Fresh AIRE

I am brilliant

My husband and I moved from suburban life 3 years ago to a condo in Clarendon (Arlington) -- and I felt brilliant at the time, with gas at $3/gallon. With gas now at $4+, I feel like a downright genius!

Now the New York Times has confirmed my genius-ness with an article, "Fuel Prices Shift Math for Life in Far Suburbs." As the article states, "The shift to costlier fuel is threatening to slow the decades-old migration away from cities."

Higher fuel prices may at last be providing the big motivation for people to seek a more transit-oriented, walkable, bikeable life. We've already seen that Arlington's urban villages have weathered the housing downturn better than our ex-burban neighbors.

Urban villages = healthier and now, wealthier! Am I brilliant, or what!

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Diana Sun is Director of Communications for Arlington County, a walking commuter, bicylist, and happy resident of the urban village of Clarendon.

Getting Started is Easy

Thanks to the entreprenurial spirit of some local DC area inhabitants, getting started on reducing your personal carbon footprint is easy!  We’ve recently come across two organizations providing their services and products to the DC area and we encourage you to take a look too:

• Earth Aid Enterprises LLC:  Initiated as a campaign to “accelerate the development and deployment of sensible home energy efficiency solutions for all Americans.”  The goal:  reduce America’s greenhouse gas emissions equivalent of over 1,000,000 cars each and every year.  To achieve this, they provide a customized Earth Aid Kit^TM, which is a collection of products that anyone can easily install in his/her home at a very low cost. 
• Energy Shift:  Founded on the belief that “the backbone of change is individual action.”  The goal:  move away from dependence on fossil fuels.  To this end, Energy Shift provides information and products to consumers enabling them to make better choices.  Energy Shift provides a Starter Kit of products and information to implement at home and again, at a very low cost. 

Take a look today and see just how easy it can be. 

Compact Floursent Bulb Recycling - Home Depot

While Arlington started a compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb recycling program 2 months ago as noted in our previous post HERE, Home Depot really wins the big prize. 

As of yesterday you can bring used and unbroken CFL bulbs to the store’s returns desk. “The bulbs will then be managed responsibly by an environmental management company who will coordinate CFL packaging, transportation and recycling to maximize safety and ensure environmental compliance.”

"The CFL recycling program is another example of how The Home Depot is empowering customers to help make a difference in their own homes, and have less of an impact on the environment," said Ron Jarvis, senior vice president, Environmental Innovation. "With more than 75 percent of households located within 10 miles of a Home Depot store, this program is the first national solution to providing Americans with a convenient way to recycle CFLs."

At the same time, The Home Depot announced that by Fall 2008 light fixture showrooms in its US stores will be switched from incandescent bulbs to CFLs. The measure will save the company $16 million annually in energy costs.  This is yet another example of how being environmentally responsible has very tangible financial payback. 

You can still recycle your used CFL bulbs at these locations in Arlington; or just bring them with you on your next trip to Home Depot.

Additional Resources:

http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/stage/pdf/cfl_recycle.pdf

http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/index.html?&cm_sp=homepage%2d%5f%2dwk21%2d%5f%2dF1%2d%5f%2dCFL%5frecycling%5fat%5fTHD%5f062608%2d%5f%2dlearn%5fmore

At the same time, The Home Depot announced that by Fall 2008 light fixture showrooms in its US stores will be switched from incandescent bulbs to CFLs. The measure will save the company $16 million annually in energy costs.  This is yet another example of how being environmentally responsible has very tangible financial payback. 

You can still recycle your used CFL bulbs at these locations in Arlington; or just bring them with you on your next trip to Home Depot.

Additional Resources:

http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/stage/pdf/cfl_recycle.pdf

http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/index.html?&cm_sp=homepage%2d%5f%2dwk21%2d%5f%2dF1%2d%5f%2dCFL%5frecycling%5fat%5fTHD%5f062608%2d%5f%2dlearn%5fmore

Additional Resources:

http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/stage/pdf/cfl_recycle.pdf

http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/index.html?&cm_sp=homepage%2d%5f%2dwk21%2d%5f%2dF1%2d%5f%2dCFL%5frecycling%5fat%5fTHD%5f062608%2d%5f%2dlearn%5fmore

What if Metro trains never stopped?!

Sure, a train that never stops would inherently be more energy efficient without all of the stop and start motion.  They would also be more reliable BUT is it really practical?

While this isn't in the works for Metro here in the greater Washington DC area, it is an interesting idea.  One can only wonder what is being said in the video since it is in Taiwanese but it poses a very interesting concept.  It is hard to visualize how a train could allow passengers to board and exit while speeding along but the 3D animation illustrates this top-mounted boarding shuttle system.

Arlington Residents continually call our office with great ideas to save emissions and reduce energy use. While this idea is rather abstract, we always welcome your thoughts and input.

Click below to get an idea on how this concept might work:

If you have reduced your energy use at home or work please let us know.  We would love to share your success in future blog entries!

Revelations from an Energy Audit

By now we’re all feeling the pinch on our wallets from escalating energy prices.  Undoubtedly, these costs will continue to rise and we’ll all need to discover ways to use and get by with less.  So, here’s a question...which pollutes more – your home or your car?  Okay, maybe it’s obvious by the title of this entry, but yes, your home!  That was one of the first questions I was asked when I first entered the field of energy efficiency and I got it wrong.  Most people just don’t think of their homes spewing out pollution.  But the truth is, they do.  And one way to know just how much is through a home energy audit.  Through the Fresh AIRE program, Arlington County has been providing a limited number of home energy audits to residents of Arlington.  If homeowners have a better understanding of how their home is using and/or wasting energy, he/she will be more inclined to do something about it. In all cases, these have been very revealing.  And while there are some home improvements that require some up-front investment, many small low-cost, no-cost things can be done.  Check out this short WUSA-TV video clip and write-up on a recent home energy audit conducted by Troy Tanner of The Home Energy Detective, Inc. on an Arlington home.  You may just feel the urge to act!

Another “Green” Friend?

I can’t take credit for turning another friend “green,” but I would certainly like to boast a bit about her efforts!  A very dear friend came to me recently and shared the details of an interview she saw on TV with Julia Louis-Dreyfus.  In this interview, Julia listed off a host of tips anyone can employ to save energy and live more sustainably.  My friend was astonished by the amount of energy saved in one CFL (80%), and even more so by the impacts of using those pesty plastic bags at the grocery store:  those bags aren’t biodegradable, contribute to litter, harm animals, and require tremendous amounts of energy in camparison to reusable shopping bags. 

This simple interview really pushed my friend into action.  She’s trying CFLs now, considers reusable shopping bags, and, most notably, she’s looking at other ways to reduce her consumption.  She asked me recently, “are those plastic red party cups bad?”  She uses two of these cups a day, only once, and then discards them.  My answer, “YES!”  If you have to use them, reuse them.  But, better yet, get a reusable travel mug – stainless steel are best! 

Having worked in the environmental field for nearly 10 years now, you would think that my environmental habits would extend to all my family, friends and neighbors.  I do have my environmental peeps for sure, but I just don’t like to be pushy to those that aren’t.  My preferred approach is to brag about my “lighter shade of green” friends when they do truly wonderful things for our environment. 

Thanks Friend!

Small Steps...Big Difference!

I just spent the weekend hanging out with some friends, one of whom I just learned has taken one small step towards environmental responsibility - without even knowing it!  In an effort to get more fit, he began biking to work three days a week.  He claims his "motives are not so noble" since he does it "primarily for fitness," but I have to applaud him.  This is a tremendous environmental commitment as well.  Emissions from transportation are fairly sizable in most communities.  In Arlington, transportation accounts for about 30% of the community's total emissions.  Any steps we can take...big or small...can and do make a big difference. 

I went to CarFreeDiet.com and did a quick assessment of the impact.  Here are the results of my friend's biking commitment, he is: 

• Saving $16 on gas and related car expenses per week
• Reducing the amount of CO2 emitted by 27.9 pounds per week
• Burning over 1200 calories per week

Rock on!

Finishing the Community Bike Ride: priceless!

Registration: $18.
Water bottle: $3.
Feeling of accomplishment at completing the 24-mile, 2008 Arlington/Alexandria Community Bike Ride: priceless!

On Saturday, I completed my THIRD Community Bike Ride -- we took a huge loop around Arlington and Alexandria, including what I call the "million-dollar" monumental view from the GW Parkway. Of course what I will remember about this particular bike ride is the heat, baby! Temperatures neared 100 degrees; event organizers kept us well hydrated and cared for. It's a great way to see the wide variety of biking -- trails, lanes, and routes -- in our community, and a lot of fun, too.

Since my first Community Bike Ride three years ago, I've bought a bike (I rented that first year) and have traveled many of the local trails. But more importantly, both my husband and I have been using our bikes to run errands and day-to-day tasks, e.g., doctor's appointment, farmers' market, pharmacy, grocery store, even business meetings. The bikes help us stay fit, and with gas hitting $4/gallon, it's a wise financial choice as well. We feel brilliant!

This year, I rode with my colleague Shannon Flanagan-Watson -- we're pictured here at the finish line, still standing and still smiling! We had a lot of  fun riding together and hope to recruit even more colleagues to join us next year! The police (on bikes) escort going down Fairfax Drive was AWESOME. Hope to see you out there!

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Diana Sun is Director of Communications for Arlington County, a walking commuter and bicylist, and a happy resident of the urban village of Clarendon.

24 hour green TV launch at the Washington Nationals Stadium tonight

Do not adjust your television set, this is not a test.  If you are scratching your head wondering if 'green' is mainstream yet, your answer has arrived.

First we had the all news network, then ESPN, the weather channel, and now Planet Green.  Yes, the Discovery channel is launching the very first 24-7 green television channel called Planet Green tonight at 6pm EST at our very own LEED certified stadium in DC.  Now we have American pie, baseball, and green tv. 

This evening some 50 million homes will be introduced to 250 hours of original green lifestyle programming as the 24/7 Planet Green network launches.

Here are the details:

Planet Green Launch Celebration at Nationals Park on Wednesday, June 4
6:00 PM - Planet Green Goes Live
6:59 PM - Opening Pitch
7:10 PM - Washington Nationals vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Tune in to the game and Planet Green, then let us know what you think about the new network.

Eat, Drink & Be Merry...& Talk about Science!

I just learned about a group called Cafe Scientifique Arlington and an upcoming event that is worth sharing:

WHAT: Keeping the lights on and holding electricity cost as low as possible

WHEN: Tuesday, June 3rd — 6:30-8:00PM

WHERE: The Front Page Restaurant, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA,
Located near Ballston Metro on the ground floor of the NSF building. Parking is available under the NSF building or at Ballston Common Mall.

WHO: Dr. Martin Lowery, Executive Vice President, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association 

HOW: Short presentation, followed by Q&A.  No science background required!    Free and open to the public.  Register online here!

ABOUT THE TOPIC: Exploration of ways that technology is helping to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions, what timelines and scenarios are workable in the present regulatory and political climate, and what are constraints and barriers. Discussions of ways that individuals can help address and solve energy challenges.

ABOUT THE CONCEPT: Cafe Scientifique flourished first in the U.K. as a way for the public and scientists to mingle and discuss science issues in an informal setting. 

ABOUT THIS CAFE: The Ballston Science and Technology Alliance, a nonprofit organization, is the sponsor of Café Scientifique Arlington. Since April 2006, the goal of Café Scientifique has been to make science more accessible and accountable by featuring speakers whose expertise spans the sciences and who can talk in plain English. Café is generally held each month on the first Tuesday, at the Front Page in Arlington. 

For more information contact Kaye Breen, kbreen@arlingtonva.us or visit www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/bsta