2019: Year in Review

We're looking back at some of our victories from 2019! Thank you for your support, and for continuing to share in our commitment to a cleaner, greener Maryland.

Kate Breimann

Environment Maryland: 2019 In Review

I started 5 months ago and am thrilled with all that we have been able to accomplish. We have been fighting for the cleaner, greener future that Maryland deserves through strategic organizing, advocacy and education.
-Kate

Wildlife Over Waste

Every day, Americans throw away hundreds of millions of plastic bags, containers and other single-use items. It’s creating an environmental disaster for ocean wildlife: plastic and other marine debris kills millions of sea turtles, sea birds and marine mammals every year who mistake it for food. Nothing we use for a few minutes should be allowed to pollute our rivers, lakes, and oceans for hundreds of years.

Wildlife Over Waste photo

 Environment Maryland staff knocked on 15,000 doors across the state and collected over 5,000 petitions, including over 100 photo petitions like the one you see here, from Marylanders in support of a plastic bag ban. We built support for the Baltimore City bag ban through education and advocacy, and we are excited that the ban will soon become law. We had an op-ed on the need for plastic legislation in the Baltimore Sun, and we were honored to appear on CBS Baltimore to talk about plastic pollution.

Along with our coalition partners, Environment Maryland is continuing to build support for statewide plastic reduction legislation to protect our water and our wildlife.            

Wildlife Over Waste press conference

 We released our State of Recycling report this fall on America Recycles Day. The report highlights structural changes as well as opportunities and challenges, and recommends some vital policy steps our state can take to reduce our plastic use.

 This is a people-powered movement, so it’s always wonderful to speak with community members who are passionate about these issues. From film screenings on microplastics to speaking with kindergarteners about plastic and wildlife, Environment Maryland connected with communities across the state, empowering Marylanders to be part of the solution to our plastic problem.

Renewables on the Rise

In August, we released a report called Renewables on the Rise that highlights the growth of renewable energy over the last decade. A future powered solely by clean, renewable energy is increasingly within our reach: Maryland’s solar sector has grown 35,000% and our wind power has increased 550% in the last 9 years. We are in the top 10 in the nation for electric vehicle charging stations.

We’re proud that eight current and former Maryland mayors have signed on to our Mayors for Solar project, which empowers city leaders take concrete steps toward a brighter, healthier future by building a broad, bipartisan community of mayors and giving them the tools they need to tap into the power of the sun.

Thank you for your support! Without you, our work would not be possible.

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Kate Breimann

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