Fresh AIRE

University of Maryland Wins Solar Decathlon

Image Credit University of Maryland

I am not a good judge of architectural competitions. In most cases, I find the winner to be a compromise, and the runners-up far more interesting and innovative. But not in this year's Solar Decathlon, where it all came together for the University of Maryland.

WaterShed came first in the architecture competition, where Judge Michelle Kaufmann called it "an elegant mix of inspiration, function, and simplicity"

"Oyster Gardeners" Rebuild a Once Thriving Population in the Chesapeake Bay

Photo: Sam Beebe / Ecotrust

Scientists say that the Chesapeake Bay's oyster population has dramatically declined to 5 percent of what it was when European settlers first inhabited the area, according to an article in Reuters. Unsustainable fishing practices, diseases like MSX and Dermo, loss of habitat, and pollution have all led to a plummeting population. But Chesapeake Bay "oyster gardeners" are working against the grain to rebuild this crucial species.

Oyster gardeners, motivated by a love of oysters and the Chesapeake Bay, are working to revive a species that has been on a fast decline for years, growing ever more dramatic in recent decades.

"If you look at the time of first contact, when the original oyster population had been in place for hundreds of thousands of years, they were able to filter the entire Chesapeake Bay, which is a huge volume of water, in about three or four days," Tanner Council, a coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, which runs an oyster gardening program in Virginia said to Reuters.

Oyster Gardening 
According to Reuters, "volunteer gardeners," an estimated 300 in all, plant baby oysters in the late summer and fall.

Arlington Launches Retail Doors Campaign

Shops and restaurants can now participate in the Arlington Green Games by joining a new Retail Doors Campaign. The Campaign is a voluntary effort through which retailers pledge to keep their doors closed if the air conditioning or heat is running.

According to EPA’s ENERGY STAR program, for retail establishments a 10% decrease in energy costs is equal to increasing sales by more than 1.25%.  Arlington is asking retailers to make this commitment to close their doors, which will help them save money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create a more comfortable indoor environment for staff and customers.  

Interested retailers may now pledge at www.arlingtongreengames.com.  Participating retailers will receive a window cling as well as recognition on the Green Games website.  Residents may also show their support by 'liking' the Retail Doors facebook page and shopping at stores that make this commitment. 

 

Put Some Green in Your Red, White & Blue

Put a little green in your red, white and blue Fourth of July celebration with these eco-friendly suggestions for your independence day …

July 4th is one of the most fun days of the year – cookouts and fireworks abound, and everyone has a great time celebrating our country. A lot of people go on vacation, but many staying in town celebrate at friends’ parties that can create a lot of waste. But it doesn’t mean that it has to be a post-consumer nightmare!

• BYOC – Bring Your Own Cup – Bring you own unique cup for your drinks. Just think of the number of plastic red cups you will save from landfills. It’s a great way to make a fashion statement. Have fun with it.
• Watch fireworks rather than blow your own up. Fireworks end up in landfills. Let someone else set them off and enjoy the show.
• Instead of buying packaged food for your party, just make your own finger foods and use your own containers to hold them in. Besides, some of the best dips and sauces are homemade anyway! And think about bringing your own silverware to the party to reduce the use of plastic forks, knives, and spoons.
• For the party fare, hit your local Farmer’s Market. The food is fresh and local. What a winning combination that is.

Green Building on Columbia Pike

Did you know this month marks 5 years since the release of An Inconvenient Truth?

No, Columbia Pike won't be underwater now or anytime in the foreseeable future.  But regardless of your view of Al Gore’s Academy Award-winning film, we have seen tremendous change in the past 5 years.  From dining room conversations to CEO round tables, Arlingtonians have been discussing climate change, fuel efficiency, renewable energy, and a more sustainable way of life.

Win $15k to Enhance Your Favorite Park!

The Arlington County Park and Recreation Commission is offering Park Enhancement Grants of up to $15,000 to resident groups to initiate small capital improvement and beautification projects for County parks and recreation facilities. Letter of intent to apply is due June 30. Learn more and read the PEG Program Guidelines FY 2012.

Visiting Arlington's Water Treatment Plant: A Student's Perspective



I'm Ashley and I am a sophomore at HB Woodlawn. I am working with Fresh AIRE as part of an internship for school credit, and this is my second blog post.  My first post focused on energy tracking and savings.  Today I'll share my perspective on Arlington's water treatment facitily.

 

The Water Pollution Control Plant, it’s one of those things where if everything goes well, the public never hears about. The plant is located off of South Glebe Road and Jefferson Davis Highway, right near the border of Alexandria. It actually handles about 30 million gallons of wastewater each day, and even more if it rains. 

 

We toured different parts of the plant, including primary, secondary and tertiary treatment sites. We first toured the third smelliest building, which was in fact, primary treatment. The primary treatment uses a lot of physical properties to filter wastewater. The wastewater is filtered using machines that look like big rakes.

 

 

Be Smart. Be Cool. BE PAID!

 

Dominion Virginia Power rolled out a Smart Cooling Rewards program that single-family residents can take advantage of.

 

What’s the Smart Cooling Rewards program?  I’m glad you asked.

Dominion will pay you $40 a year to let them install a device that cycles your air-conditioning system off during periods of peak demand.  This is smart grid technology for your air conditioner that is available to Arlington residents in single-family homes.  It benefits our community, the environment, and your wallet 

Sign up today and share this with your neighbors: http://bit.ly/cbywpE 

 

Green Home & Garden Tour -- June 5, 2011

Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE) and Arlington County Department of Environmental Services has teamed up once again to hold their 9th Annual Green Home & Garden Tour on Sunday, June 5th from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Arlingtonians can tour our local green homes and environmentally-friendly gardens, talk with local residents about their experiences greening their homes and making their yards more watershed-friendly, and pick up resources with ideas for their own yard and home. On the traditional self-guided tour ($5 suggested donation) participants can enjoy each garden at their own pace.

Arlington’s Park Enhancement Grant Program is Back

The Arlington County Park and Recreation Commission is once again offering Park Enhancement Grants for citizen-sponsored park improvement projects in Arlington! Civic and community associations, community non-profit organizations, civic service clubs, and school-related and ad-hoc neighborhood-based groups may apply for grants of up to $15,000 for a wide-range of small capital improvement and beautification projects, including erosion control and invasive plant removal, sports and building amenities, park fixtures, new pathways and more. Learn more. Letter of intent to apply is due June 30.

Take the National Walking Survey!

Spend 5 minutes to share your thoughts on creating and sustaining a walkable community.  The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals and America Walks are conducting this National Walking Survey, which will help walking advocates understand what motivates avid walkers and what keeps others from walking more.  Arlington has been acknowledged for its walkability; so we know the community has a lot to share about its benefits.  Take the survey today!

Make the Most of Your Compost

Composting is becoming increasingly popular for both households and businesses, and the environmental benefits are numerous.  Not only does compost enrich soil, but it also helps clean contaminated soils.  Compost can serve as a low-to-no-cost natural fertilizer, reducing the need for chemical-based formulas.  Lastly, diverting what would be landfill-bound trash to your compost bin (and eventually your garden) ultimately avoids the production of methane emissions – shrinking your carbon footprint.

Despite appreciating the many benefits of composting, our apartment was a bit tight for a complex composting system.  (“Honey, should this go in the living room or bedroom?”)  Fortunately, there are many composting options for urban dwellers.  By using a Bokashi bin - just one of many options - we’ve been able to address the issue of having a cozy space with this small “effective microorganism” (EM) system. 

All it takes is an airtight five-gallon bin (stored under the kitchen sink) and a substance called Bokashi, which is a mixture of water, wheat bran, molasses, and microbes.  All we have to do is place alternating layers of our food scraps and Bokashi, and then the microbes work their magic.  These little guys are natural lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and phototrophic bacteria that ferment and accelerate the breakdown of organic matter.  Yes, they will happily feast on your garbage – like these goats, but more manageable.

  The bin can handle everything from veggie scraps to leftover meat.  When we open the bin to add in new layers, the contents have a surprisingly sweet scent akin to fresh soil (read: pleasant).  A spout at the bottom of the bin allows us to drain the ‘tea juice’ which we dilute and feed to our hungry houseplants.  It’s also a very high-speed system.  Scraps break down into a ‘compost product’ that can be dumped outside in just 10 days.  (We take ours to a friend with a yard and a garden.  We are fed brunch in exchange for our garbage.  Win-win.)  It has been a useful solution for us, and it has been downright fun to see our food scraps transformed in the matter of days. 

Is anyone else out there using an EM system?  Does anyone else have any other composting systems that have worked well for their households?