Our BerkshireGreen Magazine

Dec 2010 - Feb 2011

Take One, It's Free!

Our BerkshireGreen

™

Your Holistic/Green Resource

Practical Tips to Save Electricity

Buteyko

Breathing Technique Caffeine and Your Vitality Feel-Good Film and

Book Reviews

dis

ver local

42 Bridge Street • Great Barrington, MA 413.528.9697 • www.berkshire.coop Open Mon-Sat 8-8 • Sun 10-6

About Us Our BerkshireGreen™ is dedicated to supporting our local economy and creating an ever-expanding, unified network of holistic and environmentally conscious individuals, businesses, and organizations in our area. We give our readers the opportunity to connect, share knowledge, and inspire one another through our resource guide, networking events, and growing online services. It's all about community!

Our quarterly publication is free to the public and distributed throughout Berkshire County and the surrounding area, every March (mind & spirit special edition), June, September, and December. See our website for a location near you. Our BerkshireGreen is printed with solvent-free, vegetable oil−based ink on paper that is Forest Council (FSC: fsc.org) certified to have been made from trees grown and harvested in a responsible manner. Our paper also contains a full 30 percent postconsumer recycled wastepaper.

ADVERTISE AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS We offer a flexible and cost-effective way to reach your target market.

Our loyal readers are well-educated, environmentally and healthconscious consumers looking for green, healthy, and sustainable life choices. Our affordable advertising also comes with many additional benefits – one such perk is the opportunity to speak at our popular networking events mentioned below. For more information, contact us at (413) 274-1122, or advertise@OurBerkshireGreen.com.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Most of our editorial content is contributed by our community members. We welcome your ideas, articles, and feedback, and encourage you to submit original material for consideration through our website at www.OurBerkshireGreen.com. You will find complete instructions on our online digital form.

NETWORKING EVENTS Our popular networking events are held at fine locations throughout the county and publicized by press releases to the local papers and eNewsletters to our extensive mailing list. There is no admission charge or reservation required for most events, and you will find great company, interesting speakers, delicious free appetizers, a cash bar, and a place to display your advertising material. Please join our confidential mailing list at www.OurBerkshireGreen.com for an invitation.

FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY EVENTS CALENDAR Check out www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com to find out what is happening around town. Take advantage of this free service to upload and publicize your events instantly yourself. It’s easy to do, and you don’t have to be green, holistic, or a computer expert to use it; simply register, fill out your event information, and post!

As we said, It's all about community!

PUBLISHER Kathy I. Regan publisher@ourberkshiregreen.com _______________ EDITORIAL Editor Kathy I. Regan editor@ourberkshiregreen.com Copyeditors/Proofreaders Rodelinde Albrecht Patty Strauch _______________ DESIGN Magazine Design/Layout Kathy I. Regan Advertisements Independent Graphic Designers Christine Dupre cedupre@msn.com Elisa Jones, Berkshire Design Studio elisa@berkshiredesignstudio.com Kathy Adams katlamixe@gmail.com _______________ ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Patty Strauch patty@ourberkshiregreen.com ______________ EVENT COORDINATOR Patty Strauch patty@ourberkshiregreen.com _______________ MARKETING CONSULTANT Andrea Feldman, Paperclip Studio andrea@paperclipstudio.com _______________ CONTACT Our BerkshireGreen P.O. Box 133, Housatonic, MA 01236 Phone: (413) 274-1122, Fax: (413) 541-8000 www.OurBerkshireGreen.com www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com All content in Our BerkshireGreen™ is accepted in good faith. We do not necessarily advocate and cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by our authors, illustrators, and advertisers. We reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason. For printing errors of the publisher's responsibility, liability is limited to the cost of the ad space in which it first appeared. Unless otherwise noted, we use a Creative Commons License in place of a standard copyright.

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www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

CONTENTS december 2010 - February 2011

departments 4 Letter from the Publisher 4 Directory of Categories 5 Our Contributors 6 Resource Guide

cover

Berkshire County & the surrounding area

12 Calendar of Events 16 Good Tidings!

23 Film & Book Reviews 24 In Business: Greening Up!

Spotlight on green & holistic businesses

26 Lifestyles & Perspectives

Personal experience of green & holistic living

8

28 Nonprofit Organizations

10

features 7 Practical Tips to Save Electricity And reduce your carbon footprint

8 Tea Time with Fluffy

A short story of fond memories, joy, and gratitude

10 Search Engine Optimization

Learn more about SEO and what it can do for you

15 Caffeine & Your Vitality

15

15

Short-term boost – long-term drain

25 The Buteyko Breathing Technique Relieve asthma, reduce stress and blood pressure

30 Heroes

It’s eleven o’clock. Do you know who your children are?

cover illustration Journey to Denmark

By Linda Dockey Graves lgravesart@yahoo.com www.lindagravesartist.com

23 www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

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Dear Reader,

As 2010 comes to a close, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to every member of our community who has contributed articles, tidbits, illustrations, and advertisements to Our BerkshireGreen.

It has truly been my privilege to share your knowledge, wisdom, inspiration – and in particular your passion – with our readers. Getting to know one another, connecting, and helping each other out . . . that’s what community is all about, isn’t it? I’m looking forward to what the coming year will bring!

Of course my special thanks go to our readers as well. Your enthusiasm for each new issue is energizing: I welcome your feedback. If you have not done so already, please make sure you sign up on our mailing list at www.OurBerkshireGreen.com to keep up on the latest news.

I’ll be shopping locally for our holiday presents this year and I hope you will too. Please make sure you tell our advertisers that you saw them in Our BerkshireGreen!

ce,

I wish you joy, peaosperity

good health, andyprear. in the coming ays!

Happy Holid

Kathy I. Regan Publisher and Founder publisher@OurBerkshireGreen.com (413) 274-1122

Seasons Greetings,

I lived in Allendale, New Jersey, close to family, until 2003, when my husband, Bruce, and I moved to Otis. I was nervous, as we knew no one and so little about the area!

I was welcomed very quickly, however, into a new community of family here in the Berkshires. A friendly waitress directed us to the Co-op, and in the building next door I found my physical therapist, who in turn introduced Bruce to a number of fellow songwriters, one of whom invited me to church, where I was invited to audition for a local chorus . . . and so it went, on and on!

Now, as part of the ever-growing Our BerkshireGreen community, I meet new “family members” every day – most recently at the very successful Nonprofit Fundraiser and Green & Holistic Expo that we hosted at Crissey Farm. This was a vibrant, exciting gathering of people from all areas of our diverse environmentally and health-conscious community.

I look forward to the growth of my Berkshire family and I welcome you to join us.

Patty Strauch Event Coordinator & Independent Sales Representative patty@OurBerkshireGreen.com (413) 269-6119

Directory of Categories Alternative Energy .............................................................6 Animal Products & Services ..............................................8 Art & Music ........................................................................9 Boutiques .............................................................................9 Business Services .............................................................10 Calendar of Events ...........................................................12 Dance, Exercise & Fitness ..............................................12 Education & Training ......................................................13 Environmental/Conservation Organizations ..............13 Food & Cooking ...............................................................14 Food Stores: Co-ops, Markets & Health .........................14 Good Tidings! ...................................................................16 Green Building, Renovation & Landscape Design ......17 Health & Beauty ...............................................................17 Health Care: Alternative, Complementary & Integrative .....18 Acupuncture ..............................................................19 Apothecaries ..............................................................19 Chiropractic & Kinesiology .....................................20 Counseling & Therapy ............................................20 Homeopathic Medicine ...........................................20 4

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Health Care: continued Life Coach ..................................................................20 Massage Therapy & Bodywork ...............................20 Nutrition & Supplements .........................................20 Osteopathic Medicine ..............................................21 Physical Therapy .......................................................21 Reconnective Healing®..............................................21 Reiki ............................................................................21 Wellness Centers & Spas ...........................................22 Yoga ............................................................................22 Home & Garden .............................................................22 Feng Shui ...................................................................22 In Business: Greening Up! ..............................................24 Lifestyles & Perspectives .................................................26 Love & Laughter Are the Best Medicine .........................27 Mind & Spirit ....................................................................27 Nonprofit Organizations ................................................28 Restaurants & Cafes ........................................................29 Index of Resource Guide Advertisers .........................31 Magazine Sponsors .................................inside back cover

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

Our Contributors Christopher Derby Kilfoyle

Cover Illustration by Linda Graves

Principal of Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, BPVS

Artist/Illustrator, Dancing Bear Studio

Chris is a NABCEP certified PV installer and MA Licensed Construction Supervisor. He founded BPVS in 1985 and has installed over 200 PV systems. Chris and his firm are longtime members of the American Solar Energy Society, The Solar Energy Industries Assoc., and the Northeast Sustainable Energy Assoc. He is also a founding and Board member of the Green Trade Association. www.bpvs.com

Linda’s first book for children, The Wise Woman and Her Secret, was written by Eve Merriam. Since then she has illustrated over thirty books, the most recent The von Trapp Family Alphabet, published by Sleeping Bear Press. She is currently illustrating Sister Bear, written by Jane Yolen, published

by Marshall Cavendish, due out in fall 2011. Linda resides in the beautiful forests of Otis, MA. www.lindagravesartist.com

Kristina Dow

Glenn Geiger

Owner of Geiger Computers

Owner of BensDotter’s Pet in Sheffield

Glenn has offered computer service and graphic design since earning his bachelor’s degree from Salisbury University, Maryland, in 1997. His work has taken him to countries around the world. He began Geiger Computers in 2003 and moved to the Berkshires in 2009 where he provides computer repair, software training, and web design services to local homes and businesses. www.GeigerComputers.com

Kristina “Tina” Dow is a retired college administrator, former veterinary assistant, and self-described Born-Again Raw-Feeder. Tina’s shop, BensDotter’s Pet, which can now be found in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, specializes in raw-food diets. Visit her website at www.bensdotters.com

Jeffrey Gordon, MAc, Lic Ac

Susan Jameson

Owner of Traditional Acupuncture

Co-Director of Healing Winds

Jeffrey Gordon is a licensed FiveElement Acupuncturist. He was born and raised in Pittsfield and received his master’s degree in acupuncture from the Tai Sophia Institute in 2007.

Jeffrey enjoys helping people experience a more harmonious connection between body, mind, and spirit. (413) 446-6231, jgordonacupuncture@live.com, www.jgordonacupuncture.com

Jay Walsh

Co-Owner, Living Well Chiropractic, Nutrition, & Massage Jay is the co-owner of Living Well Chiropractic with his wife, Dr. Francine Lajoie. He is also a founding member of Northern Berkshire Transition, a nonprofit group dedicated to endeavors that build their communities’ resilience to deal with issues of Peak Oil and Climate Change. (413) 329-1755, nbtransition@gmail.com, www.northernberkshiretransition.ning.com

Susan is the Co-Director of Healing Winds, Humanity in Concert, and the Rock, Rattle & Drum Pow Wow. She is a dancer, healer, and passionate metaphysician committed to her lifelong work in the fields of energy, consciousness, and spiritual development. She is on the board of the Women’s Interfaith Institute of the Berkshires. HumanityInConcert@earth link.net, www.HealingWinds.net

Nathan Smith

Poet, Illustrator, Writer, Teacher, and Bioneer Nathan Smith is a poet: Temple Sonnets (www.earthboundbooks.com); a writer: From Concord’s Jail (Berkshire Review for the Arts); an illustrator: exhibit at the Mason Library through December 2010 and January 2011; and a bioneer.

He lives with his life-partner, actor Mari Andrejco, at Moon Cottage, in their offthe-grid, green home in the Berkshire Hills. nsmith01237@gmail.com

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

december 2010

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Alternative Energy

We offer system design with Mother Earth in mind.

Solar Electric Solar Hot Water Solar Pool Heaters Geothermal Heat Pumps High Efficiency Boilers and Furnaces 26 Years Local Solar Experience LEED Accredited Professional Think Globally. Act Locally.

Renewable Energy Solutions, Inc., Lee, MA

413-243-0909

Your Hearth & Home Headquarters “Not only do we serice what we sell, but we service others as well.”

Bio Ethanol Fireplaces

2010 Stimulus Tax Credit Ends

Dec. 31st.

Hurry In!

PELLET • GAS • WOOD • COAL STOVES • FURNACES BOILERS • ACCESSORIES • GIFT CERTIFICATES • AND MORE

C.S.C.F. Distributor Division of GDVZ

521 Walker St., Lenox Dale (413) 637-9920 Monday - Friday 9-5:30 , Saturday 9-4 DELIVERY AVAILABLE

LICENSED AND INSURED • H.I.C. #164699

www.cscfdistributors.com 6

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www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

Practical Tips to Save Electricity And Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

By Christopher Derby Kilfoyle Unplug: Unplug your chargers and converters. Every house is

full of “wall warts” (those large plastic converters that supply electricity to charge the batteries in cell phones, PDAs, digital cameras, cordless tools). Ever notice how warm they feel? That’s wasted electricity. Keep these wasteful loads at a minimum by unplugging them after a device is fully charged or until you need them.

Use power strips to switch off televisions, computers, printers, home theater equipment, and stereos when you’re not using them. Even when you think these products are off, their combined stand-by consumption can be equivalent to that of a 75- or 100-watt light bulb running continuously.

Set Computers to Sleep and Hibernate Mode:

Enable the sleep mode feature on your computer, allowing it to use less power during periods of inactivity. The power management settings are found on your control panel.

Configure your computer to hibernate automatically after 30 minutes or so of inactivity. Shut it down completely when you’re done for the day. Keep printers, scanners, and peripherals unplugged until you need them.

Don’t Forget the Lights: Lighting accounts for about 15%

of household energy use. If you swap the standard incandescent light bulbs for energy-saving compact fluorescents, you can save roughly $60 each year on electricity. Don’t forget to turn off lights that aren’t being used and utilize natural light as often as possible.

Going away for an extended period in the winter? Don’t make the common mistake of turning your furnace or boiler thermostat down but leaving your hot water heater on.

Keep in mind that hot water is not only in the tank. It is in all the hot water pipes in your house, and some may run through very cold spots. Consider installing a solar hot water system or an on-demand hot water heater. Insulate hot water pipes.

If you run a dehumidifier, experiment with shutting it off at certain times during the day. Why are you running a dehumidifier?

Simple measures to reduce moisture in your basement may allow you to turn the dehumidifier off. Grade or install gutters so puddles don’t form against an outside basement wall. If you have a sump well, make a tight fitting cover for it. A dehumiderfier can use $40 $60 of electricity per month, so cure your moisture woes.

Take Control of Your Temperature: In winter, set thermostats to 68° F or less during the daytime and 55° F before going to sleep. During the summer, set thermostats to 78° F or more. Use sunlight wisely. During the heating season, leave shades and blinds open on sunny days, but close them at night to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows. In the summer, close shades and blinds during the day and open them at night.

Use Appliances Efficiently: Set your refrigerator tem-

perature between 38° and 42° F; your freezer should be set between 0° and 5° F. Use the power-save switch if your fridge has one, and make sure the door seals tightly. Most refrigerators have adjustable hinges that can help improve the seal. It also helps a lot if the refrigerator is perfectly level.

Use your fridge as an icebox: In winter, freeze a container 3/4 full of water outdoors and place it in the fridge compartment. Doing this once a day can reduce your refrigerator’s electricity use by 20% during the winter.

A full freezer and empty refrigerator are most efficient; get rid of old leftovers and don’t refrigerate items that don’t require cooling.

Wash only full loads in your dishwasher, saving water and the energy used to pump and heat it. Air-drying can also reduce energy use.

In your clothes washer, set the appropriate water level for the size of the load and wash in cold water. A clothesline is the most energy-efficient way to dry your clothes! A clothes rack works just as well indoors in the winter.

Going away for more than a day? Don’t forget to shut off the electric hot water heater at its dedicated circuit breaker in your Electric Service Panel. A single- or two-person household with a 55-gallon or larger electric water heater tank that is well insulated will have plenty of hot water even if the hot water heater is only turned on for a few hours every two days.

Berkshire Photovoltaic Services, BPVS 46 Howland Avenue, Adams, MA 01220

Tel. 413-743-0152 • www.bpvs.com MA LIC #'s HIC131996, CSL 73150

S

ince 1985, recognized for careful designs, proven components and high quality workmanship, BPVS solar electric systems are user friendly, efficient and reliable.

rr

Member: American Solar Energy Society, Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Solar Energy Business Association of New England, Solar Energy Industries Association.

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

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Animal Products & Services shop

adopt

berkshire humane society cat adoption center 301 stockbridge road, great barrington, ma

open Wednesday - sunday

(413) 717-4244

berkshirehumane.org

Celebrating 10 years as Champions for Community Cats

413.528.1328

find us on

P.O. Box 1073, Pittsfield, MA 01202

www.BerkshireAnimalDREAMS.org

Pet Partners

of the Tri-State Berkshires

Provides … Food for needy dogs and cats Reduced rate spay/neuter • Assistance with basic veterinary care costs

413.229.8579 518.781.0362 petpartnersberkshires.org A division of Scientific Alliance For Education (S.A.F.E.), a 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization

Dog & Cat Adoptions

Tues-Fri 12-6pm Sat & Sun 12-5pm Closed Monday 63 Downing Parkway Pittsfield 413/448-9800 pittsfieldanimals.org

BENSDOTTER’S PET 413-528-4940 940 MAIN STREET, GREAT BARRINGTON, MA

QUALITY FOODS & SUPPLIES RAW DIET SPECIALISTS MON-FRI 10AM-6PM SAT 10AM-4PM SUN 10AM-2PM

.BENSDOTTERS.COM

Tea Time with Fluffy Reflections, Revelations,

S

ome of my happiest memories are of my first best friend . . .

a long-haired grey-and-white tomcat named Fluffy. Fluffy and I spent most of each of my preschool days together. I’d follow him around, he’d follow me around, each of us always curious about what the other was up to. But of all of our times together, tea times were definitely the best. Well, for me at least. I’d dress Fluffy up in Kristina & Fluffy a sweater and bonnet, and wheel him in a baby carriage to join an odd array of dolls and stuffed animals for tea, tuna fish, and cake. Fluffy was a patient and polite guest, but he never stayed put much beyond the serving and consumption of the tuna fish. Ever since that time in my life, every pet with whom I’ve ever shared my life has proved to be a very dear friend, and often a best friend.

I cannot recall a happy memory in my life that does not, at least in some measure, include my pets. Yet, just as my fondest memories are of my pets, so too are the most heart-rending.

Each and every loss of a pet is so very deeply painful, filled with sorrow and regret. And, quite cruelly, it would seem that the deeper the bond, the longer the grieving, and the longer for the happy moments to wash back into memory.

WWW

The purest of joys and the deepest of sorrows so often come to all of us through our relationships with our companion animals. When one considers our companion

WE’VE MOVED TO GREAT BARRINGTON!

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Animal Products & Services

and New Year’s Resolutions

By Kristina Dow

Animal Communicator ~Holistic Counselor ~Intuitive & Medium

BARBARA A BAKER DN Serving People and Animals since 1996 Phone sessions ~In Person Presentations tf: 888.389.0389 ~www.babaker.net May All the Beings of All the World Be Happy!

Art & Music animals’ promise of unconditional love, unwavering loyalty, complete lack of guile, and complete absence of premeditated malice, finding that we allow ourselves the deepest of emotional bonds with them should come as absolutely no surprise. The true surprise should be that they entrust themselves so wholly to us, but therein lies the reciprocity of our relationships with them.

Somewhere between Fluffy and today, my pets became less my friends and more my responsibility. My resolutions for the New Year shall be to correct that, to spend more time with them with an awareness of celebrating our companionship with joy and gratitude.

Cliff Brodeur Entertainment Square Dance Calling, Live or Recorded Corporate Events Major Fund Raisers Weddings School Programs Large Parties Special Events Dance Instruction: Square, Contra, Line & Circle Dancing

PO Box 914, Pittsfield MA 01202-0914 Phone: 413-443-3060 | Cell: 413-281-4407 Cliff@squaredance-hoedown.com

SquareDance-Hoedown.com Unique Entertainment Creates Unforgettable Memories

Bring the magic of music into your home

As a beginning . . . I shall refrain from feeling simple relief when 20-year-old Xena awakens with a hearty appetite. I shall remind myself that this is my eldest and dearest friend greeting yet another day with purrs of delight, and I shall bask in the feelings of joy and gratitude that we are sharing another day together . . . I shall refrain from feeling simple comfort when Lucky the little black Plug (Pug x Lab) burrows in under the bed covers, curls up behind the crooks of my knees, and warms my feet. I shall remind myself this is my youngest and newest friend snuggling with me, and I shall bask in the feelings of joy and gratitude that if he’s under the covers, he’s not getting into the trash . . .

Accoustic guitar, a keen lyrical ear and honest vocals . . . delight your guests with a personal and memorable musical experience.

SINGER/SONGWRITER, HOME & CONCERT PERFORMER Available for House Concerts & Intimate Gatherings

www.brucemandel.com / 413.269.7229 Contemporary Folk . Americana photo courtesy of Michael Lavin Flower

Boutiques

I’ll bet Lucky will look awfully cute in a sweater and bonnet. ~ Kristina “Tina” Dow, BensDotter’s Pet, www.bensdotters.com. See ad on page 8.

Easy Wear • Easy Care

Clothing, Jewelry Accessories & more! cotton, tencel, bamboo, linen, wool

elm street • stockbridge ma • 413.298.3656 open daily • sneak peeks on Facebook!

D

id you know that lyocell is a manmade eco-friendly fabric marketed under the brand name Tencel? This rayon-like fabric comes from trees (the wood pulp cellulose) and is biodegradable. Tencel won the European Union Environmental Award 2000 for “technology for sustainable development.”

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

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Basic Steps to Search Engine Optimization ............................. By Glenn Geiger

I

f you’ve ever wondered about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how it is meant to help your website be seen by more people, you’re on the right path. It starts with understanding how a search engine like Google reads your website and decides where to rank you among your peers.

Google constantly searches the Internet for information.

When it finds your website it indexes it based on its content. The content of your website is the key ingredient to good SEO.

Step One: Good, Honest Content The best way to get more traffic to your website is to have good information on your subject. Plain and simple. If your website is about life insurance then you need to have the most comprehensive website about life insurance on the Internet for Google to rank you higher than your competitors. Tell your visitors what life insurance is, why we need it, what happens when we don’t have it, and why you’re the best company to buy it from. This kind of good, honest content is what separates you from everyone else. In other words, give the people the information they’re searching for.

If writing is not your strong suit consider hiring a local freelance writer to help you. Tell them about your website and the type of person you want to find it. Ask them their rate and see if it fits within your budget.

Step Two: Organize Your Content for Google Organizing your content to be read by Google means writing the correct HTML markup that helps Google understand what your website is about. The proper HTML tags will tell Google 10

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the page title, the page description, where the header titles and subtitles are, and when a paragraph begins and ends.

Your readers don’t read your website the same way a search engine does. People skim a page for key information and move on. But a search engine is looking for specific clues to help it know what your website is about. To see how Google reads one of your web pages, right click (or Command + click) on your web page and choose View Source. This mess of code is what Google rifles through to determine the subject matter of this page.

A good web designer will organize your page content the right way. If you’re looking for a web designer to create your new website, ask them about this. If your website is already complete, it’s never too late to have a professional organize your content.

Step Three: Link Building The importance Google gives your website in relation to others is your page rank. We might not know how Google decides this, but we do have control over some things. One is the content of your pages and how it is organized. Another is the number of websites that link to your website as a trusted source of information. Links on other websites that point to your website are called inbound links. Increasing that number is called link building. This is no easy task, but link building will help you gain some notice from Google.

Remember that Google is not in favor of one website over another. Their job is to provide the best search results it can for any given search. The more websites that are pointing to you as a good source of information, the more legitimate and important Google will rank your website.

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

~ Geiger Computers, www.GeigerComputers.com. See ad at right.

Alternative Business Services Energy Visualize

Strategize

Actualize

Millie Calesky Business and Life Coach 413-655-2555

“Purpose Beyond Profit” Home, Auto, Business, Health & Life

Millie@MillieCalesky.com

STATE-OF-THE-ART EQUIPMENT • EXPERIENCE • SPEED • QUALITY • COMPETITIVE PRICES

80 Maple Avenue Great Barrington, MA 413-528-5509 www.goodworksinsurance.com

Lillian M. Barker Deborah E. Wright

Marketing Help for Small Business Let’s Begin

413-655-7766

AndreA FeldmAn • PAPercliPStudio.com

T

ake advantage of listing your business in every reputable free directory that you can. Organic Consumers Association will allow you to submit a free business listing for consideration at www.organicconsumers.org/state/enterbiz.cfm. Do you hold special events for your business? You can upload your events for free at www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com.

Computer Repair Web Development Computer Training 413-854-2443

GeigerComputers.com

Creating the Online Calendar with Our BerkshireGreen We can tell you whatʼs wrong, and give you a cost estimate to repair or upgrade your computer before you pay.

Increase your skillset with personal computer training: from learning how to use the computer, to advanced subjects.

r

lo

Co

Full Color Digital Printing Full Color Envelope Printing Offset Printing High Speed Copying Color Copies Laminating GBC Binding Perfect Binding Folding NCR Forms Perforating Numbering Mailing Services Large Format Printing Inline Bookletmaking Graphic Design Services

413 •528 •2885

35 Bridge Street, Great Barrington MA 01230 fax 413 •528 •9220

kwikprintinc.com

Family Owned and Operated for 36 Years

Your Business Card: Does it Help or Hurt You?

By Andrea Feldman

No card? It irks me each time it happens: I’ll wind up a conver-

sation with a new acquaintance, and ask for a business card so I can reconnect or perhaps refer business. “Oh,” he says, sometimes not even apologetically, “I need to get some printed.” Or, “I left them in my car.” I hear, “My dog ate my homework.”

Bad card? At a networking meeting for creatives, I struck up a conversation with a designer. Having found we had much in common, we agreed to meet again to discuss possibilities for sharing information.

As I struggled to read the tiny, flowery script on her plain, unremarkable card, I thought, “If this is what her card looks like, her designs are probably not much better.” It went in the trash when I got home.

Be professional. It is absolutely essential for any business owner to have a card. Think of your business card as a mini billboard. It may be viewed without you there to explain further.

How will your card speak for you?

At a minimum, it should say what you do and how to contact you. It should be legible, uncluttered, and current. Crossing out phone numbers or email addresses is unacceptable. If you’re still developing your message, there are do-it-yourself options online to create something in the meantime. If you’re procrastinating, give in and ask for help from a professional. In any case, always have a card with you. You never know whom you might meet! ~ Andrea Feldman, Paperclip Studio - Marketing Help for Small Businesses, (413) 655-7766, www.PaperclipStudio.com. See ad on this page.

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

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Calendar of Events Post & View Your Events Online for Free!

Instantly upload your events yourself at

www.OurBerkshireCalendar.com Our BerkshireCalendar is your free, easy-to-use, community-driven calendar.

You don't have to be green/holistic or a computer expert to use it; simply register, fill out your event information, and post!

Dance, Exercise & Fitness

Energy In Motion Studio PILATES, YOGA, FITNESS youth teen/adult family

one day one month year round

Movement for renewed energy, health and well-being. Focus on alignment, back care, sports performance; special needs welcome.

Private sessions or small group classes in a beautifully equipped studio.

Catherine Brumley West Stockbridge, MA 413-232-7838

Sharon True, M.A., C.M.A., R.S.M.T

DANCE FITNESS YOGA WORLD MUSIC •

•

•

Somatic Movement Therapist & Certified Pilates Instructor

CLASSES STUDIO RENTALS •

PRIVATE, DUET, AND GROUP CLASS WORKOUTS WITH HOLISTIC APPROACH

THE DANCER WITHIN

A Very Gentle Dance Class for Adults

AVAILABLE IN GREAT BARRINGTON & LEE

413.528.2465

Thursdays · 10 - 11:15 AM $15 per class ($12.50 w/ Community Pass) This gentle dance class for adults is based on breath and flow.

Find the joy of movement through simple phrases, kindess to the body, and a re-awakening of the dancer within.

www.bluerider.org (413) 528-5299

sents . . .

re Our BerkshireGreen p Upload & Publicize Your Events for Free!

OurBerkshireCalendar.com

www.berkshirepulse.org

Post your tag sales too!

Riding & Vaulting Group/Private Lessons Senior discounts!

Post Your Events for Free Today!

410 Park St. HouSatonic, Ma 413.274.6624

Snowshoe Rental

easy to do! You Cross It’s Country Skiing anddon’t have to be green, holistic, or a Snowshoeing with Amenities computer expert to use it; simply register, fill out your event information, - Relax by the fireplace and post! Your email address is kept completely confidential.

- Enjoy delicious snacks Please our mailing list if you wish.

- Warm up with mulled cider or hotjoin chocolate - Taste any one of our 14 wines for FREE Groomed and tracked trails through the orchard and woods.

Hilltop Orchards, home of Furnace Brook Winery

Open: Thursday-Sunday 9am-5pm 508 Canaan Rd/Rt 295 Richmond, MA 01254 Snow conditions: 800-833-6274 / Hilltoporchards.com Check web site for dates & details of full moon ski treks

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www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

A wonderful, well-rounded collection of books for all ages and interests, plus friendly, respectful library services with a fine “listening ear” to patron suggestions!

2

Public Computers and a computer game station for kids Unique world & traditional crafts for all ages Live music from local & distant musicians Professionally led history, science, animal and earth programs for families ... and so much more!

(413) 274-3738

1087 Main Street in the • Village of Housatonic, MA

Toddler Early Childhood Elementary Middle School Summer Camp NEW! Transportation from South County available.

Lenox Dale, MA (413) 637-3662 BerkshireMontessori.org

Teach your children well . . . ~ Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

BRIDGE – We Connect People Through…

Cultural Competence Training ✦ Consulting Multicultural Presentations ✦ Youth Programs Workplace Language Classes

Education & Training Hands-on sustainability education for all ages

Education & Training

DARROW SCHOOL growing.greener

Sustainability tours by appointment: ♦ Ecological wastewater treatment ♦ Wind and solar energy ♦ Organic gardening ♦ Waste-stream management ♦ Sustainability Education Experience Days (SEEDs) for grades 7-12 Third Annual Sustainability Symposium: Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Darrow is a college-preparatory, co-ed, boarding and day school for grades 9–12.

518-794-6000, www.darrowschool.org.

Limited openings avaiLabLe for winter 2010!

Mount Conn e c t

a in

ing

New Lebanon, NY

Road Sch o ol l

Ch i

518-794-8520 www.mountainroadschool.org

dre n

W i th Na t u r e

Environmental Org. Better for your heating system. Better for the environment.

CET Bio-HEAT Oil Co-op Fair Price, Full-service, Local Dealers

www.multiculturalbridge.org Strengthening Berkshire County’s Diverse Population With Programs That Foster Communication, Respect, and Pride PO Box 320, Housatonic MA 01236 413-274-1001 | 413-274-1033 info@multiculturalbridge.org FUNDED IN PART BY BERKSHIRE BANK FOUNDATION

1-888-577-8448 x24 / www.cetonline.org I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend? ~ Robert Redford www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

december 2010

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Food & Cooking

Food Stores

®

KITCHEN GARDENING:

The Ultimate in “Locally Grown” Save Money. Eat 100% Organic All Year Round.

No Soil! No Green Thumb Required! Coupon OBG10 for $10 off!

Steve Meyerowitz, Sproutman | 413-528-5200 | Sproutman.com

- GLUTEN & DAIRY FREE -

UPPER CRUST B•A•K•E•R•Y Specialty orders upon request.

VALERIE POLIDORO LAWSON

COOKIES CAKES - BREADS MUFFINS - PIES

413.743.2959 | 413.281.9763

Sister-owned since 1980

Summer: extended hours Winter: closed some Sundays MON - SAT

9:15 - 6 • SUNDAYS 11 - 3 413.637.2721

PHONE/FAX:

11 Housatonic St. Lenox, MA 01240

Ruth Wheeler Jack Sadoway Maggie Sadoway

glutendairyfreebakery.com

Comfort Food

By Kathy Regan, Publisher of Our BerkshireGreen

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e eat a lot of raw foods and sprouts in our home – full of life force, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. Our fiveyear-old daughter, Brianna, grew up on, and loves, various fresh organic juice mixtures that include carrots, apples, celery, kale, swiss chard, parsley, and cucumbers, just to name a few. Believe it or not, if my husband, Kevin, or I forget to add a healthy dose of flax and cod liver oil, she reminds us! Proof positive that kids really can develop healthy eating habits.

In the winter, in addition to raw foods, we enjoy adding warming and aromatic organic soups and stews to our diet. They are comforting on cold winter days, and their pleasant aroma creates a very homey atmosphere. Following is an incredibly easy, creamy, and delicious dairy-free squash soup. Prep and cook time is about 30 - 40 minutes, and the recipe serves 4 - 6.

• Worries go down better with soup. ~ Jewish Proverb •

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup 3 cups peeled and diced butternut squash • 1 large onion and 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped • 1 tsp each turmeric, curry powder, and ginger • 2 3/4 cups vegetable broth • 6 oz canned coconut milk • 1 T chopped fresh cilantro • sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste Peel squash and cut into pieces. Heat 2 T broth in medium soup pot, add onion and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for one minute. Add turmeric, curry powder, squash, and remaining broth, and mix well. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Blend, starting on low speed, with coconut milk for about 1 minute. Thin with a little broth if needed and season to taste with salt, pepper, and cilantro. Serve and enjoy!

Delicious, Healthy Local & Organic Food

Over 1,500 Local & Organic Groceries Now Available!

Delivering all winter long NO COMMITMENT

Fresh. Affordable. Convenient.

413-442-0888

oliday Gift H Certificates & Baskets Available!

Visit our Farm Store!

813 Dalton Division Road Dalton, MA 01226

BerkshireOrganics.com Hunger: One of the few cravings that cannot be appeased with another solution. ~ Irwin Van Grove

Caffeine & Your Vitality

Short-Term Boost Long-Term Drain

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By Jeffrey Gordon MAc, Lic Ac

as it mother nature’s plan that human beings could not function properly without the mysterious workings of the coffee bean and caffeine? Did she say to herself, “I will create this earth with millions of varieties of creatures full of vitality, but from the intelligent human I will withhold the power to feel truly alive unless he roasts coffee beans and makes a drink out of it every morning”? That would surely have been a strange and cruel design!

Basically, caffeine stimulates the body to use up its “savings account” of energy. Financially, we all know it is better to live off our checking account if we want to be safe in the long term. How can we learn to live off our “checking account” of energy? Simple. We must change our lifestyle. Our checking account of energy is related to proper eating, calm and rhythmical breathing, gentle exercise, replenishing sleep, and most importantly, a positive and happy mind.

So, why is it that people by and large cannot get by without caffeine? Why are we so drained of vitality? There are several reasons. We modern adults are overworked, and our minds are usually rushing with thoughts. Our diet may be lacking in proper nutrition, containing many hard-to-digest compounds that stagnate the movement of energy. Our breath may be shallow, not drawing in the pure, revitalizing energy of the air. In short, the typical life of the modern human being is a constant draining of energy, with little or no replenishment. Herein lies the reason that Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks are becoming the most popular destinations of daily life.

Many people eat little substantial food in the early daytime and have a large and filling dinner including dessert. This habit is not healthy; it is like going for a long drive without putting any gas in your tank, and then filling it up when you arrive at your destination! Your car would not like to run without enough gas, and your body does not like to run without a good breakfast.

We need more nutrients in the morning to give us energy to be active in the daytime, not a giant meal right before the body is ready to settle down in the evening. A large dinner late in the evening puts a burden on the stomach, spleen, and intestines to work when they actually want to rest. These organs are less effective at digesting and refining your nutrient intake in the evening compared to the morning and daytime.

What does caffeine actually do to the body? It supplies the body with energy, right? No, caffeine does not give us energy. It overworks the kidneys, heart, and adrenal glands, which are a main source of energy for longevity. Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant drug that causes increased neuron firing in the brain. The pituitary gland notices all of this activity and thinks some sort of emergency is occurring, so it releases hormones that instruct the adrenal glands to release adrenaline. Adrenaline is a fightor-flight hormone that raises blood pressure and speeds up the physiology of the body. Fight-or-flight hormones are intended by evolution to help us act or escape when we are in danger. When these hormones are released daily by using stimulants such as caffeine, it drains energy that is intended for longevity.

So, most working adults who regularly drink caffeine are sending a message to their brain and body that they are in significant danger, and the body responds by using its own reserves of energy to deal with a traumatic situation that doesn’t actually exist. Over the long term, the body becomes depleted of its natural stock of energy.

That is why those who are addicted to caffeine often feel dull and lethargic until they drink it again: the body has become tired from operating as if its life has been in danger every day.

So, if you are looking to live in optimal balance and avoid caffeine addiction, begin with a few healthy habits: • Eat healthy and protein-rich meals for breakfast and lunch to optimize your energy intake from food.

• Learn to breathe more slowly, calmly, and deeply to rest the heart and lungs from pumping and breathing too fast.

• Stimulate energy movement in the morning through gentle exercise such as walking, swimming, tai chi, or basic yoga.

• Choose hobbies or activities that promote creativity and inspiration, rather than looking at a television or computer screen too long.

• Learn to settle your mind by simple concentration on the breath, or focusing your mind for a few minutes on the energy centers just below the navel, in the center of the chest, or at the point between your eyebrows.

Learning to replenish your energy naturally will not make Starbucks happy, but it will make you happy. You will create a lifestyle that promotes a longer and more enjoyable life. ~ Jeffrey Gordon, MAc, Lic Ac, Traditional Acupuncture, www.jgordonacupuncture.com.

See advertisement on page 19. www.OurBerkshireGreen.com www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

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15

Good Tidings!

Encouraging News from Our Community

By Susan Jameson

T

here is a sense of joy and excitement and expectancy at this time of year for me. More than any other time, New Year’s represents a time of hope and renewal for us all. 2011 gives us the opportunity to begin anew and do things differently, especially in 2011: 11 is 1 all over again!

Now is the time for celebrating life, for focusing on what’s right and what’s good in our lives and community. Good Tidings does just that. Good Tidings is dedicated to the good news of individuals and enterprises that are working to create a more healthy, humane, and environmentally sustainable community.

Let’s increase our awareness of all the good news around us this year. Let’s look for it, find it, and celebrate it by sharing it with others. If you have good news you would like to share, please submit it through Our BerkshireGreen’s website at www.OurBerkshireGreen.com. May good bless you!

T

his fall, Berkshire Community College took one giant step forward in the renewable energy world, installing 1,800 photovoltaic panels on the roofs of most of its buildings. Generating almost 400 kWh, using solar will replace 25 percent of the college’s ongoing electricity needs while selling excess power back to the grid. The installation, as well as the green training programs that BCC has recently developed, will allow the college to become an active laboratory for faculty and students. The college takes its obligation to reduce its carbon footprint seriously, and will also be installing an enterprise energy management system to monitor and better understand real-time energy usage. BCC has become a model for sustainable energy programs and initiatives within the state and looks forward to a greener future. ~ Ellen Kennedy,

Williamstown and surrounding communities. The Youth Center provides after-school programming and all-day camps during school vacations, and facilitates many artistic, recreational, and sports programs throughout the year. ~ David Rempell, Executive Director, Williamstown Youth Center, Williamstown, Massachusetts, www.williamstownyouthcenter.org.

P

rotecting the environment for wildlife, Berkshire Environmental Action Team (BEAT) has partnered with Berkshire Natural Resources Council to host the Berkshire Wildlife Trackers, a fantastic group of trained volunteers who monitor the land to see how wildlife is using the landscape in an effort to maintain and enhance linkages among our already protected lands. BEAT also works with the Housatonic Valley Authority and others to decrease the impact our roads have on wildlife movement, especially where roads cross over streams and rivers. The goal is to ensure wildlife will always have a way to move throughout the Berkshires and beyond. ~ Jane Winn, Executive Director, Berkshire Environmental Action Team, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, www.thebeatnews.org

Dean, Administration and Finance/CFO, Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, www.berkshirecc.edu

T

he Williamstown Youth Center is working to complete a capital campaign of $3.5 million to build a new youth center on the grounds of the Williamstown Elementary School.

The success of this initiative will allow the Youth Center to continue and expand its services to the children and families in RELOCATED PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT

EXISTING TREES & FENCE TO REMAIN

EXISTING TREES TO REMAIN PROPOSED WILLIAMSTOWN YOUTH CENTER LOCATION EXISTING BALL FIELDS TO REMAIN

PROPOSED SITE PLAN

SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

WILLIAMSTOWN YOUTH CENTER 16

december 2010

I

n our children’s yoga classes, we encourage and model self-awareness and healthy habits of mind and body. What a peaceful world we could one day have if all our children were to learn tools to regularly refresh and connect to an internal sense of well-being. Using basic breathing strategies, fun yoga poses, and cooperative games, we’ve found that even the youngest children can learn strategies to regain calm and focus. We have a great time in our children’s yoga classes and we love seeing kids develop a greater sense of self and become more creative, communicative, compassionate, and alive. ~ Meagan

Ledendecker, Director of Education, The Montessori School of the Berkshires, Lenox Dale, Massachusetts, www.berkshiremontessori.org.

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

Green Building

Green Building Custom Cabinetry • Fine Furniture • Staircases

Quality Craftsmanship

Hartsville Design Licensed & Insured - MA HIC 161562

Ask about Healthier Options for Furniture & Woodwork for Environmentally Sensitive Individuals & Children

Traditional ● Creative ● Original Design

413.528.6133 • Kevin@HartsvilleDesign.com

Health & Beauty

Maria Pizzuro-Cleary Owner/Esthetician

Enjoy the luxury of time just for yourself!

“I have chosen Dr. Hauschka Skin Care and Iredale Cosmetics which have transformed skincare into a science. Special care was taken to select ingredients found in nature that bring out the beauty of one’s skin in a healthful, holistic manner.”

Dr. Hauschka Skin Care Jane Iredale Mineral Cosmetics Massage � Facials Body Polish � Fantasy Tan Manicures � Pedicures � Waxing

2 Elm Street in the Heart of Gt. Barrington, MA 413-528-5523 www.studiodayspa.com GIFT CERTIFICATES, FINE PERFUME & JEWELRY

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

december 2010

17

Health Care: Alternative, Complementary & Integrative

At Canyon Ranch we aim to inspire people to make a commitment to healthy living, turning hopes and intentions into the highest enjoyment of life. Are you passionate about the work you do? Is ‘making a difference’ important to you?

Do you possess excellent guest service skills? Do you want to grow both personally and professionally? Are you ready for your next challenge?

If you answered YES! We want to meet you. Positions of interest that may be available at this time include: • • • • • • • • •

Massage Therapist Physical Therapist Exercise Physiologist Nutritionist Aesthetician Nail and Hair Technician Fitness Instructor Dance Instructor Yoga or Mind/Body Instructor

Optimize your Sleep Optimize your Life Join the team at

Canyon Ranch in Lenox!

We are a unique integrated wellness resort focusing upon our guest’s total experience: mind, body and spirit.

2 Please go to

www.canyonranchjobs.com to view current career opportunities, position requirements and submit your application online for immediate consideration.

To learn more about Canyon Ranch and our mission and values, please visit www.canyonranch.com Canyon Ranch in Lenox is an Equal Opportunity Employer



  

Holistic Approach to NeuroDevelopment and Learning Efficiency

“HANDLE helped me be aware of my surroundings and be less clumsy. Now I’m noticing other people who could use HANDLE too.”

E.G. 11 year old “Finding HANDLE has been a guiding light. Through the practice of simple activities, worlds within me (that had always been beyond my reach) are being discovered with Excitement and Gratitude.”

S.A. 65 year old

Elizabeth Frishkoff, MSW Certified HANDLE Practitioner

Serving ages 2 years old through adult/seniors with: Attentional Issues Autism/Aspergers Traumatic Brain Injury Memory/Organization Dyslexia/Sensory/ Learning Challenges Sleep/Depression Issues

94 West Ave, Great Barrington, MA 01230 efrish@sover.net 413-528-0477 www.handle.org

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december 2010

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Ed O’Malley, PhD

Diplomat, American Board of Sleep Medicine Offering Biobehavioral Sleep Training: Sleep Strategies, Stress Management and Relaxation Training Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback & Non-linear Neurofeedback Come enjoy a unique set of practices designed to address your particular sleep issues.

▪Telephone (203) 216-3323 Email eddom7@gmail.com

Mary B. O’Malley, MD, PhD

Board-certified in Sleep Medicine and Psychiatry Sleep Medicine ∙ Psychiatry ∙ Spiritual Counseling Holistic approaches to put your mind at ease Come Discover Your Optimal Nature ▪Telephone (203) 556-4846 Email mary.ommm@gmail.com

Optimal Sleep, LLC • Optimal Neurofeedback, LLC 94 West Avenue, Great Barrington, MA 01230

Health Care: Alternative, Alternative Complementary Energy & Integrative move

into

healing.

Life!

move into

Integrative Health Solutions

s

MiniMal Medication Medicine

What’s safe, what works.

GYROTONIC® whole body fitness and exercise promotes health and well-being.

Ming Lash,

rsmt

somatic movement

Precise, personalized holistic care.

Alan Inglis, M.D.

Graceful, fluid movement, and integral strength increase and sustain the ease and joy of living in a body

413-298-1001

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The Stockbridge Plain School 50 Main Street, Stockbridge, MA 01262

413-884-6211 Williamstown • MoveIntoHealing.com

Randi Haskins-Jordan PT Osteopathic & Manual Techniques

Holistic techniques for pain relief and correction of dysfuntion for adults, infants and children 777 Main Street • At the Barrington Bagel Plaza, Great Barrington, MA 413-644-9474 • randiphysicaltherapy.com

B

elieve in yourself. If you are going to be successful in maintaining your emotional health and creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen. Make the decision to believe that you create all your experiences – both your successes and your failures. ~ Jack Canfield

Apothecaries

Acupuncture

Traditional Acupuncture Jeffrey Gordon, M.Ac., L.Ac.

Elle Day Spa at the Crowne Plaza • One West St., Pittsfield, MA 01201 Appointments: 413.445.5600 • www.jgordonacupuncture.com

“Live with Calmness, Balance and Vitality”

Marion Bergan Irwin Licensed Acupuncturist

413.684.4888 Crowne Plaza, Pittsfield, MA

Orchid Blossom Healing Arts

Classical Acupuncture • Shiatsu L Ac. Lauren auren Paul, Paul, Dipl.

Dipl. Ac.

413-258-4296 413-258-4296

Naomi Alson

LIC. ACUPUNCTURIST AND HERBALIST specializing in

infertility, herbal treatments, cancer care at Lee Family Practice • 413-243-3223

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

december 2010

19

Health Care: Alternative, Complementary & Integrative Chiropractic & Kinesiology

Life Coach

Massage Therapy & Bodywork

The Art of Wellness

Nanci Worthington LMT

17 Bridge St., Gt. Barrington, MA 01230

MASSAGE THERAPY

ArtofWellnessLMT.com 413-329-5573 artofwellness@earthlink.net

Matt Albert Counseling & Therapy

Ortho-Bionomy

Rehabilitative Bodywork for appointments call 413.446.6694

MEDICAL HYPNOSIS ❖ Quit Smoking ❖ Weight Loss ❖ Pain Relief Stress & Sleep Issues ❖ Prepare for Surgery

SUSAN SPIEGEL SOLOVAY Certified Hypnotist & Trainer/ Classes this Fall /Hillsdale & Great Barrington Free consultation 518.325.6335 ❖ hypnocoachny.com

Homeopathic Medicine

HOMEOPATHY Henriette Meran

Master Clinician, Advanced Herbalist For more information:

hpmeran@aol.com or call 413.644.9488 Homeopathy strengthens and stimulates the immune system to promote self-healing.

We only treat the individual not the symptoms for a cure.

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december 2010

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

Nutrition & Supplements

Deb Phillips Deb Phillips Nutritionist utritionist N

MS, LDN, CHES

www.debphillips.biz

413-446-3205 • deb@debphillips.biz

Health Care: Alternative, Complementary & Integrative Osteopathic Medicine

Berkshire Osteopathic Health Announcing the addition of Osteopathic Primary Care Services along with our new provider, Dr. Mary K. H. Yee, DO.

Offering:

OsteOpathic primary care & manual medicine Stephen Kisiel, DO and Mary K. H. Yee, DO OsteOpathic manual medicine Joshua Krembs, DO Now accepting new patients for Primary Care and Consultation Services.

Treating newborns through adults. Most insurance accepted.

Located at Berkshire Healing Arts 42 Summer Street, Suite 301, Pittsfield, MA

413.442.0085 | www.Berkshirehealingarts.com

Physical Therapy

Reconnective Healing® RECONNECTIVE HEALING ® and THE RECONNECTION ® Marshall Rosenthal* • 413-743-5256 • marshsue@verizon.net *Listed on www.TheReconnection.com Access a new, more comprehensive spectrum of healing than has ever been attainable prior to now!

Reiki

Reiki The Usui System of Natural Healing

W

Jill Powell

hatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve. ~ Dr. Napoleon Hill

Reiki Master Hinsdale, MA 413-655-2109 | 413-441-3672 P RO M O T E S S E L F - H E A L I N G , S T RE S S RE L I E F & B A L A N CE Hours by appointment | Home visits available

ww w. B er ksh ir eR ei k i .c o m

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

december 2010

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Health Care

Home & Garden

Wellness Centers

Awaken to Your Best...

Massage • Reflexology • Reiki • HarpTherapy •Acupuncture • Coaching 105 Main Street, Village Green in Sheffield, MA

413-229-2066 • awakenhealingarts.com

Healing Arts

Jay Kain Physical Therapy

&

Traditional ● Creative ● Original Design

Wellness Center

Quality Craftsmanship

Hartsville Design

Your Health, Our Hands.

789 Main Street, Suite 4 Great Barrington, MA 01230 T (413) 528-0887 · F (413) 528-6123

Licensed & Insured - MA HIC 161562

Berkshire County’s Premier Manual Therapy & Wellness Practice

www.JayBKainPT.com

Ask about Healthier Options for Furniture and Woodwork for Environmentally Sensitive Individuals and Children

Yoga

Over 35 years of experience. In the Berkshires since 1967.

Yoga Nude in Albany

413.528.6133 • Kevin@HartsvilleDesign.com

Custom Cabinetry • Fine Furniture • Staircases

Transcend Body & Mind

Experience joyful, flowing movement ignited by ujjayi breath.

518-577-8172 • www.YogaNudeInAlbany.com

Feng Shui DDDominick Studio, www.dddominick.com

Practical Feng Shui

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• Create beauty/improve functionality in your home or office • Renew & redesign using what you have • Enhance to sell

alison shore gaines

Certified Feng Shui Consultant Since 1996 • 413.442.3604 • asgaines07@aol.com

L

ooking for a green home away from home? For help finding environmentally healthy hotels while traveling, check out www.greenhotels.com, www.greenhotelreviews.com, www. environmentallyfriendlyhotels.com, www.ecohotelsoftheworld.com, www.bostongreentourism.org, and www.vtgreenhotels.org.

december 2010

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

Film & Book Reviews for a Cozy Evening at Home

By Rodelinde Albrecht

S

ome people love easily, readily, joyfully; some need to learn. Literature and film are filled with stories of both.

Today my theme is Learning Love. I’m going to recommend three films and a book that are all, in their different ways, about people to whom love does not come naturally.

In Lars and the Real Girl (2007), a young man who is not just painfully but morbidly shy falls in love with the life-size, anatomically correct silicone sex doll he has innocently purchased via the internet. His brother and sister-in-law and his small Midwest community of friends love Lars and agree among themselves to accept Bianca as his girlfriend. They’ve been paying attention to their preacher’s words: “In all this world, there is only one law . . . Love one another.” Lars’s physician explains to his family that his delusion will end “when he doesn’t need it anymore.” Netflix calls this film a dark comedy; I would call it a darkly shining one.

Mostly Martha (2002) is the story of a fanatically dedicated chef whose work absorbs all of her time, energy, and emotion until she unexpectedly becomes responsible for the care of her niece, Lina. As Martha comes to understand and love this precocious and moody young girl, she begins to live for the moment, not just in it. Then she meets Mario. Her boss, the restaurant owner, has hired him to cover for Martha when her schedule falls apart. Martha sees him as a potential rival. But the unfazed Mario, a spontaneous, warm, sensitive Italian – in short, Martha’s polar opposite – knows a thing or two about how to love and is prepared to teach her.

Sometimes it’s not the title character who needs to learn love.

Despite her mental handicap, Carla Tate knows how to love. In fact, she says, she knows nothing else but she does know how to love. She’s The Other Sister (1999). The person who really needs to learn love – in the deepest sense of understanding and accepting – is her mother, an expert in the art of denial. Usually it is the parent who teaches the child. Here, in her own quirky way, Carla teaches her mother how simple love can be. This is one of those movies that leave you torn between laughter and tears of bliss at the over-the-top ending.

The Bachelor’s Cat: A Love Story, by L.F. Hoffman (1997), is a perfect bonbon of a book: small and sweet . . . and tremendously satisfying. The bachelor has an on-again, off-again high-voltage relationship with his slender, athletic girlfriend, who is forever on the lookout for something better. During one of their off times, he finds and adopts a tiny kitten. They become fast friends and playmates. Increasingly, he asks himself, “Why can’t a woman be more like a cat?” And then he meets the woman. She’s chubby, not at all his type. But she’s complicated and interesting and funny. Being with her is a bit like being with the cat. We never learn the names of the bachelor, the girlfriend, or the woman. The cat is called Frankie. Clearly she is the protagonist. ~ Rodelinde Albrecht is the Director of Concerned Singles, an online service that, for more that 25 years, has brought together socially conscious, progressive singles who care about social justice, race and gender equity, the environment, and personal growth. www.ConcernedSingles.com.

See ad on page 27.

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

december 2010

23

In Business: Greening Up!

SB

potlight on Green & Holistic usinesses in Our Community

DDDominick Studio

Owner: Dominick Avellino

Pittsfield Community Acupuncture Licensed Acupuncturists:

What I Do

I’m a photographer, primarily using black-and-white film. I also express myself with paint, charcoal, and collage. My clients hire me to take clean, contemporary, personalized images of them.

How I Got Started

I started my career as a fashion designer on Seventh Avenue in NYC, showing on runways and selling to all major stores.

During those years, I did an amazing amount of traveling around the world. My creativity heightened and expanded, which led me to explore other means of expression.

What I Offer

I offer the possibility for personal investigation through photographic portraits. I hear so many people say, “I’m not photogenic.” Or, “I look terrible in pictures.” My experience has been that we’re not happy with our pictures when there’s a shaky connection between the subject and the photographer.

I like to provide a safe, creative space for clients to explore themselves and ample time to let go of any negative ideas of self-image they may have come in with.

Janice O'Neil, Naomi Alson, Regina Touhey-Serkin, Kelly Clady

Who We Are

We are a group of local licensed acupuncturists from Richmond, who offer a twice-a-week low-cost group ear acupuncture clinic to residents of Berkshire County.

How We Got Started

Our clinic began when the four of us met at a continuing education course in Boston in 2009. We discovered we lived very close to each other and decided to see if we could pull off opening a clinic for folks unable to afford or otherwise access individual acupuncture treatments. By April 2010 we had our first open house and Pittsfield Community Acupuncture was born!

Why People Come To Our Clinic

Portrait of Alvin & Bobby

What Makes Me Green/Holistic?

For most of my painted greeting cards I use brown recycled paper. It’s a no-nonsense material. When painted it seems to come alive with a warm honesty to it. I also use recycled Italian tomato sauce labels and cut them into trees, animals, and celestial objects. They have a real sense of whimsy to them.

Where To Find Me

(413) 243-1899, www.dddominick.com dddominick1414@gmail.com Also see samples of his art on pages 22, 27, and 29 of this issue.

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Although the type of auricular (ear) acupuncture we practice is used a lot for issues of addiction and emotional and physical trauma, people we treat have reported relief from everything from insomnia, food and cigarette cravings, high blood pressure, headaches, and menopausal symptoms to back pain and low energy. Basically any issue that is aggravated by stress or emotional imbalance can be treated since this is a balancing treatment that reactivates the body’s own ability to heal via specific pressure points on the outside of the ear. We treat both ongoing chronic problems (pain, insomnia) as well as more recent acute ones (an acute cold, sinus infection). Many people also just come for health maintenance and to get their weekly “energy tune-up.”

What We Charge For Treatments

For a standard auricular treatment we charge a $20-$40 paywhat-you-like sliding scale. For a custom treatment with additional body points we charge $30-$50.

Where To Find Us

Berkshire Healing Arts/2nd Floor of Berkshire Nautilus 42 Summer Street, Suite 201, Pittsfield, MA 01201 (413) 243-0654, pittsfieldcommunityacu@gmail.com

The Buteyko Breathing Technique Relieve Asthma, Reduce Stress and Blood Pressure / By Tom Fleming

O

n a normal day, we breathe almost 20,000 times and may never even be aware of one breath. Yet, improving our breathing awareness and balance can bring life-enhancing changes for everyone from ailing asthmatics to active athletes.

While athletes can train in a variety of ways, asthmatics are given little choice but to rely on pharmaceuticals. When each breath is a struggle, there are few options. But the Buteyko Breathing Technique, an innovative method from overseas that teaches breathing awareness and balance, is offering a surprising source of improvement.

What health problems can be helped by learning the Buteyko Breathing Technique? Clinical trials and case studies have shown that even those with severe asthma can learn in a few days how to use the technique to improve their breathing while reducing drug dependency. The Buteyko Breathing Technique has also helped those with other respiratory problems like allergies, bronchiectasis, emphysema, and sinusitis.

Along with providing relief to those with asthma and other respiratory problems, breathing plays a crucial role in stress reduction. Cardiologist Dr. Philip Bhark, former director of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation at Fairview Hospital, emphasizes how awareness of breathing brings us mindfully into the present moment.

According to Dr. Bhark, “Focus on breathing helps balance our fast-paced lifestyle. Controlling our breath through the nostrils prevents hyperventilation and helps diminish the overdrive of our sympathetic nervous system and modulate the parasympathetic nervous system. Our heart rate slows, our blood pressure is lowered, and our mind regains a sense of calm. Breathing is a unique phenomenon that affects our whole existence ― both our emotional and our physical well-being. In a society that relies on synthetic materials and fabricated foods, breathing helps reconnect us to nature and to the source of life energy.”

In his own experience as a runner, Dr. Bhark finds that applying Buteyko principles by breathing through the nose and keeping the mouth shut makes running more enjoyable. “I can now reach the same distance at the same speed, but with less effort. It enhances a sense of control and wholeness.”

What is the Buteyko Breathing Technique and how does it work? Originally developed by Dr. Konstantin Buteyko, a Russian physician and professor of physiology, the breathing technique has a track record of clinical research and practice in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. However, it is just becoming known in the United States.

The Buteyko method uses short breathing pauses after exhalation and other techniques to develop new breathing patterns. The exercises, done in a seated position, take about 20 minutes. Younger children (over the age of four) can be taught a walking version of the Buteyko Breathing Technique.

These exercises help correct detrimental respiratory patterns, like mouth breathing, that make people vulnerable to environmental triggers including dust, pollen, cat dander, cold weather, or overexertion. Controlled breathing through the nose helps stabilize the internal balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide ― providing enough carbon dioxide to prompt the release of more oxygen from the hemoglobin into the tissues. This phenomenon is described in standard physiology textbooks as the Bohr Effect.

Overly fast or deep breathing patterns can lead to exhaling too much carbon dioxide ― depriving the body of the needed

balance. As a result, sufficient oxygen is not released into the tissues and the body feels oxygen deprived. The bronchi and blood vessels go into spasm ― as in an asthmatic episode ― in order to slow the amount of carbon dioxide loss and restore the needed balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen.

By teaching new balanced breathing patterns, the Buteyko Breathing Technique improves oxygenation of the body. This vital function helps reduce vulnerability to a whole range of triggers ― including stress, which is often identified as a key factor in precipitating asthma attacks.

Why Buteyko and not some other breathing method? Recent asthma research has shown that other methods of breathing control can be of some help. However, clinical trials have indicated that the Buteyko Breathing Technique offers a significant advantage ― especially in enabling patients to reduce reliance on asthma medication.

One example is “A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Buteyko Technique for Asthma Management” conducted in Canada at Foothills Hospital by Robert L. Cowie, MD, Professor at the University of Calgary and Director, Calgary COPD & Asthma Program. The control group in this clinical trial learned a nonButeyko breathing method and showed improvement in asthma symptoms. However, after six months of doing the exercises, only those who learned and practiced the Buteyko Breathing Technique were able to maintain their improvement in asthma symptoms while significantly reducing their use of inhaled corticosteroids.

Yoga breathing practices have also been a source of help to some people, which prompted British medical researchers to study the “Effect of two breathing exercises (Buteyko and pranayama) in asthma: a randomized controlled trial.” In this case, symptoms were significantly reduced in the Buteyko group but not in those using a device to mimic pranayama. Furthermore, by six months, those practicing the Buteyko exercises were able to reduce use of bronchodilators, whereas those practicing the other breathing exercises did not experience that reduction in drug use.

What are the benefits and responsibilities of using the Buteyko Breathing Technique? Other randomized and controlled clinical research in Australia and New Zealand adds to the increasing documentation that the Buteyko Breathing technique is an effective intervention. In the Berkshires, case studies of 103 people using the Buteyko method showed that 77 percent reported improved quality of life enabling them to reduce or eliminate the need for reliever inhalers.

Dr. Melanie Levitan of Lee Family Practice points out that, while the Buteyko exercises may be simple and effective, they require perseverance and commitment to provide ongoing respiratory relief. Among her patients using the technique, those who are able to maintain regular practice can exercise more easily, reduce their medication and improve their quality of life. Dr. Levitan concludes, “The Buteyko Breathing Technique empowers people to control their own destiny, but when people have the power, they also have the responsibility.” ~ Tom Fleming is a registered respiratory therapist and a certified Buteyko Practitioner. He can be reached at (413) 2582858, Tom@BerkshireBreathing.com.

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

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Lifestyles & Perspectives

P& Cupid in the Berkshires? ersonal Experience of Green Holistic Living in Our Community

INSPIRATION: “The life force of the natural world: a flower pushing up through a concrete sidewalk, a bird pair building its nest in the light fixture on my porch, a houseplant that survives my neglect. The lesson for me is that the will to live and to grow can overcome almost any obstacle.”

BEST ADVICE: “Snippets from a book that I’m writing about being happy: Do something different . . . for a change. When there’s nothing you can do, do something else. The grass is greener where the sun’s been shining. If life hands you lemons, make lemon meringue pie. The best you can do is the best you can do. Never say always. Being here is more important than getting there.”

FAVORITE SAYINGS: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye” (Antoine de Saint Exupéry). “Life is too short to look over your shoulder. I’d rather look forward” (Rosamunde Pilcher). “It is never too late to be what you might have been” (George Eliot).

FAVORITE THINGS: Life. Love. Laughter.

SECRET DREAM: To be a cabaret performer, singing songs of love.

GUILTY PLEASURE: Chocolate for breakfast. But without the guilt.

WHAT MAKES HER LAUGH: “My clownish cats. Puns (the worse the better). Me at my most pretentious.”

NAME: Rodelinde Albrecht HOMETOWN: Salzburg, Austria.

HOW YOU KNOW HER: Director of Concerned Singles (which she helped found in 1984), the first introduction service geared specifically for people with a progressive, holistic, or green perspective. Its members realize that shared values are more key than shared hobbies for building a life together.

WHY THE BERKSHIRES? “I’ve lived here since 1986, longer than I’ve lived anywhere else. Every morning, whatever the season, I look out my window and am stunned anew by the beauty and serenity of the landscape. And yet all the requirements for a culturally satisfying life abound here as well: music, libraries and bookstores, art, theatre, dance, exceptional restaurants. People travel for thousands of miles to experience all this; all I need do is step out my door.”

WHAT MIGHT THE TITLE OF HER BIOGRAPHY BE? “Not Enough Fingers for All of Her Pies.”

PRIORITY: “Sweeping my own front porch. I try to make my own tiny spot on this globe into a pleasant and peaceful place for myself, for my friends, and for strangers who could become friends ― into the kind of place I’d like the whole world to be.”

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SHE’S GONE GREEN: “Contrary to popular belief, our generation did not invent recycle-reuse-repurpose. My parents lived through both world wars, in Germany and in Austria. When I was growing up, nothing was wasted; a use was found for everything. Before I toss anything, I still always consider whether I can put it to use at least once more. I’d rather make something (using whatever’s on hand) than buy it. You might say it’s not so much that I’ve gone green as that I’ve stayed green.”

(413) 243-4350 rodelinde@concernedsingles.com www.concernedsingles.com See ad at right.

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DDDominick Studio, www.dddominick.com

LAURA KUROWSKI • 413.358.4218 www.shamanichealingservice.com

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

december 2010

27

Nonprofit Organizations

SO

potlight on Nonprofit Alternative Energy rganizations in Our Community

Resilience in Our Local Communities / Transition Towns: The primary focus of the Transition Towns movement is to help build resilience within a community to be more prepared and secure when facing the impacts created

by Peak Oil (rising fuel prices) and Climate Change (whether it’s manmade or of natural origins). The Transition Towns movement was founded by school teacher Rob Hopkins in Totnes, England, just a couple of years ago. After completing a project of building a cluster of self-sufficient sustainable homesteads, he saw the film End of Suburbia which brought him to the conclusion that their little sustainable project really wouldn’t survive without the help and support of their local community. So the thought entered his mind that if they worked together as a community to prepare themselves to face the double whammy of Peak Oil and Climate Change, then maybe they would all have a chance at a better future – together. The result of their plan and community effort was the first Transition Town. As word spread about the concept of visioning and working towards a more positive postoil future, other Transition Towns quickly took root throughout England, and in less than a year the concept reached the shores of a dozen other countries, including the United States.

So as the Age of Cheap Oil appears to have come to its inevitable end, the basic Transition Town philosophy goes like this. With oil so deeply embedded in our ways of living, from transportation and food production to consumer products, the end of cheap oil will soon have a severe impact on the lifestyles of most of us. Preparing now for this future is a positive approach that builds upon a view that the future with less oil doesn’t have to be all that bad.

The Northern Berkshire Transition (NBT) was formed by five individuals (with very different backgrounds but with a common vision of the future) after attending a presentation on Transition Towns back in February 2010. Needing to recruit members to accomplish the community building efforts ahead, they started by organizing a showing of the film In Transition, followed by an event with a local Transition Trainer to learn more about the Transition movement. In the past few months NBT has organized speakers on Sustainable City Living and Personal and Community Emergency Preparedness as part of a Great ReSkilling Speaker Series. NBT has also formed two larger and long-term initiatives, an economic development project called “The 3/50 Project,” and a Local Food Security project involving a study of locally produced food and the potential for expansion of food production in the Northern Berkshires. The food study they are looking at is based on a recently completed study for the town of Northampton developed by the Conway School. An example of this comprehensive study can be viewed at the NBT website north ernberkshiretransition.ning.com. In addition to developing new and important community building programming, the NBT group is careful to investigate what other great local community groups are already doing to avoid duplication of efforts, and looks to work with other local organizations on projects of mutual interest.

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By Jay Walsh

The 3/50 Project is a Local Economy initiative that Northern Berkshire Transition is promoting in the towns of Adams, North Adams, and Williamstown. The 3/50 Project is the brainchild of Cinda Baxter of Minneapolis who after losing the lease on her own retail business launched the effort in her own community back in March 2009.

The message of The 3/50 Project couldn’t be any simpler.

Think 3, Spend 50. Think of three local independent businesses you would miss if they were gone from your community. Spend $50 a month among these businesses, not more than you would spend in the course of a normal month. Just consider what you are purchasing and choose to buy those items at local independent retailers.

By doing so you’re not only supporting local business, you’re helping your local economy to pay for schools, sports programs, property taxes, and local payrolls, and to employ more local people. For every $100 you spend with independently owned businesses, $68 returns to the local economy. If you spend that same amount at a national chain or franchise, only $43 stays local. Spend it online and nothing comes home.

This difference of just $25 dollars doesn’t seem like much, but multiply it by 1,000 people in your community, times 52 weeks, and that comes to 1.3 million dollars over the course of a year.

It is disconcerting to see long-established businesses in our communities who have served us for generations and weathered many difficult economic times over their 50-60-70 year histories succumb to our voracious consumerism to buy as much as we can at the cheapest prices we can get, no matter what the cost to our local businesses or community. Businesses like the recently closed Tyler Home Center, a family-owned business serving the Pittsfield community for over 60 years.

So give a little thought about your upcoming purchases and consider stopping by your locally owned independent business, like Mount Williams Greenhouses serving North Adams for 75 years, or Maple Grove Equipment over 35 years in Adams, or the locally owned sports shops like The Spoke and Mountain Goat in Williamstown, or Berkshire Outfitters in Adams. And don’t forget your local coffee shops and lunch spots like Stone Soup (next door to Subway) in Adams, or brewhaha (between Dunkin’ Donuts and Subway) in North Adams. Just try to remember that when you buy from local independently owned businesses, more of your dollars stay local to support your main streets and your community.

If you would like to learn more about The 3/50 Project, please contact Jay Walsh, Founding Member Northern Berkshire Transition, 140 Pleasant Street, North Adams, MA 01247, (413) 329-1755, nbtransition@gmail.com, www.northernberkshiretransition.ning.com.

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december 2010

29

Heroes

Alternative Energy

By Nathan Smith It’s 11 o’clock. Do you know where your children are?

S

ome of us might remember this television ad. It was a public service admonition for mom and dad to exercise their parental concerns and responsibilities. I have updated the admonition to something more timely, metaphorically speaking. It’s 11 o’clock. Do you know WHO your children are?

Humanity’s eleventh hour, it appears, is upon us. We have brought our sociological and ecological world to a crisis. And now we are handing over this potential catastrophe to our children. Who are our children anyway? What kind of people have they become as a result of what we have been teaching them? Do our books and images, music, lyrics and cinema, news and ads nurture or malnourish their minds? What types of cultural icons embody our aspirations? Who are our heroes?

The world, the Western cultures, and particularly the culture of the United States are rife with images and tales to stir the blood exhorting us to “be all you can be.” Most of us are acquainted with the military ads that reduce this truth to a platitude. We have seen the visuals seducing an inexperienced youth into becoming a soldier, with a romantic yet sterilized image that avoids the inherent killing to be accomplished after signing on the dotted line.

Then there are the alluring images of the rock, sports, and movie stars. What they endorse materialistically and utter philosophically are laid out before us like a smorgasbord, even though many of them may not have a whit of sense or sensitivity.

Our public squares are dotted with statues of famous politicians and the military fallen, monuments to noted generals and Indian slayers. There are cannons stationed in parks and VFWs to commemorate great battles and world wars, bronze plaques to inform us of some past bloodshed. Our histories, stories, and songs recount the exploits of the robber barons, tyrants, and conquistadors. And so much more where our little ones rest their eyes and ears.

The overly rich are dished up as successful, and therefore as persons to emulate, here where you pull yourself up by the proverbial bootstraps and enjoy the world of luxury. Our culture’s ideal of what a woman’s body should be and the idea of a virile male, the unblemished airbrushed complexion and perfectly coiffed hair are all parts of the package. Everywhere are the icons of disharmony and dissatisfaction, which the undiscerning mind absorbs like a dry sponge does water.

The idea of a hero has deteriorated into an image of how we are to act and what we are encouraged to desire, to look like, and to possess.

The person of artistic genius, the altruistic inventor, the humanitarian, the philanthropist are not held as dearly to the cultural chest as are the military man, the CEO, the wealthy, the superstar, the president. The rich and famous are worthy of our worship, we are told, while the true hero gets short shrift.

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Who is a hero? In my estimation, a hero is one who serves, inspires, and sacrifices for the benefit of others. Some have risked -and sometimes experienced -- poverty, loss of family life, incarceration, betrayal, character assassination, torture, even assassination, and countless other types of unimaginable suffering, all in the name of truth and human rights and in the defense of the disenfranchised.

Take, for example, Howard Zinn, Dorothea Dix, Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Eugene V. Debs, Jane Addams, Tecumseh, Margaret Fuller, Harriet Tubman, Scott and Helen Nearing, Karen Silkwood, Margaret Sanger, E. F. Schumacher, Eleanor Roosevelt, Tom Paine, and Berkshire County’s own Mum Bett and Susan B. Anthony.

Most of us would consider ourselves in good company to spend an evening with any of the above. Each is worthy of emulation in some way. Humanity would have a bright future were we to introduce our children at the earliest age possible to the likes of these.

And then there are those nameless millions: heroes who, witnessing subjugation and injustice, defied the boot of mean-spirited authority and lost their lives or livelihood in doing so. They are the visionaries, ordinary people pushed into a violent drama who, had they had their druthers, would have chosen lives of simplicity and community held together by the Golden Rule.

A society educated in ethics and civics (in other words, fairness and service) is a society founded on the Golden Rule. A ripple effect of tsunami proportions would occur with such an enlightened education and the world would be made safe in one generation. It only takes one generation to get rid of a bad idea.

Who would not love to live in a world like this, a world of the Golden Rule? Those who would not, would, through their actions, plainly be seen as a malignancy to our planet.

Service merely means that I imbue each moment with giving rather than “greeding.” How can each of us do this? In a very easy and practical way, we could start by interacting pleasantly with everyone we encounter. This is an act of simple service, to see everyone as a good neighbor. Not to judge but to bless. Such a society would be a just and happy one. A just and happy society would be benevolent and beneficent. Have you ever met a truly happy person who is selfish?

I have witnessed from the window of an airplane the shadow of night retreating, being pushed westward across the face of our rounded Earth with the sun emerging from the east, cresting the horizon. Imagine how, like a tidal wave, the waking minds of humans would take over the Earth in twenty-four hours. Imagine if all we billions of people upon this planet were to awaken tomorrow morning with the intention that this day would be the day in which “I will give the best part of myself at any given moment.”

It’s eleven o’clock. Do you know who your children are?

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

Index of Resource Guide Advertisers Alison Shore Gaines, Practical Feng Shui ..........................22 Allegrone Construction Co., Inc. ........................................17 Andrea Feldman, Paperclip Studio .......................................11 Art Of Wellness Massage Therapy ......................................20 Awaken Healing Arts ...........................................................22 AzureGreen ...........................................................................27 Barbara A. Baker, Serving People and Animals ...................9 BensDotter’s Pet ......................................................................8 Berkshire Animal D.R.E.A.M.S. ..........................................8 Berkshire Co-op Market ............................inside front cover Berkshire Humane Society - Purradise ...................................8 Berkshire Organics ................................................................14 Berkshire Osteopathic Health .............................................21 Berkshire Photovoltaic Services (BPVS) ...............................7 Berkshire Pulse ......................................................................12 Berkshires Green Grocer & Claire’s Cafe ..........................14 Blue Rider Stables .................................................................12 BRIDGE, Berkshire Resources for the Integration of Diverse Groups and Education, Inc. ...........................13 Bruce Mandel, Performing Songwriter ................................9 cafeADAM ............................................................................29 Canyon Ranch Lenox .........................................................18 CET - Center for Ecological Technology .........................13 Christine M. Tobin, APRN, PC, A-HNC ..........................18 Clearwater Natural Foods ...................................................14 Cliff Brodeur Entertainment ................................................9 Concerned Singles ................................................................27 C.S.C.F. Distributors ..............................................................6 Darrow School .....................................................................13 Deb Phillips, MS, LDN, CHES .........................................20 Ed O’Malley PhD, Optimal Sleep&Mary O’Malley MD, PhD Holistic Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine .......................18 Eileen Lawlor, LICSW ........................................................20 Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter ...........................................8 Energy in Motion Studio ....................................................12 Erin Burch, Physical Therapy ............................................21 Gateways of the Heart ........................................................27 Geiger Computers ...............................................................11 GoodWorks Insurance ........................................................11 Grenergy Solar Store .............................................................6 HANDLE® of New England ............................................18 Hartsville Design .....................................................17, 22, 32 Health Options Patient Education Group llc. .................19

Henriette Meran, Homeopathy ..........................................20 Hilltop Orchards - Furnace Brook Winery ......................12 Integrative Health Solutions ...............................................19 Intuitive Counseling, Sheilaa Hite .....................................27 Jay Kain Physical Therapy & Wellness Center ................22 Jill Powell, Reiki ....................................................................21 KENVER LTD ......................................................................1 Kwik Print Incorporated ....................................................11 Lenox Village Integrative Pharmacy .................................19 Living Well Chiropractic, Nutrition & Massage ...............20 Marion Bergan Irwin, Licensed Acupuncturist ...............19 Matt Albert, Bodywork .......................................................20 Mikka Barkman ....................................................................20 Millie Calesky, Business & Life Coach ..............................11 Ming Lash, Somatic Movement Therapist .......................19 Montessori School of the Berkshires, The .........back cover Mountain Road School ........................................................13 Naomi Alson, Acupuncturist & Herbalist ........................19 New England Center for Osteopathy ...............................21 New England Solar & Green Solutions, Inc. ....................6 Okerstrom Lang, Ltd. ..........................................................17 Orchid Blossom Healing Arts ............................................19 Pet Partners of the Tri-State Berkshires .............................8 Phoebe Williams, Life Coach .............................................20 Play Reflections ....................................................................27 Ramsdell Public Library ......................................................13 Randi Haskins-Jordan, Physical Therapy/Osteopathic .....19 Reconnective Healing® and The Reconnection® ............21 Renewable Energy Solutions, Inc. .......................................6 Route 7 Grill ..........................................................................29 Shamanic Healing Services .................................................27 Sproutman® ..........................................................................14 Studio Day Spa .....................................................................17 Susan Spiegel Solovay ..........................................................20 Traditional Acupuncture, Jeffrey Gordon, MAc, LicAc ......19 Trattoria Rustica ...................................................................29 Upper Crust Bakery ..............................................................14 Vlada Boutique .......................................................................9 Webnash Design-Build ........................................................17 Webster Ingersoll ..................................................................22 WholePerson Movement ....................................................12 Yoga Nude in Albany ..........................................................22 Zorn Family Chiropractic ...................................................20

www.OurBerkshireGreen.com

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