C-PACE RFP, Plastics in Corporate America, June - Pollinator Month, Ginkgo Leaves, Growing Greener Data Centers, Virginia Chapter Earth Rise Indivisible Launch, GFG / MVG Picnic, VA Chapter Annual Gathering, Land Use Updates - One University, Hunter Mill Road Facility, Blake Lane Park;
Recycling Update
August 2019 Great Falls Group Cascade
Significant Events Calendar

Aug 10 - Growing Greener Data Centers

Aug. 17 - Earth Rise Indivisible Launch

Sept 14 - Joint GFG / MVG picnic

Sept. 20-22 - VA Annual Sierra Club Gathering

Oct 1 - Providence Community Center: Volunteer for the Environment Night
Invasive Plants Program
Events and Information
Climate and Energy
C-PACE Request For Proposal in Fairfax County
On July 19, 2019, Fairfax County issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Program Administrator to administer the county’s Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy and Resiliency (C-PACE) program. According to county staff, the final program is scheduled for launch by the end of the year. Full story

Photo Source: Fairfax County C-PACE
Grocery Retailer Plastic Footprint
In June 2019, Greenpeace conducted the first-of-its-kind evaluation of the overall plastic footprints of major U.S. grocery retailers. None of the 20 profiled retailers achieved a passing score.

Corporate Accountability for Plastic Waste and Pollution
How much plastic do retailers use in selling their products? How much of that plastic is single-use? How much is recycled? Are there any plans to reduce and reuse plastics in packaging? The answers in this detailed article may surprise you.

Image source: NYT - David Ebener/Picture-Alliance, via DPA, via Associated Press

June Was Pollinator Month
The month of June was Pollinator Month across the country. Merrifield Garden Center celebrated Pollinator Month with a special pollinator seminar, followed by tours of the Perennial and Annual Houses. Read up on the different ways plants are pollinated - it may surprise you!

Image Source: Merrifield Gardens
Image source: Smithsonian
Ginkgo Leaves Tell a Story
The Smithsonian Leaf Survey invites citizen scientists worldwide to send in ginkgo leaves from their communities. The leaves can be compared with leaves from other areas and with fossil leaves dating back millions of years, to learn how well they reflect the climate they grew in. This is part of the iNaturalist project (See the April 2019 issue of the Cascade - City Nature Challenge 2019).

Environmental Events
Growing Greener Data Centers
WHEN: Sat., August 10; 10 am-12 noon
WHERE: Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd., Ashburn, VA 20147
DETAILS: Did you know that 70% of global internet service passes through Loudoun County every day? Did you know that data centers consume huge amounts of energy? Come join us for an information session to learn about Loudoun's energy future and how we can push for sustainable practices in our own back yard!
CONTACT: Natalie Pien at  [email protected]
SPONSORS: 350 Loudoun, League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, Sierra Club Great Falls Group, Green Peace 
Image Source: Greenpeace
Image Credit: Earth Rise Indivisible

Virginia Chapter Earth Rise Indivisible Launch

DETAILS: Become a climate advocate! Meet people impacted directly by the climate emergency and hear their stories. Learn from guest speaker experts. See former Vice President Al Gore's Climate Reality Presentation illustrating how the climate emergency impacts every aspect of your life. Understand how the Green New Deal VA equitably addresses the climate emergency to make prosperity, clean air and water, and economic security fully available to all through a transition to clean, renewable sources of energy.
WHEN: Sat., August 17; 9 am - 4:30 pm
WHERE: Great Falls Library, 9830 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066

CONTACT: Natalie Pien [email protected]
SPONSORS: Indivisible Northern Virginia, New River Valley Indivisible, Williamsburg James City County Indivisible, Herndon/Reston Indivisible Science and Environment, Indivisible Virginia, Indivisible Charlottesville, Indivisible Roanoke, Fauquier Indivisible, People Demanding Action, 350 Loudoun, Network NOVA, Peninsula Indivisible, Indivisible NoVA West, and Indivisible NoVA East.
GFG - MVG Potluck Picnic and Nature Walk
WHEN: Sun., Sept 14, 1 - 5 pm
WHERE: Potomac Overlook Regional Park 2845 Marcey Rd. Arlington 22207
DETAILS: GFG - MVG potluck picnic and nature walk; kids welcome
CONTACT: Paul Kaplowitz 
SPONSORS: Sierra Club Great Falls Group, Sierra Club Mount Vernon Group
Sierra Club Virginia Chapter’s Annual Gathering 2019
WHEN: Sept. 20 - 22
DETAILS: Every year, once the summer heat is gone and those cool fall nights start rolling in, Sierra Club members and supporters from across Virginia spend a weekend together eating, drinking, dancing and learning. This fun-filled weekend is known as the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter’s Annual Gathering and you are invited!

CONTACT: Jessica Sims [email protected]
(804) 366-0745
CARPOOLING: Norbert Pink
(314) 724-8842
SPONSOR: Sierra Club Virginia Chapter

Westmoreland State Park
Land Use
One University: Good Idea, Wrong Location
The proposed One University project would build 580 housing units at a 10.84-acre property near Rte. 123 and University Drive and close to George Mason University. The Sierra Club opposes this project. This is too high a density in an area that is not designated by the county for high growth and that lacks the infrastructure to support it. The Planning Commission discussed the project and held a public hearing on July 25. Several Planning Commissioners voiced substantial concerns about the project’s density, and about safety for pedestrians crossing Rte. 123. 


CONTACT: If you are interested in this or any other land use issue please contact Ann Bennett .
Hearings on 86-bed Assisted Living Facility in July
There were three land-use hearings in July, two of which resulted in approval of the application going forward, including by the Fairfax County Planning Commission.

This 86-bed facility would be the first medical care facility in Fairfax County sited on residential real estate without access to public sewer. Efforts continue to examine the serious environmental impacts of this facility, the first of its kind in this area, affecting the local waterways through to the Chesapeake Bay.

You may send a letter expressing your concern to [email protected] .

Sup. Smyth Gives Blake Lane a Reprieve
June 25 th promised to be a day of irony, with the Board of Supervisors voting to proclaim July ‘Parks and Recreation Month’ while at the same time agreeing to a school bond referendum which would have effectively destroyed Blake Lane Park. Then Providence Supervisor Linda Smyth came to the rescue. She came up with a compromise that consisted of adding wording to the referendum saying "site to be determined."

GFG Recycling Presentation
Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine
Beth Porter is a climate and recycling director for Green America. She met with 40 Sierra Club members last month for an update on recent changes in the recycling industry and ways to recycle.

Beth Porter
Image Source: Green America

Ways to Stay in Touch with GFG
Send comments or questions to the editor .
Thank you!