OK, so it’s not actually The Office (that beloved TV show) but your office that soon may be getting a bit greener–especially if you work in Arlington, Virginia.

The county has been selected as one of four local U.S. governments (including Charleston, SC; Nashville, TN; and San Diego, CA) to receive assistance in creating a Green Office Challenge program.

The innovative initiative, to launch locally in fall 2010, will engage property managers and office tenants in a friendly competition to save money, reduce energy, water usage and waste; and reach other environmental goals. Offices with the biggest savings over the course of one year will be recognized for their achievements.

The Challenge started last year in Chicago and is sponsored by the ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, a membership association of more than 600 local governments in the U.S. and 1,100 worldwide committed to advancing climate protection and sustainability.

With nearly 44 million square feet—more private office space than downtown Los Angeles, Denver or Dallas—Arlington County could reap significant energy and cost savings. Hailed in the DC metro area for its eco-efforts, Arlington will now have a chance to make its mark on the national map.

Complementing Arlington County’s existing programs to reduce energy use and carbon emissions, including the Fresh AIRE (Arlington Initiative to Reduce Emissions) Program, the Challenge has already been backed by Arlington businesses, and will be implemented with support from key community partners, including the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington, Arlington Chamber of Commerce and Arlington Economic Development.

To learn more about the Green Office Challenge, visit  ICLEI USA .

Most of us are no doubt familiar with Goodwill and may even be big fans of its thrift shop stores (as is yours truly). But did you know that our local chapter, Goodwill of Greater Washington, is also receiving acclaim for its fashion— that’s right, fashion—sense?

Bridging the gap between the passé and the present, the organization has partnered with Miss District of Columbia 2009 in a fashion-forward campaign designed to bring awareness to recycling.

The month-long campaign, is intended to showcase the recycling platform of Miss DC, Jen Corey, as she prepares for the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas on January 30. It’s also designed to generate greater awareness for Goodwill’s mission during its slowest donation season of the year.

The campaign includes a series of video vignettes on the nationally-recognized Goodwill DC Fashion Blog. The vignettes, which debuted January 8 and run through the 22^nd, follow Corey as she peruses Goodwill Stores for recycled furniture and accessories to furnish her empty new apartment.

They are accompanied by snippets of a rap song influenced by Goodwill’s job training mission, “Dream without Boundaries,” written and performed by Kokayi, a Grammy-nominated DC artist and producer. The entire song, which also samples Corey’s opera singing (a highly trained opera singer, Corey will be performing during the Pageant), will be available online for a $2 donation to Goodwill of Greater Washington.

Personally, I love shopping at—and donating to—Goodwill. In fact, I have a bag full of things I no longer need sitting in my hallway, ready to go. I’ve also taken numerous items found while “dumpster diving” in the basement of my condo building (everything from a huge handpainted Portuguese ceramic tray to a bookcase to a lamp; OK, so some of these I’ve kept!)—perfectly good items that would have otherwise gone to landfill.

Granted, going to Goodwill may not be that convenient for some, but there are certainly many other options for donations (including homeless shelters and numerous thrift shops). Larger items such as TVs and furniture can even be scheduled for pick-up. And clearing out clutter can be so therapeutic!

Of course, Goodwill is so much more than a thrift shop, as it provides job training and employment services for disadvantaged and disabled individuals. No matter what your personal “platform,” recycling—and helping others— just feels right. And that’s something we can all stand for.

TMDL. No, it’s not some newfangled programming code, but an acronym you’re likely to be hearing quite often nonetheless in the days–and years–to come. Tonight, you’ll have a chance to learn what one local jurisdiction, Fairfax County, is doing to help establish its part of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Chesapeake Bay. 

The County will hold a public meeting to address its role in development of the complex EPA initiative, which would set restrictions on nutrient and sediment pollution throughout a 64,000-square-mile watershed that includes six states and the District. A regulatory tool of the federal Clean Water Act, the Chesapeake Bay TMDL will be backed by a series of accountability measures to ensure compliance.

In a letter to the Water Protection Division, EPA Region III, the chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Sharon Bulova, offers the board’s input for development of the TMDL. Stating that Fairfax County is the most populated local jurisdiction in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with “…a long history of progressive environmental management,” she notes, “…we are following with great interest recent developments at the federal level to increase the pace of efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay.”

As cited in Bulova’s letter, the Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration Executive Order (signed by President Obama in May 2009) is helping create a new era of federal leadership in restoring the Bay. Both Senate and House legislation being considered could help set standards for stormwater management to facilitate consistency across state and local lines. 

Noting how “Improvements can and should be made in how urban and suburban stormwater is managed,” Bulova includes a caveat that “Goals should be realistic and attainable, focusing on parameters reasonably within the control of local governments and organizations to influence.” 

To learn more about the “ABC’s” of the TMDL, read the full letter and/or attend the public meeting tonight, Monday, Dec. 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Falls Church High School’s Little Theater, 7521 Jaguar Trail, Falls Church, Virginia.

Like me, if you live in the city, you might not own a car. To make a road trip during the holidays, you’d have to rent something. This got me thinking about how I could reduce my carbon footprint, and my travel costs, significantly by renting a hybrid.

It isn’t as easy as you might think to rent a hybrid. Even though the technology has been around for years and many vehicles now integrate it into their engines, very few rental companies make it as intuitive to rent a hybrid as it is to rent an SUV, convertible or economy car.

Here is a quick breakdown of the best route to rent a hybrid:

• From THIS site you can view the Hertz “Green Collection” and select a fuel efficient car to rent. Unfortunately, you will find that availability is limited and it take several steps on the site just to find out whether a hybrid is available at your nearest location on a specific day.
• Orbitz has a reservation system specifically for booking hybrid vehicles in particular locations. You can find it HERE. I looked up a hybrid for different dates and locations but none were available, so I’m not sure how well the system really works.
• I never knew this, but Toyota offers rental car service at several of their dealerships. You can view the available locations and vehicles on the website by clicking HERE. Unfortunately, you must submit a rental request and wait to be notified about availability and prices.
• Renting a hybrid from National, Budget and Enterprise is still an unnecessarily complicated process. The best thing to do is to call their sales lines and ask about the best location to rent one of their hybrids. For National (800-328-4567), Budget (800-527-0700) and Enterprise (800-261-7331).

So there you go. It might be a little complicated to get a hybrid, but the impact to your wallet, and the Earth, will be worth it.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User kenjonbro

The Federal government’s “Cash 4 Clunkers” campaign was a big hit with Americans looking to dump old fuel hogs in exchange for efficient new cars. Congress has debated extending the trade-in program to apply to appliances as well. This would mean anyone suffering with high utility bills because of old refrigerators could afford to replace them. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the appliance version of “Cash 4 Clunkers” is moving forward through Congress very quickly.

Thankfully, the DC government is here to save the day for owners of inefficient appliances by offering rebates for Energy Star refrigerators, washers, heat pumps and dishwashers. Starting in April, DC will distribute claim forms for new appliance purchasers that will provide specific instructions and appliance requirements. You can be on the list to receive information on these rebates by going to the District Department of the Environment’s website and providing your email address.

The US Department of Energy estimates that appliances account for 17% of the average home’s energy bill. Imagine how much you could save over several years with more efficient appliances. This is definitely worth checking out.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User edcrowle

Don’t let the tiny town of Edmonston, Maryland fool you. Despite its size, P.G. County’s minute municipality is on the cutting edge of environmental awareness – as evidenced by the groundbreaking of its new “green street” last week.

The $1.1 million Recovery Act project (issued through the EPA) will fund the reconstruction of Decatur Street, saving energy, reducing water pollution to the adjacent Anacostia River and Chesapeake Bay, and improving local air quality.

The project came about as the town’s main thoroughfare started approaching its “expiration date.” Edmonston’s Mayor Adam Ortiz, the city Council and residents began exploring alternates to just repaving or resurfacing the road – which had experienced years of devastating floods from the Anacostia due to poor environmental practices.

Plans for the green street include planting dozens of native trees, installing rain gardens and porous paving to filter rainwater and reduce flooding, building bike lanes, improving pedestrian safety, and using energy-saving, wind-powered street lights. The mile-long street will include an educational “walking tour” for residents and visitors that explains each of its eco-friendly features. Ortiz said the project will make Decatur Street the greenest in Maryland and possibly even the East Coast.

As he explained at the groundbreaking, “It may be unusual for a small, working class, majority-minority community like ours to build a sustainable street like this…Our main objective is that other towns and cities will ‘steal’ these ideas and replicate and improve on them.” The town will make its engineering plans and design concepts available online.

The “competition” to be green could be heating up, however, as a Southern Maryland developer draws up plans to create the greenest town in the state. As noted in today’s Washington Post article, the plans (for starters) include revamping an aging planned community in Waldorf with up to 11,000 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified homes and apartments.

While the Edmonston project is state-funded and the other isn’t, the real difference is the buy-in (literally and figuratively) from each community’s citizens. The former has it, and the latter doesn’t – at least not yet.

In any case, these two towns are certain to boost Maryland’s spot on the nation’s green map. We can only hope that other small towns – and large ones alike – follow in their footsteps.

You might have some greenies on your shopping list this year. They can be kind of hard to shop for.

If you’ve already helped them become carbon neutral with a TerraPass, you’ve adopted them an endangered species from the National Zoo, and you’ve ordered them a great green book, what more can you do to satisfy their organic desires?

How about a kit that will save them $460 in energy bills and 7,442 pounds of carbon per year? Earth Aid Enterprises has put together a great array of gift packs for environmentally conscious folks on your shopping list.

At Earth Aid Enterprises‘ website, you can design a kit of products that conserve resources and cut utility costs at the same time. Among some of the products you can choose from are: programmable thermostats, tire pressure gauges, weather sensors, faucet & shower head aerators, dryer balls, smart strips, and more.

I really think it would be cool to get a big package of all these different products to fulfill that new year’s resolution of becoming greener in the new year. Go get your favorite tree hugger one now!

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User fille_de_photo

Seeking to support local farmers but not sure how — especially now that many of the outdoor farmers’ markets are closed for the season? Well, you could start from the comfort of your living room, by visiting NationalCapitalFarms.org. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (MWCOG) Regional Agricultural Workgroup recently launched the site to promote and protect local agriculture in the metro DC area.

With partners that include local governments, farmers, farmers markets and other nongovernmental organizations, the Workgroup seeks to establish and maintain a National Capital Farms (NCF) network to address issues of regional coordination and advocacy. It also functions as a forum for sharing agricultural info among members, the farm community, elected officials and citizens.

Did you know that in the U.S., the average grocery store’s produce travels nearly 1,500 miles before reaching the consumer? And that about 40 percent of our fruit is produced overseas? Those are just a few of the facts available on NationalCapitalFarms.org

Linking consumers with producers and vendors, the site features an interactive regional map of network partners that helps consumers connect to producers and programs in their area. (Note: As the District doesn’t have any official NCF network partners (at least yet) and thus shows nothing when you click on the map, you can search for DC farmers markets and other services on the site’s home page).

You’ll also find an agricultural forum and classifieds for in-season produce, a calendar of events, lists of locally-sourced restaurants, educational programs and links to other local and national sustainable food- and farm-related sites.

In addition to supporting local farmers and helping maintain the local economy, the advantages of buying local include substantially reducing the distance food travels from farm to table — and the resulting CO2 emissions, knowing where your food comes from (and often, the ability to visit the farm itself — versus one that’s either out of the state or the country), protecting and sustaining the region’s remaining rural landscape, and offering citizens a chance to connect (as they did long ago) with the land as well as each other.

The fact is that many of us have gotten away from our roots thanks to our ultra-busy lives, hurriedly rushing in and out of supermarkets without really thinking about the origins of our food or who produced it. The National Capital Farms Network can teach us all to slow down a bit and enjoy the bounty that’s right here in our backyard. You just might need to turn off (OK, set down) that Blackberry for a bit though, and taste a real, local one.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User bornOKthefirsttime

Environmental justice. Just what is it exactly? The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Environmental Justice defines it as “…the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies…”

Recently, almost 150 Marylanders—including officials, community and business leaders, and citizens—gathered at Morgan State University to examine the connections between land use development and processes, public health, and the environment—as well as the inherent environmental justice challenges. Socio-economic status, noise, traffic, design, pollution and other environmental factors all play a significant role on the health (literally and figuratively) of communities.

The one-day “Environment, Justice, and Health in the Planning Process: Strategies for Maryland” symposium was convened to develop a comprehensive state effort to improve planning, development, and public health assessments to reach sustainability goals. It also outlined the work of the Maryland Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities (CEJSC), a fifteen-member group that includes state legislators, cabinet secretaries, and governor appointees representing six interest groups—environmental advocacy, public health, local government, regulated business, impacted community, and the public.

The CEJSC is charged with creating healthy, safe, economically and environmentally sound communities, empowering citizens in the process and thus helping improve their quality of life. As keynote speaker Charles Lee, director of the EPA Office of Environmental Justice, explained, “…We are working to build communities that are cleaner, healthier, and more livable. Nowhere is this effort more meaningful than in minority and low-income communities, both urban and rural, disproportionately burdened by pollution…”

Giving a voice to the often voiceless reminds me of something I heard this weekend at the Green Festival in a presentation given by Kevin Danaher, a co-founder of Global Exchange (an international human rights organization promoting social, economic and environmental justice). Discussing Fair Trade and the child slave labor prevalent in many countries, Danaher noted that there is no “them” out there—just us—and if you say the words over and over, it sounds like “justice.”  His message serves as an excellent reminder that environmental (as well as social and economic) justice is for everyone.

VegDC.com, the vegetarian’s guide to DC and the surrounding areas, has compiled a complete list of vegetarian restaurants in the DC metro area. The comprehensive guide divides restaurants by neighborhood and provides information on the restaurant’s address, phone number and website. One of the best features of the guide is its menu summaries that give insights into the availability of vegan options, pricing and style of food.

If you’re interested in finding restaurants that serve 100% vegetarian cuisine, offer mock meat options or sell vegan pizza, the guide has links that sort out these particular options.

When you get a chance, go over to VegDC.com and puruse their list. You might discover the vegan pizza of your soy dreams!

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User arimoore