for Re-Election by the Sierra Club's Virginia Chapter

The Virginia Chapter-Sierra Club has announced its endorsement of Delegate Ken Plum's re-election campaign to the Virginia House of Delegates.  J.R. Tolbert, Assistant Director of Virginia's Chapter, said, "Your commitment to protecting Virginia's natural resources and transitioning the Commonwealth to a clean energy economy has been consistently on display in the General Assembly, and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the future."

Plum's lifelong interest in clean air and water, renewable energy, and the protection of our resources has enhanced his steadfast legislative advocacy for preserving our natural environment.

Contact Ken with your questions about environmental issues at kenplum@aol.com.

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Other endorsements of Ken's re-election:

• Virginia Education Association
• Fairfax Education Association

Read Environnment Virginia's Top 10 Tips to use less oil and shrink your carbon footprint.  Small changes can add up to a big difference.

1. Keep up on your vehicle maintenance.  On average, an efficient engine could cut your gasoline use by over 46 gallons per year, saving you $139 and reducing your carbon footprint by 900 kilograms per year.
2. Keep your tires inflated and invest in low-rolling resistance tires.  With well-inflated advanced tires, you'll save over $50 per year on your gas expenses.
3. Drive efficiently.  Driving at a steady, reasonable pace can reduce your fuel use by as much as 15 percent.  That means over $175 per year in savings on gasoline and over a ton of carbon removed from the atmosphere per person.
4. Get rid of unnecessary weight in your car.  Your fuel efficiency drops by 1 percent for every 100 pounds of stuff that you keep in your car, so it pays to clean out your trunk.
5. Carpool.  Social networking websites like eRideShare have made it increasingly easy and convenient to match up with people with similar commutes.  And companies such as NuRide offer discounts at restaurants, free tickets to events, and other rewards to commuters who carpool, vanpool, or find other green ways to commute to work.
6. Consider telecommuting as an alternative to the daily drive to work.
7. Be efficient with your shopping and other travel.  When you can walk, walk.  When you have to drive, plan ahead and try to visit multiple stores in one trip.  Shopping locally saves the gasoline consumed by trucks and ships transporting goods, and shopping online saves the gasoline costs of driving to the store.
8. When you purchase a car, consider its energy costs and impact on the environment.  This summer alone, a 60 mpg car would save the average consumer over $500 at the pump.  Plug-in electric vehicles, meanwhile, offer superior driving performance and can be operated for just pennies per mile while producing no tailpipe emissions.
9. Prioritize public transportation and walkable, mixed-use communities when you choose a home.  Online resources such as the Housing and Transportation Affordability Index can help you figure out which neighborhoods have the most transportation choices.
10. Tell your political leaders that you want real transportation alternatives to get us off oil. 

Personal Property Tax Due October 5 

The 2011 Personal Property (car) Tax bills are being mailed to Fairfax County residents, with payment due by October 5.  There is no vehicle decal unless you are a resident of Clifton or Herndon and then you are required to purchase a decal from your town.  More informaiton on the Personal Property Tax can be found at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta or call 703.222.8234, TTY 703.222.7594.  Tax relief may be available to residents age 65 and older or individuals with disabilities.  In additionk, effective January 1, 2011, eligible disabled veterans residing in Fairfax County can receive tax relief on one motor vehicle owned and regularly used by the disabled veteran. Go to the website or call for details.