Friends, join us and 30,000 friends this Saturday!

On Saturday we’ll be presenting at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.! This will be our second appearance in the nation’s capital this summer, following our participation last month in the White House’s first-ever Summit on Environmental Justice. Read on for more information about those events plus opportunities to volunteer with us in September!

Library of Congress National Book Festival

At this Saturday’s National Book Festival, sponsored by the Library of Congress, we’re giving two presentations and hosting a table in the festival's first-ever STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) District. Visit our table from 9am - 6pm to participate in our sustainability scavenger hunt or play our Power of Pollinators game, and check out our presentations on sustainable living at 10:30 and 11:00am. We’re excited to see you there!

National Book Festival

Saturday, August 24

Walter E. Washington Convention Center

STEM District: Hall DE, Level 2 of the North Building.

Environmental Justice in Action Summit 

We were honored to receive an invitation to attend the first-ever White House Summit on Environmental Justice in Action held on Wednesday, July 24th. What a special day it was!

Attendees included environmental justice leaders from around the country, many of whom have been working to raise awareness for decades. It was a thrilling and celebratory moment, marking their achievement of reaching the highest level of our government and having their stories and concerns heard and recognized. The main message was that all Americans have the  “right to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live in a healthy community – now and into the future.” We agree!

While the work for environmental justice has begun, it is far from over. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing stories highlighting recent efforts to address environmental justice across the country through social media. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram! And check out our reel on environmental justice from a couple months ago.

W&OD Day of Service and Social 9/21

Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 21, when we’ll be meeting at the W&OD Trail in Vienna from 3-5pm to pull invasive plants and socialize together afterwards. Learn alongside us about the importance of native and invasive plants, help beautify the trail, and then join us at the Caboose Brewery to relax and learn more about our vision for native meadows along the trail. 

Please register below so we know how many people to expect.

Help us promote recycling at WoodsTACO and Tater Fest

On Saturday, September 28, we’ll be volunteering to promote recycling at two Shenandoah County celebrations: Woodstock’s WoodsTACO and Mount Jackson’s Tater Fest. Join us at our table to educate people about the state of recycling in the county, encourage people to recycle at our collection stations, and (if you can) help us transport empty bottles and cans to the local collection center. If you want to join us for a few hours, reply to this email and we’ll send you more information. Thanks in advance for helping us keep waste out of our landfill!

Read about us in the press

One of our favorite hometown papers, The Mountain Courier, recently interviewed Executive Director Andrea McGimsey at a meadow seeding party at the Rappahannock County Landfill. Read the article here!

ICYMI Socials

Seed Bombs
A fun craft combining leftover newspaper with native seeds to create “gardening grenades”

Silica Gel Packet Reuse
You know those white packets you find in some packages? Well you can reuse them to help fight moisture and odor. 

Strawberry Top Vinegar

Don’t let those strawberry tops go to waste! Instead, use them to make delicious vinegar. 

We need a volunteer photographer or videographer (amateur or experienced) to capture photos and footage of the Library of Congress National Book Festival event this Saturday, August 24. If you're interested please email hello@sustainabilitymatters.earth. 

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