What is a Howard County, Maryland GREEN school?

"Since 1999, the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education has awarded Green School status to public and private schools, pre-K through grade 12, that pass a rigorous application process demonstrating their commitment to environmental curriculum and sustainability. Schools must apply for recertification every three years."

With support from teams of teachers, custodians, administrators, and staff at each school, students were able to accomplish some pretty impressive things, including:

• Giving presentations to faculty and staff, the school board, and the Howard County Council about Green Schools and the importance of saving energy;
• Conducting campaigns to increase home energy efficiency: An estimated 100 HCPSS families took the ENERGY STAR® “Change a Light” pledge to replace one incandescent light bulb with an energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulb;
• Using the Green Schools Tool Kit, a collection of professional energy measurement tools, to investigate energy use – and waste – in their school buildings;
• Creating posters, movies, skits, and commercials to increase school-wide awareness about the importance of saving energy; and
• Writing articles about Green Schools for school newsletters and the Alliance’s Green Schools Gazette student newsletter.

Howard County's 2009 Green Schools are:

• Atholton Elementary School
• Centennial Lane Elementary School
• Dayton Oaks Elementary School
• Deep Run Elementary School
• Forest Ridge Elementary School
• Glenwood Middle School
• Hollifield Station Elementary School
• Longfellow Elementary School

Citizen Scrap Tire Drop-off Day in Howard County, Maryland

When: May 2nd, 2009 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: The Alpha Ridge Landfill Residents' Convenience Area
What: Howard County Residents can bring tires free of charge to be recycled. Up to 10 tires collected, one visit per resident & vehicle. This event is sponsored by the Maryland Department of the Environment and Maryland Environmental Service.

Note: Commercial vehicles and tires from businesses are prohibited.

For more information, Click Here

Looking for some "eCycling resources in Howard County

Howard County
A Better Way Computer Recycling
9633 Stirling Bridge Drive
Columbia, MD 21046
443-538-4286
www.abetterwayrecycling.com
Accepts computers, network equipment, servers, monitors, laptops, computer accessories,mainframes, printers. We have no landfill & no toxic export policies.

E-Structors
6660 Santa Barbara Road, Suite 25
Elkridge, MD 21075
410-379-3098
www.e-shred.com
Accepts Computers, Monitors, Printers, Electronics

Lazarus Foundation
10920 Route 108
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410-531-8485
www.lazarus.org
Accepts Used Computers

To learn more about what it is to be "green", visit HowardCountyisGREEN.com.

Is Your Toilet Paper Green?

Have you considered purchasing recycled-content bathroom tissues or paper towels when stocking up on these supplies for your home? According to Greenpeace’s recent release of its first Recycled Tissue and Toilet Paper Guide, “Americans could save more than 400,000 trees if each family bought a roll of recycled toilet paper—just once.” For complete story, CLICK HERE or Visit HowardCountyisGREEN.com for more recycling tips and information.

Plastic Bottle Recycling Increases

According to the 18th annual Post-Consumer Plastics Bottle Recycling Report by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers (APR), plastic bottle recycling by consumers increased 115 million pounds in 2007. This 5.2 percent increase enabled the U.S. to reach a record high of more than 2.3 billion pounds recycled for the year. For complete story, CLICK HERE or or Visit HowardCountyisGREEN.com for more recycling tips and information.

GreenFest 2009 in Columbia, Maryland

GreenFest 2009
Saturday, April 4th, 2009
10:00am - 4:00pm
Howard Community College Burrill Galleria

SAVE THE DATE!
GreenFest 2009 "Energy and Water Conservation" will be held Saturday, April 4th, 2009 from 10:00am - 4:00pm. Last year was such a success that we already outgrew our space - GreenFest 2009 will be held at the Howard Community College in the Burrill Galleria. The event will focus on alternative energy, energy efficiency, water conservation, and water reuse. As is our tradition, other “green” themes will also be featured, such as green buildings, green consumer products, green landscaping, wildlife and environmental education, and children's activities. One of the exhibitors will be greeNEWit.org which is a Diagnostic Energy Auditing Company here in Columbia, Maryland. For more information, CLICK HERE

Howard County Recycling Program

County Recycling Program participants may place their recyclables out all together. Metal cans, plastics, and glass bottles and jars can be combined with mixed paper and cardboard, without any need for bagging or binding the paper separately. A blue cart, bin or see-through bag is all you need. Yardwaste is still placed out separately. To see a video of the Elkridge recycling facility, CLICK HERE. For more information on recycling in Howard County, Visit HowardCountyisGREEN.com.