Give Your Old Bicycle a New Life! How? Donate it at the Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s annual Bicycle Donation Drive on Friday, October 20, 2023! Donations accepted from 7:00 a.m.-2:00
Two Horned Trapa reporting–Please help us! If you are around any ponds in Montgomery County, or anywhere else in Maryland, Virginia, or elsewhere, please report two-horned trapa! Please help us
We seek your input on new services being considered by the County government. Your opinion matters to us, and we want to ensure that the decisions we make align closely
Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week takes place this year from June 3 to 11 and is a time to celebrate the cultures, history and natural beauty of the nation’s largest estuary.
Winners of the the Future Mobility Challenge The electric car team from Wheaton HS, sponsored by Wheaton High School’s Society of Women Engineers, won the Future Mobility Challenge, an international Electric Vehicle
The Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience and the Office of Grants Management are soliciting grant applications for the FY23 Resident and Community Food Gardening Grant Program for qualified
This blog was written by Teju Vijay, volunteer coach with a FIRST LEGO league robotics team. Teju is a High School student in Montgomery County. A team of elementary and
Did you know? The amount of household waste in the U.S. increases an average of 25% between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day ( EPA). Everyone can “Green” their holidays and
The County’s Climate Team is happy to welcome Najila, Lulu, Kristina, Feh, Daniel, Rachel, and Lumina as interns and fellows for the summer! Each of these passionate individuals will collaborate
If you have visited Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) office or downtown Wheaton lately, you likely have seen the latest additions to the neighborhood—new blue recycling stations! These
Introduction Can animals that look like rocks and are capable of trickery and bloodsucking have a positive effect on water quality? What if those same animals had common names like
Introduction Marbled salamanders are marvelous critters. These thin-skinned, cold-blooded salamanders – and frogs and toads – survive winters without coats. That’s amazing. Salamanders can lose a leg or tail and
Introduction Picture this: an ancient adult stonefly lands on a stegosaurus. The stegosaurus doesn’t notice. The stonefly is looking for a mate, not a huge dinosaur, and it flies away.
Introduction “Look! Right there! Under that rock in the middle of the stream! Is that a lobster?” Nope. It’s a crayfish, the smaller freshwater cousin of the lobster. You can’t
Introduction Eels have mystified people from Aristotle who thought they developed from earthworms to young Sigmund Freud who couldn’t find what makes a male eel a male and who switched
Montgomery Energy Connection, a program of Montgomery County is excited to bring “Lemons & LEDs” to your Senior Center. Join us on Tuesday, July 13th at the White Oak Senior
Wetlands Provide Ecosystem Services Wetlands are often described as the “kidneys of the landscape.” They help remove pollutants from runoff and moderate the flow of water to mitigate floods and
The Cicadas are Coming! You’ve no doubt heard by now that the periodical cicada Brood X will soon make its above-ground appearance in the local landscape. As the progeny of
Nearly 1400 young trees find a new home along Booze Creek As of April 2021, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection has completed more than three quarters of the
As spring continues its procession, native ferns awaken to the sun and warming earth by unfurling their leaves, called fronds, that emerge from the base of the plant as tightly
Its that time of year that our office has come to love. Time to submit our annual report to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for the County’s Municipal Separate
Gardeners know: when the days start to lengthen, it’s time to get back to the garden. One of the typical garden activities of winter is ordering seeds and plants. Another
Signs of spring are beginning to appear but, what makes it springtime? Who you ask will determine the answer you receive. If they are like most of my friends, it
We are all familiar with the crunch of salt underfoot after a snowstorm in Montgomery County. But where does this salt go after the snow and ice has melted? What
Guess what’s brewing? For the entire month of FeBREWary, we will be visiting local OUTDOOR breweries to bring you socially distant ways to swap out old, inefficient bulbs. Why? Because
Salt is useful because it is inexpensive and somewhat effective in breaking down ice and snow on our roads. Following a storm, major roads need to be safe and passable.
Pervious Pavement: What is it? Pervious pavement is a system for reducing stormwater runoff, ensuring less pollutants enter our waterways, as well as reducing the use of deicing chemicals during
Several years ago, one of my friends told me I was the “greenest person she knew!” Although surprised, my “normal” is apparently not the norm. I am constantly trying to
In celebration of Energy Awareness Month, October 2020, Montgomery Energy Connection will be hosting several 15 in Fifteen Trivia Games in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection.
In celebration of Energy Awareness Month, October 2020, Montgomery Energy Connection will be hosting several 15 in Fifteen Trivia Games in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection.
“This fall, the County’s Residential Energy Program has partnered with local Senior Centers to celebrate “Active Aging Week”. This is a collaborative effort with MCDEP and the county senior centers
“This fall, the County’s Residential Energy Program has partnered with local Senior Centers to celebrate “Active Aging Week”. This is a collaborative effort with MCDEP and the county senior centers
“This fall, the County’s Residential Energy Program has partnered with local Senior Centers to celebrate “Active Aging Week”. This is a collaborative effort with MCDEP and the county senior centers
Have you ever heard of the Poop Fairy? No? Probably because there is no such thing. Pet owners across Montgomery County are responsible for picking up their pet’s waste when
What is the Problem? Litter in our communities is detrimental local wildlife as it pollutes streams. Litter can be any piece of trash that is not put into the correct
Did you know that September 18th is World Water Monitoring Day? Since 1995 Montgomery County has maintained a stream monitoring program. As a result, the program has tracked water quality
Did you know there are more than 17,000 Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs) in Montgomery County? These stormwater BMPs protect rivers, streams and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay! Stormwater BMPs are
If you look closely, you will find many beautifully painted storm drains across Montgomery County with messages highlighting the importance of clean water and protecting the Chesapeake Bay. These designs
August is water quality awareness month. At the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) the Watershed Restoration Division’ entire focus is water protection year-round! The Watershed Restoration Division is
This past June, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) developed an interactive web map with dynamic infographics. The interactive map displays the County’s restoration efforts that have taken
Many storm drains in Montgomery County lead straight to streams, which then feed into larger streams and rivers and eventually lead to the Chesapeake Bay. We pass these storm drains
The mission of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is to enhance the quality of life in our community by protecting and improving Montgomery County’s air, water and land in
This blog post was written by DEP’s Residential Energy Program Manager, Larissa Johnson, and originally appeared on the BOOST Breakfast Club blog. There’s something you need to know about me,
If you want to minimize maintenance in your garden—and save water in the process—the fundamental tenet is simple: location, location, location. Any garden can be low-maintenance. All it takes is
Any time of year is a potential problem time in Montgomery County, at least when you’re a gardener worried about deer. The risk also exists for rain gardens and conservation
Changing out lights may not be the flashiest choice for the green-minded homeowner, but the energy savings—not to mention the rebate opportunities—can be very glamorous indeed. And reimbursement from Pepco