| Local climate solutions powered by faith communities. |
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| Register for Our Climate Crisis Forum: Green Schools for Sustainable Communities! This year’s Climate Crisis Forum is all about how our local schools are stepping up to tackle the climate crisis and make a difference in our communities. It's happening on Monday, October 7, 6:00-8:30 PM, at Meridian High School in Falls Church, VA. The forum features two engaging panels with Northern Virginia Superintendents and Student Climate Activists. You’ll have the chance to explore exhibits and tables from local organizations actively working on sustainability in Northern Virginia—great for students and advocates looking to get involved and connect with others doing great work! Plus, we’re collecting clothes for a student clothing swap to be held on a future date. |
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| Join Fairfax County’s Fight for Zero Waste! Fairfax County is on a mission to change the way they manage waste and are developing key strategies to help meet their goal of diverting 90% of all waste from landfills or incineration. They've proposed a series of changes to achieve CECAP Zero Waste goals, explained in this brief County video. Community support is vital, so please share your thoughts in Fairfax County’s Zero Waste Resident Survey. A major part of the survey asks if you would support a Unified Sanitation District, which FACS supports to give the county greater contractual control over service and expand recycling requirements |
| | On September 18th at 7:30 PM, FACS’ Fairfax County Hub is having a virtual meeting with Matthew Adams—Director of Fairfax County’s Solid Waste Management Program. He will share the large-scale zero waste strategies being presented for Board approval in February 2025 and what community activists can do to help drastically shift the way waste is managed in the county. |
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| Nature Corner – Working to Resolve Humanity’s Crisis More than 3.3 million American families saved $8.4 billion on home energy technologies thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), America’s biggest single step ever taken to address our climate goals and support the clean energy revolution already underway. However, we are also wrestling with the biodiversity crisis and need to tap into nature-based solutions to build a more resilient and sustainable world. |
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| Faith in Action – A time for rest, a time for contemplation, a time for action. Saving ourselves and the natural world will take all of our heart and soul. The work is too big to tackle one by one. So, how can we hold faith in it all? |
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| | Discover how Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC)'s free, virtual, 3-part Faithful Green Leaders Training Program can help your congregation build or strengthen a green team of up to 5-10 members, develop an action plan, and lead the community in addressing climate change. |
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| FACS’ Loudoun Hub sponsored a program with Loudoun County Supervisor Mike Turner. With 118 advocates present, Supervisor Turner presented his white paper on data centers. |
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| | - Data Centers: Meadows of Chantilly mobile home community residents express concern over a proposed 70-foot data center overshadowing their community.
- Carbon Neutrality: Fairfax County School Board has set a goal for the school division to become carbon neutral by 2040. Also, in Arlington's race to become carbon-neutral, some residents seeking green upgrades feel left behind.
- Transportation Electrification: Alexandrians are adopting electric vehicles faster than the national average with over 1,000 EVs in Old Town and Carlyle, but the city’s charging infrastructure is struggling to keep up. In response, Alexandria’s City Council approved a new process to increase charging stations and is soliciting proposals from vendors.
- State: Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is bypassing the state legislature to upend climate policy, taking executive action that could significantly alter the state’s climate goals and regulations.
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| | City of Alexandria Hub Updates FACS’ Alexandria Hub is partnering with Build Our Future on a survey that will be sent to all 2024 City of Alexandria School Board Candidates. It is intended to determine their level of commitment to pro-climate policies and sustainable practices in the school system while building awareness among current and prospective board members. Note: FACS does not endorse elected candidates. Exciting News! Ryan Freed, Director of Alexandria’s Office of Climate Action, will be speaking on the evening of October 2nd at Alexandria Hub's upcoming special hybrid Hub meeting—both in-person and via Zoom. To receive meeting information, join Alexandria's Advocacy Hub. |
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| Arlington County Hub Updates FACS’ Arlington Hub is pleased that the County's 10 year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) includes a substantial increase in funding and attention to climate resilience while ensuring that dedicated climate funds will not support fossil fuel investments. Also, the Hub is very encouraged by a new reorganization in Arlington County government that establishes a new Assistant County Manager for Climate Policy to address the county’s climate goals. Important Notice: Their September meeting will be on September 4th at 7 PM via Zoom and will focus on Arlington County climate advocacy. |
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| Fairfax County Hub Updates As noted above, tune in virtually to learn about the zero waste strategies under consideration and how advocates can help get the county to zero waste on September 18th at 7:30 PM. To receive meeting information, join Fairfax County's Advocacy Team. Your feedback is vital—Take this survey and make your voice heard by September 30th! |
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| Loudoun Hub Updates FACS' Loudoun Hub sponsored a Climate Fresk interactive workshop on "How to Talk With Others About Climate Change." This program is appropriate for adult education programs, youth groups, and others. To learn more, contact Karen Gardner at karendedagardner@icloud.com. Additionally, they sponsored a 4th educational tour to the Loudoun Landfill to learn how landfills are engineered, water resources are protected from seepage, methane is collected, and more. |
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| Central Valley Hub Updates FACS’ Central Valley Hub organized a viewing of The Grab at Court Square Theatre in Harrisonburg on August 18th. This documentary film exposes how governments, private investors, and mercenaries are reacting to the climate crisis by working to seize food and water resources at the expense of entire populations. A group of about 25 advocates met outside afterward for a picnic lunch to discuss the film and offer commitments on ways to concrete actions. |
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| Join a Local Advocacy Hub! Stay connected with local news, meeting reminders, advocacy opportunities and action alerts, community wins, and more! |
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| FACS' Monthly Sustainability Tip Parts of Virginia are increasingly vulnerable to flooding, with sea levels rising twice as fast as the global average. Join Wetlands Watch’s annual Catch the King tide mapping initiative to help collect GPS flood data and improve flood prediction models to protect our communities |
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| Inspired to give beyond time and talent? |
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| | | Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions
PO Box 2012 | Reston, Virginia 20195
703-239-3748 | info@faithforclimate.org |
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