Community Engagement

Clean air and water, abundant fish and wildlife, and healthy communities are only possible when every resident, employee, business, and government agency actively participates in environmental conservation. With its green government initiatives, Montgomery County seeks to lead by example while also finding inspiration from our greenest residents and businesses.

Employee Engagement

Montgomery County government employees, nearly 10,000 strong, can have an enormous impact on cleaning up pollution and reducing waste through everyday actions at work. Employees engage in recycling, using less water, turning off unused lights and computer monitors, purchasing environmentally preferable goods and services, and donating food, money, and surplus office supplies to community members in need.

Montgomery County employees give back to the community through charitable donations and volunteer service. The County runs an employee giving campaign each fall, providing an on-line giving platform through a private partner and covering the modest administrative fee so that every dollar employees give goes to the nonprofit organizations they support. In addition to contributions by individual employees, County Departments host charity drives and volunteer service opportunities in partnership with local nonprofit organizations. In 2018, staff from the Department of General Services revived a local group home property in need of significant landscaping and outside repair. The team made improvements to the yard, garden, and deck for the residents to enjoy. The work was done at a community-based residential home that supports adults with developmental disabilities.

From hands-on educational events at the libraries and tree plantings at parks to informational booths at the County fair, Montgomery County employees and volunteers inform and engage the public on saving energy, protecting our land and water, and seeking green transportation alternatives.

Events and Outreach

From behind-the-scenes videos to public presentations, Montgomery County provides opportunities for the public to experience some of the rarely seen green features of our buildings, fleet, and operations. County staff participate in public events such as Montgomery County GreenFest, Energy Summit, and Procurement Forum to educate the public on current green initiatives.

County staff participated in several high-profile conferences and webinars over the course of the year to share information and lessons learned about green government operations with other local governments, schools, and businesses across the country. Presentations focused on the County’s leadership in renewable energy, improving resiliency of County government facilities and operations with microgrid technology, and financing major energy projects. County staff also conducted several tours of the recently completed microgrids and solar projects at County facilities. The contracts developed by Montgomery County for solar and microgrid installations serve as a model for other government agencies to initiate their own similar projects.

Whether you are interested in restoring streams or lowering your energy use at home, visit MyGreenMontgomery for project ideas, resources, and options for grants and incentives.

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