ANS testifies on FY23 DC Environment Budget

On April 12th, ANS submitted testimony on Washington, DC’s FY23 budget for the Department of Energy and Environment. We focused on the following key issues:  Enact the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) faster   Transition to Cleaner Source of Building Fuel  Continued funding for Solar for All Program  Funding and support… Continue reading

Troubled Waters

In my last post, we explored Washington DC’s sewer system history and what plans DC Water has for sewer restoration. In this post, let’s look a little deeper at a few of our sites with high “dry day” bacteria levels and what might be the causes of those spikes. As… Continue reading

A Tale of Two Sewer Systems in Washington DC

Since my last post we’ve been able continue the DC Water Quality Monitoring Program with volunteers! I had also briefly explained the differences between a combined sewer system (CSS) and a separate sewer system (MS4) and how they can both contribute bacteria to our waterways in that post. But how… Continue reading

When it Rains, it Smells

When it rains there are several things you might smell. One is ozone, which is sharp and has a sort of fresh aroma. Another is known as petrichor, which is that distinctly pleasant earthy scent you smell when it rains on dry soil. Now, If you’ve ever walked some of… Continue reading

May Conservation Cafe: Trees, Science, and People with Corazon Latino

On May 7, I had the pleasure of interviewing Felipe Benítez (Executive Director of Corazón Latino) and Melanie Quiñones Santiago (Master’s Student at Cornell University) as they told their stories and showed images that illustrate what they have learned about engaging the Latino community in conservation in the US, in… Continue reading

CREEK CRITTERS: Don’t Be Afraid to Get Bitten by the ‘Creek Critters’ Bug!

ANS released an updated version of our CREEK CRITTERS® app. If you already have the app, please download the latest version. If you don’t have the app, give it a try! CREEK CRITTERS® is available as a free download from the Apple App Store and Google Play. You have probably… Continue reading

Read and Participate/ Lee y Participa: DEP’s 2020 Clean Water Art Project!

Montgomery County’s Department of Environment is launching it’s 2020 Clean Water Art Project. Kids of all ages – this is your chance to come up with the most innovative art design and make you famous in your community! The winning drawing will be painted on the pre-selected community’s storm drain.… Continue reading

Join ANS (virtually) for Earth Hour/ LA HORA DEL PLANETA! Sat 28 @ 8:30PM

(*TRADUCCION AL ESPAÑOL MAS ABAJO*) Sign Up Here! ¡Inscríbete Aquí!   Join ANS and the whole world for EARTH HOUR! WHAT IS EARTH HOUR? Earth Hour is an event hosted by WWF that began in 2007 in Sidney, Australia and has now reached over 180 countries around the globe. The… Continue reading

What Is “Community Science”?

For many years, ANS members, volunteers, and staff have been enthusiastic practitioners of rigorous, non-professional science at the community level. We observe and count organisms in streams, butterflies in meadows, trees in our forests, frogs in ponds, and much more. As trained volunteers who each take responsibility for their own… Continue reading

Woodend Restoration Watch: Tulip Tree Edition

The forest at Woodend is a young one.  It is not dominated by oaks and hickories like older growth forests in our region.  Rather, the most common tree in our woods is Liriodendron tulipifera, a fast-growing, light-loving early successional species.  The triple-trunked specimen by our pond may be the oldest… Continue reading