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Sustainable Maryland Update
April 2016


Charlestown Launches Green Team / Wednesday Webinars / Green Festivals a Great Way to Celebrate Earth Day /
EFC Launches Municipal Online Stormwater Training program 
Our monthly sampling of news, resources, events and other items of interest from across the sustainability spectrum in Maryland.  
Silver Spring farmers market
Many seasonal Farmers Markets open up again in April. Check out a market near you!
GRANT OPPORTUNITIES


Charles County Forestry Grant Program (Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling
More info

Community Engagement & Restoration Mini-grants (Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling
More info

Prince Georges County Weatherization Program  
Deadline: Rolling   

Prince Georges County Raincheck Rebate  (Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling
More info



EVENTS CALENDAR


Backyard Buffer Education Day
Date: April 9
Location: Westminster
Link

Bowie Green Expo
Date: April 9
Location: Bowie
Link

Algal Flow-way Technologies webinar
Date: April 14
Link

Potomac River Watershed Cleanup
Date: April 16
Locations: various
Link

Earth Day Cleanups in the Anacostia Watershed
Date: April 23
Locations: Various
Link

Middletown Green Expo
Date: April 23
Location: Middletown
Link

Montgomery County Green Fest
Date: April 30
Location: Takoma Park
Link


Looking Ahead


UMD Climate Action Forum
Date: May 4
Location: College Park
Link

Makeover Montgomery 3: Balancing Change in America's Suburbs
Dates: May 4-6
Locations: Silver Spring and College Park
Link

Maryland Land Conservation Conference
Dates: May 5-6
Location: Linthicum Heights
Link

Boonsboro Green Fest
Date: May 7
Location: Boonsboro
Link

Greenbelt Green Man Festival
Dates: May 7-8
Location: Greenbelt
Link

DOE Better Buildings Summit
Date: May 9-11
Location: Washington, DC
Link

Prince George's County Green Summit
Date: May 19
Location: UMD-College Park
Link

Bike To Work Day
Date: May 20
Locations: statewide
Link

Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council Summit
Dates: May 24-26
Location: Washington, DC
Link



SUSTAINABLE MARYLAND MUNICIPALITIES IN THE NEWS



Montgomery County Office of Sustainability 2016 Annual Report
(the County's SM-certified municipalities are featured on pp.126-127) 
Link


Frederick County group focused on climate change
CHARLESTOWN KICKS OFF THEIR GREEN TEAM
Charlestown Green Team 

SM staff attended Charlestown's kick-off Green Team meeting in March, providing training on the program and facilitating some brainstorming on potential future projects. Situated right on the beautiful North East River in Cecil County, this town of 1,100 has an intimate connection with the Bay. The new Green Team is currently focused on conducting an energy audit of their streetlights, completing rain gardens throughout town, starting a farmers market, and partnering with local schools on town-wide cleanups. We look forward to tracking their progress and sharing their successes!

WEDNESDAY WEBINARS IN SUSTAINABILITY THIS SPRING

Join us for a FREE Wednesday Webinar on Sustainability this Spring. All webinars will be held from 2-3pm. 

Wednesday, April 20   
Topic: Growing a Food Forest in Your Community
(SM Action: Community-Based Food IDP)   
REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION
Wednesday, May 11    
Topic: Developing a Sustainable Maryland Action Plan
(SM Action: Various)   
 
Wednesday, May 18  
Topic: Residential Solar in Maryland - On the Roof and Down the Street
(SM Action: Energy IDP)     
 
Questions? Contact Brandy Espinola at bespinol@umd.edu or 301-314-9491.

Sponsored by Sustainable Maryland 
Co-sponsored by the Maryland Municipal League

EFC LAUNCHES NEW MUNICIPAL ONLINE STORMWATER TRAINING CENTER (MOST)
 
The EFC, in partnership with the Low Impact Development Center, Inc. is pleased to announce the opening of the Municipal Online Stormwater Training (MOST) Center. Following a three-month pilot phase, the MOST Center launched to the Chesapeake Bay community on March 21. With open enrollment and free content delivered in short, self-paced modules, the MOST Center will provide communities with the technical and financial information needed to better communicate about and build effective and affordable stormwater management programs. MOST Center courses will draw upon the expertise of online learning specialists and subject matter experts to deliver content that is engaging, user-friendly, and quality assured. The MOST Center will launch with two introductory courses. Additional courses are being planned and will be added each year. Potential partners interested in sharing their stormwater expertise and delivering training content in this new, dynamic platform should contact mostcenter@umd.edu for more information.

Follow MOST on Facebook and Twitter. 
 
EARTH DAY IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR A GREEN FESTIVAL!
Boonsboro Green Fair 

The perfect way to celebrate Earth Day (April 22 this year) is to hold a local green fair or festival in your community. Green Teams are the perfect vehicle for organizing one of these outreach and education events, and a great way to recruit volunteers and generate goodwill.

Two of the longest running events in Maryland happen in Boonsboro (May 7) and Greenbelt (May 7-8). Bowie's Green Expo (April 9) is in its sixth year, and a new one on this year's green schedule is in Middletown (April 23).

Green festivals come in all shapes and sizes. Common features include exhibitors from non-profit organizations, government agencies and vendors selling green products or services (like solar installers). Talks on sustainability-related topics are another draw for people looking to go green. Special events like native plant sales or clothes swaps are also common, and food is always a good option (think local and organic!).

Let us know if you are thinking about hosting a green festival in your community, and we'll put your in touch with Green Teams who are experts in bringing the sustainability message to the people in this fun and informative way! 
   
2ND FREDERICK COUNTY GREEN TEAM SUMMIT, APRIL 12
1st Frederick County Green Team Summit, 2015

Join us for the 2nd Frederick County Green Team Summit on Thursday, April 12, in the City of Frederick. This program will offer a unique opportunity for Frederick County Green Teams (including elected officials, staff and residents) to learn more about sustainability initiatives in neighboring municipalities; share best practices and identify common challenges; and access resources for local projects. This year's focus will be on Municipal/County interactions and overlap as it relates to sustainability-related projects.

For more information contact mikeh75@umd.edu or 301-405-7956.

QUOTE
"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."
--Henry Van Dyke, author, education and clergyman 
 

Sustainable Maryland is an initiative of the Environmental Finance Center at the University of Maryland. It is a free and voluntary program designed to help Maryland communities choose a direction for their sustainability efforts, improve access to resources needed to implement action, and recognize their accomplishments. Our sponsors include the Town Creek Foundation, US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Maryland Municipal League. For more information about how your municipality can register in the Sustainable Maryland program, plus customized Green Team training and access to student resources that are available to provide consultancy services for municipal planning, please contact 301 405-7956 or mikeh75@umd.edu   

Mike Hunninghake
Program Manager 
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