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 Reduce your use of deicing chemicals or use an environmentally-friendly alternativeRoad salt, or sodium chloride, can be harmful to the environment when it washes off of roads, sidewalks, and driveways into surrounding land and waterways. In order to reduce your use of deicing chemicals, clear as much snow as possible by hand, use only the amount of deicing chemical instructed, or try an environmentally-friendly alternative.
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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.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Use a push reel or electric mower instead of a gas-powered mower, or refrain from mowing sections of your lawnGas-powered lawn mowers consume gas, emit pollutants, and generate greenhouse gases. A gas-powered lawn mower emits as many pollutants as eight new cars driving 55 mph for the same period of time. Or put another way, mowing your lawn with a typical 3.5 horsepower gas mower for one hour produces the same amount of harmful emissions as driving a car 340 miles! Americans use 800 million gallons of gas each year just to mow their lawns. Learn more about the environmental impact of lawn mowers.
The EPA recommends the use of push reel mowers because they do not consume fossil fuels or emit greenhouse gasses. If you do use a power mower, use an electric mower with mulching capabilities to reduce grass clippings.
The best alternative to using a gas-powered mower is to not mow your lawn at all! Consider replacing all or a section of your lawn with native plants.
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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.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Refrain from using pesticides on your lawn and gardensExposure to pesticides may contribute to cancer, endocrine disruption, and other human health risks. Plus, pesticides can actually kill beneficial insects and soil organisms that help plants grow; they can also harm wildlife.
Instead of using synthetic pesticides, consider an organic alternative or refrain from pesticide use completely. Plant perennials among your annual crops to maintain a beneficial predator insect population, which keeps pest populations in check. Or try an alternative to synthetic pesticides, such as natural store bought products, homemade recipes, and techniques that don’t use any chemicals, like planting marigolds to ward off nematodes or leaving a dish of flat beer outside to kill slugs.
Before resorting to any type of pest management, identify the pest, whether it is actually harmful, and the degree of harm that it is causing. When trying any pesticide, start with spot treatments, rather than spraying the whole lawn or garden, and see if it works before using more of it.
Learn more from our Tips for Green Leaders Lawn Maintenance Fact Sheet. Click for a pest control guide from Extremely Green or the University of Maryland Extension. Or watch this organic gardening video.
Have a specific pest question? Ask the experts at the University of Maryland Extension.
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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. 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 Replace 30 square feet or more of turf grass or other surface with conservation landscaping using native plantsTraditional grass lawns compete for space with native habitat, reduce rainwater absorption, contribute grass trimmings to landfills, and often require harmful chemicals, gas or electricity-consuming machines, and money to maintain. Over 50 million acres of land in the U.S. are covered by turf grass, and 30% of the water consumed on the east coast is used for watering lawns! Learn more about the environmental impacts of traditional lawns.
A section of your grass lawn can be converted to a lawn alternative, such as nitrogen-fixing plants, native plants, a food forest, moss, ground cover, clover, flower and shrub beds, or rain gardens. You can even attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and birds by planting native wildflowers. Learn more from our Tips for Green Leaders Lawn Maintenance Fact Sheet.
Neighborhood Green is a Frederick County program that provides local homeowners with educational tools, such as workshops and expert advice, to help them convert their lawns into native plant and wildlife havens. For more information, contact the Community Restoration Coordinator at 301.600.1741. Check out our Tips for Green Leaders Neighborhood Green Fact Sheet.
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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.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Plant a Native tree on your propertyEvery tree that you plant removes about 48 pounds of carbon from the atmosphere each year upon reaching maturity, in addition to providing shade, habitat for wildlife, soil stabilization, and water filtration. Native trees and plants require less water and maintenance because they are adapted to the region’s climate, and they provide better food and habitat for native wildlife. Learn more from our Tips for Green Leaders Native Plants Fact Sheet.
To learn more about the native trees and plants suitable for your property, check out the Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping guide, the Marylanders Plant Trees guide, or the Wildflower Center guide. Use this $25 coupon toward a native tree.
For discounted native plants, check out an Audubon Society of Central Maryland Native Plant Sale or a Maryland Native Plant Society Native Plant Sale.
Neighborhood Green is a Frederick County program that provides local homeowners with educational tools, such as workshops and expert advice, to help them convert their lawns into native plant and wildlife havens. For more information, contact the Community Restoration Coordinator at 301.600.1741. Check out our Tips for Green Leaders Neighborhood Green Fact Sheet.
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