2023 NOVA to Zero - Individual Giving Campaign

In October, we start our annual NOVA to Zero donor campaign, and we welcome your help! With only two staff members, FACS is leveraging our amazing volunteers across five jurisdictions to get local climate action moving. Now, we’d like to deepen our work, with another staff person and more programming -- and that means your donations matter! Please give until it feels good!

If you have questions or want to get involved, contact Kristin.Rosenthal@gmail.com.

Check out our 2021 Annual Report to see what we have been up to!

Get Out the Eco-Vote

FACS has teamed up with the Environmental Voter Project (EVP) and Act for Climate Today! (ACT!) to turn non-voters into consistent voters! EVP President, Nathaniel Stinnett will lead this educational training and action webinar on Wednesday, October 5th from 7 - 8:30pm. 

Learn to make scripted calls to Virginians using EVP's phone technology. Empower Virginia non-voters to use their voice by sharing important, relevant information on voting options in their area. Register here.

Zero Waste: Building a Better Community

FACS, EcoAction Arlington, and others are teaming up to host a webinar, Building a Circular Economy: Breaking the Produce-Consume-Dispose Paradigm. Transforming to a Zero Waste Community will hinge on rethinking how and where we produce, use, and reuse materials and goods. This program will explore how to redesign products and business practices to reduce impact on the environment, promote durability and reuse, and ultimately recycle into new products for a more resilient community. Janine Finnell, Executive Director at Leaders in Energy, will moderate this event.

Join us on Tuesday, October 11th from 7pm - 8:30pm.

Recap & Rewatch - Virginia Climate Crisis Forum

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our annual Virginia Climate Crisis Forum! Our wonderful panel of doctors educated us on the impacts and solutions to the ongoing health crisis that is climate change. We also heard more about our Solar Sanctuaries program and a special message from Supervisor Dan Storck about a new partnership for climate solutions in Fairfax County.

Missed the event or want to watch again? See the recording HERE.

In Memoriam:

Local Environmental Advocate Ellen Eggerton

Longtime local environmental advocate and climate champion, Ellen Eggerton, passed away on September 7th of cancer. Ellen was a mechanical engineer and most recently the Sustainability Coordinator in the City of Alexandria where she successfully facilitated the adoption of the updated city’s Environmental Action Plan 2040. She was chair of the energy conservation committee of Virginia Building Code Officials, and was also honored at FACS' 2022 Sustainability Champions Ceremony in June. We are grateful to Ellen for her service and dedication to her community and cause.

Learn more about Ellen here.

City of Alexandria Hub Updates

City of Alexandria announces formation of a new Office of Climate Action! The new office will be centralized under the City Manager with two new staff positions. Many thanks to FACS supporters and other Alexandrians who have pushed for even stronger climate action by the City. 

The FACS Alexandria hub will return to our monthly meeting time Oct., 11, 7pm, 2nd Tuesday of the month via Zoom. In addition we will have an informal in-person meet-up in October. Come hear about our activities and Alexandria climate action.

Sign up for Alexandria updates if you are not already on our list. If you have any questions, please email info@faithforclimate.org.

Loudoun County Hub Updates

We are working on the following as we develop the Loudoun Hub:

* Raising FACS's visibility in the County by writing opinion pieces and meeting with Board of Supervisors members. Jean and Scott had a telephone conversation with State Delegate David Reid. 

*Representing FACS, Jean has joined the Leesburg Interfaith Clergy and Faith Leaders Group to begin building connections with faith leaders; she has also joined the Loudoun NAACP to further FACS outreach in Loudoun County. 

*Jean attended, with FACS member Renee Jakobs, the Coalition for Smarter Growth (CSG) Smart Growth walking tour of the West Falls Church redevelopment plan. We will be planning a similar CSG tour at Loudoun Metro in 2023. 

Sign up for Loudoun County updates if you are not already on our list. If you have any questions, please email info@faithforclimate.org.

Northern Valley Hub Updates

Our September hub meeting was well attended and inspiring! Bethel Lutheran Church presented on plans to become a Solar Sanctuary. Our next step is to invite clergy from the Northern Shenandoah Valley region to learn more about FACS and our hub at a meeting later this fall.  

Sign up for Northern Valley updates if you are not already on our list. If you have any questions, please email info@faithforclimate.org.

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