Bowie City Council Will Support Initiatives That Protect The Environment

BOWIE, MD - From the desk of the City of Bowie: While recent discussions about climate change and other environmental issues have prompted some public debate, the Bowie City Council affirms that we will continue on our award-winning path to sustainability.

The City of Bowie has a long history of engaging with residents to protect the environment and improve the sustainability of our community. As the City has grown in size and complexity over the years, so too have our efforts in this arena.

From being an early supporter of curbside recycling, to setting aside land for parks and trails, to receiving the prestigious Sustainability Champion award from the University of Maryland’s Sustainable Maryland Certified Program in 2016, the City of Bowie continues to strive to improve its environmental stewardship.

Over the last several years, the City has adopted several far-reaching policies, such as:

· The 2003 Green Buildings Policy that makes energy efficiency a part of every new building project design and involving employees in identifying and promoting opportunities for conservation;

· The 2009 Climate Change Resolution that commits Bowie to being a leader in the energy arena and protects the local environment by reducing energy consumption;

· The 2015 Climate Action Plan that aims to reduce City greenhouse gas emissions by 20% from 2007 levels by 2020; and

· The 2016 Sustainability Plan that provides a far-reaching framework ensuring that Bowie remains a diverse and vibrant community committed to its citizens, economy, and natural environment.

While governments set policies to direct change, real transformation comes only when they lead by example and when they involve and engage the community in embracing new ways of doing things. With the help of the Bowie Green Team, the Environmental Advisory Committee, and the Employee Energy Efficiency Ambassadors, Bowie has adopted that approach and is working create a more sustainable community and work environment.

Successful programs include:

· A LEED Silver Certified Parks and Grounds Facility built in 2008 and a LEED Gold certified City Hall that opened in 2011;

· A 4-megawatt (MW) solar array on City owned property, which will be one of the largest municipal solar arrays in Maryland and will provide approximately 61% of the City’s electrical consumption from renewable energy. It will result in cost avoidance to the City of over $7 million during the 20-year life of this project;

· Providing free large recycling carts to every Bowie household to encourage recycling and keep approximately 10,000 tons of solid waste out of landfills annually, saving the city almost $600,000 in landfill fees each year;

· Subsidizing the cost of composting bins to encourage residents to compost;

· Promoting the use of rain barrels;

· Sponsoring tree rebate and targeted tree planting programs;

· Offering senior housing “green” rehabilitation grants;

· Purchasing electric motorcycles for the Police Department and hybrid vehicles for the City fleet; and

· Promoting solar power by sponsoring solar co-ops and installing photovoltaic cells at several city facilities.

Mayor G. Frederick Robinson sums up these programs and others that the City sponsors by saying, “not only are they innovative and cost effective, they are simply the right thing to do. We are firmly committed to a more sustainable Bowie and will continue to support this path for today’s residents and for those who will call Bowie home in the future.”

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