ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Saturday’s 24th Annual Alexandria Earth Day and Arbor Day focused on what residents can do to promote sustainability. The theme of the event was “Clean Water Starts with You.”
As an environmentally themed puppet show entertained kids, Deputy Director of the Office of Environmental Quality for Alexandria William Scrabak stood under a tent with a large banner reading “Eco-City Alexandria.”
He said there were simple things people can do to promote sustainability: pick up after your pets, don’t over-fertilize your lawn and, rather than bag lawn clippings, either compost them or use lawnmowers that churn them out.
“You’re not using plastic bags and all those nutrients that are in the grass itself go back into the soil to decompose,” Scrabak said.
While some kids picked up free seeds for plants and vegetables, Environmental Specialist Lisa Goldberg spent hours handing out water efficient shower nozzles, energy efficient lights and packets of seeds that are bee friendly.
“This is a native seed mix, it’s is a pollinator mix, which is designed to enhance the bees. We want to increase the bee pollen population.”
The event was held at the Lenny Harris Memorial Fields at Braddock Park. It also featured the Seventh Annual Upcycling Showcase, where students from Alexandria City Public Schools presented creations based on this year’s theme of clean water.
One of the organizers of the event, Lee Ann Tardieu, said the small steps people take make a difference.
“We have to leave it for future generations in a good way.”
