The deep connection between individuals and their surroundings is unmistakable. The presence of clean landscapes and waterways instills community pride—especially when residents and businesses pitch in to maintain their communal areas. This year, resolve to tap into the following askHRgreen.org resources, while enjoying the benefits of neighborhood camaraderie and employee team building.

Neighborhood litter cleanup tools – Rock your community block by inviting neighbors or coworkers to an organized litter cleanup. Through our Team Up 2 Clean Up program, volunteers can “check out” supplies such as litter grabbers, safety equipment and a supply of free trash bags. Note to self: See details of the Great American Cleanup event below! 

Community pet waste station grants – Pet waste on the ground becomes a major source of pollution when it rains, carrying the “business” into storm drains and on to rivers, lakes and streams. Our Pet Waste Station Grants are open to any neighborhood, community group or property management company that can install and manage these helpful stations. 

Bay Star Homes and Business programs – By pledging to make small changes that will have a large impact on the environment, residents and businesses can be part of the Bay Star Homes and/or Bay Star Business programs. Participants receive a welcome packet with green tips, info and a yard flag or window cling to show their pride in clean waterways. 

Educational Mini-grant program – Did you know we offer environmental education mini-grants of up to $500 for Hampton Roads educators to use in their classrooms and clubs and youth group engagement? The funding covers environmentally themed projects for youth K-12, and there is no deadline to apply. Check for details here. 

Rain barrel workshops – For an easy, affordable way to reduce your water bill and protect local water quality, snag a spot in one of our popular askHRgreen.org rain barrel workshops. Held throughout the region, attendees pay $25 for the rain barrel to assemble during the workshop and install at home. Look for workshop announcements by following the askHRgreen.org blog at https://askhrgreen.org/blog/.



See an askHRgreen.org resource you or your friends and family could use? Don't hesitate to take advantage of these valuable tools!

Join askHRgreen.org on March 22-23 for the 2024 Hampton Roads Great American Cleanup. Since 2019, Hampton Roads volunteers have cleared more than 196 tons of litter from our parks and playgrounds to waterways and byways. Join an organized cleanup event or start your own! Keeping communities clean and green is everyone’s responsibility, and it is more fun when we can join together to make it happen. Interested? Check for details right here, and plan now to be part of the Team Up 2 Clean Up movement!

Any time the temperature drops to the teens in Hampton Roads, we worry about the possibility of frozen pipes. The pipes that carry water throughout your home can freeze, especially in drafty or unheated areas. To avoid burst pipes and costly repairs, follow our winter storm prep tips: 

Reduce drafts by closing doors and windows near water pipes and sealing air leaks or cracks in your crawl space or basement.

Insulate pipes in unheated areas of your home and replace any wet insulation. 

Disconnect and drain garden hoses and rain barrels to prevent damage from freezing temps and reduce chances of bursting a water pipe.

Know where your shut-off water valve is located to save time if you have to shut off water access in an emergency.

Drip a single faucet located at the highest level of your home, but not too much! Leaving a faucet running wide open will not provide additional protection against a frozen water pipe, but it will waste a great deal of water. 

If a pipe freezes, be cautious. Thawing a frozen pipe can damage or crack it, releasing water under intense pressure. Never use an open flame on a frozen pipe. Be sure to thaw the pipe from the direction of the faucet so that the water has a safe way to escape as it melts. 



Check for more tips on our askHRgreen.org blog.

Did you know that fats, oils and grease that accumulate in the kitchen drain can freeze? Grease cools faster in colder temperatures, and improper disposal could quickly lead to a clogged sewer line and a nasty mess in your home. 

Make FOG prevention something you do year-round by putting used cooking grease into a heat-safe container (like an empty tin can). Once the grease solidifies, throw the can into the trash. Scrape food scraps into the trash or compost and wipe dishes, utensils, pots and pans with a paper towel to absorb the grease before washing the dirty dishes. 

Doing your part to keep FOG out of the sewer system not only keeps your home plumbing free from buildup, but it also helps keep FOG buildup out of the main sewer lines and treatment plants serving your community. 

At press time, we did not know which teams would be playing on February 11. But we do know we will be pulling for the “green team” when it comes to Super Bowl parties! Avoid sending fats, oils and greasy leftovers down the drain—and a hefty plumbing bill—by keeping these cleanup plays handy:

Block the scraps. The sink should never be the end zone for food. If you need to, use a sink strainer to catch the scraps when peeling, slicing and cutting veggies for coleslaw or vegetable trays. Then add those scraps to the compost bin or trash can.

Intercept the grease. Pour cooled oil and grease into a container, store it in the freezer to harden and then throw it away on trash day. Before washing dishes, scrape food particles and batters into the trash. 

Defend your pipes. Skip the garbage disposal. Leftover food should go in the trash, not down the sink. Even after a good shredding, food particles cling to pipes resulting in clogged drains and sewer backups.

Don’t fumble the cleanup. Have a dedicated recycling container for collecting plastic and metal beverage containers, and make sure these items are clean and empty. Pizza boxes go in the trash, along with disposable paper plates and single-use cutlery. Glass bottles are not accepted for recycling everywhere in Hampton Roads, so be sure to check before tossing them in the bin using our askHRgreen.org Recycling Lookup Tool to see what’s recyclable in your area. 

Hand off the leftovers. Do not let leftovers go bad in the fridge. Fix a plate or goody bag for guests to take home, leaving the kitchen and local landfills a little cleaner!

It takes a village to keep askHRgreen.org humming here in Hampton Roads. Our region-wide public awareness and education campaign is administered through the HRPDC, but it is the local staff from our membership’s 17 communities and HRSD who power this amazing movement. They are a key part of our team through their service on committees, input in identifying and creating outreach campaigns, volunteering at events, serving as media spokespeople and spreading our messages in their communities. 

Beginning with this issue of our askHRgreen.org newsletter, we will shine the spotlight on people who are helping to make our work meaningful, creative and productive. We hope you enjoy this first Q&A with Lacie Weaver. And look for more… We’ll keep them coming! 

When did you begin serving on the askHRgreen.org FOG Committee and what is the group’s charge? I began serving five years ago when I joined HRSD as a Community Education and Outreach Specialist. The FOG Committee is responsible for reducing SSOs (sanitary sewer overflows) and helping to raise public awareness about what NOT to flush, as well as how to dispose of fats/oils/grease properly.

You also serve as an askHRgreen.org media ambassador. What FOG topics have you covered in media interviews? Most of the topics I’ve covered include our “what NOT to flush” messaging. I’ve given interviews about medication “take backs,” proper disposal of kitchen grease, keeping your drains healthy and the importance of only flushing the 3 Ps (pee, poo, toilet paper). My favorite media interview was conducted last year at the HRSD Virginia Initiative Wastewater Treatment Plant in Norfolk. The WTKR-TV news crew took a tour of the plant and learned what really happens when so-called "flushable" items, such as disposable wipes, reach our plants.



Is there an important “take away” you would like residents to know about the safe disposal of FOG and the work of this committee? “FOG will CLOG” and “Only flush the 3 Ps, please.”

Just for fun, what is your favorite snack for Super Bowl Sunday? Nachos!