Clean City Things to Know and Do! Meet HCCC, Community Cleanups, Tour de Recycling, Environmental Youth Award, Garden Planning, Eco-Challenge
NEWS YOU CAN USE!
MEET HCCC BOARD MEMBERS & STAFF
The Hampton Clean City Commission is comprised of nine (9) City Council-appointed board members and three (3) City employees. February featured member is HCCC’s Vice Chair, Alexander Maness.
Alex has lived in Hampton his entire life and has seen the way that the City can come together to get things done when they try. With just a little effort from more people, the area would be significantly improved in terms of cleanliness and environmental impact. That is what drove him to sign up to join the Hampton Clean City Commission, and that is what he hopes to help accomplish as a member of its Board. His background in biology and biotechnology has given him a unique insight (he thinks) into aspects of the efforts of HCCC that he hopes can help take things to the next level. Alexander enjoys connecting others together to show them how their own particular professional fields may be relevant to what HCCC does. He also works with the Peninsula Food Bank and is a Hampton Master Naturalist. He is an entrepreneur and has expertise in marketing, planning, and management.
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CHECK OUT THE PRESIDENT’S ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH AWARD!
The President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) recognizes outstanding environmental projects by K-12 youth. The PEYA program promotes awareness of our nation's natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. Since 1971, the President of the United States has joined with EPA to recognize young people for protecting our nation's air, water, land, and ecology. It is one of the most important ways EPA and the Administration demonstrate commitment to environmental stewardship efforts created and conducted by our nation's youth. The February 19 deadline is fast approaching – so get more information at
https://www.epa.gov/education/presidents-environmental-youth-award and apply today!
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WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2021
https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/world-environment-day-2021/
YOU CAN HELP OUR BEES AND OTHER POLLINATORS THIS WINTER!
Our Bee City USA - Hampton team has created beautiful pollinator seed packets available now at the HCCC office! The mix includes native perennial pollinator plant seeds along with a mix of zinnia, cosmos and marigold seeds. The packets are available for a suggested donation of $3. Please call HCCC at 757-727-1130 to schedule your visit to the office! For more information on native plants, visit our web page at https://hampton.gov/3762/Pollinators#idealpollinator.
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SEED LIBRARY OPENS AT THE HCCC OFFICE!
Check out the newest addition to the HCCC office – our own seed library! We received a generous donation of seeds, so whether your passion is vegetables, flowers or herbs, there may be something just for you. We are still accepting donations for the seed library. Contact wendy.iles@Hampton.gov to donate. To schedule an appointment to visit the seed library, call 757-727-1130.
GARDEN PLANNING:
Assess your plot. Does the soil need to be amended? Does the soil level need to be raised? If you are gardening in a "gully", rainy days are not going to be your favorites when your plants drown. If you decide to add compost or soil, add quality to get a quality harvest. "Soil is alive, dirt is dead." The best days to pull weeds are right after a rainstorm!
Plot out your garden. Draw it on paper and make sure to add room for trellising or tomato cages. Add those to your garden early, so you don't damage plant roots.
Make a seed calendar. Our last average frost date April 11, so a calendar helps you to plan to succeed! https://www.burpee.com/growingcalendar. Be on the lookout for local plant sales and ask where the plants were grown. When possible, always choose local!
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ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE?
We challenge you to join us in February for 28 days of Eco-challenges! You can start at any time. Each day’s challenge will include corresponding articles on Facebook that will have you more committed to going eco-friendly. Challenge your co-workers and family to join you in making a positive environmental change in our city! We have also created an Eco-bingo card to add to the fun. See how many you and your family can complete and call ECO-BINGO! Tag us on social media #Keephamptonbeautiful https://hampton.gov/179/Clean-City-Commission
Looking for a place to recycle plastic? Several schools, the community gardens and Hampton Master Gardeners are always willing to take your clean, dry plastic! Take the Trex Challenge to #recycleright https://www.trex.com/recycling/recycling-programs/. Contact 757-727-8311 for donation locations.
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HCCC TOUR DE RECYCLING EXPRESS - HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL & COMPUTER RECYCLING COLLECTIONS 2021
The Virginia Peninsula Public Service Authority has just released its 2021 calendar for chemical collections and computer recycling. You may find out dates, times, sites, and what may be accepted for collection at www.vppsa.org or by calling 757-259-9850. On March 20, HCCC will sponsor a Tour de Trash Express to this event so to give you a firsthand look at what items can be recycled, and to view the collection process. A VPPSA representative will be on hand to answer your questions. To register for this event, contact HCCC Project Assistant Cris Ausink at 757-727-1158 or causink@hampton.gov. Detailed information will be provided at registration. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, group size will be limited – so contact Cris right away!
community cleanup events
A community cleanup will be Saturday, March 6, 2021, 10am. The photo is just a clue to the special Hampton site. For more information and to register, contact Cris Ausink, Clean City Project Assistant at causink@hampton.gov or call 757-727-1158.
The regional AskHRgreen.org Great American Cleanup will be Friday and Saturday, March 26 & 27. Detailed information will be provided in the upcoming weeks, but be sure to save the dates!
And, don’t forget Clean City’s annual WALK HAMPTON CLEAN EVENT, tentatively scheduled for March 10-April 10. Contact Cris as soon as possible to select your site.
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WHICH RECYCLING SUPERHERO ARE YOU?
Our environmental partners at askHR Green have created a great recycling quiz that lets you test your recycling knowledge. Want to try it? Just click on
https://askhrgreen.org/gtk-gtd/start-smart/ and claim your cape!
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WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY?
From noon to noon February 24-25, 2021 @Virginia Tech is hosting its annual 24-hour giving challenge to give supporters of the Virginia Cooperative Extension - Hampton 4-H Youth Development Program a chance to come together for a single, impactful day of fundraising. The Hampton Extension office is excited to join the challenge! Will you support us on #VTGivingDay? Learn more at https://givingday.vt.edu/amb/Extension&4H [givingday.vt.edu] and when donating please select Local VCE Programs – Hampton Coop Extension Service.
The Southeast 4-H District has registration and information links for this year’s virtual district contest. Find out more at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oUq4pWq6nm-AZcTvsivlfpQzvJ-MLo5Q/view [drive.google.com] and https://forms.gle/hjTYmJyAbmXZLYno8 [forms.gle]
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FOR REFERENCE
WAYS TO SUPPORT HCCC PROGRAMS
Did you know that HCCC accepts donations that support our programs? They are:
Bee City USA – Hampton: this fund supports Hampton’s Bee City USA program, including planting pollinator gardens and buying supplies for educational programs.
Hampton Waterways Restoration Project: this fund supports waterway education and action projects, like oyster gardens, living shorelines, and educational materials.
Keep Hampton Green: this fund purchases trees and shrubs that are planted on public lands in Hampton. Most recently it paid for plantings at Bluebird Gap Farm and Armistead Pointe.
Hampton Community Gardens: this fund supports general maintenance, beautification and improvements to our community gardens.
To donate to these funds, make your check payable to City of Hampton and put a note naming the fund you wish to support. Charitable contributions to governmental units are tax-deductible under section 170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code if made for a public purpose.
CONNECT WITH HCCC IN 2021:
HCCC’s Facebook page serves as an information source for all things “clean city” – beautification, community environment improvement, litter prevention, recycling, the 3Rs, and general environmental education. We share reputable information about these topics and provide information about our programs, activities, and volunteers. If you want a good overview of what’s happening in Hampton and the larger world of our topics of interest, the Hampton Clean City Commission page is a can’t-miss sign-up! Follow us on Instagram or Twitter, too, to help share information about topics that are important to you. By the way, have you been to the HCCC web page at https://hampton.gov/179/Clean-City-Commission?
CHECK OUT THE BEE CITY USA – HAMPTON WEB PAGE!
Check out the information and resources on our new Bee City USA - Hampton web page! We hope you'll find it a useful source of information and support in your efforts to support Hampton's pollinators! https://hampton.gov/3759/Bee-City-USA
Hampton Community Gardens Check out the Community Gardens web page at https://hampton.gov/2798/Community-Gardens. Community Gardens has a wonderful Facebook page with great information about all things garden related. “Like” it at https://www.facebook.com/HamptonVAcommunitygardens.
HCCC sponsors two Facebook groups
The Hampton Waterways Restoration Project Group focuses on the HWRP Committee’s efforts to improve Hampton’s waterways through awareness and action projects. Among the posts you’ll see are reports on committee oyster activities, waterway cleanup announcements, information about various impacts on water quality, and volunteer reports on their various HWRP projects.
The Bee City USA – Hampton Group focuses on building a resilient habitat for bees and other pollinators. You’ll see educational posts about pollinators of various types, the plants they thrive on, how you can support a sustainable pollinator habitat, and occasionally cool educational resources.
Did you know that you can do your part in “Keeping Hampton Clean & Beautiful”? How?
Hampton Clean City Commission | O: 757-727-1130
