Use this page to find actions that your household has completed or plans to complete. Browse the categories on the left to find actions for the Power Saver, Green Leader, or Renewable Star Challenge.
Once you have signed in, you can click Add to My Challenge to add an action to your To Do List, Already Completed to mark an action as complete, or Not Applicable if the action does not apply to you.
Once signed in, you can rate each of the actions you have completed.
The highest rated action appear under the Most Popular Actions category.
ACTIONS
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
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Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Use a carwash instead of washing your car at homeWashing your car at home rather than taking it to a car wash can actually be much more harmful to the environment. Washing a car at home tends to use 80 to 140 gallons of water, as compared to a commercial car wash which uses about 45 gallons. Many car washes even have water recycling systems which significantly reduce their water usage. If you do wash your car at home, minimize harmful effects by using phosphate-free soap and washing your car on the grass rather than the driveway. Phosphate is a nutrient that can run directly into drainage inlets connecting to the Chesapeake Bay, resulting in algal blooms and low dissolved oxygen. Washing your car in the grass helps to minimize run-off of gasoline, oil, and exhaust fumes from your car.
To learn more, check out this article on eco-friendly car washing.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
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Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Pick up litter in your neighborhoodNot only is litter unpleasant to the eye, it also degrades water quality and endangers wildlife. Recycle the materials you pick up when possible, and ask your family, friends, and neighbors not to litter.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
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Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Report illicit discharges and water quality problems in your neighborhoodThe EPA defines an illicit discharge as anything discharged into a storm drain system that is not composed entirely of stormwater. Exceptions to this rule include water from fire fighting activities and discharges by facilities under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Unlike wastewater which is treated before release, illicit discharges enter surface waters without any treatment, often containing pathogens, nutrients, surfactants, and toxic pollutants. Learn more about illicit discharges.
If you spot an illicit discharge in your community, report it by calling the Frederick County Office of Sustainability and Environmental Resources at 301.600.1413. If the situation is an emergency, call 911.
Check your own property for potential run-off issues. Make sure that all wastewater leaving your property enters either the sanitary sewer or your septic system. Rainwater is the only type of water that should enter your storm drains or run off of your property.
May 01 Susan Kraus
Noticed a lawn business was using a leaf blower to send massive amounts of grass clippings into the sewer drains in our neighborhood & requested that he collect the clippings, which they are now doing.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
1
Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Manage mosquitoes using natural methodsThere are several preventative measures that you can take to manage mosquitoes and prevent the spread of West Nile Virus. Make sure that there is no standing water in your yard. Turn buckets, kiddie pools, garbage cans, flower pots, old tires, and other containers upside down so that rain water does not collect. Keep garbage and recycling bins covered to prevent the collection of stagnant water and scrub the insides if you suspect mosquito eggs were laid. If you have a bird feeder, inspect it often for larvae. Learn more about backyard mosquito management.
Bats and certain bird species such as the Baltimore Oriole, bluebirds, chickadees, “gnatcatchers”, catbirds, cardinals, and other songbirds feed predominantly on flying insects. Bats are especially good at eating mosquitoes because they are nocturnal, and mosquitoes are most active in the evening hours. Build a bird house or a bat house to encourage nesting of these helpful creatures.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
1
Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Remove invasive plants from your propertyInvasive plant species, also known as non-native, exotic, or alien species, are plants that were introduced to the region from other parts of the world. While some introduced species are not harmful, others cause serious damage to native ecosystems, agriculture, and industries. Harmful invasive plants out-compete native plants for light, space, water, and nutrients, causing many native species to become endangered. And, since native wildlife has evolved to eat native plants, wildlife often cannot feed on invasive plant species. Some invasive plant species of Maryland include the Tree of Heaven, Norway Maple, Japanese Stiltgrass, Mile-a Minute Vine, Purple Loosestrife, and Japanese Honeysuckle. Learn more from our Tips for Green Leaders Native Plants Fact Sheet.
Invasive plant species can be very difficult to eradicate. The best practices for invasive plant removal vary between manual removal, chemical treatment, and a combination of both depending on the plant, extent of growth, and available means. Click for more information on invasive species from the Maryland Invasive Species Council, the Maryland Cooperative Extension, or the Department of Natural Resources.
May 01 Susan Kraus
Some of the invasive plants are actually safe to eat & quite tasty. Do your research!
Mar 18 Betsy Ehrlich
This challenge is a huge, and ongoing challenge. Given the scale of the problem, and the level of difficulty, I am surprised and disappointed that checking this action is only worth 1 point. We are losing pollinators at alarming rate - so many that if this trend continues, humans may find the planet uninhabitable. This problem dwarfs climate change! So I recommend more information/links to help people remove invasive species and plant natives. Also, it would be super helpful to have more local sources for native plants that are affordable.
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Oct 09 Mehron Kugler
I only need to use 1 bucket of water to wash my car. I use a biodegradable soap. I think promoting a carwash is good but I can do better in terms of water use and green soaps.
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