Choosing Paper or Plastic at Local Stores Will Soon Cost You in D.C.
When grocery shopping, do you use paper or plastic? Beginning January 1, 2010, both choices will cost you in Washington, D.C.
The Potomac River continues to struggle with pollution from waste and disposable bags. As a partner in the Trash Free Potomac Watershed Treaty, the District is focused on reducing trash in the Anacostia River, a major tributary to the Potomac River. Given out in virtually every supermarket and convenience store, disposable bags make up over 20 percent of the river’s trash. A new law will reduce the amount of throwaway bags used in the city.
DC Mayor, Adrian Fenty, signed a law in July of 2009 that will impose a $.05 fee for every plastic and paper disposable bag customers use. To prepare for the law’s January 1, 2010 effective date, Mayor Fenty and the District Department of the Environment have announced an education campaign targeting District residents.
Titled, Skip the Bag, Save the River, the campaign will help citizens make the transition from using disposable bags to using reusable bags. To ensure that everyone has access to reusable bags, the government will hand out 122,000 reusable bags to low-income families and senior citizens. CVS/pharmacy will distribute an additional 12,000 sacks and offer an incentive coupon program to customers with reusable bags. For individuals who still use disposable bags, the majority of their fee will go toward the Anacostia River Protection Fund. The rest of the money will allow businesses to offer a $.05 rebate to customers who choose reusable bags.
This program is only the beginning of the efforts to make the Potomac River clean again.
For more information on the Skip the Bag, Save the River campaign go to:
http://green.dc.gov/green/cwp/view.asp?a=1248&q=463102&PM=1



While wandering between the beds, peeking into the huge compost bins filled with kitchen scraps from White House dinners and standing next to the buzzing beehive, we learned about heirloom seeds, seasonal vegetables, honeybees, pollination and even met White House Executive Pastry Chef 
Last Friday, November 6, Earth Day Network’s Education team carried out a successful “green makeover” of William C. Overfelt High School, in San José, CA. The highlight of this event was the installation of a 2.2k/W solar panel system that will save the school an estimated $30,000 and over 112,000 lbs. of carbon emissions over 25 years. Earth Day Network also provided the school with an educational energy monitoring system so teachers and students can keep track of energy generation and savings.
Other features of the makeover included a large student-designed eco-mural, “smart” powerstrip swap-out in computer labs and library to reduce energy usage, and the installation of an edible garden, orchard, and rainwater collection system. Local volunteers from the University of Phoenix enthusiastically joined Earth Day Network and Overfelt students and teachers to carry out these projects.
Earth Day Network will continue to work with teachers and students at Overfelt through our



















