As the founder of Brooksfield, I have always felt it was my duty to keep learning and growing as a person so that I could share those interests with the students through programs that we have designed to keep Brooksfield on the cutting edge. Interests in Outdoor Adventures, photography, sustainability, organic gardening, social development outside the Montessori classroom and team building to name a few.

Over the past several years I have worked with a group of women named The Citizens for Community Wellness who work together to build better lifestyle options for our McLean community. We held Green Day last year in an attempt to educate our families about healthier and better choices available for our children's health, exercise and home life.

We also introduced you last year to better nutrition through classes taught by Anita Capizzi RN and health counselor. Some of you continued your time with her and ended with cooking classes at my home. All in all a wonderful experience where we all grew together in our understanding of eating whole foods and how that equates to better health.

This year, I have become a student at The Institute for Integrative Health. I am pursuing a degree in Health Coaching/Counseling. This course will take a year and while I am learning a lot about food choices and how it correlates to health, it is educating me how to make better snack and food choices for our students at Brooksfield. I do feel we are all connected and that the well being of one is good for all and the well being of the whole group is our goal.

I have already targeted items at Trader Joe's that will be better for our kids. I am working with our Brooksfield team to identify seasonal items that will change throughout the year that will fill our children with less additives, chemicals and fillers that really are not good for their building bodies.
We take such care and pride in our educational, social, emotional, spiritual and physical education that the area of nutrition needed our attention.

I invite you to contact me to talk about health concerns as we continue to improve our lifelong devotion to making Brooksfield a healthy, happy and harmonious place for our children to grow, learn and thrive. I do believe that this is an inside job so continuing classes this year will be developed for our families and staff. My heart goes out to our parents as you and your children are bombarded with strong and effective marketing that makes buying sugary cereals and empty macaroni and cheese the easy solution. I am hearing from our moms that dinner is on the fly and not a sit down event. Kids are screaming for what they see on TV and the current marketing tells you its ok because it is somehow fortified. I ask you to read more and dig deeper and to use your own common sense. Should a cupcake have 50 ingredients? Most of which you can not pronounce and don't know what it is? Check out the labels the next time you go to pick up packaged food for your family.

The simple truth is always so easy to grasp but often difficult to execute, so let's work together: Eat whole foods that come from nature, avoid processed and chemically altered foods. Eat local and organic when you can. Eat seasonally and stay in touch with nature. That is how children prefer to live. We can take our cue from them!

Love to hear from you and talk about this new exciting development at Brooksfield! Working together is easier than trying to do it alone. I have grocery lists of good food items and suggestions that might make the task a bit easier to swallow! maduffus@aol.com

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By: Anita Capizzi, R.N., CHC

 Fall is in the air these days. Football has begun. School is back in session. Routines are starting to be the norm again.

Which routines in your life could be healthier?

Do you walk the kids down to the bus stop, helping everyone to feel connected to the seasons and to the earth? Or do you drive to the bus?

Is fast food an easy way to take care of dinner after soccer or football practice? It's super easy to make unhealthy choices when we don't have a plan! If we take the time to plan ahead - decide on meals in advance, store cut up vegetables and chicken or meat in the freezer, have pre-made meals frozen in portions, washed lettuce in the bin, etc., we affirm our right to enjoy abundant health!

It's easy to get caught in a rut doing the same
old thing; driving instead of walking, take out instead of home cooked food. Choose another way. See how you can upgrade your routines to promote health. Freshly ground almond or peanut butter instead of processed? A commitment to make homemade salad dressings just for the Fall? Try something new this season- just one new thing- see how much better it feels to make your health a priority!

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It's been way too long since I connected with the Brooksfield community and so today I want to share some personal and professional thoughts on green living.

When I started my business in 2008, I wanted to provide a service that helped people make better decisions for their own personal health and the health of our planet. I also wanted to help businesses build a culture of green so that they could implement green practices that made sense, reduced their environmental impact, and boosted employee morale and retention. After a couple years of providing those services, with great success in some areas, and not so great in others - I have just this weekend had what I think is an insightful revelation on where I may have gone wrong, and where I need to go from here. 

The revelation: Most people just want things to be simple. Most people buy products because they want something tangible. Selling green services is often a bit...convoluted. I developed checklists and assessments and resource guides thinking that people would continue to use them over and over. But if any of you are like me, I have plenty of guides and useful resources that are sitting on a shelf collecting dust, or tucked away in a folder on my computer eating up memory that I don't even know I am using. Four months ago, something else happened in my life that has led me to this current revelation - I had a baby! And since you are likely a parent if you are reading this, you know that when that little being enters your world, everything changes and all your priorities shift. 

Cloth diapers, organic baby formula - out the window! Yep - me. The green consultant. Now I do still use the eco-friendly disposable diapers and only organic creams, etc. - but in my new day-to-day reality I need green practices that are easy, and that work for my lifestyle and busy schedule. For working parents, finding a balance between healthy living, green living - heck just regular living - can be hard enough. 

So if you are like me and always trying to do everything "right" - do yourself a favor and just do what is easy enough for today. Does that mean throw everything in the trash instead of recycle, crank up the heat, or leave the faucet running when you are not using water? Of course not. But live green where it is tangible for you whether it means buying recycled content products that you like, using eco-friendly cleaners that are affordable and at your grocery store, or being conscious of your energy consumption. We all define what green means to us. Find your green thing - and stick with it! You and the planet will feel more balanced! 

As for where this revelation is taking me, stay tuned! (A little re-organization on my end may result in a lot of re-organization for others.) 

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After a busy summer of interns and putting together new green living resources, I am back to Brooksfield blogging and sharing green living tips good for people and the planet. If you ever have specific green living questions, please send a message to info AT greenlivingconsulting.com. 

This month's blog is from a recent post I did on greendailygrind.com before a presentation at a local festival in DC. 

Making Your Own Green Cleaning Products

Many natural ingredients found in your kitchen can double as safe and effective cleaning products. These cleaners are inexpensive and non-toxic to use, creating healthier homes in the cleaning process.

Why Should We Be Concerned with Our Cleaning Products?

Well, here are a few facts that got my attention:

There are an estimated 80,000 different chemical compounds in use, of which 4000-8000 are estimated to trigger cancer.

The average household contains anywhere from 3 to 25 gallons of toxic materials.

Of the roughly 17,000 chemicals used in household products, only about 30% have been adequately tested for their effects on human health.

According to The International Agency for Research on Cancer, 80% of all cancers are attributable to environmental influences.

Cleaning products are often defined as Hazardous Waste: Any material (gas, liquid or solid) discarded from the home that may, due to its chemical nature, pose a health threat to people, animals and the environment if handled or disposed of improperly. When you dispose of your cleaning products in landfills or down the drain, you negatively affect: fish, birds, soil, air, the water supply, and human health.

Toxic substances has become such a concern that it is currently in the National Spotlight. Currently there are two reform bills in Congress which would improve on the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act:

• Require industries to prove safety of chemicals
• Require basic information about all chemicals
• Suggest a program for the EPA to identify and clean up hot spots in the country where chemical exposure is particularly high

The House bill requires the EPA to take action on the 40 worst chemicals within the next year. One of the other reasons for public concern is that the current Act excludes cosmetics, food, drugs, and pesticides, and the EPA has only tested about 200 of the 60,000 - 80,000 chemicals in production in the marketplace. (Get more information on the proposed reform through various organizations: Healthy Child, Healthy World, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and Occupational Health and Safety)

With so much unknown and needed reform still in the legislative process, we are better off at the moment taking matters into our hands. One way to do that is to make your own cleaning products with ingredients you can trust, and probably have in your kitchen right now.

Clean from your Cupboard: Green Cleaning Recipes and Tips

Vinegar

Vinegar naturally cleans like an all-purpose cleaner. Mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar in a new store bought spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Always test on an inconspicuous area. It is safe to use on most surfaces and has the added bonus of being incredibly cheap. Improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Never use vinegar on marble surfaces. Don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries. Here are some uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house:

• Bathroom - Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down. Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. Mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile. Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.
• Kitchen- Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.
• Laundry Room- Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. (A plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent.)

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits, as well as to clean and shine brass and copper. It can be mixed with vinegar and or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. You can also put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal to freshen the drain.

Baking Soda

Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial abrasive cleansers. Baking soda is great as a deodorizer. Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action.

3% Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen Peroxide is yet another fabulous wonder in the non-toxic world. It can be used for numerous things in the home and can even get rid of mold! Its properties are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and it can get rid of viruses. You can even use a capful daily as mouthwash. No more canker sores and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes! Pour 1 cup in your rinse cycle for some great white action as well.

Jojoba/Olive Oil

Mix together 1 cup jojoba/olive oil and 1/2 cup lemon juice to create a homemade furniture polish. Mix together in a clean new spray bottle. To use, remember to shake before each application. Apply a small portion to your cleaning cloth. Spread the polish over the furniture, trying to polish evenly. Use another clean cloth to polish the surface dry.

Here are a few more useful ingredients to have in your house, along with their uses:

• Carnauba/Beeswax - floor and furniture wax
• Borax-deodorizer - all-purpose cleaner, rust-stain removal
• Toothpaste - metal polisher
• Washing soda (sodium carbonate) - grease and grime cutter, wax remover and deodorizer
• Citrus Fruits - disinfectant, grease cutter, deodorizer, flea repellent
• Eucalyptus/Neem Tree Oils - insect repellent
• Lavender Oil - disinfectant, deodorizer
• Tea Tree Oil - anti-bacterial, -fungal, and -viral, deodorizer
• Natural Vegetable-based Liquid Soap - grease and grime cutter, wax remover and deodorizer

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• what our local Chamber of Commerce is doing to Green McLean by, Ghassan Abukurah, A2 Design, Inc.

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Sponsored By:

Green Living Consulting
Green Spur
McLean Chamber of Commerce

Come join us for a morning filled with GREEN activities centered around:
• Fitness
• Nutrition
• Greening Your Home
• Organic gardening
• Halloween activities

Fun for all ages!

Enjoy:
• Pony Rides, Face Painting, Pumpkin Painting, Live Entertainment, Climbing Wall, Halloween Games, and more!

Also:
• Supervisor John Foust will speak about our county's GREEN initiatives.

• Meet GREEN vendors and learn how to save on your energy costs.

• Learn from GREEN builders, architects and specialists on how to make simple GREEN changes at home and at work.

• Watch a demonstration on composting and organic gardening.

• Enjoy healthy treats that will boost your family's intake of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and more!

• Network with McLean families and business owners to learn about what's happening in our community in terms of fitness, nutrition, and greening efforts

• Meet local farmers too!

Hope you can make it!

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Brooksfield's Upper School Anthropological Express Performance on Tibet aired on Voice of America TV.  Kunleng News aired the production on June 11th.  Click here to see the clip.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x-ztyRRvTQ

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For more information visit:  http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/partners/partners/brooksfieldschool.htm

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