Cooling ENERGY STAR Appliances Added to Maryland Rebate Program

The Maryland Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program has been expanded to include rebates in four additional appliance categories, each related to cooling. These rebates, overseen by the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), encourage residents to replace outdated, inefficient appliances in their homes with ENERGY STAR-rated equivalents, delivering financial savings directly to consumers and energy savings to the state energy grid.

Summertime brings not only evening cookouts and outdoor get-togethers but unwanted, buggy guests as well. Mosquitoes annoy, can also make an outdoor activity miserable and carry disease. Here are some ways to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Expert gardening advice is available for free from the Maryland Master Gardeners, a statewide volunteer service where trained horticulturists educate Maryland gardeners about practices they can use to improve their gardens using sustainable and ecologically sound methods. Activities sponsored by the Master Gardeners include gardening demonstrations and classes, plant clinics, community gardening and youth gardening. Home gardeners can also call the Maryland Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC) hotline (1-800-342-2507) between 8-1 on weekdays to talk to a horticultural consultant for free.  For gardening emergencies, gardeners can also visit the HGIC homepage at hgic.umd.edu or the plant diagnostic web site at plantdiagnostics.umd.edu

Fresh Maryland Holiday Greens are available for holiday decorating this year at Adkins Arboretum, the Anne Arundel County Farmers's Market, American Chestnut Land Trust and Sandy Point State Park. You won't find fresher greens, you'll be reducing your carbon footprint by going local and your house will smell great too. Here are a few places to gather those Maryland Greens.

Green retailers have reason to hope this holiday season. And Santa has some green helpers for shoppers.

Heading into my local TJ Maxx the day after Halloween, I noticed the aisles bursting with new arrivals. Cashmere sweaters, delicacies in fancy jars, and toys galore. On your mark, get set, go: the holiday shopping season has begun.