Upcoming Events & News
The RainScaping Campaign is making news & getting the word out!
See the Annapolis Green calendar for a comprehensive listing of current events in Anne Arundel County.
▪ Saturday, March 17, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Davidsonville Area Civic Association 3rd Annual Green Expo
Ruritan Club Community Center, 3358 Davidsonville Road, Davidsonville, MD
Think Spring-Think Green! The Davidsonville Area Civic Association, in partnership with local businesses and environmental organizations, will host this event to increase awareness about environmental issues and highlight environmentally friendly products, services, and ideas. Discover your local watershed group, learn about energy saving techniques, and hear about living more sustainably. Children’s activities, free Maryland native tree give-aways, Bay-friendly lawn and landscape techniques, wildlife habitat shrubs and trees, rain barrels, renewable energy (solar, geothermal and wind energy), recycling, energy efficiency, and non toxic home products will be featured. Many items and food also for sale. Free Admission. For a list of exhibitors and more information, visit daca-md.org.
EPA Releases New DVD with Several Videos on Reducing Runoff from Urban Areas
EPA recently released a new DVD called “Reduce Runoff: Slow it Down, Spread it Out, Soak it In!” that includes four educational videos that provide an introduction to controlling runoff in urban areas. The videos on this DVD can help fulfill the outreach requirements for EPA’s Stormwater MS4 program as well as helping with outreach for other purposes. EPA is encouraging the airing of these programs. The DVD compilation includes:
▪ “Reduce Runoff: Slow it Down, Spread it Out, Soak it In” – an introductory video on reducing stormwater runoff and its harmful effects on the environment (8:43 minutes);
▪ “RiverSmart Homes: Getting Smart about Runoff in Washington, DC” – video regarding the District of Columbia’s RiverSmart Homes program which provides assistance to citizens to install various practices such as trees, rain barrels, and rain gardens (12:00 minutes);
▪ “Building Green: A Success Story in Philadelphia” – a look at an environmentally-friendly housing complex in Philadelphia (11:00 minutes); and
▪ “After the Storm” – a popular video co-produced by EPA and The Weather Channel in 2004 to educate the public about watersheds and what they can do to clean up their watershed, including implementing practices to address stormwater (21:39 minutes).
Copies of this DVD may be ordered from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) by emailing nscep@bps-lmit.com or calling 800-490-9198. Please be sure to include the EPA document number EPA 842-11-001, when ordering the “Reduce Runoff: Slow it Down, Spread it Out, Soak it In!” DVD. Also, these videos are posted in small screen format at http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/green/video.cfm and the Website provides an FTP link for broadcast quality videos.
Additional Information
Highlights from your local RainScaping Campaign:
The RainScaping Campaign--an Environmental Partnership for Stormwater Runoff Solutions--currently has 53 partners, all with a common purpose of improving the health of our tributaries and the Chesapeake Bay by motivating a critical mass of residents to make RainScaping the norm in Anne Arundel County. The number of partners continues to grow; and if you're not a partner, we encourage you to become one. Collectively, we can make RainScaping happen!
PSAs/Ads, in a variety of media, and educational programs target urban and suburban landowners that understand the importance of rainscaping, but may need help to start rainscaping on their own. Through the efforts of the RainScaping Campaign, residents are encouraged to actively participate in rainscaping activities which result in reduced pesticide and fertilizer use, better management of pet waste and trash, and the installation of rain gardens, rain barrels, native trees and shrubs, and other "Beautiful Solutions to Water Pollution!"
* RainScaping Campaign's 30-second PSA, airing on Anne Arundel County's Public Access Channel.