The fight against Arctic Drilling: Let’s start December off with some good news- Every major bank has ruled out funding drilling for fossil fuels in the Arctic! The threat of Arctic drilling still exists, but this is definitely a victory that can be celebrated. Last week we shared a story about drilling lease auctions beginning in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge- those new drilling operations will be difficult to undertake without secured bank funding. Over the course of the last year banks have been pulling their support from the expensive and risky Arctic operations. This decision has not been purely environmental. Oil is selling for about $40 a barrel, if oil prices rise to about $80 a barrel, Arctic drilling could be back on the table. Read the ongoing saga of Arctic drilling here.

Clean Fairfax on a podcast: A couple weeks ago, our Executive Director, Jen Cole, was on Fairfax County’s EnviroPod Podcast. Jen was asked to provide her expertise on the podcast to speak about litter issues stemming from the pandemic and how changes in trash pick up and global recycling markets are impacting the environment. Jen speaks in depth about a topic we reference often, the importance of starting at the root of the problem- plastic producers need to be held responsible for the waste they create. She also shares some information on work being done in Fairfax County to reduce waste and some legislative opportunities coming at the 2021 Virginia General Assembly. Don’t miss Jen on the EnviroPod here!

Saving the Bees!: We are advocates for bees, one of us even has bee hives (solitary AND honey bees!)  in our backyard. Bees pollinate about 70 of the top 100 human food crops, which is about 90% of global nutritional needs. There are over 20,000 species of bees on the planet, many of which are struggling because of climate change, pesticide use, and habitat loss. To adequately protect bees, we need to know exactly where they live and their population densities in those regions. Researchers developed population density maps which they will be able to use to develop a better understanding of the threats facing bees and how the need to protect pollinators can be incorporated into analysis of ecosystem services. Read the entire story about mapping global bee populations here!

Patagonia refurbishes Old Town building: If you’re from Northern Virginia or have lived here for a long time, you’re familiar with the closed Old Town Theater on King Street in Alexandria. This theater has been a fixture in Old Town since 1915, after a few vacant years the theater has new tenants, Patagonia. While we aren’t fans of consumer culture, we do like it when companies take responsibility for the waste their products create and invests in communities throughout their supply chains. Products you buy from Patagonia can be traced throughout their entire supply chain and the company encourages customers to not buy new gear, they want you to repair it.                          

For those of you who don’t know, Patagonia will repair your old gear and clothing or you can use their resources to learn how to make repairs yourself! Patagonia released a statement about their new location, “We realize what it meant to see the theater close back in 2014, but we intend to keep a lot of its energy alive by providing a steady stream of events, films and presentations, as well as a gathering place to support environmental nonprofits working to defend clean water and air, protect wildlife and divest from dirty technologies. The stage remains a stage  with sound and lighting and the balcony a place to host  meetings and events.” Here’s the entire story about Patagonia coming to Old Town.