Tonight: ACE's "Hallowgreen" 30th Anniversary Gala

The Green Miles will be heading to the Hilton Arlington in Ballston tonight for Hallowgreen! It's the 30th anniversary gala for Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Program highlighting ACE’s 30 years
• Live music by The Walkaways
• Costume contest with cash prizes for:
  • Best Environmental Costume
  • Best Costume from Reused Materials
  • Best Student Costume
• Eco-Horror displays
• Silent auction
• Stewardship awards
• Cash bar
• Refreshments (highlighting local and organic produce) catered by the Hilton Arlington

I'll be entering the "best environmental costume" contest but expect to be beaten soundly by someone much more creative than me. And if you're thinking about outbidding me for the autographed copy of An Inconvenient Truth, you'd better bring your checkbook.

Tickets will be available at the door:

- Single: $75
- Couple: $140
- Students (under 21): $10
- VIP: Single: $175 / Couple: $300

Steep by WUA standards I know, but at least they're practically giving away student tickets.

A major shout out to the sponsors of Hallowgreen: The Nature Conservancy, The Hilton Arlington, Ecoprint, Arbour Realty, The Cadmus Group, and Wild Birds Unlimited.

As much credit as the sponsors deserve, it's kind of surprising to see some big green businesses missing from that list. Where's EnviroCAB (EDIT: Envirocab was not a major sponsor but donated lots of gift certificates)? Where are those Fresh AIRE business champions?

Cross-posted from The Green Miles

Saturday: Arlington E-CARE

Saturday April 18th from 8:30am-3pm at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Arlington County will be hosting its spring E-CARE! The Arlington Environmental Collection and Recycling Event gives you a chance to recycle items not picked up curbside or at county recycling centers.

E-CARE gives you a chance to safely dispose of hazardous waste like car fluids and electronics. The Green Miles plans to drop off some old anti-freeze and a PlayStation 2 that kicked the bucket a couple of years back.

It's also a rare chance to recycle items like shoes, eyeglasses and bikes that may not be of use to you anymore, but could find a second life in a developing country. Come to think of it, it may be time to recycle my embarrassingly huge, not in style now, not in style then, not in style ever high school glasses.

Check out the E-CARE website for a full list of what you can drop off and handling instructions.

Cross-posted from The Green Miles

Take Back the Park and Raise That Glass

Arlington Community Role Models has two environmental events planned in the coming weeks!

First, there's Take Back the Park, an invasive plant removal planned for Saturday, March 22nd from 2-4pm at Potomac Overlook Regional Park with a happy hour to follow at King Street Blues in Courthouse. I say "planned" because it's already been postponed once due to bad weather. Stupid March, always coming in like a lion! But with any luck, it'll be going out like a lamb and we'll get a nice day for it. There are a few volunteer slots left, you can sign up at the CRM website!

Then on Tuesday, April 1st, CRM will host our Monthly Meetup at Pinzimini in Ballston (in the Westin at the corner of Glebe and Wilson). You can RSVP at the CRM website or at the Facebook event page!

One odd thing about the CRM Monthly Meetups -- girls are heavily outnumbering the guys. Right now, RSVPs at the Facebook event page for the April Meetup are running two-to-one female. Wouldn't you think the guys would tell their buddies and more men would start coming? Or is it the opposite -- guys aren't telling their buddies in hopes of keeping the ratio the same?

Major Makeover Planned for Former Bob Peck Site

One of the least pedestrian-friendly locations remaining in Ballston is about to get a makeover:

ARLINGTON, Va.– The Arlington County Board today approved a mixed-use project for the last unplanned redevelopment site in the Ballston Metro station area. The project will replace the former Bob Peck car dealership with office buildings, affordable apartments, townhouses and retail space.

Located at Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard, the project will include two office buildings, incorporating more than 400,000 square feet of office space and 36,000 square feet of retail space; 90 units of affordable housing, and 28 town homes.

Not only that, the development will be environmentally friendly:

The two office buildings are proposed to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The 10-story office building at the corner of Glebe Road and Wilson Boulevard (Office Building A) will include 282,989 square feet of office space and 26,292 square feet of ground floor retail space. It is proposed to achieve Gold LEED certification. The seven-story office building, mid-block along Glebe Road (Office Building B) will include 132,827 square feet of office space and 9,949 square feet of ground floor retail. It is proposed to achieve silver LEED certification. A 6,600 square foot public plaza will be built south of this building.

While the former Bob Peck Chevrolet dealership was a good neighbor, there's no reason to waste prime street space near a Metro station on a car lot. The adjacent Staples is also a relic of Ballston's pre-walkable days. Ever notice how it doesn't even have a path from the sidewalk to the door? Or have windows that face the street?

So can I put in a request now for the new building? Can it have a smoke-free bar that serves organic beer? Is that so much to ask?