RVA EFF Kicks Off Tonight With VCU Sponsored Film

Posted on by
Reply

The 11th Annual RVA Environmental Film Festival kicks off TONIGHT with the world premiere of the feature-length documentary Frozen Obsession, chronicling the expedition of the Swedish icebreaker Oden through 2,000 miles of the Arctic to study the impact of climate change. For even more insight into the findings of this amazing voyage, a panel discussion follows the screening with director and producer David Clark, Donglai Gong of Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and the VCU students who were part of this historic research trip.
Be sure to check out the full schedule for the festival, February 12th – 26th, at RVAEFF.org. Read descriptions and see the trailers of over 20 carefully selected films covering a wide array of environmental issues – 5th graders taking on plastic pollution; the benefits of regenerative agriculture; the impact of sea level rise on our national security; the quest of Native Americans for food sovereignty, and so much more!
The entire festival is free to viewers thanks to the generous support of our sponsors. However, registration is required for all films, which is done through festival web page, www.rvaeff.org

Tell SCC: Support SRECs for Community Solar

Posted on by
Reply

TODAY is the deadline to send comments to the SCC to help increase VA SREC values.

Background:The VA State Corporation Commission is setting the rules for the implementation of the DG carveout for the Virginia Clean Economy Act as it relates to Dominion Energy filing. The carveout is the percentage of the 100% clean energy goal that will be allocated to distributed solar projects. The Commission will determine what kind of energy projects qualify for the carveout and ultimately how much SRECs are valued. The commission will decide the extent to which solar homeowners are eligible for these credits, and if so, how much these credits are worth. Their decision will affect the value of SREC’s, an important production-based incentive for solar on homes, businesses, and nonprofits in VA.
We’re asserting that to maintain a high value SREC, it’s important that the SCC reserves the solar carveout in the VCEA exclusively for net metered, customer-owned and sited solar. We also see the opportunity to ask the SCC to increase the floor of the carveout as well. But the biggie is making sure that the carveout is reserved for customer owned and sited generation. Solar United Neighbors is joining a number of industry groups to intervene in the proceeding but it’s important that as many VA solar advocates (you’ll) comment as well!
Submit Comments to the SCC before COB 2/12/21.
The commission is accepting public comments regarding Dominion Energy’s filing through Friday.
Go this link:
https://www.scc.virginia.gov/casecomments/comment/PUR-2020-00134
Follow the directions. Fill out the required information, including your name, address, email and other contact information.
In the section marked ‘Comments’, explain why the SCC should support Virginians’ ability to go solar. We’ve drafted a message below, but please personalize your message. If you have solar, tell the commission how it has benefited you and your family. If you don’t have solar, tell the commission you support expanding solar in Virginia.
Hit the submit button
Email to State Corporation Commission (feel free to customize based on your personal or organizational goals)

Dear State Corporation Commission Staff and Commissioners, RE: PUR-2020-00134
The solar installed on homes and businesses across the Commonwealth does more than provide electricity. It creates good local jobs. It makes our electric grid more reliable. And, it provides clean energy. Distributed solar owners deserve credits for these benefits.
Distributed solar energy must play a role in Virginia’s 100% clean energy goal as part of the Virginia Clean Economy Act. You can see that this happens by taking the following steps:
– Reserve the distributed generation carveout solely for customer-owned and sited,net metered solar systems.
– The 1% distributed generation carveout should be a minimum, not maximum amount. This will ensure that more Virginians are able to participate and receive a value for their role in Virginia’s clean energy transition.
– Increase the carve out by a minimum of 1% of the annual RPS requirement on a yearly basis to ensure maximum economic impact. This is consistent with the economic transition requirements contained in the Virginia Clean Economy Act.
Distributed solar is responsible for creating a majority of all solar jobs in Virginia. More distributed solar means more jobs and local economic growth in our communities. For every 1MW of residential solar, 31 jobs are created. Every kW of distributed solar brings $2,425 in economic activity.
Limiting the types of projects eligible for the distributed generation carveout will make solar more accessible to low-income families and support a more broad portfolio of projects in the Commonwealth.
Thank you for reading my letter. Please ensure customer-owned solar plays a role in our clean energy mix.
Regards,

Unacceptable

Posted on by
2

From neighbor:

Rowdy night last night on the Hill. Big student party broke up a bit after mignight. About a hundred partyers. No masks. They left trinkets in the new trees on the walk back to VCU.

This is unacceptable. VCU President Rao and administration have to take some responsibility also. But Oregon Hill residents also need to make sure they alert the VCU and Richmond police to the problems.
This is happening during a dangerous pandemic. There’s historical precedent for taking far greater measures in the interest of public health.

Trash/Recycling Pickup Tomorrow

Posted on by
Reply

This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please go over what can be recycled. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks. (See news item below)
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news, snarls in container shipping have slowed global commerce on all fronts, according to RecyclingToday.com.

If the idea that “misery loves company” is any solace, recyclers can take comfort that the container availability, freight costs and shipping date delays plaguing them are being shared across seemingly all business sectors.

A January 25 online article by the Washington Post refers to “disrupted global supply chains” with symptoms that include “fresh shipping headaches” that are delaying United States exports, “crimping domestic manufacturing and threatening higher prices for American consumers.”

“The cost of shipping a container of goods has risen by 80 percent since early November and has nearly tripled over the past year, according to the Freightos Baltic Index,” writes David J. Lynch, the article’s author.

Residents Look Forward to ‘Mocha Gourmet Market’

Posted on by
Reply

From RichmondBizSense.com article:

After 25 years, a neighborhood market in Oregon Hill is under new management and set to get a half-million-dollar rebirth.

Fine Food Market at 700 Idlewood Ave. is now owned and operated by Ezaddin Alshami, who’s planning to renovate the store and rebrand it as Mocha Gourmet Market.

It’s the second local market for Alshami, who in December opened the Northside Gourmet Market in Barton Heights.

Fine Food Market had operated in Oregon Hill for over two decades, and during that time it was a client of Alshami’s ATM business TriTec ATM. That relationship led to a recent conversation about a sale.

“I talked to the owners and they were about done with it. We made an offer that they accepted right away,” Alshami said. “I’ve known the area for a long time and know the store’s potential.”

Alshami purchased the business and signed a new lease for the store. Alshami said the 46-year-old building has been neglected over the years, and that he’s preparing to renovate it and update the concept.