Green News & Events, April 9

by Susanna Parker

Committing to Sustainability

Zack Kline, whose company A.I.R. Lawn Care is a member of the Bethesda Green Incubator, has decided to make sustainability his full-time job. Two weeks ago, Zack quit his former job at a payroll company in order to focus on getting A.I.R. Lawn Care on the map. The landscaping company is different from most others due to Zack’s eco-friendly methods. A solar panel mounted on the company truck charges the electric blowers, mowers, and trimmers that he uses to transform neighborhood lawns. Unlike conventional equipment, Zack’s don’t emit either noise pollution or gas fumes, which is especially appreciated during the hot Washington summers. Zack plans to focus on growing his business and cornering the market on eco-friendly lawn care. To learn more about Zack and his company, read Aaron Kraut’s full story on Bethesda Now.

Multiple Oil Disasters Throw a Shadow on the Keystone XL Pipeline

The Exxon Pegasus pipeline incident is not the only spill that has occurred in recent weeks. The same day of the Pegasus spill, the West Columbia Pipeline, operated by a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, was reported to have a potential release of 700 barrels of crude oil. The release, which equals nearly 30,000 gallons, was detected by the U.S. National Response Center. Last Thursday, Coast Guard representatives confirmed that at least 50 barrels of oil had entered into Vince Bayou, a waterway connected to the Gulf of Mexico.

The spill is only the most recent in a series of oil disasters. The Arkansas incident is ongoing, with residents still evacuated from their homes as clean-up workers attempt to clear oil from the small town. Additionally, two rail car derailments in Minnesota and Canada released a combined spill of almost 50,000 gallons. These multiple disasters are giving backing to those who protest the potential Keystone XL pipeline. Michael Brune, the executive director of the Sierra Club, said “Transporting toxic crude oil – and tar sands in particular – is inherently dangerous… This is why Keystone XL… must never be built.”

To learn more about the Texas spill, read Carol Linnitt’s article on DeSmog Canada.

Beekeeper Draws Attention to Colony Collapse

Darren Cox, the national beekeeper of the year, is attempting to use his status to raise awareness of the plight of the honey bee. In a Huffington Post article, Cox explains that colony collapse disorder affects honey bee hives, causing the bees to suddenly disappear and die. The disease is spreading nationwide, and regularly destroys colonies at a rate of 30% a year. However, 2012 saw an extreme rise in bee death, and Cox reported 70% die-off in his hives. Before colony collapse disorder became so widespread, bee death generally held steady at 15%, usually caused by pests and diseases. No one has discovered the cause of colony collapse disorder, but scientists point to a combination of pesticide contamination, poor nutrition, and bee diseases.

Colony collapse disorder has the potential to wreak havoc on the nation’s food supply. Honey bees are the main pollinators of our agricultural crops, and a dramatic population decline could have a major, negative effect on crop output. The cost of having humans do the work that bees do naturally, for free, would be staggering, and the effects would be felt worldwide.

There are ways to mitigate the disorder. Cox urges farmers to spray pesticides at night, when bees are less active, while homeowners and gardeners are encouraged to grow a variety of pollinator-friendly plants, which will provide food and habitat for honey bees.

Upcoming Green Events

• Learn About SCRAP DC, Tuesday, April 9, 7:30 – 9 pm, Bethesda Green, 4825 Cordell Avenue, Suite 200
  

SCRAP DC is a small “creative reuse” nonprofit that diverts useable stuff from local waste streams, affordably offering it for arts, crafts, and education. Join its co-directors for an information session at Bethesda Green. Come hear what SCRAP’s been up to, discuss activities you might do together, and envision bringing a SCRAP location to Maryland.

• Cleantech Open Briefing, Wednesday, April 10, noon – 1:30 pm, Bethesda Green, 4825 Cordell Avenue

Join us for a business and informational lunch briefing in support of the Cleantech Open with special remarks from Joshua C. Greene, Southeast Regional Director. Lunch and refreshments to be served. To RSVP, email Robert Snyder, robertgsnyder@msn.com, or call 240-396-2440 x-103.

• Take a Bite Out of ALS with Gator Ron’s, Sunday, April 14, 11:45 am – 2:30 pm, BlackFinn, 4901 Fairmont Avenue, Bethesda

Support Gator Ron’s, a Bethesda Green incubator company, as it launches a partnership with BlackFinn. Enjoy Gator Ron’s zesty sauces and Bloody Mary mixes. Proceeds help support ALS research.

• Home Energy Workshop in Bethesda, Sunday April 14, 1 – 2:30 pm, Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, 9601 Cedar Lane

This Saturday, Interfaith Power and Light will be teaming up with Groundswell and Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church to teach neighborhood homeowners how to save energy at home. Did you know that proper weatherization could save you 15-35% of your heating costs? Learn about this an other ways to save energy, create green jobs, and shrink your carbon footprint! Food and refreshments will be provided by members of Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church. Please RSVP to program@gwipl.org.

• Green Volunteering: Earth Day, Every Day, Monday April 15, Silver Spring

1. Tour of Shepherd’s Table, 4 – 4:45 pm, 8210 Dixon Avenue
2. Green Volunteering Fair, 5 – 6:30 pm, Eggspectation, 923 Ellsworth Drive

Join the Corporate Volunteer Council for our Earth Day, Every Day event in Silver Spring! The afternoon will start with a tour of Shepherd’s Table, which has provided food and services to Montgomery County’s homeless population since 1983. Following the tour, we’ll head over to Eggspectation in Downtown Silver Spring. Learn about green nonprofits in Montgomery County that are focused on environmental stewardship, reuse, recycling, and the protection of natural resources. To learn more about the event, and to register, visit the Corporate Volunteer Council of Montgomery County.

• Bethesda Big Train Fanfest and Celebrity Softball Classic, Saturday, April 20, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Shirley Povich Field, 10600 Westlake Drive, Bethesda, MD 20817

Bethesda Green supporters take note: For every ticket that is purchased online using the promotional code [GREEN], the buyer will receive 20% off each ticket and Big Train baseball will donate $2 back to Bethesda Green for every ticket purchased! All you have to do is enter the promotional code [GREEN] at the checkout page.

Susanna Parker is a recent college graduate and volunteer with Bethesda Green. Her interest in sustainability leads her to look for green solutions in uncommon places.

 

Green News & Events, March 12

by Susanna Parker

Maryland Senate Passes Offshore Wind Bill

The third time is the charm – after proposing offshore wind bills in 2011 and 2012, Governor Martin O’Malley’s Maryland Offshore Wind Energy Act of 2013 passed in the Maryland Senate on March 8. The vote, which had a large favorable margin in the Maryland House, passed in the Senate 30 to 15. The passage of this bill would allow Maryland to hire a private developer to build a series of turbines off the coast of Ocean City. The higher rate for offshore wind, and the cost of development, would require Maryland residential ratepayers to pay an additional $1.50 a month after the turbines are constructed. Maryland businesses would also pay a monthly surcharge of 1.5 percent. O’Malley has framed the monthly charge as a low but necessary cost in establishing an industry in Maryland that has both high potential for green energy but comes with multi-billion dollar start-up costs.

Maryland joins several other states including New Jersey in establishing “carve-outs” for green energy in their state energy budgets. These carve-outs have driven growth in other states, and wind energy advocates hope that the bill will kick-start the offshore wind industry throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Mike Tidwell, executive director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, is optimistic about the effect the bill will have on Maryland’s economy, stating that “it’s a driver of innovation that will create jobs, enhance our economy, improve public health, and protect the climate.” For more information on the bill, read the Washington Post article here.  Visit the Chesapeake Climate Action Network to find out how to thank your Senator for their vote.

New York Times Comes Out Against Keystone XL Pipeline

In an editorial published March 11, the New York Times urged President Obama to reject the pipeline that would funnel Canadian tar sand oil across the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The Times editorial comes shortly after the State Department’s report stating that the pipeline would have little environmental impact because Canada would develop the tar sand oil with or without the pipeline, therefore building it or not would have no long-term effects. The Times, however, points out that rejecting the pipeline would require Canadians to “play a larger role in deciding whether a massive expansion of tar sands development is prudent.” The lack of a U.S. pipeline would force Canada to build one that spanned their own provinces, a project that has already been delayed due to concerns about the potential environmental impact.

The proposed Keystone XL pipeline would traverse 875 miles of the United States and transport 830,000 barrels of crude oil daily to refineries on the Gulf Coast. The process of extracting, refining, and burning tar sands oil is a dirtier process than that for standard crude, yielding annual greenhouse gas emissions that are roughly 17 percent higher. Additionally, the tar sands and the boreal forest that holds them are major carbon sinks; by extracting the tar sands we both add carbon to the atmosphere and take away a method of removing it. The Times urges President Obama to reject the project, stating that “a president who has repeatedly identified climate change as one of humanity’s most pressing dangers cannot in good conscience approve a project that can only add to the problem.” Read the full editorial at the New York Times.

Upcoming Green Events

• Bidder 70, Friday, March 15, 7:30 pm, St. Columba’s Church, Washington DC

Environmental activist Tim DeChristopher was sent to jail at age 21 for bidding on, and winning, millions of dollars worth of land parcels under false pretenses at a Bureau of Land Management auction. His actions drew ire from gas and oil companies, and applause from environmentalists; Bidder 70 documents DeChristopher’s trial and conviction. Part of the DC Environmental Film Festival, Friday’s screening will be hosted by Ray Suarez and feature musical guests Magpie. Tickets are $7 at the door, seating is limited. For more information on the screening, please visit the event’s Facebook page.

• Save a Birding Hot Spot! Sunday, March 17, 9 am – 11 am, 20500 Zion Road, Laytonsville, MD

Join the Montgomery County Sierra Club, the Montgomery Bird Club, and the Department of Environmental Protection to remove invasive plants from the Blue Mash Nature Trail. The area, a haven for birds and wildlife, has seen its bird diversity drop off due to non-native plants. Bring your clippers, saws, and loppers, and help restore a wildlife habitat. For more information and to RSVP, please visit here.

• Recycling 101 – Make Recycling Your Business! Thursday, March 21, 9 am – 12 noon, Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veterans Place, Silver Spring, MD

Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services presents a workshop featuring information on implementing a successful recycling program in the workplace. Learn about Montgomery County’s recycling requirements, how to reduce waste, and where to buy products made from recyclable materials. The cost is $10 per person. For more information and to RSVP, please visit here.

Susanna Parker is a recent college graduate and volunteer with Bethesda Green. Her interest in sustainability leads her to look for green solutions in uncommon places.