The future is what you make of it!

be kind... be resourceful... be engaged.

  • Home
  • About
  • Thoughts…
  • Maryland Goes Green
    • Maryland Goes Green
    • Green Drinks
  • RAM Digital
  • Play Stuff
  • Contact

Maryland Goes Green – Sustainable Design

Maryland Goes Green is a public education initiative that I created in 2006 with my collaborator Noah Maranto to provide useful and accurate information about sustainability. Select your area of interest… or select “all posts“.

Renewable Energy
Conservation
Sustainability
Green Technology

Sustainable Design posts…

2015 Maryland & DC Tour of Solar and Green Homes – FREE Download!

Posted: September 12, 2015

Download the booklet HERE! The Annual Solar Tour of Homes is organized by a staff of dedicated volunteers to educate the public on the positive aspects of solar energy and sustainable design. This year we have over 60 solar and green homes on tour (see map below). Homes are open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, […]

Under Construction…

Posted: September 3, 2015

Ecologia (www.ecologiadesign.com) founder Michael Judd has spent nearly 20 years working throughout North and South America to promote edible and ecological landscape design. In Nicaragua his non-profit organization Project Bona Fide helps to develop solutions to provide food security and sustainable crops with higher market values in rural communities. He has recently published his first […]

0 comments

2014 Maryland Tour of Solar and Green Homes

Posted: August 13, 2014

The Annual Solar Tour of Homes is organized by a staff of dedicated volunteers to educate the public on the positive aspects of solar energy and sustainable design. This year we have 46 solar and green homes on tour. Homes are open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, October 4 and 5. Plan your trip in […]

Edible Landscaping

Posted: May 13, 2014

A few hundred years ago only royalty could afford to have gardens that didn’t produce food. After centuries spent on gardens that exist only for aesthetic value there is finally a movement towards arranging attractive and edible plants to produce spaces that are feasts for the eyes and the mouth. Edible landscaping is a specialized […]

We Can Make a Difference Through Our Actions

Posted: March 12, 2014

“Climate change is real. Scientists agree. It’s happening now. It’s harmful and human-caused. We can make a difference through our actions.” These are the opening words of Maryland’s “Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act Plan”, released by Governor Martin O’Malley in July of this year. The Governor noted in his speech that Maryland is especially vulnerable to […]

State Solar Listserves: A Resource for All Things Solar

Posted: February 13, 2014

Interested in going solar but not sure where to start? Want to connect with other solar enthusiasts in your area? Then check out a solar network in your state!   Citizens in DC, MD, VA and WV have recently formed solar networks as part of an effort to build support for solar in their states. The […]

Maryland Tour of Solar and Green Homes 2013

Posted: September 5, 2013

The Annual Solar Tour of Homes is organized by a staff of dedicated volunteers to educate the public on the positive aspects of solar energy and sustainable design. This year we have over 48 solar and green homes on tour. Homes are open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, October 5 and 6. Plan your […]

Building a Zero Energy Community in Frederick City

Posted: December 4, 2012

NEXUS Homes, Bentz Street Located on a busy street in downtown Frederick, Bentz Street might seem like an unlikely location for some of the most technologically advanced, environmentally conscious housing in the county.  Once you’re inside the model home there’s an immediate quiet, though it might take a few minutes to notice that the cars […]

2012 Maryland Solar Tour

Posted: September 11, 2012

The first weekend in October will be the 3rd annual Maryland Tour of Solar & Green homes. This year we have 36 homes on the tour… including my home! The homes are open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on either Saturday (10/6) or Sunday (10/7). Printed copies of the tour booklet are available at several locations for only […]

0 comments

Make power with Home Power…

Posted: January 13, 2012

Home Power, my favorite magazine just arrived. It is the only non-digital publication that I receive. For a little over $2 per issue this magazine covers various energy topics: solar, wind, PV systems, electric vehicles, batteries, hydrogen, domestic solar hot water, etc… everything to keep an energy geek occupied for hours. The publishers, Richard and Karen Perez started Home […]

Group Buying of Wind Power saves money for your congregation/group.

Posted: January 10, 2012

Check out the savings! Community Energy Purchase Frequently Asked Questions Round 3 – Spring 2012 1. What rate did you get during the last round of the Community Energy Purchase? For the last round in September 2011, we secured a rate of $.0808 per kWh for institutions that chose 100% green power (and $.0798 per […]

Infiltration, Insulation and Vapor Barriers

Posted: January 9, 2012

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average homeowner spends about 45% of their energy bill on heating and cooling their house. For those who use Energy Star appliances and have replaced their incandescent bulbs with more efficient light sources, that number will be even higher. Before ordering photovoltaic cells to reduce your electric […]

The Unseen Green

Posted: January 3, 2012

A well-sealed and insulated home inhabited by energy conscious people might not shout “I’m Green!” the way a solar panel or windmill might, but its energy savings can be just as rewarding! Energy conservation and efficiency, while not so visible on the outside, are great ways to start going green while saving “green”! With so […]

Solar Leasing Arrives In Maryland

Posted: January 3, 2012

After continued success on the West Coast, major solar lease companies establish their roots in Maryland during 2011. The residential solar lease has arrived in Maryland! With a mandatory Renewable Portfolio in place and higher than average electricity rates due to natural gas generation, Maryland was a prime target for the expansion of the residential […]

What’s a SREC?

Posted: January 3, 2012

A Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) is a tradable commodity representing the non-polluting value of 1,000-kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity produced by a solar electric system. The SREC is separate from the value of the electricity itself and permits the owner or purchaser to claim the benefits of the clean energy production by effectively subsidizing […]

Thurmont Bungalow Gets Green Remodel

Posted: January 3, 2012

In Thurmont, Maryland Denis and Brienne Superczynski have been working quietly for years on a remodel of their three bedroom home. The couple purchased the 1950’s bungalow style home in 2005. The house is located in a quiet neighborhood in Thurmont Maryland. They gained 75% more space and, taking advantage of state and federal incentives, […]

Got Wind? Add a Little Technology… and You’ll Have Power!

Posted: January 3, 2012

In the countryside of Dickerson, Maryland there are almost as many wind turbines as there are horses. With 10 wind turbines generating about 36 kilowatts, Dr. Carlos Fernandez-Bueno’s farm might be the template for the Frederick County of the twenty first century. His company, Potomac Wind Energy, sells, installs and services wind turbines for residential, […]

Friends

DSIRE: Database of incentives for renewable energy.

EVA-DC: Local electric vehicle association. Learn all things EV.

Green Frederick: Living life sustainably in the mid-Atlantic.

Tiny House Expo: Planning to build, this event is for you.

DC Solar Tour: Learn more about the Washington DC Solar Tour.

The Sun Today: Alex Young, Ph.D. is a Solar Astrophysicist at NASA.

EERE: The DOE office that invests in clean energy technologies.

PV Monitor: My solar PV output today!

Driftwood Sculptures: Created by Turtle Point Driftwood.

Copyright © 2023 · Streamline Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in