It isn't just Baltimore's Inner Harbor that's been plagued lately with fish-killing algae blooms. Scientists with the Department of Natural Resources say they've been seeing "extensive algal blooms" this month across Maryland's portion of the Chesapeake Bay.

The scientists say they've detected especially high concentrations of Prorocentrum minimum, a type of algae with little whiplike arms that enable it to move in the water.  Here's a blown-up image of one cell, courtesy of DNR.  Scientists say this year's big blooms covering vast stretches of the bay likely have been sparked by unusually heavy runoff of fertilizer and other nutrients during this wet spring.  Though generally considered not toxic, these blooms can kill fish by consuming all the oxygen in the water when they die and decay.  That's the same type of algae found in the harbor earlier this week, along with more than 3,000 dead fish, mostly menhaden. 

Such blooms also can stunt the growth of beneficial bay grasses, discoloring the water and blocking out sunlight needed by the underwater vegetation.  A similar surge in 2000 led to a die-back of bay grasses in the mid-bay, according to DNR.  It would be unfortunate if that happened again, as bay grasses have been spreading and growing thicker lately.  The grasses are important nursery and shelter for crabs and fish, and they're considered a basic indicator of the bay's health.

The good news, probably, is that Prorecentrum blooms tend to dissipate after May, so DNR scientists say.  Go here to see a map showing where harmful algal blooms have been spotted so far this year around the bay.  Go here to learn more about the blooms.

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 7:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: News
        

Local crafters John and Alexandra of Rational Act Clothing share a down-to-earth vision: to make cool and clever T-shirts from sustainable materials. They print every shirt by hand using water-based inks and organic cotton. Both crafters are relatively new to the local handmade scene – you may have seen them recently at the Crofton Craft Fair or the Highlandtown Wine Festival. Their shirts, which feature local cityscapes and offbeat graphics, are also available at their Etsy shop. To read more about Rational Act Clothing, visit their blog.

(Images courtesy of Rational Act Clothing)

Posted by Christy Zuccarini at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Fashion, Products
        

We hear the advice all the time: Wash your hands. Well, you might want to wash your grocery bags, too. With all the reusing, they're getting kind of gross. The Chicago Tribune reports that they might even make you sick.

Maybe we should just start eating our food right from the market stands.

Anyone know of reusable bags that are more washable or less germy?  

Baltimore Sun photo by Kim Hairston

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 2:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: News
        

Organic milk has enjoyed a bump in recent years, but the New York Times reports today that the recession is taking its toll.

One local farmer thinks making dairy products and selling them right on the farm could save his 260-acre Bellevale Farm in Long Green Valley. Some neighbors were worried about factory operations moving in. But Bobby Prigel won a zoning change to allow a farmstead creamery on his property, Sun reporter Mary Gale Hale reported in a story earlier this month.

Do you buy organic milk? Thinking of stopping because of the cost?

Baltimore Sun photo at Bellevalle Farm by Algerina Perna

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: News
        

Looking for a little offbeat action at the beach this weekend? It's not too late to catch the annual spring orgy of horseshoe crabs. If you haven't witnessed it before, it's quite a sight, I can tell you.

Like clockwork, these helmet-shaped creatures with the spiky tails haul themselves out of the the water from mid-May to mid-June to couple. You can see them day or night during that time, but mating peaks during the full and new moon cycles, with the highest numbers flocking to the shore during the evening high tides.

It's GP-rated sex, for those worried about what the kids will see. The females trundle to the edge of the lapping waves, often with one or more smaller males hanging on for dear life, and proceed to burrow into the sand to lay their eggs. Males surround the females and fertilize the eggs.

This is a great opportunity to see nature in action and observe how interconnected the web of life is. Horseshoe crabs (scientific name Limulus polyphemus) are some of the world's oldest creatures, tracing their lineage back 300 million years - long before dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Here along the mid-Atlantic coast, the crabs' mating frenzy helps sustain flocks of shorebirds, such as sandpipers and red knots, which stop off to rest and feast on the crabs' eggs as they fly from South America to northern Canada and the Arctic.

The crabs' comings and goings have become a topic of intense interest among biologists and conservationists, because many think their fate is linked to that of the shorebirds that depend on them for food at a crucial stage in their annual migration.  Red knots, in particular, have been in decline, which has led to restrictions on commercial harvest of the horseshoe crabs. The crabs aren't a table treat for people, but they've long been collected by fishermen to be used as bait to catch eels and other fish.

You can see the crabs coming to shore on quiet beaches along Chesapeake Bay at Sandy Point State Park or Eastern Neck Wildlife Refuge.  The best places to see the most crabs, though, are along the Delaware Bay shore, at places like Bowers, Fowler and Slaughter beaches.   My wife and I visited Slaughter Beach last weekend on a moonless evening and saw clumps of crabs all along the water's edge, like the one I photographed above.

To learn more about the crabs, and where to see them, go here.

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Tips
        

Pesticides can damage human health, so minimizing the amount we eat is important, says the Environmental Working Group, which has put out a list of foods the experts there say we should buy organic.

Washing and peeling help but don't fully rid fruits and vegetables of the stuff. 

The EWG took a look at the residue left behind during tests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration and the complete list is here, but here are the top bunch that they recommend buying organic:

Peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, bell peppers, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots and pears.

Here's the list that has the lowest levels of pesticides, if you can't find organic or would like to mix in some non-organic -- and cheaper -- produce:

Onions, avocadoes, sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelons, broccoli, tomatoes, sweet potatoes.

Got tips for buying or eating organic? Tell us about them.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Tips
        

Ring around the tub is a bummer, but toxic bathtub cleaners are even more offensive. It’s easy to make your own non-toxic cleaner with a few simple ingredients. I swiped the following recipe from Natural Home Magazine:

Ingredients:

1 cup baking soda
½ cup Castile liquid soap
5-10 drops of antibacterial essential oil (try lavender or tea tree oils)

Directions:

1. Pour baking soda into a medium size bowl.
2. While stirring, add the Castile soap a little at a time. Stop adding and stirring once your mixture resembles frosting.
3. Mix in a few drops of oil.
4. Get to cleaning.

You can store this cleaner in an airtight container for up to one year.

(Image courtesy of terri_tu)

Posted by Christy Zuccarini at 2:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: DIY
        

This vodka claims to be green, and not just on St. Patty's Day.  

An environmentally-minded Weston, MO, company called McCormick Distilling says it's 360 Vodka is "made with eco-awareness at every stage of its development."

The company says it also recycles, works to reduce its use of resources, buys green power and makes purchases from other green companies.  

Does this make you want to drink the vodka?

Photo courtesy of McCormick Distilling

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Products
        

Attention conservation organizations! The annual National River Rally heads to Baltimore this weekend.

It's a series of workshops, lectures and exhibits aimed at the environmentally minded. There will be sessions on non-profit management, fundraising and techbology, among others.

More than 500 groups are expected from around the country for the event, sponsored by the River Network.

You can sign up on the spot, at the Hyatt Regency, on Friday. Here are some contacts and information. 

If you go, report back.

Photo courtesy of River Network

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Events
        

(Photo by Amy Davis / Sun photographer) 

This just in: Baltimore city plans to install a green roof atop the Convention Center (shown above during a job fair in March). Public Works Director David Scott and General Services head Khalil Zaied announced the move today via press release.

The terrace roof overlooking Pratt Street has been used by guests and visitors to the Pratt Street center, but it's had long-standing leaking problems. City officials say the old roof will be removed and replaced with a new waterproof surface, along with new walkway pavers and planted areas. About 40 percent of the 32,640-square-foot roof is due for a greening, city officials say.

Part of the plantings will include an herbal garden, which officials say the convention center cooking staff will be able to use.

Demolition of the old roof is to begin June 1, and installation should be done by the fall, according to the city's press release. Cost is estimated to be $1.8 million. The city also plans to green the roof of the People's Court building at 501 E. Fayette St.

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

The farmers' markets are open and they have strawberries -- big, juicy strawberries.

This time of year, there also are asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, salad greens and spinach. But one of the big attraction in spring is always the berries.

When selecting sweet local strawberries, the state Department of Agriculture recommends that consumers look for "a full, red color, bright luster and firm, plump flesh." The fruit does not ripen after being picked, so consumers should look for the fully ripe berries with caps that are bright green, fresh looking and fully attached.

The agency reports that Maryland farms harvested about 440 acres of strawberries, valued at $2.3 million, in 2007. The season generally runs from the third week in May through mid-June.

Find the Maryland Farmers' Market Directory here, or go to marylandsbest.net for information on all kinds of products from local farmers. 

There also are new markets opening all the time that aren't on the list, such as one at the Museum of Industry. It starts 9 a.m. June 6. For a map, recipes and other market information see our markets page at Baltimoresun.com.

Baltimore Sun file photo of a strawberry pot sold at a farmers' market.

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Tips
        

It seems US Energy Secretary Steven Chu is urging everyone to put a white roof on their houses to help fight global warming. This from Al Tompkins at Poynter Online, who read it in the London Telegraph.

Hadn't thought about it before, but white or light-colored surfaces reflect sunlight, while dark ones absorb rays and heat up.  That's another reason why scientists are concerned about melting polar ice caps (besides the threat of sea level rise) - the white snow and ice help keep the earth cool by reflecting sunlight, while rays beating down on open ocean and land warm it up.

Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, was quoted in the Telegraph estimating that putting light-colored roofs on all the world's homes and replacing black asphalt with a lighter colored pavement would offset 11 years' worth of climate-warming emissions from all the world's cars.

A study co-authored by a scientist from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California (which Chu ran before joining the Obama administration) backs up his suggestion that converting a black roof to white would help offset the 10 tons of carbon dioxide emitted annually by the typical US house. 

And if fighting climate change isn't reason enough, it also ought to help reduce air conditioning bills in the summer.  By one estimate, white roofs everywhere in the US could save $1 billion in energy costs annually.  

There's no plan, apparently, to push this bit of geo-engineering on a national level - at least not yet.  But California, arguably the greenest of states in the US, already requires white materials on flat roofs, and in July will start requiring "cool-colored substances" on sloped roofs as well.

Anyone doing this in Maryland?

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 7:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Going Green
        

For Marylanders looking for greener electricity, there are a couple options right now, and they're cheaper - at least for the next few months - than the standard residential rate charged by Baltimore Gas Electric.  

The electricity suppliers listed by the Maryland Public Service Commission that sell power generated in part or entirely by wind turbines:  Clean Currents and Washington Gas Energy Services.  (Pepco Energy Services's Web site also offers green and wind power for residential customers, but if you click on those links it says they are not being sold now.)

Apologies for all the numbers that follow, but when you're talking about money, you need to use those pesky things.

In its "Chesapeake Green" or "C-Green" plans, Clean Currents offers to sell residential customers electricity that is either 50 percent or 100 percent wind-generated, with rates locked in for either one or two years.  The rates quoted range from 11.1 cents per kilowatt-hour to 11.7 cents per kwh, depending on how much wind you want.

Washington Gas, meanwhile, offers "CleanSteps" plans with wind generating 50 or 100 percent of the electricity supplied.  Prices range from 11.4 cents/kwh to 12.6 cents/kwh. 

The standard residential rate charged by BGE, by comparison, is 11.825 cents per kwh, effective June 1.  In October, though, BGE's rate is scheduled to drop to 10.662 cents per kwh, below the rates now offered by either Clean Currents or WGES.  Check for yourself here.

So if you act now, you can feel green (or at least wind-blown) when you turn on the lights and save a little green, too.   For those wondering where the power is actually generated, the answer is - out of state.  There are no commercial wind turbines in Maryland yet, though some are in the pipeline.  That's another post, for later.

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Products
        

Maryland emitted more cumulative global warming pollution between 1960-2005 than more than 150 other nations surveyed, according to a report released today from Greenpeace. And that makes the state one of the least polluting on a per person basis.

Read the story about it and see the full report.

Photo courtesy of Greenpeace

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 3:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: News
        

A story in the Washington Post today talks about a new $4 billion program to retrain workers for "green jobs" that would focus on making public housing more energy efficient. The money, announced by Vice President Biden, would come from the economic stimulus package.

Maybe Baltimore can get a piece of it?

Photo of compact flourescent bulbs by RealEstateZebra via Flickr

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: News
        

Sun reporter Jill Rosen has a story today with tons of tips on how to reduce your "cookprint."

There are some pretty easy ways to make meals in an environmental way -- turning off the burners a little early, using less water, avoiding plastic bags and composting instead of throwing away table sraps.

Got any other idea to share?

Here are some from reader Dahlink:

I love to roast food, but I do it in my dual-fuel oven. I generally roast several things at once on the convection setting (planning ahead for future meals) and I turn off the oven well before the food is done, as my oven retains the heat for a long time.

My favorite appliance is my warming drawer. My husband works long hours, but I can keep food ready to eat as soon as he walks in the door without overcooking it.

I have also started using those microwavable bags of rice, lentils, etc. They generally microwave in 90 seconds, rather than needing 40 minutes on the stove (as is the case for brown rice made from scratch, for example).

ISTOCK photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Tips
        

A few nights ago, while the air was warm and only a little humid, a glorious honeysuckle bush interrupted my walk down Roland Avenue. I stopped and swooned and felt an overwhelming urge to grab a bundle and carry it back to my apartment. Unfortunately, I don’t own a vase, and my drinking glasses are all too small to accommodate a handful of honeysuckle. So I went online in search of a solution.

What I found was a lovely hanging basket tutorial by red bird crafts. It’s simple and sweet and made from recycled materials. All you need is a small box, some paper, and a few other common supplies like scissors, glue and string. Place a damp cloth and some kind of tight plastic covering around the base of your clippings to avoid damaging the paper. Use a simple stamp to embellish the front. Who needs vases anyway?

To read the full tutorial, visit the red bird crafts blog.

(Image courtesy of red bird crafts)

Posted by Christy Zuccarini at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: DIY
        

Clear the trash and the weeds and give the fish, birds and wildlife a good home.

That’s the message from the Gwynns Falls Trail Council, which along with the outdoor store REI, is hosting National Trails Day, with a service project focused on the Middle Branch Park of the Patapsco River.

Participants will meet at Middle Branch Park, 3301 Waterview Ave., clear the Middle Branch from 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on June 6.

For more information or to register, call 410-448-5663, ext. 113, or e-mail info@gwynnsfallstrail.org.

Baltimore Sun file photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 7:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Events
        

The folks at B'more Green invited me to visit from Read Street and suggest books with a green living theme. Here are some intriguing releases; I'll be back on a regular basis with new recommendations for your bookshelves. Let us know if you've found other good reads -- in fact, mention one in a comment here and we'll pick a lucky soul for a giveaway.

Running the Numbers: an American self-portrait by Chris Jordan. This visually arresting book accompanies a museum show in which Jordan illustrates the immensity of our wastefulness. In one image, the artist morphs Seurat's "A Sunday on Grand Jatte" by using cans of Sprite, Coke and other drinks in pointillist style to depict the 106,000 aluminum cans used in the U.S. every 30 seconds. Other images continue the environmental theme, though some stray into topics such as handguns and the Iraq war. The traveling show is now at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History; the closest it gets to Baltimore is Haverford College next January.

Farm City by Novella Carpenter. The book begins: "I have a farm on a dead-end street in the ghetto." That's a pretty good summary of her mission to create GhostTown Farm, an unlikely agricultural outpost in Oakland. Carpenter, who studied with locavore guru Michael Pollan, writes of the contrast between gritty city and vege-topia -- what Pollan calls "a mind-meld of Fifty Cent and Wendell Berry."

Posted by Dave Rosenthal at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Books
        

I'm pleased to join Meredith Cohn and Christy Zuccarini on B'more Green, where we aim to share news and information about folks - including businesses, government, groups and individuals - trying to live greener and more sustainably. 

I come to this from decades of covering the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland's environment, seeing up close how individual behaviors can have big collective impacts, for good and ill.  People have shown they care about the bay, with their voices and their votes - not to mention their license plates - so politicians have a hard time ignoring that groundswell.   By the same token, Marylanders still make choices in where and how they live, drive and consume that pose challenges for the bay. 

I'm a journalist, who's bound to report on environmentalists' flubs as well as their triumphs.  But I'm also a citizen.  So I try to live more gently on the land, when I can and when it makes sense.  For instance, I recently signed up to buy wind-generated electricity after learning that it was actually cheaper than the standard power offered through Baltimore Gas Electric.  That kind of green is too good to pass up!

I recycle, too, have for years, diverting plastic, cans, bottles and paper from my trash, and finding that we have far less trash to throw away.  But I've had a harder time getting into composting kitchen scraps.   We bought a bin from Baltimore County several years ago, and I set it up just outside our kitchen door.  I've tried on occasion to feed the bin, chopping up old melon rinds and tossing them in along with other produce scraps.  But the convenience of the dispose-all in the sink has just been too great so far. It's a habit I haven't been able to break.  If anyone else has struggled with this, or has tips on how to make it easier or more automatic, please don't be shy.  We hope to learn as well as inform.

Posted by Tim Wheeler at 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Free trees! 

Baltimore is endeavoring to double its tree canopy from 20 percent to 40 percent during the next three decades and is encouraging homeowners to get planting by offering free and discounted trees.

The city effort is called TreeBaltimore, and officials say it aims to add to the urban forest that does a number of things: provides shade, beautifies neighborhoods, cleans air and water, offers and home to birds and other animals, increases property values and removes carbon from the atmosphere that contributes to global warming.

The push is a mayoral initiative that began in 2007. The city settled on the 40 percent goal, but discovered that about 85 percent of the available planting space, i.e. grass, was on private property, according to Anne Draddy, who runs the city program. So, they began hitting up residents to do some planting and caring for trees.

Now, TreeBaltimore is giving away FREE trees to community groups and associations, so hook up with your group if you want one.

The city’s Forestry Division plants about 1,000 street trees every spring and another 1,000 in the fall, Draddy said, so get your name on the list for the next go-round. The city Department of Transportation is also helping dig pits.

For more information, go to TreeBaltimore online, or e-mail Draddy at anne.draddy@baltimorecity.gov.

Baltimore Sun file photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: DIY
        

Do you garden in your backyard but want to do more? Just want to get started?

The guy who makes sure Whole Foods grocery stocks local items is launching a side project to get Baltimore growing -- as well as cooking, preserving and selling.

Mark Smallwood (pictured above in his own backyard garden) is working with the city to find a site and get teaching. Once that's up, he plans to show people how to cook and keep the food, then sell it. He also wants to open a cannery, which could eventually sell stuff to Whole Foods. He says there's lots of interest already.

Read about Smallwood's plans and see what other community garden projects are going on in the city here. Look for announcements about classes soon. And let us know what's going on in your neighborhood.

Baltimore Sun photo/Patrick Smith

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 8:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: DIY
        

It seems like every day that we at the Sun hear a story about individuals or groups working to make Baltimore or the world a little greener.

They recycle, they pick up trash in their park, they bike to work, they plant a tree.

There are people making bigger moves, like starting eco-friendly businesses, organizing larger events or starting community gardens. Local and state government officials are also taking steps.

We thought we could showcase these people and these events, and bring readers some of the latest environmental news, too.

There will be a few of us posting on this site, B'More Green. We hope you'll read and contribute.

We have a mailbox, bmoregreen@baltsun.com. Don't be shy. We'll wait to hear from you, and in the meantime, we'll be out enjoying some urban greenery (like this spot pictured to the right on the Gwynns Falls Trail).

Baltimore Sun file photo

Posted by Meredith Cohn at 4:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: News