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Reston Environmental Action (REACT) is a non-profit organization mobilizing residents in grassroots activities promoting the environmental and community health of Reston. We support a sustainable local economy that respects our natural and human resources and strive to increase awareness of the impact of individual and community lifestyle and consumption choices on the land, air, water and the community. |
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Home by home, neighborhood by neighborhood, |
REACT members identify, design and implement community environmental projects.
These community actions are building blocks that support larger movements and complement national strategies to implement sound environmental practices.
REACT is a member-directed organization. Members determine, plan and are involved in implementing our projects. We welcome any level of participation - from simply joining and keeping up with our activities through our monthly emails to involvement in a committee or holding neighborhood meetings. Members, as well as the general public, are also invited to join us at the REACT Annual Membership Meeting held each October.
Making changes in our daily lives adds up to significant progress. And we can accomplish so much more by meeting with neighbors. "The 'little things' we all do are not futile. In fact, little things add up fast. Especially if you do them, and then talk to your friends and family so that they start doing them too. That's the magic of the multiplier effect." Grist, June 2010
"Lots of us have ideas for community projects that protect the environment, but without an organization to provide support, it's hard to find the time to organize a project yourself." REACT received the 2009 Reston Citizens Association Reston Sustainability Award in the nonprofit category. | |
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Projects |
How the projects work
REACT projects are carried out through neighborhood meetings. Your neighborhood could be your cluster, street or building. When neighbors work together to make changes for the environment, it's more effective and enjoyable.
Your participation requires minimal time and effort. Simply host a meeting for your neighbors in your home or in a nearby common area and REACT will:
Distribute fliers to invite your neighbors
Bring handouts to the meeting and present ideas on greening your day-to-day activities
Survey the participants to measure behavior change in your neighborhood and distribute the results
REACT promotes the adoption of actions to help the environment. Research shows that simply providing information does not generally lead to a change in habits. The good news is that a few simple extra steps make a big difference. Working with other residents, especially neighbors, and participating in meetings has a great impact.
Certain projects, such as Reston Recycles! and Drive Less, Breathe Better especially lend themselves to neighborhood meetings because information can be tailored to the specific location. Plus, when you work with neighbors, you may involve residents who would not have sought the information out on their own, but whose interest is piqued by the neighborhood meeting. And, neighbors tend to share information that reinforces the message.
In addition, the phrase 'community building' may be overused, but it's not overrated! Neighbors working together increases the sense of community and is often used as an indicator of a neighborhood's overall quality of life.
And lastly, by working through our projects, we are able to evaluate our progress ad make changes as needed.
But what if no one shows up? |
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Reston Recycles/Close the Loop |
Instructions on what to recycle and how to prepare items change frequently. Do you and your neighbors know what to recycle at your curb or in your building? Are yogurt containers acceptable? (Varies) Do plastic rings need to be removed from bottles? (No) All seven neighborhoods that have participated in this project increased their recycling. We complete the project with a meeting to provide more information on closing the loop by re-using and reducing. These participants receive a reusable shopping bag.
Surveys after Close the Loop meetings have all shown increases in the use of durable products such as cloth napkins, and in the use of recycled-content products such as paper and tissue. For example, in Moorings, 44% of participants use reusable shopping bags more often, and in Coleson, 33% have increased their use of reusable water bottles over disposable. Think about the impact of simply placing items in a recycling bin. We are preventing many pounds of mining and manufacturing waste caused by extracting and processing virgin materials. Using recycled materials to make new products saves energy and other resources, reduces greenhouse gases and pollution, and reduces deforestation and damage to fragile ecosystems. Manufacturing aluminum from recycled materials uses 95% less energy than manufacturing virgin aluminum. Manufacturing steel and plastic from recycled material uses 80% less energy. Manufacturing paper uses 64% less and glass uses 50% less energy. Plus, glass, steel and aluminum can continue to be recycled over and over again. Green America |
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Energy Efficiency |
According to Co-op America, "The quickest, easiest and most powerful way to move at the speed and scale necessary to counteract the worst effects of climate change is by vastly ramping up our energy efficiency efforts - at home, at work, and as a nation and world. It's the closest thing we've got to a magic bullet that will solve the climate crisis, but all of us have to be willing to do our part, right now." Energy conservation is one of the easiest ways for each of us to contribute to reducing global climate change emissions. Plus, it reduces air and water pollution from fuel extraction, delivery and use. This new project provides information on using less energy with heating and cooling, lighting, cooking, and more. Participants in this program have decreased energy use through many conservation methods and more efficient use of electronics.
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| Eco-Friendly Yard & Garden Care
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This project promotes yards that feature native plants that provide food for butterflies and songbirds and without requiring synthetic pesticides and fertilizers; rain barrels that save water and help to protect our streams; and healthy soil from recycling with compost. These meetings have prompted residents to remove invasive plants, plant native plants and begin composting and using rain barrels. "It is estimated that seven million birds die each year because of exposure to lawn pesticides. Audubon at Home |
| Drive Less, Breathe Better |
We all want to reduce the impact of global warming, and we may know that car use is major contributor to both global warming emissions and pollution, but reducing single-occupancy car trips isn't easy. We provide bus schedules and trail maps specific to your neighborhood, as well as other resource information such as ride-sharing programs. Residents have increased carpooling and bus use as a result of this project. "Although we have resisted assigning an overall ranking to the different categories of personal consumption, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that personal use of cars and light trucks is the single most damaging consumer behavior. It is a major direct cause of greenhouse gases and many types of air pollution." Union of Concerned Scientists
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Join REACT |
Please contact us if you are interested in participating in the organization or if you wish to make a tax-deductible donation. You can also download and complete our membership form and send it to the address below. Why should I become a member?
REACT is a member-directed organization. Members determine, plan and are involved in implementing our projects. We welcome any level of participation - from simply joining and keeping up with our activities through our monthly emails to involvement in a committee or holding neighborhood meetings.
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Contact Us |
Reston Environmental Action
PO Box 8942
Reston, VA 20195
Phone: 703-620-0151
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About Us |
Thea Kreinik, President Kelly Daly, Vice-President John Higgins, Treasurer Diane Blust, Secretary Steve Cerny, Board Member Bob Mowbray, Board Member Carolyn Badila, Board Member Mary Brown, Director
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| Resources |
Information in our brochures and fliers were researched by members. To receive a copy, email info@RestonEnvironmentalAction dot org, or call 703-620-0151 |
