The official summer season has begun! However you may celebrate we at EcoAction Arlington wish you a very happy Independence Day and a sweet start to a sustainable summer!

4 Sustainable Ways to Celebrate the 4th:

1. Grill with Lump Charcoal — This is pure wood, sustainably sourced, without any chemicals or lighter fluids.
2. Use biodegradable or reusable cutlery and cups.
3. Don't throw away leftover food - give out to-go boxes, save for another recipe, or compost leftovers and food scraps.
4. Create DIY decorations with sustainable materials. Bonus points for using what you already have.

By installing a rain barrel at your home you will:

• Provide your plants with water they will love! Unlike treated water, which is "softened" with dissolved minerals, rain water is naturally soft.
• Save money and water! You can use the water you've saved to keep your home landscape happy and growing. You'll also reduce your municipal water bill!
• Protect the Chesapeake Bay! Water stored in your rain barrel won't rush off into streams. Instead, as you use the stored rain water around the home and garden, it will absorb slowly into the ground replenishing groundwater supplies. By decreasing the volume of storm runoff, rain barrels also help moderate stream erosion and the resulting pollution that is impairing the Chesapeake Bay.
• Save on your stormwater utility fee! You may apply for credit on your stormwater utility fee if you install two rain barrels (minimum 100 gallons).*

*All property owners in Arlington can apply for voluntary credits offsetting up to 35% of their Stormwater Utility bill. View the Stormwater Credit Manual for details and information. You can learn about the upcoming changes to Arlington’s stormwater utility and credit program on Arlington County's Storm Utility webpage.

William Earl “Bill” Campbell joined EcoActionArlington and the Virginia Cooperative Extension in May of 2023 as the part-time Energy Masters coordinator. He was a civilian employee for thirty-three years with the Department of Defense as a Design and Project engineer and also a Project and Program Manager. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from West Virginia University and a Masters Certificate in Paralegal Studies from Georgetown University. A father of three adult children, Bill also served on the Alexandria City Public School Board. He lives in Alexandria with his wife of thirty-nine years, Ruby, and their two grand dogs, Noah and Michael Jackson.

Maxwell Julius, EcoAction Arlington Volunteer Shares Why He Volunteers --

"EcoAction is the epitome of local environmental volunteer organizations, so I looked to join their mission to create a greener Arlington. On May 7th, I had the distinct pleasure of co-leading a trash cleanup for 2nd-grade girl scouts, who intently listened when I taught them how plastics harm birds through entanglement, ingestion, and alteration of their internal chemistry. Looking forward, I plan to go to Oberlin College and serve both the Arlington and Oberlin communities through this type of volunteering."

EcoAction Arlington congratulates Maxwell on his high school graduation from Arlington Tech in June and wishes him all the best in his future endeavors. Maxwell has been a frequent and ardent volunteer these past several years working on everything from photography to leading trail cleanups for his capstone project. You can read his capstone report here.

Volunteer Karen Olson Weaver at the FNRP Open House on June 14. Karen was joined by other EcoAction Arlington volunteers: Stephanie Dillemuth, Kathleen Freeman, and Sebastian Rodriguez-Naborre at Lubber Run community center to spread the word about the Tree Canopy Program and the availability of free trees in Arlington. The deadline to apply for free trees was June 16 for Fall planting. Applications to get a tree planted in the Spring of 2024 will open in October. 

The Green Community Celebration and Tour on Sunday, June 4 was a great success! Volunteers Stephanie Dillemuth and Efrata Terefe engaged with community members to let them know all the good EcoAction Arlington does for the environment and what they could do to help. Energy Masters and other environmental groups also exhibited on the Shirlington Library Plaza. Pictured here is Energy Master Davis Plunkett.

Tim Craft, ACH INC. Construction Manager and Nora Palmatier, EcoAction Arlington Tree Steward conducting site visits of neighborhoods for the Fall tree planting season. Trees will be planted in October.

Community Spotlight: Columbia Heights

Columbia Heights is very walkable with easy access to restaurants and local amenities. It is home to the flagship Bob and Edith's Diner serving the neighborhood for over 50 years. Idido’s Coffee and Social House is a local favorite and a must-try. The Farmers Market held every Sunday year-round is a great place to buy local fruits, vegetables and other foodstuff. The community's current concern is the proposed pickle ball hub for the Walter Reed Community Center. The neighborhood has about 28% tree coverage according to a recent Green Infrastructure Center Study sponsored by the Arlington County Civic Federation. EcoAction Arlington canvassed the neighborhood in May to spread the word about the Tree Canopy Fund.

Are you interested in issues that affect the environment and the Arlington community? Stay up-to-date and in the know with

The EcoAdvocate!

The EcoAction Arlington Advocacy committee publishes The EcoAdvocate periodically. The newsletter includes news and updates on advocacy initiatives at the county and state levels, and other information of interest.

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