July 2019 Great Falls Group Cascade
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Significant Events Calendar
July 4
- Leesburg Parade
July 8
- Land use meeting, One University
July 15
- Let's Talk Trash
Aug 10
- Growing Greener Data Centers
Sept. 10
- Sierra Club Volunteer Night
Sept 14
- Joint GFG / MVG picnic
Sept. 26
- 6 pm Mad Fox Falls Church - Sierra Club Happy Hour
Oct 1
- 6:30 pm Providence Community Center:
Volunteer for the Environment
Night
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Fairfax County - Solar Purchase Agreement
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On June 6, 2019, Fairfax County launched the largest procurement in Virginia history for solar at county facilities and schools. According to a leading solar developer, the
procurement also is one of the largest in the country for on-site solar energy.
photo source: Fairfax County
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Fairfax: Community-Wide Energy and Climate Action Plan
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At a June 18, 2019 meeting of the Fairfax County Board’s Environmental Committee, county staff outlined the process planned for public involvement in developing its Community-Wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP).
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This briefing followed the approval of two new staff positions to lead the CECAP process in the Board’s FY 2020 Budget in early May. These new staff are slated to be on board by August 2019, and the Board will be considering funding for contract support in late September.
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See the event "Growing Greener Data Centers" Aug. 10 in Leesburg in this newsletter.
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Data Center Alley and Sustainable Computing
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Loudoun County, in Northern Virginia, is gaining a reputation as the data center of the world. It is estimated that
70
percent of the world’s internet traffic passes through the data centers there on any given day, giving the area the name “data center alley.”
Data centers, though, are energy gluttons. To meet the demand, Dominion Energy Virginia is arguing for expanding its fossil fuel infrastructure, including dangerous gas pipelines. Activists, including Sierra Club members, are pushing back.
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McKay and Walkinshaw Win in Fairfax County Primary June 11
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This spring, after careful consideration and hard work the Sierra Club Great Falls Group with the Mount Vernon Group and the VA Chapter, endorsed Jeff McKay for Chairman of the Board of Supervisors (elected at-large) and James Walkinshaw for the Braddock District Supervisor; both of whom won their primary races on June 4. The three groups also gave fast-tracked endorsements to Dan Storck for the Mt. Vernon District Supervisor and John Foust for the Dranesville District Supervisor due to their great record on energy, climate, and environmental issues.
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July 4th Parade in Leesburg
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WHEN
: Thur., July 4 (Streets close at 9:30 am, and parade starts at 10 am.)
**Meet at Leesburg Safeway parking lot at 8:30 AM to carpool to parade line-up at Ida Lee Park.**
WHERE:
Parade kick-off at Ida Lee Park, 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg, VA (South on King Street, ending at Fairfax and South King Street)
DETAILS:
Join 350 Loudoun on its annual march in the Leesburg July 4 Parade. This year, the Climate Emergency message will be about the Virginia Green New Deal. Let's educate the public in a fun way! Patriotic garb of any sort is encouraged. The plan is to carry banners/signs about the VA Green New Deal, including the 5 major policy themes. After the parade, join us for lunch at a winery or brewery, TBD.
SPONSORS:
350 Loudoun, Sierra Club Great Falls Group, VA Green New Deal Outreach and Education Group
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Let’s Talk Trash (and How to Avoid it): Reducing Waste and Better Recycling
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WHERE:
Providence Community Center, 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax, VA
DETAILS:
If the recycling system is a broken system, what can we can do to fix it? Come for a dialogue on how to tackle waste - both as individuals in our households and as activists demanding corporate and political change. Beth Porter, author of
Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine: Sorting Out the Recycling System
, will discuss what’s wrong with recycling and our roles in repairing it.
RSVP
CONTACT
: Catherine Carver
SPONSOR:
Sierra Club/Great Falls Group
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Growing Greener Data Centers
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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!
SPONSORS:
350 Loudoun, League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, Sierra Club Great Falls Group, Green Peace
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New
Volunteer for the Environment – Sierra Club Volunteer Night
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WHEN:
Tuesday, September 10, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm
WHERE:
Oakton Library, 10304 Lynnhaven Place, Oakton, VA
DETAILS:
Learn about all the ways you can get involved in what the Sierra Club is doing locally. You can plug in and amplify your power to impact environmental issues. Join us in working to bring efficient transportation to Northern Virginia, cut carbon emissions and promote renewable energy.
RSVP
SPONSOR:
Sierra Club Great Falls Group and Virginia Chapter Sierra Club
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GFG / MVG Picnic Sept. 14
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The Great Falls and Mount Vernon Groups will have a joint picnic at a local park in September. Details to follow.
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Public Meeting to Focus on Controversial 'One University' Development
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WHEN:
Monday, July 8, 7:30 pm
WHERE:
Fairfax Villa Elementary School, 10900 Santa Clara Drive, Fairfax, VA
DETAILS:
The Sierra Club/Great Falls Group is opposed to the One University development. The proposal would build 580 housing units at a 10.84-acre property near Rte. 123 and University Drive at the northwest corner of Ox Road and University Drive close to George Mason University. This is too high a density in an area that is not designated by the county for high growth and lacks the infrastructure to support it.
Meeting details (note - meeting is now
July 8)
CONTACT
: If you are interested in this or any other land use issue please contact
Norbert
.
SPONSORS
: Fairfax County Braddock District
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Source: Fairfax County - Proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment
Item PA - 2018 II - F2 April 3, 2019
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86-bed Assisted Living/Memory Care Facility on Hunter Mill Road
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New date to voice concern on problem facility. Now it's July 18 at 7:30 pm.
This 86-bed facility would be the first medical care facility in Fairfax County sited on residential real estate without access to public sewer. Using a septic system in a fragile area poses major health concerns, undermines a conservation easement, and threatens ground and surface water for drinking, recreational use and recharge - potentially all the way to the Chesapeake.
You may sign up to speak out on July 18 at the Planning Commission hearing. Reference Application number: SE 2018-HM-024 - Orr-BSL Hunter Mill LLC
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Petition for Blake Lane Park
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If you want to support the preservation of Blake Lane Park, sign the petition:
Last fall, the school board announced plans to build a school on the land, which contains a popular dog-park and has the only open field big enough to play soccer or ultimate Frisbee in the local area.
Residents in the area are opposed to this.
See an update from the June issue of the Cascade
for more information.
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No Thanks to Single-Use Items
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Here's an idea for a multi-use dining kit you can easily implement yourself!
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Send comments or questions to the
editor
.
Thank you!
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