SM CERTIFICATION/RE-CERTIFICATION WEBINAR, APRIL 10

Join Sustainable MD staff on Wednesday, April 10 from 1:00 - 2:00pm for an overview of the 2024 Sustainable Maryland certification cycle and a review of the Silver certification tier.

For those municipalities that last became certified in 2021, we have had many new additions to our program and the certification process, including:

- Silver SM Certification Tier

- More than 20 new SM Actions

- New SM Action Categories: Historic Preservation and Transportation

So whether your municipality will be applying for certification for the very first time, or for re-certification this year, or you are looking for inspiration for new Actions or updating your Action Plan, please join us on April 10.

Register here

EFC IS HIRING FOR TWO NEW CLIMATE POSITIONS

The Environmental Finance Center is hiring for two new positions within the Climate and Sustainability Program:

Climate and Sustainability Program Assistant 

https://ejobs.umd.edu/postings/117030

The Program Assistant position will partially support the Sustainable Maryland program, including:

• Participate in the SM Municipal Certification review process and provide process improvement recommendations.
• Co-lead the development of climate and energy related actions, best practices, and programming.
• Assisting with greenhouse gas inventories.

Climate Program Manager 

https://ejobs.umd.edu/postings/117034

Please contact Brandy Espinola with any questions: bespinol@umd.edu

SM CLIMATE WEBINARS THIS SPRING

Mark your calendars! SM will be hosting a virtual climate-related webinar every 4th Wednesday this spring.

• March 27: Climate Action Planning - Register
• April 24: Topic TBD – Register
• May 22: Topic TBD – Register
• June 26: Topic TBD – Register
• July 24: Topic TBD – Register

URBAN FORESTRY CAREERS CAMP

UMD-COLLEGE PARK, JULY 7-13

The Maryland Forestry Foundation is working with the University of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to launch an exciting new venture for high school students in the summer of 2024.

The Urban Forestry Careers Camp (UFCC) will emphasize urban forestry programs within Maryland's municipal and county governments. The goal of the camp is to expose students to the promising new sector of future "green career" opportunities within urban environments.

The one-week camp is scheduled to be held on the campus of the University of Maryland at College Park from July 7 - July 13, 2024.

The application process will be launched in late March and full details of the camp will be made available at that time. SM staff will be working with municipalities to help get the word out to eligible students in their communities.

BIKE MARYLAND WEBINAR:

THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS' BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY PROGRAM /

SUSTAINABLE MARYLAND'S MUNICIPAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

APRIL 25, 7 - 8:30PM

Are you looking for ways to make your community a better and more welcoming place to bicycle? Join Bike Maryland on April 25 at 7:00pm to learn about two programs that can help.

Learn about the Bicycle Friendly Community Program through the League of American Bicyclists and how this program provides a roadmap, assistance, and recognition for communities to make bicycling a safe form of transportation and a fun recreational opportunity for all. 

Also learn about the bicycle-related action items under the Sustainable Maryland certification program. Sustainable Maryland is designed to support Maryland's municipalities as they look for cost-effective and strategic ways to protect their natural assets and revitalize their communities, and recognizes leading municipalities that go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term.

Speakers:

Amelia Neptune, Bicycle Friendly America Director

League of American Bicyclists

Mike Hunninghake, Director

Sustainable Maryland

For more information and to register, click here.

2024 PRINCETON STAKEHOLDER SURVEY ON DELIVERING NET-ZERO ENERGY

The Behavioral Science for Policy Lab at Princeton University would like to hear from the sustainability community in Maryland!

Their annual survey measures the progress towards and barriers to the net-zero energy transition. It evaluates the five shifts toward delivering net-zero: (1) broadening definitions of value, (2) keeping all technology options open, (3) standardizing how we design and build, (4) collaborating like our world depends on it, and (5) using digital technology to move faster and build bigger. The survey collects insights from local stakeholders and government officials with experience dealing with the net zero transition in their communities as well as project developers, financiers, and suppliers.

The 2024 survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete. In return, Princeton will share their findings with Sustainable Maryland and the individual survey contributors through white papers, academic papers, and seminars. It would benefit their research greatly if people involved in local sustainability efforts across the state could share their knowledge and experiences with them! 

For more information, check out the white paper here.