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OCTOBER 2025 NEWSLETTER
Welcome Fall! This month launches the inaugural training class for EcoAmbassadors. We are eager to train our first class on climate action strategies and community engagement. Upon completion of the 5-week training course, certified EcoAmbassadors will volunteer within the community to educate and advocate for individual climate actions neighbors can take for a greener and healthier home.
SPOTLIGHT: Bill Campbell
Bill Campbell has trained and coordinated the Energy Masters program since 2023. He has done a phenomenal job serving our community and Energy Masters volunteers. Starting this October, Bill is dedicated to the smooth transition of Energy Masters into EcoAmbassadors. EcoAmbassadors are trained volunteers who will promote individual climate action to our neighbors for healthier and greener homes. Bill has thirty-three years of experience as a Design and Project engineer and as a Project and Program Manager with the Dept. of Defense. He also served on the Alexandria City Public School Board. Bill, the father of three adult children, lives in Alexandria with his wife and three grand dogs. They are excitedly awaiting their first grandchild due February of next year.
ECOACTION ARLINGTON IN THE FIELD
engaging our community in caring for our environment
We celebrated the culmination of Energy Masters on Wednesday, September 10 at the Departmental Progressive Club in Alexandria. There was also a talk to learn about the launch of EcoAmbassadors. Thank you to all who attended and to all the Energy Masters who have served in our community to reduce energy and water consumption. Your work truly made an impact.
It was a wonderful Green Community Tour and Celebration on Saturday, September 14. Thank you to all the volunteers, the hosts, our partners Arlington County Dept. of Environmental Services, Master Gardeners, Arlington VA Public Library, Arlington Regional Master Naturalists, Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, our sponsor Lime, and all who came out to celebrate sustainability in our homes and gardens with us!
It was another successful Annual Trash Tally Cleanup for our International Coastal Cleanup day on Saturday, September 20! Volunteers collected around 615 pounds of trash out of Four Mile Run and Barcroft Park. Thank you to everyone who participated!
EcoAction Arlington offers school & youth presentations. We are currently seeking student presentation opportunities for December-June. EcoAction Arlington brings the excitement of environmental conservation to schools and youth groups with engaging hands-on presentations. From understanding native trees and their benefits to exploring the science behind energy and climate change, our sessions are designed to empower young environmental champions. Available for preschool to 8th-grade students, these presentations encourage active participations in sustaining our planet and are free to Arlington County Public Schools. Available topics include: Native Trees, Seed papermaking, watersheds and stormwater, energy and climate change. Visit our website for more information and to sign up.
Leave the leaves! A layer of leaves in your yard can bring big benefits. It provides shelter and insulation for many animals and insects. The leaves also provide insulation for the soil and can be mulched. As the leaves decay, they'll provide valuable nutrients and keep your lawn healthy and fertile. So less mowing and more time to carve the pumpkin! Just remember to compost that jack-o-lantern.
Find more tips for the fall on The GetGreen Arlington app with climate action challenges, carbon footprint reduction tips, and local community engagement opportunities.
Sign Up for Action Alerts
The EcoAction Arlington Advocacy committee sends out Action Alerts on issues concerning the environment in Arlington. The committee also publishes The EcoAdvocate periodically. The newsletter includes news and updates on advocacy initiatives at the County and State levels and other information of interest.
October 11 | Fall Fest! @ 10:00 am–3:00 pm at the James M Duncan Branch Library, Alexandria. Join the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia for the 2nd annual Fall Festival! There will be an “Ask the Master Gardener” table, kids’ activities, a houseplant sale, free saplings, hand-crafted pottery, a food truck, tool sharpening, and more.
October 11 & 25 | Restore Biodiversity: Tackle Invasive Plants @10:00 am October 11 and 25; November 8 and 22; December 6 and 20. Controlling invasive plants brings a great sense of accomplishment and camaraderie. Sign up on the Events page at www.fodm.org.
October 18 |Re-Gen Fall 2025 Open House - A family-friendly event on Saturday, Oct. 18 @ 10:00 am-2:00 pm, at the Water Pollution Control Plant to learn about Arlington Re-Gen, a major capital improvement project scheduled to begin construction in fall 2025. There will be tours, activities and games for kids, and the opportunity to ask questions. EcoAction Arlington will be there! RSVP
October 18| Forest Bathing @ 10:00 am-12:00 pm. This Forest Bathing Program will guide you through woods and by streams or fields where you will be invited to use your senses to rediscover the natural world around you. Gulf Branch Nature Center. Registration Required.
October 20 | Fall Colors Walk @ 1:00-3:00 pm. Enjoy Dyke Marsh’s fall colors, led by Margaret Chatham and Alan Ford with the Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society. The walk is limited to 20 people so everyone can hear. Sign up on the Events page at www.fodm.org
Oct 22-Nov 19 | Will We Stop Climate Change? A Journey to Solutions 5-week online Course, Wednesdays, 3:30-5:00 pm, October 22-November 19, 2025. Sponsored by Elders Climate Action, Virginia Chapter. An engaging, interactive, fast-paced and informative course on the current status of the climate crisis, solutions to address it and the role each of us can play in preserving our planet for future generations. Register now with: gloriamog@verizon.net. Class size is limited. No fee. For more information on the course: https://canwestopcc.org/webinar-overview/
Our local Sierra Club group has established a minigrant program to award up to $500 to groups proposing a local project on environmental sustainability including planting natives. If interested send an email to both Paul Kaplowitz at pkaplowi@gmail.com and Barbara Swart at barbara@helmets.org.
Arlington County Fall Free Tree Distribution - The Arlington County Dept. of Parks and Recreation is providing 500 young native trees to Arlington residents at no cost this fall. Online tree reservations may be made now, while supplies last. Limit of one (1) tree total per residential property. For more information about the tree distribution program visit the county website.
EcoAction Arlington is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that works to educate, advocate, and act to create a sustainable community by improving our natural environment, encouraging environmentally friendly behaviors, ensuring environmental justice, and addressing the climate crisis. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website or signed up for one of our events/programs.
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