Fresh AIRE

Go on a Solar Home Tour

Saturday, October 3 and Sunday October , 11:00-5:00pm.

Check out homes, including some in Arlington, featuring solar panels and other solar elements at the tour of Solar Homes and Buildings--part of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Tour of Solar Homes. 

Visit www.solartour.org for a list of sites, the tour booklet and schedule.

Then stop in to The JAVA SHACK Coffeehouse   for coffee and check out their new solar panel.

 

Go Car Free this weekend!

Check out Clarendon Day !!!    It is this Saturday, September 26^th from 11am-7pm.  There will be fun for everyone, from shopping, good food, kids activities to live music.  Check out the electric cars while you are there. 

 

Speaking of electric cars…

If you see one that looks like this white one and has the AIRE logo on its driver door you're looking at the newest addition to the Waste Water Pollution Control Plant.  Give the driver the thumbs up sign for going green!!!  4 New Electric Vehicles were added to the fleet.  As you can see from the picture, the vehicles are compact but provide the opportunity to haul equipment easily.

No Impact Man Opens Friday in DC

No Impact Man opens at the E Street Cinema in Washington this Friday, September 25.

------------------------ Steve Offutt, Arlington

Age Of Stupid Premiere

I'll be attending a simulcast in Arlington VA of the New York premiere tonight, September 21. Hope you can, too. Age of Stupid Website

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Steve Offutt, Arlington

Virginia is for Lovers…

Of Wine and Fall Foliage.

 You don’t need to go to California to go on a wine tour.  Besides it’s not very green to hop on a jet and zip across the country.  Why not take your hybrid for a drive through Virginia.  As a bonus you get to see some fall colors coming out. 

 

Check out Virginia's Department of Forestry site for information on…

• Approximate dates when leaves start to change.
• Driving tours “off of the beaten path” to view Virginia's spectacular fall foliage.
• The site even tells you what trees you are looking at by the color of their foliage.
• You can visit Skyline Dr in Shenandoah National Park 
• There’s also a Hot Air Balloon, Wine & Music Festival

 So go green when you take your winery or fall foliage tour and check out Virginia.

Be sure to check out Arlington’s own Vintage Crystal with a Latin twist wine sipping event!!

 

Don't Miss Event -= Greening Your Small Business =- October 1st

Operating a green business is not only good for the environment but good for your business’s bottom line.  Conserving resources and cutting down on waste saves money and offers promotional opportunities. Come to this seminar to learn how Fresh AIRE (Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions) can help you add value to your business through a variety of green measures. 

This seminar will also feature Arlington-based small businesses that have reduced their environmental footprint and achieved savings. Learn how to leverage “going green” into a successful business model!

Thursday  October 1, 2009

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 

Arlington Economic Development

1100 North Glebe Road, Suite 1500

Arlington, VA 22201

Agenda

8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Registration and Networking

8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Welcome and Introductions

8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Arbour Realty; Metro Green Home; Facets Fine Jewelry

9:45 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Questions and Answers

Register for FREE here: LINK

Sponsored by Arlington Economic Development and Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE)

For more information about the U.S. DoE Solar Decathlon

The Department of Energy is holding an hour long webinar on September 15, 2009 starting at noon EST.  Some of the topics the webinar will address are the history of the U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon, the technology, and the students who make it happen.  From homeowners, professors to residential and commercial industry professionals anyone who is interested in solar energy can participate.  Check it out; it’s free but registration is required.

The Army goes GREEN and it's not just their camouflage!!!

I have a special place in my heart for the U.S. Army because I grew up a certified Army Brat.  And being an Army Brat I had the opportunity to move around a lot and see other countries.  So my carbon footprint is not the smallest when looking at my childhood and all the travelling I enjoyed.  When I saw that the Army has decided to “Go Green” I was tickled pink…I mean green.  As you wander past Ft. Meyers you might see this car.

 

It’s electric and will replace a lot of the gas guzzling maintenance vehicles.  They are street legal as long as the posted speed limits are 35 mph or less.  These NEV’s (Neighborhood Electric Vehicles) run for about 30 miles and are completely charged in eight hours which, is perfect for bases around here.  Photo by C. Todd Lopez

Dust off that suitcase..a 3 day weekend is coming up!

Now that you have offset your travel by buying carbon credits and you picked a Green hotel you need to pack. 

 

Everyone that has checked luggage on a flight knows that all of the bags look the same unless, you bought that obnoxiously bright orange Hawaiian print bag like me.  I have noticed that people are taking steps to make their bags stand out from the crowd.  I have seen it all; from stickers, ribbon and duct tape to embroidered names or initials.  Here’s an idea that is green and can be a great way to stand out among the crowd of bags.