I’m attending a forum on IT Government Leadership learning about the NextGen program from the FAA. This billion dollar program is modernizing our airline transportation through GPS, weather forecasting, digitizing the analog, and much much more.
The environmental impact of this program primarily concerns fuel use. Doing so though updating and simplifying flight routes, allowing for glide paths to landings (instead of stop-n-go). The net benefit should mean lower fuel costs for airlines, maybe lower ticket prices, and definitely less fuel use. This picture highlights the expected fuel and time savings …

This month’s DC Field to Fork newsletter just came in and there are plenty of fun urban gardener events to attend.
Events
Thurs, Jun 3 & Sat, Jun 5
Invasive Plant Lecture and Field Workshop: Learn to identify and combat invasive plants, free.
Sat, Jun 5
22nd Annual Clean The Chesapeake Bay, for 3 hours join volunteers all over the Chesapeake, free.
Mon, Jun 7
DC Green Drinks at 1905 Restaurant featuring Clean Currents, 630pm, free.
Sat, Jun 12
Nerd Nite at DC9: presentations on mad science, wall street gremlins, and sexy apes. All proceeds benefit the …

Rad. Philippe is down in the gulf. The reports are coming out very heroic and being blasted over CNN and the major news sites.
Here is one CNN report:

Philippe Cousteau Jr, the grandson of famous marine biologist, Jacques Cousteau, recently scuba dived into an area of the Gulf that was affected by the spill and said it was an “absolute nightmare”.
Cousteau also said that a chemical dispersant being used to absorb the oil isn’t working as it should be.
“We were about 15 to 20 feet down and it was dispersed into …

It’s been a little over 8 months since A Clean Life was brought into the world. It was quite an odd birth.
I had this idea. That’s it just an idea.
I began telling friends, family, and coworkers about it. To my amazement it ignited their passions. They enthusiastically encouraged me to keep developing the idea. Some began researching on their own and reporting back to me. Nearly all started telling me about anything environmentally friendly they were doing.
It was like standing up in a large room and having everyone look at …

Starting January 1 of this year (2010) everybody in the district will be coughing up 5 cents to get a plastic or paper bag from every place that sells food or alcohol. That’s right we’ve reached the point where American laziness is preventing progress and we are switching to forceful laws (aka progressive taxation).
It’s really a test of environmental will which I’m calling the ‘great DC bag experiment‘.  The revenue from the bag tax will go towards cleaning up the Anacostia River. A laudable cause. Even a progressive one. In …

Hello Everyone. As the weather cools down the shopping season is heating up. This weekend my family and I began the “what do you want” questioneering process, only to find that we weren’t that into it.
Something has changed for us and, thanks to the brilliant and kind heart of my brother Spencer, we are foregoing all but the mightiest of gifts in favor of our favorite charities.
So, without further ado, I let him explain in his own words. The email I just received:
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Hey Everyone, Greetings and Happily Holidays to …

**This is cross posted on the Navstar blog, where I am the new Director of Green IT**
You may have recently read that Navstar introduced our Green IT program. We are very excited about this business line and the opportunity it provides for us to make a difference and help our community.
With that in mind we are happy to provide some green tips in our blog to help our local community.
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Did you know that most of us recycle less than we can?
In some communities we recycle up to 50% less than …

This morning I was fortunate to attend new media press event with Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. A small group of us took a short trip outside of Washing DC to Tree and Leaf Farm. Which is exactly 47 miles away from the Dupont Farmers Market in the city, according to co-owner Georgia O’Neal.
The reason for this farm adventure was to launch a very special program for the USDA, called Know Your Farmer Know Your Food. The details of which are still coming out. DepSec Merrigan did clue us …

As summer comes to a close and school begins anew I wanted to take some time to highlight something special in DC. The Mayor’s Conservation Corps.
This is a city sponsored effort to provide district youth with social employment. They get paid $7.25/hour and participate in programs like graffiti removal, cleaning parks, community projects, outreach, and more.
It is really a fantastic program for our fair city, which is in need of some beautification. Especially the non-NorthWest affluent areas. Then our kids, oh gosh, have you seen some of these youngsters. If …

A few months ago, Amy and I met with the founder of Busboys and Poets, Andy Shallal, at his new restaurant Eatonville. He entranced us as he delved into his social beliefs and the incorporation of this ethic into his restaurants. My favorite example was the Arab/Israeli roundtables, where each person is allowed to speak but not argue, I could not imagine those conversations.
This Wednesday, September 2, at 7pm his Shirlington (south Arlington, VA) location is going to focus on food. They are partnering with Media that Matters to have a …