Great Falls Group election
Local Government Environmental Initiatives 
The Cascade: The Great Falls Group Newsletter
Spring 2018
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Top
Table of Contents
Calendar
Calendar of Significant Events

March 6 --  Virginia's Pathway to Cut Carbon

March 14  --  Environmental
Quality Advisory Committee (EQAC) meeting

March 15 - 28 --  DC Environmental Film Festival (below)

March 29 --  Plastics in our streams and oceans, in our recycling bins, and at the incinerator

Numerous dates  --  Led Light Presentation

April 11  --  Deadline for ordering native plants (below)

April 14  --  Pipeline Status Presentation

April 14  --  March for Science in DC

April 21  --  Fairfax County SpringFest

April 22 --  Earth Day

April 24  --  Climate Reality Presentation

Open .pdf to see full article                                     Back to Table of Contents  
chair 
From the Chair 
The Group had another productive quarter with new leaders, expanding activities and outreach, success with the Clean Energy for Fairfax No w program, reformatting the Cascade, and working with the new Sierra Club engagement software.  With this trend, we have many future activities planned which has generated a need for more volunteers. See the full article for ideas on how you can contribute!  
 
Member Participation
Plastic Reducing Plastic Bag Use
photo copyright 2018 , care2 UK  
Find out how our local Virginia General Assembly legislators are fighting the impacts of plastic in our environment with their work. See how you can find out what is happening and get involved.


Open .pdf to see full article                                    Back to Table of Contents
DCFilmFest
DC Environmental Film Festival (DCEFF)

This annual event, held March 15 - 28, presents over 100 environmental films in the DC metro area that you wo uld be interested in. Find out which ones you w ant to see.
DC Environmental Film Festival

                                            
RestonBioBlitz
Reston's BioBlitz
 
Find out what Reston's
BioBlitz is and help us inventory the wildlife and plants in our environment.
Open .pdf to see full article                                Back to Table of Contents
FeatureSpringHike
Featured Spring Hike
Let's find out the wonders of nature with a  hike. Riverbend park has a variety of hiking trails, with many Virginia bluebells, and also boat rentals for you to enjoy.



Open .pdf to see full article                                           Back to Table of Contents
 Celebrate Earth Day
Earthday2
Earth Day April 22

Join Earth
Day Network on Earth Day 2018 - April 22 - to help end plastic poll ution. Together, we can make a difference; read about the many th ings you can do.



 
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Springfest
SpringFest Fairfax, April 21, Earth Day Weekend 2018
SpringFest, Fairfax County's official Earth Day and Arbor Day event, will be held at the Sully Historic Site, Chantilly .  Read about the many activities for your family.
 



Open .pdf to see full article                                 Back to Table of Contents 

AdoptaHighway
 A dopt a Highway on Earth Day, April 22, 2018
 
GFG Volunteers work 1-3 pm in Tyson's Corner on our "Adopt-A-Highway" pr oject. Come out and help us make Tysons sparkle!  

 

Open .pdf to see full article                           Back to Table of Contents
REMINDER - Please provide your comments about the new Cascade format.
Clean Energy for Fairfax Now
CPACE
C-PACE Advances in Three Big Jurisdictions

Lear n more about the progress C-PACE has made in Arlington, Loudoun, and Fairfax county to help provide energy efficient enhancements in commercial properties.

  Open .pdf to see full article                           Back to Table of Contents
SolarforSchools
Solar for Schools

The Solar for Schools Initiative is the effort to power Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) with clean renewable energy. Students have been tremendously successful in getting solar power into schools. Read how they've achieved their success.

Open .pdf to see full article                                             Back to Table of Contents
                                    
 CleanEnergyExpo
Update On A New Clean Energy Expo

A new clean energy expo is coming to Fairfax County in the fall, which will focus on building a new clean energy economy in Virginia.

With help from Supervisors McKay and Foust, we met with Celebrate Fairfax. They loved the Expo idea and are working on a plan now. Help us make this a success.
 
Open .pdf to see full article                                 Back to Table of Contents 
 
Updates from Neighboring Counties
Loudon
Loudoun County
 
Loudoun is moving forward with the implementations of the  Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program
(C-PACE) but backward with the True North Data Center.
Read Chair Randall's details.

Find out more information on Loudoun C-PACE. 
 
Fairfax
Fairfax County
Fairfax County is  moving forward with a new County Operations Energy Strategy (COES)  guided by the Environmental Vision and the Solarize Fairfax County program.  Chairman Bulova explains.
If you would like to help GFG provide comments on the County Operations Energy Strategy,  please contact us.
 
Open .pdf to see full article                              Back to Table of Contents            
 
PrinceWilliam
Prince William County
 
Help clean up your streams by participating in a number of Prince William stream cleanups and a compost awareness day.


Open .pdf to see full article                                         Back to Table of Contents
Credit: Institute for Energy Research.
DominionUpdate
Dominion Power Faces Off Against PWC Coalition
 
The negotiation over above-ground power lines continues with Dominion. We are waiting for resolution of the house and senate versions of bills addressing the issues involved. Read more details.

  Open .pdf to see full article                                    Back to Table of Contents
Other Activities
Database
New Database for Sierra Club   

Sierra Club is upgrading the management of  information with the update of the Salesforce software improving interactions with the community. Read  more details about it in the full article. 
Get2Green
FCPS Get2Green Is Making FCPS a Greener Place to Learn
 
Find out what the Fairfax County Public Schools students are doing in the environmental area with the Get2Green website.


 

Open .pdf to see full article                               Back to Table of Contents
NativeSeedling
Native Seedling Sale 2018: Place Your Orders Now!
 
You can
Serviceberry 
Credit: Fairfax County 
help the environment by planting native trees in your backyard. This year's species were all chosen for their deer tolerance.

Two carefully selected packages make it easy to buy Virginia native, wildlife-friendly shrubs and trees. Find out how.


Open .pdf to see full article                                       Back to Table of Contents  
Volunteer Highlights
LindaBrown
Linda Brown - Outgoing Cascade Editor
 
Linda Brown, who has been our Cascade newsletter editor for the past 6 years, has decided to retire from this position. Read more about her extensive involvement in environmentalist causes. 

CathCarver
Catherine Carver - Incoming Cascade Editor

The Group is pleased that Catherine Carver is volunte er ing for the Group as Cascade newsletter editor, so read more about her background and welcome her to our group and volunteer to assist her. 
 
Open .pdf to see full article                                    Back to Table of Contents
AlexRough
Alex Rough - Incoming Political Chair


The Group is very pleased that Alex Rough is volunteering for the Gr ou p as Political Chair, so read more about his invol vement in environmental activities,  and welcome him to our group and volunteer to help him out.
 

Open .pdf to see full article                                    Back to Table of Contents
Thank you for reading the Cascade with its new format. Are the changes an improvement to you, the reader?  If you haven't done so yet, please email your comments to improve future issues. 
ExCom
Great Falls Group Executive Committee

The monthly meeting of the Great Falls Group Executive Committee is open to all Sierra Club members. Contact Norbert Pink for meeting times and location. If you would like to help the group, please volunteer by contacting one of the following leaders or Norbert Pink.

ExCom Officers:  
Chair
 Norbert Pink
 703-264-7445
 norbertsierra@aol.com
Vice Chair
 Susan Weltz
 703-242-2789
 s.weltz@yahoo.com
Treasurer
 Joe Apple
 703-242-2789
 Joe.Apple@comcast.net
Secretary
 Robin Olsen 617-877-4751 robin.d.olsen@gmail.com
 
ExCom Members
Member
 Helene Shore 703-861-6638
teachhss@aol.com,
Member
 Linda Stevens 703-757-8861
lnjstvns@aol.com
Member
 Patricia Leslie 202-316-0584
aiiaeieie@gmail.com
Member
 Peg Hausman 571-340-0300
peghausman@gmail.com
Member
 Susan Bonney 703-402-9292 sbonney001@aol.com
 
Committee Chairs:
Chapter Delegate
 Susan Weltz
 703-242-2789
 s.weltz@yahoo.com
Clean Energy for Fairfax Now Debra Jacobson 304-582-4195 djacobson@law.gmu.edu
Conservation
 Natalie Pien 703-963-3573 natcpien@verizon.net
Fracking/Pipeline Volunteer needed

Membership
 Norbert Pink
 703-264-7445
 norbertsierra@aol.com
Land Use Ann Benett

Public Affairs
 Kathryn Sukites 703-691-8853 ksukites@aol.com
Political
 Alex Rough
 703-304-0906 arough87@gmail.com
Programs
 Susan Weltz
 703-242-2789
 sweltz@yahoo.com
Social
 Susan Bonney
 703-821-5587
 sbonney001@aol.com
Transportation
 Volunteer needed

 
Committee Support:
eNewsletter
 Catherine Carver
 703-655-5069 ccarver37@gmail.com
Copy Editor Peg Hausman 571-340-0300 peghausman@gmail.com
Website / Listserv
 Linda Stevens
 n/a lnjstvns@aol.com

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