Tag: environment
Holmes Run orange color – could be harmless bacteria
Russ Smith, an engineer with the Fairfax County stormwater planning department, says the bright orange color in Holmes Run is most likely caused by “iron fixing bacteria,” which shows up when the weather gets warmer. He says it is “totally inert” and is not harmful to people or wildlife. The hazardous materials department has also … Continued
What is this mess?
Holmes Run at Rose Lane Park in Annandale is bright orange. Is it mud or pollution? I’ve seen muddy streams before but not like this. It is coming out of the storm drain.
Volunteers sought to clean up Annandale’s Pine Ridge Park
Volunteers are needed this Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., to help Fairfax ReLeaf clean up the wooded area at Pine Ridge Park in Annandale. Volunteers will pull invasive plants and remove debris to clear the way for native species and future reforestation of the park, located at 3401 Woodburn Road. This project is part of VolunteerFest, … Continued
Virginia tax holiday this weekend on energy and water-efficient items
If you buy certain energy and water-efficient appliances in Virginia this weekend, you won’t have to pay sales taxes on them. The state has a four-day tax holiday this weekend—through Monday, Oct. 11—for the purchase of certain appliances with Energy Star or WaterSense certifications. These items must cost less than $2,500 and must be purchased … Continued
Cuccinelli defends Virginia’s suit against health reform at event in Annandale
At a “meet and greet” at the Northern Virginia Jewish Community Center in Annandale Wednesday evening, Virginia Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli defended his lawsuit against the federal health care act and his subpoena challenging the research of a former University of Virginia professor on climate change. The audience at the JCC was decidedly mixed, in … Continued
EPA holds public meeting in Annandale tonight on Chesapeake Bay restoration plan
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is holding a public meeting at the Annandale campus of the Northern Virginia Community College this evening to discuss a draft proposal aimed at reducing pollution in the Chesapeake Bay and waterways that feed into it. The meeting is in the Ernst Community Cultural Center, 6-8 p.m. Accotink Creek in Annandale … Continued
Videos from Korus Festival performers
Check out these videos by James Moon on some of the entertainment at the Korus Fesivital last night in the K-Mart parking lot in Annandale: the B-Boys and the Jump comic martial arts performers. And there was also this weird clown.
Draft Accotink Creek Watershed Management Plan proposed many projects in Annandale
The public is invited to a forum to review a draft plan for preserving and restoring the Accotink watershed Sept. 21 at Fairfax High School, 7-9 p.m. Accotink Creek The Accotink Creek Watershed Management Plan, prepared by KCI Technologies Inc. for the Stormwater Planning Division of the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental … Continued
Mason District to be designated a ‘community wildlife habitat’
The National Wildlife Federation plans to certify Fairfax County’s Mason District as a “Community Wildlife Habitat.” The certification will be formally presented at a September meeting of the county Board of Supervisors. The Community Wildlife Habitat program is an extension of the NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat program, which recognizes people and groups who make their backyards, … Continued
107 people in Annandale zip code reported that they felt the earthquake
The 3.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the area at 5:04 a.m. this morning, caused “weak” shaking in the Annandale zip code (22003), the U.S. Geological Survey reports. According to the USGS website, 107 people in that zip code responded affirmatively to the question, “Did you feel it?” Annandale is 37 kilometers from the epicenter in Gaithersburg, … Continued
Contest recognizes landscapes pleasing to the environment as well as the eye
Is your home landscape not only beautiful but environmentally friendly? If the answer is Yes, you might want to enter it in the 2010 Conservation Landscaping Contest sponsored by the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council. Novice gardeners, students, schools, businesses, and professionals are all invited to enter. The deadline for applications is Sept. 1. Applicants will … Continued
Fairfax County honors special trees
Do you know any special tree worthy of being designated as a “celebrated tree of Fairfax County”? The Fairfax County Tree Commission is seeking nominations for special trees in these categories: big tree (one of the largest of its species); historic tree (associated with a significant event, landmark, person, or institution); commemorative tree (a tree or … Continued
Use a lawn company committed to protecting the watershed
If you’re thinking of hiring a lawn care company, it’s advisable to pick one that uses methods that won’t harm the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) developed a list of watershed-friendly lawn care operators that have agreed to train their employees to use lawn care products responsibly, follow appropriate … Continued