EDITOR’S NOTE: Due to inclement weather, events scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23 were canceled or postponed. The All Hands on Deck fair will take place Oct. 14 at the same location. The Anacostia Splash! event has not yet been rescheduled.
September 2023 is a busy month for Earth-related events in the DMV! Celebrate the pleasant weather in our region with a few of these upcoming opportunities:
- When: Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m.
- Where: Trinity Baptist Church (1814 Central Place NE)
- Who: Hosted by Empower DC and Namati
- What: Discussion about the National Engineering Products (NEP) chemical plant and its adverse health and environmental impacts on the Ivy City community.
- Why go: For more than half a century, NEP has operated a facility in Ivy City that manufactures industrial-grade sealants for the military using chemicals such as cresol, which has a burning-tar odor, and formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen. The goal of the town hall is to come up with solutions to this problem.
- All Hands On Deck Climate Action & Disaster Preparedness Engagement Fair
- When: Saturday, Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Where: SW Farmers Market (4th & M Street SW)
- Who: More than 30 environmental & disaster management organizations
- What: Speakers and workshops will help people understand environmental justice and climate issues as well as get prepared for natural disasters before they strike.
- Why go: “A lot of people might be overwhelmed by the information, especially about climate,” said Ben Curran, the event’s main organizer and chair of SW Strong!, Southwest Neighborhood Assembly’s emergency preparedness task force. “We’re making these 35 groups available to share what they’re doing, and trying to get the public to have the opportunity to learn more and get more involved.”
- When: Saturday, Sept. 23 from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Where: Kingman Island Park
- Who: Hosted by Anacostia Riverkeeper
- What: While slots are filled for swimmers, spectators can watch the historic moment as folks jump into the Anacostia legally for the first time in 50 years. Swimming in the Anacostia is still only allowed during specially-sanctioned swim events like this one, which receive a permit after doing water testing beforehand.
- Why go: Pollution in the Anacostia has been a source of environmental injustice in the District for decades, and a lot of activism and engineering work has gone into addressing the problem. DC Water’s Northeast Boundary Tunnel went online Sept. 15 and will prevent 98% of overflows into the river. “This is two decades of work that we’re seeing the benefits of now,” said River Keeper Trey Sherard.
And a bonus event, which begins in October but is quickly running out of spots:
- When: Every Thursday from Oct. 5 through Nov. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m.
- Where: REI Flagship Store (201 M Street NE)
- Who: Hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), with speakers from other organizations
- What: A course for adults to learn about DC’s waterways and how to protect them, plus a chance to become a certified Chesapeake Steward. In addition to the in-person classes featuring water experts from around the DMV, participants can attend Saturday “field experiences” such as a historical walking tour and cookout in Anacostia Park.
- Why go: This is the first time CBF has hosted one of these courses in the District, and the first 30 seats in the class filled up within two weeks, according to the foundation’s federal policy coordinator, Annabelle Harvey, who is organizing the program. “I’m hoping [participants] just get to have a better understanding of how what happens in the District, what happens in their local communities impacts water quality and community health,” Harvey said.
One last thing — catch up quick on a few of last week’s events:
- Last week, more than a hundred environmental and public health experts shared their insight at the annual Symposium on Environmental Justice and Health Disparities, which took place partly online and partly in person at the University of Maryland. Recordings of panel discussions on topics ranging from “grant-writing tips and tricks” to “environmental justice and children’s health” are available on the Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health (CEEJH) YouTube channel.
- Also last week, the Anacostia Community Museum hosted its third Women’s Environmental Leadership Summit. The event brought together a network of women spearheading change around environmental justice and conservation — a topic also explored in the Museum’s current exhibit, “To Live and Breathe: Women and Environmental Justice in Washington, D.C.”
