Connector bus service added 12 BEBs like this one for zero emissions
Find the web based app to join the effort at sustainchallenge.fairfaxcounty.gov/
Fairfax County is working to address both the cause and effects of climate change. They hope to set an example by government action, and that all residents will discover ways to join in the efforts. Jeffrey C. McKay, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, said “Simple lifestyle changes like conserving energy at home, composting food waste, driving electric vehicles or using public transportation can make a big difference in helping us create a greener, healthier future. Not only do these actions help the environment, but they also save money, improve our health and support the local economy.”
To generate energy saving ideas that county residents might adopt, the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination (OEEC) has issued the Sustain Fairfax Challenge. The online application highlights key actions individuals or community groups can take “to promote environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.” Newly launched, the public awareness campaign summarizes a large library of energy and money saving actions, from quick, inexpensive actions, to those that require substantial time or financial commitments.
What has the county done to lead the way? The Board of Supervisors adopted the county’s operational energy strategy in 2021 to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Buildings and transportation are major factors in any energy saving or carbon reduction plan, both for individuals and government. While residents might consider actions for a single home of an average 2,200 square feet and one or two vehicles, the county has about 500 buildings with 11 million square feet, and a fleet of 6,347 vehicles, the largest municipal fleet in Virginia. So government building and fleet efficiency improvements can do much to help meet county-wide environmental goals.
More efficient lighting and improving heating and cooling systems in county buildings and plans for installation of solar energy systems on system ready buildings are part of the plan. They claim a 16 percent facility energy use decrease in fiscal year 2024 compared to the 2018 baseline, aiming toward a 25 percent energy use decrease by 2030.
The county is transitioning its fleet, which includes motorcycles, fire and garbage trucks, and Connector and school buses, to hybrid or all electric vehicles. So far the transition includes 69 battery electric and 335 hybrid electric vehicles in the county operations fleet, 12 battery electric Connector buses (BEBs), and 73 electric school buses. The majority of the electric school bus fleet came from grants: eight from Dominion Energy; 20 from the state; 42 from the EPA; two were purchased by FCPS for their driver training center.
Currently, public registrations of all-electric (EV) or hybrid light vehicles in the county number about 29,000; only about 3.6 percent of the total registrations. The county is currently working with transportation stakeholders to promote more public and commercial electric vehicle use. According to OEE spokesperson John Wilcox, a draft EV Readiness Strategy will be available for public comment in late July, with a virtual public meeting planned to share information about the plan and answer questions. A final plan is expected in September toward a goal of reaching 15% of all light-duty vehicle registrations to be electric by 2030.
To enlist public participation in reaching other environmental goals, the Sustain Fairfax Challenge is about much more than home energy, light systems and transportation options for saving energy and dollars. Could your household be more water wise? Sustain Fairfax suggestions include quick and easy actions like turning off faucets during tasks, filling the dish or clothes washer before running and running fewer loads, to more expensive options like upgrading washers more than ten years old with more efficient models to save gallons of water and lower water bills.
Could you eat greener with less waste? Using reusable water bottles, bringing your own mug to the coffee cafe, ditching plastic utensils and straws, and composting food waste are suggested ways to live greener.
The challenge app provides an opportunity to check off those practices already followed in your household, bookmark options for new actions, set goals, and earn points and badges for energy efficient practices.
The Sustain Fairfax Challenge, created under contract by BrightAction Communities, at this point seems a largely undiscovered gem. Going live a few months ago, to date, about 150 households have created accounts toward the goal of 1,000 households by March 2026. Reported household actions amount to a five percent reduction of CO2 toward the target of a 1,000 ton decrease.
Find the web based app to join the effort at sustainchallenge.fairfaxcounty.gov/
As we watch our climate conditions become, as OEE describes them, “increasingly hotter, wetter, and weirder,” with increasing severity and frequency of storms, extreme heat, and flooding, this seems like the time for residents to give more thought to personal preparation to mitigate climate impacts. The county has adopted Resilient Fairfax, a plan to deal with the effects of climate change and reminds us how to prepare for climate impacts, such as insulating by your home, readying for violent wind storms and possible power outages, and flooding.
(https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/environment-energy-coordination/resilient-fairfax).
As you prepare, perhaps talk to your neighbors about their preparation as well. That would earn you a badge in the Sustain Fairfax Challenge.
Find more climate and environment resources at: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/environment-energy-coordination/resources-residents.
Explore the county’s other climate plans, policies, and initiatives at
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/environment-energy-coordination/policies-and-initiatives.