GreenBowie News October 2021
"October is the opal month of the year. It is the month of glory, of ripeness. It is the picture-month."
- Henry Ward Beecher
October is Energy Awareness Month
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GreenBowie Spotlight
Bowie International Festival- The Green Team will have a booth at "International Fest" on October 2. The topic will be the international problem of plastic. Come by Allen Pond between 11-5 and join the fun!
Kenhill Center Native Garden Demo Planting- join members of the Natural Resources subgroup of the Green Team as they plant a native garden at Kenhill Center. They will explain the plants, best practices, why this is beneficial and even be giving away some plants! This will take place on October 16 from 10am - noon.
Green Bowie Veterans Day 5k- join us for this family friendly fun run & walk to celebrate veterans! Go to Cityofbowie.org/5k to register today. As an fyi, this event is FREE and the first 500 registered get a free t-shirt. Come out and support veterans in a sustainable way!
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Did you know that there is microplastic in your plastic water bottles? Not only is plastic bad for the environment from production all the way to disposal, but it also releases microplastics into the actual water it is enveloping, and that is then consumed. On average there is about 325 microplastic particles per liter of water. Find out more about this here.
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S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y
- Sustainability Webinar Series: recap all episodes by visiting the City of Bowie YouTube channel and choosing the Webinar Playlist.
- Did you know the City has pledged to aim for 50% reductions of emissions by 2030? That's a hefty goal that will take work from all of us to meet. View the Climate Action Plan and see what actions you can take to make every day, Earth Day.
- Adopt-A-Road: We have officially launched our Bowie Adopt-A-Road program. This program was made possible through a Keep Maryland Beautiful Grant. Please visit the webpage to learn more & contact Ashleigh Diaz if you are interested in adopting a road.
- Neighborhood Mini Grants: We have also launched a new program aimed at neighborhood engagement. Host an event for your street, HOA, or neighborhood and let the City help you pay for it! Learn more about the Neighborhood Mini Grant program by visiting the webpage.
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Food Waste & Composting
- Food Waste Program: Do you live in Belair Town II, Victoria Heights, Idlewild, Yorktown, Overbrook, Saddlebrook or Saddlebrook West neighborhoods? If yes, you are eligible for the food waste program! Learn more about this fun and FREE program at www.cityofbowie.org/foodwaste.
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Excess food waste breaking down in landfills creates a lot of gases. Methane to be exact. And methane is one of the greenhouse gases that get caught in our atmosphere, trap sunlight and heat, and contribute to climate change. Because Landfills are a large emitter of methane, we encourage composting to the full extent possible for you/your family.
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Green Bowie Biz
There are now 10 certified Green Bowie Businesses
Are you a business looking for ways to go green? Know a business that is green and should be certified? Need assistance with furthering your goals of sustainability? You've come to the right place! You can read about all Green Bowie Businesses at www.cityofbowie.org/greenbowiebiz.
The Green Bowie Business program is modeled after the MD Green Registry program. Admission into the state program automatically enrolls you into the City program and helps you access resources from both. Learn about the MD Green Registry here.
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Recipe of the Month
Where we give you a plant-based recipe to help your health and the environment!
Fall Spicy Quinoa Bowl
(with spicy lime dressing)
You will need:
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 cup corn
- 1 can rinsed black beans
- Dressing-
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- Hot sauce like tabasco, cholula, texas pete to taste
- Salt & pepper
Directions:
- Add oil to a pan and then sauté your diced onion and garlic until fragrant and translucent
- Add the quinoa to the onion and garlic mixture and cover with the broth (or water). Add the cumin, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Let simmer about 15 minutes
- Add the cup of frozen corn kernels and black beans, stir until all is well combined
- Separately, mix up the dressing ingredients
- Enjoy by drizzling the dressing over the quinoa dish and eating as a main course or a side, or add it to a salad of chopped romaine and baby spinach, putting the dressing on top.
Thank you to Elena Wisler of the Green Team for this amazing recipe.
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Interested in Becoming a Volunteer?
The next Green Team Executive Committee meeting is
October 18, 2021 and will be virtual. Please check the City calendar for the link.
Subgroup Highlight: Energy
October is the month of all things scary like ghosts, goblins, zombies, and climate change. All we have to do is reflect on this past year’s devastating natural disasters to realize that, unlike Halloween’s typical mythical monsters, climate change's enhanced events are real. We’ve all watched the news coverage of mega-drought induced wildfires out west, melting glaciers, record breaking heatwaves above the Artic Circle, more intense and faster forming hurricanes, yearly “100 year” flooding events and rapid ecosystem changes threatening species survival. Fortunately, global warming is one aspect of climate change and we have many tools to address it. Those tools are available to each of us which allows each individual citizen to participate in fighting global warming at the local level. In Bowie, most of our impact on climate change is from energy usage and transportation. Tools that we can employ to reduce our impact include weatherizing our homes, using less cooling or heating depending on the season, using renewable energy (solar panels, community solar, selecting renewable energy providers), walk/bike more, and upgrading to electric vehicles. By implementing one or all of these tools you will help Bowie work towards meeting its Climate Action Plan goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 50% from 2015 levels by 2030. An ambitious goal but, one we can achieve if we all do our part and act now. Please join us in combating climate change so future Halloweens won’t be so scary for our children. “Think globally, act locally.”
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Other Incentives
- Learn more about Maryland's energy supply, usage, policies, etc. by visiting this on-line manual on Maryland's Energy.
- Explore different choices for electricity providers through this Maryland website that allows you to filter choices based on your needs i.e. 100% renewable, wind, etc.
Community Solar:
Having solar panels on your home is not the only option for obtaining residential solar! By subscribing to a Maryland based community solar farm a customer is allotted a specified percentage of the entire farm’s electricity output each month, which the customer agrees to purchase from the supplier at a price that is typically 5%-25% below the rate the utility charges. That percentage of the overall output is then converted into a dollar amount which is calculated at the current rate that the utility charges their residential customers. That dollar amount is then reflected on the customer’s utility bill in the form of a credit.
Here is a great resource to learn more about Community Solar in Maryland and more specifically by Electricity provider.
Home Weatherization Upgrades:
Washington Gas Customers Can Now Get Up to $400 in Rebates at Your Favorite Home Improvement Retailer
Washington Gas is here to make your home more energy efficient and your equipment shopping experience more affordable. As of April 2021, Maryland residential Washington Gas customers can receive rebates on qualifying natural gas water heaters and dryers at our approved retailers. Retail associates at these stores are trained and ready to help you find the right appliance for your home. Be sure to look out for Washington Gas signage highlighting these rebates in these stores! Customers can save up to $400 on natural gas water heaters and $75 on natural gas dryers.
Qualifying ENERGY STAR certified natural gas water heaters are ALSO eligible for a $300 federal tax credit! Visit the ENERGY STAR website for more information. Montgomery County residents can also receive a $250 Montgomery County Energy Efficiency tax credit. That means you could save up to $950!
Participation is easy! To qualify for a rebate:
- Purchase qualifying equipment in store at an approved retailer.
- Work with an installation service professional through an approved retailer or with an EmPOWER Contractor to have the equipment installed.
- Apply for your rebate online through the Retail Application website.
- Receive a rebate check within 6-8 weeks of completed application.
Click here to get started on your path to energy savings.
To learn more about eligible equipment and the application process, please call our Application Processing Center at 1-833-286-0860.
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