Get Involved
We can all do our part to make a difference in the environment and quality of life in Montgomery County. Volunteering to help our nonprofit, reducing your carbon footprint or becoming more aware of the issues that put our local natural resources at risk are all ways to make a positive impact.
Ways to get involved:
HTC 101
Since 2012, Conservation Montgomery's Home Tree Care 101 (HTC101) has taught county residents how to maintain healthy mature trees on private property.
Volunteer
Conservation Montgomery is looking for volunteers for the a few different opportunities with our nonprofit. Volunteering helps greatly in our mission to preserve our county's natural resources.
Big Tree Tours
Join us to visit gentle giants -- champion trees Each spring and fall, we organize a Big Tree Tour, led by the legendary Joe Howard, founder of the Montgomery County Big Tree list
How to do your part
Be informed and engaged
-Subscribe to mailing lists for Conservation Montgomery and our partner organizations. Pay attention when an "Action Alert" is in your inbox. Respond quickly on these issues. -Attend your local civic association meetings and stay on neighborhood list servs to keep up with news about what your neighborhood can do to protect local natural resources. -Work with schools to encourage environmental stewardship. Volunteer to plant trees and work on environmental projects around a school. -Join a county Citizens’ Advisory Committee to get up to speed on the issues and that affect our quality of life. -Build responsibly. If a new home or a development project is slated for your community, talk to the developers about protecting trees around the project. Try working with builders before assuming that they are the enemy in your neighborhood. Many builders are eager to work with adjacent residents in order to help their project meet approval within a surrounding community. -If you are remodeling or building a new home, use low impact development practices. Consider hiring a tree moving company to use a tree spade to move a healthy shade tree that is in the path of pending construction. If moved correctly and watered, a tree will thrive in a new location.
Reduce your carbon footprint by reducing car trips
-Reduce your number of daily car trips as much as you can. Check into teleworking, using a carpool and combining your errands into fewer trips. -Shopping online for certain items is another way for consumers to keep more cars off the road. Consider that the future of the planet is at your fingertips! -Buy in bulk. Not only will this reduce your number of car trips, but you may save money since most items are cheaper by the dozen. -Use public transportation as often as possible. -Urge county and state elected officials to vote for improvements in transportation infrastructure. Walk to work, to the Metro or ride a bike. Not only will keeping a car off the road help our air quality, you will benefit from the exercise. If you are able to purchase a hybrid or electric vehicle, consider that option. Over time, the infrastructure will increase and vehicle prices will decrease.
Love our county trees and green space
-Trees are the answer. Not only are they pleasant and peaceful, trees are the solution to a lot of environmental dilemmas. And tree and forest conservation make economic sense. Trees filter polluted air, store carbon and reduce the urban heat island effect. -Plant trees when they die in or around your home or business and keep healthy native vegetation alive. It helps to filter urban stormwater runoff, cools the air and provides habitat for wildlife in the county. Keep them watered, healthy and take measures to prevent young trees from becoming deer food. -Take advantage of free tree-planting programs in Montgomery County, like Tree Montgomery, Reforest Montgomery and ReLeaf the Reserve. You can also request that a street tree be planted in the public right of way in front of your home by calling 311. -Prune older trees in your yard and keep them in a healthy condition by cabling large limbs and multiple trunks of older trees. Take our Home Tree Care 101 class to learn more. -Another way to keep trees and plants on your property healthy is to remove invasive species that choke trees and plants around them. Common plants such as English Ivy, vinca and Daylilies can get out of hand quickly.
Conserve energy at home
-Do you know what your carbon footprint is? Find out by using EPA’s Household Emissions Calculator at: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html This is one of many CO2 calculators you can find online. The more we learn about the impacts of our own daily habits, the more we can do to make a difference when it comes to climate change impacts and energy consumption. -Survey your home inside and out and see if you can find spots where you can plug leaky window frames or door frames. Caulk and plug leaks. Or replace older windows and doors with energy efficient ones if you can afford it. -Thermal pane windows and well-sealed doors can improve the quality of your life and keep your home more energy efficient. Turn your thermostat down in the winter and keep it at a reasonable temperature when you use air conditioning. If possible, use a ceiling fan as an alternative to air conditioning for cooling and ventilation. -Consider looking into using renewable solar energy. Use Google or do some research to find the best suppliers and contractors who can install solar panels to move some of your energy consumption off the grid. -Replace your appliances with energy efficient products when they wear out or break down. -Use compact fluorescent light bulbs in every light in your home. Keep lights and other electrical appliances or electronics turned off when not in use at home and at work. -Change the filters in your heating and air conditioning system to make sure the system functions working properly. Have it serviced to check for problems that stress the system and use more energy. Use electric or reel mowers to cut your lawn. Fact: Every summer day, the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment releases more than 100 times the Volatile Organic Compounds that pollute the air. -Plant shade trees to cool your home and maintain your mature shade trees.