I always enjoy the change of seasons, but I’m particularly fond of fall. The cool weather, cozy sweaters, beautiful trees on my bike rides, and an endless supply of candy to hand out to the neighborhood children. As the weather changes, it’s also a reminder to prepare our homes for winter. If you heat your house with natural gas, please make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector with fresh batteries. Burning natural gas releases toxic fumes, and it’s important to stay safe. Now is a great time to switch to a heat pump to heat and cool your home with electricity – and you can still get up to a $2,000 tax credit if you install before the end of the year. If you rent or aren’t in the market for a new system, head over to the Alexandria Library and check out a thermal camera to identify drafts in your home and seal it up with caulk, foam, or add shrink wrap to your windows to add an extra layer of insulation. Check out Eco-City Homes for more information. Take time to enjoy the weather, take a stroll to an Eco-City Business and do some local shopping.

- Ryan Freed, Climate Action Officer 

City Receives Silver Charging Smart Designation

Alexandria is the first City in Virginia to receive a Charging Smart designation!  

The City of Alexandria has received a Silver designation from the national Charging Smart program for adopting best practices to encourage the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) and charging infrastructure. Alexandria’s strong policies and programs make it easier to install EV chargers, including EV-friendly zoning codes and permitting processes.  The City’s commitment to electrifying its municipal fleet reflects its broader clean energy and climate goals.  

Charging Smart is made possible by partners including the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) and Virginia Clean Cities. 

Leading the Way in Stormwater Solutions: The City of Alexandria is one of the 2025 MS4 Award Winners

The City was recognized by Water Environment Federation (WEF) for excellence in the MS4 Phase II Innovation and Program Management category, alongside five other leading organizations. The Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Awards recognize excellence in stormwater management by honoring communities that go above and beyond to protect water resources. Each year, the awards highlight communities that demonstrate exceptional innovation, program management, and community impact. 

Honored for its forward-thinking strategies and proactive approach to managing urban stormwater, Alexandria is setting a strong example for other communities. The award highlights a growing focus on data-driven solutions, community collaboration, and sustainable infrastructure in stormwater management.  

By embracing new technologies, engaging the public, and integrating green infrastructure, Alexandria has demonstrated how local governments can lead the charge in environmental stewardship.

Visit: WEF for more information 

Leaf Collection 2025

The City of Alexandria's 2025 leaf vacuuming and leaf bag collection program will begin November 3, 2025. 

Alexandria is sectioned into five collection zones, each with a specific start date. Residents who receive City trash collection receive three passes by vacuuming trucks during leaf season. Crews will post signs listing the earliest dates of the second and third passes in each zone, but inclement weather may cause schedule delays. It will take crews several days to complete a single vacuuming pass in each zone, so you may not see a truck on the first posted date for collection. 

Residents can access the interactive Residential Leaf Collection Viewer map to look up assigned leaf collection dates based on their home address. 

View the 2025 residential leaf collection mailer. 

Act Now Campaign 

Meeting Alexandria's ambitious carbon reduction goals means we need 53,000 homes to be energy efficient by 2030. That means residents like you taking action to improve your homes—and there are financial incentives to help! 

Federal tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements will expire on December 31st, so you have just a few weeks left to upgrade your home, improve energy efficiency, and earn up to $3,200 in federal tax credits! 

Did you know that by upgrading to a heat-pump water heater you could be using two to three times less energy compared to a conventional electric unit? Simple improvements like this support Alexandria’s Environmental Action Plan 2040 to cut greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030 and nearly eliminate them by 2050. Similarly, heat pumps can reduce your energy use for heating by up to 75%, are better dehumidifiers than standard central air conditioning, and provide better indoor air quality than a gas furnace. They provide both heating and air conditioning, so you benefit from energy savings year-round. You can claim up to $2,000 in federal tax credits on heat pumps and heat pump water heaters. 

There are also tax credits for insulation, air sealing, energy audits and more. Check Energy for more information. 

Have you already made your house more energy efficient? Sign up for Eco-City Homes Program to get recognized for your efforts! Anyone can apply, whether you’re a renter or own a house or condo.

Electric Vehicle Ride and Drive and Showcase   

The City held an Electric Vehicle (EV) Ride & Drive and Showcase on September 27, 2025. The EV Ride and Drive gave attendees a hands-on look at what it’s like to own an electric vehicle. Attendees test-drove EVs from Hyundai and Rivian and tried out micromobility options like E-bikes and scooters from Capital Bikeshare, Lime, and GCOO. Local EV owners were on-hand to answer questions about EV ownership, and DASH and Alexandria City Public Schools also brought one of their electric buses, highlighting the City’s commitment to electrifying our own fleets.  

City and community organizations, such as GO Alex, the Sierra Club, the Transportation Federal Credit Union, and the Electric Vehicle Association of DC were also at the event to share insights and resources.  

Although the federal EV tax credit expired on September 30, 2025, it’s still a great time to consider switching to an EV. The City of Alexandria is dedicated to making it easier for folks that live, work, or play in Alexandria to use an EV – whether that’s a car, a bus, or an E-bike!  

Alexandria’s 7th Graders Dive into Local Watersheds with Hands-On Field Experience

On a clear, bright day, Tom Persichetti holds up a branch with small bluish berries and tells a group of twenty curious 7th graders that the plant is called porcelain berry—an invasive species found in Alexandria. A few hundred feet later, he points to two trees: one healthy, the other partly covered in porcelain berry. “What do you think will happen to that tree?” he asks. “It will die,” a student replies. Tom explains that he volunteers to remove invasive plants to help protect the trees, though it’s a big job.

This is the first stop on the students’ watershed walk at Ben Brenman Pon, located in western Alexandria off Duke Street. Upgraded in 2020, the pond helps treat stormwater by allowing sediment to settle before cleaner water moves through its three-cell system and flows into local waterways and eventually the Chesapeake Bay.

The watershed walk is one of four stations the 7th graders visit during their annual Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE). In 2024, the City partnered with Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) to launch field trips for all 1,000+ 7th graders to learn about invasive species, stormwater management, water quality, and carbon emissions. City staff and volunteers lead the activities, connecting classroom lessons to hands-on learning.

For many students, it’s their first visit to Ben Brenman Pon, and their first time using a Secchi disk to test water clarity. It’s a day of observing turtles, birds, and fish, while thinking critically about plants and ecosystems. The City is proud to partner with ACPS on this unique experience and hopes to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.

Eco-City Homes

This month, Sustainability Coordinator Samantha Heitsch sat down with Eugenia Chung, who is a proud Eco-City Homes participant and renter in Alexandria.

As a Silver-tier Eco-City Home, you’re saving energy and water, reducing waste, and even being eco-friendly in taking care of your outdoor space. Could you share more about some actions you’re taking to be sustainable?

I was excited to have my compost picked up with the City’s curbside program! It’s been a year, and we have been really happy about it; we’ve gotten gardening soil while preventing food waste. The most exciting part was getting to know other gardeners, connecting with each other—they’ve generously given seedlings and advice to beginners like me. We’re also using an electric lawn more instead of gas—there’s a core vibe of the neighborhood to move away from gas. The atmosphere is that people are all together to make the city more eco-friendly and sustainable.

What does it mean to you to be an Eco-City Home?

I’m so proud. I have a lot of friends outside of Alexandria, and whenever I introduce my city, I say that we are an Eco-City and what we’re doing. People know what is really important to them, and I really appreciate that we share those values and can talk about them through our networks.

Eco-City Business

The Eco-City Business program is proud to include two Alexandria salons, Holistic Hair Studio and Salon deZEN, who sat down for a chat with Sustainability Coordinator Samantha Heitsch this month. 

Leah Lattus is the owner of Holistic Hair Studio, a certified organic hair salon offering 100% organic color and natural treatments, where sustainability is the standard—not just a goal. The salon recycles up to 95% of would-be waste via Green Circle Salons; saves energy with LED lighting, efficient appliances, and programmable thermostats; and conserves water with eco-friendly fixtures. She says that being recognized as an Eco-City Business is “an honor [and] an acknowledgment that small businesses like ours can make a big impact when we lead with intention and care.” 

Lee Wilson is a manager at Salon deZEN, an inclusive, eco-friendly hair salon. The salon has worked with Green Circle Salons and TerraCycle to recycle 95% of would-be waste such as single use items (like foils and gloves), hair color, and hair clippings. They also avoid single-use items, offering ceramic cups for beverages and cloth towels instead of paper, and offer a discount when customers refill empty bottles of hair products. Their shampoo stations have water-efficient nozzles, and they conserve energy with efficient lighting and thermostat settings. Lee notes that hair salons “are all about community,” and loves that the Eco-City Business program is creating a network centered around taking care of the greater community. 

You can visit Holistic Hair Studio at 1433 Powhatan Street and Salon deZen at 118 N. Fayette Street or 533 Montgomery Street. 

Alexandria Beautification Commission

We had some great conversations with residents at Alexandria’s Beautification Commission's annual awards ceremony on Thursday, October 16, 2025. 
Held at the Platinum LEED-certified AlexRenew Environmental Center, this celebration highlighted the people and projects making Alexandria a more vibrant place, showcasing that beautification is not just about looks, but also about creating community. 

Spooky Mad Science Expo

On Saturday, October 18th, we participated in the Spooky Mad Science Expo. Huge kudos to Zohreh Khoshnamak the CEO from Chrysalis Development Group for putting together such a fun and electrifying event! 
We helped slay energy vampires which are devices plugged in but not in use, like phone chargers, game consoles, or coffee makers left on standby. 
 
This hidden energy drain can add up to around $200 a year! Check out a kill-a-watt and/or a thermal camera from the library and start saving money today. 

November

Utility Resource Fair - Saturday, November 1, 2025 • 1-5 p.m.

Eco-City Business Webinar - Reducing Waste - Wednesday, November 5, 10-11 a.m.

Housing Affordability Advisory Committee - Thursday, November 6, 2025 • 7-9 p.m.

Flood Resilience Plan Community Outreach Meeting - Monday, November 10, 2025 • 7-8:30 p.m.

Beautification Commission Meeting - Thursday, November 13, 2025 • 7-9 p.m.

AlexRenew Finance and Audit Committee Meeting - Wednesday, November 12, 2025 • 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Housing 2040 Community Meeting #5 - Monday, November 17, 2025 • 6:30-8:45 p.m.

Waterfront Commission Meeting - Tuesday, November 18, 2025 • 7:30-9:30 a.m.

Stormwater Utility and Flood Mit. Advisory Group - Wednesday, November 19, 2025 • 7-9 p.m.

December

Planning Commission Public Hearing - Tuesday, December 2, 2025 • 7-11:59 p.m.

Housing Affordability Advisory Committee - Thursday, December 4, 2025 • 7-9 p.m.

Duke Street Land Use Plan Community Open House - Wednesday, December 10, 2025 • 6-8:30 p.m.

Beautification Commission Meeting - Thursday, December 11, 2025 • 7-9 p.m.

City Council Public Hearing Meeting - Saturday, December 13, 2025 • 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.