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2 | Gone Green

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4 | Gone Green

www.FitzMall.com

| By Fitzgerald Auto Malls |

Fitzgerald Auto Malls has been a champion ofgreen initiatives before anyone really knew what thatmeant. We strive to make a positive difference in thelocal environment, from our recycling efforts in all ourdealerships to our newest eco-friendly showroom,That’s the FitzWay.

The newest building constructed in MontgomeryCounty in the Fitzgerald family of dealerships is ourLEED Gold certified automobile showroom onMiddlebrook Road in Germantown. It is the firstLEED Gold certified dealership east of theMississippi River.

Fitzgerald leads the way for auto dealers in theWashington Metropolitan Area when it comes to theenvironment.We were the first Dealership EPA GreenPower Partner in the United States, with 100 percentof our Maryland dealerships purchasing wind power.In addition, Fitzgerald made a strategic decision to

purchase solar panels to generate power on-site at theGermantown facility.

Fitzgerald created an Environmental ManagementSystem that adheres to the ISO 14001 Standard forQuality in the Management of our Environmentalimpacts.We recycle 81 percent of all waste generated atevery facility and have consistently exceeded theMontgomery County goal of 50 percent for over 5 years.

Environmental AspectsFitzgerald listens intently to customers and adapts

to meet the changing needs of the community. It was anatural choice for Fitzgerald to choose to apply forLEED certification for the Fitzgerald Certified Centerin Germantown.

More than 25 percent of the building materialswere recycled or locally manufactured and harvested.All wood used on the project was obtained fromsuppliers who practice sustainable forestry and containno added formaldehyde. Nearly all of the total project

waste was salvaged or recycled. Low VOC paint andsealants, increased ventilation and daylight create ahealthy and comfortable workplace. Energyconservation measures include high efficiency, Low-Eglass and a curtain wall system to reduce heat gain.There is a highly reflective TPO roof, highly efficientHVAC systems and solar trees for on-site renewableenergy generation. The building is designed to use 40percent less energy than an average building.

Visit www.FitzMall.com to learn more aboutFitzgerald Auto Malls and our commitment to NotJust Going Green, but Staying Green.

GREEN AND STAYING GREENIN MONTGOMERY

With the open floor plan of the main sales desk, employeesare able to take advantage of the natural lighting.

The sales floor emphasizes the daylight and views,allowing the outdoor environment to connect withthe interior showroom.

The Fitzgerald Auto Malls’ facility in Germantown is LEEDGold certified. On the corner of Middlebrook Roadand Amaranth Drive, aluminum composite panels andLow-E curtain wall systems provide the skin for the building.

Fitzgerald leads the way for auto dealers in the WashingtonMetropolitan Area when it comes to the environment. We were thefirst Dealership EPA Green Power Partner in the United States,with 100% of our Maryland dealerships purchasing wind power.In addition, Fitzgerald made a strategic decision to purchase solar

panels to generate power on-site at the Germantown facility.

AWARDS• ABC 2009 Excellence in Construction Award

RATINGS• U.S. Green Building Council LEED-NC, v2.2

in 2010; Achievement level: Gold (49 points)


n Publisher: Trina LaPiern Advertising Director: Terry Tillmann Production Coordinator: Kathleen Castellanon Layout: Lorraine Walker/John Schmitz Jr.

9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877240-864-1558 • www.gazette.net/business

This supplement was produced by The Gazette of Politics & Business Advertising Sales Department. Unless otherwise noted, portions of this report were gathered and edited byKaren Finucan Clarkson, [email protected]. None of the copy was written by The Gazette of Politics & Business editorial staff. All photos were supplied by the specificcorporate entity, unless otherwise stated.Cover photo: iStockphoto/grandeduc; headline graphics: iStockphoto/appleuzr

Published by:

Table of ContentsThe Universities at Shady Grove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Fitzgerald Auto Malls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Selecting and Financing Energy Efficient HVAC Systems . . . . . . . .6

Saving Money While Building Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Green Hospitals Make for Healthier Communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Maryland Green Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Congressional Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Montgomery County Certified Green Business

Chevy Chase Nissan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Car Charging Sites Proliferate in Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Wind Withers in Maryland General Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Akridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Bethesda Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Montgomery County Certified Green Business

Marriott International, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Montgomery County Certified Green Business

Montgomery County Department of Environmental ProtectionDivision of Solid Waste Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Green Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

All Eco Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Montgomery County Certified Green Business

Department of Environmental ProtectionMontgomery County Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

It Takes More Than Green to Differentiate a Business . . . . . . . . . .20

Environmental Cost Efficiencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Benefit Corporations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Fenton Street Market Gives Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Website Links Residents with Green Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Maryland by the Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Solar Energy World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Special Advertising Publication | May 2012

Maryland Gone Green!The Gazette of Politics and Business,

in cooperation with Bethesda Green, isproud to present a special publicationhighlighting some of Maryland's keybusinesses that have "gone green" andsome of the service providers that canhelp those who are ready to go green.We received such a positive responsefrom last year’s companies makingstrategic changes toward sustainabilitythat we felt we would again redo thispublication. Our hope is that it mightinfluence our readers to make someimportant and necessary changesneeded to green their business.

Bethesda Green has a mission to build a healthy local economy andenvironmentally sustainable community. We fulfill our mission by sharingresources and inspire others by showcasing local businesses that providegreen services and integrate green practices into their business operations.Bethesda Green is partnering with The Gazette of Politics and Business andother business sponsors to accomplish three main goals:

1. Educate the community about sustainability. Bethesda Green raisesawareness and inspires action through its programs, online resources andeducation center located in the heart of downtown Bethesda.

2. Incubate new start-up green businesses. They foster the next generationof green business models and solutions.

3. Initiate green projects. They leverage community expertise and assets toimprove sustainability in the community.

We believe this special publication will undoubtedly be a valuable tool foryou and your company as you learn from other companies’ "green" storiesabout ways to lower your carbon footprint for a better Maryland.

You will notice throughout this publication a Certified Green Business sealappearing in some of the company profiles. These are Montgomery Countycompanies that have been “Green Certified” by the county's Department ofEnvironmental Protection and endorsed by the Montgomery County Chamberof Commerce.

We look forward to working with your business in creating a greener future.

Trina LaPierAssociate PublisherThe Gazette of Politics & Business

David FeldmanExecutive DirectorBethesda Green

Scott Friedman’s quest—“to bringgeothermal to the masses”—began whenhe needed to reduce expenses onproperties he owned and managed.“As Ibegan my research, I fell down the rabbithole of sustainability,” says the CEO ofGreenavise. “My interest kept growingand growing and growing and before Iknew it I was studying…to become aLEED accredited professional.”

Having become increasinglyconvinced of geothermal’s potential toconserve resources—both financial andenvironmental—Friedman foundedGreenavise, a sustainability, consultingand management firm that helps realestate owners implement energy-efficientand renewable-energy projects. Green-avise, since its inception in 2008, hasfocused“on financing solutions, especiallyfor geothermal, as there currently are fewoptions,” says Friedman.

He points to the success of the solarfinancing market. “A few years ago ifyou wanted a solar system, you had totake out a home equity line of credit,”says Friedman.Today, “over 50 percentof residential solar arrays are financedthrough third parties.That has led to adoubling of the number of systemsinstalled. We believe the same thing

holds true for geothermal.”With roughly 1 percent market

penetration nationwide, “geothermal isgrowing at an accelerated rate. We’relooking at approximately 120,000systems installed a year and that numberis expected to grow annually by 10-15percent,” says Friedman, who hopesGreenavise’s GeoAccess program willhelp increase those numbers.

Traditionally, installation costs—which include underground piping—“have made it cost prohibitive forproperty owners to go the geothermalroute,” notes the Greenavise website(http://greenavise.com). GeoAccess rollsinstallation costs into a low, fixedmonthly payment. The standard 10-year contract can be adapted to meetproperty owners’ needs.

Looking down the road, Friedmansees his Gaithersburg-based companybecoming one of the nation’s “topgeothermal financiers” and a consultantfor real estate owners, both large andsmall. “I believe…that geothermal hasmore opportunity than solar. Not onlycan it save you money but it can reduceyour impact on the environment,” hesays. “And, by using our financingprogram, you’ll preserve your capital.”

7 Benefits of Geothermal HeatPumps (GHPs)

• Reduced Energy ConsumptionGHPs use 25-50 percent less elec-tricity than conventional heating andcooling systems.

• Decreased Usage/EmissionsAccording to the EPA, GHPs canreduce energy consumption andcorresponding emissions from 44-72percent, depending on the conventionalHVAC system being replaced.

• Improved Humidity ControlGHPs maintain about 50 percentrelative indoor humidity, making themvery effective in humid areas.

• Design FlexibilityGHP systems can be installed in bothnew and retrofit applications. Thehardware requires less space thanconventional HVAC systems.

• Increased Temperature ControlGHPs provide excellent "zone" spaceconditioning, allowing different parts ofa home to be heated or cooled todifferent temperatures.

• More Durable and ReliableGHPs have fewer moving parts. Because

those parts are sheltered inside abuilding, they are durable and reliable.The underground piping has a warrantyof 25–50 years and heat pumps oftenlast 20+ years.

• QuieterThe lack of an outside condensing uniteliminates exterior noise. Buildingoccupants cannot tell that a two-speedGHP system is operating. There are notelltale blasts of cold or hot air.

Source: Scott Friedman, CEO and co-founder of Greenavise

6 | Gone Green

“We’re making it easier and moreaffordable in these tough economictimes for people to become moresustainable and green,” says MikeKennedy, executive director of GreenSavings Coop. Established three yearsago, the co-op offers discounts toencourage its members to use local,sustainable goods and service.

Green Savings Coop has “assembleda roster of about 32 supplier members ina range of categories—energy audits,weatherization, sustainable supplies—that we have identified as among the bestlocal businesses with the highestcustomer satisfaction,” says Kennedy.These suppliers agree to offer a discountto the co-op’s individual and businessmembers. As Green Savings Coopcontinues to add suppliers, “the value ofmemberships increase.”

Individual memberships are $130for the first year and $30 annually

thereafter. For the year endingDecember 2011, the co-op saw thenumber of individual members growfrom 72 to 152 “mostly by word ofmouth,” says Kennedy. He is optimisticthat a new program—allowing thoseemployed by co-op business membersto join at a 77 percent discount—willpay dividends on multiple levels.

More members equates to greatersavings. “We use our group buyingpower to negotiate major memberdiscounts from our supplier members,”says Kennedy.As membership grows, sodoes work for green vendors. Theresulting work translates into more jobs,“which contributes to the health of thelocal economy.”

Supplier members are vetted byKennedy. Major considerations includecustomer satisfaction and some type ofgreen business certification, such as thatoffered by Green America. “They have a

very fine screen with questions aboutgreen practices, such as whether youbuy wind energy, recycle or use LED orCFL lightbulbs,” he says. Monitoring ofsuppliers continues as long as theyremain members. Co-op customerfeedback is solicited and highly valued.

Business memberships range from$300 ($250 one-time fee and $50annually) to $1,100 ($1,000 one-timefee and $100 annually). Suppliers mayjoin for $550 ($500 one-time fee and$50 annually).

Located in the Bethesda GreenBusiness Incubator, Green SavingsCoop is tapping into its membershipas it builds a network of green expertsand information sources. “Educationis essential if we are going to fulfill ourmission of getting people to takeaction and become more sustainable,”says Kennedy.

The co-op brings experts to a varietyof community events and offers tips onits website (www.greensavings.coop).People appreciate the advice, he says,noting that the number of co-opTwitterfollowers has grown from 60 to 461 overthe past few months.

“Part of what we’re doing isovercoming the urban myth that beinga green consumer is more costly,” saysKennedy. “For example, most peopledon’t realize that even if they’re aPepco customer their electricity can bewind generated and they won’t have topay more.”

The result of Kennedy’s efforts is theestablishment of “a thriving communityof like-minded people,” he says. Nomatter where you are on the greenspectrum, Green Savings Coop can helpyou become more environmentally andfinancially sustainable.

Saving Money While Building CommunityBethesda Co-op Focuses on Individual and Societal Sustainability

Selecting and Financing Energy Efficient HVAC SystemsWith Emphasis on Geothermal, Greenavise Finds Affordable Solutions

Scott Friedman, co-founder and CEO ofGreenavise, touring a geothermal site atHerbert Hoover Middle School in Potomac.


Whether you’re a business travelerlooking for green lodgings or eats or ahospitality venue looking to attract theeco-minded business traveler, MarylandGreen Travel (visitmaryland.org/green)is worth a look. “We promote tourismbusinesses in Maryland that are takingthe initiative to become moresustainable,” says Catherine C. Batavick,manager of Maryland GreenTravel.

When the program was imple-mented two years ago it included onlylodging properties. After a brief hiatus—during which time Maryland GreenTravel revised its application processand added attractions, campgrounds,convention centers, festivals and events,golf courses, marinas, and restaurants,among others—the program waspreparing to relaunch at the end ofApril.

Maryland Green Travel is a

voluntary, self-certification program.“The consumer is going to be theevaluator,” says Batavick. “When theyvisit and the property is not doingwhat it listed in its profile, there is sureto be feedback.”

To apply, tourism businesses mustcomplete an online application, whichtakes about 30 minutes, according toBatavick. Applicants must verify that theyare practicing core environmentallyfriendly activities relative to their industrysector and provide measurable results.

Upon acceptance, businesses arelisted on both the Maryland GreenRegistry and Maryland Green Travelwebsites. Businesses also are identifiedas being Maryland Green Travelpartners on the official state tourismsite, visitmaryland.org, which receivesnearly 2 million unique visitors a year.“They’ll get a designation in DestinationMaryland, our printed guide, and an eco

icon with AAA, as we feed into theirprogram,” says Batavick.

While the list will be helpful tobusiness travelers and to businesseslooking for conference sites, it is thegreen profiles that will provide realinsight into a business’ shade of green.“We encourage them to include as muchdetail as possible about their [green]policies and activities,” says Batavick.

Not only will that detail help guideconsumers, but it will encourageproperties to become greener. “Hotels,for example, will be able to see what’sbeing done in areas such as waterconservation or recycling, then contactother properties to learn more,” saysBatavick. “Our goal would be to have anonline forum space for properties to talkback and forth to each other.”

For some lodging properties, theresumption and expansion of MarylandGreen Travel has come none too soon.

“A lot of business travelers in certainparts of the state are with the federalgovernment or military,” says Batavick,“and they’ve begun to mandate thattravelers stay in green properties.” Lookfor that trend to continue, she says.

Maryland Green Travel LinksProperties with Travelers

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Green Hospitals Make for Healthier CommunitiesInitiatives Seek to Reduce Use, Waste, Illness

Given their high consumption ofenergy, water, chemicals, textiles andfood, hospitals present a majoropportunity for resource reduction.Maryland hospitals have begunimplementing a variety of conservationefforts that are not only saving moneybut improving the health of employees,patients and the communities they serve.

“At MedStar, health doesn’t endwhen you leave the front door,” saysWhitney Austin Gray, director, BuildingScience Services, MedStar Institute forInnovation. “Our commitment to theHealthy Hospital Initiative (HHI)speaks to the greening of our operationsand facility for the benefit of patientsand associates in the hospital but goesan additional step to say, ‘How can wemake an impact on the community?’”

HHI is designed to improveenvironmental health and sustainabilityin the health care sector. MedStar andKaiser Permanente are among 11 healthsystems participating in the nationaleffort. HHI targets improvements in sixareas, including energy and chemicaluse, waste reduction and healthy foods.Whether or not a member of HHI,Maryland hospitals are taking steps toreduce their carbon footprint andbecome more sustainable.

• EnergyAdventist HealthCare’s decision

last fall to purchase nearly 15 percentof its electricity in the form of greenenergy was expected to lower its costsby 15 percent and reduce carbondioxide emissions by more than 5,000metric tons. That’s the equivalent ofremoving 1,004 passenger vehiclesfrom the road each year or taking 638typical homes off the power grid. Thepurchase, according to Adventist,makes it the largest buyer of greenenergy among health care providers.

• Facility Renovationsand Construction

“All new construction and any rehabare LEED Silver,” says Claudia R.Schreiber, service coordinator for planoperations at Holy Cross Hospital inSilver Spring. The hospital’s new towerwill feature a green roof, as will the newLEED Silver hospital Holy Cross isbuilding in Germantown. “Every roofthere will be green.”

• Waste ReductionMedStar North facilities—those in

the Baltimore area—prevented thecreation of 1,460 tons of methane gas inarea landfills last year through its“Craigslist-style recycling programs,”

says Gray.The idea is to find new homesfor unwanted equipment and fur-nishings. At MedStar Union MemorialHospital in Baltimore 150 pieces offurniture were repurposed, enough tofully furnish a satellite office, she says.

Holy Cross Hospital has begunlooking through its waste to see whatcan be reprocessed or recycled, saysSchreiber. “Leg warmers—somethingnormally just tossed into the trash—arenow sent out to a regulated companythat cleans them and we repurchasethem at a different rate.”

Holy Cross also recycles. “Batteriesare among the most heavily landfilleditems,” says Schreiber.“We recycle them.”The hospital also recycles it scrubs,sending them to third world nations.

• Chemical ManagementThe use of green cleaning products

has reduced the exposure of MedStar’semployees to chemicals and loweredthe risk of respiratory issues, accordingto Gray.

For cleaning, Holy Cross makes useof an ionizer, which relies solely on waterto disinfect. “We’re also working towardusing VOC-free paint so that patientsaren’t exposed to [potentially toxic] fumesand we don’t have to hold up a roombecause of paint smells,” says Schreiber.

• LandscapingMedStar places an emphasis on

gardens—“to grow crops, engagepatients and support our therapeuticprograms,” says Gray. An employee-managed garden at MedStar GoodSamaritan Hospital in Baltimore growsvegetables that are donated to localorganizations that feed the hungry. Theserenity garden at MedStar Mont-gomery Medical Center in Olney sitsadjacent to the infusion center.Surrounded by a variety of plant life, thegarden’s patio overlooks a waterfall thatsplashes into a fish pond, an ideal spotfor relaxation or reflection.

• Healthy FoodIn addition to growing vegetables in

its gardens, MedStar has begun servingup healthier foods in its hospitals.

A farmers market sets up shop everyother week, spring through fall, outsidethe cafeteria at Holy Cross Hospital.

While these innovations often resultin cost savings, they are more aboutproviding a healthier environment, agreelocal hospitals. “Sustainability is inno-vation in the built environment,” saysGray. “It gives us a new lens to lookthrough in order to solve old problems.”

8 | Gone Green

www.congressionalbank.com

“We’ve been focused on protecting and preserving our environmentfor some time and it feels great to be recognized for our mostrecent efforts,” said Congressional Bank CEO John Lane.

| By Congressional Bank |

In the spring of 2011, CongressionalBank’s Co-founder and CEO John Laneinitiated a company-wide challenge todetermine and implement ways to “gogreen” within 45 days—and they did.“We always strive to do the right thingwith regard to the environment,” saidLane. “It’s what our loved ones expect.”

They banded together and created asteering committee aptly named “GangGreen” whose mission was to “Cut outthe waste.” They worked diligently tocreate a sustainability policy to provideguidance to its recycling and sus-tainability efforts; evaluated all existingbusiness processes for the possibility of“green” improvement and are selecting

business development opportunities andevent giveaways that are eco-friendlyand spread the “going green” message;and promoted the benefits of electronic,paperless banking and eliminated theplastic waste of bottled water orindividualized paper-dependent coffeeand tea options.

They also partnered with CleanCurrents, the leading commercial windpower supplier in the mid-Atlantic, togenerate enough energy to run all oftheir Montgomery County branches on100% wind power. Perhaps most im-portantly, the employees of Con-gressional Bank have gained new focuson “green lending,” which entails lend-ing specifically to companies generating

eco-friendly solutions to theircustomers, increasing jobs and lev-eraging green practices throughoutthe community.

On June 24, 2011, CongressionalBank was notified that they hadbecome the first area bank to receivethe Green Business Certification byMontgomery County. Earning GreenBusiness Certification honoredCongressional Bank as part of aninnovative leadership movement to“green” business operations and helptransition to a sustainable future.Congressional Bank was then honoredat the Bethesda Magazine GreenAwards Gala on October 5, 2011 as therecipient of the Category 3 Award for

the business that most “significantlyincorporated green practices into theirculture and operations.”

Congressional Bank is also honoredto be the newest mem-

ber of the state ofMaryland Green Re-gistry, where theyhave also been nom-

inated for the MGRLeadership Award.

“We’ve been focused onprotecting and preserving ourenvironment for some time and itfeels great to be recognized for ourmost recent efforts,” said Lane.“We’re honored to be a part of theBethesda Green collective effort toimprove our community.”

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www.chevychasecars.com

Let the LEAF help you lower your carbon footprint.

| By Chevy Chase Nissan |

Fueled entirely by electricity, theNissan LEAF is the quintessential greenvehicle. In the same way that leavespurify the air in nature, the LEAFpurifies transportation by eliminatingemissions from the driving experience.The LEAF is now available to order atChevy Chase Nissan in Bethesda.

This zero-emission vehicle allowsyou to “fill up” at home, making visits tothe local gas station obsolete. Poweredby a 24-kilowatt-hour battery pack, theLEAF provides a 100-mile range—perfect for most commuters—for theprice of your typical gasoline-fueled carbut with operating costs that aresignificantly lower.

The LEAF’s laminated, compactlithium-ion batteries allow for speeds ofup to 90 mph and deliver a 0-60 mph inabout eight seconds.The car comes witha 3.3 kw onboard charger, 120-voltportable trickle charging cable and a240-volt home charging dock.

This well-equipped, five-doorhatchback seats five adults. To ensurecomfort, spaciousness and cargo cap-acity, the LEAF sports a new chassisand body design. Heated seats and aheated steering wheel are just two of themany standard features that typically areonly found on more expensive cars. Itsadvanced IT system—connected to aglobal data center—provides support,information and entertainment 24/7.

The LEAF’s exterior featuresexceptional styling and functionality. Itsaerodynamic design includes spec-ifically crafted LED headlights andunderbody and rear diffuser. Otherfeatures include front UV-reducing solarglass, a photovoltaic solar panel rearspoiler, remote-charge door release andone-touch rear hatch release.

From its four-wheel power-assistedvented disc brakes to its four-wheelanti-lock braking system, the LEAFprovides the power to stop when youneed it. The car’s suspension andsteering system include independentstrut front suspension with stabilizerbar, torsion bar rear axle with

integrated stabilizer bar, and vehicle-speed-sensitive electric power steering.

Currently there is a federal tax creditof $7,500 available to purchasers of plug-in electric vehicles.Additionally, there areother federal, state and local incentivesthat can bring down the cost of a newNissan LEAF by more than $10,000.

For some consumers, the NissanLEAF will be the perfect match, the onlycar necessary. For others, it will be anecological addition to the family, ideal forthe daily commute or running errandsaround town. Let the LEAF help youlower your carbon footprint. Stop byChevy Chase Cars today or visit them onthe web at www.chevychasecars.com.

“We make friends through sales...and keep them through service!”

7701 Wisconsin Avenue • Bethesda, Maryland • 301-657-40007701 Wisconsin Avenue • Bethesda, Maryland • 301-657-40001847278

What began in Maryland’s largest cities has spread toits suburbs and towns. Electric vehicle (EV) chargingstations are springing up across the state from Lusby toHagerstown and Perry Point to Indian Head. In 2011, theMaryland Energy Administration (MEA) spent nearly$600,000 to install more than 80 charging stationsthroughout the state. That brings the total number ofstations in the state to more than 120, according to theU.S. Department of Energy (DOE), giving owners of the200-plus plug-in vehicles registered in Maryland ampleopportunity to reenergize their batteries.

Many charging stations are located in garages, aselectric vehicles need significantly more time to “fill up”than gasoline powered cars. Charging stations come inthree levels. The higher the level, the faster the carcharges. For example, Nissan reports that a depletedbattery in its electric vehicle, the LEAF, needs about 20hours at 110-120 volts, approximately seven hours at208-240 volts and only 30 minutes at 480 volts to chargecompletely.

Hourly rates for charging plug-in vehicles vary. Atsome locations, the service is offered without charge, asan amenity. At other locales, depending on the level ofthe charge, plugging in for an hour can run from $1-$4.According to the MEA, charging an electric vehiclecosts the equivalent of about $1 per gallon of gas.

The DOE’s Alternative Fuels and AdvancedVehicles Data Center tracks the location of EV chargingstations and makes the information available on itswebsite (www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/electricity_locations.html). AAA uses that data to help its members

locate places to plug in. Its TripTik Mobile app provides astation’s address, hours, charger levels and contactinformation so that users can check availability. EVcharging-station data is offered via the Internet and mobileapps by several other organizations, such as Car-Stations.com and ChargePoint.net (a group of privatelyowned charging stations).

Maryland, along with 10 otherstates and the District of Columbia,has formed the Northeast ElectricVehicle Network. Supported by a $1million DOE grant, the network willaccelerate the introduction ofelectric vehicle chargingstations along thenortheast cor-ridor, allowingEV owners toventure fartherfrom home.

P r e s i d e n tBarack Obamahas called for 1million plug-invehicles to be onthe streets na-tionwide by 2015.The Northeast El-ectric Vehicle Networkintends to account for200,000 of those.

10 | Gone Green

Car Charging Sites Proliferate in Maryland

President BarackObama has called for

1 million plug-in vehiclesto be on the streets

nationwide by 2015.

“The bill died having nothing to dowith wind power and that’sheartbreaking,” says Mike Tidwell,director of the Chesapeake ClimateAction Network. “Politics is not alwaysabout the merit of the legislation.”

With seemingly widespread supportamong lawmakers and polls showingnearly two-thirds of Marylandersfavoring wind power, the OffshoreWindEnergy Act of 2012 appeared to be on itsway to approval in the final days of themost recent General Assembly session.The bill passed the House of Delegates,88-47, but never made it to the senatefloor. Had it done so, the votes werethere for passage, according toTidwell.

“We couldn’t get the bill out of theSenate Finance Committee,” saysTidwell. In the end, Sen. Anthony

Muse, D-Prince George’s County,broke a 5-5 tie to defeat the legislation.His vote “seems to have had nothing todo with the bill but rather some politicalgrudges within the committee.”

The bill would have incentivizedthe development of up to 500megawatts (MW) of offshore windcapacity at least 10 nautical miles offMaryland’s coast, according to theMaryland Energy Administration(MEA). The agency notes that aproject large enough to produce 310MW would require the installation ofbetween 50 and 100 wind turbines. A310 MW project would supply enoughelectricity to power half the homes onthe state’s Eastern Shore or more thana third of the homes in Baltimore City.

In February, the federal government

OK’d 80,000 acres of the OuterContinental Shelf for leasing. The area,notes MEA, can ultimately support up to1,000 MW of wind energy production,about double what was underconsideration in the General Assembly.

The legislation was pitched as anemployment generator—some 1,300manufacturing and construction jobs forfive years and an additional 250 supplyand operations-and-management jobsthereafter, according to MEA. “Aspassed in the house, the bill includeddedicated support for minority businessinvolved in offshore wind of up to $100million,” saysTidwell.

He is convinced that Gov. MartinO’Malley will bring back the bill nextyear, if not sooner.“Anything can happenin a special session,” saysTidwell.

“We will figure out a pathway tovictory,” he says, noting that the marriageequality bill, passed in February, “was afew votes short last year. Big, paradigm-shifting bills take a while to pass….We’llcome back next year with an even biggerbill—more megawatts to make up forwhat we missed this year—and win.”

Supporters Vow to Resurrect Offshore Wind Legislation

Wind Withers in Maryland General Assembly

“The bill died havingnothing to do with

wind powerand that’s

heartbreaking”- Mike Tidwell, director,

Chesapeake Climate Action Network

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14 | Gone Green

| By Marriott International, Inc. |

With more than 3,700 hotels in cities of all sizes,along beautiful shorelines, and in biodiverse andculturally significant sites around the world,Marriott International, Inc., sees sustainability as acritical responsibility.

The company formed an Executive GreenCouncil in 2007 to catalyze sustainability beyondwater and energy conservation and collaborated withConservation International, a global environmentalNGO, to set the following goals:

Marriott’s Spirit to Preserve® Goals:• Further reduce energy & water

consumption 20% by 2020• Empower our hotel development

partners to build green hotels• Green our multibillion dollar

supply chain• Educate and inspire associates and

guests to conserve and preserve• Address environmental challenges

through innovative conservationinitiatives including rainforestprotection and water conservation.

In our hotels…from Maryland to MumbaiThe company is on track to achieve its 20 percent

energy and water reduction goal. Our most recentresults show Marriott has reduced its energyconsumption by 20 percent, greenhouse gas emissionsby 10.7 percent and water consumption by 18.9percent in the last two years.

Marriott has nearly 90 hotels across all brands thatare Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED®) certified or registered by the U.S. GreenBuilding Council.The Inn and Conference Center byMarriott at the University of Maryland in College Parkwas the first hotel and conference center to receiveLEED certification in the U.S.

LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets thehighest green building and performance measures.LEED-certified buildings reduce waste sent tolandfills; conserve energy and water; are healthier andsafer for occupants; and reduce harmful greenhousegas emissions.

The company also helped design and now offers apre-certified LEED prototype for five of its brands—Courtyard, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn, ResidenceInn and TownePlace Suites. This prototype saves

Marriott’s hotel owners an average of $100,000 indevelopment costs, six months in design time, and upto 25 percent energy and water savings.

More than 30 Marriott associates are LEED-accredited architects and engineers.

Marriott is also engaging our top suppliers toprovide more sustainable products for our guests,from key cards, carpeting and Eco-Smart™ pillowsmade from recycled materials to towels that save6 million gallons of water from manufacturer toguestroom. This reduces our direct environmentalimpact and offers our guests and associates a moreeco-sensitive experience.

Marriott’s FutureFish sustainable seafoodinitiative addresses the depletion of seafood stocksand endangered fish species from the ChesapeakeBay to the world’s fresh waters and oceans.FutureFish is a sustainable seafood initiativedeveloped by Marriott’s corporate culinary team thatcomplements our executive chefs’ locally grown andorganic menu offerings.

At our Global Headquarters in Bethesda

Marriott’s 32-year-old global headquartersbuilding in Bethesda secured LEED ExistingBuilding Gold status in 2010.With the help of morethan 30 Marriott headquarters green championswho help drive sustainable practices in the buildingand beyond, the Marriott headquarters recyclingrate is at 75 percent and we are continuing to divertall waste from a landfill to a waste-to-energy plant.

We anticipate a further reduction in electricityuse in 2012 as a result of new LED parking lot lightsthat were installed at the end of 2011, and additionalLED lights that will be installed shortly. Theheadquarters gas pumps were also recently replacedwith bike racks and storage, and we will be one of theofficial Bike to Work Day 2012 pit stops.

Throughout the year, Marriott headquartershosts educational events for its associates, such as alunch-and-learn about sustainable agriculture andthe red carpet premiere of “Shark Loves theAmazon,” a documentary about the history ofAmazon deforestation and preservation, featuringMarriott's Juma Reserve as a model for the future.

Around the world…from the AmazonRainforest to Asia’s Water Tower

Marriott has created a portfolio of innovativeconservation initiatives to help address some of theworld’s most pressing environmental issues.

Marriott has donated more than $2 million toprotect and preserve 1.4 million acres of thisendangered rainforest Amazon rainforest in Brazil—known as the Juma Sustainable DevelopmentReserve—in order to prevent its deforestation andthe subsequent release of 189 million tons of carbondioxide into the atmosphere.

The Amazon rainforest contributes to thedistribution of rain in the entire southeastern area ofSouth America, as well as Central and North America,and also helps moderate temperatures.

In China, Marriott is helping to safeguard freshwater.The company invested $500,000 over two yearsto support a vital water conservation program thathelps protect the largest source of freshwater on theplanet. The Asia Water Tower provides freshwater toover 2 billion people and feeds theYellow,Yangtze andGanges Rivers.

Both programs help provide employment,education and well-being benefits to thelocal communities.

Marriott believes its commitment to socialresponsibility contributes to its growth anddevelopment, as well as the company’s culture. Forthe 12th consecutive year, Marriott was ranked byFortune as the lodging industry’s most admiredcompany.

“We are tremendously appreciative of thisrecognition, and I am especially proud of how weranked worldwide across several key categories:ninth in deployment of corporate assets, 16th inmanaging our people and 21st in socialresponsibility,” said J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman andCEO. “These are significant achievements and a truetestament to how hard we work to open doors to aworld of opportunity for our associates, customers,owners, investors and our communities.”

www.marriott.com

Marriott has created a portfolio of innovativeconservation initiatives to help address some

of the world’s most pressing environmental issues.

Marriott International's Global Headquarters: LEED ExistingBuilding Gold


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Marriott’s Global Headquarters in Bethesda received the US Green Building Council’s LEED®

Gold Existing Building Certification, Montgomery County’s Green Business Certification andBethesda Magazine’s Green Award.

We’re proud to call Montgomery County home.

“Marriott wants to be a positive force for the environment, and by example,inspire personal action in the communities where we live and work.”

Chairman and CEO

16 | Gone Green

| By Montgomery CountyDivision of Solid Waste Services |

Recycling and reducing the amountof waste generated at your workplacebenefits your business in many ways.Reducing waste and diverting materialsfor recycling will reduce the amount ofwaste that must be disposed as trash.

Implementing waste reductioninitiatives, such as double-sided copy-ing, often result in more efficientoperations and reduced costs. And,buying products made with recycled-content materials closes the recyclingloop, thereby creating demand forrecyclable materials.This ensures stablemarkets for those recyclable materialsused in the manufacturing of newproducts. These efforts can reduce theoverall cost of solid waste managementfor your business and shows youremployees and customers that you careabout the environment.

The Montgomery County De-partment of Environmental Protection,Division of Solid Waste Services pro-vides numerous programs and resourcesto assist businesses in their efforts toreduce waste, maximize recycling andencourage the purchase of materialsmade with recycled content. Take ad-vantage of these resources to “green”your business.

Maximize Recycling.Recycling is the law in Montgomery

County. All businesses, regardless of thesize or type of business, are required torecycle the following materials:

• Mixed paper (including cardboard,white and colored office and printingpaper, magazines, newspapers andinserts, mail and envelopes, paperbackand hardcover books, shredded paper,milk and juice cartons, juice and drink

boxes, wax-coated cardboard, frozenfood and ice cream containers, andpaper beverage cups)

• Commingled materials (glass bottlesand jars; aluminum cans and foilproducts; bi-metal steel/tin cans; emptynon-hazardous aerosol cans; and plasticbottles, containers, jars, tubs, caps, lids,pails, buckets and flower pots)

• Scrap metal (appliances and othermetal items such as metal officefurniture, wiring, fences andbuilding materials)

• Christmas trees and yard trim (grass,leaves, brush and garden trimmings)

Make Recycling Convenient.Make recycling as convenient as

possible by placing recycling containersnext to all trash containers for bothemployees and customers.

Educate, Educate and Educate.Provide frequent reminders about

your recycling program to all em-ployees. Post flyers and posters aroundyour workplace. Include recyclingawareness in new employee orientationmaterials and sessions.

Reduce Waste.Businesses in Montgomery County

generate more than half of all solid wastegenerated in the county and are integralto the county’s effort to reduce waste andmaximize recycling achievement.

• Examine your waste stream by con-ducting a waste audit and identify thetypes and quantities of materials beinggenerated. Ask employees for theirfeedback to redesign operations thatreduce waste. For example, sendrequired notices for employees via emailor print only one copy and post it in acommon area for employees to read,instead of printing copies for dis-tribution to every employee.

• Reduce the toxicity of operations andreduce the costs associated withhandling and disposing of hazardouswaste. Does your business generatewastes having one of the followingproperties: reactive, ignitable, com-bustible, toxic, and/or corrosive? Doesyour business generate less than 220pounds of hazardous materials permonth and less than 2.2 pounds ofacute hazardous waste per month?

If so, consider joining MontgomeryCounty’s ECOWISE program. ECO-WISE is open to all MontgomeryCounty businesses that are consideredsmall quantity generators. Businessesthat meet these criteria can register as aparticipant and are provided with a lowcost bulk rate and convenient methodfor safely disposing of hazardous wasteone day a month at the MontgomeryCounty Shady Grove Processing Fa-cility and Transfer Station located at16101 Frederick Road in Derwood.

There is no complicated paperworkor manifesting required. Some of thecommon types of hazardous materialsgenerated by businesses that are ac-ceptable in this program include:mercury, oil-based paints, fuels, pes-ticides, solvents and much more. Fluo-rescent light bulbs and compact fluo-rescent lights are universal wastes andcan be brought in at any time bybusinesses for a small fee.

Buy Recycled.Close the recycling loop by pur-

chasing products made with recycledmaterials. Buying products made withrecycled materials keeps recyclingviable—it creates demand and long-term, stable markets for recyclablematerials which can ultimately reduce

the consumer prices of these products.Manufacturing goods from recycledmaterials also reduces the need to usevirgin raw materials and saves energyduring the manufacturing process—thereby decreasing air and water pol-lution. Some common products avail-able on the market that are made withrecycled materials include:

• Carpeting, recycling and trashcontainers, and clothing made fromrecycled plastic bottles and containers

• Glass jars and countertops made fromrecycled glass bottles and jars

• Copier, tissue and towel paper madefrom recycled paper

• Alternative building materials madefrom plastic bags and wood

Reducing waste, recycling andbuying recycled-content products areopportunities to green your workplace.

For more information aboutMontgomery County’s recycling andwaste reduction programs for businesses,contact the Montgomery CountyDivision of Solid Waste Services.Visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recycling or www.montgomerycountymd.gov/GoGreen, or call 311, 240-777-0311 or Maryland Relay 711.

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/recyclingwww.montgomerycountymd.gov/GoGreen

The Montgomery County Department of EnvironmentalProtection, Division of Solid Waste Services provides numerous

programs and resources to assist businesses in their effortsto reduce waste, maximize recycling and encourage

the purchase of materials made with recycled content.

BUSINESSES CREATE OPPORTUNITIESBY RECYCLING AND REDUCING WASTE

Reducing waste,recycling and buying

recycled-contentproducts are

opportunities togreen your workplace.

MONTGOMERYCOUNTY

RECYCLES


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18 | Gone Green

Green Regulations: Job Generators or Eradicators?Debunking the Job Killer Myth

Tight economic times and pressing environmentalneeds have led one Maryland nonprofit to remindstate residents that “environmental regulations arefalsely accused of being job killers,” says Alison Prost,Maryland executive director of the Chesapeake BayFoundation (CBF).With several bay-related pieces

of legislation before the

Maryland General Assembly in its last session, CBFreleased a study—Debunking the “Job Killer” Myth:How Pollution Limits Encourage Jobs in theChesapeake Bay Region—showing that during

economic downturns, environmental regulationsactually stimulate job growth while creating ahealthier atmosphere for residents.

Such is the case with the new storm waterbill passed in the final minutes of the General

Assembly’s most recent session, says Prost. Thelegislation requires 10 jurisdictions to implementfees to raise money for storm water cleanup. Roughly$6.3 billion is needed to meet a 2025 federalpollution control mandate. Baltimore City—alongwith Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Charles,Frederick, Harford, Howard, Mont-gomery andPrince George's counties—would use the funds toreduce polluted runoff from streets, parking lots andbuildings that finds its way into the Chesapeake Bay.Montgomery would be largely exempt, as it hasadopted a local runoff fee.

“While some people will initially balk at the cost,we know that jobs will be created,” says Prost.“Montgomery County believes they’ll create 3,300construction and engineering jobs. In PrinceGeorge’s County, this fee will help create 2,600 jobs

in storm-water pollution control….And, ultimately,all the people of Maryland will benefit from improvedwater quality.”

The CBF report provides historical perspective onthe relationship between jobs and environmentalregulation. CBF notes that, “Since the passage offederal clean water and air laws in the 1970s, aburgeoning new industry has sprouted that creates jobsand stimulates the economy through pollutionreduction, including improvements to sewage andpower plants. This environmental industry is nowworth $312 billion a year nationally and employsalmost 1.7 million people.”

Roughly 75 percent of that job growth hasbeen driven by government regulation, accordingto the report.

While CBF claims it is too early to be specificabout the number of jobs that will be created by baypollution limits, the nonprofit points to projectionsby the Economic Policy Institute that show stormwater projects could provide 178,000 full-timeequivalent jobs across the region over the next fiveyears. “If history is any guide, regulations thatreduce pollution will create jobs, strengthen localeconomies, and restore the health of our nationaltreasure,” says William C. Baker, CBF president.

“If history is any guide, regulationsthat reduce pollution will create jobs,

strengthen local economies,and restore the health ofour national treasure.”-William C. Baker, CBF president

ISTOCKPHOTO\SKEGBYDAVE

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Green Business Certification ProgramMontgomery County Maryland

Many thanks to Montgomery County’s Certified Green Businesses!!

They have demonstrated environmental stewardship by taking actions thatconserve natural resources, reduce waste and pollution and promote the transitionto a sustainable economy. So if you’re looking to do business with a CertifiedGreen Business, please consider the following:

• AIS Engineering, Inc.• All Eco Center• Berlin, Ramos & Co, P.A.• Bethesda Green• Building Maintenance Systems, Inc.• Calvert Group, Ltd.• Carbon Fund.org• Center for a New American Dream• Clean Currents, LLC• Congregation Beth El• Congressional Bank, Bethesda HQs• Congressional Bank, Potomac Branch• Congressional Bank, Rockville Branch• DMS International• Goodwill Industries International• Greenavise, LLC• Hallman Orthodontics• Honest Tea• Innovative Business Interiors, Inc.• Lockheed Martin, Rockville Facility

• Marriott International, Inc.• The Maven Group• Montgomery County Chamber of

Commerce• NewTower Trust Company• Oudens Knoop Knoop + Sachs

Architects• Pepco Rockville Service Center• Radius Technology Group, Inc.• Reznick Group• Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy &

Ecker, P.A.• Smart Techs• Snyder Cohn, PC• Social & Scientific Systems, Inc.• Solid Waste Association of North

America• URS Corporation• Wildlife Habitat Council

Program Benefits:• Enhanced reputation

• Competitive advantage

• Boost recruitment and retention

• Cost savings

• Alignment of operations with values

• Onsite guidance and verification

Program Overview:The Green Business Certification Program is avoluntary program designed to help businesses goabove and beyond basic measures to reduce theirecological footprint. Earning Green BusinessCertification indicates that a business is part of aninnovative leadership movement to green their day today operations

Join the Club:See our website and apply at http://mcgreenbiz.org

Training Opportunities withMontgomery College:Green Business Certification Crash Course -- Threehour primer on green business fundamentals and thecertification process

Questions:Contact us at (240) 777-7775 or

[email protected]

Program Partners:

• Montgomery County Department ofEnvironmental Protection

• Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce• Montgomery College

Goodwill Industries International

Barbara Ashe, Executive VicePresident, Montgomery CountyChamber of Commerce withCounty Executive Isiah Leggettand Councilmember NancyFloreen

Congressional Bank

Congregation Beth El

20 | Gone Green

www.costefficiencies.com

It Takes More than Greento Differentiate a BusinessSocial Responsibility Helps Build Brands

“Five years ago saying, ‘We recycle’was progressive. But not now....Todifferentiate yourself, you need a cultureand purpose,” says Ida Cheinman,principal and creative director ofSubstance151, a Baltimore-based stra-tegic brand communications firm.

“Being socially responsible, en-vironmentally conscious and profitable isthe new survival strategy for the 21stcentury,” says Cheinman. And thecompanies that will be most successfulare those that “realize that thesustainability message is not separate ordistinct. To be authentic, it needs to berolled into the overall brand effort.”

People want to do business withcompanies they perceive as holdingvalues aligned with their own, notesCheinman. “It’s essential to build aconnection with your audience—whether you’re in the B2B or B2Cindustry,” she says. “Consumers and

business leaders appreciate when thevalues they try to create and teach theirchildren are embedded in the decisionmaking of the companies they dobusiness with.”

Socially, environmentally andfinancially responsible businesses have aleg up in when it comes to businessdevelopment. “Federal, state and countygovernments, as well as largecorporations, are trying to green theirsupply chain,” says Cheinman.

Funders also are interested in

sustainability. “Data shows thatsustainable companies ultimately dobetter and that fact is not lost oninvestors,” she says.

The same holds true for employeerecruitment. Cheinman notes that morethan 60 percent of millennials—“themystery generation”—view employercorporate citizenship as important.“They appreciate days off for communityinvolvement and an employer’s supportof charities,” she says.

For companies that have integratedsustainability into their mission, bus-iness strategy, operation process andemployee engagement programs,Cheinman suggests they tell their story.“Not what you do but why you do it,”she says. “That deepens your con-nection with you audience.”

As a sustainable company, “it’simportant to communicate in anenvironmentally responsible manner,”she says. “Use social media to the extent

possible and, when you need to print,use responsible paper and printers. Youcan’t just say you’re responsible andsustainable and then send out anenormous glossy brochure.You’ve got towalk the talk.”

“Data shows thatsustainable companies

ultimately do betterand that fact is notlost on investors”

-Ida Cheinman, principal andcreative director, Substance151

| By Environmental Cost Efficiencies, Inc. |

Businesses looking to reduce thecosts associated with waste reductionroutinely turn to Environmental CostEfficiencies. A woman-owned firm,Environmental Cost Efficiencies em-ploys the BigBelly Solar® waste andrecycling system to help clients save asmuch as 80 percent annually.

BigBelly® Solar is changing the faceof solid waste management with theworld's first and only on-site solar-powered trash compaction systems.Cheaper than collection, compactionreduces waste collection frequency,lowers costs and ensures a cleanergreener environment.

Determining if a BigBelly Solar®system is right for your business is easy.With just a few simple inputs, you canquickly gauge the approximate savingsyou might realize with the BigBelly®

Solar system. Even better, Envir-onmental Cost Efficiencies’ free, no-obligation, custom savings analysisprovides a precise gauge.

BigBelly Solar® is an excellent fit formunicipalities large and small, businessimprovement districts, government andacademic campuses, and the privatesector. Local clients include the Na-tional Institutes of Health, RosslynBusiness Improvement District, U.S.Department of Defense, The AmericanUniversity and The JBG Companies.

What has separated EnvironmentalCost Efficiencies from other wastereduction providers since our foundingin 2007 is our emphasis on value. Weunderstand your needs and deliver acustomized solution. EnvironmentalCost Efficiencies doesn’t try to be allthings to all people.We focus on a selectgroup of clients and provide service thatcannot be found anywhere else.

• The BigBelly System will reduce collection frequency by 80%,freeing up resources, slashing fuel costs and increasing recyclingopportunities.

• The BigBelly System Uses Solar Power & Information technologyfor real-time data to create dramatic efficiencies.

• Compacting Waste & Recycling for Cities, Campuses &Communities.

• Truly Sustainable -- both environmentally and economically.

Mandy LippmanA BigBelly Solar Distributor in MD, DC & VAOffice: 301.770.2007 Cell: 301.770.0898

www.costefficiencies.com • [email protected]

Eliminating the Wastein Waste Collection

METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS


Benefit Corporations EmbracePeople, Planet, Profits

Two years after Maryland became the first state inthe nation to establish a new corporate entity—onethat exists to create both social and economic value—the benefit corporation movement is beginning to takeroot. Today there are more than 20 such corporationsin the state and six other states have followedMaryland’s lead.

“There’s a real hunger in the business communityto do well and do good at the same time and anappetite in the public for businesses that have a publicethos as well as a private one,” says state Sen. Jamie B.Raskin, D-Montgomery County. Raskin, whosponsored the benefit corporation legislation, describesthese innovative businesses as “private, for-profitenterprises that build into their DNA a public missionalongside a money-making mission.”

The law allows businesses—both new andexisting—to commit to a specific public good. Unliketraditional companies, which have a fiduciaryresponsibility to maximize shareholder profits, benefitcorporations may consider other stakeholders—employees, customers, communities as well as theenvironment—when making business decisions, saysMelissa Carrier, executive director of the Center forSocial Value Creation at the University of Maryland,College Park.

Carrier offers the example of a manufacturingcompany that wants to invest in a piece of equipmentthat would reduce its carbon footprint.The differenceis that with the more environmentally sensitive piece ofequipment “the payout is 10 years when normally itwould need to be three years. As a benefit corporation,there’s no need to worry about shareholders saying,

‘You’re not acting in our interest,’” she says.Raskin points to the ice cream manufacturer Ben &

Jerry’s. “Here’s a green, progressive, enlightenedcompany that gets taken over by another corporationwith different values because the target feels it needs toaccept the highest bidder as opposed to the bidder withthe highest ethics,” he says.

While Carrier believes it is possible to impart socialvalue as a traditional corporation—think Honest Teaand Clean Currents—“I support the initiative aroundbenefit corporations as its moving the conversation inthe right direction,” she says. Still, she believes it willtake another decade before the integration ofenvironmental and social issues is more commonplace.“There’s a generational shift that is just beginning.Young employees are moving up the ranks and takingon decision-making roles. For them, the creation ofsocial value is part and parcel of how they think and

act.We’re in the early stages of that transformation.”To ensure that benefit corporations are doing

more than just talking the talk, the new law requiresthat they publish a benefit report, utilizing objectivestandards, at the end of each fiscal year explaininghow they has advanced the public good. Somecompanies use an independent evaluator, such as thePennsylvania-based B Lab, to assess their corporate,social and environmental performance.

As these reports and evaluations begin todocument the impact of benefit corporations,Raskin predicts the numbers of such companies willgrow. “I think we’ll get to the point in the not-too-distant future where people will say, ‘Why aren’t youa benefit corporation?’”

If benefit corporations are going to gain a footholdin Maryland, Carrier believes the state needs to look atincentives “to get firms on the fence to recognize thevalue,” she says. In late March, the General Assemblyapproved enabling legislation that would allowMontgomery County to grant property tax credits tobenefit corporations and benefit limited liabilitycompanies. “Montgomery County is so ahead of thegame in thinking about this, recognizing that these arethe kind of companies they want in the community.”

Raskin expects that mind-set to expand and othercounties and municipalities to follow suit. “I believe wewill eventually get to a point where the majority ofcorporations are benefit companies and identify apublic good beyond money making as a basic purpose.That could be,” he says, “the next big transformationin American business capitalism.”

It’s a feast for the senses eachSaturday from May to October atVeterans Plaza in downtown SilverSpring.The sights, smells and sounds ofthe bustling Fenton Street Market(FSM) embrace those who come toshop, meet up with neighbors or take ina local musical act.

Founded and managed by a groupof Silver Spring residents, FSMinvigorates the local economy byproviding a venue for locally ownedbusinesses to sell quality crafts,imported goods, antiques and otherunique products. Its status as a benefitcorporation makes “it one of a handfulof visionary businesses that seek tocreate positive social change as part oftheir bottom line,” notes FSM’s website(www.fentonstreetmarket.com).

Co-owned by Hannah McCann andMegan Moriarty, FSM has been fullyoperational since 2010 when it set up

shop in a parking lot slated forredevelopment. Last year, in its currentlocation at Veterans Plaza, “the marketattracted 75,000 customers who visited400 different vendors and spent $1.4million, of which 6 percent went totaxes,” says Moriarty.

Although it’s a for-profit company,FSM focuses heavily on communitybuilding. “We connect vendors toconsumers in their own backyard. And,while they’re at the market, they mingleand get to know each other.The marketactives the public space in a way thatpromotes community not justcommerce,” she says.

FSM’s youth employment programhelps teens develop job skills and buildrésumés. “We employ area youth asporters, helping us set up in themorning and clean up in the afternoon,and as youth ambassadors for themarket,” says Moriarty.

The market also offers free space toarea nonprofits. “There are usually twoavailable each week on an as-availablebasis,” she says.

FSM is dedicated to supporting itsnetwork of diverse entrepreneursthrough education, connections toresources and business development. Itis the entrepreneurial nature of thosethey support that led McCann andMoriarty to incorporate FSM as abenefit corporation. “They are runningbusinesses and we felt it was importantthat we do the same, to have similarexperiences and be in a similarsituation,” says Moriarty. “But, ourmission didn’t lend itself to our being atraditional corporation. When thepossibility [of becoming a benefitcorporation] arose, we thought it madesense. It allowed us to build things intoour business plan that might not havemade sense to shareholders but made

sense to us in terms of building a vibrantcommunity in Silver Spring.”

It also allows FSM to operate moresustainably. “We’re a paperlessorganization. We run everything on thecloud,” says Moriarty. “We rely heavilyon social media—we have a YouTubechannel, Facebook page, and Twitter—as opposed to print media. And, ourscreen printed T-shirts are reused.”

The market is focused on attractinggreen vendors, “particularly those doingreused or recycled things. Creative reuseis an interest of ours,” says Moriartynoting that FSM has included usedbook and bicycle vendors.

“I see our efforts to create a morevibrant local economy as a step towardsustainability. We’re connecting localentrepreneurs to local customers ratherthan having goods flying around thecountry,” she says. “The idea behind themarket is a green one.”

Fenton Street Market Gives BackSilver Spring Benefit Corporation Supports Entrepreneurs, Builds Community

METRO CREATIVE GRAPHICS

22 | Gone Green

“Most people would prefer to makeday-to-day choices that are best for theenvironment but they may not know howto do that or think it is too difficult,” says

Bob Hoyt, director of the MontgomeryCounty Department of Environmental Pro-tection. To help consumers make the greenestdecisions possible, the county launched

MyGreenMontgomery.org in January.“The website brings together, in

one place, essential information togive residents the tools they need

to make green changes in

their everyday lives, sometimes in ways that will actually save themmoney, and presents it in a simple and fun way,” he says. MyGreenMontgomery.org has several categories of information, such as GreenProjects, Incentives and Programs, and My Community.

The Green Projects page helps residents understand their waterand electricity usage, explore the types of trees best suited to reducehome energy use, reduce junk mail, and find nearby farmers market.Rebates, tax credits, and a variety of consumer freebies are listed underIncentives and Programs while green resources, upcoming events andlocal success stories are posted under My Community.

Designed to be interactive, the website will use social media toconnect to local community groups and keep information current andresponsive in real time.

Website Links Residents with Green Resources

Maryland by the Numbers66 million kilowatt-hours of electricity generated by greenpower at the University of Maryland, College Park (January 2012)

8,000 solar panels at FedEx Field. The largest solar installationin the NFL can provide 20 percent of the power on game days.

202 electric vehicles registered in the state (January 2012)

123 electric vehicle charging stations in Maryland (April 2012)

116 percent of total campus electricity use generated by greenpower at St. Mary’s College (January 2012).

10 Maryland’s ranking on the 2011 State Energy EfficiencyScorecard, produced by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

2.07 square feet of LEED-certified commercial/institutionalspace per person in Maryland in 2011

2 Maryland municipalities (Brookeville and Rockville) in the top10 of the U.S. EPA’s 2011 Green Power Community Challenge.

MyGreenMontgomery.org Simplifies Sustainability

“The websitebrings together, inone place, essential

information togive residents

the tools they needto make green

changes in theireveryday lives...”

-Bob Hoyt

ME

TRO

CR

EATIV

EG

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PH

ICS

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Contact Terry Tillman, Advertising Director at 301-670-2084 or [email protected] by May 9th for details.

Innovative BusinessesA Special Advertising Publication Publishing June 1, 2012

Innovative People Supported by Innovative Leaders in an Innovative CulturePromotes Creativity, Learning, Research and Development.

Please join The Gazette of Politics and Business, incooperation with the Frederick and Montgomery CountyDepartments of Economic Development as we provide aunique opportunity to highlight Maryland businesseswhich are recognized as being innovative.

One mission of the Departments of EconomicDevelopment is to support the development of emergingcompanies that have the potential to create jobs andbring new innovative products to the market.

Editorial content will center around various innovativecompanies and the future business development ofMontgomery and Frederick county. The InnovativeBusinesses publication publishes June 1, 2012.

If you are an innovative business or support or tailor toinnovative businesses in any way - tell us about it.Contact Terry Tillman, Advertising Director at301-670-2084 today!


Whether working on a major facility or small home,Solar Energy World tailors its installations to meet the unique

needs of each property owner and to maximize savings.

| By Alice Benson, S.E.W., LLC |

Dedicated to providing clean, greenenergy, Solar Energy World has beenhelping businesses and homeowners inthe mid-Atlantic reap significant costsavings while moving closer to energyindependence. This Elkridge-basedfirm is a leading provider and installerof solar panel systems and solar hotwater systems.

Since its establishment in 2009,Solar EnergyWorld has seen its revenuesgrow from $1 million to nearly $25million. It is the region’s fastest-growingsolar installation company.

The company’s outstanding cus-tomer service is key to its success. “SolarEnergy World’s installation team hasmore than 74 years of combinedexperience in roofing and electric,” saysTope Lala, one of the firm’s foundersand owners.“We employ local, full-time,fully certified and trained installersrather than hiring independent sub-contractors, so every customer receivesthe highest level of expertise andcustomer service regardless of the size ofthe installation.”

Solar EnergyWorld not only uses thehighest quality materials but providesturnkey service from start to finish.“Our financial specialists take care of allthe paperwork including applying forgrants, tax credits and other incentives.We also deal with our customers’utilities providers. Our goal is to makethe whole process very easy,” says Lala.

Solar Energy World is the companyof choice for hundreds of satisfiedcustomers.Whether working on a majorfacility or small home, Solar EnergyWorld tailors its installations to meet theunique needs of each property ownerand to maximize savings.

Soccer Dome, Maryland’s premierindoor sports facility, will reduce theenergy footprint of its Harmans facility by85 percent and cut its electricity use

similarly with a solar array and interactivephotovoltaic system. The system willproduce approximately 130,000 kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually,equivalent to eliminating the emissions ofnearly 18 cars or the electricity used byroughly a dozen homes per year. Thepanels, installed by Solar Energy World,will produce electricity year-round. Insummer, when the system produces moreelectricity than Soccer Dome needs, thesports complex will sell the excesselectricity to Baltimore Gas and Electric.

“It’s a real win-win situation,” saysGeoff Mirkin, Solar Energy World vicepresident. “More forward-thinking bus-inesses and organizations, like SoccerDome, are finding they can cut costsand enhance the return on investment oftheir buildings.”

The system was paid for in part witha $117,308 federal energy tax credit, a$2,300 Maryland Clean Energy taxcredit, and a $50,000 Maryland Mid-Size Solar grant.

When Frank Difatta, owner ofBelisimos Italian Restaurant in CarrollCounty, decided it was time to reducethe eatery’s operating expenses and

carbon footprint, he turned to SolarEnergy World. He needed an innovativeand forward-thinking solution and SolarEnergyWorld responded in kind.

Construction began on Jan. 2. Fivedays later, Solar Energy World finishedinstallation of nearly 3,740 square feetof solar panels on the restaurant’s roof.Difatta now stands to save $35,000 peryear and generate a strong return oninvestment year after year.

“We provide discerning home-owners and business owners, like Frank,with quality work coupled with an easyprocess, says Laureen Peck, Solar EnergyWorld’s vice president of marketing. “Inaddition to dealing with the utilities’paperwork and procedures, we ensurethat all of our installations are done byactual Solar Energy World employeeswho take pride in their work.”

High energy prices, concern overglobal warming and a desire to achieveenergy independence persuaded theBlackwell family of Bowie that it wastime for a change. A home energy auditrecommended they install ENERGYSTAR-qualified compact fluorescentlights, unplug energy draining

appliances, use a power strip to easilyturn off electronics when not in use, aswell as other energy-saving initiatives.But, it wasn’t enough for the Blackwells,whose annual electricity costs exceeded$7,500.

Solar Energy World’s solar analysisconvinced the Blackwells that it wouldpay to go solar. The family opted for a10.32kw solar electric system thatincludes 48 215-watt ground-mountedpanels. After various tax credits, theBlackwells expect the $74,450 solar-panel system to cost them $39,573.

Powering up the Blackwell solarpanel system reduced the family’scarbon footprint, with a carbon offset of865 pounds. Over a 10-day period, theoffset is equivalent to planting 10 trees,saving 45 gallons of gas and taking 26cars off the road for a day.

“I love my solar energy system,” saysMrs. Blackwell. “Besides having a warmfuzzy feeling when I think about goinggreen, there are so many benefits tohomeowners that it almost seemsridiculous not to look into solar energy.”

SOLAR ENERGY WORLDMaryland firm supports region’s green-energy economy, offers major cost savings

Founders: Geoff Mirkin (left), Tope Lala (middle), Al Gleeson (right)

www.solarEworld.com

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