Good day, I’m Terry Rounds, and welcome to the Fairfax County News to Use podcast of April 15, 2008. Coming up, learn about an upcoming volunteer fair for older adults, proper trash disposal, the county’s farmers markets and things you can do to help the environment. Links to topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news.
Boomers, retirees and older adults of all ages seeking flexible, meaningful volunteer opportunities are invited to the Venture into Volunteering fair, on Wednesday, May 7th from 10 a.m. to noon at the Herndon Senior Center, 873 Grace Street in Herndon. Representatives from 25 nonprofit organizations and Fairfax County will describe their volunteer opportunities. For more information, call 703-324-5184.
Streets, gutters, storm drains and streams are not trash cans. Anything that is thrown from a vehicle, left on a parking lot or dumped into a storm drain is carried by rain water into storm drains and directly into county streams and lakes, not to a waste water treatment plant. Cigarette butts, plastic and glass bottles, food containers, cans, plastic shopping bags and anything else that is not disposed of properly in trash receptacles or recycled, flows to the Potomac River and ultimately to the Chesapeake Bay. Trash is not only unsightly; it degrades residential and commercial property values; it kills the fish, the turtles and other wildlife in county streams; damages wetlands; and pollutes the Potomac River and the Bay. The Potomac River is a source of drinking water for more than one million Fairfax County residents. Litter leads to blocked storm drains which then cause flooded streets, property damage to homes, vehicles and businesses. Lets all do our part in helping to keep Fairfax County “green” and healthy.
Fairfax County’s Farmers Markets open May 1st and continue until November 19th. There are 11 markets located across the county, open different days throughout the week. All farmers and producers come no further than 125 miles from Fairfax County. Buy local and support sustainable agriculture in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. You will find the freshest and most desirable fruit, vegetables, plants, baked goods, eggs, dairy and meats available. For more information, visit the News to Use Web page or call 703-642-0128.
And finally, Earth Day is around the corner and there are many things you can do in your household and in your neighborhood to become more environmentally conscious. Fairfax County’s new Cool Neighborhoods templates will help you consider some actions to take – or not to take – when making choices in transportation, shopping, in your yard, for your neighborhood and elsewhere. For the full details, visit the News to Use Web page.
That’s all for this News to Use podcast. Thanks for listening. For more information about the topics in this podcast and for continuous news updates, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news. You may also call 703-FAIRFAX, that’s 703-324-7329, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. News to Use is produced by the Fairfax County, Virginia, government.