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Annapolis Green is a No-Bottled Water Zone

We've taken the pledge to Think Outside the Bottle and take back the tap. We're not going to use bottled water at our events nor at home. And we're asking our elected officials to not spend public money on bottled water, but rather to invest in our public water utilities.

Click on the image to learn more. Be sure to watch the video!

 

Annapolis Striders "Green" the Ten Mile Run and more

The 35th Annual Annapolis Ten Mile Run, held August 29, is Going Green! The Annapolis Ten-Mile Run principals, backed by the Annapolis Striders, are committed to taking all possible measures to reduce the race’s carbon footprint on the planet while promoting, educating and encouraging club members, race participants, volunteers and spectators to do the same. The Annapolis Striders’ long-term goal is to make the Annapolis Ten-Mile Run — and all its events throughout the year —the greenest races in the country. They will achieve this goal incrementally through proactive planning, education, shared knowledge and experience as they take a year-by-year, race-by-race approach to greening the runs.
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Everything Old is New Again

From an Annapolis Green reader:
I LOVE this idea. I keep telling my husband, everything rubberbands back to a time when people didn't need to go to the gym, they had to use effort to get places (bikes, horseback riding, walking) and survive (milk the cow, washing the clothes and dishes by bowling water over the stove, cut the grass by hand, home repairs). And oddly enough, its all "eco-friendly and green."

I now cut my grass with a reel mower, started my own organic vegetable and herb garden, compost, make my own baby wipes, make lunch for my son in reusable bento boxes, finally learning to cook!, use natural cleaners in my house (even natural drain cleaners), began buying my clothes at consignment, unplug things when not in use, shut off my heat/air completely and open the windows whenever I can, use freecycle, recycle, and reuse like crazy, take my reuseable bags everywhere (or just carry things out without the bag:), let my lawn go to moss, use my car like a hybrid--I turn it off at stop lights (no idling for me! and at the bank, and any other drive throughs) and pick 2 errand days and compress them into one direct route. Getting ready to get my clothesline up! I digress and ramble....

Bottom line, I love the idea of returning to a community, and a sort-of self sustaining one at that! Once my little one is in school, I plan on riding an adult trike around town for my errands;)-

Have a rain barrel lesson for your neighbors in your yard of place of business. Contact the Spa Creek Conservancy. They will show you how. It's easy.

Read Chesapeake Life's "Going Green: Thirty-one ways you can help the Bay."

A $36.76 Power Bill in July? You CAN Do It, Too
Each of us can fight Global Warming and Help SAVE THE BAY by Conserving Energy
by Former Senator Gerald W. Winegrad

Landlord Challenge - "I am a local residential landlord and offer a $100.00 rebate at the time of lease renewal to tenants who recycle glass, paper, metal, plastic, compost yard and kitchen scrapes. Tenants are asked to not use plastic bags for garbage, groceries or purchased items, given drying racks to cut down on the use of their clothes dryer, two recycle bins and a composting kitchen bucket. I replace all permanent fixture lighting with compact florescent bulbs and appliances only with energy star ratings. Last month, September 2007, the electric bill for a two unit/3 occupant home was only 68 dollars! The use of ceiling fans, opening the windows at night to cool down the house, not using the drier and high efficiency split unit heat pumps make a world of difference!" Contact us if you'd like to discuss this with the author and we'll put you in touch.

Plastic Bags are Bad - If you don't think so, just read material on Annapolis Alderman Sam Shropshire's website.
But here's an idea: If you have plastic bags, recycle them at your neighborhood supermarket, but tie them into knots before you throw them in the recycle bin. That way they won't balloon up into the air and end up as "ornaments" on road-side trees.