Maryland’s Green Initiatives…are they Sustainable?

Posted on October 5, 2009 by The Souza Agency

Here at the revamped, environmentally friendly Souza office, we aim to be fully aware of the current issues facing our natural environment and the steps we need to take to take to improve them. We are constantly on the lookout for new ways to save the earth’s resources, as we have the belief that we need to start individually in our homes and businesses, in order to really make a difference as a whole society. But what is the rest of Maryland doing to help us reduce our carbon footprint? Here is a little bit of info with some links so that YOU TOO can help Maryland on its road to becoming more energy efficient and eco-friendly.

green0001Photo courtesy of the Crawford Company


OK…lets start with some basics. Are you turning off the lights when you leave the room? Turning the tap off when you brush your teeth? Re-cycling your re-cyclables? If the answer is yes, then well done. If you find yourself answering “no” then give yourself a slap on the wrist. It is our responsibility to understand and take control over these issues in order to take care of the world in which we live. There is also the added bonus that it will save your pennies – lights off = lower electricity bill! Everyone wins! Do you need some direction on how to help Maryland become more eco-friendly? Take the initiative and visit energy savers, or Maryland’s Smart, Green and Growing website, which will set you on your way to being a super “green” being in no time. If your a business take a look at the Maryland Green Registry.

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So what is Maryland doing to help? Well the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has been working with ENERGY STAR, a program introduced in 1992 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy in a bid to save us money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices, such as building and promoting new houses, businesses and appliances that have the ENERGY STAR. Reportedly ENERGY STAR cuts utility bills by a third, and amazingly Americans saved enough energy in 2008 to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 29 million cars, while also saving $19 billion on their bills…WOW!

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Photo courtesy of the European Commission website

Maryland is also tapping into natural and renewable energy sources. First, lets look at solar power. On average, the State of Maryland receives 5.3 kilowatt hours per day per square meter of solar energy, with the amount being higher in the summer and lower in the winter. On a sunny summers day Maryland receives around 196,000 Gigawatt hours of solar energy. This is more than all the electric power plants in Maryland produce in a year. It is not surprising then, that solar power is quickly increasing in popularity, with businesses and homeowners turning to this environmentally friendly and efficient source of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy has also established the Million Solar Roofs Program to install solar energy systems throughout the US and hats off to Maryland, as it was the first state to sign on to this initiative!

solar-power-plantRead this interesting article on solar power at repairfinders.com


Another form of renewable energy that Maryland is exploring is wind power. Because of its position on the east coast, Maryland has abundant offshore wind potential making it an ideal location to utilize wind turbines to their full advantage. The rest of the US is on board with wind power too, and can proudly say it is the number one in production of small wind turbines. These electric generators utilize wind energy to produce clean, emission-free power, and so far wind farms in the US have helped to avoid nearly 62 million pounds of pollutants. The recent success of the installation of a wind turbine at the Westminster Maintenance Facility in Carroll County by the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration represents a fundamental step forward in making this source of clean and natural energy a more common sight to see in Maryland. In addition to the MEA’s Windswept Grant Program which promotes the development of installation of small-scale wind turbines throughout Maryland, Governor Martin O’Malley announced in a recent press release that “offshore wind energy offers vast potential to create jobs for our workers and to help stabilize electric costs for our families while also increasing grid stability,” indicating that wind power has the potential to become one of Maryland’s vital future clean energy sources.

wind_power_marylandPhoto courtesy of atissun.com


Under Governor O’Malley, the initiative EmPower Maryland has been introduced. This initiative aims to reduce Maryland’s energy consumption by 15% by 2015.  In order to do so, the initiative encourages residents to adopt the recommended energy-reducing methods in their homes and businesses, which are not overly costly, and will save money on energy bills in the long run. Just recently the MEA announced that Maryland counties and cities have been awarded an additional $9.5 million for clean energy investments from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. These funds will be distributed to 13 counties and 147 municipalities throughout the state, in addition to the $40 million in federal grants awarded for Maryland’s top ten cities and counties, and $8.3 million distributed as part of the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s EmPower-ing Clean Communities program.

green_homePicture courtesy of co.lucas.oh.us which has a useful list of energy saving tips.

We have only touched upon the numerous initiatives in place to help reduce Maryland’s carbon footprint. Now it is up to YOU, to see what you can do to lower your carbon footprint at your home and business. Do your research and find out how you can help and also how you can get help from the government, for example, did you know that there are numerous incentives and programs to aid you in your quest to become sustainable?  Like the Green Building Tax Credit, which provides a tax credit of up to 8% of the total cost for the construction of a green building. So lets gather the masses and tell all our friends – sustainable and natural energy is the way forward but we will all have to make the effort to ease the transition.

Go Green!!

Thanks for reading…until next time,

Team Souza

saving_energyPhoto courtesy of Electronic House

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Like to travel? Respect, and go “green”!

Posted on September 11, 2009 by The Souza Agency

green-earth

Picture courtesy of Taking Off

Every year the Lonely Planet guide releases a list of the top 10 places to visit for the upcoming year. The list for 2009 includes a wide variety of destinations to suit the first time traveler to the experienced backpacker extraordinaire. This list, along with many others, represents how interestingly, (and sometimes controversially), the art of traveling has over the past decade or so become much more accessible to the common citizen. Last minute getaways for a relaxing week at the beach are common, as is a gap year for inquisitive young adults looking to widen their cultural knowledge and experience and head out on their own before they begin college and/or a lifetime of work. In many ways this is due to the current generational craze of jet setting which, only a few decades ago was reserved only for the wealthy and upper classes.  Nowadays tourism has a domino effect. Once a person has visited a place, they tell their friends about how relaxing, beautiful, magical or culturally rich it was and so on… The cheaper cost of travel, for example lower airfares, also helps in the equation!

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Picture courtesy of The Sydney Morning Herald

While many of us see this broadening of horizons as a positive move in our ever-continuous quest to be a “universal society”: fully accepting of each others’ customs and traditions, many also see the rise in the popularity of travel often having a negative impact, particularly on the third world countries who at first encouraged tourism as a welcome economic boost, and are now consequently dependent upon this income. It is unfortunate that the latter view holds just as much truth as the first. Tourism has and continues to have a negative impact in many countries, oftentimes it can be seen that more tourists = less culture and the real essence and life of a place can easily be missed amongst the throngs of tourists and visitors. Local governments also sometimes overlook the needs of the local residents and environment in an attempt to create an economic boost.

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As travelers of the modern “green” age, it is time that we become aware of and accept the damage done in order to take advantage of the great opportunities put forth to us to make amends.

A recent personal trip to Tanzania sheds light on how tourism can be unintentionally damaging: tourists often give money directly to the homeless, and this provides them with an incentive to stay on the streets.  There are numerous campaigns in Tanzania telling tourists that if you want to help, give money directly to an organization. Cases like this can be seen all over the world in many different scenarios; as long as tourists give to the homeless they will stay on the streets…

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Picture courtesy of No Boundaries

There is the message here that you can help, you just have to know the right way.  Sometimes its just not as obvious as you might first think. A little bit of research and knowledge can go a long way.

Traveling is a great opportunity for self-discovery and everyone has the ability to travel without adding further harm to a country. With the rising concern of global warming we are all being taught to be more aware of the world around us and to think about the consequences of our actions. As modern day travelers this should also be our way of thinking. We should take every opportunity to broaden our horizons by experiencing different cultures; not for example, by going to Egypt and staying in a fancy western style hotel in Sharm El Sheikh for two weeks, but by going to Egypt and visiting the pyramids, mosques, the tomb of Tutankhamun, wondering around Cairo in dress respectful to the culture and eating in local restaurants, thus contributing to the local economy. That is real traveling!

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The role of advertising and marketing plays a large part in the tourism debate. Airlines advertise inexpensive flights to encourage people to fly overseas. It would be inconceivable to stop this, as it would stunt tourism in places where it is now a vital part of the economy. Positive and thoughtful advertising is needed to encourage people to respectfully immerse themselves in the real cultures of the places they are visiting; to mingle with the locals and almost become one for the duration of their stay instead of being a tourist and looking in from the outside of the glass. The goal of traveling should be of course to relax and enjoy, but also to experience different things in a new environment, not the same things in a different environment.

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Picture courtesy of JPG: Your World in Pictures

(The huge diversity of species and natural beauty of Penguin Island in the South Shetland Islands, has resulted in large amounts of tourists to the area. Consequently, it has been recommended that the eastern, southern, and western parts of the island no longer be open to tourists but serve as refuge areas to protect the wildlife.)

We all have a long way to go as “green” travelers.  It is unavoidable that someone will stumble across a secluded haven and then tell their friends and eventually it will become popular and the cycle will repeat itself. This inevitability is a sign of the crazy and ironic world in which we live, where a positive thing for one person usually means a negative falls upon someone else. However, it is possible that we, as travelers of this new “green” age can strive to protect, conserve and respect our neighbors’ environments and cultures and support their economies in the most honest way possible.

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Wish you were here!

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Swamp Hut Update…Another Award

Posted on May 11, 2009 by The Souza Agency

The Swamp Hut also won a national American Institute of Architects Honor Award for Design for a small project. We’re not surprised! Team Souza knows how to pick the great ones! Here are a few more photos. Enjoy! Team Souza

Sleep Hut

Sleeping Hut

South View...now isn't this the "in the woods" we referred to?

South View...now isn't this the "in the woods" we referred to?

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Saying Goodbye to one of Nature’s Finest

Posted on April 1, 2009 by The Souza Agency

Yesterday was a sad day at Team Souza. We arrived at work looking forward to a peaceful, productive, and a potentially spring-like day with the birds chirping away and caring for their nests in some trees nearby.  What we got was something very different. Picture a 120+ year old oak tree (our calculations using a 4 ft. diameter and 24″ radius) in a neighboring property simply minding its own business, and providing shelter and a place to rest and play for scores of birds, squirrels, and other  creatures blessed with its presence. Then picture a large crane towering around 40 feet in the air cozying up to the tree in preparation for destroying it. Now taking down a tree that is dangerous, diseased, or dying is one thing. Taking down a healthy tree of this magnitude and historic significance simply because you want to is something else entirely.

One of Nature's Finest

One of Nature's Finest

Picture shows first tree limb severed from tree at the end of the crane line.

You can see the cut limb directly below the man in the tree.

You know the rest of the story. When a neighbor does something like this it’s so unsettling, it defies explanation. Mother nature didn’t deserve this. The birds are screeching out for their lost nests, and flying around aimlessly in total disorientation and disbelief. They are hurting. We are too.

We’re reminded of the children’s book “The Giving Tree”. Looking at that stump—now the only thing that remains—we can’t help but wonder…

Same tree with just one branch remaining

Same tree with just one branch remaining

Picture shows last tree limb being prepared for removal.

We are practical, realistic, and pragmatic people around here, and we’re not for “saving every single tree” on the planet.  Yet, what was done to that tree yesterday was utterly uncaring.  Truly.

So, still in shock, we say goodbye with our hearts heavy at the loss of something so very special to this neighborhood, our county, our state, and our eco-system.

Team Souza

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A Heart for Green

Posted on March 6, 2009 by The Souza Agency

Going green kinda snuck up on us, and over the past two years has really taken hold of our agency. It all started innocently enough when we took on a very green client. Not long after, we were blessed with the opportunity to purchase and renovate an office building overlooking the expansion of the Annapolis Mall, and not far from the U.S. Naval Academy and Annapolis’ Historic District. The building had been on the market for quite some time but it’s lack of love over the years was too much for most people to swallow. So it sat abandoned and neglected.

Now we must admit that our parents and the 70ties had prepared us for the green wave sweeping the country. Growing up we had to save our paper lunch bags to reuse until they literally fell apart, or carry our metal lunch boxes to school. Who knew collectors would be willing to pay big bucks for a metal lunch box that hadn’t been thrown across the playground once or twice?

At any rate, here we are in our sharp new office building at 2547 Housley Road, Annapolis. It’s very green. We’ve even been thinking about the possibility of registering for a LEED rating. Wouldn’t that be fun!

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Our offices at 2547 Housley Road, Annapolis

First, it needed all new everything. We did manage to save the 1950ties hardwood floors in the conference room and reception area. They were such a fright having sustained years of water damage and broken planks that could send you into the abyss. But with the help of Elite Hardwood Flooring in Annapolis, the compliments just keep coming in.

Next, think walls, windows, doors, ceilings, HVAC, plumbing, electric, indoor and outdoor critters, and anything else you can imagine. Most were either rotted, unfriendly, or just waiting to start a major fire, so starting anew and incorporating green building strategies just seemed like the right and smart thing to do.

Here began our journey into an eye-opening environmental and economic strategy that has created an inspired atmosphere for everyone who visits…clients, guests, family, associates, delivery guys, and all those non-believers who wanted to renovate this place but were afraid to.

Creative & Design Studio

Creative & Design Studio

One of our eco-friendly choices included cork oak flooring. It plays an important role in lending intriguing texture and polished warmth to our offices. Most people still think of cork bulletin boards or stoppers for wine bottles when we tell them our floors are cork. Little do they know that cork is just about the most friendly natural resource on earth. Cork oak is harvested without damaging or chopping down a single tree. Here you can find out more…

Next we installed Low “E”/Argon Gas energy-efficient windows and doors. Windows are one of the worst energy wasters in any part of a building, and we have achieved a 40% greater thermal efficiency with their use. Natural light streams into the building, splashing the studio walls with unexpected slices of colors and shapes. No light-blocking curtains here.

Our multi-level floor layout and clean, energy-savvy lighting fixtures provide an interesting dimension and fresh perspective to all the crisp lines and airy spaces. We are particularly fond of our striking waves of Souza Blue which are repeated throughout the interior walls and decor of the building, enlivening the air with amusement and surprise.

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Reception & Conference Rooms

We won’t go into all the little things we try to do to help reduce our carbon footprint. But incorporating green building strategies was a priority for us in our effort to embrace our calling to conserve and restore our natural resources, reduce operating costs, improve productivity, heighten aesthetic qualities, and improve overall quality of life.

If you’re in the area, please stop by. We love to share our story, and would be excited to show you around. Our vision to create a healthy and inspirational environment for our home away from home is now a reality, and it provides us a strong foundation on which to grow our agency over the next 25 years or so. That would be 50 years total, and we’re looking forward to it.

Filed under: Nature & the Environment, State Awards, Sustainable Energy, Trends | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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