Sustain B'more
March 2022 | Issue 22
Women's History Month, Greening Grants for Schools, GROW Centers, and more!
Dear Baltimore Office of Sustainability Friends,

Spring is just around the corner, and signs of re-opening are everywhere. Check out our list of Local Opportunities below to find some great ways to get outdoors, take a course, or give something back to your neighborhood. Also - happy Women's History Month! Some members of our team have been listening to a podcast called Broken Ground that features stories from women leading environmental progress. The latest season features interviews with four women of color covering topics such as climate justice, the importance of federal action, wastewater infrastructure, water pollution in Black communities, and the importance of "everyday environmentalists" much like yourself.

We'd also like to put on your radar the following opportunity to further support the work of our Office. The Office of Sustainability is able to receive donations in support of our projects, programs, and mission to build a more sustainable and equitable Baltimore. Anyone can contribute to the Office of Sustainability's work by donating through this link hosted by the Baltimore Civic Fund. You can make a one-time or ongoing contribution of $5, $10, $50, or any other amount that you choose. Donations will support the equitable implementation of Baltimore's 2019 Sustainability Plan, with a focus on efforts that directly serve our residents. Please donate if you can, and share among your networks. Financial contributions for this critical work can really go a long way! We thank you for the support.

Happy Reading!
Baltimore Office of Sustainability Staff
Community Spotlight
Photo c/o Ash
Ashley Esposito -- Climate Action Plan Advisory Council Member
Ashley (Ash) Esposito is a toddler mom who works full-time for the Maryland Department of Human Services as an IT Analyst. She is a valuable member of the Climate Action Plan (CAP) Resident Advisory Council, which is helping guide the CAP Update process and ensuring its equitability. She is also a board member of the Village of Violeville, Inc., part of the Illegal Dumping/Litter Coalition, and a proud Planning Academy graduate. She also identifies as a litter-picking, pollinator-planting, friend-of-bees!
 
Ash shared, "I joined the Climate Action Plan Advisory Council and sustainability work to bring the community perspective. I am not an environmental expert, so I am regularly uplifting people like me who may need these scientific terms explained in a practical way. Many of us see the world changing, but are left asking 'What can I do to make it better?' or 'What can I do to not have a negative impact?' I strongly believe in meeting people where they are and inviting them to share their opinions, talents, and passions...People have busy lives, and it is our responsibility to do thorough outreach. We must also make sure we give the community enough time to participate and give them space to give their honest opinions. The final result will be a plan that everyone can get behind. I have seen these processes help boost morale, build trust, and strengthen community relationships."

Though originally from Southern Arizona, her family has planted roots in the neighborhood of Violetville, where she co-founded Village of Violetville, Inc, a neighborhood wellness association. Her next adventure is running for the Baltimore City Board of Education in 2022 so she can help create an eco-friendly generation in Baltimore.
You don’t have to be a climate scientist or city planner to help improve the sustainability and resilience of Baltimore. Everyone has a story to tell about making Baltimore a stronger, safer, and more equitable place. We’ve been collecting stories on our website, and we invite you to share yours with us by posting on social media with the hashtag #EveryStoryCounts and/or by emailing us.
Office Happenings
Welcome to our Climate Action Plan Outreach Interns!
We want to give a warm welcome to two new interns, Quentin Klein-Alfano and Durmon W. Jones III! Their work will be focused on designing and conducting equitable community outreach for the update to Baltimore's Climate Action Plan.

Quentin is a lifelong Baltimore resident who recently graduated from Towson University with a degree in Geography and Environmental Planning. In high school, Quentin worked for the Baltimore Algebra Project, which helped give him a framework for understanding the numerous challenges in the city. This led him to study the fields of urban planning and environmental justice, and he is excited to be working with the Planning Department.

Durmon recently graduated from Morgan State University with his BS in Architecture and Environmental Design, and he is currently obtaining his M.Arch degree also from Morgan. Durmon has worked in several positions at Morgan State, including as a BOOST mentor, desk assistant for the Office of the Registrar, undergraduate research assistant student/planner for Morgan's Facility Planning Department, Designer for Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm, and an Intern Staff Designer with Quinn Evans. Working with Farmer Chippy at Plantation Park Heights reignited his interest in working in the public sector on community engagement as he ultimately works toward becoming a licensed architect.

Grant Awards -- Green, Healthy, Smart Challenge
Funds are going out for student-led sustainability efforts this spring! Since 2010, the Office of Sustainability has worked with Baltimore City Public Schools to coordinate the Green, Healthy, Smart Challenge, a program that provides monetary awards and technical assistance to “Green Teams” of students for hands-on projects that improve the environment of their schools and communities. Over the course of that time, the program has reached 132 of our 155 public schools, representing 85% of the system. Put on hiatus for the 2020-2021 school year, the Challenge is now back, with twenty-six schools receiving awards of between $700 and $1,500 this year for projects like planting schoolyard vegetable and pollinator gardens, installing chicken coops and mini-greenhouses, designing and printing reusable bags for distribution to families, composting cafeteria food waste, and more.

Many thanks to Constellation Energy for generously providing program funding, to the hard-working teachers and other adult volunteers who help coordinate projects at their schools, and most of all to the amazing student leaders!
Green Team students from Callaway Elementary School pose with their check! Photo c/o BOS Staff.

Sustainability Highlights

Spring GROW Center Schedule
It’s Spring, which means that it is DPW GROW Center season! GROW Centers provide FREE community greening resources such as trees, mulch, and reusable shopping bags, as well as information on stormwater fee credits, recycling and composting, gardening, and other ways to make your home and community greener, cleaner, and more resilient. Free document shredding will be available at the April 2nd event. Please RSVP for each event separately on DPW's website.

  • Saturday, April 2 from 8am - 12pm: Pop-up / Shred Event @ Middle Branch Park, 3301 Waterview Ave 21230
  • Tuesday, April 5 from 5:30 - 7pm: Compost Workshop @ Harwood Garden, 2700 blk Greenmount Ave 21218
  • Thursday, April 7 from 5 - 6:30pm: Beekeeping Workshop @ Filbert Street Garden, 1317 Filbert St. 21226
  • Thursday, April 7 from 5:30 - 7pm: Compost Workshop @ Filbert Street Garden, 1317 Filbert St. 21226
  • Saturday, April 9 from 9am - 12pm: Pop-up @ Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church, 2812 Reisterstown Rd. 21215
  • Wednesday, April 13 from 5 - 7pm: Pop-up @ Sisson Street Park, 2701 Sisson St. 21211
  • Tuesday, April 19 from 6 – 7:30pm: Virtual Pollinator Garden Workshop
  • Friday, April 22 from 5 - 7pm: Pop-up @ Waverly Commons, 418 E 32nd St. 21218
  • Sunday, April 24 from 9am - 12noon: Pop-up @ Pimlico Public Safety Training Center, Manhattan Ave & Clover Rd 21215
  • Tuesday, April 26 from 6 - 7:30pm: Compost Workshop @ Strength to Love 2 Farm, 1855 Kavanaugh St. 21217
  • Saturday, April 30 from 9am - 12pm: Pop-up @ HARBEL, 5807 Harford Rd. 21214
  • Thursday, May 5 from 5 - 7pm: Pop-up @ Ellwood Park, Jefferson and N. Potomac Streets 21224
What We Are Reading
Books + Articles our Staff are Reading
"All human-made structures have a life cycle, but rarely do people embrace this reality at the time of construction...Domicology’s comprehensive paradigm shift from landfill-dependent demolition waste streams to sustainable construction, deconstruction and material salvage will affect both methods of construction and the materials used."
 
"UMB's Office of Sustainability is up and running, getting its word out, and beginning to make an impact. Over the past eight months, the office has put together a three-person team, formed four advisory working groups, launched a monthly newsletter, and finalized UMB’s 2022-2026 Sustainability Strategic Plan."
Local Opportunities
Events + Volunteering
  • Baltimore Community Change Events - Various dates in March. To help us all understand changes in Baltimore's neighborhoods over the past decade The Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA) has created a series of six research briefs to assess what has happened in Baltimore’s communities in regards to population, housing, accessibility, connectivity, and overall quality of life. BNIA is hosting a series of topic-focused webinars, trivia nights, and Community Change Solutions Summit convenings to share and discuss the key takeaways.

  • Blue Water Baltimore Tree Care Events - Various dates and locations in March at 11am. Join Blue Water Baltimore to care for trees in Forest Park, Greektown, or Broadway East in March.


  • Herring Run Nursery Spring Hours - Thursdays through Saturdays from 9am-3pm starting March 17th. The non-profit Herring Run Nursery specializes in plants native to Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay watershed, offering more than 250 native species.

  • Gwynns Falls Parkway Unity Cleanup - Saturday, March 19th at 10am at 3000 Gwynns Falls Parkway. Join residents from surrounding communities who will be coming together to clean up the parkway.

  • Weed Warriors at Wilson Woods - Saturday, March 19th from 10am-noon. Join Baltimore Green Space and local Weed Warriors for an invasive removal event at Wilson Woods. Wilson Woods is located on the south side of E. Cold Spring Ln between Craddock Ave and The Alameda. Parking is available on the 4400 and 4500 blocks of Craddock Ave.

  • Virtual Forest Stewardship Meeting - Tuesday, March 22nd from 6-7:30pm. Join Baltimore Green Space, community leaders, and scientists from around Baltimore to discuss all things forest!

  • Urban Greening & Public Health Webinar - Thursday, March 24th from 6-7pm. Join BMORE Beautiful and John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health professor and researcher Kristin Mmari and Executive Director of Let’s Thrive Baltimore Lisa Molock for an evening of learning about how greening vacant lots can improve health disparities in Baltimore.


  • Plant and Garden Supply Swap - Saturday, March 26th from 1:30-3:30pm at Rutter's Mill Park, 1408 Rutter Street. In preparation for spring, bring your seeds, cuttings, plants, or garden supplies to swap for something else.

  • Water Quality Science at Masonville Cove - Monday, March 28th from 3-4pm at 1000 Frankfurst Avenue. Learn what it takes to be a water scientist and help with citizen science data collection. Registration is required.

  • Baltimore Environmental Film Series: Gather - Thursday, March 31st at 6pm in the Loyola Notre Dame Library Auditorium. This film series, hosted by Loyola University Maryland, merges the art of film with education and advocacy for those affected by the major environmental issues of the time. This month's film will be Gather, an intimate portrait of the growing movement amongst Native Americans to reclaim their spiritual, political, and cultural identities through food sovereignty.

  • Trail Cleanup Events - Various dates in April from 11am-2pm. Baltimore City Recreation and Parks will host trail clean-up events in the Gwynns Falls, Middle Branch, and Chinquapin Run parks in early April. See the link for dates, locations, and registration.


  • The Baltimore Butterfly Sessions - Monday, April 4th at 7pm. The Baltimore Butterfly Sessions will catalyze conversation and build awareness around today’s most pressing issues. Tapping into some of the brightest voices around the nation and in Baltimore, each Butterfly Session will convene artists, activists, organizers, and thinkers to unpack a civically resonant topic.

  • International Black Gardeners Day - Saturday, April 16th from 9am-6pm at 1855 Kavanaugh St. International Black Gardeners Day is celebrated annually on the 3rd Saturday of April each year. International Black Gardeners Day celebrates the legacy of Black gardeners, farmers, herbalists, growers, and artisans.

  • National Aquarium Fort McHenry Field Day - Saturday, April 16th from 10am-1pm. Join the National Aquarium's Conservation team for a field day at Fort McHenry to remove debris from the wetlands, maintain the pollinator and rain gardens, and more.
Funding + Jobs


  • Job Opportunities: Civic Works Staff and AmeriCorps Positions - Civic Works is Baltimore’s urban service corps and an AmeriCorps program, with a mission to strengthen Baltimore’s communities through job training and volunteerism. Multiple full-time, part-time, and AmeriCorps positions are available.



  • Parks + People Branches Internship Program - Deadline: March 25th. Branches is an after-school internship and summer employment for BCPS high school students 14 and up. Participants will gain job-readiness skills that can be applied to any career field, work as part of a team, explore potential career paths, gain leadership skills, and accomplish hands-on conservation work.

  • Youthworks 2022: Opportunities for Youth and Employers - Deadline: April 1st. YouthWorks is a 5-week summer jobs program for youth ages 14-21. Youth are invited to apply for the summer jobs program and businesses, nonprofits, and government organizations are invited to apply to hire or host YouthWorkers.

  • Druid Heights Job Fair: Opportunities for Exhibitors and Jobseekers - Saturday, April 9th from 9am-1pm at Cab Calloway Legends Park at 2216 Etting Street. Druid Heights CDC and the Baltimore Dept. of Planning's Baltimore Green Network are hosting a Job Fair for West Baltimore residents. Industries of focus for the job fair include hotels, restaurants, maintenance, security, construction, and more.

  • The AARP Community Challenge - Deadline: March 22nd.  This program provides small grants to fund quick-action projects that can help communities become more livable for people of all ages through projects to improve public spaces, housing, transportation, and civic engagement.

  • BGE Energizing Small Business Grants - Deadline: March 25th. Eligible businesses located in BGE’s service area can apply for this opportunity. The program will prioritize companies operated by historically underrepresented groups that are pivoting their business in response to the pandemic.

  • Central Baltimore Partnership Spruce-up Grants - Deadlines: April 11th (Letter of Intent)/May 23rd (Full Application). The CBP Community Spruce-Up Program provides funding to neighborhood-driven projects in 11 Central Baltimore Neighborhoods. Priority will be given to public space projects that promote healthy living in parks and open spaces, technology installments to address challenges of the digital divide, and to support social interaction among community residents of all backgrounds.

  • Community Arts Grant - Deadline: May 2nd. This program supports community-artist collaborative design & implementation of new, exterior wall mural projects sited in underserved communities of Baltimore City through grant awards of up to $17,000.
Turtle Tip of the Month


Spring Cleaning and Waste Diversion!
Getting ready to do some spring cleaning? Many of the items that you may dispose of are actually able to be diverted from landfills and given a new life! Below are a few ideas for donating some common spring cleaning items:

  • Baltimore Furniture Bank - Collects gently used furniture to distribute to people in need. Their website provides a list of furniture needed most. Complete the Online Donation Form on their website.
  • Habitat ReStore - The local Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake runs 6 local Habitat ReStore locations open to the general public for shopping. They accept donations of excess household goods, furniture, and building materials. Free pickup service is available for large and over-sized items. Visit their website to schedule a donation pickup.
  • Maryland Durable Medical Equipment Re-Use - This program, supported by the city's Department of Public Works, helps collect durable medical equipment including wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and scooters. A list of acceptable donation items details which items can be donated for reuse. Visit the state's program website for drop off locations, hours, and directions.  
We Love Feedback

Tell us what you want to hear! Do you have ideas on newsletter content? Or would you like to nominate an organization or person to be featured? Email us at sustainability@baltimorecity.gov.
Our Mission

The Office of Sustainability develops and advocates for programs and policies that improve Baltimore's long-term environmental, social, and economic viability.
Stay in touch!
417 E Fayette St, 8th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
Lead Editor: Aubrey Germ, Climate and Resilience Planner

Newsletter Contributors: Bruna Attila, Coastal Resources Planner; Joanna Birch, Floodplain Manager; Valerie Bloom, Youth Sustainability Coordinator; Abby Cocke, Environmental Planner; Aubrey Germ, Climate and Resilience Planner; Amy Gilder-Busatti, Environmental Planner; Durmon Jones, CAP Outreach Intern; Quentin Klein-Alfano, CAP Outreach Intern; Kimberley Knox, Green Network Coordinator; Ava Richardson, Acting Sustainability Director; Kas Tebbetts, Climate Community Engagement Fellow