Making it easier for homeowners and condominium owners associations to install shared electric vehicle charging stations is the goal of the Charge Up Fairfax pilot program.

Interested HOAs and COAs – including multi-family condo buildings, clusters, or townhome communities – can receive technical and financial assistance by applying now to the pilot program.

The Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) is launching the program this month and will host a webinar on Thursday, September 14 at 12:30 p.m. to address questions about the pilot program and how to apply. Register now.

On Friday, August 25, Fairfax County leaders gathered at the Newington Collections Facility in Lorton to unveil the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services’ first electric trash truck. The vehicle began pick up of residential and yard waste on some routes on Aug. 28.

“This is an exciting moment for us as a county and one of many environmental initiatives. These electric trucks aren’t just great for the environment, but also great for our residents. They will save residents money with lower maintenance costs and no fuel costs and are also much quieter vehicles,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay.

National Drive Electric Week, Sep 22-Oct 1, 2023, is a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more.

Are you considering going electric? Plan to attend the Northern Virginia EV Showcase on Oct. 1 on the campus of George Mason University to see different electric cars and speak to owners about their experience owning an EV.

Join OEEC at the Healthy Together Fairfax (HTF) event on Sept. 10 from 12 to 3 p.m. at Franconia Park, 6601 Telegraph Road, Alexandria.

HTF is a fun and free interactive event focused on health and active living. The event includes free health screenings, access to community resources, hands-on activities and learning for all ages.

When you rent your home, it’s hard to use renewable energy sources like solar power. That’s where your electricity provider comes in!

Energy companies like NOVEC (Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative) and Dominion Energy offer different programs that renters (and everyone else) can participate in to ensure green power is part of the electric grid.

Read more about how multi-unit housing residents and others can take advantage of renewable energy credits.

Whether you're an adult looking to deepen your understanding of clean energy, a young adult exploring how to take climate action, or a child learning about the importance of protecting the planet, there are books out there for you!

And in celebration of Book Lovers Day on August 8, we compiled a reading list to help you get started. Best of all, these books can be checked out through the Fairfax County Public Library.

While natural disasters can happen anytime, the possibility of “warmer, wetter and weirder” climate increases the danger to both people and property — particularly the most vulnerable in our communities.

Already this summer Fairfax County has experienced impacts from wildfire smoke from Canada, extreme heat and intense storms – including one instance of a microburst with hurricane-force winds that snapped trees and power lines.

Taking action by making a plan and building an emergency kit can help you better prepare your home or business for these events. But it’s only through building resilience that you can withstand and recover from climate hazards faster and without permanent loss.

Resilient Fairfax is the county’s plan to prepare, adapt to, and build resilience to a changing climate. The plan identifies strategies Fairfax County is taking to reduce climate-related risks, protect critical infrastructure and preserve natural resources. While agencies across county government are working to implement these strategies, there are actions every individual can take to build resilience at home, such as:

• Installing flood proof windows, a flood gate, and/or a window well cover to protect your home from flood damage.
• Applying for assistance for cooling needs through the Department of Family Services if you are unable to afford air conditioning during extreme heat events.
• Consider switching to a cool roof to reduce the urban heat island effect and to save on air conditioning costs. The urban heat island effect is what happens when heat is absorbed and re-emitted by dark surfaces and buildings in dense concentrations.

Visit the Resilient Fairfax Plan page and watch the video and to learn more.

Fairfax County’s facilities are making the switch to battery-powered leaf blowers and other electric equipment to protect the health of people and the environment, and so can you.

Environmentally speaking, gas-powered leaf blowers are worse than many vehicles on the road today. The noise from gas-powered lawn equipment is significantly louder than the noise produced by electric lawn equipment.

The Park Authority (FCPA) is set to replace 55 gas-powered leaf blowers – over half its supply – with battery-powered devices across its area maintenance shops. The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) expects to be 50% electric on its leaf blowers and trimmers by end of the current fiscal year.

Residents and contractors are encouraged to join the movement away from gas-powered blowers and can learn more on the electric-powered lawn equipment page.

In addition to the changes to county leaf blowers, there are changes on the horizon for Fairfax County’s vacuum leaf service. DPWES is proposing to permanently discontinue the service after the upcoming 2023-2024 collection season for economic, environmental, and safety reasons.

In a recent episode of the County Conversation podcast, Eric Forbes with the DPWES’ Solid Waste Management Program discusses these reasons and how residents can support the county’s zero waste efforts by repurposing leaves as mulch or compost.

Interested in shaping the future of Metro? The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has identified six potential options to improve the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines, and they want your feedback!

Following in depth analysis and two previous rounds of public engagement, WMATA has developed six proposed alternatives to address capacity, reliability, and customer needs. The alternatives include potential infrastructure and operational improvements that will ensure quality service while helping the National Capital Region be a better-connected, healthier, fairer, and more vibrant place to live and work.

Visit Metro’s website, wmata.com/BOSstudy, to take the survey, register for a meeting and find detailed maps and information about this study.

Following a successful 2022 composting pilot campaign, the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) expanded the composting initiative to 10 farmer’s markets across the county this summer. So far in 2023, the program has collected over 40,000 pounds of food waste that otherwise might have ended up in a landfill. 

Composting offers many benefits as it reduces greenhouse gases by diverting food scraps away from the landfill; it keeps food waste from going down the drain and garbage disposals and out of our water filtration systems; and it creates nutrient-rich soil that can be used on local farms.  

Funding from OEEC’ s Zero Waste Fund supported this year’s food scrap collection and composting effort at the Farmers Markets. The Park Authority is applying for additional funding to continue this successful program for the 2024 season.

For more information on how to drop-off your food scraps at the Farmers Markets, visit the Park Authority’s Farmers Markets website.  The county’s public works team also accepts food scraps for composting at the I-95 landfill and I-66 Transfer station – both sites are open seven days a week.

Energy efficiency projects can help lower costs, increase comfort, improve safety, and enhance a company’s reputation. Dominion Energy is now offering incentives to any customers within the healthcare or hospitality sectors who wish to make energy efficiency upgrades to their facilities –including ventilation, lighting, kitchen equipment, and more. For projects with an anticipated incentive less than or equal to $10,000, customers can apply after equipment purchase and installation to receive a fast incentive check. Preapproval must be obtained for all Prescriptive and Custom projects over $10,000 before equipment purchase and installation.

Learn more about Dominion Energy’s Energy Solutions for Healthcare and Energy Solutions for Hotels and Lodging programs.

And sign up to receive email updates on these Energy Solution Programs.

Did you know that students in grades 7 through 12 can ride the Fairfax Connector and City of Fairfax CUE bus for free?

Students can sign up for the specially designed SmarTrip Card at all Fairfax County high school or middle schools with parental consent. The application is available on the Fairfax Connector website.