City of Alexandria Hub Updates

The City of Alexandria is hosting an Eco-City Festival, on Saturday, May 11, from 10 am to 1 pm at NOVA Community College (NVCC), located at 5000 Dawes Avenue. The event is accessible by the DASH 31 bus from King St Metro, Metrobus 28A, as well by bike routes, and has on-site parking. The event will feature e-bike test rides, an electric vehicle ride and drive showcase, vendor booths, games, food trucks, and more. 

Last month FACS Alexandria hub members participated in the Alexandria Dog Walk and Sustainability Festival, spreading the word about FACS to attendees (see picture). 

The May hub meeting will take place on Saturday, May 4 at 4 pm with an in-person hub social and update on City sustainability initiatives and hub activities. 

Arlington County Hub Updates

At April's meeting of the FACS Arlington Hub we discussed the many activities we have going on in our faith communities and local neighborhoods. Arlington's Hub advocates are now very active with the county budget processes, and public schools, and we're helping local churches adapt their grounds to help them earn credits under Arlington's new Stormwater Utility. FACS has met with all Arlington County Board members to advocate for a number of climate-smart investments in the 2025 budget, including creating outward-facing programs to educate and assist homeowners and other property owners in decarbonizing their homes and buildings. We're also engaging in the Arlington Public Schools (APS) Strategic Planning process, stressing the need for APS to commit to phasing out investments in fossil-fueled operations and incorporating the realities of climate change into the curriculum. The next meeting of the FACS Arlington Hub will be on Wednesday, May 1 at 7 pm via Zoom. 

Fairfax County Hub Updates

The Wheels on the Bus! Fairfax County Department of Transportation’s Acting Director Gregg Steverson, and Chief of Transit Dwayne Palfrey updated us on efforts to get to zero emissions from transportation. Transitioning from diesel buses to electrified, while providing on-going transportation, is a huge lift. Fairfax County has run into many roadblocks and won’t meet the goals of zero-emission transportation by 2035. A plan for this complex transition is coming this fall and will take many years to fully enact. On the bright side, a pilot project on Route 1 with the first electric bus route, with high density housing progresses.  

What can we do, meanwhile? REDUCE the miles you are driving alone! Take the bus, bike, walk, share rides. If you are buying a car, consider an EV or hybrid. Getting off gas is complicated, and essential.

Read how this hub is putting Faith in Action.

Loudoun Hub Updates

Friends Acting for Climate Today (FACT) focused on Earth Month, offering a variety of programs. These included two documentaries, two speakers  (Prof. Jennifer Russell of VA Tech speaking to “What Can Be Done to Solve the Plastic Problem?” and Dr. Robert Musil, CEO of the Rachel Carson Council, speaking to: “Rachel Carson and Her Legacy of Climate Justice.”), a 3-day Art Exhibit, a group trip to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum to tour the Sant Ocean Hall, and an Earth Day Concert with musicians from GMU’s Dewberry School of Music. Several hundred people participated in these activities. We will also be collaborating with the Loudoun County Soil and Water Commission and a local Girl and Boy Scout Troop to install approximately 100 decals on storm drains at the Ashby Ponds Senior Living Community in Ashburn, VA. Additionally, FACT will be tabling at the Loudoun County Environmental and Energy Forum on May 14 from 5:30 pm - 8 pm,  Academies of Loudoun, 42075 Academy Drive, Leesburg, featuring Breakout and Listening Sessions with expert topic professionals. Picture is of Rev. Doc. Jean Wright being interviewed by the Ashby Ponds TV Channel regarding Earth Month activities.

Central Valley Hub Updates

About 200 enthusiastic members of eight different congregations gathered on a chilly Sunday morning for an outdoor Ecumenical Earth Day Worship Service at Turner Pavilion in downtown Harrisonburg on April 21. The pastors of Muhlenberg Lutheran Church, Shalom Mennonite Congregation, and Trinity Presbyterian Church especially helped organize the service. A special offering raised funds for a future solar project for a minority faith community. We were thrilled by our joint energy on such a cold morning and are already talking about doing it again next year.

The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley and the local Sierra Club chapter hosted "Earth Day Harrisonburg: From Aspirations to Action" at Court Square Theatre on Sunday afternoon, April 21. It was a moderated climate conversation with city and community leaders about our city's climate goals, what is being done to achieve them, and what still needs to be done.