Greening Our Town
Welcome to Greening Our Town, an environmental resources and programs page brought to you by the Town Climate and Environment Committee. Check out our latest events and other content to learn how our town — and you! — can make environmentally-friendly choices every day.
Get Involved
Want to help make our town a greener place to live? Email us at TOCCFriendsofHealthyClimate@gmail.com to learn about volunteering with our committee or to make a suggestion for future events and programs.
Events
- Green Town Series: How to Manage Your Lawn Organically -- April 12, 2022
- Green Town Series Zoom Webinar: Montgomery County Climate Update -- March 31, 2022
- Green Town Series Zoom Webinar: MD Climate Crisis and Environmental Justice Act -- February 3, 2022
- Montgomery County Climate Action Plan (CAP) -- January 21, 2021
- Climate Discussion with Congressman Jamie Raskin & Jessica Langerman – October 10, 2019
Resources
Greener Gardens
Tips
- Healthy Lawns Without Synthetic Chemical Pesticides (October 2021)
- Reduce Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Use (September 2021)
- What's the Buzz on Mosquitos? (May 2021)
- Healthy Lawns (April 2021)
- Attract Birds with Native Plants (February 2021)
Events
- Cicadas! with Dr. Tolbert Feather, Town Arborist -- May 7, 2021
- Sustainable Landscapes 101: Local Solutions a Global Community with Edamarie Mattei -- April 15, 2021
- Yard Birds of Chevy Chase with Chris Wright -- March 25, 2021
- Healthy Lawns -- February 16, 2021
- Landscaping Noise Session & Workshop – September 28, 2019
Resources
- Quiet and Clean Landscapers
- EPA - Lawn & Garden Information
- Maryland Invasive Plants List
- An Interview with Experts: Are Backyard Mosquito Sprays Safe and Effective?
Lee Wick Dennison Sustainable Garden
The Lee Wick Dennison Garden was installed in October 2019 and is reaching maturity. The garden honors the bequest that Ms. Dennison gave to the Town for park beautification within Town.
The garden serves as an educational and demonstration garden, showcasing how native plants can be used to make residential landscapes more environmentally sustainable. Located within Zimmerman Park at the intersection of Lynn Drive and Maple Ave, the garden can be enjoyed on a walk or as a place to relax or gather for people of all ages.
A grand opening of the garden in Fall of 2020 was postponed during the pandemic and will finally occur in conjunction with completion of other Zimmerman Park improvements. In the meantime, look out for notices for opportunities to learn more about the garden and ways your family can make your home landscape more environmentally sustainable.
Links to all related documents are included here for quick access.
Greener Homes
Tips
- Be Cool! (July 2021)
- Compost to Reduce Greenhouse Gases! (June 2021)
- Recycling Made Easy (March 2021)
3R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Task Force
Sorting and disposing of household waste appropriately can be confusing, even for recycling enthusiasts! In addition, China’s recent waste management changes have resulted in a <1% acceptance rate of and dramatic price decreases for US recycling materials. In response, the Town of Chevy Chase’s recycling contractor, Goode Companies, has changed its policies for acceptable recycled materials. We are therefore writing to provide you with a brief refresher course in how to dispose of your household waste.
- Only include authorized items in your recycling. This is a visual depiction of acceptable recycled items. If an item is not included on the list, it should be either composted (see below) or disposed of in the trash.
- No plastic bags! This means you should neither enclose your recyclables in plastic bags nor include bags among the items to be recycled. Instead, recycle plastic bags and plastic films in the bag recycling bin in front of most grocery stores. Cut off any paper labels prior to recycling. Stuff one bag full of other bags, tie it up and pop it in!
- Clean all items before recycling. Dirty items, including dirty bulky items, cannot be recycled. Also, dirty items often contaminate other items and prevent their recycling as well. Washing out recyclables including plastic lids, caps, aluminum foil and pans, and metal containers, also helps keep your recycling bins clean.
- Separate paper and cardboard. Although we have single stream recycling, loose paper easily becomes contaminated, and small scraps get lost in the shuffle. Putting papers inside a cardboard box or paper bag helps prevent this. Ideally, shredded paper should be enclosed in a paper bag. You can recycle corrugated carboard that does not contain a wax coating, junk mail, magazines, newspapers, books, and wrapping paper.
- Sign up for free curbside composting! A wide variety of organic materials are collected every Tuesday by our composting contractor, the Compost Crew, including pizza boxes. Every household can receive one composting bucket free of charge. You can sign up for this service through the Town’s website.
- When in doubt, throw it out. Items not specified on either the recycling or the composting list, including cans or bottles of paint, chemicals, motor oil should be put in trash.
And remember, the best way to minimize waste is to reduce purchases, particularly of single-use plastics such as disposable cups and cutlery, and reuse items whenever possible.
Events
Bringing Climate Solutions Home Online Panel Discussion - April 30, 2020
A full audio recording of the panel is available here and the accompanying presentation is available to view here.
Resources
- You’re probably recycling wrong. This quiz will help you sort it out.
- Recycling, Composting and Trash & Treasures
- Household Hazardous Waste
- Montgomery Energy Connection
- Washington Gas - EmPOWER contractors
- Search Engine for Local Recycling Options
- Home HVAC Primer
- Induction Cooking Guide
- Renewable Electricity Guide
Green Guides
Local Green Business Directory
Support local businesses that make the environment a priority.
Give the gift of experiences with this mostly local guide.