Stand Up for Climate Progress in the General Assembly
The General Assembly session is fast-paced and opportunities arise throughout for citizens to contact committee chairs and their representatives to support or oppose pending legislation.
News & Updates
Support Climate-Friendly, Healthy Schools
EcoAction Arlington, Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions Arlington Hub, and the Sierra Club Potomac River Group have recently sent two joint letters to the Arlington School Board and the APS Superintendent asking for firm commitments to carbon neutrality, including making ACC all electric for key systems, to protect our children’s future and to offer inspiration and experiential learning for students who may one day work in green economy jobs.
Holiday Swaps For This Holiday Season
Holidays are a time for peace, love and tranquility. Some of the best memories are made with friends and family. Now that everyone may be home for the holidays you might be thinking what should I buy? What will they like? What should I make? It can be stressful for anyone, and no one wants …
Weigh in on the Draft Forestry and Natural Resources Plan
Arlington County is currently soliciting feedback on its draft Forestry and Natural Resources Plan (FNRP), which will guide County efforts to protect and enhance its tree canopy and natural resources for at least the next decade.
EcoAction Arlington Comments on the Missing Middle Housing Proposal
EcoAction Arlington recently sent a letter to the County Board supporting, but describing its concerns, with proposed plans to change residential zoning throughout the County to allow small-scale 2 to 8 units residential buildings (aka Missing Middle) in lots currently zoned for single-family residences. Higher density housing is more environmentally friendly as it increases energy …
Weigh in on Arlington’s Ten-Year Capital Improvement Plan
Arlington County needs to do more to meet the challenges of the rapidly unfolding climate crisis.
Join the Conversation on the County’s Zero Waste Plan
Would you like Arlington County to do more to assist residents and businesses with reducing waste and the heavy carbon footprint that it represents? Do you have ideas on how to expand opportunities to reduce, reuse, and repair? Are you frustrated with trying to navigate existing recycling programs or finding ways to recycle hard-to-recycle metals, …
Electrify Your Life to Help Drive Change and Save Money in The Long Run
Transitioning from fossil fuels (e.g., goal and natural gas) to low-carbon sources of electricity is essential for reaching carbon neutrality. While much of the energy purchased from electric utilities is currently derived from fossil fuels, this will be reduced significantly during the lifespan of many of our investments in vehicles, appliances, and building heating and …
The Arlington County Board Needs to Invest More in Climate Change Action
Business as usual is not an option. I look to County Board members to do everything within your power to take action to prevent the worst impacts of climate change and help build a sustainable and livable future for my family and future generations.
Urge Amazon to Make PenPlace HQ2 Zero Carbon
The PenPlace Project, Amazon’s HQ2 complex, demonstrates outstanding elements of sustainable design and has the potential to become the first commercial zero carbon building in Arlington, helping to normalize advanced practices in sustainable design and construction essential to achieve the County’s goal for carbon neutrality. Ask Amazon to commit to achieving Zero Carbon Certification and …
Be an Environmental Advocate during the 2022 General Assembly Session
Citizen voices can sway our state legislators and now is the time to stand up for climate action, protection of our air, water, and open spaces, and environmental justice. EcoAction Arlington is joining forces with Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions Arlington Hub and the Potomac River Group of the Sierra Club to amplify Arlington voices …
Energy Masters is Expanding
Energy Masters is expanding! The same award-winning program that has served our community by reducing energy consumption and utility expenses while providing conservation education will now be assisting recovery residences and community residences in achieving these goals. This includes homes for individuals living with disabilities or mental illness, those recovering from addiction, and other populations. …
Site Plan Review Process Update
Several development projects are currently under review through the Site Plan Review Process, giving residents an opportunity to advocate for building designs consistent with the County’s carbon neutrality goal. PenPlace, the next phase of Amazon’s HQ2, could be on track to be the first large commercial project to achieve Zero Carbon Building certification. Proposed plans …
It’s Time for Arlington to Declare a Climate Emergency
The world is experiencing a climate crisis and EcoAction Arlington urges the County Board to declare a climate emergency, develop a robust Climate Action Plan, and use its guidance to the County Manager for the FY 2023 Budget to put the County on a clear path to addressing this crisis. Communities around the world are …
Use Your Vote to Promote Climate Change Action
Read the candidates responses to questions on key environmental challenges and attend the Environmental Candidates forum on October 20 — On November 2, Virginians will go to the polls to elect their Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and representatives to the House of Delegates. Arlington voters will also fill one seat each for the County …
Governor Northam Signs New Environmental and Conservation Bills to Protect the Waterways
On Friday, June 25, 2021 Gov. Ralph Northam signed several environmental and conservation bills into law that will serve to protect Virginia’s waterways now and into the future. The bills set a deadline to minimize pollutants with a goal of pollution mitigation by 2025. The causes of pollution are targeted with an aim of diminishing …
Event Recap – Third Annual EcoExtravaganza 2021
By Michele Bianchi, EcoAction Arlington staff On June 10, 2021 EcoAction Arlington celebrated our living world with our Third Annual EcoExtravaganza. 95 people tuned into Zoom to participate virtually. This year’s focus was on biophilia and the ways we love our living world. The event culminated the 2020-2021 Love Our Living World series which consisted …
Become a Heat Watch Volunteer
You can sign up here to volunteer. The deadline for signing up is Sunday, June 6. Anyone with questions about volunteering in Arlington can contact Susan Agolini at Marymount University, sagolini@marymount.edu. To learn more about the methodology and process, check out CAPA Heat Watch
New Year, New You: 5 Ways to Amplify Your Impact in 2021
As the new year begins, many of us are searching for resolutions that will help us make a bigger impact on the world. At EcoAction Arlington, this means finding new ways to combat climate change. Perhaps you’ve already switched to reusable bags, shop local, and have cut down on energy usage — so what’s next? …
Love Our Living World Stories: Self-Directed Nature Discovery Hike
a one-page discovery hike he developed for his own and other kids over a ten-year period. Chuck shared that what he likes most about it is that it enables young people to expand their awe for nature without collecting nature and physically bringing it home to end up in a corner or in the trash.
Love Our Living World Stories: This Bird and I, a pas de deux
An amazing heartwarming story of how we can communicate with the wildlife around us.
Arlington’s Plastic Bag Tax Movement Continues Despite COVID-Crisis
By Stephen D’Alessio, EcoAction Arlington Volunteer The COVID-19 crisis has thrown environmentalist concerns completely off. The pandemic has drastically altered how governments at national and local levels are ordering their priorities as they rush to deal with the economic and health impacts of the disease. As a result, environmentalists are tackling older issues in a …
An Important Step Forward
By Alex Bobeczko, EcoAction Arlington Summer Intern In April of 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed Senate Bill 11, a piece of legislation which authorizes cities and counties to impose a five cent tax on disposable plastic bags across the state. In doing so, Northam has signaled his commitment to environmental conservation, and to alleviating …
EcoAction Arlington Statement on Justice and Inclusion
As in a natural ecosystem, when one member of the community is harmed, the impact ripples through the environment and damages all living organisms in the community. The murder of George Floyd is another terrible example of the deep injustices experienced by Black members of the American community, including environmental injustices that disproportionately impact Black Americans. Martin Luther King said, “[i]n the end, we will remember not the …
How EcoAction Arlington Helped Me during the COVID-19 Crisis
By Jill Barker, EcoAction Arlington Board Chair The coronavirus thrust unpredictable challenges into my daily routine, but through it, I increased my action and awareness about our environment because of EcoAction Arlington. Here are a few of the small but enlightening moments helping me find meaning in this chaotic time. More time for reading and …
We Live in an Interconnected World
By Angelo Ioffreda, EcoAction Arlington Board Member During the time of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 and Earth Month, the word interconnectedness – the state of being interconnected – has been top of mind. It’s a word that I have been thinking about a great deal and on many levels. There is the level of the …
Finding Solace and Hope in My Garden
By Joan McIntyre, EcoAction Arlington Board Chair Working in my garden provides comfort in these trying times, with normal life turned upside down. Spring in the garden is always an uplifting time as I can observe the garden awakening and never more so than this year. As I work down on my knees on cleaning …
Arlington Holiday Markets
Are you looking for a locally made, handcrafted, environmentally friendly gift for someone special? Check out these markets in December! Gifts That Give Hope: Help Make the World a Better Place Saturday, December 7, 2019 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Arlington Science Focus School 1501 N. Lincoln Street, Arlington, Virginia A new spin on gift …
Plastic Bag Fee Starts January 1
In September, with the encouragement of EcoAction Arlington and the 1,500 signers of our petition, the Arlington County Board joined Fairfax County and Alexandria in adopting a plastic bag tax. Starting January 1, grocery stores, drugstores, and convenience stores in Arlington will begin to charge a five-cent fee for single-use plastic bags at their check-out counters. …
Site Plan Review Committee Updates
The Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) community input window for Wendy’s Site – 2025 Clarendon Boulevard is closing on Thursday, September 16. The April 2021 LEED/Sustainability documents (combined) for this 16-story residential building indicate a commitment to LEED Gold, including 5 additional possible points for Annual Energy Use and Efficient Hot Water Distribution. These kinds …
Be an Active Participant in Collecting Food Scraps Waste
A successful launch of this program will depend on residents enthusiastically embracing the effort. You can help by: Following the three simple steps for food scraps collection and adhering to the list of items that can go into your bin. If you’re already composting food scraps you can add to the bin those items not …
A Step Forward Toward Zero Waste
Curbside food scrap collection will reduce the residential waste stream going to the Waste-to-Energy facility by 20 percent (wet food scraps don’t burn well) and increase the countywide recycling rate to about 55 percent. These organic materials will be turned into compost and some will be returned to Arlington to be used to enrich soil …
Food Scraps Collection Begins in the County September 6
The county’s new Food Scraps Collection program is simple. Put a biodegradable bag in the small pail provided by Arlington County. The county will provide a roll of compostable bags. Replacements can be purchased at local retailers or online. Do NOT use regular plastic bags — paper is okay. Add all food scraps, oils and …
Now is the Time to Align County Spending with its Environmental Goals
In recent years, Arlington has set lofty goals to tackle the climate crisis and create a truly sustainable community and the County’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is a key mechanism to align government operations with these goals. The CIP, updated annually, generally anticipates planned investments 10 years into the future for new facilities, schools, equipment …