Ask The Green Miles: Beavers in Ballston?

This Saturday (July 28) at 5pm, Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment and Community Role Models will co-host the Ballston Beaver Pond Cleanup!

Most Ballston residents don't even know the pond exists. It's right next to the Fairfax Drive I66 on-ramp. You can see 66 in the background of this picture ... and in the foreground, trash floating in the pond.

Most cleanups are limited to just picking up trash on the water's edge, but we're going all-out for this one. ACE has arranged for two boats and skimmers, so some intrepid volunteers will be able to get out in the water to get every bit of trash in the pond.

Once the cleanup is over, we'll head over to Bailey's in the Ballston Common Mall. Always a friend of volunteer groups, Bailey's is providing us with free appetizers. Even if you can't make the cleanup, please join us at Bailey's! We should be there around 7pm.

Sign up here! Here's a question from a volunteer:

Are there really beavers in this pond??

I went to Elenor of Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment for the answer:

Good question. Not right now but there definitely have been off and on over the last few years. They tend to be transient, I guess like other residents of the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.

It is a good wildlife spot with lots of birds. In general, a nice little oasis in the midst of I-66/Ballston high rises.

If you have an environmental question, Ask The Green Miles!

Tonight: CRM's Beers with the Bloggers!

CRM's Beers with the Bloggers takes place tonight! We'll be at Carpool from 7pm until around 9pm in the front room (facing Fairfax Drive). Just look for me in the tshirt with the ornate multi-hued CRM logo.

The event got a nice mention on DCBlogs yesterday. Here's who we have confirmed so far:

DC Sports Chick

Eric from What's Up Arlington

The Green Miles

Steve from Buckingham Herald TribBlog

However, if you would be more swayed by an event pitch written entirely in Office Space and Chappelle's Show references, click here.

March 21st: CRM's Beers with the Bloggers

Arlington County's Community Role Models program would like to invite bloggers to join us at our upcoming "Beers with the Bloggers" event! It will take place on Wednesday, March 21st, from 7-9pm at Carpool in Ballston. The event has a dual purpose -- helping Northern Virginia bloggers network, and promoting Arlington blogs among with CRM members.

Please spread the word to any Arlington bloggers you know! DC bloggers who want to mingle with Arlingtonians are welcome to attend as well. So far, What's Up Arlington's Eric and The Buckingham Herald Tribblog's Steve have said they'll plan to attend. My love of beer is almost as well known as my love of the environment, so I'll be there too. If you'd like to come, please register, and bring business cards or flyers to promote your blog!

I checked with Carpool, and unfortunately health code forbids us from inviting Girasol. However, her owners are welcome to attend on her behalf!

ACE Pickup & Drinkup a Big Success!

Saturday's Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment Pickup & Drinkup was held in conjunction with Clean Virginia Waterways and the International Coastal Cleanup, and Single Volunteers of DC and Arlington County's Community Role Models program provided volunteers.

About 40 people came out for the Pickup, held at Four Mile Run in Barcroft Park. The volunteers cleanup up items as mundane as cigarette butts, styrofoam pieces, and beverage containers, and as exotic as a bondage outfit, a steering wheel (column still attached), and a portable toilet door.

Once the stream cleanup was finished, volunteers headed to the Drinkup in Shirlington at The Energy Club, which donated free food and drinks to thank participants for their hard work on a warm late-summer day. All told, volunteers collected hundreds of pounds of trash, and donated hundreds of dollars for environmental programs right here in Arlington!

You can see photos of the event on Backfence or in the ACE Yahoo Group. Hope to see you at the next ACE event, the Organic Beer Tasting on September 21st!