More News

Prince George's County residents and local and state lawmakers came together with an enthusiasm to discuss how to green the county and increase jobs, which may come through environmentally friendly legislation, "green" public transportation and the recycling of materials, which will require partnerships with residents, businesses and lawmakers.

Nearly 100 people—residents and lawmakers alike—gathered at Prince George's Community College in Largo Saturday for the Green Power Awakening roundtable discussion on how to foster a green economy through energy efficient green technology, like wind power, for example, in the county.

"If we continue on the path of destroying our planet, there won't be a 22nd century. We can create change—it's not impossible," said the Rev. Lennox Yearwood, the keynote speaker and president and CEO of Hip Hop Caucus, a Washington, D.C. nonprofit organization that empowers young people in urban communities to participate in the policymaking process. "This isn't a segregated climate movement—it's for blacks, whites and scientists."

The town of Edmonston is setting an example; it is constructing the state's first green street, which will be made from recycled materials like glass and will include a large tree canopy, said Mayor Adam Ortiz.

"Our ripple will cause other ripples—small choices and shifts in what we do; [we need to] do what we do more responsibly and the decision makers have that choice," he said.

Marika Suval of Mount Rainier was one of about 10 people who attended "Youth – How to motivate our youth to be green power leaders," one of four small group discussions. She said the discussion focused on the need to create a curriculum for schools to help young people learn about the environment and how to change their habits to be environmentally friendly and energy efficient.

"To come together and have great ideas [is one thing,] but to see them implemented in the community, the state and the county is the big challenge," she said. "That's why I was very happy to see so many lawmakers there. It really lies on lawmakers to sponsor bills to bring about large change."

Green initiatives, like this green street, are not only helping the environment, they're also helping the economy by creating new jobs.

"The green energy sector is growing, new jobs are being generated," said Lisa Lincoln, the County's outreach coordinator for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. "There is a link between the economy and the global warming crisis."

"Greening" the county will create new jobs; people will be needed to retrofit homes, weatherize homes and federal buildings and the state's Purple Line, an environmentally friendly 16-mile transit line from Bethesda to New Carrollton, proposed by the Maryland Transit Administration, among others, Lincoln said.

Businesses, like The Community Forklift LLC, a nonprofit home improvement thrift store in Edmonston, are even getting involved in "greening" the environment and helping the economy, Ortiz said.

"The county hopes to see green jobs and infrastructure," said Sen. David Harrington (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly. "We're no longer called tree huggers or greenies—we are called the change agents. We're beginning to make some small energy shifts—our priorities are shifting."

Del. Jolene Ivey (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly agreed.

"People are interested; we just need to speak the same language," Ivey said. "There isn't a lack of interest, just bad communication. People just need to spend more time talking about it."

E-mail Liz Skalski at eskalski@gazette.net.