Loudoun Va – Bag It!

For additional information and the dates on other showings please check their website.

Intending initially to plunge with other CCAN activists in a Maryland branch of the Potomac River, our local plungers had to change their plan due to icy road conditions that Saturday morning.   They decided to pull the cover back and plunge into Tony’s  unheated backyard pool in rural Lovettsville with their “crew” waiting with towels ready.

Saturday morning at noon,  dressed in their pre-plunge attire, rather than listening to pre-plunge professional musicians and motivational speeches offered at the official plunge site in National Harbor, MD, Tony played a little mandolin,  and the 3 plungers posed in front of the fireplace for their “official photographers”.

Out to the pool they went with their towels and robes. The pool water temperature: 37 degrees. The outside temp: 30 degrees. Tony went in first, followed by Des, and then Gina who, in a rush to get in there before Tony got out, never got out of her sweatshirt! As soon as the photographic evidence was deemed sufficient, they got out of water as fast as they could. Total immersion time: at least 1 minute. Photos reveal that Gina’s mouth was open the entire time-Screaming!
CCAN has been hosting the Annual Polar Bear Plunge to draw attention to the climate crisis in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.  For seven years, increasing numbers of activists have plunged into cold bodies of water in our region to raise money for CCAN’s local efforts to promote renewable energy in MD, VA and DC.   The Polar Bear Plunge is the Chesapeake Climate Action Network’s biggest annual fundraising event.

We are proud of our exceptional volunteers and the others on doing such a courageous act of environmental activism.

Congratulations!

Making a Difference: One Step at a Time

Cleaning with the Power of Tap Water - 

Bruce and Susan Lawton’s Story -

In 2008, the Lawtons moved from an HOA neighborhood to the Purcellville countryside so they could some elbow room to explore how they can change their home to be more sustainable – specially with renewable energy options.  It was an eye-opening change and most of it didn’t require countryside afterall!

The first project was solar water heating panels mounted on a shed.  The shed was designed with a good roof angle so the panels could be embedded in the roof, have an attractive appearance, and pass muster with an HOA.  While the family started benefiting from solar-assisted water heating, soon afterward the HOA in their old neighborhood changed the rules to allow and set guidelines for installing solar panels on homes.

The success with solar hot water was a catalyst for their continual effort to improve energy efficiency and sustainability in whatever way possible.

Here are some their home improvement projects and changes for greater sustainability:

A do-it-yourself installation of 30 solar panels on the front roof of the house–with the help of friends, family, and a few  professionals– has reduced their use of energy from the power company year-round. Four months of the year, electric bills recorded 0KW hour usage, and the other eight months saw significant reductions in electricity cost. Photovoltaic panels were made more affordable by federal and state tax incentives and income from the sale of SRECs.  You can start learning more about DIY solar panels by visiting CNET Green Tech page.

Changing garbage pickup service to a company that recycles more types of trash cost no more than before. Surprisingly, single-stream recycling includes empty aerosol cans, wax coated milk cartons, and more types of plastic and paper.  Now the recycling can fills up faster than the trash can, with only a small amount of trash destined for landfill.  Composting also reduces the among of trash, and provides nutrients for the garden.  Freecycle has been a great resource, too!  The family has given away many things and acquired others that they needed.  Find out more about Freecycle an how you can participate here.

High efficiency appliances are one of the fastest ways to reduce energy consumption.  The washer and dryer use less electricity, while the washer uses less water.  Drying clothes on a retractable clothes line saves energy when the weather is fair.  There’s nothing like the fresh smell and feel of sun-dried clothes.

Transitioning to LED lighting was a higher cost initially, but the life of an LED bulb is expected to be many years.  Initially the family replaced some incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, but improper disposal of these bulbs can release mercury into landfills and groundwater.

Double pane glass windows and doors improve heating and cooling efficiency in the house.  An insulation inspection with an infrared camera revealed hot and cold spots where the insulation was sparse and made it easy to determine where additional insulation was needed to keep hot and cool air where they belong.

Loudoun County has many local food producers–meats, dairy, herbs, vegetable, fruits, grains, wines, even beer.  The family has enjoyed local, organic produce from Stonybrook Farm and various growers who sell at the Purcellville market.  We also prefer to buy meats and eggs from local producers for healthier diet, more humane treatment and to promote local agriculture.  Reusable canvas shopping bags and reusable lunch containers reduce the amount of paper and plastic consumed.  Find out more about Buy Local Buy Fresh Loudoun Guide.

Carpooling three days each week in a hybrid (~50 mpg) and telecommuting the other two days reduce gasoline consumption and congestion on the roads.  A wonderful benefit for carpoolers, bus riders, bike riders, and telecommuters is www.nuride.com, which gives reward points for each of these commuting options. The couple’s most recent use of nuride reward points was a 25% discount at the spa in Landsdowne.

The family lot is 5 acres, but only the area immediately surrounding the house is mowed.  The other parts have paths mowed and are mowed twice a year. This is beautiful natural landscape, without use of pesticides.

For edible landscaping, there are peach, apple, pear, fig and persimmon trees.  Starting in May, the blueberry bushes produce a delicious bounty for eating, baking, and sharing.  Also, solar landscape lights provide attractive lighting along the walks and driveway.  Here is a resource for Edible Landscaping Plants.

A few small initiatives include drinking filtered well water rather than bottled water and using cloth napkins rather than buying paper napkins.

Current projects include converting a car with a gasoline engine to an electric car that will be used for a round trip commute of 90 miles,  peel-and-stick solar PV film on the barn roof, and learning mineralized balance agriculture for fruit tree care. There’s always more we can learn and do!

You may be curious about the cost of all this transition so here are some numbers:

The solar hot water system on the shed is about $1,500 in parts, plus labor if you go that route.  The solar electric was about $13,000 after the $17,000 tax credit and rebate.  Plus, they are going to start getting Solar REC checks soon that should be a little under $200/month.

Special Thanks to Lawton family for sharing their experience with transitioning to reduce their ecological footprint.  It is very inspiring.  If you or someone you know has a similar story and would like to share it with us, please contact us by sending an e-mail to osimpson@earthdayatloudoun.org.

Start Your Journey to Healthier, Safer and More Delicious Harvest -

When: Saturday, Feb 4, 2012  10:30am – 12:30pm

Where: Ashburn Library 43316 Hay Road

Who should attend:
Those who are starting,  are interested in starting,  or have already started a Community Garden in Loudoun County.

In addition to brief presentations by Loudoun County Master Gardeners,  attendees may look forward to opportunities to learn from and network with other local Community Gardeners.

Bring your questions and your wisdom to share on gardening topics as well as issues of administration and fundraising.

Time will be devoted for community gardeners to ask questions not only of Master Gardeners but of other community garden members who have been in the dirt.

To RSVP your interest in attending, send your name and phone number to DEHarris01@aol.com.

For general information about the Forum,  about the Garden to Table team or for general gardening questions,  please contact the LCMG Help Desk at ex107mg@vt.edu or by phone at 703.771.5150.

There will be light refreshments and door prizes!

Sponsored by the Loudoun County Master Gardeners  Garden to Table team, whose mission is to help Loudouners grow their own produce and to increase awareness of the value of fresh, local, healthy food.

Benefits of Community Gardens

• Improves the quality of life for people in the garden
• Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development
• Stimulates Social Interaction
• Encourages Self-Reliance
• Beautifies Neighborhoods
• Produces Nutritious Food
• Reduces Family Food Budgets
• Conserves Resources
• Creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education
• Reduces Crime
• Preserves Green Space
• Creates income opportunities and economic development
• Reduces city heat from streets and parking lots
• Provides opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections
  (Source: American Community Garden Association)

Community Gardens are an intensive use of unused land, inviting creative activity in the manipulation of the landscape. While individually leased parcels invite private stewardship, connecting pathways and common amenities encourage public use and enjoyment (albeit more passively). It is these common features that typify the more successful community gardens in Virginia. The Reston Assoc. Community Garden and the Farm-to-Table Program (Headwaters) at Rappahannock County Public Schools (RCPS) are two highly successful examples.

More generally, the benefits of community or allotment gardens are long term and adaptable to changing circumstances. Because they restore a public realm to suburban existence, community gardens are elements for consideration in planning for sustainable communities.

One of the two speaking engagement will take place on Wednesday, March 14th at 7pm at Tuscarora High School located at 801 N. King Street in Leesburg. For additional information and how to get your ticket please visit PEC website.

More About Richard Louv

Richard Louv introduced the term “nature-deficit disorder” in his best-selling book Last Child in the Woods, as a way to describe the growing gap between children and nature. He wrote, “Our children are the first generation to be raised without meaningful contact with the natural world.” Last Child in The Woods, which has helped to start an international movement since it came out in 2005, explores the increasing divide between children and the natural world. It also presents a growing body of research indicating that this divide threatens people’s health, our creativity, our spiritual life, and our stewardship of the environment.

A few years later, Louv recounts, a woman literally grabbed him by the lapels and said, “Listen to me, adults have nature-deficit disorder, too.” He says, “She was right, of course.” Her assertion became the starting point for Louv’s newest book The Nature Principle, which explores ways that adults can bring more nature into our everyday lives–where we live, work, and play. In both books, Louv offers a positive vision for the future in which people of all ages reap extraordinary benefits by connecting, or reconnecting, with nature.

“The future will belong to the nature-smart—those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”  —Richard Louv

 A five-minute walk in the woods with Richard Louv as he discusses nature-deficit disorder and the themes of his book Last Child in the Woods.

Building on its early momentum, other ideas soon followed. To date, the Green Team had started a beverage container recycling program, adopted three endangered species using Green Team fundraiser money, sponsored a annual Earth Day poster contest, promoted Green Day spirit days, promoted school-wide Earth Day celebrations, championed family energy audits, partnered with the county for watershed storm drain labeling, and much more.  In fact, the FSMS Green Team was so active in making a difference in their community; they received national recognition by the Go Green Initiative in their first year (featured on treehugger.com – a Discovery company).

The Green Team has continued to grow and has expanded its focus on environmental issues.  In early 2009, the team sponsors took 18 students to PowerShift ’09, a national youth summit on climate change action held in Washington D.C.  Students attended workshops lead by national leaders and saw first hand the power of youth.

Ms. Rossi has funded the program with grant money received from the Earth Day Network as a Climate Change Educator, prize money from the Keep Loudoun Beautiful recycling contest and award money from EarthDay@Loudoun Festival.  To date, the team has raised/earned over $1,200 in awards, grant money and fundraisers.  All of this money goes back into the club for activities and action items.

In the spring of 2011, co-sponsor Jon Radow lead a group of dedicated students in researching the impact of Styrofoam trays on the environment.  After months of research and interviews, the CELTICS (Committee Evaluating Lunch Trays in Cafeteria Schools) presented their findings to the Loudoun County School Board.  The Green Team CELTICS recommended alternatives to Styrofoam, specifically reusable trays or biodegradable paperboard.  This fall, Loudoun County Public Schools switched to biodegradable paperboard trays in all school previously using Styrofoam – a major accomplishment for the CELTICS!

The Green Team also maintains the newly built Outdoor Classroom donated by Dominion Power.  The natural setting of the classroom will be used by all teachers and students at Farmwell and is located next to the Naturalist Club’s Monarch Waystation.

The 2011/2012 school year welcomed over 40 members (many returning from previous years) and continues to strive for new ways to improve the community and environment.  The Green Team is currently in the planning stages of a “Trashion Show” and will work with other local organizations for the some of the “fashion”.

The success of the Farmwell Station Green Team is attributed to the energy and passion of its student’s and sponsors and will continue to act on their motto “Everyone Can Make a Difference”.

The Green Team is currently sponsored by Tracy Rossi, Jon Radow and Erik Sassak of Farmwell Station Middle School.

Its members can often be found ankle deep in dirt, digging through garbage bins in search of recycling or snacking on locally grown produce. They are the Green Beans, a club geared toward protecting and enjoying the environment.

The club, spearheaded by physical education teacher Mark Pankau, started three years ago as a combination of the Kiwanis Kids club and Student Government Association. It claims 20 student members and three advisors, Pankau, Daniel Schroll and Karen Thompson, and meets every Monday afternoon.

During its most recent meeting, the students learned about one of the region’s most lucrative crops–apples. Pankau brought in apples donated from C. Hess Orchard and Produce in Martinsburg, WV, to give the students a taste of freshly squeezed apple juice, dehydrated apples and homemade apple sauce.

“This tastes awesome,” fifth-grader Tommy Sims said as he downed the juice.

The club members asked Pankau why the juice looked different than apple juice at the store–it was thicker and cloudy in color.

Pankau explained that most the juice in grocery stores “go through a lot of filters to make it clear, and it’s pasteurized–or cooked–so it can sit on the shelf longer.”

Aside from enjoying local produce, the Green Beans have made a noticeable impact on how much Guilford Elementary consumes. The club members frequently perform “room checks,” where they critique how green each classroom is. They look for any recyclable materials that made it into the trash can instead of the recycling bin, any pencils, crayons or glue sticks left on the floor that could be swept up by a janitor and whether the lights are turned off after the room is emptied.

“We have reduced the number of trash bags here by more over one-third daily,” Pankau said. “We’re making the students responsible for their own room, and getting them excited about being green.”

At the end of the school year, the class that has the most positive points gets the Green Thumb Trophy–a creation crafted by Pankau himself out a green garden glove and Sta-Flo Starch.

The Green Beans have also made their mark in the school’s courtyard, where they have a green house, a raised table vegetable garden and two compost bins. The club grows small, seedling plants to sell during a spring fundraiser for 50 cents each. Club members also participate in the school’s annual Environmental Fair each spring.

Throughout the past few years, environmental student clubs have popped up in a few elementary schools throughout Loudoun, Pankau said. Guilford Elementary fourth- and fifth-grade students can choose the Green Beans from several different clubs.

Christian Solar, secretary of the Green Beans, considers joining the club a no-brainer.

“I’ve always wanted to be a part of this, so I finally made a goal to join this year,” he said. “This club is different because it helps the environment, and it’s fun.”

Some students, like fourth-grader Emerson Hernandez and fifth-grader Jonny Szutenbach, say they’ve already used what they’ve learned through the Green Beans club at home.

“I grew a flower at home,” Emerson said.

“I’ve helped my parents plant vegetables,” Jonny said. “This is a cool club because you can grow stuff and learn about the environment.”

Asburn Today – November 25, 2011

If you are interested in participating for the whole day or just part of the day, sign up online or contact Joe Coleman at 540-554-2542 or jcoleman@loudounwildlife.org.

The results of the second annual Loudoun County Green Business Challenge are in! Congratulations to the winners and participants for their efforts to make Loudoun County a greener place to live, work and play. Together, these businesses leaders are raising the standard for more sustainable business practices in Loudoun.  The top winners are: