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True Cost of Food/True Cost of Homes Campaigns - Local Outings

Local apples!The True Cost of Food: A campaign to promote sustainable food choices. We, the consumers, through our food choices, can stop the practices that harm our health, our planet, and our quality of life. The True Cost of Food (TCOF) Campaign is sponsored by the Sierra Club National Sustainable Consumption Committee.
More about TCOF  | Why it's important 

 

 

 

The True Cost of Homes: A campaign to promote educated "green" choices for home construction and design, renovation, weatherization, appliance selection and pesticide-free lawn and garden care.
More about TCOH  | Why it's important 

 

Join us! Every month, Washington DC-area Sierra Club members and friends visit local restaurants, farmers markets, family farms, and each others' homes to learn about ways we can make a difference in our local community while enjoying delicious new foods and learning about earth-friendly products to "green" our homes, yards, and gardens. Be sure to join us this year at the variety of events we will be hosting!

2009 Calendar:

Local Foods, Local Chefs

Starting September 15 and continuing each week through October 14, dine at participating Arlington, Virginia restaurants and enjoy a dinner made with locally grown ingredients. Supporting local vendors strengthens our local economy. But supporting local farmers goes even further. You’ll be helping to keep farmland in production and your food is fresher when it was just picked the day before.

Join Arlington County Board member Jay Fisette at the Local Foods, Local Chefs Kickoff September 15, 6-9pm at Whole Foods, 2700 Wilson Boulevard where you’ll enjoy some tastings and get a chance to meet local farmers and learn more about the benefits of local foods. And then on to the dinners!  Each of the restaurants below will feature a dinner on their designated night made with locally grown ingredients. Restaurants will also feature information about the farms from which they have procured the ingredients.

September 16    Liberty Tavern, 3195 Wilson Blvd.

September 17    Santa Fe Café, 1500 Wilson Blvd.

September 22    Willow Restaurant, 4301 N Fairfax Dr .

September 23    Tallulah Restaurant and EatBar, 2761 Washington Blvd.

September 29    Eventide Restaurant, 3165 Wilson Blvd.

October 6           Restaurant Vero, 5723 Lee Hwy.

October 13         Restaurant 3, 2950 Clarendon Blvd.

To keep your brain as full as your belly, come to our series of film viewings and discussions at Fairlington Community Center (3308 S Stafford St, Arlington, VA).  All films will begin at 6:30.

September 30    The Sierra Club's "True Cost of Food" video -- Come see the video that launched this national Campaign; over 10,000 copies have been distributed worldwide and it has been shown in several international film festivals.

October 7          The Garden

October 14        FRESH

Local Foods, Local Chefs is sponsored by Arlington County, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Clarendon Alliance, Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership, Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, Crystal City Business Improvement District, Rosslyn Business Improvement District and Slow Food DC. Support local farms! Support local chefs! Enjoy delicious food! Doing the right thing never tasted so good. For more information call 703-228-6400 or go to: http://offices.ext.vt.edu/arlington/news/local_foods_local_chefs_arlington.html
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Saturday, November 21, 2009
12 noon to 4 p.m.
Thanksgiving with the Turkeys
Poplar Springs Farm Animal Sanctuary
Poolesville, Maryland 20837
Phone: 301-428-8128

Once again we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with the turkeys and other residents and friends of Poplar Springs Farm Animal Sanctuary.  Have you ever met a turkey?  They are smart, friendly and each has a distinct personality!  Children especially welcome. Event includes a tour of the farm, entertainment and a potluck.  Please bring a vegan (no meat, dairy, or eggs) dinner or dessert item to serve 6.  $10.00 suggested donation to benefit the animals. No charge for children under 16.  For recipe ideas see: www.vegcooking.com and www.sierraclub.org/sustainable_consumption/recipes/
 

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Great Reads:

Time Magazine Cover Story: "Real Cost of Cheap Food"
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1917458,00.html

Harvard Healthy Eating Pyramid -- An Alternative to the USDA's

A common criticism of the US Department of Agriculture' s Food Guide Pyramid is that it offers flawed information that has been influenced more by food industry lobbyists than by nutritional research. See more info at:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/pyramid/

Earth Policy News - Throwing Out the Throwaway Economy
http://www.earthpolicy.org/Books/Seg/PB3ch06_ss4.htm

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Previous Events in 2009:

Friday, January 16th at 6:30 pm

True Cost of Food Pre-Inaugural Dinner & Discussion

Sunflower Restaurant (at Seven Corners)

6304 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22044

Tel: (703) 237-3888
http://www.crystalsunflower.com/FallsChurch/index.htm

 

Join us to discuss Obama’s USDA picks and the implications for local, organic farm policy and healthy food. With the new administration we have many opportunities to set policies that promote small, local, organic farming; healthful nutrition for our children in “local farm to school cafeteria” programs and other environmentally friendly programs that encourage careful stewardship of the earth, and revitalize regional economies.

 

Linda Burchfiel, Program Chair of the Sierra Club Great Falls Group, will be our host at the new Sunflower Restaurant at Seven Corners in Falls Church, Virginia.  We will meet at 6:30 p.m. and share a family-style meal of earth-friendly local vegan and vegetarian foods.  Cost approximately $15-20 per person; drinks paid separately. 

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Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Aroma Indian Restaurant
1919 I Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: 202-883-4700
http://www.aromarestaurant.com/

 

Closest Metro:  Farragut West (Orange) or Farragut North (Red)

Try some of the finest Indian cuisine in D.C. at a reasonable price to beat the winter blah’s in February.  You do not have to be a Sierra Club member to attend, so please invite your friends.

 

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March 19, Thursday, 6:30 pm
Aladdin’s Middle Eastern/Mediterranean Cuisine
4245 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22203
Tel: (703) 528-0078

Directions: Across from Ballston Metro (Orange Line)
http://www.yellowpages.com/info-LMS62071701/Aladdins-Eatery/maps
Come experience the wonderful ambiance and cuisine in Aladdin’s new location near the Ballston Mall.

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April 16, Thursday, 6:30 pm
Asian Grill
6228-A Rolling Road, Springfield, VA
Tel: (703) 569-4800
Located behind the Whole Foods on Rolling and Old Keene Mill Rds.

Rated one of the best Chinese restaurants in northern Virginia and reasonably priced. The restaurant owners will provide a smorgasbord of vegan entrees which we will share, family style. Cost of meal approximately $15.

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April 18th, Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Getting Off the Grid: Tour of Freedom House at James Madison University
1842 Buffalo Drive, Harrisonburg VA, 22802
http://www.jmu.edu/cisat/news/greenhouse.html

Freedom House is a unique, completely self-sufficient package of integrated sustainable technologies, including power, potable water, waste treatment -- Zero Earth Impact – no utility bills, no septic field, no well, and not a drop of contamination back into the earth.  The house is a stand-alone, sustainable unit.  No digging up the earth for utility lines, cracked water pipes, leaking sewage overruns. The purified wastewater goes to a greenhouse bog for horticulture;  alternate use for on-site "algae oil" biofuel production is currently under development.
JMU students are living in the House now, all systems balanced and integrated, literally nestled in a farm field 2 miles from campus.  This is “Hard Core Green Living” to harmonize our presence with the Planet. We thank Zach Fettig, President and Director of Shenandoah Sustainable Technologies for arranging and leading this tour.

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Sunday, May 10th from 2-4:00 pm
Selecting and Enjoying Native Plants in Arlington, Virginia*

What better way to spend Mother’s Day than at the home of Sierra Club member Paul Kovenock in Arlington.  (Paul participated in the Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE) Green Homes Tour last year.)  In preparation for the blow-out native plant sale at Green Spring Gardens Park,* we will begin with a discussion of how Paul planned his home and plantings to maximize passive solar energy.  Afterwards we will walk through his terraced yard rich with native Virginia plants and shrubbery. Think native plants are dull?  There are 900 varieties here in northern Virginia in every color and shape imaginable! Going native is the best way to avoid pesticides and live in harmony with the earth. Native plants - unlike lawns and roses - are entirely self-sustaining, and are "care-free" once established.

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May 16, Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Tour of Blueberry Hill Geothermal Cohousing Community in Vienna, VA
http://www.blueberryhill.org/ 

Ahead of its time, Blueberry Hill was designed in the 90’s as a sustainable cohousing community with a geothermal system for heating and cooling to reduce its carbon footprint.  Jack Wilbern, the architect who designed the community, will lead our tour.  Mr. Wilbern is a member of Blueberry Hill Cohousing and President of Cohousing Collaborative, LLC.  The first part of a tour will be an introduction to the history and process of establishing a cohousing community; geothermal design, installation and coordination issues. Mr. Wilbern will include the basics of how geothermal works, to include operational and repair issues. Next we will tour a typical house and possibly the shared commonhouse, which also uses geothermal.  We will conclude with a summary of how Blueberry Hill practices fit into community-based sustainability, allowing time for Q&A. 
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McMillan Park: Losing DC’s Last Greenspace?
Wednesday, June 3 at 6:00 pm
(repeats again) Saturday, June 6 at 10:00 am
Meet at West gate entrance on 1st St NW

McMillan Park, the largest remaining greenspace in the District, was once the main filtration site for DC's water supply AND a magnificent community park designed by Frederick Law Olmstead. Currently developers led by EYA and Jair Lynch are vying for building rights.  Plans include 1,200 housing units, a hotel, supermarket, retail shops, several 8-story office complexes -- and a small central "community park." No environmental impact or land value assessments have been released for the 25-acre site.   Although McMillan is registered as a National Historic Landmark, no historic preservation reviews have been completed or released. EYA is seeking over $60 million from District taxpayers to offset “infrastructure improvement” (largely demolition of historic structures) needed prior to construction. Those interested in preserving this space will be asked to remain to develop a strategy and action plan.  Robin Buck has agreed to lead this effort.

TAKING ACTION TO PRESERVE McMILLAN PARK
There will be a community meeting following each tour. Please contact Robin Buck for location & further information at:
robin_buck@verizon.net
202.986.1028 - home/office
202.657.9270 - cell

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June 20, Saturday, 3:00 – 6:00 pm
4th Annual Asian Cooking Demo at Home of Aashish Bhimani in Burke, VA

Want to learn the secrets of Asian spices, herbs, and cooking styles? Want tips on picking produce from local markets? We thank Aashish and his family for offering this popular cooking class as an annual event! Because we are again expecting a large turnout, we ask everyone to contribute to the food being served by bringing a vegan (without animal products) side dish to serve six people. See recipe ideas at: www.vegcooking.com and www.sierraclub.org/sustainable_consumption/recipes/.

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July 11, Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Topic: The Green Grass of Home?: No-mow landscaping

Place: Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S Stafford Street, Arlington VA

Kirsten Buhls, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent with the Arlington office of Virginia Cooperative Extension, will lead a workshop on alternatives to traditional yards. She will discuss the environmental impacts of maintaining a grass lawn and talk about alternatives, including planting native ground covers, using yards for food production, xeriscaping, and more. The workshop will include hands-on composting demonstrations and other techniques to help you transform your yard into a space that doesn't rely on chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or frequent watering.

“True Costs” of Food & Housing: What are they?  What do they look like?"
Saturday, August 22 from 2-5:00 pm
Seafarer’s Yacht Club
1950 M St SE, DC 20003
(202) 544-7333
http://seafarersyachtclub.org/2aboutus.html
 
Join Jim Disbrow, recognized energy expert, for a meet-up at the Seafarer’s Yacht Club to see first hand some of the unintended consequences of our lifestyle choices, particularly as they relate to food and housing. We will see and discuss examples of these costs (and options for solutions) on a walk by the Anacostia River. Jim will offer tips on effective community organizing and environmental training to address and remediate these consequences. The Seafarer’s Yacht Club is the oldest African American Yacht Club in this country, with a long tradition of community activism and environmental protection.
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Faces From the New Farm
Film Viewing and Discussion
Monday, August 31, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Shirlington Library,  4200 S. Campbell Ave., Arlington


Three passionate advocates of local food rode their bikes from Washington, D.C., to Montreal to raise awareness about local food. The women's 2,000-mile journey is chronicled in this new documentary which features urban gardens, farmers' markets, and community supported agriculture (CSA) projects. More information: volunteer@arlingtonenvironment.org or 703-228-6406. 

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Slow Food USA TIME FOR LUNCH CAMPAIGN
Labor Day, September 7th
There are several dinners organized in D.C., Virginia and Maryland.  Sign up
for a dinner in your neighborhood at:
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch-attend_an_eat_in/

This fall, Congress will be debating whether to update the Child Nutrition Act, which is the law that determines what kind of food kids eat at school. By giving schools the resources to serve real food, we can make sure that the legacy we're leaving our children is a future filled with opportunity, security and good health. To make that happen, our leaders in Congress need to hear that when it comes to our children, change can't wait. The True Cost of Food Campaign is collaborating with the Slow Food movement in sponsoring several Eat-Ins in the Metropolitan D.C. area. On this day, people across America will gather with their neighbors for public potlucks that send our nation's leaders a clear message: It's time to provide our children with real food at school.

We are also participating in Slow Food's National Campaign to reach out to every legislator, school and PTA group to spread the message that children who grow up enjoying food that is both delicious and good for them learn healthy eating habits that last throughout their lives. Those habits can start at school - but only if we give schools the resources to serve real food instead of the overly processed fast food that endangers their health. Learn more about the Campaign at: http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/get_involved/
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"Deconstruction, Renovation & Green Jobs"
Sunday, September 20, from 2-4:00 pm
ReBuild Warehouse
6625-B Iron Place
Springfield, VA 22151  (near the Edsall Road exit of I-395 and just off Backlick Road)
Tel: 703-658-8840
www.rebuildwarehouse.org

Sick of seeing homes and businesses torn down to go into landfills?  Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the Recycled Building Network (ReBuild) are starting to change that. Join Paul Hughes, Executive Director of ReBuild and President of DeConstruction Services LLC, to learn about the mission of promoting careful deconstruction of structures to gather reclaimed building materials for resale and donation  to assist families and small businesses in using these materials to revitalize their communities.  ReBuild also provides training in "green collar" careers such as deconstruction, warehouse management, retail sales, solar panel installation, commercial woodworking, asbestos abatement, green roof installation, stormwater management, tree planting, and wetland restoration.

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More Information:

What: The TCOF/TCOH Sierra Club National Campaigns, sponsored by the Sustainable Consumption Committee have local "legs" in our area, to teach about "eco-friendly" food and product choices and how we, as consumers, can have a positive impact on the planet through everyday acts like grocery shopping, gardening, home renovation and repair. We meet in each other's homes, at local restaurants, farmers' markets, and in communities pioneering energy-efficient techniques to help expand the marketplace for earth-friendly new services and product ideas.

Why Important?

TCOF Campaign: The average meal travels 2,000 miles from farm to table. All the energy expended in harvesting, processing, packaging, storing, refrigerating, and transporting our food is a major contributor to carbon dioxide emissions and global warming. Buying food that is produced locally not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions, but has many additional benefits. Shopping at farmers' markets, roadside stands, pick-your-own operations, and joining CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture programs) helps keep dollars in the local economy, allows you to learn more about where your food comes from and how it is produced, keeps small family farms in business, and provides a regular opportunity for a community gathering (in the case of farmers' markets). For more information, including a downloadable discussion guide and short animated film, visit the TCOF home page at: www.truecostoffood.org

TCOH Campaign: Energy use in homes in the U.S. results in about 17% of the U.S. annual total emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. Residential emissions in 2007 were roughly 1.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, from both direct use of fossil fuels, such as natural gas and fuel oil, and indirectly through electricity demand, especially given that about half of our electricity is provided by coal-fired power plants. By making smart consumer choices about how you design, build, remodel, retrofit and operate your home, you have myriad options to increase the energy performance of your home, thereby lowering emissions. You can also lower your monthly utility bills. You can also lower your environmental footprint in terms of materials, water use and other key indicators. For more information, visit the TCOH home page at: www.sierraclub.org/committees/sustainable_consumption/tcoh/

Sierra Club's True Cost Outings are organized by leaders of the Mount Vernon and Great Falls Groups (Virginia Chapter), Washington DC Chapter, and Montgomery Group (Maryland Chapter) of the Sierra Club. To start up a True Cost Group or outing in your area, contact Diana Artemis at: artemdi@yahoo.com

 

Related Information:

     
     

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