Formed in 2016, the Baltimore Environmental Equity Partnership, sometimes shortened to BEEP, comprises Baltimore-based nonprofit organizations working on community development, community organizing, environmental and health advocacy, and social justice. The Partnership aims to foster cross-sector collaboration to improve community and environmental well-being and suitability in Baltimore.

In 2019, BEEP piloted a community health-centered project focused on waste reduction in east and southeast Baltimore. This project utilized community outreach, civic engagement, public policy-shaping, and network infrastructure building to tackle waste reduction on both individual and systemic levels. BEEP has also worked to facilitate the East Baltimore Greenway. This project aims to create 2.75 acres of long-term greenspace and improve the urban tree canopy.

The Office of Sustainability is represented in BEEP and the Partnership is always looking to partner with more organizations across Baltimore City. If you'd like to partner with BEEP, contact them using this form. 

Members of our Sustainability Staff were featured in the June issue of Baltimore Magazine! The article was centered around the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Agnes, a storm that completely devastated the region back in 1972, and highlights ways that our Office has been taking action to combat the impacts of climate change in Baltimore since its establishment in 2007. Coastal Resources Planner Bruna Attila, Climate and Resilience Planner Aubrey Germ, and Sustainability Director Ava Richardson were photographed for the feature. “There’s a lot of doom and gloom centered around climate change and the impact it can have on communities, but at the same time, there are really good people working on these challenges and trying to find innovative solutions all across the city,” says Germ. “I think that instills a sense of hope for the future, and we all can play a role.”

Many thanks to Baltimore Magazine for recognizing the work of our office. We are so proud of our team and we continue to work hard to help make Baltimore a more resilient, equitable, and livable city. 

Register for the 2022 Nature Nurtures Symposium! A project of Baltimore Connecting Children to Nature, Nature Nurtures is a platform for building skills and developing a like-minded community with an equal stake in environmental access, youth, healing, and the benefits of nature. This year’s Symposium will take place from 9:30am-3:30pm on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 at William S. Baer Elementary School (2001 N. Warwick Ave, Baltimore, MD 21216), and will include a keynote speech and Q&A with Atiya Wells from Backyard Basecamp and BLISS Meadows; trainings on understanding trauma and creating pathways to healing with leaders in the field from the Black Mental Health Alliance, Baltimore City Office of Youth & Trauma Services, and Holistic Health Counseling and Coaching; hands-on workshops from composting to forest bathing to botanical art; and space for networking and intentional conversations. Coffee, snacks, and lunch will be provided. The evening before, on Friday, June 24th, attendees of the Symposium will be invited to join a sunset paddle on the Middle Branch with the Baltimore City Department of Recreation & Parks. 

You can find more information on 2020's symposium here and on our 2021 workshop series here (including recordings of some of the 2021 workshops). Reach out to abby.cocke@baltimorecity.gov with any questions. 

The 2022 Sustainability Open House was held at Shake & Bake Family Fun Center this past Tuesday, June 14th and we are happy to report that it was a huge success! Over 200 residents attended the event to engage with and learn from sustainability champions in Baltimore. A variety of partner organizations whose mission is to make our beautiful Baltimore a more sustainable and resilient city joined us to showcase their services, programs, and offerings. We served some amazing vegan food catered by The Greener Kitchen, and very tasty sweets from Sweet 27 and Harmony Bakery. We also had many giveaway items including house plants, reusable grocery bags, and roller-skating passes! We even had a special guest - our dear office mascot, Turtle, joined us, too!

Baltimore’s Retired Arborist Deserves Much Credit and Many Thanks: Reader Commentary -- Baltimore Sun 

"Erik M. Dihle and his team in the Forestry Division accomplished great things and we owe him a big thank you."

Five Minute Histories: Callaway Ave Apple Orchard -- Baltimore Heritage

Baltimore Heritage shares the history behind the name of the Callaway-Garrison neighborhood, and resident Alonzo LaMont, Jr. shares the history of the neighborhood's apple orchard, the community's stewardship of the orchard, and the ways the orchard is celebrated as a neighborhood asset.

From the Middle East to East Baltimore, a Johns Hopkins Professor Works to Make the City More Climate-Resilient -- Inside Climate News

Baltimore Commission on Sustainability member, JHU professor, and climate scientist Ben Zaitchik shares about his work studying the impacts of extreme weather and opportunities to enhance resilience to these extremes, including those related to urban heat islands.

Now that summer is in full swing, with it comes cookouts, parties, and social gatherings. These events are a great opportunity to try and live more sustainably by reducing waste. The great thing about planning an event with sustainability in mind is that you can do as much or as little as feasible and still make a difference. Utilizing items second-hand to be used for decoration, entertainment, or purchasing compostable and recyclable items are easy and cost-effective ways to make these events greener.

On the other hand, you could go as far as to hire a zero-waste caterer for your event! One such caterer, Pinch Food Design, is featured in a piece recently written in The Baltimore Sun titled Green Options Transforming a Wedding Industry Prone to Waste. This article focuses on the wedding industry which is "fraught with waste, but a growing contingent of brides and grooms is pushing for more sustainable changes, from the way they invite guests to the food they serve and the clothes they wear." Both large events like weddings and small events like gatherings of just a few neighbors serve as opportunities to live greener and more sustainably. For more specific tips on throwing a sustainable party, check out this article by EcoWatch.