Categories for Uncategorized

Image of two girls playing by Booze Creek.

The restoration of Lower Booze Creek

As a Stream Steward, I was able to take part in the celebration of the restoration of Lower Booze Creek, along with others in the community.  There was a lot to celebrate too.  Pictures on display showed that before the restoration, there was exposed piping, and lot’s of obvious erosion along the banks. Now the
Image of St. James' Episcopal Church rain garden

How we greened our church: step one

Green never happens in a vacuum. That’s especially true when you’re dealing with an entity as complex as a church, or another community of faith. But at the same time, communities of faith are natural incubators for the environmental movement. A commitment to caring for creation, working together, setting a positive example, and simply doing
Image of a Department of Environmental Protection staff member using a heat thermometer.

Borrow energy awareness tools today

Please note: This program is no longer being offered. Please visit the Montgomery County Public Libraries page to search for energy tools available for check out, such as the Kill-a-Watt meter (search “kill a watt” with no hyphens). _________________________ On Saturday, May 11 Bethesda Green and the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection launched the Energy
Image of a groundlevel plant, named phlox, blooming pink flowers. The phlox was planted within a County rain garden.

Rain gardens have sprung to life

Rain gardens along the roadsides in the County are springing to life—finally!  What a strange winter and delayed spring. We’re seeing the fresh green shoots and spring flowers emerge in the Green Streets rain gardens that handle the dirty, polluted water from the streets.
Image of three high school volunteers removing invasive species.

High School WEED Warriors

We originally found out about the WEED Warrior program through the C and O Canal National Park.  The reason we got involved with this program is because of our field based Global Ecology program at Poolesville High School.  Alumni from our high school encouraged our participation in the Montgomery Parks WEED Warrior program.
Image of a garden that utilizes green landscaping techniques.

Certified green landscaping companies

“Make Sure the Grass is Greener on Your Side of the Fence. Use a Montgomery County Certified Green Landscape Business.” Ride-on buses with the above slogan can be seen throughout Montgomery County. But what is it all about?
Photo of a rain garden along a street in Forest Estates.

Green street rain gardens are ready for Spring!

Have you seen one of DEP’s new green street rain gardens? In 2012, DEP installed 46 rain gardens along roadways and parking lots at Forest Estates, White Oak, Dennis Avenue, Arcola Avenue, Aspen Hill Library, and Kensington Library. These rain gardens and other vegetated improvements were installed to reduce and filter rainfall and pollutants that
Image of youth group participating in a biological monitoring project.

Earth Month in Montgomery County

Monday, April 22nd, people all across the world will come together to commemorate the 43rd annual Earth Day. April 22nd is a day for reflecting on the achievements made to restore and protect our environment as well as raise awareness to future challenges. Earth Day has become so big that not all the events can
Image of man installing home sealing around windows.

Building a community of home energy savers

The Montgomery County Chapter of Sierra Club leads an energy efficiency education information session for homeowners titled, “Top Ten Energy Savings Tips”. The session helps homeowners plan energy conservation projects. 
Photo of families with a map of Montgomery County watersheds at the H2O Summit

H2O Summit in Photos

The H2O Summit was held Saturday, March 16, 2013 in Gaithersburg, MD. It was a huge success with participants from community environmental groups, government agencies, families and schools. We hope to see you at next year’s event!
Photo of Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection staff and family during a trash pick-up retreat.

Riverkeepers: Watershed projects for families

My sons have fond memories of splashing and exploring in nearby Sligo Creek during their early childhood. Excitement for our creek picnics grew as we set out through the neighborhood and found the big rock and “sandy beach” in the middle of a wide expanse of creek. The kids skimmed rocks and made up games
Image of homeowners installing energy efficient windows.

Tax credits available for energy efficiency improvements

If you have made energy efficient upgrades to your home, you could be eligible for some tax relief. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 retroactively renewed the federal energy efficiency tax credit for homeowners who made qualifying improvements in 2012 or 2013. The credit can mean up to $500 of cash in your pocket.
Image of Department of Environmental Protection staff member teaching kids about watersheds.

You’re invited to the H2O Summit

The H2O Summit is a day for the whole family to learn about water, volunteerism and environmental protection.  This free event is open to everyone.  You do not need to be an expert on water issues – only have an interest in learning about clean water.
Image of Damascus United Methodist Church rain barrel project.

Local congregations are making a difference to stream health

Eleven congregations and 72 Montgomery County residents came together on Sunday, February 10, to discuss how the faith-based community can play a role in improving local watersheds. The forum, “Greening Our Sacred Grounds”, was an opportunity for the congregations to share their successes, and roadblocks, in developing environmental projects.