Kids in the Monroe Terrace area cleaned up part of the ravine behind the Rec Center in April, 2004.

So Long, Radford ... For 10 years, the city's Environmental Improvement Commission coordinated the annual Cleanin' and Greenin cleanup event and debated its role in adressing environmental problems in Radford. On June 30, 2004, City Council decided to terminate the commission in order (as the Roanoke Times reported) "to make the chain of command more direct, increasing efficiency and eliminating extraneous agencies." The Radford Environmental Improvement Commission was established as a city commission Sept. 12, 1994. The purpose of the commission was to: Addresses environmental issues in the community Administer a small grant fund from the state Department of Environmental Quality Litter Prevention and Recycling Fund Advisory Board Contribute to educational resources, such as local school and public libraries Contribute to local summer environmental awareness camps for children Promote environmental responsibility Educate the public, especially in the area of recycling Sponsor environmental clean ups Integrate community and university resources for recycling and litter prevention

For more information about the EIC, to see photos of some of Radford's environmental problems, or to join the discussion about a new environmental initative for the City of Radford, please see http://www.radfordenvironment.org