A Nationally Recognized Leader in Environmental Protection
Baltimore County is nationally recognized as a leader in environmental protection with our comprehensive land planning & preservation policies, to help prevent sprawl, forest management practices and water quality initiatives.
Single Stream Recycling
Baltimore County has created a new recycling program which allows residents to set out more materials for recycling collection and also offers new ways to set out these recyclables. By reducing our waste and recycling as much as possible, we can preserve the life of the County's landfill.
Green Building Program
The Green Building Program promotes energy and resource efficiency and environmentally friendly building techniques within its funding for affordable housing.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
The Baltimore County Revenue Authority has installed eight electric vehicle (EV) plug-in charging stations in Towson, two in each of the County parking garages. In addition, two on-street charging stations will be installed in downtown Towson this fall. These charging stations are funded by a Department of Energy grant, and for the first two years, the stations will be free of charge. However, you do need a credit card to unlock the charging station. Components for the electric vehicles will be manufactured at GM Baltimore operations in 2012 at the White Marsh factory.
The four parking garages now equipped with charging stations are located at the following addresses in Towson:
- 100 West Susquehanna Avenue
- 110 West Susquehanna Avenue
- 115 Towsontown Blvd.
- 108 Ware Avenue
BCRider
County employees can take advantage of the carpool program set up internally, specifically for County employees. The program gives free parking, guaranteed ride home, and many advantages to carpoolers.
Green @ Work Energy Challenge for Baltimore County Employees
"The “Green at Work” project focuses on encouraging County employees to become more energy conscious of their everyday tasks. A “Green @ Work Energy Challenge” has been created where employees can pledge online to one or more actions that lead to reductions in energy use. Monthly articles are sent via email on different sustainable issues as well. This project also provides resources for employees that will be available for residents and business owners in the near future. To date, over 50 percent of County employees have taken the "Green @ Work" pledge.
Regional Energy Buying Co-op
The Purchasing Division is an active participant with the Baltimore Regional Cooperative Purchasing Committee of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. The most successful effort has been the purchase of electricity and natural gas. BRCPC has utilized the portfolio approach to manage risk and secure competitive market prices. BRCPC, through the guidance of an energy consultant, uses the State license and PJM (regional transmission organization) membership of a transactional contractor to make wholesale market purchases on the grid.
Lighting Improvements
The County is expanding the update of lighting systems through the retrofit or replacement of fixtures and control devices. New lamp and ballast technologies allow for increased lighting levels, lower energy consumption, longer lamp life, reduced maintenance costs, and less impact to the environment. We continue to seek new methods to make facilities even more energy efficient by researching, studying, and introducing new and alternative lighting products, including LED, next generation fluorescent lighting, occupancy and daylight sensors, and centralized lighting control systems.
Bio-Diesel Fuel Conversion
We are exploring the use of bio-diesel to power the Heavy Equipment Fleet. This alternate fuel would have an immediate impact on reducing our carbon footprint by decreasing our dependence on fossil fuel and decreasing diesel exhaust emissions.
Low Impact Cleaning Agents
The cleaning program focuses on cleaning for health without harming the environment. Healthy High Performance Cleaning improves indoor air quality, creates healthier facilities for everyone, increases worker productivity, improves morale, may reduce sick days and associated health care costs, minimizes exposure to aggressive chemicals, reduces water and air pollution, and reduces waste with recyclable packaging.
GPS Routing for County Vehicles
The route optimizer will prescribe an efficient schedule that should increase productivity, while reducing fuel consumption, by minimizing travel time to various locations through out the workday. Operations involving vehicles with multiple stops per day and those responding to unscheduled maintenance calls will benefit the most from this program.
Revised November 22, 2011
