective in the promotion of their residential recycling programs.

For more information, visit SustainableBlacksburgVA.org.

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Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway See Less Trash

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ast spring, cleanup volunteers with Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway (FBRP) Roanoke Valley Chapter uncovered 1,189 whipped cream canisters and other trash and recyclables strewn from the J.P. Fishburn area to the top of Roanoke Mountain. The volunteers Cleanup volunteers with the Friends of the learned the canisters were linked to a Blue Ridge Parkway Roanoke Valley Chapter. form of substance abuse called huffing.

At the time, this situation was under investigation by the National Park Service – Blue Ridge Parkway and City of Roanoke Police Department. What followed the FBRP cleanup was press coverage and raised community concern.

In February, the chapter returned to the J.P. Fishburn area, where they found 43 whipped cream cans. “That’s a big difference from what we uncovered last year,” says Heidi Ketler, chapter chair. “We also removed far less trash and recyclables, which also is a good sign.” In all, the recent cleanup netted about 245 pounds of recyclables, mostly glass beer and liquor bottles, and trash, including the canisters and one tire, according to Ketler.

Last year the FBRP volunteers removed a total of 2,200 pounds of trash and 1,377 pounds of recyclables during their series of three Love Your Parkway cleanups. Volunteers of all skill levels are invited to participate in the cleanups throughout the year.

For more information or to volunteer for future cleanups and other events, email Roanoke@FriendsBRP.org or visit FriendsBRP.org. natural awakenings

April 2015

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Update on Proposed Pipeline in Western Virginia

Living Well with the Benefits of Essential Oils

by Sue Lindsey

Living Well Seminar

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Please join us in Welcoming Holistic Practitioner Alexandria Pedersen on Wed April 15th from 6:30pm - 7:30pm for Living Well with the Benefits of Essential Oils. During this workshop Experience several essential oils, their properties and how best to include them in your life! This is a hands on workshop. Bring a friend and plan to have fun. Please join us and discover more!

Space is limited.

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LIFE IN BALANCE OFFERS :

Counseling (Adults, Children, Adolescents, Families, & Couples) • Groups • Massage Reiki • Angel Card Readings • Meditation • Mindfulness • Yoga (Adults & Children)

Per Per son Must pre-register

Check out our website for more details LifeInBalanceCenter.com 125 Akers Farm Rd. Suite D. • Christiansburg

540-381-6215

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1327 Grandin Rd., SW Roanoke Info@GrandinCoLab.com

proposed underground pipeline to transport natural gas through Western Virginia drew nearly 200 people to the Cabell Brand Center’s March 9 forum to hear presentations both for and against the plan.

Rupert Cutler, a member of the CBC board who moderated the forum held at Virginia Western Community College, in Roanoke, said the organizers achieved their goal to present an objective look at the pros and cons of natural gas pipelines.

“We have hosted a balanced presentation of information and views on the subject for attendees to use as they see fit at future meetings with elected officials and in correspondence with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, members of Congress and other policy-makers,” Cutler wrote in an email.

Several pipelines originating in northern West Virginia are proposed, but as of now only one, the Mountain Valley Pipeline, would affect the Roanoke Valley. The exact route for the proposed line has not been established, but it could travel through Giles, Craig, Montgomery, Roanoke and Franklin counties.

The pipeline would have to receive federal approval before it could be built.

The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors recently named a 16-member advisory committee to assist in its review of potential benefits as well as possible adverse effects of a pipeline on citizens, businesses and natural resources, according to the county’s website.

The 300-mile-long line, a joint venture of EQT Corp. and NextEra Energy, would transport natural gas at high pressure through a 42-inch-wide buried pipe to Pittsylvania County in southern Virginia.

A recording of the CBC’s entire March 9 program is available in a set of two DVDs from Roanoke Valley Television (RVTV; see RVTV.org) for $10, according to Cutler.

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of Virginia’s Blue Ridge

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GrandinCoLab.com NABlueRidge.com

For more information, visit CabellBrandCenter.org.

healthbriefs

Acupuncture Increases Quality of Life for Allergy Sufferers

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esearch from Berlin’s Charité University Medical Center suggests that acupuncture is an effective treatment for patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, in 2013, the study analyzed data on the costs and quality of life of 364 allergy patients that had been randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: rescue medication alone (taken when symptoms are greatest); acupuncture treatment plus rescue medication; or sham (nontherapeutic) acupuncture plus rescue medication. Patients receiving acupuncture incurred higher total treatment costs, but also gained significantly more quality of life compared with the rescue medication-only groups.

Strawberries Reduce Blood Pressure

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study published in the World Journal of Diabetes concluded that the regular consumption of a flavonoid-rich strawberry beverage reduces blood pressure in people with Type 2 diabetes. The study divided 36 subjects, all with moderately high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes, into two groups—the first drank the equivalent of one serving of fresh strawberries per day made from freeze-dried berries, and the other group drank the same amount of an imitation strawberry-flavored drink over a six-week period. Blood pressure was tested at the beginning and end of the study for all participants.

At the end, the group drinking the real strawberry beverage registered significantly lower diastolic blood pressure than at the outset; it was also lower than the imitation strawberry group. The average diastolic blood pressure of the group drinking real strawberries went down by 6.5 percent and the systolic dropped by 12 percent. The strawberry-flavored group’s systolic blood pressure was also reduced, but only by 3.7 percent.

THE COLOR GREEN MAKES EXERCISE FEEL EASIER

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esearch from the University of Essex, in England, suggests that viewing natural green images while exercising may be better than being exposed to other colors. The researchers tested 14 people doing moderate-intensity cycling while watching video footage of predominantly gray, red or green imagery. Each of the participants underwent three cycling tests—one with each of the videos— along with a battery of physiological and mood testing.

The researchers found that when the subjects watched the green-colored video, they had better moods, with a lower relative perception of exertion than when they exercised while watching the red and grey videos. They also found those that exercised while watching the red video experienced greater feelings of anger during their exercise.

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NABlueRidge.com

Memory Works Better Reading Real Books

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esearchers from Norway’s Stavanger University and France’s AixMarseille Université found that readers remember a story better if it’s on paper.

The study tested 50 people that read the same 28-page short story. Half of the group read the paper version and the other half read the story on a Kindle e-reader. The researchers discovered that readers of the digital version could not remember details from the story or reconstruct the plot as well as the group that read the paper copy.

The researchers found that the feedback of a Kindle doesn’t provide the same support for mental reconstruction of a story as a print pocket book does. “When you read on paper, you can sense with your fingers a pile of pages on the left growing, and shrinking on the right,” explains Stavanger University’s Anne Mangen, Ph.D. These findings confirm a study performed a year earlier, also led by Mangen. Seventy-two 10th-graders were given text to read either on paper or on a computer screen. The students that read the paper text versions scored significantly higher in reading comprehension testing than those reading digital versions.

Local Toxins Increase Risk of Autism

Olive Oil Boosts Healthy Cholesterol

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onfirming previous findings, a large study from the University of Chicago has found that autism is linked to toxic environmental exposure. The research examined data from nearly a third of the U.S. population, which showed that both autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities increased as exposure increased in region-by-region testing.

The research measured clusters of autism incidence together with exposure rates in different counties and states across the country. The areas with greater environmental toxin exposures had significantly increased autism rates. The correlation was significant among both boys and girls, but stronger among girls. Proximity to urban areas also increased autism incidence. For every 1 percent increase in urbanization, there was about a 3 percent rise in autism and intellectual disabilities. Influential toxins include pesticides, plasticizers, lead and pharmaceuticals.

n an effort to understand what makes olive oil so good for heart health, a study from Europe’s Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group and the U.S. National Institutes of Health has found that olive oil’s polyphenols significantly increase the size of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL) in the blood and enhance the HDL’s ability to inhibit formation of the abnormal fatty deposits, known as plaque, within the walls of arteries. Polyphenols are natural compounds from plants known to help prevent cancer and heart disease.

In the three-week study, researchers isolated the effect of polyphenols by dividing 47 healthy European men into two groups: one ate a diet containing polyphenolpoor olive oil and the other consumed polyphenol-rich olive oil. The enriched diet resulted in increased size, fluidity and stability (resistance to oxidation) of the HDL molecules by reducing their triglyceride core. The researchers note that the oxidation of cholesterol lipids such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is linked with arteriosclerosis.

Affordable Health Care from Mother Nature

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nlike their Eastern counterparts, North American and some European herbalists seek to directly mitigate health issues or facilitate specific bodily functions using particular plants, roots and barks. Native Americans embraced the belief that Mother Nature provides, contending that the herbs of a local environment provide for all of the needs of the people dwelling there. For example, snake weed is prevalent in the Southwest, where encounters with rattlesnakes are frequent. Herbs such as comfrey, arnica and sage, which are found from coast to coast, are used to heal wounds, relieve pain and get rid of parasites, maladies common to people everywhere, according to the Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine.

Every culture in the world has developed and maintained a system of healing based on their indigenous plants, relying on these natural pharmaceutical entities for thousands of years. A human that lived 5,000 years ago found preserved in ice in 1991 was carrying herbs and mushrooms to mitigate health conditions that scientists confirmed were present in his body.

Despite their effective use for millennia, many modern-day people still question the efficacy and safety of medicinal herbs. Instead of looking to pharmaceutical companies—born of an industry with less than 200 years of experience—to handle our healthcare needs, perhaps the real affordable care act can be found in the plants, roots and barks provided by Mother Nature.

For more information, call 888-465-4404 or visit NaturesRiteRemedies.com. See ad, page XX. natural awakenings

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globalbriefs News and resources to inspire concerned citizens to work together in building a healthier, stronger society that benefits all.

Curbside Composting No Food Scraps Need Go to Waste People in the United States waste more than a third of all of the food they produce, but more than 180 cities and towns are beginning to realize that wasted food can be valuable; they are asking residents to separate unwanted food from the rest of their trash and put it in a curbside compost bin. The idea is to stop sending food waste to the landfill, where it generates harmful methane gas pollution, and start turning it into something useful, like compost.

In 2011, Portland, Oregon, launched a curbside compost program in which residents are encouraged to put food scraps into the city’s green yard waste bin.

Since then, the amount of garbage sent to the landfill has decreased by 37 percent.

According to Bruce Walker, the city’s solid waste and recycling program manager, the program also reduces the environmental footprint of the trash heap.

Getting people to separate their food waste, however, can be difficult. To motivate its residents to put more food waste in the compost bin, the city of Seattle, Washington, has proposed both making curbside composting mandatory and fining residents a dollar every time they put a disproportionate volume of food waste in their trash.

Source: NetNebraska.org

Thriving Eco-Towns Malaysian Villages Model Sustainability

photo by MIGHT

Innovations being successfully pioneered in Malaysia offer ideas for improving the world, according to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), including the construction of high-tech, self-sustaining ecological “smart” villages.

These villages are lifting incomes for scores of rural families while promoting environmental sustainability. Each 50acre community consists of about 100 affordable homes, advanced educational, training and recreational facilities and an integrated, sustainable farm system that provides villagers with food and employment that on average, triples their monthly income.

Low-cost, 1,000-square-foot homes are built in 10 days and the communal farming operations include a cascading series of fish tanks, or “aquafarms”.

Filtered fish tank wastewater irrigates trees, grain fields and high-value plants grown in “autopots”, a three-piece container with a valve that detects soil moisture levels and releases water as required, reducing the need for fertilizers and pesticides. Free-range chickens feed on the fast-reproducing worms that process the plant compost.

This system optimizes nutrient absorption, minimizes waste and enables crops to be grown on previously non-arable land. The village’s solar-generated power is complemented by biomass energy and mini-hydro electricity. A community hall, resource center, places of worship, playgrounds and educational facilities equipped with 4G Internet service support e-learning and e-health services.

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NABlueRidge.com

Corporate Do-Gooders U.S. Recognizes Companies for Earth-Sound Policies Each year, the U.S. Department of State presents Awards for Corporate Excellence recognizing U.S.-owned businesses that play vital roles worldwide as good corporate citizens. Parameters include supporting sustainable development, respect for human and labor rights, environmental protection, open markets, transparency and other democratic values.

The 2014 winners, announced last December, include the EcoPlanet Bamboo Group, in Nicaragua, for fostering sustainable development by regenerating degraded pasturelands.

The company dedicates 20 percent of its plantations as natural habitat that protects biodiversity by prohibiting illegal hunting. EcoPlanet also focuses on employing persons with disabilities and empowering women through recruitment to managerial positions.

Wagner Asia Equipment, LLC, in Mongolia, a heavy equipment dealership, is recognized for its commitment to public/private partnerships with Mongolia’s local and national governments designed to protect the environment. Initiatives include planting more than 900 trees, conducting workshops for students on environment and ecology, implementing a project to build a community garden and rehabilitating a toxic waste site.

Other finalists include the Coca-Cola Company, in the Philippines; Chevron Corporation, in Burma; ContourGlobal, in Togo; General Electric, in South Africa; General Electric International, in Tunisia; GlassPoint Solar, in Oman; and the Linden Centre, in China.

For more information on finalists, visit Tinyurl.com/ACE2014Finalists.

ecotip Sustainable Shopping Tips Smart Choices Help Our Home Planet The buy local movement and popularity of local farmers’ markets continue to grow, but we can do even better when it comes to sustainable shopping. A recent Greendex.com survey on environmental impacts of consumer behaviors in 18 countries reports that more Americans are eating local and organic foods and say they’re going to consume less meat and bottled water.

Nevertheless, we continue to eat the most processed and packaged foods and the fewest fruits and vegetables of all the countries surveyed. Evidently, we need to literally put our money where our mouths are.

The Greendex survey cites several basic ways to make our diets more sustainable. These include eating more vegetables and less beef and lamb (recognizing the greater environmental impact of raising animals); participating and supporting community supported agriculture and fishery initiatives; economizing meal planning; and storing food properly in the refrigerator to maximize space and freshness periods.

When grocery shopping, peruse the perimeter aisles first, where whole foods are stocked, instead of the interior shelves, which typically comprise processed foods according to MotherEarthLiving.com.

More cooperation between the public and private sectors and individual involvement can also increase sustainability in communities around the world.

Rachael Durrant, Ph.D., a research fellow with the UK-based Sustainable Lifestyles Research Group, cites in a recent paper the need for improved understanding of the key roles that civil society organizations play within processes of large-scale social change and warned that many communities are vulnerable to grave environmental and social risks.

Durrant lauds “greener, fairer and healthier practices, such as community gardening or cookery classes,� plus “those that change the rules of the game through campaigns or lobbying to coordinate and facilitate activities of other groups.� Supporting food and farming management that’s independent, cooperative and welcomes volunteers, for example, is highly beneficial.

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April 2015

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blueridgegreentravel

place,” says Mike Stevens, the city’s communications director. Vendors sell local fresh produce, home-baked good, flowers, honey, eggs, beef and cheese.

“It’s a producers’ market,” adds Laura Reilly, Salem’s horticulturist and market director. She says the market focuses on agriculture and agriculture-based products grown or produced within 100 miles of Salem.

The City of Salem, which operates the market, offers events throughout the year to bring in visitors. For the past seven years, Stevens says, they have held a Chef’s Circle on Saturdays in the summer. The chefs use a “kitchen on wheels” – an actual

FARMERS’ MARKETS in the Roanoke Valley

by Anne Piedmont

Fresh, locally grown and produced food is available in every corner of the Roanoke Valley – in some places all year long, but especially from April into the fall.

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hile the HISTORIC ROANOKE CITY MARKET has been around since 1882 and is known to be the oldest continuously operating open-air market in Virginia, there are markets in neighborhoods throughout the city,

Photo credit: Anne Piedmont. The Historic Roanoke City Market has been selling local food since 1882.

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as well as in Salem and Vinton and at the Greenbrier Nursery in south Roanoke County.

The first City of Roanoke Charter formally authorized a municipally owned market in 1884, and since then it has become the heart of the city, offering fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants during the growing season, as well as handcrafted items, art and jewelry. It is the site of numerous festivals and celebrations during the year, drawing local shoppers and visitors alike. The Historic Roanoke City Market is open all year (except Christmas and New Year’s Day), seven days a week.

THE SALEM FARMERS’ MARKET, located at the corner of Main and Broad Streets in the downtown district, opened in 1992.

“It has become a real gathering

NABlueRidge.com

Photo credit: Anne Piedmont. Chef’s Circle cooking demonstrations at the Salem City Market on summer Saturdays.

kitchen from a house that was torn down, complete with running water, gas and a refrigerator. Local chefs demonstrate how to cook with the available fresh ingredients. Other events include a monthly concert series called Salem After Five, and an informal bluegrass music session on Saturday nights. “Pickers just show up and an audience gathers to listen,” Stevens says.

New this year, according to Reilly, is an effort to incorporate community health into the market activities.

She’s planning to partner with local nonprofit organizations to offer screenings as well as healthy cooking demonstrations. The Salem Farmers’ Market is open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., from April to December, and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, January through March.

THE VINTON FARMERS’ MARKET, owned and operated by the town, has been around since 1988. Like the City and Salem markets, it has become a community center, says Mary Beth Layman, market manager and special projects director for the Town of Vinton. Located at 204 West Lee Street, the market offers produce from within 100 miles of Vinton. While it is foodcentered, Layman says special arts and crafts events bring out a large number of artists and craftspeople.

In addition to covered stalls with tables for vendors, the market area also features a permanent stage at for concerts and special events, which are held throughout the year. One of those events, “Shake, Bake and Sprout,” is offered for children and held in June, July and August. Layman says the three sessions focus on such things as container gardens, making healthy snacks and fun exercises.

The Vinton market, Layman adds, has a dedicated core of shoppers who come to see each other as much as the vendors. “I enjoy seeing neighbors, friends and many generations of families come to the market for events and shopping,” she says. The market is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week from April through October, though Layman says the hours increase during the summer.

It marked its first anniversary on March 22, says owner Jim Monroe.

Greenbrier’s Roanoke market and its other market in Beckley, West Virginia, grew out of the economic downturn in 2008 and 2009. Monroe saw it as a way to promote local food and bring more shoppers into the two nurseries.

He says the Roanoke County location offers a convenient location and the ability to create a year-round space for the variety of vendors who produce and sell prepared food.

Greenbrier also offers space to grow food (which it also sells), and plots that families can rent to grow their own food. And, Monroe says, his staff will till the land, water it the plot and clean it up in the fall, not to mention offer expertise for novice gardeners.

Other farmers’ markets in the Roanoke Valley include: Both the GRANDIN VILLAGE AND WEST END COMMUNITY MARKETS feature certified and noncertified organic vegetables, fruit, herbs, seasonal seedlings, cheese, pasture-raised/grass-fed chicken, beef, pork, and lamb, regional seafood, locally roasted coffee, artisan homemade breads, muffins, baked goods, hot-prepared foods and cut flowers. The Grandin market is open

8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays from April through October and is located at the corner of Westover Avenue and Grandin Road, in Roanoke. The West End market also holds free cooking demonstrations every Tuesday throughout the summer. It is open from 3 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday all year long, and is located at 1210 Patterson Avenue, in Roanoke.

The LICK RUN PUBLIC MARKET sells certified and noncertified organic vegetables and fruit, herbs and eggs. Goods are produced on the Lick Run Urban Farm or within 100 miles of the market location. The market is open from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday from April through October, and is located at 1626 10th Street NW, in Roanoke.

Most of the local farmers’ markets accept SNAP-EBT benefits. And most of the local food is grown or produced within 100 miles.

For more information, visit DowntownRoanoke.org/City-Market, Market.SalemVA.gov, VintonVA. gov, GreenbrierNurseries.com, LeapForLocalFood.org, LickRun.org.

Anne Piedmont is a writer and research associate based in Roanoke. For more information, visit PiedmontResearchAssociates.com.

Photo credit: Anne Piedmont. The Farm to Table Market at Greenbrier Nurseries is open year-round.

One of the newest entries to the local farmers’ market scene is the FARM TO TABLE MARKET AT GREENBRIER NURSERIES, on Starkey Road in Roanoke County. natural awakenings

April 2015

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communityspotlight

The Wisdom and Legacy of Cabell Brand

Here are some excerpts from Brand’s motivating book.

“My ultimate goal is simple: To exhort by example and challenge the current generation to begin thinking, planning and organizing to create, sustain and strengthen the American society, with the equal opportunity we want and expect our children, and their children, to inherit.”

T

he Roanoke Valley lost one of its local heroes in January when Salem native Cabell Brand, philanthropic businessman and longtime champion of many causes and many people, passed away at the age of 91. His decades of community service reflected the social and environmental issues he and his late wife, Shirley, cared about so deeply.

Brand was perhaps best known as the founder of Total Action Against Poverty, now called Total Action for Progress (TAP), which he established in 1965. TAP created the first Head Start program in Virginia. Brand also founded the Cabell Brand Center for International Poverty and Resource Sustainability Studies, which sponsors projects, workshops and presentations on environmental and social justice concerns, and which offers annual scholarships to college students.

In 2008, Brand published the book If Not Me, Then Who? With its empowering subtitle – How You

author’s “get involved” philosophy and experience that he had gained throughout his life.

Can Help with Poverty, Economic Opportunity, Education, Healthcare, Environment, Racial Justice, and Peace Issues in America – it serves as a handbook for activism, based on the

“. . . I have come to believe that we are all in this enterprise together, making the best we can of our common lot with all humankind sharing this planet. I have come to believe that we have within our power – our intellect, our experience, our technology, our connectedness as human beings – to make the world a better, more promising place for us and for those who will come after us.

Indeed, I believe we have a moral we well as a practical obligation to do so. I have learned not to trust the easy instinct toward premature judgment. Many people lack a basic understanding of the plight of others who, for reasons often beyond their

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control, find themselves in the misfortune of poverty. Some people, unfortunately, are so captive of their ignorance that they simply don’t care. Failing, much less refusing, to understand and care about the plight of so many is especially selfdefeating in a society that proclaims its dedication to equal opportunity for everyone.

“From nearly half a century of founding and working with community action agencies, I have learned that almost every man and woman desires to succeed. They just need a chance. I have experienced the satisfaction of helping to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of people seeking a “hand up,” and not a handout. When those who are weak are made stronger, then the community’s shared burdens – and its opportunities – become not only more bearable but also more promising and productive.”

“I am urging a new generation to take up the torch and to lead our return to the path toward

Cabell and Shirley Brand

greater opportunity for everyone, including the growing numbers of the dispossessed who are beginning to lose ground. I believe it is crucial to keep faith with those who paved the way for us, who gave meaning and purpose to the phrase ‘equal opportunity,’ and I hope in this book to challenge, exhort and encourage all – regardless of the generation into which they were born – who desire to keep that faith as they fashion the strategies to confront age-old problems with imagination, innovation, determination and vigor.”

“No achievement of enduring value in life – personal, corporate, civic – is possible without effort, struggle and difficulty. I have known the uncertainty of a growing business under financial strain. I have been the target of debasement and threats arising from bigotry and racial enmity. I have suffered the agony of the tragic deaths of four children. Yet those ordeals opened to me priceless insights and taught me valuable lessons about patience, perseverance, resilience and determination.

“I hope that those who read this book will come to appreciate, as I have, that each generation contributes to our ‘more perfect union’ when dedicated people respond to their world by confronting problems that require ‘we,’ not just ‘me,’ as an essential part of building an enduring, prosperous and just future for ourselves and for those who will follow.”

For more information, visit CabellBrandCenter.org.

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natural awakenings

April 2015

15

Nature’s Wisdom Its Lessons Inspire, Heal and Sustain Us

by Christine MacDonald

The environment is not separate from ourselves; we are inside it and it is inside us; we make it and it makes us. ~ Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, Amazon shaman

W

hile the idea that we humans stand apart from—or even above—nature is a prevailing theme in much of modern civilization, naturalists and other clever souls throughout the ages have observed that the opposite is true: We are part of, depend on and evolve with nature— and we ignore this vital connection at our peril.

“If one way is better than another, that you may be sure is nature’s way,” admonished the Greek philosopher Aristotle, in the third century B.C.E. “Time destroys the speculation of men, but it confirms the judgment of nature,” Roman politician and philosopher Cicero ruminated two centuries later.

Nobel Prize-winning physicist and philosopher Albert Einstein remarked, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

Today, more of us are looking to nature for ways to improve physical, mental and emotional health, develop

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intelligence, innovate, overhaul how we build homes and neighborhoods, and raise our children.

Healthful Nature As Henry David Thoreau wrote in his classic 1854 book Walden, “We need the tonic of wildness.”

While we know firsthand how walking in the woods can elevate mood, scientists have documented that a regular dose of nature has other far-reaching benefits. It can lower stress hormone levels, blood pressure and undesirable cholesterol; help heal neurological problems; hasten fuller recovery from surgery and heart attacks; increase cancer-fighting white blood cells; and generally aid overall health (Health Promotion International research report; also Nippon Medical School study, Tokyo).

Regular playtime outdoors helps children cope with hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders, accord-

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ing to research published in Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care.

Exposure to nature can help adults escape from today’s wired lives; reinvigorate, be fitter and less likely to suffer from obesity, diabetes and heart disease, as reported in studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and a University of Washington research summary. It can also unlock understanding of the spiritual essence of life.

Hours regularly spent by youth outdoors stimulate imagination and creativity and enhance cognitive development, helping them learn.

Nature also helps youngsters develop social awareness, helping them better navigate human relations (Tinyurl.com/ OutdoorHealthBenefits Research).

“It’s strange and kind of sad that we are so removed from nature that we actually have to ask why nature is good for us,” says Dr. Eva Selhub, a lecturer at Harvard Medical School, author of the new book Your Health Destiny, and co-author of Your Brain on Nature. “The fact is our brains and bodies are wired in concert with nature.”

Recognition of nature’s positive effects has grown so much in recent years that physicians increasingly write their patients “prescriptions” to go hiking in the woods, counting on the healthy exercise and exposure to sunlight, nature and soothing views to address health problems stemming from poor diets and sedentary lifestyles. Healthcare clinics and hospitals in Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Indianapolis, Albuquerque, New Mexico, California’s Bay Area and elsewhere have launched Prescription Trails programs aimed at objectives from preventing obesity in children to healthful activities for retirees (Tinyurl. com/AmericanHealthTrails).

Bestselling author Richard Louv calls the positive nature effect “vitamin N” in The Nature Principle. He contends: “Many of us, without having a name for it, are using the nature tonic.

We are, in essence, self-medicating with an inexpensive and unusually convenient drug substitute.”

Such ideas are commonly accepted in many cultures. The Japanese believe in the restorative power of shinrinyoku, which could be translated as “forest medicine” or “forest bathing”.

Indigenous peoples like the Brazilian tribe led by Shaman Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, fighting to preserve their land and way of life in the Amazon, profess to be at one with the innate riches of sustainable rainforests (SurvivalInternational.org/parks).

Innovative Nature Scientists, inventors and other innovators are increasingly inspired by nature.

Biomimicry, part social movement and part burgeoning industry, looks to how Earth’s natural systems work and solve problems. University of Utah researchers, inspired by the durable homes built by sandcastle worms, are creating a synthetic glue that one day could help repair fractured bones. Architectural components manufacturer Panelite makes energy-efficient insulated glass by mimicking the hexagonal structure that bees use in honeycombs. (Find other precedents at Tinyurl.com/ BiomimicryCaseExamples).

The inspiration for biomimicry comes from many places, says Dayna Baumeister, Ph.D. co-founder of Biomimicry 3.8, a Missoula, Montana, company working with other companies and universities to propel biomimicry into the mainstream.

“People are recognizing that they’ve been disconnected to the natural world,” she says. “We also realize that [as a species] we are in trouble.

We don’t have all the answers, but we can look to other species for inspira-

Scientific studies show that a regular dose of nature has far-reaching health benefits. More doctors now write “nature” prescriptions for their patients. tion” for clearing pollutants from our bodies and environments.

Plants and fungi are now commonly used to clean up old industrial sites that resemble nature’s way of removing pollutants from water and soil. A University of California, Berkeley, meta-study confirms that farmers currently using organic farming methods and solar power achieve roughly the same crop yields as conventional techniques with far less dependence on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gases and petrochemical pesticide and fertilizer pollution.

Cyclical Nature These breakthrough technologies emulate the way nature uses the building blocks of life in an endless cycle of birth, reproduction, decay and rebirth.

It’s part of a broad rethinking of the principles behind sustainability— building, manufacturing and living in greater harmony with natural systems, perhaps eventually eliminating landfills, air and water pollution, and toxic site cleanups.

“A toxin is a material in the wrong place,” says architect William McDonough, of Charlottesville, Virginia.

The only individual recipient of the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development, he is co-author of Cradleto-Cradle, a groundbreaking book that calls for re-envisioning even the nastiest waste, and The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability—Designing for Abundance.

McDonough imagines a world where waste becomes raw material for new buildings, furniture and other goods— akin to how a forest reuses every deceased tree and animal to nourish the ecosystem and spawn new life.

With 80 percent of U.S. residents currently living in urban areas, architects, builders and municipal planners are likewise pivoting toward nature, prompted by the scientific evidence of the many ways that human health and general well-being rely upon it. While this contact is preferably the kind of “stopping by woods” that inspired New England poet Robert Frost, even a walk in a city park will work.

“Urban nature, when provided as parks and walkways and incorporated into building design, provides calming and inspiring environments and encourages learning, inquisitiveness and alertness,” reports the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, in Green Cities: Good Health.

The American Planning Association stresses the importance of integrating green space into urban neighborhoods. Not only does so-called “metro nature” improve air and water quality and reduce urban heat island effects, urban wilds such as Pittsburgh’s Nine Mile Run and Charlotte, North Carolina’s Little Sugar Creek Greenway also restore natural connections in densely populated city centers.

natural awakenings

April 2015

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Man is everywhere a disturbing agent. Wherever he plants his foot, the harmonies of nature are turned to discord. The proportions and accommodations that ensured the stability of existing arrangements are overthrown. Of all organic beings, man alone is to be regarded as essentially a destructive power. ~George Perkins Marsh, Man and Nature (1864)

Natural Intelligence A growing number of scientists say that research about our place in nature has sparked fresh thinking about our role and devastated quaint notions about our species’ superiority. “Single-celled slime molds solve mazes. Brainless plants make correct decisions and bees with brains the size of pinheads handle abstract concepts,” points out Anthropologist Jeremy Narby, author of the groundbreaking book Intelligence in Nature.

At a national conference of Bioneers, an organization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and San Francisco that gathers nature-minded social and scientific innovators, Narby said: “We are nearly identical to many animals.

Many behaviors once thought to be exclusively human are shared by other species. The zone of the specifically human, as determined by science, has been shrinking.”

We haven’t lost the ability to tap that primal animal inside, even if most of us are more likely to “venture into the forest” by watching a movie or playing video games. We may feel cut off from our instincts, but studies show time in the woods can do wonders to restore the keenness of our senses to

connect with the subtle changes in natural habitat, the movements of other species and the changing seasons.

The rise of human civilizations may have taken “survival of the fittest” in new directions, often decidedly tamer ones, but experts ranging from scientific researchers to lifestyle analysts say humankind is still hardwired by our more primitive past. Despite the ingenious ways we’ve devised to exploit other life forms, capitalize on Earth’s resources and protect ourselves from nature’s sometimes terrifying power, our fate remains linked to natural laws and limits, from nurturing our body’s immune system to resolving planet-sized problems like climate change. “‘Nature’ is our natural environment,” according to Selhub. We don’t have to move to the country to reconnect, she says. “Even spending 20 minutes a day outside has an effect.”

Houseplants, nature photos and aromatherapy Earth scents can also help indoor environments better reflect our own nature.

The wealth of research and common sense wisdom is aptly summed up by celebrated author Wendell Berry in The Long-Legged House. “We have

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True-Life ‘Aha!’ Reads 10 Lessons from Nature to Inspire Our Everyday Lives

by David Miller, Tinyurl.com/10InspiringLessons FromNature 9 Amazing Lessons from Nature to Inspire Your Everyday Life

by Annie Hauser, Tinyurl.com/9InspiringLessons FromNature Intelligence in Nature

by Jeremy Narby Life Lessons from Nature

by Elvis Newman Cathedrals of the Spirit

by T. C. McLuhan Your Brain on Nature

by Eva Selhub lived our lives by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. We have been wrong.

We must change our lives so that it’ll be possible to live by the contrary assumption, that what is good for the world will be good for us. And that requires we make the effort to know the world and learn what is good for it.”

Christine MacDonald is a freelance journalist in Washington, D.C., whose specialties include health and science.

Visit ChristineMacDonald.info.

greenliving

Home-Grown Organic Made Easy 10 Time-Saving Tips for a Healthy Garden

by Barbara Pleasant

Organic gardening experts share strategies for growing a great garden and having a life, too.

T

he arrival of planting season has a stunning effect on veggie gardeners.

We talk to our seedlings as if they were children, and don’t mind working until dark if that’s what it takes to get the fingerling potatoes in the ground. Then, complications like crabgrass and cabbageworms appear, and keeping up with all the details feels impossible. We can lighten looming chores by using these time-saving tips, which will reduce later workloads when storms and the hot summer sun threaten to squelch the magic.

Mulch to reduce watering and prevent weeds. “You can cut your watering time in half by mulching crops with a threeto-four-inch layer of straw or shredded leaves,” says Niki Jabbour, award-winning author of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener and Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans That Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden. “Crops like tomatoes, potatoes, kale, broccoli, cucumbers and squash all benefit from a deep mulch, which reduces the need to water and also prevents weeds, saving even more time.”

Grow herbs in convenient containers. Family cooks will harvest kitchen herbs every day, in all kinds of weather,

so don’t waste footsteps. Grow some parsley, basil and other herbs in large containers near the kitchen door.

Try promising perennials. Plant them once, and vegetables like asparagus and rhubarb come back year after year in cold winter climates like the Midwest and Northeast. Where winters are mild, artichokes or chayote (pear squash) are long-lived and productive. Many resilient herbs will return each spring, too, including sage, mints, thyme and oregano. Tarragon and marjoram make trusty perennial herbs in the Sun Belt.

Stock up on organic seeds. “As a year-round vegetable gardener, I try to come up with a list of all the seeds I’ll need for every season when I place annual seed orders,” Jabbour says. “That way, I will place fewer orders and have everything on hand at the proper planting time, saving both time and money.”

Organic seeds in consumer seed catalogs and retail racks won’t be genetically modified or treated with pesticides.

Be generous with organic compost.

With each planting, mix in organic compost along with a balanced organic fertilizer. Food crops grown in organically

enriched soil are better able to resist challenges from pests and diseases, which simplifies summer tasks.

Grow flowers to attract beneficial insects. Reducing or eliminating pesticides and increasing plantings of flowers can radically improve the balance between helpful and harmful insects in a garden. Horticulturist Jessica Walliser, co-host of Pittsburgh’s The Organic Gardeners KDKA radio show and author of Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, recommends starting with sweet alyssum, an easy-to-grow annual that can be tucked into the edges of beds or added to mixed containers.

“The tiny blossoms of sweet alyssum are adept at supporting several species of the non-stinging parasitic wasps that help keep aphids and other common pests in check,” Walliser says. In warm climates where they are widely grown, crape myrtles have been found to serve as nurseries for lady beetles, lacewings and other beneficial insects.

Protect plants with fabric barriers.

Pest insects seeking host plants won’t find cabbage or kale if they’re hidden beneath hoops covered with fine-mesh fabric like wedding net (tulle) or garden fabric row cover. “Cover the plants the day they are transplanted into the garden,” advises Walliser. As long as the edges are securely tucked in, row covers will also protect plants from wind, hail, rabbits and deer.

Hoe briefly each day. Commit 10 minutes a day to hoeing. While slicing down young weeds, hill up soil over potatoes or clean up beds ready to be replanted. Look out for small problems to correct before they become big ones.

No more misplaced tools. Time is often wasted searching for lost weeders, pruning shears and other hand tools, which are easier to keep track of when painted in bright colors or marked with colored tape. Jabbour uses a tool stash basket placed at the garden entrance.

Stop to smell the flowers. Use moments saved to sit quietly, relax and soak up the sights, sounds and smells of the garden. Pausing to listen to the birds or watch a honeybee work a flower is part of the earned reward of any healthy garden that can’t be measured by the pound.

Barbara Pleasant, the author of numerous green thumb books, including Starter Vegetable Gardens: 24 No-Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens, grows vegetables, herbs and fruits in Floyd, Virginia.

Connect at BarbaraPleasant.com. natural awakenings

April 2015

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healingways

Spring Greening Easy Ways to Detox a House

by Lane Vail

F

or most individuals, odorous chemicals are simply unpleasant. For those that are sensitive and susceptible, however, even common chemical exposures may evoke a toxicant-induced loss of tolerance (TILT) marked by multiplesystem symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, autoimmune disease, asthma, depression and food intolerance. Since the post-World War II expansion of petrochemicals, the incidence of TILT has increased dramatically, says Claudia Miller, a medical doctor, researcher and professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and

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co-author of Chemical Exposures: Low Levels and High Stakes.

“Fortunately, public awareness has also grown significantly in the last few years,” says Rick Smith, Ph.D., a Canadian environmentalist who co-authored Toxin Toxout. “Now companies and governments worldwide are moving toward making safer products.”

We can support progress by leveraging some practical tips in greening our home.

Start somewhere. Many volatile organic compounds (VOC) that include formaldehyde and benzene are concealed in household items such as

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couches, chairs, particleboard furniture, mattresses, box springs, carpeting, rugs, synthetic flooring, wallpaper and paint.

Green TV host and Fresh Living author Sara Snow implores us not to become overwhelmed, disheartened or fearful.

“Creating a healthy home is a gradual process that doesn’t require throwing all the furniture out,” she advises. Start by scrutinizing labels and choosing not to bring new toxins in.

For example, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is widely found to be associated with reproductive toxicity and is found in many waterproofed and flexible plastics. Select PVC-free toys, shower curtain liners and mattress covers.

In the kitchen, avoid potentially carcinogenic perfluorinated chemicals (PFC) found in nonstick coatings of pots and pans. Toss the Teflon when it scratches, says Snow, and upgrade to stainless steel or cast iron. Weed out bisphenols, the DNA-disrupting chemicals found in plastics and epoxy resin can liners. Even “BPA-free” products likely contain alternative and equally harmful substances, according to a recent study published in Chemosphere. Choose clear glass instead of plastic containers.

When remodeling, look for zeroVOC items, Miller says, plus materials free of stain-resistant sprays and flame retardants whose efficacy is questionable. Consider natural fiber rugs like jute or wool. Forest Stewardship Council-certified hardwoods or alternative flooring like cork or glass tile are safer investments in long-term well-being.

Clean green. Conventional cleaners are among the worst offenders, and even some “eco-cleaners” can be deceptively unsafe, says Smith. He recommends avoiding antibacterial products containing triclosan, which

proliferates antibiotic-resistant bacteria that prolong and exacerbate illnesses, as well as phthalates, a chemical oil that carries artificial aromas and has been repeatedly linked to cancer and abnormal fetal development. “Even so-called natural fragrances are often complex petrochemicals that outgas and contaminate the air,” notes Miller.

Snow advises formulating products at home using staple pantry ingredients, including distilled white vinegar for disinfecting, baking soda for scouring, liquid castile soap for sudsing, lemon juice for degreasing and olive oil for polishing.

Freshen with fresh air. Americans spend about 90 percent of their time amid indoor air pollutants that are significantly more concentrated than outdoor pollutants, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports. “Most energy-efficient homes are well sealed with ventilation systems that recirculate indoor air, so opening the windows helps dilute accumulated airborne toxins,” says Miller. Snow further recommends bringing air-purifying plants into the home such as Gerbera daisies, bamboo palms and English ivy.

Even small changes can measurably reduce your family’s daily exposure to health-damaging chemicals. ~Rick Smith Vacuum and dust. Vacuuming with a high-efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filter and dusting with a moist cloth eliminates allergens such as pet dander, mites, pollen and mold, and helps remove phthalates, flame retardants, lead and pesticides that “latch onto house dust and accumulate in dust bunnies,” says Smith.

Weed out lawn chemicals. “Organophosphate pesticides are profoundly neurotoxic,” says Miller, especially to the developing brains of children.

Instead try integrated pest management, which involves controlling pests’ food sources and applying non-toxic deterrents. Eliminating potentially carcinogenic herbicides might mean managing more weeds, says Snow, but it’s worth it.

Eat green. “Buying produce as close to its source as possible, from a farmer

or farmers’ market, provides threefold benefits,” says Snow—less wasteful packaging, reduced exposure to chemical plastics and greater concentration of health-promoting nutrients. Buy in bulk and favor glass containers or rectangular cardboard cartons.

Take tests. Radon, an invisible, odorless gas that can emanate from the ground and accumulate in homes, annually causes 21,000 U.S. lung cancer deaths, according to the U.S. EPA. Lead, a neurotoxin that may occasionally leach from home water pipes, can also hide in pre-1978 paint. Testing for both and implementing reduction or precautionary measures is simple, advises Smith. Most hardware stores stock test kits.

Take action. Join with other concerned citizens by launching a pertinent petition at Change.org; campaigning with organizations like the Environmental Working Group (ewg. org) or Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families (SaferChemicals.org); and supporting cleaner, greener companies with family purchases.

Lane Vail is a freelance writer and blogger at DiscoveringHomemaking.com.

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Forward Good Change Today

4 4

Reuse more, buy less. Less trash equals less pollution.

Bike or walk, instead of driving. Don’t use the car at least one day a week. Less use of fossil fuels equals less drilling, fracking and oil spills.

healthykids

EARTH IN PERIL Children Confront Climate Change

by Avery Mack

4

Substitute a planet-healing activity for the usual after school program. Replace lawns with native plants, which need less water and no mowing. Email manufacturers to urge them to use less packaging and plastic, auto makers to produce more fuel-efficient cars, grocery stores to carry more locally sourced foods and ban plastic bags, and government agencies to improve pollution control measures.

4

When eating meat, make sure the animals were humanely and locally raised, not factory farmed.

4

For fish, factory farmed is preferred when farmers are vetted by watchdog agencies for being devoid of disease, pollution and heavy metals; clean fish are especially rare among international providers.

Learn more at Tinyurl.com/ SustainableFishFarming.

4

Support wildlife. Help hatchling sea turtles make their way to the sea. Predators and man are the biggest threats— only one in 1,000 hatchlings reach adulthood. Plant milkweed to feed monarch butterflies. Use natural insect repellants like basil or marigolds instead of killer sprays.

4

Speak out and speak up.

Search c2es.org/scienceimpacts/basics/kids for event ideas and resources.

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T

his month, Home ence, according to UniWe only have Box Office (HBO), versity of South Carolina in collaboration with one home. If we statistician John Grego.

New York City’s American “The globe is warmer Museum of Natural History, mess this one up, than it has been in the last will air the new documen100 years,” says climate where do we tary, Saving My Tomorrow. scientist Jennifer Francis, go next?

Scientists representing Ph.D., of Rutgers Univerthe museum discuss how sity, in New Jersey. “Any ~Hippocrates, age 8 wisps of doubt that human temperature change affects life on Planet Earth, but the activities are at fault are majority of voices are those of children. now gone with the wind.”

Their words cry out for universal action to prevent them from inheriting what At Sea they believe is a dying planet in desper“We do more damage to the planet ate need of healing. than we think.” ~Peri, age 9

In the Atmosphere

“We need to know the truth, because adults clearly aren’t doing enough to stop this.” ~Zoe, age 12 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA recently announced that last year was the hottest in 135 years of recordkeeping, with rising ocean temperatures driving the global heat index.

Nine of the 10 hottest years have occurred since 2000. The odds of this taking place randomly are about 650 million to 1, especially without an El Nino influ-

NABlueRidge.com

In the same 100 years, sea levels have risen seven inches, mostly due to expansion as the water warms. “We have over 2 million preserved fish in our collection. We study them to see the effect of temperature change,” says Melanie Stiassny, Ph.D., curator of ichthyology at the museum. “The mummichog fish is less than an inch long. It’s a bottom feeder and that’s where pollution like mercury lies. When the water is warm, fish eat more and mercury is stored in their bodies.” The contaminants move up the food chain, bringing the effects of pollution to our dinner table.

A 2006 study by Nicola Beaumont, Ph.D., with the Plymouth Marine Laboratory UK, found that 29 percent of the oceans’ edible fish and seafood species have declined by 90 percent in the past 100 years. The international team of ecologists and economists led by Boris Worm, Ph.D., of Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, predict total saltwater fish extinction by 2048 due to overfishing, pollution, habitat loss and climate change. Rising ocean acidity due to absorption of increasing carbon dioxide and other emissions from burning fossil fuels impacts creatures large and small, like dissolving the shell of the tiny sea butterfly, a vital link in the ocean’s food chain.

Americans currently consume 4.5 billion pounds of seafood each year.

On Land “Each species was put here for a reason.

We are the caretakers.” ~a youth at a climate rally Scientists look back to look ahead.

Henry David Thoreau fell in love with the wilderness around Concord, Massachusetts, 160 years ago. From

his renowned journals, scientists know when flowers like the pink lady slipper (Cypripedium acaule), bird’s-foot violets (Viola pedata) or golden ragworts (Packera aurea) used to bloom. Today, with temperatures six degrees Fahrenheit warmer than in Thoreau’s time, these species now bloom two weeks earlier. The Canada lily (Lilium canadense), plentiful before, is now rare, unable to adapt to the new reality.

Paul Sweet, collections manager of the museum’s ornithology department, studies “skins” (stuffed birds). He says, “The skins show us how birds lived years ago.” In just the past 100 years, bird species that have gone extinct range from the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) to the once-abundant passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) and Carolina parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis).

In Colorado, 70 percent of the lodgepole pines have been lost, with pines in other states also in trouble.

Pine beetles feed on the pines. Historically, winter brings death to both the beetles and weakened trees, which fall to feed a renewed forest. Due to

warmer temperatures, the beetles are living longer and migrating to higher altitudes to kill more trees. Forest fires follow the dry timber line.

All Are Needed “I don’t have time to grow up before becoming an activist.” ~Ta’Kaiya, age 12 “Get your parents involved.” ~Teakahla, age 11 Children are more informed now than ever before. Schools offer classes on ecology, the environment, global warming and climate change. Disasters are instant news, constantly streaming through digital media. Kids are aware that they need adults to work with them to keep Earth habitable.

HBO will air all four parts of Saving My Tomorrow starting Apr. 22. Check local listings—and watch as a family.

See Tinyurl.com/SavingMyTomorrow.

Connect with freelance writer Avery Mack at AveryMack@mindspring.com.

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naturalpet

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Healthy Choices at Every Step

Dogs with Library Cards Kids Love Reading to Animals

by Sandra Murphy

The goal of Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ), launched in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1999 as part of Intermountain Therapy Animals, is to improve children’s literacy skills with the mentoring help of certified therapy teams. Its reach has spread through library programs across the U.S. and Canada and internationally, with other therapy groups following suit.

Advertise in

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540-384-1815 24

Virginia’s Blue Ridge

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D

octors told the parents of an 11-year-old autistic son that he would never read… so quit trying to teach him,” says Suzanne Vening, an organic farmer in Jackson, Mississippi.

“The doctor didn’t count on Adam, my Australian shepherd.” Abused and abandoned before being adopted by Vening, she had trained him for therapy work.

Vening knew nothing about autistic or learning-disabled children, but she knew Adam could work miracles. The boy made eye contact with Adam during his library visit and read a few words. His parents were overjoyed as his reading continued to improve. “It’s hard to include children with special needs in many family activities,” Vening says. “A library is a place the whole family can enjoy.”

NABlueRidge.com

She advises, “Designate a safe corner where a child can escape if feeling overwhelmed. After entering the room, handlers should sit on the floor with the dog lying beside them. A standing dog can cause too much excitement.

It’s important to trust that your therapy dog will know how to approach a child that’s afraid, has tremors or can’t sit up or sit still.”

“An animal’s heartbeat seems to call to kids,” observes Rachael Barrera, a children’s librarian at Brook Hollow Public Library, in San Antonio, Texas.

“Dogs have come here once a week for more than a year. Now older kids that are comfortable with the reading program are showing younger ones how to choose a book.”

National Library Week, April 12 to 18, celebrates the program Unlimited Possiblities @ Your Library At Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Benicia Public Library, kids read to Honey, a friendly brown dog, on Wednesday afternoons.

Sheila Jordan, managing editor and owner of Booklandia, founded in Bend, Oregon, says her 8-year-old, Chase, found it difficult to concentrate because of ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Tales and Tails program was a big help. All summer, we went every week and chose books he said the dog would love.â&#x20AC;? Jordanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reward was a more focused child; Chaseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reward was a dog of his own last fall.

North Carolinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Charlotte Mecklenburg Library offers 14,000 free programs a year throughout its 20 locations, including Paws to Read. Librarian Cathy Cartledge, reading program coordinator for the Morrison Regional branch, shares this story from Jayleeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mom, Jill. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jaylee was tutored in reading for a year. After she also began reading to Zoey, a great Pyrenees, or Hunter, a golden retriever, I saw improvement in fluency, confidence and enjoyment.

It worked miracles compared with the hours and money spent for tutoring,â&#x20AC;? her mom remarks.

The Mount Prospect Library, near Chicago, has an age requirement for its Tales to Tails program. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rachael, 8, will hardly put a book down now,â&#x20AC;? says her

mom, Nicole Sasanuma, a senior associate with Business Communications & Advocacy, in Northbrook, Illinois. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Her sister, Emi, 6, is anxious for her next birthday so she â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;can read to doggies,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; too.â&#x20AC;?

Reading programs arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t limited to libraries or schools. Jean Maclean, of Lompoc, California, trains her two dogs in agility and rally skills. For a change of pace, they visit the Chumash Learning Center, in Santa Ynez, once a month. The Chumash people value education from both its elders and teachers outside the tribe. Maclean relates that Donny, age 11, was afraid of dogs until he met hers, after which his teachers saw his reading improve three levels in one semester.

Animals help kids relax and become teachers to the dogs. Researchers at the University of California, Davis have found that reading skills for kids that read to dogs during a 10-week literacy program improved by 12 percent. Children in the same program that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do the same showed no improvement.

Dogs and other pets prove that reading out loud doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be scary. All it takes is a good book and a good listener.

Connect with freelance writer Sandra Murphy at StLouisFreelanceWriter@ mindspring.com.

Other Four-Footed Reading Partners photo courtesy of Nancy Bailey

Cleo, a small gray cat that lives with Michelle Cardosi, a retail clerk in Denver, enjoyed her Love on a Leash therapy visits. When she became arthritic, moving from lap-to-lap was painful, and Cardosi considered retiring her, but Cleo didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t agree. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So we went to the libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Whiskers and Tales program instead, where she could sit on a pillow, get petted and be the center of attention,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She was able to visit until her 18th birthday.â&#x20AC;?

Clifford, a 24-year-old Morgan horse, is a well-known literacy advocate. He tours libraries in Michigan and using a sponge and watercolor paint, â&#x20AC;&#x153;signsâ&#x20AC;? his biography, Clifford of Drummond Island, by author and Lansing artist Nancy Bailey, for his fans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The kids probably wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember what I say, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll always remember the day they saw a horse in the library,â&#x20AC;? says Bailey. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been visiting for about four years.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nosy and gets into everything, like the day he noticed the used book shelf. He picked out pulp fiction books and kept handing them to me.â&#x20AC;? Bailey notes that Clifford teaches children that horses have feelings and a sense of humor when he goes for laughs and changes his responses when doing tricks.

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calendarofevents To have your event included in the Calendar of Events, please email Publisher@NABlueRidge.com or visit NABlueRidge.com for guidelines and to submit entries. Calendar entries are due by the 5th of the month prior to publication.

FRIDAY, APRIL 3

SATURDAY, APRIL 11

Community HU Song and Introductory Book Discussion - 7pm. Community HU song followed at 7:45pm with an Eckankar book discussion on Wisdom of the Heart, Book 3, by Harold Klemp.

Harmonic Wave Wellness Center, 3201 Hill St, Lynchburg. Sponsored by Eckankar Center, Roanoke. 434-941-7764, SWVA.ECK.Cntr@gmail.com, ECK-va.org, Eckankar.org.

Clean Valley Day – 9am-Noon. The 37th annual Clean Valley Day will host hundreds of volunteers for cleaning up our valleys. Pick a spot – a park, playground, roadside, stream bank, church grounds or your own neighborhood – and spend the morning preserving it. Free. Trash bags and gloves are provided. Individuals and groups welcome. Registration requested. 540-345-5523. Info@CleanValley.org.

CleanValley.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4 Easter Eggstravaganza – 10am-Noon. The 4th annual Easter celebration at Four Corners Farm, in Rocky Mount, will include an Easter egg hunt, games, live music, egg decorating, prizes and farm tours. For all ages. Free. Four Corners Farm, 404 Old Mill Creek Ln, Rocky Mount. 540-334-1044. Info@ FourCornersFarm.com. FourCornersFarm.com.

Prana Dance Workshop – 11am-2pm. Join dance and yoga teacher Leia Jones for this workshop on prana (Sanskrit for “life force”) dance workshop.

No dance experience necessary. Bring yoga mat, water bottle and journal if you would like to write during the break. Please register via email. $20. Inner Awareness Studio, 657 Coal Hollow Rd, Christiansburg. JonesLeia@yahoo.com.

Blossom to Bottle 5K Race – 7:30am-Noon. This 5K race, through the blossoms and grounds of Johnson’s Orchards and Peaks of Otter Winery, in Bedford, is a benefit for the cancer program “A Path to Healing and a Bridge to Wellness.” Register online. $20/ advance; $25 race day. Peaks of Otter Wintery, 2122 Sheep Creek Rd, Bedford. 540-586-3707. jdranesymyw@gmail.com or Danny@iwineu.com.

BlossomToBottle.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 14 Wireless Telecommunications Facilities Policy Update Public Meeting – 4pm and 7pm (same meeting, different times). Presented by the City of Roanoke, this public meeting will discuss the community’s changing wireless telecommunications needs and current and future policies. Free. Roanoke City Main Library, Auditorium (enter through former Bullitt Ave entrance on side), 706 S Jefferson St, Roanoke.

RoanokeVa.gov.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 Dance of Breath Workshop – 1-4pm. Experience the dance of the breath with dance and yoga teacher Leia Jones and breathwork instructor Martha Kastler. This workshop combines mindful movement and breath, breathwork and meditation. $25. Bring yoga mat, water bottle and journal if you would like to write during the break. Registration requested. Uttara Yoga Studio, 1217 Maple Ave, Roanoke. 540-309-0071.

Info@UttaraYogaStudio.com. UttaraYogaStudio.com.

Greens and Beans Class – 2-3 pm. This foodfocused health class is part of a partnership between Virginia Cooperative Extension, Carilion Clinic,

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TUESDAY, APRIL 21 Garden Day at Poplar Forest – 10am-4pm. Learn about historic garden archaeology and restoration at Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s retreat near Lynchburg. An official project of the Garden Club of Virginia. Free with regular admission or Lynchburg Garden Day ticket. Poplar Forest, 1542 Bateman Bridge Rd, Forest. 434-525-1806. PoplarForest.org.

FRIDAY, APRIL 24 Moonlight Bootlegger 5K at Explore Park – 6pm-Closing. Night-time race along candlelit path, bluegrass music and celebration at Explore Park in Roanoke County. Registration packet includes tshirt, commemorative mason jar, access to post-race concert and (for those age 21 and over) two drink tickets for a moonshine cocktail. $28-$42. Explore Park, Milepost 115, Blue Ridge Parkway, Roanoke.

Bootlegger5K.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25 Earth Day Celebration – 10am-5pm. Outdoor family festival celebrating our Earth, with environmental and community service displays, music, crafts, food and children’s games. Free. Wasena Park, Roanoke.

540-387-2782. EarthDayRoanoke.com.

Eckankar Booth at Earth Day Festival in Roanoke – 10am-5pm. Come visit the Eckankar booth and spin the Wisdom Wheel at the Earth Day Festival, a free, family event in Wasena Park, Roanoke. 540353-5365. SWVA.Eck.Cntr@gmail.com, Eck-va. org, Eckankar.org.

Healthy Kids and Family Day – Informational tables, booths, ongoing talks, demonstrations, and opportunities to exercise, all planned to raise health awareness in the Bedford community. Open to the public. Free. The Sedalia Center, 1108 Sedalia School Rd, Big Island. 434-299-5080, Director@ SedaliaCenter.org.

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Leap for Local Food, West End Center for Youth, Healthy Roanoke Valley and Freedom First Credit Union. Free. West End Education Room, 1223 Patterson Ave SW, Roanoke. 540-342-0902, ext 1.

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ongoingevents sunday

Balance Counseling and Wellness Center, 125-D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. Call to pre-register 540-381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.

Unity of Roanoke – 9 and 11am services. All welcome.

3300 Green Ridge Rd NW, Roanoke. 540-562-2200.

Office@UnityRoanoke.org. UnityOfRoanokeValley.org.

Beginners’ Yoga – 5:30-6:45pm. Also Thursdays 4:15-5:30pm and Fridays 9:30-10:45am. Increase your strength and flexibility. No experience necessary.

Free/first session; $12/one session; $48/six sessions.

Life in Balance Counseling and Wellness Center, 125D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. Call to pre-register 540-381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.

Unity in the Seven Hills – 10-11am. Sunday service. Free.

3522 Campbell Ave, Lynchburg. 434-845-5832. Love@ UnityInTheSevenHills.org. UnityInTheSevenHills.org.

Valley Community Church – 11am. Practical solutions based on the teachings of Jesus. Services include varied musical programs; refreshments served afterward. Also streaming live on the Internet. All welcome. Nursery available. 5000 Carriage Dr, Roanoke. 1 block off Rte 419, behind the McDonald’s at Oak Grove Plaza. 540774-5512. VCCDS.com.

Eckankar Worship Service – 11am-Noon. Second Sunday of every month. During each worship service we explore a spiritual topic and practice simple spiritual exercises to help gain personal experience with the light and sound of God. All welcome. Eckankar Center, 1420 Third St SW, Roanoke (first floor, back far right office). 540-353-5365. SWVA. Eck.Cntr@gmail.com. Eck-Virginia.org. Eckankar.org.

Meditation Class – 11am-12:30pm. “How to Understand the Mind.” Everyone welcome. $10/person.

Dharmapala Buddhist Center, 315 Albemarle Ave SE, Roanoke. 540-521-7989. Info@MeditationInVirginia. org. MeditationInVirginia.org.

Peace Readers Book Group – 2pm. Last Sunday of every month. Book group focusing on titles that help to create a culture of peace. For more information, check the calendar on our website. All are welcome. Free.

The Peace Practice, 3200 Memorial Ave, Lynchburg.

434-609-3437. ThePeacePractice.com.

Enter the Mysterium – 5-7pm. A weekly spiritual service featuring grounding games, interactive presentations, mudra meditations and energy healing. Valley Community Church, 5000 Carriage Dr, Roanoke, 1 block off Rte 419, behind the McDonald’s at Oak Grove Plaza.

540-998-9789. VCCDS.com.

monday AA Meetings – 8-9am. Also Wednesdays and Fridays.

Valley Community Church, 5000 Carriage Dr, Roanoke.

1 block off Rte 419, behind the McDonald’s at Oak Grove Plaza. 540-774-5512. VCCDS.com.

CoWorking at the CoLab – 9am-5pm. Opportunity to sample a working space at the CoLab. Free. Grandin CoLab, 1327 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke. 540-524-2702.

Info@GrandinCoLab.com. GrandinCoLab.com.

Yoga – 6:30-7:30pm. Valley Community Church, 5000 Carriage Dr, Roanoke. 1 block off Rte 419, behind the McDonald’s at Oak Grove Plaza. 540-774-5512. VCCDS.com.

A Course in Miracles – 7-9pm. All welcome. Love offering. Unity of Roanoke Valley, 3300 Green Ridge Rd NW, Roanoke. 540-562-2200 x10. UnityOfRoanokeValley.org.

tuesday Kids’ Yoga – 4:30-5:15pm. Beginners’ class aimed at being light and engaging for children. Ages 4-11. Free/ first session; $8/one session; $36/six sessions. Life in

Mindfulness Meditation – 5:30-7pm. Sitting and walking meditation, Dharma readings and discussions.

Free. Bridge of Compassion Sangha, West End Presbyterian Church, 1200 Campbell Ave SW, Roanoke.

540-427-4843. BridgeOfCompassion.Wordpress.com.

AA Meetings – 6-7pm. Also on Thursdays. Valley Community Church, 5000 Carriage Dr, Roanoke.

1 block off Rte 419, behind the McDonald’s at Oak Grove Plaza. 540-774-5512. VCCDS.com.

Zen Meditation Group – 6-7pm. Meditation instruction is available. Stone Mountain Zendo, Christ Episcopal Church, 1101 Franklin Rd SW, Roanoke.

540-345-5932. TaiNormand@verizon.net.

Community HU Song in Roanoke – 7-7:30pm.

First Tuesday of each month. Singing HU has helped people of many different faiths open their hearts more fully to the uplifting presence of God. Eckankar Center, 1420 3rd St SW, Roanoke (first floor, back far right office). 540-353-5365. SWVA.Eck.Cntr@ gmail.com. Eck-Virginia.org. Eckankar.org.

be lifted up through the use of positive affirmations during this sacred time of prayer and focused attention. Unity of Roanoke Valley, 3300 Green Ridge Rd, Roanoke (at the Woodhaven intersection). 540-5622200. UnityOfRoanokeValley.org.

(X)po Wednesdays – 5-7pm. Gathering of local people talking about their ideas, experiences and interests with the goal of sparking a discussion. Light refreshments and beverages. Grandin CoLab, 1327 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke. 540-524-2702. Info@GrandinCoLab.com.

GrandinCoLab.com.

Zen Meditation Group – 6-7pm. Meditation instruction is available. Stone Mountain Zendo, Christ Episcopal Church, 1101 Franklin Rd SW, Roanoke.

540-345-5932. TaiNormand@verizon.net.

Meditation, Reading and Book Discussion – 6:30pm meditation; 7-8:30pm reading and book discussion.

Visit website for current book. Valley Community Church, Divine Science, 5000 Carriage Dr, Roanoke.

One block off Rte 419, behind McDonald’s at Oak Grove Plaza. 540-774-5512. VCCDS.com.

New River Valley Unity Study Group – 7:30-9pm.

Meditation, introspection and discussion. Free. Location varies. Call for details, Bev 540-763-2410 or Betty 540-639-5739.

thursday Roanoke Community Drum Circle – 7pm. Express yourself through rhythm. Free. Grandin Village, Courtyard of Raleigh Court Baptist Church, corner of Memorial Ave and Grandin Rd, Roanoke. Sponsored by Plowshares, Roanoke. 540-989-0393. PlowshareVa.org.

Spiritual Experiences Discussion in Roanoke − 7-8pm. Third Tuesday of each month. Open discussion of past-life memory, insightful dreams, déjà vu, inner guidance, soul travel and more. Free spiritual experiences guidebook with audio CD provided. Eckankar Center, 1420 3rd St SW, Roanoke (first floor, back far right office). 540-353-5365. SWVA.Eck. Cntr@gmail.com.Eck-Virginia.org. Eckankar.org.

Meditation Class – 7-8pm. Everyone welcome. $10/ person. Dharmapala Kadampa Buddhist Center, 315 Albemarle Ave SE, Roanoke. 540-521-7989. Info@ MeditationInVirginia.org. MeditationInVirginia.org.

Edgar Cayce Search for God Group – 7:30-9:30pm.

New members welcome. 413 Dunton Dr, Blacksburg.

540-552-2873. IniBeckman@yahoo.com.

Alzheimer’s Support Group – 3-4pm. Third Friday every month. Members will discuss issues that arise from caring for a loved one with dementia. Light refreshments available. Free. Woodland Studio at the Village Center at Warm Hearth Village, 2603 Warm Hearth Dr, Blacksburg. 540-552-9176. Retire.org.

My Co-op 101 – Last Tuesday of every month. Learn more about a cooperative business and how to make the most of your ownership. Free to owners; walkins welcome. Please call to reserve a space. Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, 1319 Grandin Rd SW, Roanoke.

540-343-5652. RoanokeNaturalFoods.coop.

wednesday Mindfulness Self-Care for Practitioners – 9-10am.

Second and fourth Wednesday of each month. Hosted

by Alan Forrest, LPC, LMFT. Practice mindfulness for 30 minutes and then enjoy an open discussion for 30 minutes. Free-will offering. Pre-registration is required. Life in Balance Counseling and Wellness Center, 125-D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. 540381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.

Life in Balance Open House – 10am-6pm. Stop by and check out all of our great services; no appointment necessary. Life in Balance Counseling and Wellness Center, 125-D Akers Farm Rd, Christiansburg. 540381-6215. LifeInBalanceCenter.com.

Prayer and Meditation – Noon-12:20pm. Add your energy to the peaceful environment of our chapel and

friday

Second Fridays in Centertown Bedford – 5-8pm.

Second Friday of every month. Art Galleries and shops will be open. Centertown Bedford, Bedford. 540-5868582. CentertownBedford.com.

saturday Zen Meditation Group – 9-10am. Meditation instruction is available. Stone Mountain Zendo, Christ Episcopal Church, 1101 Franklin Rd SW, Roanoke.

540-345-5932. TaiNormand@verizon.net.

Free Science-Based Natural Health Information – 10am-5pm. Second Saturday of every month. Drawings for free gift certificates, proven wellness information and great savings opportunities. The Well, 1764 Patriot Ln, Bedford. 540-587-9000, 877-843-9355. TheWellInBedford@gmail.com. WellOfCourse.net.

Monthly Silent Peace Vigil – Noon. Third Saturday of every month. All welcome. Downtown Roanoke City Market Building, 32 Market St, Roanoke. Sponsored

by Plowshares, Roanoke. 989-0393. PlowshareVa.org.

natural awakenings

April 2015

27

communityresourcedirectory To be included in the Community Resource Directory, please email Publisher@NABlueRidge.com or visit NABlueRidge.com for guidelines and to submit entries.

ANIMALS AND PETS – SUPPLIES

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY GRANDIN COLAB

NATURE’S EMPORIUM 3912 Brambleton Ave., Roanoke, VA 24018 540-989-8020 MyNaturesEmporium.com The largest selection of pet gifts, toys, beds and healthy foods and treats for all the special members of the family. Natural and holistic pet food, wild bird and garden supplies.

ANIMALS AND PETS VETERINARIANS CONCORD VETERINARY SERVICES Lori Leonard, BS, DVM, LFHOM 8908 Village Hwy., Concord, VA 24538 434-993-2403 ConcordVetServices.com

540-397-4377 GrandinCoLab.com The Grandin CoLab is a hub for ideation, or generation of new ideas. It is designed to connect innovators and entrepreneurs to resources, education and networking opportunities throughout the Roanoke and Blacksburg regions.

The space is available for memberships, business meetings and events. See ad, page 6.

H2O AT HOME Jean Cox, Founding Senior Director 360-271-9525 MyH2OatHome.com/Jean

Discover methods of support and comfort for your beloved animals. For 20 years we have offered homeopathy and other holistic modalities as well as conventional veterinary care. New patients welcome!

Ground-floor business opportunity. Earn “green” while helping others go green with your own home-based business. Be among the first advisors in Virginia and help launch the East Coast. Incentive packages available to experienced leaders. Call for more information.

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Geriatric care, cancer support and hospice care. Routine medical care for small animals, farm animals and horses.

Integrative medicine including acupuncture, botanical medicines, chiropractic and homeopathy. Discover the power of holistic medicine. See ad, page 20.

ECKANKAR, RELIGION OF THE LIGHT AND SOUND OF GOD 1420 3rd Street SW, Roanoke, VA 24016 540-353-5365 swva.eck.cntr@gmail.com eck-virginia.org Are you looking for the personal experience of God, every day? Each of us is connected to God through Divine Spirit (the ECK), which can be heard as Sound and seen as Light. Connect with a spiritual community of people who share your desire for truth. See ad, page 21.

BODYWORK – REIKI ROANOKE METAPHYSICAL CHAPEL

LUELLA CROCKETT

Rev. Reed Brown, Pastor 1488 Peters Creek Rd., NW Roanoke, VA 24017 540-562-5122 RoanokeMeta.org

Usui Reiki Practitioner 229 Union St., Salem, VA 24153 540-397-1355 LuellaCrockett.WordPress.com LuellaCrockett@gmail.com Reiki sessions available at Grandin Gardens every Wednesday and in Salem by appointment. Amethyst BioMat, Bach Flower Remedies and Young Living Essential Oils are combined to create a relaxing healing session as unique as you. Buy 2 Get 1 Free.

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We are a metaphysical church with spiritualist roots. We offer classes, workshops and speakers throughout the year, and we teach and practice positive spirituality. Sunday services: childrens’ Sunday school, 9:30 a.m.; adult study, 9:30 a.m.; spiritual healing, 10 a.m.; worship service, 11 a.m. Weekly classes and weddings. All welcome!

NABlueRidge.com

UNITY OF ROANOKE VALLEY Rev. Linda Taylor 3300 Green Ridge Rd., Roanoke, VA 24019 540-562-2200 UnityOfRoanokeValley.org We are a vibrant, loving, spiritual community, demonstrating Christ consciousness, embracing diversity and inspiring personal transformation. Join us in co-creating a world that works for all! See ad, page 21.

VALLEY COMMUNITY CHURCH, DIVINE SCIENCE 5000 Carriage Dr., Roanoke, VA 24018 540-774-5512 VCCDS.com Teaching practical, spiritual laws based on and found in the example and teachings of Jesus, as well as the Bible and other great wisdom literature. Through Divine Science teachings you can lead a life of joyful inner and outer satisfaction and serenity.

ENERGY – CONSERVATION AND HVAC J & J WEATHERIZATION 434-847-5487 JoLangford@juno.com JJWeatherization.com With 30 years of experience in home energy performance, J&J Weatherization is a full-service company specializing in insulation, home energy conservation and efficiency.

FITNESS – HOOPING BLUSKYE HOOPS 252-489-7451 Info@BluSkyeHoops.com BluSkyeHoops.com At Blu Skye Hoops we are passionate about making life fun through the art of hoop dance. Invoking a fun, creative way for self-expression, combined with classes and custom hoops, we aim to ignite the passion and light that we each hold inside.

FOOD – NATURAL, ORGANIC AND VEGAN ROANOKE NATURAL FOODS CO-OP 1319 Grandin Rd., Roanoke, VA 24015 1 Market Square, Roanoke, VA 24011 540-343-5652 RoanokeNaturalFoods.coop Virginia’s largest, cooperatively owned natural-foods grocery store. Nutritious food choices and earthfriendly products. We support sustainable environmental practices, local organic farmers, local businesses and our community. See ad, page 17.

REV. KANTA BOSNIAK, CHT Life Coach and Wedding Officiant 540-577-8854 Art4Spirit@yahoo.com KantaBosniak.com Coaching and guided imagery for weight loss, life purpose, creativity, new directions, business and career growth, confident interviews, dating. Take positive thinking to a deeper level. Personalized and meaningful wedding ceremonies.

1764 Patriot Ln., Bedford, VA 24523 540-587-9000 The.Well.In.Bedford@gmail.com WellOfCourse.net The destination for natural health when looking for sciencebased information, superior products, herbal tinctures, supplements, natural foods, bulk foods, spices and teas. The Well has all of this and more. Your benefit is our business. See ad, page 11.

FOOD RESTAURANTS LOCAL ROOTS FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANT 1314 Grandin Rd., Roanoke, VA 24015 540-206-2610 LocalRootsRestaurant.com Roanoke’s first true farm-totable restaurant.

Open Tuesday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner, Sunday for brunch and familystyle supper. Full bar and wood-fire oven. Available for private parties, corporate events, celebrations and catering. See ad, page 5.

FUNERAL AND BURIAL SERVICES - GREEN FOREST REST AT MOUNTAIN VIEW 5970 Grassy Hill Rd., Boones Mill, VA 24065 540-334-5398 Sensor@EvergreenMemorialTrust.com EvergreenMemorialTrust.com Forest Rest is a natural cemetery where interments are made without burial vaults or common embalming chemicals. Wood tablets or native stones mark the graves. See

CLICK! Point Your Life in a Healthy Direction Visit Our New Website!

HEALTH AND WELLNESS DENTIST DR. KAREN PERKINS, DDS

THE WELL

ad, page 25.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS COACHING

46 Shelor Dr., Lynchburg, VA 24502 434-237-6328 MercuryFreeDDS.com Providing the highest quality of dental care in a mercury-free environment, using safe and biocompatible dental materials. We practice safe removal of old mercury/silver (amalgam) fillings with the safe mercury/silver filling removal protocol outlined by the International Academy of Oral Medicine, IAOMT. See ad, page 26.

Browse the local news, events calendar, resource guide, coupons and contests, plus all the wonderful articles that support and inspire a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.

Now just a click away!

www.NABlueRidge.com

HEALTH AND WELLNESS SPAS AND SALONS REVIVE ORGANIC SALON 2305-A Colonial Ave., Roanoke, VA 24015 540-816-0986 Organic salon offering ladies and men’s haircuts, demineralizing treatments, organic base coloring, highlights, color correction and hair loss solutions.

Revive’s mission is to treat others with respect and dignity while nurturing them in an organic environment.

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. ~Abraham Lincoln

HEALTH AND WELLNESS – WELLNESS CENTERS LIFE IN BALANCE COUNSELING AND WELLNESS CENTER 125 Akers Farm Rd., Ste. D, Christiansburg, VA 24073 540-381-6215 LifeInBalanceCenter.com The Life In Balance team of therapists offers psychotherapy for adults, children, adolescents, couples and families, as well as massage therapy, Reiki, yoga classes, relaxation and meditation classes and health and wellness workshops. See ad, page 6.

natural awakenings

April 2015

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HOME – CLEANING SUPPLIES

RECYCLING BOOKBAG SANTA 540-342-2083 BookbagSanta@verizon.net BookBagSanta.com

H2O AT HOME Jean Cox, Founding Senior Director 360-271-9525 MyH2OatHome.com/Jean Now you can care for your home with our innovative smart tools and just water or certified natural and organic products. Your home will be sparkling with no harsh chemical residues or fumes!

OUTDOOR RECREATION AND ECOTOURISM VIRGINIA GREEN 804-986-9119 VirginiaGreenTravel.org Virginia Green is Virginia’s program to encourage green practices throughout the state’s tourism industry. Member destinations and events include recycling, waste reduction, energy and water conservation and consumer education. The program is a partnership between Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality and Virginia Tourism. See ad, page 18.

Roanoke-based 501c3 charity keeps two TONS of used school supplies out of the landfill every year. Since 1990 the group has traveled each summer to Belize to deliver supplies to three schools. Email, call or visit the website for more information about making donations.

CLEAN VALLEY COUNCIL Jefferson Center, 541 Luck Ave., Ste. 319, Roanoke, VA 24016 540-345-5523 CleanValley.org A nonprofit organization serving the Roanoke Valley for more than 30 years. Providing educational programming and citizen participation events to spread the word about litter prevention, recycling, waste-stream reduction, storm-water pollution prevention and protecting our natural resources. The go-to resource for local recycling information.

RETAIL - NONPROFIT

PARENTING

GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF THE VALLEYS

PARENTING-SOS Cathy Songer 540-239-0287 SongerCat@Parenting-SOS.com Parenting-SOS.com

2502 Melrose Ave., Ste. A, Roanoke, VA 24017 540-581-0620 GoodwillValleys.com

Nearly all of us face parenting challenges at some point in our lives.

There is no need to let it create ongoing stress. Our mission is to help you get over those hurdles by teaching you positive and effective skills that will bring out the best in you and your family. Complimentary speaking engagements offered.

TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES RIDE SOLUTIONS 866-424-3334 Info@RideSolutions.org RideSolutions.org Ride Solutions connects you to your transportation options with free regional carpool matching, bike commute support, transit assistance and employer services, all for free.

WATER CONSERVATION AND FILTRATION - ALKALINE WATER HEALTHY WATER FOR ME 540-230-7459 or 540-789-7808 HealthyWaterForMe@hotmail.com HealthyWaterForMe.com Kangen Water® is a great way to increase hydration, balance body pH, obtain optimal health, neutralize free radicals, reduce pain and more. Change Your Water…

Change Your Life ™. Call to begin a free three-week alkaline, antioxidant water challenge today. See ad, page 18.

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

We put your donations to work by dedicating 90 percent of our resources to providing services to the community. Donations entrusted to us are used to help people with disabilities and disadvantages overcome barriers to employment and achieve a level of independence in life.

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For every $100 spent in locally owned business, $68 returns to the community.

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