Host Doug Adams talks to Jackson Leas about the basics for going solar for home owners and renters. Great way to learn a little more about going solar before heading out to the Solar Party at Joe’s on 10/18.
Some of the links Jackson talked about:
This is tomorrow!
Come help your fellow Mounties beautify Mount Rainier. We’ll provide gloves, bags, maps, trash pickers, and to a random selection of participants prizes (a drop in class pass for Joe’s Movement Emporium)! Well meet at 9 AM on 9/29 at City Hall. Some supplies provided by PGC Dept of Environment through Clean Sweep program.
The Green Team is gearing up for a Solar Party and you are invited. The Party will be on Thursday, October 18 from 7-9 PM at Joe’s Movement Emporium.
There were be several solar vendors there to explain what they do and how you can go solar. This event is not just for homeowners with no trees, some of the options are geared towards renters or shaded houses.
Some of the vendors scheduled are:
There will also be music, videos, and refreshments, including solar powered beer from Atlas Brewery.
- To RSVP Click Here
- Add to Calendar
For Episode 3 of #GREENisLIFE, Doug Adams interviews Sarah Lifsey about environmentally friendly ways to combat mosquitoes and also myth busts some common mosquito control techniques.
Who Should Register?
Anyone with, DIABETES, PREDIABETES, BORDERLINE, or JUST SUGAR is urged to attend. Caregivers and relatives of patients and friends are encouraged to attend too. The Program will not conflict with your current treatment plan. With up to date information, tried and tested tools, practice and support, patients can benefit immensely. With regular attendance and commitment to the process, you will experience life changes.
Workshop Format: MEETS WEEKLY ON THURSDAYS FOR, 2 ½ hours, Personal Benefits to Participants:
- Manage symptoms
- Promote positive outcomes
- Improve strength and endurance
- Promote healthy lifestyle of through exercise, nutrition and stress reduction
- Practice the use of action plans that work to live healthy productive lives
- Textbook for reference purposes and Certificate of Completion
To register and learn more about class topics, please call Linda Nunes-Schrag, Living Well Program Coordinator, at 301-248-0039 and Michelle Whitmire 301-985-6590 ext.240 and leave your name and phone number.
September 11, 2018 at City Hall the City Council will be hosting a Community Conversation concerning trash and recycling in Mount Rainier. The event will start at 7 PM to ask your questions about the recycling/trash cart roll out or recycling in general. Councilmember Luke Chesek, Green Team Chair Joseph Jakuta, and Director of Public Works Kourosh Kamali will be sitting on the panel.
The Green Team is hosting its monthly meeting on 9/10 at City Hall from 7-9 PM. We will be discussing a wide variety of topics including storm water management plan, planning for the October solar party, and composting pick up.
You can also send us a message if you are interested in learning more, but cannot make the meeting.
When September ends every house will be getting a new 65 gallon rolling recycling cart and a new 45-gallon trash cart. Later, you won’t be able to use yellow bins for recycling or any old cans for trash unless you qualified to opt out or they work with the trash truck lift. So, what do you do with those old cans you can’t use anymore?
For one, you can have them taken away as part of the rollout and there will be more from the City on that later. But, reuse is the greenest choice, so the Green Team has some options for you – just don’t forget to clean them out before reusing!
Let’s get creative, Mount Rainier. The Green Team will be giving away prizes for creative trash can reuse!
1. New Planter. Metal or plastic trash cans without a lid can be used as a planter both indoors or outdoors. Drill a hole in the bottom for proper drainage. Pro-tip: If you are not sure yet where you’d like to place your new trash can planter, fill the bottom with plastic bottles before you fill it with potting soil. Also, Larger trashcans make ideal containers for root vegetables, or any plant that has a long or deep root system, such as potatoes. |
 2. Rain Barrel. A metal or plastic trash can be used to collect rain water, help provide free water for watering your garden, and prevent excess runoff in big storms. There are plenty of different ways to craft a trash can into a rain barrel. At this time, you cannot apply for a Rain Check Rebate if you use your trash can as a rain barrel. This tutorial from SFGate.com has a good rundown of you’ll need/how to repurpose your trashcan as a rain barrel: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/make-rain-barrel-garbage-can-78538.html |
 3. Yard waste/mulch container. Instead of purchasing bags upon bags at Home Depot or Lowe’s, why not use your now outdated trash can to store and put out yard waste on Mondays? Plastic cans might be easier to repurpose for this use. Another option: use it to collect free mulch from the County when they have their free mulch days every spring. |
 4. Compost bin. Turning a trash can into a compost bin is a great way to upcycle your trash can while also providing useful compost for your garden. You can use a metal or plastic trash can for this. A drill will likely be needed. This link can give you tips on how to create a compost bin in this fashion: http://pallensmith.com/2014/02/27/trash-can-compost-bin/ |
 5. Storage. Need a bin to store things in? Whether it be outdoor tools, pet food, children’s toys, or even a clothes hamper, look no further than your current metal trash can! For tools, just clean it out and put them in. For pet food, clean it out and line it with a plastic bag or paper – or simply store the economy sized bags in it. For clothes hamper/children’s toy bin, clean it out, line it with cute fabric, decorate the outside and voila! |
 6. Furniture. Another option is to turn your metal trash can into an artistic piece of furniture – an end table, a main table, or some other design. This one is a little trickier to do yourself, but some good places to look for inspiration could be Community Forklift, Tanglewood Works, and Pinterest! |
Enter how you re-purposed your trash can: http://bit.ly/mrgt-can-contest by December 31, 2018 to win.
NOTE: Make sure you wait until you don’t need your old cans for trash though before you re-purpose them!
Until September 10, 2018, the City of Mount Rainier and the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment are offering discounted 50-gallon rain barrels. Barrels cost $67.50. This discounted rate is only available through Sept 10, 2018.
Order your rain barrel at www.rainbarrelprogram.org/mtrainier and take it home on Saturday, September 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Mount Rainier Public Works, 3715 Wells Avenue, Mount Rainier MD 20712.
Prince George’s County residents can apply for a Rain Check rebate, off-setting most of the cost! After the Rain Check Rebate, your only cost is for the gutter attachment! (https://cbtrust.org/grants/prince-georges-county-rain-check-rebate/)
To learn more, please contact Rocio Latorre at 301-985-6583 or rlatorre@mountrainiermd.org.
Another bonus, on September 15 starting at 9:00 a.m. – the City of Mount Rainier and the City of Mount Rainier Green Team are hosting an E-Waste and Polystyrene Drop Off (https://www.facebook.com/events/2044816975763515/) so you can drop off your waste, and take home your rain barrel on the same day.
The Green Team has decided to start a website! We thought it would be a good resource for residents and businesses to get an idea of resources that are available to them to live more sustainably. This will be a work in progress though as we add content to the site. So check back often.