YOUTH v GOV Film Talk Highlights Virginia-Level Action to Fight the Climate Crisis
Christi Cooper's YOUTH v GOV film was impressive in its depiction of 21 young people bringing a case against the federal government for contributing to global warming rather than protecting their right to a livable world. The discussion that followed the film was also eye-opening and inspiring, featuring two young women from Blacksburg, Virginia, who are involved in bringing a similar lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Virginia. The nonprofit group organizing the suit, Our Children’s Trust, is seeking additional potential plaintiffs and other forms of support for holding Virginia accountable for its role in advancing climate change. (See the following story for more insight on this lawsuit from one of the young plaintiffs.)
A Word from a Youth Plaintiff Suing Virginia for Climate Harm
By Ava Lazar
“Hey, wanna help me sue Virginia?” I asked my classmate as soon as the bell rang at school. Understandably, my friend needed a bit more clarification before signing on. I’m one of the youth plaintiffs, represented and supported by Our Children’s Trust, planning to sue the Commonwealth of Virginia for its actions that continually worsen climate change. Our Children’s Trust has filed proceedings in all fifty states to launch a nationwide youth-led movement. The youth plaintiffs in these cases are passionate about the environment and aware of the ways that the worsening climate harms them.
Mobilize for Climate Justice in the 2022 General Assembly Session
WHEN: Thu., Dec. 2, 7-8 pm
WHERE: Online
DETAILS: Hear how our climate action plan will address all aspects of climate change while building a just economy, and learn how you can take action to get this important legislation through the 2022 Virginia General Assembly Session. Learn how our climate action plan will address all aspects of climate change while simultaneously building a just economy. With a new General Assembly, we need to continue being proactive in educating legislators about the climate crisis and the critical opportunity to reshape Virginia’s economy to work for all of us.
Virginia Conservation Network and its Network Partners will convene a series of events to prepare for Virginia’s upcoming 2022 General Assembly session. Click here to register.
DETAILS: *General Assembly Preview (Fri., Dec. 3): Leading Virginia conservation experts will give presentations on the environmental topics that are expected to rise to the top during the 2022 General Assembly session. You'll leave with the tools necessary to educate your legislative representatives about advancing these conservation policies. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions at the conclusion of each panel and to participate in regional breakouts discussing next steps. *Lobbying Practice Sessions (Dec. 6–10): Sign up for lunchtime with one of our experienced lobbyists for a small-group practice session. You’ll practice pitching your conservation policy of choice and get tips and tricks to make the most of your time lobbying for our conservation issues. *Conservation Lobby Day (Tue., Feb. 1): Following this series of events, you will be invited to join our annual Lobby Day – separate registration to come. SPONSOR: Virginia Conservation Network and its Network Partners
Power for the People Virginia
Recent posts from Ivy Main's blog on energy-related matters in Virginia.
Renewable Energy Chair for Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter
Zero Waste Meeting: Getting Help with Composting, and Fighting Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
On Nov 17, Sierra Club’s Great Falls Group hosted its monthly meeting of the Volunteer Night - Zero Waste Initiative. The major topics were composting and the environmental impact of gas-powered leaf blowers. Suzanne Ojilar shared composting resources and efforts throughout the great Washington DC area.
The guest speaker, Joan Lowy of Quiet Clean NOVA (https://quietcleannova.wordpress.com/), explained the significant damage gas-powered leaf blowers cause to the environment and public health, especially the health of landscape workers. She shared the ongoing efforts and progress her organization has made through urging Northern Virginia local governments and communities to ban gas-powered leaf blowers. People are encouraged to write to their legislators to support the ban and to write to school districts to urge them to switch to battery powered leaf blowers and on-site mulching practices.
Reminder: No Zero Waste Meeting in December
There will be no Zero Waste Initiative monthly meeting in December. The next meeting will be in January 2022. The time and topic are to be determined. We will email you in January with the details.
Happy holidays everyone!
CONTACTS: Evelina Hobson or Haiping Luo at zerowastesierra@gmail.com SPONSOR: Sierra Club/Great Falls Group
Virginia Again Wants to Site a Dangerous Facility in a Mostly Black Area.
On November 28, the Washington Post ran an important article co-authored by Karen Campblin, Transportation and Smart Growth co-chair of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club. The article decried a plan put forward by the Mountain Valley Pipeline project to site a compressor station in a predominantly Black community in Pittsylvania County. Besides the environmental threat posed by the pipeline, the compressor station would menace the health of local residents in multiple ways.
This plan is very reminiscent of the proposal to site a compressor station for the now-abandoned Atlantic Coast Pipeline in Union Hill, a largely Black community in Buckingham County. That pipeline was beaten back by the combined efforts of many environmental, anti-racist, and community actors. The authors call for a similar effort now: Virginia NAACP has a link to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s site where comments opposing the plan may be made.
Along with many other important activities, Karen Campblin is co-director of Green New Deal Virginia and chair of the Environmental and Social Justice Committee of the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP. The article’s co-author, pediatrician Samantha Ahdoot, is chair and founder of Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action.
Fairfax County
Honeybees Are Buzzing at the Reston National Golf Course!
In April 2021 Reston National Golf Course installed four honeybee hives in a wooded area just off the course’s seventh hole. The bees in these hives had an incredibly healthy and happy first year at the golf course, busily pollinating the gardens and flowers that RNGC planted on the course in 2021 and helping to keep them flowering and colorful.
RNGC's bees travel from plant to plant collecting nectar for their hive. While doing so they spread pollen all over, helping plants grow and stay healthy on the course and in the surrounding community. The RNGC leadership looks forward to many years of natural improvements to the beauty and health of the golf course, as well as honey in 2022 that can be shared with the community.
Great Falls Group Advocates Strong Action to Carry Out Fairfax County’s Climate Plan
Ann Bennett of the Great Falls Group (GFG) Excom is arranging for the GFG members working on CECAP - Fairfax County's Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan - to meet with Rachel Flynn, the Deputy County Executive. Along with other departments, Ms. Flynn oversees the county's Department of Public Works and Environmental Services, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Code Compliance – all departments that directly shape climate actions needed to reach CECAP goals.
The GFG group will bring up several issues at the meeting. One important focus will be the work being done by that county's Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination to carry out the CECAP climate strategies. The group will also ask about the status of improvements to the Virginia state building codes and the state's process for adopting new improvements. Finally, the group will request information abut the Fairfax County's outreach efforts on climate.
The group would appreciate any and all assistance from GFG members in moving the CECAP effort forward. In this county - and around the world - we have now reached a critical point where we must accelerate our efforts to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions. CECAP offers a path forward, but only if fully and carefully executed.
Help People Cut Costs with Fairfax County’s HomeWise Program
Volunteer to show residents energy-saving changes for their homes
WHEN: Application deadline is December 10. Apply here.
WHERE: Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC), 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 533, Fairfax, VA
DETAILS: The Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) is recruiting a new class of volunteers for the HomeWise program.
HomeWise educates, empowers, and enables residents to make changes that reduce energy use, water use, and associated costs in their homes. OEEC is accepting volunteer applications through December 10, 2021.
Fairfax County Announces 2021 Environmental Excellence Award Winners
On November 9, the Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination announced the winners of the 2021 Environmental Excellence Awards. Each year, the awards recognize individual county residents, county employees, and groups or businesses who go above and beyond in supporting the county’s environmental goals.
This year, six awardees were chosen. One is the late Debra Ann Jacobson, a member of the Fairfax County Environmental Quality Advisory Council who was co-director of the Solar Institute and an adjunct professor of law at George Washington University. Debra served on both the legislative and executive committees of the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter and spent many hours working with Great Falls Group members. We remember her with affection and great respect.
Another awardee of note is Jennifer Pradas, a longtime volunteer with the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Invasive Management Area program who works hard to help native plants and trees thrive through the removal of invasive species. Members of the Great Falls Group worked with Jennifer on a campaign to save Blake Lane Park from proposed development, and we are delighted to see her receive this honor.
Neabsco Creek Installs First Trash Trap in Prince William County!
On November 17, 2021, Micron Technology Inc., working with the County Public Works Department, installed a trash trap in Neabsco Creek in Prince William County to help collect trash in the waterway. The trap, called a Bandalong, is a floating device that spans the creek with booms to collect floating trash.
“This Bandalong Litter Trap will help prevent substantial amounts of floating litter and debris in the Neabsco Creek from reaching the Neabsco Boardwalk, the Potomac River, the Chesapeake Bay and many other areas beyond,” said Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin.
Tim Hughes, a specialist for the county’s environmental services division, said that the Bandalong is situated at the best place to capture the trash that comes downstream from the Woodbridge and Dale City areas. “It’s predominantly coming from storm drains, roadside litter and ditches,” he explained. “Shopping center parking lots are a huge source of litter.” The county Conservation District is currently looking into organizing a “trash sculpture” in Prince William County as a way to raise awareness of the trash problem.
