City of Gaithersburg Press Release Contact: Public Information Director City of Gaithersburg 301‐258‐6310 [email protected] For Immediate Release Innovative, Sustainable Green Practices Recognized with Gaithersburg Environmental Awards Gaithersburg, MD (April 17, 2018) As part of Gaithersburg Green Month, the City of Gaithersburg presented Environmental Awards to individuals and organizations demonstrating outstanding environmental stewardship in the Gaithersburg community, with the goal of inspiring others to pursue similar efforts. The awards were presented by Mayor Jud Ashman and members of the City Council at a ceremony at City Hall on Monday, April 16, 2018. Remaining Green Month activities include an Environmental Film Night featuring a free screening of the documentary, “A Plastic Ocean,” at 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 22 at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn, participation in the Montgomery County GreenFest on Saturday, May 5 at Jesup Blair Park in Silver Spring, and an Arbor Day Celebration at Fields Road Elementary School later in May. For this year’s Environmental Awards, the City’s Environmental Affairs Committee selected 11 achievement winners and six certificate of appreciation recipients, including businesses and nonprofit and faith‐based organizations. Collectively, the winners are growing our local green economy, improving their business models with sustainable initiatives, working within their neighborhoods, and inspiring a new green generation. Achievement Award Winners: Epworth United Methodist Church was recognized for implementing new stormwater management practices. In 2016, a conservation garden was planted by Epworth volunteers. Enhancements were added in the spring of 2017, followed by an Extensive Green Roof, the installation of a 530 gallon cistern and electric pump, and the addition of four trees strategically bordering the large parking lot. Epworth hosted a celebration and open house for the installations of the green roof and the cistern and will be hosting a rain barrel workshop and green roof open house on April 22. The 200‐square‐foot green roof is the culmination of two years of work and is the first recipient of the Gaithersburg Stormwater Grant. Muddy Branch Alliance The Muddy Branch Alliance was recognized for building awareness, improving natural habitat and enhancing the community’s enjoyment of the many streams in the Muddy Branch watershed. In 2017, the Alliance held four trash clean‐ups and more than a dozen weed warrior events to remove several invasive species. On November 12, the Alliance gathered more than 15 volunteers to help plant 20 large native trees that were provided by the City of Gaithersburg, replacing some that were impacted by the emerald ash borer. They also distributed more than 350 native trees in their spring tree‐planting event to local families. These trees will help to improve water quality in the stream, provide habitat for wildlife, and keep the trail attractive for our community. Brown Station Elementary School, which recently reopened with eco‐friendly design features, was recognized for its enthusiasm for the natural environment and commitment to preserve resources. The school involves its students in many environmentally responsible activities including the recycling efforts led by the Green Team of 4th and 5th graders. Students have also been studying pollution and watersheds. In the fall they took a field trip to learn about food production, waste and the water cycle, and implications for the Chesapeake Bay. The Woodland Hills Homeowners Association continues its tree stewardship program and hosts other programs to reduce erosion, promote conservation landscaping with native plantings, control invasive species, and educate homeowners about the sensitivity of the wooded areas. In 2017, with assistance from the Muddy Branch Alliance and the City’s Neighborhood Matching Grant program, Woodland Hills planted more than 560 perennials, five shrubs and a tree in its common areas, removed invasive species, and cut vines at tree bases. The community hosted its sixth Wildlife Habitat group event, handing out native plants and providing information to residents about gardening, the Great Seneca Watershed, and Woodland Hills. The community was also recognized by the National Wildlife Federation for its community wildlife habitat. Earth Stewardship East, a faith‐based environmental group formed in 2016 that is a regional group of LDS Earth Stewardship, installed several large native plant gardens on the historic African American site of Pleasant View on Darnestown Road. With grant funds from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Montgomery County Water Quality Protection Fund, hundreds of native trees, shrubs and perennials have been planted in a formerly grassy area. The new garden not only creates habitat for pollinators, birds and other creatures, it also helps retain stormwater on the property. More than 200 volunteers worked at the site between April and November of 2017. The Trustees of Pleasant View have been instrumental in this project, with additional volunteer support from residents and community groups, including the Kentlands Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‐day Saints, the Darnestown Presbyterian Church, Fairhaven United Methodist Church, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Shaare Torah, Muddy Branch Alliance, Seneca Creek Watershed Partnership, and others. Additional work will be done on the property by Earth Stewardship East volunteers and others during the 2018 growing season. The members of Boy Scout Troops 291 and 926, led by Greg Cooksey, John Adzema, Ernest Friedman‐Hill, and Alan Nelson, worked extensively on improvements to the Muddy Branch Trail. Their efforts included re‐ routing portions of the trail, removing graffiti and installing a bench. The newer section of trail allows hikers and bikers to use the trail from Muddy Branch Road all the way to the Potomac River. Asbury Methodist Village is a Continuing Care Retirement Community that has served older Americans for more than 90 years. Noteworthy environmental accomplishments for 2017 include maintaining certification by the Wildlife Habitat Council as a “Corporate Wildlife at Work” site, recycling more than 170,000 pounds of carpet from renovated apartments, holding a Shred‐It Day and an “E‐cycle” Day for Asbury residents and staff, increasing the number of trash receptacles made of recyclable materials, and hosting a Housekeeping Fair to enhance resident awareness of recycling. Fitzgerald Auto Malls is receiving its twelfth annual environmental award. Since 2004, Fitzgerald’s Environmental Management System has been certified to the rigorous ISO 14001 standard, which helps organizations minimize operational impacts on the environment and comply with laws and regulations. Fitzgerald continues its certification in the Montgomery County Green Business Directory and is the only automobile dealership to be recognized as a Green Business. In November 2017, Fitzgerald received the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce “Green Innovator of the Year” Award for outstanding Green Business Innovation. During the past year, the Eco‐Action Team at St. Rose of Lima Church has participated in the Alice Ferguson Watershed Clean‐up at Longdraft Branch and maintained and expanded their native plant demonstration garden and Monarch Butterfly Waystation. In conjunction with its highly‐attended annual outdoor Fiesta, the group implemented numerous recycling initiatives. The team also gave away packets of groundcover seeds to help combat soil erosion. AstraZeneca MedImmune’s dedicated Sustainability Group and active employee Green Team sets and tracks progress against annual targets to support a ten‐year Sustainability Strategy for the Protection of Natural Resources. The company has pledged to reduce energy intensity by 25% by 2020 through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Plants® program. MedImmune was the first biotech company to receive certification under DOE’s Superior Energy Performance® program, for which it was re‐certified at the Gold level for 2017‐ 2020. Since of the end of 2015, 100% of purchased electricity has been backed by renewable wind energy and a Combined Heat and Power plant was installed in 2016, allowing for the reduction of more than 7,500 metric tons of carbon per year. A second plant is planned for 2019. Low‐flow fixtures and smart irrigation sensors help conserve water on campus while a robust recycling process and a strategic initiative to reuse materials helps eliminate waste. The Zero Waste Café offers up waste for recycling and composting and unserved cafeteria food is put to use through donations to Nourish Now, a nonprofit organization that specializes in food reclamation. Major construction projects are designed to U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold or better and the new Childcare Center has submitted for LEED Platinum certification. Astra Zeneca MedImmune is also the recipient of the City of Gaithersburg Environmental Newcomer award. Certificates of Appreciation Recipients: Shaare Torah organized Good Deeds Day on April 2, 2017, with various service projects including a clean‐up of the Muddy Branch and lake areas. Sixteen volunteers and several leaders picked up trash along the stream near the synagogue. The entire group of adults and youth participating in Good Deeds Day listened to a brief talk about how keeping our local waterways clean is beneficial for us and the creatures living in and near the water.