Green Bowie News May 2022
“May, more than any other month of the year, wants us to feel alive.”
― Fennel Hudson
May is a Big Month!
Not only is May Mental Health Awareness, it is also Jewish-American Heritage Month, Meditation Month,
American Wetlands Month, and National Bike Month (among even more!). Overall, the theme is to get outside and enjoy nature in a multitude of ways and for a multitude of reasons! Don't hesitate to send pictures of you and your family enjoying Green Bowie or to contact adiaz@cityofbowie.org to get involved.
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Upcoming in May:
Family Movie Night: May 13
Join the Green Team at Allen Pond on Friday, May 13. We will start with a Zumba dance party at 7:30pm (adults come get a work out and let the kids burn some energy!) followed by a screening of Happy Feet at about 8:30 pm. All are welcome!
Spring Plant Sale: May 21
The annual plant sale, hosted by the Bowie-Crofton Garden Club, will take place on May 21 this year from 10am-2pm at the Belair Mansion. If you love plants or are interested in learning more about them you don't want to miss this! This is part of the larger Heritage Weekend going on at the Belair Mansion.
Coffee & Climate #3- Converting to an EV: May 23
Coffee & Climate conversations are back for another one, this time on converting to electric vehicles! The Chair of the Green Team and an electrician will answer all the must-know questions about how to get your home ready, how to purchase a charger, how to get rebates, and much more. Please submit questions to adiaz@cityofbowie.org and check the City Calendar for the link to register, as we get closer! This event will be at 11:00 am.
Back by popular demand - ROUND 2 of the #CapitalAreaSolarCoop!
Get Ready, the Capital Area Solar Co-op is coming to the DMV! With Round 2, Solar United Neighbors (SUN) continues to work with over a dozen local jurisdictions around the Capital Area to help residents put solar panels on their homes. By joining, you will join neighbors in DC, Maryland, and Virginia in the quest to lower your energy costs, become energy independent, and participate in the renewable revolution. Round 2 will launch on April 1, 2022 and run until Tuesday, August 30, 2022 - during that time, we will have virtual info sessions and in person events to help answer all your solar questions. Until further information is available please contact adiaz@cityofbowie.org with questions.
Monarch Waystations Cleanups: May 14, May 19, June 11
Learn how to maintain your own pollinator garden, earn SSL hours if needed, and get hands-on experience from the Green Team (Natural Resources Subgroup) on planting and maintaining pollinator gardens and/or monarch waystations. The Green Team members will talk to you about what each plant is and its benefits for the garden as well as teach you about the best practices of design elements.
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S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y
- Sustainability Webinar Series and Coffee & Climate Conversations: recap all episodes by visiting the City of Bowie YouTube channel and choosing the Webinar Playlist. The most recent coffee & climate conversation, focused on stormwater and trees can be played here.
- 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 today.
- Did you know the City of Bowie has its own Solar Farm to help off-set City emissions? How cool is that! "The farm" as we often refer to it has been operational since August 2021 and will greatly help reduce the emission generated from City of Bowie operations. Stay tuned for our State of the Environment report later this year to see more data on the farm.
- Adopt-A-Road: Did you know we have a City of Bowie Adopt-A-Road program? This program was made possible through a Keep Maryland Beautiful grant. Please visit the webpage to find adoptable roads & contact Ashleigh Diaz if you are interested in adopting one!
Grateful Charities cleaning up Mt. Oak Road
Build A Better Bowie group cleaning up Health Center Drive
- 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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Tip of the month: Install a bee hotel so bees have somewhere to go and can thrive, while staying out of your way. Bees are so important to pollinating our plants and crops so we want to encourage their survival!
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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.
Composting is our last line of defense, accordingly to the Food Recovery Hierarchy, before our food waste goes to the landfill. Once there it slowly breaks down over time, emitting methane into the atmosphere. You can help in a number of different ways and composting is a great one!
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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!
Peggy's Famous Spinach Salad
(Delicious and perfect for pre-summer get-togethers)
You will need:
- 1-2 bags/boxes of baby spinach, chopped
- 1 tin of fresh blueberries
- Walnuts and/or sunflower seeds. chopped
- Cheese of choice- preferably feta. To keep it vegan grab a vegan feta alternative or omit cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste (i recommend choosing sea salt or kosher salt and ground pepper)
- 1/3 red onion, sliced very thin or diced
- MUST HAVE: Brianna's Blush Wine Dressing- the dressing makes the salad and Peggy swears by it. You can always use your own favorite vinaigrette as an alternative.
Directions:
- Add all ingredients into a big serving bowl
- Drizzle the dressing lightly over the contents of the bowl and toss to combine lightly
- Have extra dressing on the side :)
- Serve with crispy buttery french bread to balance out a meal or as a side to a larger meal.
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Interested in Becoming a Volunteer?
The next Green Team Executive Committee meeting is
May 16, 2022 at 6:30 PM at City Hall.
Please check the City calendar to confirm location.
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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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