Howard County buildings must meet "green" standards

      Green Building is the practice of creating more resource efficient buildings and their sites through the use of materials, energy, and water, reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better design, siting, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition - the complete building life cycle. Council Bill 47-2007 passed on July 30, 2007, establishes green building standards for public and private buildings in Howard County. Effective July 1, 2008:

      Most new publicly funded buildings (30% or more County funding), larger than 10,000 square feet must attain a LEED Silver rating.
     Most new private buildings larger than 50,000 square feet must attain a LEED Certified rating. 

In Howard County the following schools have reached "green" status: 

Atholton Elementary School
Centennial Lane Elementary School
 Dayton Oaks Elementary School
Deep Run Elementary School 
Forest Ridge Elementary School
Glenwood Middle School
Hollifield Station Elementary School 
Longfellow Elementary School 

       According to Mainstreet.com the ways you can make your home more "green" are:
1) Make your own environmentally safe cleaners.  Home cleaning products contain many toxic substances.
2) Replace regular shower heads with a low flow head
3) Stop buying plastic products
4) Turnoff appliances when not in use
5) Purchase a programmable thermostat or join BG&E's Peak Rewards program
6) Look for the Energy Star when purchasing new appliances