MAY 2025 NEWSLETTER

Earth Month ended April 30 and what a glorious month it was! We celebrated with an Earth Day Cleanup, the EcoExtravaganza, and our Earth Month Challenge. Earth Month may have ended –  but at EcoAction Arlington every day is Earth Day. Every day we act to protect our environment with your support.

A huge thank you to all of the donors who supported our work during Earth Month and at our EcoExtravaganza. With your generosity, EcoAction Arlington will be moving forward to fight for aggressive climate action and standing firm with Arlington County in making Arlington a leader in sustainability.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Save The Date - Green Community Tour & Celebration

The 22nd Annual Arlington Green Community Tour & Celebration will be held on Sunday, September 14, 2025 from 10:30-4:30pm.

For more information visit the Arlington County website.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES

Energy Masters and EcoAction Arlington have teamed up with the City of Alexandria to launch a new Programmable Thermostat Pilot. You will be trained to install thermostats to help residents reduce their energy use and save money on their bills. Individuals, families, and groups are welcome to join the program. No Experience Necessary. We are planning at least 50 installations and could use at least 50 Volunteers.

A 90-minute virtual training will be held on May 28, 7:00-8:30 pm. A recording will be provided if you are unable to attend.

Thermostat installations will be on Saturday, May 31 between 8:30 am-4:00 pm. Opportunities are available to sign up in shifts for those unable to attend the full day.

Apply for a free native tree to be planted on your property. Applications open early May, closing June 23. Check our website for updates.

Judi Egbert hails from the Pacific Northwest and yes, the mountains and ocean are in her bones. After a few years in North Carolina, Judi and her husband moved to Falls Church in August 2024 to be near their son and his family (Being near her daughter and her family is more challenging, since they live in Italy). Following a stint in the Peace Corps in Sri Lanka, Judi finished her MSW in macro social work at University of Michigan. Judi worked in a variety of roles, both professional and as a community volunteer, centered around social justice for 50 years.

Today, besides being Grandma Taxi, Judi enjoys reaching out to network for social change. Judi believes it takes all of us, in some way, to step up and make our communities healthy places in which to thrive. EcoAction Arlington gives her outstanding opportunities to roll up her sleeves and dig into what counts! Judi chooses to volunteer with EcoAction because it offers a variety of engaging options to be part of a team making a sustainable difference.

Thanks Judi for digging into what counts with us!

If you would like to join Judi in volunteering with us, visit our website for more information.

Mt. Olive Baptist Church, EcoAction Arlington, and Teigan Hellman (pictured left in red shirt) collaborated this Earth Month to improve the grounds of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Arlington View. A total of 34 native plants were planted on the grounds on Saturday, April 19. Volunteers also removed invasive plants. Teigan, a high school student in Arlington, organized the project as part of the Amigos’ Social Impact Accelerator program, an action-focused accelerator empowering volunteers to strategize with local stakeholders to implement service projects in their home communities. Trees were purchased with funds provided through the program. Teigan engaged volunteers from the TreeStewards of Arlington/Alexandria to help with the species selection which include arrowwood viburnum, buttonbush, and red chokeberry. This project directly supports EcoAction Arlington’s Tree Canopy Equity Program, which has a goal to radically increase tree planting in Arlington neighborhoods, like Arlington View, with the lowest tree cover.

April 22 Earth Day Stream Cleanup

Another successful Earth Day Cleanup! About 60 people collected 20 bags of trash and 6 bags of recycling from Bon Air Park! Shout-out to Emy our EcoAction Arlington Outreach Assistant, our amazing volunteers, and board members who attended and supported the event!

Green Valley Farmers Market

EcoAction Arlington was there on April 4 to celebrate the inaugural Green Valley Farmers Market. Pictured is organizer, Portia Clark (left) and two vendors. The Farmers Market takes place on Fridays 4 p.m.-7 pm  in the John Robinson Jr. Town Square.

Seventh Annual EcoExtravaganza

We held our Seventh Annual EcoExtravaganza on Thursday, April 24, 2025. It was a splendid spring evening with good food and good company. It was wonderful to gather together under the tent at Clare & Don’s Beach Shack in Falls Church. It was our first ever live fundraising event and the EcoAction Team was WOW-ed by the strong support from the community. By the end of the night we raised $12,000. A big thank you to emcee George Tsoumaris, everyone who attended, and to Molly Bolan for capturing photos of the night.

SUSTAINABILITY TIP

Is the floor below your feet polluting our environment? Your flooring may contain harmful chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can impact indoor air quality. If you’re in the market for new flooring, consider the environmental impact of the flooring throughout its lifecycle, from sourcing to disposal. Shop for materials that are renewable, recycled, durable, and have a low-carbon footprint. Examples of eco-friendly flooring include cork, bamboo, linoleum, reclaimed wood, porcelain and ceramic tile, wool carpets and certain types of vinyl made with recycled materials. Choose a  manufacturer who prioritizes responsible sourcing, waste reduction, and energy efficiency in their operations. Look for certifications like LEED or GreenGuard to ensure that flooring meets specific sustainability standards. To read more about eco-friendly flooring, check out this article from Green America.

Want to do more? The GetGreen Arlington app has climate action challenges, carbon footprint reduction tips, and local community engagement opportunities.

MAY 10 | Alexandria's Eco-City Festival at Ben Brenman Park will showcase Alexandria's environmentally friendly initiatives and celebrate sustainability with over 50 booths, electric vehicle test drives, and family-friendly activities. To learn more visit alxnow.com.

MAY 15 | Hop on a bike and ride on Bike to Work Day (BTWD), whether you’re working at home or commuting to your workplace! Take a break at one of the eight pit stops in Arlington.

May 17 | Arlington Palooza returns to Lubber Run Community Center on May 17. The event is free but make sure to register.

June 7 | Clean the Bay Day is an annual Virginia wide clean-up where thousands of volunteers descend on the rivers, streets, beaches, and inland parks of the Chesapeake Bay watershed to remove harmful litter and debris. For more information and registration visit cbf.org/clean.

Community News

You can now check out handy tools like knitting needles, battery testers, trail camera, moving straps, and much more from Arlington County Libraries. Explore the new items and check one out for your next project, craft or adventure! 

Arlington's Spring E-CARE event will be held on June 21, after being cancelled last month.

The Flooring Sustainability Summit Project Design Award Program recognizes outstanding residential and commercial projects that showcase innovative, sustainable flooring solutions. The program is open to architects, designers, planners, and construction professionals for projects completed within the last three years that integrate flooring as a key element of sustainability and design. There is no entry fee to participate, and all entries must be received by Monday, May 19.

Support and sustain our work!

As our community's needs evolve, we remain committed to educating community members on how to create more sustainable lives for the future of Arlington, improving the quality of life for all. Your contribution to these efforts make it possible.

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EcoAction Arlington is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that works to educate, advocate, and act to create a sustainable community by improving our natural environment, encouraging environmentally friendly behaviors, ensuring environmental justice, and addressing the climate crisis. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website or signed up for one of our events/programs.

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