1. Ways
to
Help
Virginia’s
Environment
Food, Home, Transportation, Purchasing, and Community Choices
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
5
COMMUNITY CHOICES
How you get involved in your community and local decision making
can help preserve and protect Virginia’s natural resources.
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resources.
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river that the Department of Environmental Quality can use to determine the health of Virginia
waterways. Visit CCC:%,A:+0570&0*:7"+$to sign up.
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help the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to monitor wildlife habitat in the
Commonwealth. Find out more at www.dgif.virginia.gov.
I Get involved in your local government’s comprehensive planning to incorporate environmental
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www.townhall.virginia.gov.
5 W A Y S T O H E L P V I R G I N I A ’ S E N V I R O N M E N T
How big is your footprint?
It depends on the shoe you wear.
Footprint calculators that have become popular. They generate a number based upon personal lifestyle choices,
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$ I$$$!"#5$!"#$%&'(%%)*#+&) measures the amount of carbon emissions your lifestyle generates.
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materials you use, and the way you travel.
Visit www.VaNaturally.com to access calculators and other resources that evaluate how your lifestyle can impact
the environment.

2. 2
1
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5 W A Y S T O H E L P V I R G I N I A ’ S E N V I R O N M E N T
FOOD CHOICES
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on natural resources and Virginia’s economy.
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emissions that pollute the air we breathe.
I Buy local fruits, vegetables and other products.
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feed‐lots.
I Choose food that’s fresh which uses less packaging and needs less storage. Less packaging means
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improving Virginia’s economy can be found through the Virginia Grown and Virginia’s Finest
programs at www.vdacs.virginia.gov/vagrown/index.shtml and CCC:.)"6+*H&,.(:/"2.
HOME CHOICES
Where you live and what type of home you live in can have far reaching
impacts on your lifestyle and Virginia’s environment.
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is less. Visit www.walkscore.com ("$H&%$"#($)"C$C*93*-9,$E"#5$&,07)-"5)""%$0.:
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environments and preserve part of Virginia’s history. Learn more about maintaining historic
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inappropriate amounts, or out of season, may end up in local streams and rivers that we use for
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chemicals. Read more at R$80570&0*&'.$!,*5NT"#&%$_#0%,$("$!*5%$K*5,X$U06.$*&%$U,/)&0A#,.$B"5$
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www.dcr.virginia.gov.
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on tree stewardship can be found at www.dof.virginia.gov.
4
3
TRANSPORTATION CHOICES
What you drive and how far you commute affects the air you breathe.
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I Carpool. Even once‐a‐week carpooling can cut vehicle emissions by half a ton per year. Visit www.
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Work Day www.virginiadot.org.
I Impress your boss with your eco‐consciousness and ask if there are any days you can work from
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,/0,&/E:$]0&%$"#($2"5,$*-"#($B#,9$,/0,&/E$*($www.fueleconomy.gov.
PURCHASING CHOICES
What you purchase and how long you use it directly impacts
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over 46,000 diesel train engines.
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to produce. Find out more at www.freecycle.org.
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waterways and are carried to the Chesapeake Bay and then the ocean. Volunteers collected
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5 W A Y S T O H E L P V I R G I N I A ’ S E N V I R O N M E N T
Virginia Department of Environmental QualityVirginia Department of Environmental Quality