4-H Educational & Conference Center is Awarded $1,000
To help reduce the number of plastic water bottles used in its facilities, the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational & Conference Center has been awarded a $1,000 grant as part of Keep Virginia Beautiful’s 12th Annual Green Grants Program.
The Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center has offered programming to the youth and families of Northern Virginia since 1981. It hosts youth and adult volunteers from 19 counties in Northern Virginia and the City of Alexandria for 10 weeks of residential summer and specialty camps, providing youth opportunities to have new experiences, form relationships, and develop life skills and independence in a way that few other experiences can. In addition to its acclaimed camps, the Center also hosts a variety of corporate retreats, festivals, team building programs, and outdoor recreation.
Funds awarded by Keep Virginia Beautiful will help replace antiquated and environmentally hazardous drinking fountains at the 4-H Center with refillable bottle stations. The new stations include a counter to track the number of single-use plastic water bottles saved by using refillable bottles instead. A total of 15 new stations are planned for coverage in every lodge, shelter, and outdoor space. The first unit installed tracked a reduction of 1,275 single-use plastic bottles just in the first few weeks of usage. It is estimated that each new station will result in a savings of 10,000 fewer plastic bottles annually.
This is a great opportunity to provide a healthy way to hydrate visitors while educating youth involved in 4-H programs and guests to the Educational & Conference Center. We’re looking forward to their report in the fall!