Approximately 15%-17% of the U.S. population smokes cigarettes, down from 21% in 2005 according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. While this is a good trend from a health perspective, the rise in “smoke free” establishments for our majority non-smoking population has had an unintended consequence: fewer accommodations for those who do smoke …

They’re green in principle, but not in the way people use them.  While many people have made the move to reusable bags, there is still some debate about whether these are, in fact, better than paper or plastic. Some studies suggest that it takes more energy to produce reusable bags, and that a large portion of those …

If your honest answer is “yes,” consider attending the following: Sierra Club—Great Falls, Northern VA Chapter invites you to see BAG IT, an award-winning documentary about the effects of plastics on our personal health & the environment. It is the story of a man who makes a pledge to stop using plastic bags at the grocery store and how …

I am excited to have joined Jen Cole at Clean Fairfax part-time as a program manager with a focus on our Clean Streams Initiative. It’s great to be working again with an environmental non-profit (see bio on Clean Fairfax website). I feel I can extend my own zeal for environmental stewardship and urban sustainability to …

Roasted Beet, Watercress, and Ricotta Grilled Cheese 1 Beet [Van Dessel Farm, Accomack, VA] Just a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper 1-2 tablespoons butter 2 slices of bread Some fresh mozzarella cheese Some Ricotta cheese A handful of watercress [Mock’s Farm, Berkeley Springs, WV] Before you start grilling any cheese, peel, slice, …