John Lippert, Luisa Robles, and Mayor Colin Byrd accepting the award.

Greenbelt Declared Sustainability Champion

The City of Greenbelt has been named the 2020 Sustainability Champion! This designation is appointed by Sustainable Maryland, a collaborative effort between the Environmental Finance Center (EFC) at the University of Maryland and the Maryland Municipal League. Sustainable Maryland is a prestigious certification program for municipalities in Maryland that value sustainability, green initiatives, and maintaining their quality of life over the long term. Greenbelt was originally certified by Sustainable Maryland in 2014 and recertified in 2017, claiming second place in point totals behind Takoma Park both years. Greenbelt was scheduled for recertification in 2020, a year that has presented new challenges seemingly every day. City staff met the challenge, led by the Department of Public Works and spearheaded by Environmental Coordinator, Kevin Carpenter-Driscoll, Sustainability Coordinator, Dr. Luisa Robles, and Green ACES Committee Chair, John Lippert. Their compiled report earned the City an unprecedented 795 points, more than any other municipality this year and the most points earned since the program’s inception in 2011, making Greenbelt this year’s Sustainability Champion! Mayor Colin Byrd expressed his excitement for the certification stating, “We finally dethroned Takoma Park, and I am committed to keeping us on top!”

To be certified, municipalities must compile a report that demonstrates the various actions they have taken in eight categories; community action, community based food system, energy, greenhouse gas, health and wellness, local economies, natural resources, and planning and land use. The reports are then submitted for review and earn points based on those actions. The municipalities must achieve a score of at least 150 to be certified and complete a number of mandatory actions. Once certified, the certification is good for three years, at which point the municipality will have to recertify. The certification is a prestigious designation and to achieve it is to be considered among the leading municipalities in sustainable practices.

Highlights from this year’s report include:

1. Wind and Solar Energy – The City of Greenbelt currently offsets 100% of its energy usage by purchasing wind based renewable energy credits. In addition, numerous solar energy projects have been completed or are under development to provide the City and residents with clean, renewable energy, including a contract with the Rockville based company, Standard Solar, to provide about 90% of the total municipal energy usage from a large photovoltaic solar energy farm currently under construction. Solar panels have also been installed on municipal buildings, such as the Springhill Lake Recreation Center, and residents are able to purchase solar energy through Neighborhood Sun’s Community Solar project.

2. Complete and Green Streets Policy – The City of Greenbelt has adopted a Complete and Green Streets Policy that envisions the City as a place where vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclers, and public transportation can all safely travel throughout the city with ease.

3. Food Scraps Drop-off Program – Through a partnership with the Department of Public Works and private contractor, Compost Crew, the City has established a food scraps drop off location at the Buddy Attick Park Residential Recycling Center. This program serves as a collection point for food scraps and other compostable items to be collected and then taken to the Prince George’s County Organics Facility where it will be composted and used in the community as a product called LeafGRO Gold. This program will help lower the amount of compostable materials entering the landfill and help maintain local soil health.

Numerous innovative projects are detailed in the report, which can be found at sustainablemaryland.com under the participating communities tab.

This certification is a reflection of the hard work and dedication to sustainability and the environment throughout the various city departments, council members, committee members, and by the residents of Greenbelt. Department of Public Works Director, Jim Sterling, phrased it well when he said “Needless to say this is a reflection on all Staff, the Green Team and the City Council. It is years’ worth of work and continued efforts on all things Sustainable. Public Works is proud of all of our initiatives and efforts that make up this award.” Every Greenbelter should brim with pride at the achievements accomplished by the City and the hard work performed by its employees, committee members, and council members to pursue a sustainable environment for residents now and into the future.

• Detailed summary of Greenbelt’s sustainability Actions

Sustainable Maryland Certification: To achieve certification, municipalities are required to form a Green Team comprised of local residents, community leaders, municipal staff and officials; complete a variety sustainability-related Actions worth a total of at least 150 points (including two mandatory actions and two of six priority actions), and submit the appropriate documentation as evidence that the Sustainable Maryland Certified requirements have been satisfied. The Sustainable Maryland Action Menu can be seen here.

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