Tag: environment | Page 11 | Annandale Today

Compost Livin’ helps local residents recycle food waste

June 27, 2016

Sarah Stakes If you regularly put your recyclable paper, cans, and bottles on the curb every week, do you wish there was a way to also keep food waste out of landfills? That was something Annandale resident Sarah Stakes, who has embraced the “green” lifestyle, was trying to find. There are businesses that collect and … Continued

Volunteers are working hard to make Annandale beautiful

May 21, 2016

#environment, #gardening, #volunteers

The median between Little River Turnpike and the service road. There might be lots to complain about in Annandale (see the viral video, for example), but some residents are working hard to make the community beautiful, including the Annandale Women’s Club and local shop owners who have planted flowers done some nice landscaping. On Friday … Continued

Residents discuss options on future of Lake Accotink

May 17, 2016

#environment, #infrastructure, #Lake Accotink, #nature, #parks, #Recreation, #stormwater, #streams, #wildlife

About 100 people attend a meeting at Kings Glen Elementary School in Springfield on the future of Lake Accotink. Members of the public heard about five options for dealing with the silt build-up in Lake Accotink, including the possibility of severely limiting the size of the lake or even transforming it into wetlands. Dozens of … Continued

Lake Barcroft celebrates Earth Day

April 26, 2016

#community events, #environment, #Lake Barcroft, #nature, #water, #wildlife

Kent Knowles, president of the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia, with a gyrfalcon. Lake Barcroft residents celebrated the community’s seventh annual Earth Day Sunday with a birds of prey demonstration, native plants and seeds, barge rides, and displays from organizations that promote sustainability and protect the environment. Lake Barcroft supports at least 22 fish species, including … Continued

Environmental education is a big deal at Belvedere Elementary School

April 14, 2016

#children, #education, #environment, #gardening, #schools

Belvedere students at the School Environmental Action Showcase at George Mason University April 6. [Belvedere ES] Belvedere Elementary School is taking the “going green” concept to the next level. In addition to schoolwide recycling and cafeteria composting, students grow fresh vegetables for a food pantry and engage in “food rescue,” in which unopened food and … Continued

Volunteers clean up Lake Accotink Park

April 4, 2016

#environment, #Lake Accotink, #litter, #parks, #stormwater, #streams, #volunteers

Mountains of trash collected by volunteers at Lake Accotink. [Michael A. Richards] The Spring Cleanup at Lake Accotink Park on April 2 netted an estimated 975 pounds of trash, reports park supervisor Julie Tahan. The cleanup was one of many scheduled for Saturday at parks and streams throughout Fairfax County, including Annandale Community Park, Long … Continued

Cartons can now be recycled

April 3, 2016

#environment, #government services

Cartons can now be recycled in Fairfax County – which means they won’t pile up in landfills. These include packaging for products like juice, milk, cream, egg substitutes, soy milk, broth, and wine – including shelf-stable and refrigerated cartons. Remove the caps and straws from empty cartons and place them in your recycling bin. Cartons … Continued

County seeks public engagement in litter initiative

April 1, 2016

#environment, #litter

Faced with growing piles of litter up around bus stops and no funds for trash pickup, the Fairfax County Department of Solid Waste is asking residents to help out. The department is launching a contest to see which group of bus riders can collect the most trash in plastic bags affixed to the bus stop … Continued

Invasive insects destroying local ash trees

March 24, 2016

#environment, #gardening, #nature, #wildlife

This pest is killing ash trees. [Emerald Ash Borer Network] If you have an ash tree, it’s most likely infected with the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect that has killed millions of ash trees in the United States since 2003. The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is urging residents to … Continued

Park Authority urged to protect the natural resources at Lake Accotink

March 15, 2016

#environment, #Lake Accotink, #nature, #parks, #trails

The marina area at Lake Accotink. People who enjoy Lake Accotink Park want the natural resources preserved and don’t want more paved surfaces. At least that was the theme of a community meeting March 14 hosted by the Fairfax County Park Authority. More than 130 people crammed into the cafeteria of Cardinal Forest Elementary School … Continued

Dominion pays customers $50 for removing old refrigerators

March 12, 2016

#Dominion Power, #environment, #utilities

Got an old refrigerator or freezer you want to get rid of? Dominion Virginia Power will pick it up at no cost and give you a $50 rebate. The company’s Appliance Recycling Program saves energy by taking inefficient appliances out of service, helps customers cut their utility bills, and reduces the environmental impact of appliance … Continued

Fairfax County to revise master plan for Lake Accotink

February 26, 2016

#community events, #environment, #Lake Accotink, #nature, #parks, #Recreation, #streams, #water

The Fairfax County Park Authority is beginning the process of revising the master plan for Lake Accotink Park. A public meeting on the plan revision will be held March 14, 7 p.m., at Cardinal Forest Elementary School. Fairfax Board Chair Sharon Bulova; supervisors John Cook (Braddock), Jeff McKay (Lee), and Pat Herrity (Springfield); and members … Continued

Stream restoration project in Pinecrest Golf Course to start this month

February 11, 2016

#environment, #infrastructure, #parks, #stormwater, #streams, #water

Pinecrest Golf Course. The Fairfax County Park Authority expects to begin work in mid-February on renovating a portion of Turkeycock Run within the Pinecrest Golf Course, at 6600 Little River Turnpike in the Alexandria portion of Mason District. The project is being done to stabilize Turkeycock Run to reduce erosion and sedimentation within the watershed. … Continued

Virginia adopts Rapid Pass on-road vehicle emissions testing

January 16, 2016

#cars, #environment, #state government, #traffic, #transportation

The Rapid Pass system uses instruments in the green boxes on either side of the ramp to test vehicles’ emissions. A new automated vehicle emissions inspection system in place means you no longer have wait in line at a service station. Instead, you drive through an on-road portable Rapid Pass testing location and you don’t … Continued

Stream restoration projects under way in Wakefield Park

October 23, 2015

#environment, #infrastructure, #parks, #stormwater, #streams, #trails

Accotink Creek in Wakefield Park The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services is carrying out two stream restoration projects at Wakefield Park in Annandale. Work along 3,700 feet in the Accotink Creek watershed area will include the installation of various in-stream structures, a pedestrian bridge crossing, and pipe culverts, as well as … Continued