Actions

Sustainable Maryland actions are designed with flexibility to meet the varying needs of all municipalities. Each action description below outlines benefits, steps for completion, certification points, municipal spotlights, and resources. Review the requirements to earn Bronze or Silver certification here. Many actions have variable points, which means there are several ways to complete the action. Achieve any one of the designated point levels within an action to consider it complete.

Access your municipality's application for certification through the Municipal Dashboard.

Search Actions

Community Action
- Public Wi-Fi Zone
  10 Points
- Community-Based Public Art
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15, 20
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Community Action
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
- Participation in MD Green Schools
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 30
- Green Team
  - Conduct Community Barriers and Benefits Assessment
    15 Points
  - Participate in SM Green Team Training
    5 Points
  - Green Team Action Plan
    10 Points
    Bronze Required Silver Required
  - Create Sustainability Resource Center
    5 Points
  - Green Team
    10 Points
    Bronze Required Silver Required
- Green Fairs
  - Hold a Green Fair
    10 Points
No actions in this category match the search criteria.
Community Based Food System
- Create a Food Forest
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
- Enact a Backyard Chicken Ordinance
  5 Points
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Community Based Food
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
- Establish CSA Drop-off Location
  10 Points
- Local Food Consumption
  - Local Food Fair
    10 Points
  - Local Food Cooking & Preservation Classes
    5 Points
    - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
  - Establish Local Farmers Market
    5 Points
    - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
  - Promote Local Farmers Market
    5 Points
- Local Food Production
  - Spring Transplant Sale
    10 Points
  - Community Gardens
    15 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority
  - Fall Transplant Sale
    10 Points
No actions in this category match the search criteria.
Energy
- Municipal Electric Vehicles
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15, 20
- Renewable Energy
  5 Points
  Bronze Priority Silver Priority
  - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
- Maryland Smart Energy Community Program
  15 Points
- Residential Electric Vehicles and Public Charging Stations
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Energy
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
- Residential Energy Efficiency
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15, 20
- Municipal Energy Audits
  5 Points
  Bronze Priority Silver Priority
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 55
No actions in this category match the search criteria.
Greenhouse Gas
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Greenhouse Gas
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
- Community Carbon Footprint
  15 Points
- Municipal Carbon Footprint
  15 Points
  Bronze Priority Silver Priority
- Climate Planning
  - Climate Change Adaptation Element
    5 Points
  - Climate Action Plan
    5 Points
    - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15, 20
No actions in this category match the search criteria.
Health & Wellness
- Children's Environmental Health
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
- Create Pesticide-Free Zones
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Health & Wellness
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
- Workplace Wellness
  - Workplace Wellness Program
    5 Points
    - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
  - Join Healthiest Maryland Businesses
    5 Points
No actions in this category match the search criteria.
Local Economies
- Main Street Maryland and Main Street Affiliate
  10 Points
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Local Economies
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
- Waste Reduction and Recycling
  - Organic Waste Composting
    5 Points
    - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15, 20
  - Implement Waste Reduction Program
    10 Points
- Green Purchasing
  - Purchase Environmentally Preferable Products
    10 Points
  - Purchase Recycled Products
    10 Points
  - Vendor Preference Statement
    10 Points
  - Evaluate Current Purchasing Practices
    10 Points
  - Green Purchasing Policy
    15 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority
- Green Business Recognition
  - Promote Maryland Green Registry
    5 Points
    - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
  - Join Maryland Green Registry
    5 Points
  - Green Business Certification Program
    15 Points
- Buy Local Campaign
  - Promote Local Business Directory
    5 Points
  - Local Purchasing Preference Policy
    10 Points
  - Economic Analysis of Procurement Practices
    15 Points
  - Local Business Procurement Notices
    10 Points
  - Local Business Roundtable
    5 Points
    - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
  - Establish Local Business Directory
    10 Points
  - Buy Local Campaign
    15 Points
No actions in this category match the search criteria.
Natural Resources
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Natural Resources
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
- Tree City USA
  15 Points
- Wildlife
  - Bee City USA
    10 Points
  - Create an Insect Hotel
    5 Points
  - NWF Community Wildlife Habitat Certification
    10 Points
- Pet Waste
  - Adopt a Pet Waste Ordinance
    5 Points
  - Develop a Pet Waste Program
    5 Points
  - Implement a Pet Waste Education Program
    5 Points
- Water Conservation
  - Develop a Water Conservation Plan
    15 Points
  - Develop a Water Conservation Outreach Program
    10 Points
- Septic Management
  - Dedicated Septic System Fund
    20 Points
  - Septics System Assessment and Inventory
    15 Points
- Stormwater Management
  - Stormwater Management Program
    15 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority
  - Stormwater Manager / Coordinator
    15 Points
  - Stormwater Fee Structure
    20 Points
- Watershed Stewardship
  - Provide Incentives for Watershed Stewardship on Private Lands
    15 Points
  - Provide Voluntary Opportunities for Citizen Engagement in Watershed Stewardship
    10 Points
  - Facilitate Engagement in Existing Watershed Stewardship Opportunities
    5 Points
    - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15, 20
  - Implement Watershed Stewardship / Pollution Prevention Outreach Program(s)
    10 Points
  - Create a Watershed Plan
    20 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority
No actions in this category match the search criteria.
Planning & Land Use
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Planning & Land Use
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
- Participation in DHCD Sustainable Communities
  20 Points
- Land Preservation
  - Conduct Easement Outreach that Encourages Inspection, Evaluation, and Stewardship
    15 Points
  - Build Easement Inventory
    10 Points
No actions in this category match the search criteria.
Historic Preservation
- Historic Area Zoning Ordinance
  10 Points
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Historic Preservation
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
- Establish National Register Historic District
  10 Points
- Establish Local Historic Property Tax Incentives
  15 Points
- Become a Certified Local Government
  15 Points
No actions in this category match the search criteria.
Transportation
- Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan
  15 Points
- Bicycle-Friendly Community Certification
  10 Points
- Complete Streets Policy and Program
  5 Points
  Bronze Priority Silver Priority
  - This action has variable points: 5, 10, 15
- Safe Routes to School Program
  10 Points
- Innovative Demonstration Projects - Transportation
  5 Points
  - This action has variable points: 5 — 50
No actions in this category match the search criteria.

Certification Criteria


Required	2	2
Priority	2	4
Points	150	400
Categories	4	6

Planned Action Totals

New for 2022: Please find more than 20 new Actions, expanded and re-ordered categories, a new Silver Certification Tier and more. For an important overview of what you need to know for 2022, click here.

Send us your feedback and ideas for new actions: mikeh75@umd.edu

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Categories
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Mark actions as planned to determine whether or not your application would meet certification criteria. If all planned action submissions were completed and approved, this application would qualify for [%= level%] certification.

Actions

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Certification Criteria

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Planned Action Totals

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