GREEN AWARD
Alexandria City Public Schools received first place in the “Student Population 10,001 and Up” category of the 2009 VSBA Green Schools Challenge sponsored by the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA). The VSBA Green Schools Challenge is a friendly competition designed to encourage implementation of specific environmental policies and practical actions that reduce the carbon emissions generated by both the local school division and the broader community. Read more at http://www.acps.k12.va.us/news2010/nr2009112303.php

The concept of carrying capacity is well known. It is said, and don’t ask me to prove it, that a hectare of land produces approximately 135 gigajoules of energy a year.
Well, if you look at the amount of energy needed to produce Fido’s daily food (90 gms of meat and 156 gms of cereal dry or 450 gms meat and 260 gms cereal pre dried)) this equates to 0.84 hectares of land.
So, in terms we can all understand;
Fido, a medium sized dog has an eco foot print of just over twice that of an SUV which comes in at 0.41 hectares.

Butch, that huge mundungus mongrel up the road is approaching 3 SUVs and next door’s moggy that pees all over your plants is a VW Golf.

Alexandria has 17 dog parks. Time to plough them up and turn them into parking lots, sorry, I mean communal vegetable gardens.

Data taken from News Scientist

BRAC 133 moves ahead. This is the scheme to move 6800 people employed in the DOD Washington Headquarters Services into one new building at the Mark Center. The good news is that the building is being constructed to a LEEDs Gold standard from day one. Federal buildings are only required to meet LEEDs silver. Alexandria is also receiving $400,000 as mitigation for disturbance to the storm water system. The money will be spent on Holmes Run.

The down side will be the increase in traffic. The City is planning to add extra lanes to the Seminary/Beauregard turning. How effective this will be is a matter of conjecture. Meanwhile VDOT, the body who dealt so sympathetically (ignored) the City’s requests concerning low cost housing close to the Wilson Bridge are now planning an exit off I-395 into the Mark Center.

The most obvious route has been lost to the need to build a Churchillian type bunker where incoming trucks will be searched for explosives (those IEDs of ill repute). So VDOT has come up with 7 alternative ideas. One of them (the simplest?) is to build a ramp off I-395 and pass through the Winkler Nature Reserve. I wonder where that appears on the LEEDs assessment?

There will be three public hearings about this issue, the first being this Saturday, 21st November in City Hall. If you think there is something just that bit wrong about even considering a nature reserve then now is the time to speak.

The EPC is most definitely agin it.

Recently a colleague of mine sent me an article about the spread of the PassivHaus concept from Germany toward the United States. A PassivHaus is one that does not require more than 15 kWh/m2/year. It differs from a traditional passive house because it is engineered to pre-heats incoming air, making it an “active” approach. It’s a fantastic concept that could significantly reduce our nation’s carbon footprint, lower our energy bills, and cause problems for mean petrostates around the world. This farsighted concept makes LEED seem quaint.

Look ma, no energy!

According to the National Capital Region Climate Change Report (Review Draft), residential buildings consume 33% of the energy in the National Capital Region (p. 46). Imagine if the City Council of Alexandria reserved a portion of Potomac Yards for PassivHaus’ only? Not only would Alexandria be will on its way toward achieving its goal in the Eco-City Action Plan that all new buildings by 2030 will be carbon neutral, it could generate tourism and inspire other municipalities to do the same.

City Council will be hosting a  Strategic Planning meetings where this issue could be brought to their attention. Consider attending the Land Use and Economic Development Workshop with Councilmembers Smedberg and Donley or the Health and Environment Workshop with Councilmembers Krupicka and Pepper on November 4, 2009 at 7:00 in room 2000 in City Hall.

What do YOU think Alexandria can do?

Just as a reminder, there will be a community gardening meeting from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Durant Center (1605 Cameron St) tonight.

Here is a great link on starting a community gardening. I would attend, but I am in Boston right now.

I may dress up as Eco-Man for Halloween because I’m surely not him in real life. Notwithstanding this fact, there are still small things I try to do to improve the environment and minimize my carbon footprint. Today for example, I canceled my subscription to Bazar magazine. Truth be told, I don’t know why I ever began to receive it in the first place; it just showed up in my mailbox one day. I’ve faithfully recycled them for several months now, but today I finally sent them an e-mail requesting cancellation.

I feel a little better, but I will miss covers like the one below. Tina Fey is absolutely stunning. I just may keep this one…

I Doubt the Dress is Eco-Friendly, but I Don't Care

Check out the calendar on the right hand side of the blog for more information about the Health and Environment Strategic Planning Session that will take place TONIGHT on the second floor of City Hall from 7:00-9:00 PM. Attending this will allow you to influence the development of the City’s next strategic plan.

If you can’t make the meeting tonight, there will be another one on November 4.

Remember, Metro is closing the Waterfront-SEU and Archives-Navy Mem’l-Penn Quarter stations; There will be no Green Line service at L’Enfant Plaza, but Orange and Blue line service at L’Enfant Plaza will not be affected. The closures will last from 10:30 PM on Friday, October 9 through Monday, October 12. Free shuttle buses will be available. For more information, click here.

A word to the wise: don’t get to L’Enfant at 10:29 PM and expect to get on the train. When they say they’ll close at a particular time, they may close earlier or later; it just depends on how they feel at the time.

The City of Alexandria JobLink department will be hosting a forum to spread the word about greening buildings, old and new, on October 29th at the First Baptist Church, 2932 King Street, Alexandria. Registration will run from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM and the forum will finish at 2:30 PM.

First Baptist Church of Alexandria

 The target audience will be consumers wishing to reduce their home’s energy consumption, business people already in or wishing to get into the weatherization and renewable energy market, and trainers who specialize in energy audits and the technical aspects of greening buildings.

Since this forum will be relevant to a wide array of individuals, please consider passing this message to anybody you think may be interested in the program.

 The venue will hold up to 500 people and there is ample parking. DASH routes 5 and 6 pass the location.

 Further information may be obtained from joblink@alexandriava.gov

FYI – I posted a link to Alexandria’s eNews website on the right-hand side of the blog. I know that you already receive too many e-mails; we all do (I have over 1100 unopened e-mails sitting in my inbox as I type). However eNews does not lay seige to your inbox like other list servs. In fact sometimes I forget that I am still signed-up for it. But I appreciate the periodic updates. Now if I only had a smart phone, I’d be able to take all of that information with me…