By Tom Citrano

A baby is abandoned every 25 minutes in the United States.

This shocking statistic is what lead Debbe Magnusen to create Project Cuddle®. In founding this group, Debbe approached the complex problem of baby abandonment, infanticide and neonaticide with a clear and simple mission.

The mission of Project Cuddle is to stop this ever-growing epidemic and provide emotional support, and confidential, safe and legal options to the girls and women in crisis.  The group is committed to helping these girls and women find ways to save unwanted babies and offer brighter futures for both baby and the biological mother.

In advancing their advocacy for these babies in crisis, Project Cuddle wants to raise awareness, hoping that frightened young women who find themselves pregnant will turn to Project Cuddle for confidential help, instead of facing the situation alone and making potentially bad decisions that could endanger the babies. Debbe Magnusen and Project Cuddle are our Natural Heroes for November.

Debbe Magnusen’s history as a child advocate predates her founding of Project Cuddle. Debbe fostered over 30 drug-exposed babies, while raising two biological children. She eventually adopted five of those children. But Debbe wanted to do more. Every time she heard of another abandoned baby, it was a cry to action for Debbe. Magnusen remembers, “I thought, gosh, if a mom just knew I was here, why wouldn’t she come to me?” This eventually lead her in 1996 to start the first crisis line, in her Orange County, California living room. Within twelve hours of starting the hot line, Debbe had her first desperate call for help.

The call was from a frightened woman that had hidden her pregnancy from everyone she knew. She was due to give birth and had no prenatal care or medical plans for delivery. Debbe had only days to orchestrate a safe and legal alternative to abandonment.

Project Cuddle was able to retain an attorney, a family wanting to rescue and adopt the baby, as well as an obstetrician, hospital and social services counselor. All were on board to assist and support both the birth mother and baby. Debbe Magnusen coached this woman through the delivery of a beautiful baby girl.

After the baby was delivered into the arms of the adoptive parents, the birth mother said to Debbe. “I feel like I’ve done something good for the first time.” Everyone involved had done ‘something good.’ The woman didn’t break the law, the baby was safe and a rescue couple was overjoyed at having a new daughter in their lives. Since then Debbe Magnusen and Project Cuddle have rescued more than 600 babies.

Project Cuddle was incorporated as a non-profit charity in 1994. A volunteer Board of Directors oversees the organization, but Debbe runs the group on a day-to-day basis, with the help of volunteers and a small paid staff. Volunteers play an important and varied role in the continued success of Project Cuddle, especially as they continue to reach frightened girls and women across the country and across the world.

Some volunteers may choose to embark on special training as hot line operators. These volunteers provide a compassionate and patient voice in listening and counseling crisis hot line callers. Other volunteers serve as community media liaisons, helping to create awareness of Project Cuddle, contacting media in their community with information and news releases from Project Cuddle.

Project Cuddle assists girls and women of all ages, races and backgrounds. The youngest was a pregnant 12 year-old and the oldest was a 47 year-old woman. Most have hidden their pregnancy from family and friends and call Project Cuddle as a last resort, shortly before or during their delivery. Debbe Magnusen stresses that one of the most important parts of the process is the hands-on work with each girl or woman, pre and post-delivery.

Respect, patience and care are always paramount in these exchanges. Project Cuddle continues to assist them after delivery, helping to establish future plans or to re-establish damaged family relations. Project Cuddle is not an adoption agency or facilitator. They charge nothing to the girls or families. Their only goal is to help each of them make a safe and legal decision. Approximately 60% of the girls and women ultimately decide to raise their babies themselves, many with help from Project Cuddle. Ms. Magnusen explains, “We often hold their hand as they tell their parents, or find them shelter if they’ve been kicked out.

Others may choose adoption, but it is completely up to her where the baby will go.  She may work with an agency or choose to work privately with a lawyer. We want each girl or woman to make a decision they are comfortable with.”
Education plays an important role in Project Cuddle’s goal to reduce baby abandonment and neonaticide.

This lead to their creating the Believe campaign, designed to educate junior high and high school students about the problem and make them aware of better choices. A Chance to Live is the DVD they produced to let students know of safe and legal options, so that no baby ever has to be abandoned. 
The video is hosted by Mary Stuart Masterson, and stars John Stamos, Kathy Najimy and Paula Abdul. All high schools in the State of California have been provided with this program. Project Cuddle is now making the DVD available to schools and audiences in other states. For more information about A Chance to Live, contact Project Cuddle at 714-432-9681.

Actor, John Stamos, is the National Spokesperson for Project Cuddle. John has been able to give Project Cuddle a sustained national platform through appearances on Oprah, Ellen and dozens of other talk show appearances, magazine and newspaper interviews. John explains the connection he feels to Debbe and Project Cuddle, “I was immediately taken with Debbe and Project Cuddle. Here’s this woman who was saving babies out of her garage.

My Mother hooked me up with her. I’d never been approached by a charity that was so tangible. She was actually saving babies! She would get a call about an abandoned baby, pick up the baby and find parents for the baby. And it was something that was such an easy sell for me to take around to Oprah and Ellen to get more national attention for Debbe and her work. I felt I could make the most real difference with this group…More than any other group or cause I’ve supported.” Stamos is currently producing a TV movie about Debbe Magnusen and Project Cuddle for Lifetime.

Project Cuddle is completely funded through donations. Those donations are what allow them to continue their mission. If you are interested in making an individual or corporate donation, please call 714-432-9681 or visit online at: projectcuddle.org. For more information about Project Cuddle or to find out about volunteer opportunities, visit their website at: projectcuddle.org.

This month’s Natural Heroes are Goldin Martinez and Yusuf Myers. Together they are the lifeblood of Get Focused Fitness. Established in 2008, Get Focused Fitness is a not-for-profit, New York City-based organization, dedicated to introducing inner-city youth to the fundamentals of exercise and healthy eating habits. Chief Executive Officer and Get Focused Founder, Yusuf Myers, explains his hopes for the group, “My vision for Get Focused Fitness is to provide leadership in the fight against obesity that is threatening to destroy the lives of our youth, by introducing them to a better, healthier way to live.”
Martinez and Myers are both established certified professional trainers. Currently working from their Washington Heights/Inwood base, Get Focused provides free age-appropriate fitness classes and nutritional programs in a safe and fun-filled environment, where they can also build self-esteem, develop leadership skills and interact with their peers.

Executive Director, Goldin Martinez, shares the root of his very personal mission at Get Focused. “Growing up in the Washington Heights section of New York City, I’ve witnessed the lack of leadership for our youth. It’s an epidemic in this neighborhood. The result is a lack of healthy choices for our children. Because of my personal experience, I’m determined to provide New York City children with the healthy choices they deserve.”

Yusuf Myers highlights the path that lead him to create Get Focused Fitness, “I’ve been actively involved in athletics and fitness since the age of six. I know from my personal struggle with weight gain and self-esteem issues, the difference fitness and healthy-living can make. I also realized the need for a group like Get Focused Fitness to the youth of Washington Heights, where I was raised.”

Get Focused caters to the fitness needs of young people across the New York City area. They provide a number of no-cost services, including group fitness training, specialized nutritional plans, personalized fitness journals, educational fitness workshops, motivational speaking, leadership training, health fairs, innovative obstacle courses and one on one consultations.

The Get Focused program is comprised of five points of success. They are: endurance, muscle fitness, flexibility, body composition, and nutrition. Get Focused has implemented an incentive program called the Get Focused Point System. It’s an incentive-based system, designed to encourage young people joining and staying in the program. Academic and athletic success merits points that can lead to prizes, ranging from t-shirts to Yankee tickets and I-pods.

Get Focused is on the fast track to becoming the gold standard for young people’s physical education programs in New York City. The group has collaborated with other non-profits including Health Corps, Alianza Dominica, NYC Parks and Recreation and Harlem Children’s Zone to consult in the creation of fitness programs and health fairs, bringing their message of innovative, fun fitness to young people across the city.

Get Focused operates after school, five afternoons a week (Monday-Friday), in neighborhood recreation centers and school gymnasiums. The classes are limited to 25 students and are offered in three gender-specific age groups; 5-8 year olds, 8-12 year olds and 14-18 year olds. Specific times and locations of classes are available at their website: getfocusedfitness.org.
Goldin and Yusuf will never forget the first student who ventured into their first Get Focused class, even if he ended up there by mistake. Jorge Hernandez was that first student and he remembers that first day, “I went to the recreation center for a job. When I walked into the gym I asked the manager if they were hiring and he said no, but Goldin jumped into the conversation and told me he was a trainer who wanted to teach kids how to exercise.

I took a look around and saw there was no one else in the gym.  I asked him how many people were in the program. He said, ‘If you join, then there will be one.’ That’s when my life changed for the better.  I walked into that center in hope of a job and today I am one of the Get Focused trainers. I am now a healthy role model and look forward to a bright future with Get Focused!”

Get Focused Fitness is looking for additional fitness professionals to donate time at the Washington Heights and new additional fitness outposts. They are also looking for volunteers to help with fund-raising and other important Get Focused activities. If you are interested in learning more about Get Focused Fitness, visit their website at getfocusedfitness.org.

If you have a Natural Hero in your life, send an email to: heroes@nugreencity.com and tell us 
about that special someone who is making our 
city and the planet a better place.

By Tom Citrano

“In today’s world of fear and uncertainty, 
every child should have one class period a day to dive within himself and experience the field of silence – bliss – the enormous reservoir of energy and intelligence that is deep within all of us. This is the way to save the coming generation.” David Lynch, founder and chairman of the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and 
World Peace.

This month’s Natural Heroes are Mr. Lynch and the people at the David Lynch Foundation. Director and Producer David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Elephant Man, Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive) started his foundation to provide funds for students to learn meditation through Transcendental Meditation centers, hospital-sponsored wellness programs, boys and girls clubs, before-and-after school programs and in schools when invited by the administration.

Instruction is voluntary and provided to children after parental permission has been granted and at no cost to the family, organization or school. This year the David Lynch Foundation granted millions of dollars guaranteeing thousands of students, teachers and families a chance to learn meditation.  The Foundation also funds independent research to study the effects of meditation on creativity, intelligence, brain function, academic performance, ADHD and additional learning disorders, substance abuse and depression.

Lynch believes that stress is taking a big toll on children today. He looks for a day when developing student’s creative potential is part of every school’s curriculum. David Lynch has been a TM practitioner for over 30 years and explains, “There are hundreds of schools, thousands of students, who are eager to relieve stress and bring out the full potential of every student by providing this Consciousness-based education.”

The David Lynch Foundation targets the benefits of TM for students in the following areas:

CLASSROOM STRESS
Children need to feel safe in school because pressure, stress and fear undermine learning. Dr. William Stixrud, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist in Silver Spring, Maryland, specializing in work with children and adolescents, has studied the effects of stress on the developing brain and had this to say about the David Lynch Foundations programs, “Educators have long known the optimal mind/body state of a student is one of relaxed alertness. The question has been how does the student get there? The answer is The Transcendental Meditation Program.”

CLINICAL DEPRESSION
Ten million children in America have been diagnosed as clinically depressed and take antidepressant medications. Most of these medications are categorized as having serious side effects. A study (funded in part by the Daimler/Chrysler Fund and the General Motors Foundation) on meditating children at an inner-city Detroit middle school confirms what previous gathered data and research has documented: The Transcendental Meditation program increases happiness, self-esteem, and self-worth, while also reducing anxiety and depression.

LEARNING 
DISORDERS
If left untreated, ADHD impacts the child in several ways – causing impulsivity, distractibility, hyperactivity and inattentiveness. ADHD is also associated with sleep disorders, depression, bipolar disorder and other disorders. Almost 90% of children diagnosed with ADHD are on medications. Linda Handy, Ph.D., educator and principal of The Waldorf School in Silver Spring, Maryland believes it’s easier for teachers to hold the attention of students who meditate, “Transcendental Meditation has a great effect on students’ learning ability. Teachers can teach more – so students can learn more.”

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
High blood pressure is no longer an adult disease. Studies show adolescence is a critical time for the development of hypertension and other coronary disease risk factors. Increasing rates of childhood obesity are further driving up the numbers of children and teens living with hypertension. Vernon Barnes, Ph.D., research scientist at the Georgia Prevention Institute of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta studied the effects of TM on a random sample selected from a group of 5,000 teens with hypertension. Barnes had this to say about the results, “Decreases in blood pressure observed in the present study have clinical significance. The decreases, if maintained into adulthood, are enough to potentially decrease a child’s long-term risk for heart disease and stroke.”

FULL BRAIN POTENTIAL
Science has confirmed that our brains are not fully developed at birth. As we grow and mature, the brain is being recreated to support all of our new and changing thoughts, decision and behavior. There are different areas of the brain for seeing, hearing, thinking, feeling, etc. The part of the brain that is most critical for evaluating all the information is the frontal lobes. Stressful experiences keep the frontal lobes from developing. Research verifies the TM technique is unique in its ability to exercise this critical part of the brain – to make the brain healthier and better able to work together as a whole.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
In his book, A Record of Excellence, Ashley Deans, Ph.D., director of The Maharishi School in Fairfield, Iowa recounts the achievements of his school, which is accredited by the State of Iowa and the Independent Schools Association of the Central States, “Hundreds of scientific studies on Transcendental Meditation program and more than 30 years of classroom experience should be enough to convince anyone that Consciousness-Based education can make education complete, healthy, harmonious and productive.”

For more information about 
the David Lynch Foundation 
and its programs, visit davidlynchfoundation.org.

If you have a Natural Hero in 
your life, send an email to: heroes@nugreencity.com and tell us about that special someone who’s making our city and the planet a better place.

TheNewYork RestorationProject

Reclaims Parks, Community Gardens 
and Open Spaces.

By Tom Citrano

This month’s Natural Heroes are a group of hard-working New York residents who are  truly this city’s  Green Super-Heroes.
The New York Restoration Project, founded by entertainer Bette Midler in 1995, started with the simple belief that clean, green neighborhoods are fundamental to the quality of life, and that every community in New York deserves “an oasis of natural beauty.” That simple concept has quickly grown into a successful powerhouse that reflects the following stats (from nyrp.org website):

*Raised over 38 million dollars for the restoration and development of under-resourced parks, community gardens and open spaces in economically-
 challenged communities throughout 
New York City.

*Removed over 875 tons of garbage 
and debris – cars, construction materials, garbage, litter and over 3,000 tires – from project sites.

*Transformed an illegal dumping ground into Swindler Cove Park, a 
brand new 5-acre public park on the Harlem River, which is now home to NYRP’s Riley-Levin Children’s Garden and Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse, offering free environmental education and recreational programs for at-risk youth.

*Helped save scores of community 
gardens throughout NYC from commercial development and established the New and develop 57 gardens in perpetuity.

*Cleaned and made safe more than 400 acres in historic Fort Tyron, Fort Washington and Highbridge parks, including reclaiming 119 abandoned and overgrown acres, after more than two decades of non-use.

*Opened the New Leaf Café in Fort Tryon Park, a unique entrepreneurial endeavor in park concessions. All net restaurant profits are redirected back into the beautification and maintenance of the park. The café welcomes over 40,000 visitors each year.

*Implemented a new set of standards for the Adopt-A-Highway program, along the Henry Hudson Parkway.

NYRP’s vision continues to be nurtured by a partnership with individuals, community-based groups and public agencies. In a city that has always valued their celebrated parks, but sometimes needs reminding of the work to be done in preserving forgotten parks and the creation of new spaces, NYRP has become a conduit for green volunteerism and fundraising.

As NYRP looks to future projects, founder Bette Midler remembers the early days of the group, as she shared in an interview with Good Housekeeping Magazine. “When I moved to New York, I was very disappointed in how parts of the city looked. I was so upset, I didn’t sleep for weeks. I love New Yorkers, and I’m like them – I’m noisy, I have my opinions – but I’m not used to the kind of carelessness and waste that I was seeing.

People were throwing their garbage out the window, leaving their lunches on the ground. Finally, I realized I needed to actually do something – even if I had to pick up the stuff with my own hands.”

Almost 25 years later, New York City is a very different (and cleaner) place…But Ms. Midler and thousands of volunteers are still picking up trash and replacing it with green and sustainable spaces that continue to transform this “work in progress” of a city, into a better place. It takes a lot of Natural Heroes to make that happen.

For more information about The New York Restoration Project, visit website at: nyrp.org. If you have a “Natural Hero” in your life, send an email to: heroes@nugreencity.com and tell us about that special someone who’s making our city and the planet a better place.

BROADWAY BARKS:
A Round of Applause to Broadway Barks for 
Bringing Pet Adoptions to 
the Great White Way.
by Tom Citrano

In a year that has been ripe with economic disappointments, it’s easy to see that people and their pets took a lot of hits this year.  With many people losing their jobs and homes, city pet shelters and adoption agencies have been full of dogs and cats that many pet lovers have had to give-up, due to changes in economic status or the loss of pet-friendly dwellings, or any dwelling at all. Pet shelters and adoption agencies have also faced new challenges, as they brace against loss of revenue from charitable donations and local funding and increased numbers of pets-in-crisis.

This month’s Natural Heroes are a group that deserves to take a bow for their great work over the last 11 years in matching pets with their Broadway fans.  Broadway Barks will once again help many of New York City’s shelter animals find permanent homes by informing New Yorkers about the plight of the thousands of “homeless” cats and dogs in the metropolitan area. Last year’s Broadway Barks attracted an audience of over 7,000 theater fans, pet owners and animal lovers and featured the participation of over 26 animal shelters from the New York City area. Broadway stars from the hit shows of the season helped place almost 150 pets with new adopted families.

Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters will again host this year’s Broadway Barks, a star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon benefiting New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies. The event, produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids and sponsored by the ASPCA and Pedigree, with additional sponsorship by the New York Times, will take place on Saturday, July 11th in Shubert Alley, between 44th and 45th Streets and Broadway and 8th Avenue, from 3:30 – 6:30pm.

“According to recent statistics, we learned that we are making a difference,” says actress and animal activist, Mary Tyler Moore. “In 2002, the rate of euthanasia among shelter animals was at 74% of total intake. We are proud that as a result of our efforts, in 2008, the number of animals killed in NYC dropped to 39% of total intake. That means nearly 15,000 fewer animals have been euthanized in our city’s shelters compared to 2003.”

Broadway Icon, Bernadette Peters, adopted her dogs, Kramer and Stella, from the ASPCA and the AC&C shelters, had this to say about the event, “We’re doing our part to make New York City a more humane place for animals. Through our collaborative efforts, of which Broadway Barks is a part, we’re moving steadily toward our goal of ensuring that every healthy and treatable dog and cat in New York City has a home.”

Ms. Peters will be signing her New York Times Bestseller, Broadway Barks, at the event. The whimsical children’s book chronicles the journey of a young pup, found in Central Park, who finds his way to Shubert Alley to become part of this annual event. The book includes an exclusive CD featuring Peters reading her story and singing an original song, for which she composed the music and lyrics. Ms. Peters’ royalties from the book all go to Broadway Barks.

Besides the pet adoptions, Broadway Barks will also feature an auction of Broadway and celebrity-autographed memorabilia. Proceeds and donations will all go to Broadway Barks.  Joining Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters in supporting this fun and important cause will be Elizabeth Ashley, Matt Cavanaugh, Michael Cerveris, Gavin Creel, Hope Davis, Christine Ebersole, Rupert Everett, Sutton Foster, John Glover, Lauren Graham, Kate Jennings Grant, Marc Kudisch, Angela Lansbury, Michael Mastro, Judy McLane, Constantine Maroulis, Karen Olivo, David Hyde Pierce, Alice Ripley, Bryce Ryness, Christopher Siebert, J. Robert Spencer, John Tartaglia, Harriet Walter, Chandler Williams and famed Broadway animal trainer, Bill Berloni and his new star, Nigel (Toto in The Wiz at Encores!).

Broadway Barks will feature pets from several NYC animal shelters and adoption agencies, including A Cause for Paws, Adopt a Boxer Rescue, Animal Haven, Anjellicle Cats Rescue, ASPCA, AC&C, BARC, Bide-A-Wee, Bobbie & the Strays, City Critters, Humane Society of New York, Husky House, Kitty Kind, Long Island Greyhound Rescue, Loving Touch, Metropolitan Maltese Rescue, Mid Atlantic Great Dane Rescue, NYC Siamese Rescue, Pet-I-Care, PLUTO, Russell Refuge, Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare, Stray from the Heart, Tigger Foundation, Arf and Save Kitty.  Representatives from these organizations will also be on hand to offer educational information on spaying and neutering.

For more information about Broadway Barks, call 212-840-0770, extension 477, or visit BroadwayBarks.com. And if you have a “Natural Hero” in your life, send an email to heroes@nugreencity.com. Every month Natural Awakenings NYC will celebrate New Yorkers who make this city and the world, a better place.

This month’s Natural Hero, Blake Mycoskie, turned his run as a competitor on the CBS Emmy-winning reality hit, The Amazing Race, into an opportunity to create TOMS Shoes, a company whose bottom line is providing for children in need. In 2001 Blake and his sister, Paige, competed in The Amazing Race II and came within four minutes of winning the million dollar prize. Four minutes that arguably would have changed Blake’s life. Instead he took the situation and turned it into TOMS Shoes and has now changed the lives of children across the world.

What is TOMS Shoes?
TOMS Shoes is a shoe company with a One for One model. For every pair that is purchased, TOMS will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. One for One. As of April 2009, TOMS has given over 140,000 shoes to children around the world.

What lead you to create TOMS Shoes?

Buenos Aires was one of the many stops while I was on the Amazing Race. There were several countries I wanted to revisit after the show and Argentina was one of them. I wanted to relax, learn to play polo and tango and do some community service work. While working in the local communities, I learned that shoes are one of the most needed items in the area and that kids had to walk miles to go to school and fetch water, giving them serious cuts and scrapes. I wanted to do something about it. Finding a way to provide shoes for these children became my mission.

Who’s TOM?
Funny you should ask. People always look for Tom and are surprised when I tell them, ‘There is no Tom.’ TOMS is short for Shoes for a Better Tomorrow.

How do you prioritize need and determine who gets the shoes?
TOMS works with trusted nonprofits and NGO’s to determine where and what is the need for shoes. We find that most children need shoes to attend school, as they are often a required part of their uniform. Protecting feet from cuts and diseases acquired through the feet, such as Podoconiosis in Ethiopia, is also of equal importance to TOMS.

Do you distribute TOMS here in the United States?
Yes, TOMS has given shoes to children in Mississippi, Florida, Kentucky and Louisiana. TOMS plans to return to Louisiana this fall.

Has the current global economic crisis compromised your fundraising capabilities?
I created a for-profit business so that TOMS would have a sustainable way of giving. If I had created a non-profit, TOMS would be negatively affected by the current economic challenges and would not be able to consistently provide shoes to children in need. TOMS has been fortunate enough to have caring customers who support the TOMS movement and in turn, help us give shoes to children.

What can people do to help?
Join our One for One movement by buying a pair of TOMS Shoes, helping a child receive a new pair of shoes. And share the TOMS story with your friends and family. We also invite volunteers to join us on our Shoe Drops to place shoes on children’s feet.

Where can we find TOMS Shoes?
The best place to find TOMS Shoes is online at our website: TOMSshoes.com. Or you can use the store locator on our site to find the nearest TOMS retailer.

In 2001 on the Amazing Race you raced for a million dollars. What are you racing for now?
I’m racing to help children around the world live a life without foot disease, just because TOMS has provided them with a pair of shoes.

For more information about Blake Mycoskie and TOMS Shoes visit their website at: TOMSshoes.com. And if you have a “Natural Hero” in your life, send an email to heroes@nugreencity.com. Every month Natural Awakenings NYC will celebrate New Yorkers who make this city, and the world, a better place.

by Tom Citrano

This month’s Natural Hero, Deirdre Imus.

A best-selling author, philanthropist, children’s health advocate, the Founder and President of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology at Hackensack University Medical Center and the Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer.

Deirdre Imus’ three volume series of books, Green This (published by Simon & Schuster) are a practical guide to successfully navigating through a toxic world. Volume One, Greening Your Cleaning, is packed with simple environmentally friendly cleaning tips that are safer and more cost effective than traditional (and more toxic) cleaning methods.

Volume Two, Growing Up Green, is an essential parent-friendly guide to raising healthy children in an increasingly toxic world. Volume Three, The Essential Green You, is a guide to detoxifying your lifestyle and your body, from the inside out. All of Deirdre Imus’ profits from the books will benefit the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer.

The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center developed the highly regarded Greening the Cleaning Program, the goal being the elimination of all cleaning agents containing hazardous ingredients and replacing them with environmentally responsible products with little or no toxicity.

Hundreds of healthcare facilities, government agencies, businesses and schools have implemented this program with not only positive environmental impact but also financial savings up to 75% of their previously budgeted cleaning costs. Greening the Cleaning also launched a retail and institutional line of cleaning products that offer environmentally responsible products. All profits from the Greening the Cleaning Products go to support the research and education projects to identify, control and ultimately prevent exposures to environmental factors that may cause adult, and especially pediatric cancer at the Deirdre Imus Environmental Center and the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer.

The Imus Cattle Ranch is an authentic four thousand acre working cattle ranch in northern New Mexico that provides the iconic experience of the American cowboy to children suffering from cancer and various blood diseases, as well as to children who have lost a sibling to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center has made great strides in raising awareness among lawmakers about the dangers of cleaning chemicals to indoor air quality. This awareness has helped usher in Green Cleaning Executive Orders from governors in three states: New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Is it possible in these economically-challenged times to live healthy and green in New York City?
Absolutely. The economy is the over-riding thing now and people are making lots of changes for the better, and that’s the positive side. Unfortunately, also because of the economy, people are resorting to some old toxic habits. You see the businesses that are doing well in this economy… I can’t believe McDonalds is doing better than ever.  That’s the negative side. That’s why it’s so important to educate people, so that in not wanting to spend more money, we don’t resort to those old toxic habits. I find that people who consciously want to live healthier are more willing to try different things or to go off auto-pilot with their choices.

What are the biggest challenges to living healthy and green in NYC?
I believe that in many ways the city has stepped up. We’re adopting much healthier practices. Our biggest challenge right now is getting pesticides and toxic cleaning products out of the schools. This should not be an option at schools. There’s a level of negligence when schools are allowed to use toxic chemicals to clean or control pests or to serve food that potentially makes a child sick. That’s negligence on the part of the school or the state where it takes place. Parents have to take an active interest. Start paying attention to what your children are eating in school. Our children spend up to 80% of their time in school, their diet is largely comprised of what they eat there.

How do we start making better food choices?
Here’s what works for me. Don’t just make a shopping list (although that’s important). Plan a menu for the week. Figure out what meals the family will be around for, whether it’s five dinners, or three dinners and two lunches, whatever. Write out the menus for what meals you will eat together. You will save money because you won’t buy stuff you’re not going to use. You also can prioritize, or recognize, the foods you are missing, like vegetables. It might seem like you’re eating enough of a certain food group, but when you write down what you’re planning to serve for the week, you will see the lack of variety or frequency in your selections. Prioritize whole foods, organics and uncontaminated food. Target the foods that are most heavily sprayed with pesticides. Immediately put those foods on your organics list.  Eat more leafy, green vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes. If you choose to eat meat, fish or dairy you must buy 100% organic and grass-fed or you will be eating contaminated products. And eat it sparingly. Research is proving time and time again that a plant-based diet is the healthiest choice.

Is there a way to prioritize the path to 
healthier living?
Do one thing at a time. Cleaning products are a no-brainer. Make sure you are using non-toxic cleaning products. Buy products that are non-toxic, that don’t pollute our waters or bodies, and don’t cause our children or pets any harm. And you can get them at the same price. You also must use integrated pest control. Get rid of all toxicity. There are other ways. So many of the products that people keep under their sinks have been linked to cancer, neurological-based toxicity and development problems in children, asthma and respiratory problems.

How can we help our pets live healthier lives?
Pets are just as vulnerable as children, if not more so. So many of them are small, less than 20 – 30 pounds. Because they are close to the ground, children and pets are absorbing low-lying gasses (like chlorine) in much higher concentrations. It’s at their mouth level. We see so many dogs now with tumors and cancers that we never used to see. The shampoos and flea products are highly toxic. There’s no reason in today’s day and age to use those products. There are some really good products that are natural and non-toxic that clean your pets and repel ticks and fleas. You’d be surprised what you can find when you look for it. And make sure your pet groomer is using non-toxic products.

What about health care reform?
We don’t have a health-care system in this country. We have a disease-care system. We wait until our bodies are in a state of disease and that’s when we go to see a doctor. The doctor then labels the disease and puts the patient on medication. We need to examine how we approach health. We need to know more about root cause and prevention. Very little money goes into the study of root cause and prevention. And too many of those studies are currently funded by pharmaceutical companies. Prevention is the best health-care. That should be a larger focus of our health-care program.

What should be the biggest focus in improving health in this country?
Focus on children’s health. It all starts with the safety of our children. If our mission is to protect the children, really protect them… We will ultimately be protecting everyone. We wouldn’t see chronic illnesses in the numbers and prevalence we see them today. A big part of it is education. And you have to take action in your community. We also need legislation on local, state and federal levels to protect us and improve our health.

For more information about Deirdre Imus and her advocacy work visit dienviro.com. Her books are available from Simon & Schuster, wherever books are sold.

Do you have a Natural Hero in your life?

Nominate your Natural Hero for a possible appearance in these pages at heroes@nugreencity.com. Each month, Natural Awakenings NYC will celebrate New Yorkers who help make this city, and the world,  a better place.

This month’s Natural Hero, Scott Harrison,

What is charity: water? We’re a New York City-based nonprofit, dedicated to providing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations around the world. We give away 100 percent of the money we raise publicly.

Every penny goes directly to fund the water projects in the field. Photos of all our projects are available on our website and publicly through GPS coordinates on GoogleEarth.com, to promote transparency. It’s 
been a quick start for us. In two-and-a-half years, we’ve raised $9 million and funded 1,240 water projects, which will give 650,000 people clean water.What brought you to your work with 
charity: water?

I lived a very selfish 10 years in New York City, promoting nightclubs and fashion parties. Then, as the result of a faith experience I had when I was 28, during a particularly decadent vacation in South America, I decided to throw my old life away and dedicate myself to serving God and the poor.I found an opportunity to serve on a hospital ship in Liberia, West Africa, leaving behind a life of $15 cocktails and $350 bottles of vodka.

On my third day in Africa, I saw 7,000 people standing in line outside a stadium, waiting for their chance to get medical help. We couldn’t possibly help more than 2,000. I started crying that day, and inside I guess I never stopped. I learned that unsafe water and lack of sanitation causes 80 percent of the disease in the world. So, 10 years of nightlife, two years of volunteering and not wanting to turn my back on these problems, these people in crisis—that’s what led me to start charity: water. It’s my life’s work.It’s relatively easy to determine need.

How do you target priorities?
There are approximately one billion people on the planet today without access to clean water. We focus on helping them, what we call the bottom billion. These people live in Africa, India, Bangladesh, Southeast Asia and Central and South America. We look for opportunities of great need in these countries and team up with local, “on the ground,” organizations to drill wells, protect the springs and construct rainwater harvesting solutions. We have 18 partners in our efforts in these countries. They define local need through triage.

I just returned from Ethiopia. Women there set out at 5 a.m. to walk five hours to rivers, where they dig water out of muddy riverbanks and then carry 40 pounds of that dirty water on their heads back another five hours to their villages. It’s not a choice. It’s all they have.
The billion people we are trying to serve don’t even have five gallons of clean water every day. The goal is to give every person five gallons of clean water each day. The average American uses 150 gallons of clean water a day. But, it’s not as simple as us turning off the tap in New York and someone in Africa getting clean water.

Have global warming and other environmental changes affected the water crisis?
Yes, global warming affects the poor more than anyone else. People everywhere are dependent on rain for crops, and those rains don’t come exactly when they used to any more. Sometimes, they don’t come at all. Growing food and eating can become extremely challenging.

We’re facing water shortages, even in the United States. When they designed the Hoover Dam, they never thought the water level would recede by half. That’s about to happen, and the engineers are planning to move the water intake valves to the bottom of the dam.That’s the irony. We’re good here at pulling water from the ground for manufacturing and bottled water, but Third World countries don’t have that technology. Many of them are sitting on untapped sources that could keep them alive. They just don’t have the money or technology to access it.

What impact have current challenges in the economy had on your fundraising?
At this point, more than 50,000 people have supported charity: water with donations. That’s not a small group of people. We focus on small donations; small amounts of money that people still have to give. Twenty dollars can help one person get clean water. Five thousand dollars can bring clean water to an entire village.

It’s a fine line to walk. There’s no comparison between the suffering and hardship we see around the world and what most Americans experience. Sure, people here are losing their jobs and cars and homes; it’s a terrible situation. But, those bottom billion people in the world, who don’t have clean water, would trade places in a heartbeat for the life we have here.

Are you lobbying for government support of your work? There are a bunch of organizations already working on that end of the problem who are better suited to spending their time in D.C. We’re a practical, grassroots organization. As a rule, we don’t like sitting through long meetings talking about policy and what we’re going to do. We just like doing it. I don’t think anyone in our group would have the patience for dealing with the bureaucracy our government has become.
Has the situation improved since you started your work or are you, literally, just treading water?

It’s getting better. The United Nations has released figures that show the number of people without water is now at 900 million. That’s 200 million below the figure of 1.1 billion previously documented. So, the collective work of all the governments and rescue groups appears to be moving in the right direction.

Does charity: water have a master plan?In five years, we’d like to be solving 1 percent of the problem each year. We’ll need $150 million every year to accomplish that goal. We can no longer count on corporate donations or government grants to fund this work. It’s going to take millions of people around the world to give whatever small amounts they have to make it happen.Does Scott Harrison have a master plan?I’m going to be doing this as long as I live.

For more information about charity: water, or to make a contribution, visit CharityWater.org. If you have a “Natural Hero” in your life, go to NaturalHeroes@NuGreenCity.com and tell us about that special someone you know who’s making our planet a better place to live.

“I wanted to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people want,” explains Patel, who
notes that Avaaz means ‘voice’ in many Asian, Middle Eastern and East European languages.

What motivated you to create Avaaz?

I  had a previous life in advocacy of policy work…Mostly in countries in conflict: Sierra Leone, Sudan, Liberia
and Afghanistan. And in 2003, when I came back to the United States from Afghanistan, I was shocked by the political direction at that time. Moveon.org was one of the few voices speaking out and mobilizing at that time, so I joined, donated and volunteered. I was inspired by the model and I thought, “Why not take this global?” Avaaz was a great coming together of social entrepreneurs and organizations in the field. It was a great coming together of people and politics at the global level.

How does Avaaz choose causes  to support?

Avaaz is a member-driven organization. We do tracking polls every week and ask our members what they’re thinking about and what they think we should be working on.

Democratic accountability is hardwired into our model. Avaaz is only as strong as the response we get from our members.  We’re like a sailboat, not a motorboat. We can put up the sail, but only if the popular wind is behind us do we move forward.

How is the organization funded?

Avaaz is now nearing 100 percent public funding. Initially, we had some seed funding from our co-founding organizations. But in the last six months, we’ve raised $3 million from public donations, mostly small online donations from all over the world. Our average donation is $40. We’ve grown tremendously in the last 18 months. We currently have 3.4 million members. Avaaz is the largest activist organization in the world.

What are the biggest global challenges we face in 2009?

Stop climate change…Repair relations between the United States, Russia, China and Europe…Fight global poverty.

What are the biggest challenges  New Yorkers face locally?

Affordable housing and greening the city.

Besides the economy, what issues do you hope to see President Obama address in his first 100 days in office?

Climate change…And a firm recommitment to fight global poverty. And I hope our new president reaches out to countries with which the United States has had tension and is able to replace confrontation with diplomacy.

What can each of us do to help?

Continue to vote. Democracy is a process, not an event. We need to continually engage in it and ensure our leaders are accountable and held to a high standard of humanity. Beyond that, we need to be active, and inform ourselves. And give what time and money we can.

Ultimately, we must all be agents of change in our families, communities, schools and workplaces.

What is your wish for 2009?

There are a lot of choices.  Sometimes it’s painful to focus on one thing. I think it’s got to be that people and leaders of government and business will wake up to the threat of catastrophic climate change and commit to a binding global agreement that caps CO2 emissions.

For more information about Ricken Patel and Avaaz, visit Avaaz.org or  nugreencity.com.
by Tom Citrano

Do you have a Natural Hero in your life? Do you know someone  who is doing something to make this a better and safer planet?

Nominate that special person for a possible appearance in these pages at  heroes@nugreencity.com. Each month, Natural Awakenings NYC will celebrate  New Yorkers who help make this city, and the world, a better place.