IT'S EASY BEING GREEN
For Ed Murtagh, environmentalism has been a lifelong journey.
“Over time, I’ve been inspired learning about all the opportunities we have to have to help the environment,” said Murtagh, one of the founders and original members of Green Wheaton, a nonprofit for environmental outreach, education and collaboration.
“Our goal is to promote our community as a model of green and sustainable living,” said Green Wheaton executive director Wendy Howard. “People here are stakeholders in their communities. Everyone wants to thrive. We’ve done some good things on our own, but the greater successes have always been when we’ve collaborated.”
Volunteers from Green Wheaton and Friends of Sligo Creek team up to plant a community garden./Photo source: stormwaterpartners.org
A primary example of such success is the installation of 18 Big Belly solar dual trash and recycling compactors throughout the city of Wheaton. The units send a signal to the local CleanSafe team when they are full, saving both time and energy so sanitation workers don’t have to check each unit every day.
One of the original goals of Green Wheaton, Murtagh said, was to have an organized voice on why sustainability and green living is vital, in the midst of the city’s ongoing redevelopment project. “Green,” he said, can mean anything from buildings under LEED construction standards to energy efficient lighting to actual green spaces – parks and gardens.
Big Belly solar units in Wheaton, MD/Photo source: Green Wheaton
“We want people to know this is a community that takes sustainability seriously,” he said.
“For me, personally, a greener Wheaton means there is a walkable place for me to go,” said Howard. “I want to be able to walk to the shopping. I want a place where I can meet my neighbors. I'd like to see a physical green space, a park. I want a place where I can bring my clients. I love to go to local businesses. It's a community that is environmentally friendly.” (Next)
About the Author: Holly Leber is the editorial director of the Daily Do Good. She, too, enjoys green spaces and loves to go to a local business.