Be the Green Change

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Be the Green Change

In celebration of the Green Towson Alliance's 5th Anniversary, we are asking you to examine your individual impact on the earth and then choose 5 behaviors you want to turn green. Make the pledge to Be the Green Change you want to see in the world.

We've given you some ideas divided into 4 categories below, but feel free to add your own ideas on how you plan to Be the Green Change. We'll share your great ideas on our Facebook page!

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For the next 4 questions, check off the changes you pledge to make this year to lighten your footprint on the earth. We are asking for 5 changes in honor of our 5th anniversary, but the more the better for our planet!

Category 1: Reduce my use of fossil fuels

Hang your laundry to dry

Install solar panels on your home

Walk or bike to school or work

Take public transportation such as light rail or your local bus

Purchase an electric or hybrid vehicle

Use rakes and brooms instead of leaf blowers

Carpool as often as possible

Purchase carbon offsets for any flights taken. Use organizations such as Native Energy https://nativeenergy.com

Switch to reusable energy with BGE by requesting to change to wind or solar

Replace your light bulbs with LED bulbs

Fix leaky faucets and use water wisely - it takes energy to pump and treat water

Install a rain barrel

Unplug rarely used appliances to save energy

Check your tire pressure to increase your gas mileage

Calculate your carbon footprint and set a goal to reduce it: see https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/

Perform an energy audit on your home to find out where you can reduce air infiltration and heating and cooling demand (see https://bgesmartenergy.com/residential/help-me-save/home-performance)

Other:

Category 2: Reduce, Re-use, Recycle

Buy cleaning supplies such as laundry detergent and soap in bulk to reduce packaging

Make your own cleaning supplies that don't use harmful chemicals and single use products (see https://greentowsonalliance.org/cleaning-your-home-naturally/)

Bring reusable cutlery and containers such as water bottles/coffee mugs with you to avoid single use plastics

Re-use items from thrift shops instead of buying new

Use reusable containers to store foods at home

Make reusable beeswax wraps instead of plastic wrap

Bring re-usable shopping bags and produce bags when shopping

Limit personal meat and dairy consumption: the livestock industry accounts for more than 14% of global greenhouse gasses every year

Cut down on food waste and compost as often as possible

Grow a garden to supplement your food purchases

Educate yourself and others about single-stream recycling to increase the efficacy of your local program

Choose products that have minimal packaging and come in glass, metal or cardboard containers

Recycle old phones and other electronics that contain rare earth metals: to find where to recycle these and other items that aren't accepted locally, see https://search.earth911.com

Stop unsolicited mail: visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-and-email

Switch to electronic bill notifications and payments

Consult Baltimore County reuse Directory for a list of local organizations which accept donations of specific items instead of throwing them away http://resources.baltimorecountymd.gov/Documents/Public_Works/solidwastemanagement/reusedirectory.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1TXPhqEjJhlhOO4hwycoOlZl7U62ba2d14m_00uzq994McEq_8p5LtwOk

Other:

Category 3: Protect and create habitats

Plant native species in your yard to create habitat for insects and other animals

Plant a native tree in your yard to create habitat, absorb stormwater and clean the air

Reduce turf areas in your yard - they provide very little habitat and their maintenance usually involves burning fossil fuels and using large quantities of water

Watch out for and remove invasive species of plants and insects

Stop using pesticides in your yard including "weed and feed" lawn products. Birds think the granules are grit and eat them causing birth defects in their offspring. Fertilizers also require a great deal of carbon producing energy to make and excess nitrogen converts to nitrous oxide which is a greenhouse gas

Don't "clean-up" your garden in the fall: wait until insect larvae have emerged the following spring before cutting plant stalks

Leave the leaves in your yard over winter; wait until insect larvae have emerged in the spring before raking leaves or mulching them with a mower

Remove and don't create "mulch volcanoes" from around trees https://greentowsonalliance.org/dont-mulch-that-tree/

Wash your clothes less often to prevent micro-plastics from entering open waters (35% of the micro-plastics in the ocean come from washing synthetic textiles) See https://greentowsonalliance.org/wash-laundry-not-too-much-hang-to-dry/

Use Forest Stewardship Council certified, 100% post-consumer recycled content or bamboo toilet paper, tissues and paper towels

Create a brush pile in your yard for insects and small animals to nest, hide, lay eggs and find food https://content.yardmap.org/learn/brushpiles/

Provide a small amount of bare soil in your yard for miner bees (from Nancy Lawson, "Most of North America's 4000 or so native bee species raise their young underground.")

Other:

Category 4: Get involved!

Support local environmental legislation (check out the GTA Facebook page info on pending bills)

Support and join local environmental organizations https://greentowsonalliance.org/contact/

Vote for officials with strong environmental records and platforms

Attend local government meetings and advocate for the environment

Attend a stream clean-up (March thru May - see the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay for a clean-up near you)

Attend a tree pruning event with GTA (winter)

Attend a habitat restoration event with GTA and learn how to remove invasive plants (spring and fall)

Attend a tree planting event with GTA (fall)

Advocate for walkable and bike friendly development with trees and open space

Start a tree planting program in your neighborhood (see https://greentowsonalliance.org/how-to-start-a-tree-planting-program-by-beth-miller/)

Bring a bag along when you go for a walk and pick up trash as you go

Follow Green Towson Alliance's Facebook page to keep up to date on environmental issues and events https://www.facebook.com/GreenTowsonAlliance/

Share this pledge with five friends and encourage them the Be the Green Change!

Other:

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