The data on Virginia Data Centers, Coming your way soon

The State of Virginia houses more data centers than any other market (including whole countries) in the world. 586 centers are currently operational but plans for what seems to be an unlimited number with little restrictions are in the works. The new AI push is to build data centers everywhere and anywhere resources can be found to be gobbled up to support them. Our own governor put corporate needs before citizen concerns by stopping a state level non-partisan reform bill that was to FINALLY regulate data centers. Leaving it up to each county to define their own playing rules, if any.

Data centers have become the modern day gold rush as counties reap revenue that seems to be too good to be true. Hosting companies such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Digital Realty, and Iron Mountain. Loudoun County is the leader in the state with 300 data centers with 49,000,000 square feet under roof. Loudoun County is just now getting around to restrictions, referring to centers as the Goose that lays the Golden Egg.

It was interesting to me that on a chat group, someone suggested to turn a vacant mall into a data center. That's a fine idea but the modern day data center is frequently massive, dwarfing most malls. The Loudoun county "eco-center" (as our governor refers to Virginia data centers), encompasses an area of 8 pentagons (referred to as a digital city hiding in plain site).

One example is what is becoming a blossoming eco-complex that started with 2 Amazon data centers in Louisa county. Just last week, before the data centers have even been built, Amazon announced the desire to add another data center. In Louisa there are currently 4 proposed data center campuses encompassing 2,600 acres. To look at this another way, this is 1,970 football fields in size. 

Data centers run 24/7 and require massive amounts of electricity and water to cool equipment. Using Louisa as an example, as it happens to be located in the next county over from where I live, Dominion Energy owns the 2 Lake Anna nuclear reactors and will be upgrading that facility to handle electricity for the proposed data center campuses. Water will be routed from the local reservoir that is an active fishing and recreation area that currently is the primary water sources for that county.

A recent study found the data center industry both helps and hurts Virginia. There is no light at the end of the tunnel for data center development in our state which puts a lot of pressure on natural resources and electricity generation. Serious ramping up of all forms of energy production will have to happen to support the growing demand.

This year Dominion Energy is asking for a rate hike that would increase your monthly bill by an average of $21 by 2027. In 2022, the utility delivered 36% of all power to customers by natural gas, 29% by nuclear, 22% by third party purchase, 5% by coal, and 5% from renewables. Their long-term plan to meet the demand is to get energy from every basket available but natural gas, coal, and nuclear plants are main sources of energy. In Albemarle County, Dominion Energy is building a solar farm on our capped Ivy landfill which is a great way to utilize land that can't be used for much of anything else but it is a drop in the bucket.

Why have data centers become problematic. Mainly because they convert massive expanses of land and use vast amounts of resources (electricity and water) and are not good neighbors (noise, light and air pollution, and create hazardous ewaste). Community planners have created electric and water resources based on consumption by residential customers and much smaller business footprints. How close is too close to living beside a data center and what does it do to property values? 1/3 of all data centers in Virginia are near to residential areas. What is the lasting impact to quality of life? I would imagine the answer to the last 2 questions is obvious - NOT GOOD. Given data centers are spreading in our state faster than they can be regulated or even mapped, this should cause serious concern to each and every citizen. Albemarle county where I live is currently revising their data center ordinances. 

Putting greed over community sensibilities and regulations can end up being destructive. Without guardrails and community discourse the goose may leave unsuspecting citizens holding a rotten egg. 

~Rebecca

 

A few of my favorite new gardening gadgets that help ease Arthritis Pain

It has been years since I've even thought about buying MORE garden tools. We have quite the stash but most are bulky, heavy, and over the years new gadgets have come on the market. It has been 15 years since I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sjogrens. I also have pretty severe Osteoarthritis in my thumbs and wrists. Many of my old standby's are just too hard to manage and leave me in pain after using. It was making gardening depressing. I had to do something to extend my garden life for years to come.

My first favorite find were Workpro USB plug in pruning shears. They are amazing and easily cut shrub branches, blackberry canes, and vines with one hit. There is a safety on this style of clippers where you have to hold down 2 buttons at once to cut, which is not great for arthritic hands. I do not have pain while using them or lingering pain once I stop like I do with my manual Felco pruning shears. All brands of this type of pruner are not lightweight but this was the lightest I could find. Most have the square battery pack stuck on the end of the handle which was a deal breaker for me because it added too much bulk and weight. If the Workpro shears were even lighter they would be even better. They should be used by experienced gardeners. I also stash them in a pouch on my waist when not in use as holding for any period fatigues my wrists. A carry holster or at minimum a carry clip would elevate this tool to the next level.

My second favorite find is our new rechargeable pole pruning saw. This is a tool that is too heavy for me on any level but my husband is also aging and manual sawing of limbs is getting tiring. The Skil pruner gets him out in the yard more (men love gadgets at any age) and saves a ton of time. He wanted a reputable brand and I looked for something with the most reach and power that was not so so heavy. I can hardly hold it but it's great for him. You also want self oiling and one that is easy to tighten the chain because with use it just naturally gets loose. 

I've not yet tried the Workpro cordless mini hedge trimmer but they look interesting. The weight is around 1 lbs and that's lighter than many as most other brands have the heavy battery packs on the end. Looking at the demos I'm not convinced that it will cut big enough branches for my needs. Seems that they mainly just top the ends. If you have a softer wood smaller shrub or vine, this would be a nice addition. I'm still searching for manual or cordless hedge trimmers that fit my needs.

I ordered industrial Corona brand limb cutters that I had to return but they were glorious and incredibly built but the listing said they were a lighter weight than in reality. They were 3 lbs and I can only manage 1.5 lbs tops, they were even heavy for my husband! Currently I have my aging Fiskars that I bought 15 years ago because at the time they were the lightest I could find. 

I'm also on the hunt for a weeding tool to easily dig out seriously deep rooted plants like pokeweed or other invasives like English Ivy or Oriental Bittersweet. I've not found anything revolutionary that would ease digging for me. 

It's a challenge when doing much leaves you on the sidelines. If you have a favorite tool that has changed your gardening for the better, I would love to know about it! Leave a comment.

~Rebecca

Historic Garden Week in Virginia begins April 26th, 2025

The 2025 Historic Garden Week in Virginia is April 26 - May 3. Local Garden Clubs throughout Virginia host the annual week long home and garden tours. A nice guidebook is available at select outlets or you can view it online.

I always seek out locations that are more nature centric. Some tours focus more on home interiors but regardless, one is sure to immerse oneself in the lovely Spring gardens along tour routes. This year seems to be loaded with many choices that appeal to me!

Based on my preference to stroll in as many gardens as possible, my top contenders for tour spots this year are: Northern Neck, Chatham Hills / Richmond, Norfolk, Williamsburg, and Middleburg. 

Northern Neck, near to the Chesapeake Bay, is my top pick but it's close to a 3 hour drive for me from Charlottesville so it's a little far but oh so tempting. Situated on the Rappahannock River homes date from 1855 to the 1990's. One property attracts many birds and features a pond. Terms such as lush, expansive, wooded, and natural beauty are used to describe this tour.

Richmond is the closest spot on my list and usually there are 2 separate tours on different days. Especially interesting to me is the neighborhood of Chatham Hills which when originally designed had the landscape services of Charles F. Gillette. The guidebook starts with... "an oasis of manicured gardens, 5.5 acre estate, and describes another property as 1.5 acres of lush landscape". That should do it! A range of different styles of homes in a beautiful part of Richmond. A brick colonial, farmhouse, Greek Revival and Dutch Colonial.

The Norfolk tour is on a waterfront peninsula and included in the tour, if you have not exhausted your senses, is The Norfolk Botanical Gardens which is a real bonus! Renovated mid century dated homes are featured, which is quite appealing to me. One property contains one of the oldest Maple trees in Norfolk. I always enjoy "garden only" tours and on the list is a sedum roof solar home with gardens boasting more than 1,500 native plants.

I'm a bit partial to Williamsburg because when I was googling a Salt Spa popped up in my feed which gave me the great idea to make it an overnight trip doubling up gardens with some additional relaxation. This tour features 13 sites! Quite incredible for a one day tour. I'll need a massage after all that walking. One farm house built in 1775 was relocated to Williamsburg in 1928! Two "garden only" tours are included which is right up my alley. Included in the tour is a colonial Williamsburg guided walking tour featuring 3 homes and 4 garden sites.

Garden guidebook photos make Middleburg look quite lush. One property was included in the Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens, cataloging more than 140 species of birds! Several water features are mentioned, one being 2 ponds located in a natural area. This tour is a walking tour which is always nice because you park once and don't have to fool with maneuvering to each property.

In my own neck of the woods, I hope to finally see the gardens of Morven in Charlottesville and I just noticed that at the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library on the UVA Campus currently is running an Anne Spencer exhibit. I've been to Anne's home and gardens in Lynchburg several times. On 4/28 Monday from 11 - 3 the UVA President's home gardens (Carr's Hill) will be open which is always pretty in the Spring!

Get out this Spring! 

~Rebecca