Friends,

Thanks to everyone who came out for our October general meeting last week and especially to Judy Frasier, who joined us to talk about Transition Town Fairfax’s upcoming Repair Cafés (details under Upcoming Events).

If you didn’t make it last Thursday, here’s what you missed:

Plastic Free Challenge

We are nine days into the 2019 Plastic Free Challenge, and we’ve got a lot more engagement this year than last. Check out tips and updates on our blog, Facebook, and Twitter, and join in the conversation with #PlasticFreeDMV.

If you haven’t already, you can still sign up for the Challenge at 350fairfax.org/plastic-free-challenge.

Fossil Free Fairfax

We have 3,000 signatures on our Fossil Free Fairfax petition, and we will continue to collect signatures until the new Board of Supervisors begins work in January.

If you want to see Fairfax County commit to reaching 100% renewable energy and to banning new fossil fuel infrastructure, help us collect petition signatures. To sign up for the next petition drive, email [email protected].

In the meantime, here are two opportunities to engage with the Board on climate issues ahead of the elections:

Comment on Fairfax County’s draft strategic plan by OCTOBER 14. The strategic plan survey is long and will take time to answer fully. If you have only a few minutes, skip to the “Health and Environment” section, where you will find the strategies targeted at addressing climate change.

Join a CECAP focus group. Every district supervisor in Fairfax County will convene a focus group this fall to brainstorm priorities and recommendations for the Community-Wide Energy and Climate Action Plan. To join a focus group, contact your supervisor’s office.

NOVA Climate Coalition Legislator Survey

As part of the NOVA Climate Coalition, an informal alliance of local climate and progressive groups, we have sent four-question surveys to all the candidates for the Virginia General Assembly to gauge their positions on climate change. The four questions are

Are you willing to support a plan for Virginia that would enable our state to achieve the IPCC’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% no later than 2030?
Do you oppose the construction of the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines?
In the 2019 legislative session, Senator Chap Petersen and Delegate John Bell proposed bills that would prohibit campaign contributions from Dominion Energy, Appalachian Power, and other state-regulated corporations. Are you willing to co-sponsor such a bill in the 2020 legislative session?
Are you willing to reject any and all contributions, both direct and indirect, from fossil fuel companies and their senior officials?

To help this effort, call the candidates in your House and Senate districts and ask them to complete the survey. Find all candidates for office in your districts here.

Survey responses will be published on our website as they come in.

Earth Friendly Fairfax

We are ready to start asking restaurants to join Earth Friendly Fairfax, our campaign to reduce waste at restaurants across Fairfax County (and beyond!). If you would like to join a team approaching restaurants in your area, email [email protected].

Upcoming Events

Stand Up for Justice: Green New Deal VA Fundraiser. October 13, 7 to 9 p.m., Auld Shebeen, 3971 Chain Bridge Rd, Fairfax, VA. Join the Green New Deal VA coalition for a night of food, music, and celebration of the work they’ve done this year on a 2020 legislative agenda will make Virginia a leader in economic, social, and environmental justice. Tickets are $25, paid in cash or check at the door. Light refreshments will be served, and additional food and drink will be available for purchase.

Repair Café 1. October 26, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Twins Ace Hardware, 10310B Main St, Fairfax, VA. Don’t toss it! Fix it! Bring your broken household items to expert volunteers who will repair them. This event is sponsored by Transition Town Fairfax, and all repairs are free of charge.

Repair Café 2. November 2, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., City of Fairfax Regional Library, 10360 North St, Fairfax, VA. Don’t toss it! Fix it! This is your second chance this fall to bring your broken household items to expert volunteers who will repair them. This event is sponsored by Transition Town Fairfax, and all repairs are free of charge.

November General Meeting. November 7, 7:30 to 9 p.m., Blueberry Hill Common House, 9701 Farmside Place, Vienna, VA. In November we’ll welcome Tim Whitehouse, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a national organization in Silver Spring, Maryland, that represents environmental whistleblowers and advocates on behalf of federal, state, and local public servants working on environmental issues. He will speak about how climate change science has been under systematic attack by the Trump administration and why that matters for local and national decision making. RSVP here or on Facebook.

Enjoy this (long overdue) fall weather!

Julie