AUTHOR

Eleanor Kluegel

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Celebrating Earth Month+ 2023

We love the Earth so much, we needed a little more than one day to celebrate! Which is why we launched Earth Month+ again this year, and are sharing a whole bunch of Earth-loving activities & events to help you get outside, appreciate nature, learn about how and why we can protect it, and well…celebrate

by Eleanor Kluegel April 12, 2023
What’s in Your Bottle?

Tests by Consumer Reports (CR) revealed dangerous levels of lead in the storage compartment on the viral “sip and stash” water bottles. Lead is “toxic to both kids and adults; exposure to it can cause reproductive harm, increase cancer risk, and hurt brain and nervous system development. If pregnant people come into contact with lead,

by Eleanor Kluegel March 6, 2023
The “bio-“greenwashing of plastics 

Most of us are very familiar with the prefix “bio.” It often indicates a reference to living plants or creatures, and it connotes images of the earth, its many life forms, and perhaps a few scenes from Planet Earth or National Geographic images. But the prefix bio as it’s used in the marketing of new

by Eleanor Kluegel February 2, 2023
Crossword Puzzle Day!

December 21st is National Crossword Puzzle Day, so we invite all you cruciverbalists out there to try your hand at our’s: Let’s Get Green and Clean (Fairfax)! This crossword puzzle was created with https://crosswordlabs.com tool.

by Eleanor Kluegel December 21, 2022
What’s in a Tree?

The case for real vs. artificial trees this holiday season. At a Glance: The Verdict:Ultimately, if you’re looking for the most sustainable way to celebrate your holiday, real trees are the way to go. However, there are certainly pros and cons to real and artificial trees–we break them down in more detail here:  The Life

by Eleanor Kluegel December 19, 2022
America Recycles Day x Environmental News Roundup

As the country celebrated another America Recycles Day this past week, we looked back at some of the new reports, major announcements, and state of recycling in the U.S. today.  America (Doesn’t Really) Recycles Day A Greenpeace report out at the end of last month exposed some ugly truths about plastic recycling in the U.S.

by Eleanor Kluegel November 17, 2022
Are your products really “green”?

Today, there seems to be no shortage of options when we browse the aisles of cleaning products at our local stores. But with so many options and flashy marketing, how does the eco-conscious consumer know what products are truly “green”? “Greenwashing” is a popular marketing strategy employed to make products, or companies, seem more appealing

by Eleanor Kluegel October 25, 2022
Virginia Voters and Plastic Pollution

A new report reveals how Virginia voters feel about plastic pollution and potential policies to address it. The report, a collaboration by Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University and the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program with OpinionWorks, describes findings from a statewide survey of Virginia voters conducted in March, 2022. The opinion research aimed to

by Eleanor Kluegel October 11, 2022