Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination

CONTACT INFORMATION: Our office is open to visitors by appointment only. Please call or email from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
703-324-7136 TTY 711
12000 Government Center Pkwy, Suite 533
Fairfax, VA 22035
John Morrill
Director

Department Resources

A Year of Climate Matters: Highlights from 2025

As 2025 (and our second year of Climate Matters!) comes to a close, we’re feeling so grateful! To everyone who’s written for the blog, read our posts, joined the conversations and shared your thoughts and experiences — thank you! Your support has motivated us to keep creating content that’s insightful, meaningful and impactful.

We wanted to look back and highlight some of our most memorable posts from the past year. From diving into how to protect our drinking water sources to simple ways businesses can lower their carbon footprint — these posts represent why our climate matters.

Take a look!

I Want to Buy an Electric Vehicle, But...

Written by Julie Gurnee, Mitigation Specialist, OEEC

In 2021, one of our family cars was nearing the end of its lifespan, and we needed to start looking for a new car. I really wanted to buy an electric vehicle (EV) but became overwhelmed with questions and concerns, ultimately opting for a hybrid instead. Last year, when upgrading our second aging car, I did my research and decided to go all-in on an EV. Here’s what I know now that I wish I had known in 2021.

I want to buy an EV, bu

Read More about Electric Vehicles

Endangered Grassland Birds Find Sanctuary at I-95 Landfill, Thanks to New Mowing Practices

Written By Kimberly Lewis, Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DWPES)

In an inspiring turn of events for avian enthusiasts and conservationists alike, Fairfax County has modified its mowing procedures at the I-95 Landfill Complex in Lorton to protect endangered grassland birds. The Eastern meadowlark and grasshopper sparrow, among other species, are thriving on a 50-acre meadowland atop the landfill, thanks to these new land management practices.

County-Led Study Leads to New Mowing Procedures

Prompted by a three-month study c

Learn about the I-95 Landfill Helping Birds

From Drafty to Delightful: How a Fairfax County Resident Transformed His Townhome through Electrification

Written by Jeff Warrington, Fairfax County resident

Reston resident Jeff Warrington has been on a journey to make his townhome more energy-efficient and fully electric. Through thoughtful upgrades like weatherization, a heat pump water heater, and an induction stove, Jeff and his wife have reduced their energy use by 21% in the first year and cut utility bills even more since — while enjoying a more comfortable and sustainable home.

Read our interview where Jeff reflects on his motivations, challenges, and the resources that helped him along the way!

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Read about Jeff's Electric Townhome

Rethink Your Ride: Sustainable Transportation in Fairfax County

Written by Emily Bohr, Outreach Specialist, OEEC

Transportation is the largest source of emissions in Fairfax County. Getting around the county accounts for more than 40% of total greenhouse gas emissions — not to mention air pollution that directly affects health —

Rethink Your Ride

Don’t Buy it, Borrow It! Library’s Free Resources Support Sustainability

Written by Sara Prohaska, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL)

If you think about it, libraries are one of the original foundations of a sustainable, sharing economy. A single book can be enjoyed by hundreds of people in its useable lifetime instead of gathering dust on a shelf after one or two reads or, even worse, ending up in a landfill. Now in its 87th year of service to residents, Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) has lent millions of items to millions of people over the years. Pretty impressive!

Check Out the Library of Things

Your library offers

Explore The Library of Things Offerings

We also wanted to sneak in one extra blog for you… one that we devoted to answering some of the most frequently asked questions that our office, the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, gets about environmental and energy topics.

The Clean Thirteen: Answering Your Questions on Climate Action and Sustainability

Written By OEEC Staff

Faithful readers of this blog know that we often use this space to highlight timely issues relevant to sustainability and climate action. Today, we’re devoting this post to answering some of the most frequently asked questions that OEEC gets about environmental and energy topics.

We were going to limit it to 12 questions, but a ‘dirty dozen’ isn’t really on-brand for us. So, we added one more and made it a ‘clean thirteen.’

Without further ado, you asked, we answered…

1. What is Fairfax Cou

Find Answers to Your Most Asked Questions

We are looking forward to more posts in 2026, and we hope you are too!

In the coming weeks, we plan to share posts on: 

  • Environmental Quality Advisory Council’s Student Member Nishka Shah and her passion for sustainability,
  • OEEC’s 2025 intern Jane Holloman recapping her experience,
  • Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

EXPLORE THE CLIMATE MATTERS BLOG

Climate Matters is the blog of Fairfax County’s Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, where we share stories, insights and information related to climate change and environmental sustainability. Posts are written by knowledgeable and passionate OEEC staff members and guest authors. To read all blog posts, visit Climate Matters.

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