Climate Smart
Climate Smart is a joint effort across Montgomery County to connect community members with actions they can take right now to fight climate change and support a healthy home for all.
Take Action
Food | Flood | Transportation | Energy | Trees
Food
Plan ahead
- The best way to prevent food waste? Plan for the week’s meals before you go shopping. Save money and prevent food waste by buying only what you need. (Bring your FREE Montgomery County reusable bag to save even more!).
Buy local and seasonal produce
- Support local growers and get the most nutritious foods for your family by taking advantage of Montgomery County’s farms, farmer’s markets and CSAs. They even take SNAP! Find your nearest farm-fresh vendor.
Compost food scraps
- Skip the landfill and give your apple cores, egg shells, lawn clippings and more the chance to become new soil. It’s fun and easy! See whether your family is eligible for Montgomery County’s curbside compost pilot and learn more about rodent-free home composting and local food scrap collectors that take care of the work for you.
Flood
Buy flood insurance
- Many Montgomery County homeowners and renters are at risk of devastating losses in the event of flooding. Could you be one of them? Check out this flood risk map, and explore cost-effective options to insure your home and belongings.
Get prepared
- Planning ahead can help you and your family respond effectively in the event of a disaster. First, sign up to receive messages from Alert Montgomery. Then, think through your emergency plan using our helpful guides. Lastly, build an emergency kit to sustain you and your family through any disaster.
Transportation
Download the new Ride On Trip Planner App
- Featuring multiple public transportation modes throughout Montgomery County to get you where you're going fast. Using public transportation is an environmentally friendly way to travel that is easy on your wallet and good for your health. Download the Ride On app.
Ride a bike
- Bikeshare stations are available throughout Montgomery County. Get out and discover Montgomery County by planning a bike ride on trails, designated bike lanes and shared use paths.
Join the Electric Vehicle Purchasing Co-op
- The County offers incentives from local dealerships. Montgomery County is working toward a goal of zero-emissions by 2035 – buses included. Make the pledge to make your next vehicle purchase an electric vehicle.
Energy
Schedule a Quick Home Energy Checkup
- This program is at NO ADDITIONAL COST to homeowners or tenants.
- The appointment takes about 45-60 minutes to complete.
- A contractor will provide you with energy efficient products such as: LED light bulbs, high efficiency showerheads, advanced powerstrips, and more.
- Want to schedule an appointment?
- BGE customers, schedule an appointment.
- Pepco customers, schedule an in-person or virtual appointment.
- Potomac Edison customers, schedule an appointment or check out the Home Energy Analyzer to gain a better understanding of your household energy use and identify ways to improve your efficiency.
Switch to LEDs
- Lighting is one of the easiest places to start saving energy.
- Replacing your five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR® qualified lights can save more than $65 a year in energy costs.
- Replace your old incandescent or CFL lightbulbs with LEDs at a County-sponsored lightbulb exchange event; find out if we have one scheduled by going to our calendar.
- TURN OFF YOUR LIGHTS: Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving a room. Turning off just one 60-watt incandescent bulb that would otherwise burn eight hours a day can save about $15 per year!
Monitor Your Thermostat
- You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.
- In the winter, set the thermostat to 68°F while you’re awake and set it lower while you’re asleep or away from home.
- In the summer, set your thermostat to 78°F only when you are at home and need cooling.
- INSTALL A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT: A properly used programmable thermostat can save up to $150 a year in energy costs.
Trees
Plant a Tree
- Trees are total powerhouses, removing carbon from the air, cooling the planet with shade, providing habitat and beautifying our neighborhoods. Several state and county departments have programs that provide free trees.
- Learn more and apply for a free tree through Tree Montgomery.
(*Tree Montgomery is not available within the city limits of Rockville or Gaithersburg.) - Learn about additional planting programs.
- Learn more and apply for a free tree through Tree Montgomery.
Care for the trees at your home
- Keep your trees looking healthy and lush with some TLC. A little goes a long way! Check out the tree care guide.
Help protect trees throughout Montgomery County
- Montgomery Parks’ Weed Warriors Program is a volunteer program that removes non-native, invasive plants that pose a serious threat to the health of trees in our area. In 2022 alone, Weed Warrior volunteers saved more than 12,000 trees! You can make a difference by volunteering at a Weed Warrior Workday. These workdays are open to the public almost every week and no advanced training is required.