Category Archives: Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative

Potomac Watershed Trash Summit set for Oct. 18

Posted on by

Field trips showcasing efforts to reduce litter in the Washington area will highlight the 8th annual Potomac Watershed Trash Summit on Oct. 18 in Washington.

The trash summit, to be held at the University of the District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law, also will feature an appearance by Jim Toomey, creator of the nationally syndicated cartoon “Sherman’s Lagoon.” Toomey is an advocate for taking steps to end marine litter.

The annual trash summit is organized by the Alice Ferguson Foundation and brings together citizens, public officials and youth leaders to collaborate on ways of eliminating litter from the Potomac River watershed.

Field trips scheduled as part of the summit are:

■ Communities in Action. A tour of on-the-ground efforts in Prince George’s County, Md., to implement the foundation’s Regional Litter Prevention Campaign, which relies on public education and awareness to change littering behavior. The tour will include a “trash free community” and litter hotspots.

■ Trapping and Tracking Trash. With a primary focus on the Anacostia River, the field trip will explore efforts to capture trash in the water and monitor what is left behind.

■ Composting: Big and Small. The tour will feature the University of Maryland’s multi-faceted composting program and the city of College Park’s yard waste composting program.

The field trips are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with participants asked to bring their own trash-free lunch. Early registration is encouraged, as space on the field trips is limited. Afternoon sessions will be held from 1 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the law school.

A complete agenda of the summit is available at http://fergusonfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Summit-2013-Brief-Agenda-FINAL-8-6-13.pdf.

The registration fee for the summit is $25. To register, go to the summit web site at http://fergusonfoundation.org/trash-free-potomac-watershed-initiative/potomac-watershed-trash-summit/.

 

 

 

 

Cousteau headlines seventh annual trash summit

Posted on by

Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of the Ocean Futures Society and son of famed underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, will be the featured speaker next month at the 7th Annual Potomac Watershed Trash Summit in Silver Spring.

Organized by the Alice Ferguson Foundation, the trash summit brings together key decision-makers from business, government and non-profit organizations to collaborate on strategies for eliminating trash in the waterways, streets, and public lands of the Potomac River watershed. The watershed covers parts of four states and the District of Columbia.

Cousteau heads the Ocean Futures Society, a non-profit marine conservation and education organization based in Santa Barbara, Calif. He has produced more than 80 films and received multiple awards, including an Emmy, for his work highlighting the ocean’s vital role in sustaining all life on Earth.

Other speakers at the trash summit will discuss progress of the Trash Free Potomac Watershed Initiative and other topics that include public policy and grassroots efforts to encourage trash reduction.

The trash summit is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. November 7 at the Silver Spring Civic Building. The $50 registration fee includes lunch. To register for the summit, visit the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s website.

 

─Wayne Savage