SM 2015 Annual Report / Frederick County Summit Wrap-up / Final Wednesday Webinar
Our monthly sampling of news, resources, events and other items of interest from across the sustainability spectrum in Maryland.
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| 2nd Frederick County Green Team Summit on April 12
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GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
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Charles County Forestry Grant Program (Chesapeake Bay Trust)Deadline: Rolling More infoCommunity Engagement & Restoration Mini-grants (Chesapeake Bay Trust)Deadline: Rolling More infoPrince Georges County Weatherization Program Deadline: Rolling
Prince Georges County Raincheck Rebate (Chesapeake Bay Trust)
Deadline: Rolling More info |
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EVENTS CALENDAR
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Howard County Native Plant Palooza Plant Sale
Date: May 15
Location: Columbia
Link
Prince George's County's Green Summit
Date: May 19
Location: UMD-College Park
LinkBike To Work Day
Date: May 20
Locations: statewide Link
2016 Maryland Chesapeake Business Forum
Date: May 24
Location: Annapolis
Link
Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council SummitDates: May 24-26 Location: Washington, DC LinkLooking Ahead
National Trails Day
Date: June 4
Locations: various
Link
Living Building Workshop
Date: June 7
Location: Baltimore
Link
Green Infrastructure Research and Incentives Workshop
Date: June 9
Location: Rockville
Link
Montgomery County Heritage Days
Dates: June 25-26
Locations: various
International Society of Ecological Economic Conference
Date: June 26-29
Location: Washington DC
Link
Washington County Ag Festival & Fair
Dates: July 16-23
Location: Boonsboro
Link
Green Clean Schools Leadership Institute
Dates: July 28-29
Location: Ellicott City
Link
Garrett County Agriculture Fair
Dates: July 30-August 6
Location: McHenry
Link
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SUSTAINABLE MARYLAND MUNICIPALITIES IN THE NEWS
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New bike-share system rolls into College Park Link
Public-private partnerships expected to lower cost of stormwater retrofits in Prince George's County Link
Regional bike club to maintain City of Frederick watershed trails Link
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2016 CERTIFICATION APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JUNE 30!
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If your municipality intends to apply for Sustainable Maryland certification this year, please remember that the deadline is June 30. If you have not already done so, please contact SM staff (mikeh75@umd.edu) to let us know your town or city will be applying so that we can ensure a smooth application process. Thanks!
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SUSTAINABLE MARYLAND'S 2015 ANNUAL REPORT
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| | 2015 was a banner year for Sustainable Maryland Certified municipalities |
Check out the 2015 Sustainable Maryland Annual Report, a wrap-up of our annual certifications, events, trainings and more.
A few common themes emerged this year amongst our certified municipalities:
- The use of power purchase agreements to construct solar arrays on municipal property.
- Community gardens are a sure way to rally volunteers for a project, as it feeds both the appetite and the desire to socially engage with like-minded folks.
- Green festivals are an effective way to both recruit volunteers and communicate sustainability to residents.
Some innovative projects recognized last year included: - Cambridge constructed the Eastern Shore's first complete Green Street, with porous concrete sidewalks, pervious paver parking areas, rain gardens, intersection bumpouts to slow traffic, and dedicated bike lanes.
- Centreville earned the National Wildlife Federation's "Certified Community Wildlife Habitat" designation, reflecting both wildlife-friendly backyards and municipal policies.
- Chestertown's Public Arts Master Plan is a vision for stimulating a local economy and fostering a sense of place.
- Hagerstown adopted a "Livable Streets" policy to foster a pedestrian, bicycle and transit-friendly environment wherever possible.
- Emmitsburg created a network of 15 miles of multi-user trails, utilizing over 1,000 hours of volunteer work and approximately $300,000 in private donations.
And check out this virtual tour featuring our 2015 Sustainable Maryland Certified municipalities.
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MUNICIPAL/COUNTY COORDINATION THEME AT THE 2ND FREDERICK COUNTY GREEN TEAM SUMMIT
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| | Dan Roe, Brunswick Green Team |
Green Teams from across Frederick County gathered to share recent successes and challenges in their communities the second county-wide Green Team Summit, with this year's theme of Municipal/County Interactions driving the conversation. Lisa Orr, the County's sustainability program coordinator, discussed the Green Homes Challenge program and the Neighborhood Green stormwater initiative, both of which provide resources to homeowners. David Whitaker, the chief of comprehensive planning, discussed the new Livable Frederick initiative, a progressive approach to regional planning that will incorporate resiliency, adaptation, equity, systems thinking and community engagement. Some recommendations that emerged during the course of the conversation included: Waste Reduction: Scale up and streamline recycling, improving outreach and education in order to increase participation from 15-20%, implement a multifamily homes and business recycling initiative.
Energy: LED streetlight retrofits, Solar Coop, community solar and solar for municipalities.
Funding: Prioritize funding of sustainability projects, provide funding opportunities and grants for sustainability initiatives, and possible tax incentives for green businesses.
Sustainable Purchasing: Bulk purchasing, understanding what procurement contracts municipalities can piggyback off of, coordinate with the MWCOG Environmental Buyers Committee, sustainable cooperative purchasing contracts specifically for toilet paper, LED lights, and solar panels (like the Prince George's Energy Collaborative model). Stormwater: Increased funding for municipal stormwater projects that complement county-state regulation requirements, incentives for SW BMPs on residential property, increased water conservation.
Natural Resources: Municipalities should be able to access the County's tree canopy assessments at the municipal level. For more information on the 2nd Frederick County Green Team Summit, including presentations and additional resources, check out our Summit overview.
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WEDNESDAY WEBINARS IN SUSTAINABILITY THIS SPRING
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Join us for our last FREE Wednesday Webinar on Sustainability this Spring:
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QUOTE
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"One of the greatest virtues of gardening is this perpetual renewal of youth and spring, of promise of flower and fruit that can always be read in the open book of the garden, by those with an eye to see, and a mind to understand."
-- E.A. Bowles, British horiculturalist and garden writer
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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
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Mike Hunninghake
Program Manager
 
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