If you are planning an environmentally friendly wedding, don’t miss this Sunday’s Mid-Atlantic Green Wedding Showcase in College Park, Maryland. Thirty green vendors will have their work on display and more than 20 eco-designers and vintage shops are participating in the green wedding fashion show. “How many wedding vendors actually practice sustainability?” asked Lori Hill, one of the executive co-producers of the event. “The folks on this list get it,” she said, referring to her list of eco-friendly exhibitors and sponsors. If you are planning a green wedding in the Germantown area, “…
Germantown resident Brooke Levey participates in the Great Backyard Bird Count every year. She and her husband watched birds as kids, were married in 2000, and now do it with their children. She said it’s a great way to get children and families involved in citizen science. Amateur birdwatchers from across the U.S. and Canada will submit their findings to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a sponsor of the four-day annual event. Participation in the Great Backyard Bird Count is easy. You can sit in your house and count the birds in your backyard if you like. You have to watch for at least 15 …
Katie McCormick is a Germantown locavore. “A locavore is someone who eats local food,” she explains. A peek into her refrigerator reveals free-range eggs, glass bottles of milk and various cuts of meat. “That’s Berta,” said McCormick, pointing to the pork loin and sausage. “She was at the [Montgomery County] fair last year." Berta didn't win a ribbon, but her brother did. Such intimate knowledge of your dinner may seem strange to some, but the locavore movement has surged in popularity in recent years. The word was first coined in 2005, when four women from San Francisco challenged …
Reusable grocery bags are a favorite with Germantown shoppers trying to live green. Now that Maryland is considering a 5 cent fee for each non-recyclable grocery sack, the popularity of reusable bags is likely to rise. But are they safe? Recent studies by the Tampa Tribune and the Center for Consumer Freedom found lead in some reusable bags at concentrations greater than 100 parts per million, the maximum amount allowed in packaging under Maryland state law. The Center for Consumer Freedom study implicated reusable bags from local chains such as Safeway, Giant, and CVS. Safeway. Greg Ten…
The question of paper or plastic could soon become more costly for Germantown area shoppers. Within the week, Delegate Alfred C. Carr, Jr., of Montgomery County District 18, plans to introduce a bill that would enact a five-cent fee on non-reusable shopping bags in the state of Maryland. Carr proposed similar measures in 2009 and 2010. Both prior attempts were unsuccessful. However, Carr remains hopeful. “I do plan to reintroduce the bill. It will be closely modeled after the law that’s been in effect in Washington, D.C. for over a year. That law has been effective at reducing the …
Need to get back to nature but you don’t have the time to go on vacation? Explore these trails in Germantown: Gunners Lake Loop (1.24 miles / beginner) From Middlebrook Road, take Waring Station Road until it turns into Wisteria Dr. The lake will be on your right; park along the street. The walking path around Gunners Lake is a hard, mostly flat surface good for strollers and bicyclists. Pets are welcome on a leash. Wildflowers, trees and grass grow alongside the path. You might see ducks, geese, turtles and fish in the lake. There are several piers that allow you to look out over the …
With the recent cold snap affecting Germantown, it’s hard to believe that it's time to register for summer camp! If you are thinking about sending your kids to a nature-themed camp this summer, here are some local options to consider: Valley Mill Camp 15101 Seneca Road Germantown MD 20874 (301) 948-0220 Ages: 6-14 Types of programs: A variety of camps for boys and girls ranging from rock climbing to archery to acting. They also have a kayak school. Cost: Season: June 20 – August 19 Tuition: $4410 First Session: June 20 – July 29 Tuition: $2940 Second Session: August 1 – August 19 Tuition…
How green is the Germantown Public Library? “Our traditional way of service is very green,” said Carol Legarreta, public services administrator for branch operations with the Montgomery County Public Libraries. “We purchase books and share them with the entire community. Each item circulates many times over the course of a year.” Reuse means fewer titles purchased by consumers and, in turn, fewer books heading toward landfills. “We do appreciate customers who come in and donate books. We particularly appreciate donations of items that are among the highly requested books – books on the …
Have the holidays left you feeling frazzled? Take a healthy step forward into 2011. Here's one green goal to consider adding to your list of New Year's resolutions: Spend at least 15 minutes a day outside. In 2007, National Wildlife Federation launched Green Hour, a campaign calling for children to have one hour of unstructured playtime outside every day. "The National Wildlife Federation is concerned about the trend in this country where kids are spending seven to eight hours a day in front of electronic media. We developed the Green Hour campaign as an antidote … a way to encourage …
In Germantown, holidays and recycling go hand-in-hand. Montgomery County has a comprehensive recycling program, where you can unload used wrapping paper, greeting cards, cardboard shipping boxes, live wreaths and even your live Christmas tree. Looking for more ways to make Christmas environmentally friendly? Try these five tips to add some additional Christmas "green": Share your Christmas meal. After dinner, take that extra slice of pie to a needy neighbor. But what if you have an entire pie left over? Bring it to Shepherd's Table or the Men's Emergency Shelter. Shepherd's Table, at…
Is what we put on our bodies as important as what we put into them? Should people who are passionate about saving the environment focus on their own bodies first? Two local green business owners say yes. Since 2004, Linda Stein has operated Zosimos Botanicals out of Gaithersburg. Honi Borden founded Holeco® Wellness Medi Spa, a nationally recognized green spa, in 2006. In 2008, Borden created holeco® life, which operates out of Boyds. Zosimos Botanicals http://www.zosimosbotanicals.com 301-977-2826 / 1-877-889-9969 "Zosimos Botanicals is an eco-conscious beauty company," said Linda …
Are you looking to lower your energy bills this winter? Take a tip from Germantown's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School and start an energy conservation incentive plan. Beverly Thompson is a Paraeducator and the Recycling Coordinator at MLK Middle School. She heads their School Energy and Recycling Team, SERT. This group of roughly 25 middle school students meets twice a week to track energy consumption and recycling for each classroom and office in the school. "We go around to all of the classrooms that are in good compliance and put a smiley face on the door. It's encouraging …
What's better for the environment: an artificial Christmas tree that gets used year after year or a live Christmas tree that is enjoyed once before disposal? Lynda DeWitt, Director of Communications at the Audubon Naturalist Society, said that her organization researched this issue for its monthly electronic newsletter, Audubon eNEWS. The ANS found that "the problem with artificial trees is that most of them are made overseas and contain polyvinyl chloride." This form of plastic is dangerous to produce and difficult to dispose of in a safe manner, said DeWitt. Fuel use for shipment …
Do you need to replace your furance? Now is a good time to have one installed. December 31, 2010 marks the end of the Nonbusiness Energy Property Credit for certain energy efficient home improvements on your primary residence. This federal tax credit pays you back 30 percent of the cost of qualifying improvements, up to $1500 combined for calendar years 2009 and 2010. Eligible items include insulation, metal and asphalt roofs, windows and doors, non-solar water heaters, and heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) units. Installation costs are sometimes included. Improvements …
Lynn Colwell, co-author of Celebrate Green!, doesn't mince words. If you want to have an environmentally-friendly Thanksgiving, buy less. "In this country, we overbuy and then we throw away a lot of what we purchase," Colwell said. According to statistics she's read, anywhere from 15 to 40 percent of the food we buy in the United States ends up in the trash. That spells enormous waste for consumers, both in terms of food and money. "Before you set foot in a store, think about what you need. Can it be replaced by something you already have or something you can borrow?" – Lynn Colwell, co-…
"In one year, one grocery store can go through six million paper bags. It takes over 85 hundred trees. Always use reusable bags when shopping and save some trees." – from a Seneca Valley High School Public Service Announcement This Monday, November 15, 2010, is America Recycles Day. But students in Mary Morgan's classes at Seneca Valley High School don't need a specific day to celebrate. They work throughout the school year to promote recycling and energy awareness. Since the fall of 2008, Morgan has used these topics to teach remedial math and English. "We begin our work by doing research …
It's the first weekend in November. Germantown has disappeared under a sea of red, yellow, and brown leaves. What's a person to do? "Fall is a great time [to start composting]," said Keith Ohlinger, a volunteer with the University of Maryland Extension. "Dried leaves have a lot of carbon." Ohlinger, trained as a Master Gardener and a Master Composter, maintains a large compost pile on his rural Montgomery County property. For good compost, he explained, you want a mix of carbon-rich "brown matter" (like leaves, twigs, and bark) along with nitrogen-rich "green matter" (such as grass …
It's Halloween and you're thinking green. You've already repurposed last year's Halloween costume. You've decided not to go overboard on candy this year. What else can you do? Choose your pumpkin wisely. If you're planning that last minute pumpkin purchase, pick one that was grown locally, preferably straight from the vine. "Go for one that has a good heavy feel for its size and sounds sturdy when thumped on," said Katie McCormick, a Germantown resident committed to eating locally-grown food. "You do not want it to sound hollow." At the grocery store, select the smaller, tastier "pie …
Today is Community Service Day in Montgomery County. You might have already seen Help Feed the Hungry Food Drives at area Giant grocery stores. Manna Food Center, Montgomery County's primary food bank, will be the recipient of those donations. On their busiest days, Manna will see 236 families come to pick up their monthly rations. The line is long, stretching out past the door. Along with providing food to individuals, Manna Food Bank's Executive Director Kim Damion said the organization also distributes food to many of the small pantries, health agencies and soup kitchens in the area…
Lindsey Chambers, Germantown resident, Postdoctoral Research Fellow with NASA and Adjunct Professor of Environmental Studies at Gettysburg College, was the featured speaker at the MOMS Club® of Germantown-North monthly meeting on Oct. 6. Chambers spoke on the topic of green cleaning to a group of mothers as their children played nearby. Green cleaning begins when you clear your cupboards of harsh chemicals and substitute safe and natural alternatives. "I green clean to get the toxic ingredients out of the house and out of my kids' lives," Chambers said. She added that green cleaning products …
