Sustainable communities are healthy, attractive, innovative, and compelling places to live and work.

GOALS
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2019 WORK PLAN
2018 WORK PLAN
2017 WORK PLAN
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
2016 WORK PLAN


2020 VISION GOALS

The University District will protect and conserve our natural resources, increase the use of clean, renewable energy sources, reduce greenhouse gases, provide green spaces and build sustainably.


ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE

      • College Park is a certified Maryland Sustainable Community
      • The City and University are implementing “green” projects to increase
        residential energy efficiency, reduce stormwater pollution, plant trees, increase use of local food and many more
      • A solar co-op forum was held to explore solar energy options for City residents with the City Committee for a Better Environment
      • Partnership staff participated in meetings about food waste composting in College Park
      • The City of College Park was recognized as a “Green Power Community” by the US Environmental Protection Agency, because it purchases 100 percent of its electricity from renewable power sources.
      • A Rain Barrel event designed to inform folks about rain barrels and the County Rain Check rebate program sold 105 rain barrels in summer 2017. The event was hosted by the Partnership together with the City of College Park’s Committee for a Better Environment, the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment, the Plumbers and Gasfitters UA Local 5 and the City of College Park.
      • Sustainability expo event that helped people purchase rain barrels, learn about the Rain Check Rebate program and other sustainability practices for local residents


2019 Work Plan

  • Composting: With City of College Park, pursue opportunities to strengthen a food composting program for residents. Partnership supporting and promoting.
  • Community Gardens: Open the Community Garden in Calvert Hills in Spring 2019. Continue to work with the City and University on community garden opportunities. Partnership supporting.
  • Recycling Rates and County “Rain Check” Program: Assist the City and County with increasing recycling rates as well as homeowner participation in the County “Rain Check” program to install environmental site design and rain barrels at homes in the City of College Park. Partnership promoting.
  • Clean Energy: We will assist with ways to increase the share of clean energy use in College Park. We will create numeric goals for benchmarking purposes. We will explore strategies to implement so that by 2020 there will be 200 solar arrays city-wide and all residents, businesses and the University will rely 100% on clean energy and carbon-neutral natural gas. Our work may include promoting options for clean-energy use and pursuing programs to provide “green” incentives to homeowners and businesses. Partnership promoting.
  • Environmental Arts: Place environmental markers in College Park to tell its environmental story, potentially through grant funding. Partnership leading; City and University supporting.
  • Stormwater Management: Support City and University as they review best-practices and implement strategies for better stormwater management throughout the City. Partnership supporting.
  • Green School Awards: Continue to assist the City’s Education Advisory Committee as they begin a Green School Award program to celebrate local schools’ work on sustainability initiatives. Partnership assisting.
  • Green Schools: Working with Campus Community Connection at the University, continue to monitor and assist with local schools working to become MAEOE green school certified. Help schools expand initiatives that help them participate in the City and University sustainability goals. Partnership leading, supporting, and promoting. Campus Community Connection also leading and supporting.


2018 Work Plan

  • Composting: With City of College Park, pursue opportunities to strengthen a food composting program for residents. Partnership supporting and promoting.
  • Community Gardens: Open the Community Garden in Calvert Hills in 2018. Continue to work with the City and University on community garden opportunities. Partnership supporting.
  • Recycling Rates and County “Rain Check” Program: Assist the City and County with increasing recycling rates as well as homeowner participation in the County “Rain Check” program to install environmental site design and rain barrels at homes in the City of College Park. Partnership promoting.
  • Clean Energy: We will assist with ways to increase the share of clean energy use in College Park. We will create numeric goals for benchmarking purposes. We will explore strategies to implement so that by 2020 there will be 200 solar arrays city-wide and all residents, businesses and the University can rely 100% on clean, carbon-neutral, energy. Our work may include promoting options for clean-energy use and pursuing programs to provide “green” incentives to homeowners and businesses. Partnership promoting.
  • Environmental Arts: Place environmental markers in College Park to tell its environmental story, potentially through grant funding. Partnership leading; City and University supporting.
  • Stormwater Management: Support City and University as they review best-practices and implement strategies for better stormwater management throughout the City. Partnership supporting.
  • Increase participation in sustainability efforts at local schools: Expand initiatives that help local schools participate in the City and University sustainability goals. Partnership promoting.
  • Green Schools Coordinator: Create a mechanism for local schools to receive help applying for and maintaining their green school status, and coordinating “green” opportunities. Partnership leading; City and University supporting and promoting.


2017 Work Plan

  • Composting: With City of College Park, pursue opportunities to pilot a food composting program for residents. Partnership supporting and promoting.
  • Community Gardens: Open the Community Garden in Calvert Hills in 2017. Continue to work with the City and University on community garden opportunities. Partnership supporting.
  • Recycling Rates and County “Rain Check” Program: Assist the City and County with increasing recycling rates as well as homeowner participation in the County “Rain Check” program to install environmental site design and rain barrels at homes in the City of College Park. Partnership promoting.
  • Clean Energy: We will assist with ways to increase the share of clean energy use in College Park. We will create numeric goals for benchmarking purposes. For example, there are currently 138 solar arrays in College Park. Our goal by 2020 will be to have 200 solar arrays city-wide. To reach our goals, our work may include promoting options for clean-energy use and pursuing programs to provide “green” incentives to homeowners and businesses. Partnership promoting.
  • Environmental Arts: Explore using grant funding to develop an initiative to place environmental markers in College Park to tell its environmental story. Partnership leading; City and University supporting.
  • Stormwater Management: Support City and University as they review best-practices and implement strategies for better stormwater management throughout the City. Partnership supporting.
  • Increase participation in sustainability efforts at local schools: Assist as needed to implement or expand initiatives that help local schools participate in the City and University sustainability goals. Partnership promoting.

Committee Members

Chair: Dustyn Kujawa, Mark Stewart
Partnership Board members (2): Ken Ulman
City Council members (2): Dustyn Kujawa and Kate Kennedy
University: Karen Petroff Arboretum; Steve Cohan in Plant Sciences, Andrew Fellows
City: Steve Beavers and Janet McCaslin (City Staff) and Janis Oppelt (Committee for Better Environment)
County: Adam Ortiz or designee (Director, Department of the Environment)
Ex-officious: Jim Rosapepe, Carlo Colella, Dannielle Glaros, Mary Lehman, Scott Somers, SGA Representative, GSG Representative


2016 Work Plan

  • Composting: pursue opportunities to pilot a composting program for residents.
  • Community Gardens: work with City, County, UMD and others to increase the number of community gardens in College Park.
  • Increase recycling rates and “Rain Check” Participation: Assist the City and County with increasing recycling rates as well as homeowner participation in the County “Rain Check” program to install environmental site design and rain barrels at homes in the City of College Park.
  • Increase the share of clean energy in College Park. We will also assist with ways to increase the share of clean energy use in College Park.
Sustainability Committee
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