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A program called Ride Free is going on now! The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission set up this program for the summer to help residents do our part to improve air quality. On high ozone days (code red) from May 1 to September 15, Ride Free offers free bus rides in Northern Virginia to help keep cars off the road and their emissions out of the air. Hopefully we won't have many, if any, code red days, but just in case...
If you’re one of the millions of American’s that owns or drives a car, you may very well be wasting some of your hard earned dollars on some easy-to-cure gas guzzling driving habits. CNNMoney.com issued an article today entitled, “6 ways you’re wasting gas.” I must first say that it’s pretty funny/ironic how I came across this article. My husband, who I lovingly refer to as ‘the worst driver on the planet,’ sent the article link to me early this morning. I see myself as a decent driver and have been guilty of the habits noted from time to time, but my husband is guilty of these far more frequently! In brief, the article points to some very common driving habits that are costing loads of dollars at the gas pump. If you’re guilty, breaking just two of the habits can improve fuel economy by as much as 35%! Plus, you are reducing the amount of emissions your car is spitting out into the air. It’s a win-win all around. I have to send a huge THANK YOU out to CNNMoney.com, because now I’m not so much the nagging wife as the money saver!
Home energy efficiency is a hot topic and with Dominion's rate hike looming it's likely to garner more attention much the way gas prices have.
Last night we had a good crowed for the presentation on Practical Steps for Energy Efficiency in Your Condo. In Arlington, over half of our residents live in condos, townhomes, or multi-unit dwellings which make this topic all the more germane.
For those of you who couldn't join us, the presentation is attached below. If your condo association or board would like more info on how you can save energy please engage us at climage@arlingtonva.us
Also, it bears repeating that every action makes a difference!
Click the link here to view the presentation: Download arlington_condo_energy_presentation_20_may_08.pdf
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If you've never seen this video, I think it is one of the most powerfully convincing efforts to help people understand the need to take action on climate change. If you like it, you can also watch the more than 6 hours of additional supporting video in the "Expansion Pack." . . . . . but you don't have to.
If you are committed to fighting global climate change and liked the video, feel free to pass it on.
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Steve Offutt, Arlington Resident and climate change battler
for the month of April which got me thinking about that TV show The Biggest Loser. Would you be interested in getting involved with your neighborhood to create a "Biggest Energy Loser" or do you think there are entirely too many challenges and pledges out there already?Here is an interesting film to get you thinking about bike lane design. The film is about 8 minutes long and well worth the time. Arlington has long been a leader in smart growth and transit oriented development as you know and Bike Arlington along with Commuter Services continues to innovate our connectivity. Here is yet another idea to consider for our streets to further encourage bicyclists and keep them safe.
Though this video is NYC-centric in nature, all lessons and video easily apply to cities across the U.S. including the metro DC area.
This film was sourced from http://www.streetfilms.org/. Feel free to look at the other educational films and resources on their site.
