April is Earth Month! Join us as we come together to support a healthier and more sustainable environment. Remember, we only have one Earth.
Mending Lab & Clothing Swap: Thursday, April 9, 5-7 p.m. and Saturday, April 18, 3:30-5:30 p.m. Did you know that clothing is the fastest-growing waste stream, with over 100 billion garments produced annually, most of which end up in landfills or incinerators within a year? Learn to repair clothing to extend garment life, reduce waste, and support sustainable living. Attendees may also participate in a clothing swap, with all unclaimed items donated afterward.
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Earth Month Big Spring Cleanup: April 11, 9-11 a.m. Help us keep Montgomery County clean by joining the Spring cleanup in Silver Spring! Cleanup supplies will be provided and students can earn SSL hours. Register to help ensure enough supplies are on hand!
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Montgomery County GreenFest: Saturday, April 26, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. The 11th annual Montgomery County GreenFest is going big! To honor the 250th anniversary of Montgomery County (founded in 1776), this year’s theme centers on legacy and collective action. We invite every resident to celebrate Montgomery County’s 250 years by committing to 250 actions that safeguard our environment and public health. Join us as we celebrate Montgomery County and GreenFest, with battery collection, art projects, Harriet Tubman Freedom Walk exhibit, music, and more. Learn more at the Montgomery County GreenFest website.
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Montgomery County Energy Summit: Tuesday, April 28 and Wednesday, April 29 (Registration required). The Montgomery County Energy Summit serves as a premier platform for showcasing advanced building performance strategies, innovative technologies, and best practices that are driving the transformation of our built environment. Our primary focus is to empower building professionals and facilitate collaboration that accelerates the adoption of: energy efficiency solutions, performance optimization techniques, sustainable building practices, emerging technologies and comprehensive strategies to achieve ambitious climate goals.
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We’re Back!
We are the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Student Climate Action Council (SCAC)!
As a council of 18 students, we work with MCPS to represent countywide clusters and advance sustainability initiatives. Through advocacy, policy writing, and outreach, the SCAC strengthens student voices and promotes climate action within our schools and communities. Our vision is to create an entirely Green school system, increase the number of innovative sustainability projects, and give the creative students of MCPS a chance to bring their ideas to life for a cleaner, safer future environment. That environment begins in Montgomery County, in which the typical 3-person household consumes 165 gallons of water per day on average. Initially, that may seem like a lot, at least until it’s compared to AI.
AI may soon use 6 times the amount of water as a country with a population of 6 million.
That’s anywhere from 2100 to over 3 billion cubic meters of water. So, where does this intense amount of AI usage stem from, and how has it increased so much recently? One might assume that this is a result of intense and intricate AI stimulation, when in reality, AI is used for the “simplest” purposes, especially in apps such as social media.
According to Gallup News, “99% of U.S. adults report using at least one of these (apps with AI features) in the past week, with 83% saying they have used at least four.” That means nearly all U.S. adults with access to technology are consuming AI content in one way or another. The most upsetting part about this is that many are unaware. A new study conducted in partnership with Telescope revealed that 64% of adults who use AI don’t even realize it. By helping people recognize how and when they contribute to environmental damage through AI, we aim to address this issue proactively. By spreading information on how to avoid AI-generated content and encouraging the use of environmentally friendly alternatives, you can help mitigate the negative impacts and preserve our climate.
Thus, we have provided a proposal for you all. Here are a few ways you can avoid using AI and help prevent the environmental consequences of its use:
- First, alternatives to AI usage while browsing include using browsers like Ecosia, which donate 100% of their profits to environmental initiatives, including reforestation, regenerative agriculture, and renewable energy.
- Additionally, you can even turn off “AI overview” in your Google searches. To do so, you can use the “Web” search filter, append “-AI” to queries, disable it in Search Labs, turn off Google Assistant, or even use browser extensions to hide AI features.
- Lastly, using scholarly websites like JSTOR or Google Scholar provides credible research conducted by humans, thereby eliminating the high energy and water costs required for AI to produce a response.
AI is a destructive tool that limits our capacity to learn on our own and harms our environment. Still, together we can make mindful decisions that will reverse this sustainable and intellectual damage!
From,
Student Climate Action Council (SCAC) & Ambassadors (Communications Committee)
Did you know that DEP has a Green Business Certification Program?
The Montgomery County, Maryland’s Green Business Certification Program is a voluntary recognition program designed to encourage businesses and other organizations to take steps that reduce their ecological footprint.
Earning Green Business Certification identifies your company as part of an innovative leadership movement greening business operations and helping transition to a sustainable future.
Over the next few editions, we will be highlighting Green Businesses in Montgomery County and the actions they are taking to be green. Who knows, this may help you find your next favorite fitness studio, catering company, small business, or butcher shop.
Learn more about the Green Business Certification Program.
Do you have problems with poor drainage, standing, water, or erosion on your property? Our RainScapes Program offers rebates (cash back) to cover a portion of the cost to install projects such as rain gardens and conservation landscapes that help water soak in and reduce stormwater runoff.
We’re offering three classes (hosted by Brookside Gardens) this spring and invite residents to learn about RainScapes and how to participate.
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This class is being offered in Spanish: Soluciones Para Aguas Pluviales y Diseño Sostenible Para Jardines Domésticos. Sábado, 11 de abril, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Brookside Gardens, Wheaton. También hay una opción virtual disponible a través de Zoom. Regístrese en Active Montgomery (Número de actividad PBG0230)
- Evaluating Stormwater Solutions for Home Landscapes. Thursday, April 30, 7:00 – 9:00 pm Virtual (Zoom) | $15 Register for Evaluating Stormwater Solutions on Active Montgomery (Activity Number PBG0015)
- Conservation Landscapes: Dig into the Most Versatile Stormwater Garden. Sunday, May 17, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Brookside Gardens, Wheaton | $25 Register for Conservation Landscapes on Active Montgomery (Activity Number PBG0015)
Have you ever wondered about the County's process of restoring streams? Learn about the inner workings of the stream restoration process and how we take a thoughtful and strategic approach to ensure limited negative impacts and disturbances to plants, wildlife, and our communities.
Advisory Board Openings:
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Wednesday, April 8: Teen Advisory Board at the Potomac Library, 6:15-7:45 p.m.
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Wednesday, April 8: Climate, Energy, and Air Quality Advisory Committee, 7-9 p.m.
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Sunday, April 12: City of Takoma Park Earth Day Event, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
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Sunday, April 26: Rockville Science Day, Noon - 5 p.m.
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Food Scraps Recycling Drop-Off at Local Farmers Markets
- Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Sundays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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Illumination Stations and Lightbulb Exchange (Throughout the month)
Check out our calendar for more details about upcoming events.
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