Committee suggests ways to make Mason District greener

There are dozens of ways to improve sustainability in Mason District, according to a committee of individuals knowledgeable in environmental issues.

Mason District Supervisor Andres Jimenez appointed Ken Sandler, an expert in environmental science and policy, last April to convene a Greener Mason Advisory Committee.

The committee was charged with proposing both long-term and short-term actions for making the environment in Mason District more sustainable, greener, healthier, and more attractive.

Related story: Committee advises Jimenez on creating a greener Mason District

Sandler presented the group’s final report at a community meeting on Feb. 10.

Following are some of the key recommendations in the report:

Biodiversity and development

• Prioritize improving biodiversity in densely populated Culmore/Bailey’s Crossroads, an area disproportionately affected by high socioeconomic needs and heat islands.

• Leverage the Annandale Greenway as an opportunity to enhance urban biodiversity within nearby communities and demonstrate how relatively modest projects can have a cumulative impact.

• Leverage the county’s and Park Authority’s relationships with environmental organizations, homeowner associations, and the local business community to address the problem of invasive plants in a more coordinated, collaborative way.

• Seek opportunities in the land-use process to prioritize and protect environmental assets on project sites.

Clean energy and sustainability

• Provide the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination the budget and mandate needed to meet the Community-Wide Energy and Climate Action Plan.

• Expand the county’s Energy Savings Performance Contract program to enable county-owned buildings to meet the goals for greenhouse gas reductions.

• Launch a Fairfax County Green Bank to facilitate investments in emissions reductions in privately owned buildings.

• Support opportunities for low-income workers and students to get training for clean energy jobs.

• Make the Seven Corners Center a truly multimodal transportation hub by increasing transit, non-motorized commuting, and electric vehicles.  

• Expand the use of electric bicycles as an alternative to cars.

• Accelerate residents’ deployment of solar panels.

Community engagement

• Conduct a forum of local environmental organizations and establish a Mason District community engagement task force in support of greening the district.

• Develop a comprehensive outreach strategy culminating in a Mason District sustainability hub envisioned as a central clearinghouse for sustainability-related efforts.

• Increase the number of community gardens in Mason District for lower-income residents who live in multifamily housing or don’t have access to outdoor space and who experience food scarcity.

• Help restaurants implement sustainable practices, including energy conservation, waste reduction, recycling, outdoor container gardening, and native plantings.