GreenSpeak@Loudoun

Why Go Native?

Snow, ice and freezing temperatures have wreaked havoc on flora in Northern Virginia this winter, snapping branches and toppling trees. After assessing the damage that the recent back-to-back blizzards have brought to your landscape, you may soon be thinking about adding or replacing new plantings this spring. When choosing what to plant, landscaping experts and naturalists urge consumers to consider adding native species to your design. “Native... [Read More...]

Could the “Big Melt” Harm our Waterways?

Eventually, (we hope!) this snow will melt. And according to Liza Young with Loudoun Water, 10 inches of snow melts down to about one inch of water. So far this season, Dulles International Airport has measured a record-breaking 75 inches of snow. That’s 7.5 inches of additional water multiplied by Loudoun’s 521 square miles. Yikes! That’s a lot of volume! So, where does all this melting snow go? The majority of Loudoun County is... [Read More...]

Packing a Greener Lunch

I admit it. When planning my kids’ school lunches, convenience most often trumps eco-friendliness. Let’s face it. Single-serve applesauce cups, packaged snack bars and juice boxes are easily tossed into the lunch boxes on rushed mornings as the kids leave for the bus stop. But after learning that the average student in America creates 67 pounds of lunch packaging waste per school year, I’ve decided to try packing a greener lunch.... [Read More...]