Environmental Committee
Environmental Committee:
Jenny Lee Freebery – Chair
Secethia Boardley-Davis
Jim Bogden
Andy Goddard
Erin Heckles
Krista Lamoreaux
Joe Maisano
Annie Richards
Ford Schuman
David Sobers
Darran Tilghman
Carole Trippe
Wendy Wander
Kevin Denice – Washington College Liaison
Committee meetings are held every 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00pm on the 2nd floor of Town Hall unless otherwise indicated.
The public are welcome to attend committee Zoom meetings. To join Zoom please email jenneyelee09@gmail.com
Our Mission
The Chestertown Environmental Committee promotes careful stewardship, research, and wise use of natural and economic resources with the goal of achieving an improved quality of life for the community and future generations through sustainable initiatives. For more information contact us at chestertownenviro@gmail.com
Our Goals
- Improve Chestertown’s natural environment through the incorporation of sustainable best practices for the Town’s land use and management, stormwater infrastructure, watershed stewardship, and tree canopy.
- Strengthen the Town’s economy through initiatives that foster sustainable business practices, reinvestment in vacant storefronts, and green purchasing policies.
- Encourage healthy living for the Town’s populace through the expansion of parks, walking trails, bicycle lanes, and wellness programs.
- Reduce the Town’s carbon footprint through the expanded use of alternative energy systems, energy-saving practices, and recycling programs.
- Vision, Goals, and Suggested Tactics based on community feedback collected throughout 2016-2017 environmental events
The Chestertown Environmental Committee engaged in a strategic planning exercise in November, 2018. Committee member Greg Farley led the exercise, using the Appreciative Inquiry method. Click here to read the final draft of the CEC Strategic Plan.
- 2019 Environmental Events
4/20: Earth Day Family fun and environmental programming at Memorial Row, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- 2018 Environmental Events
- All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. This programming is intended to facilitate an ongoing conversation about environmental topics in our community.
- 2/1: Merchants of Doubt Spin doctors spread misinformation and confusion about global climate change.
- 3/1: How to Change the World The early days of Greenpeace illustrate how to mobilize community.
- 4/5: Wasteland Garbage pickers in Rio de Janeiro become subjects mimicking famous paintings.
- 5/3: Garbage Dreams A look into the lives of Egyptian trash collectors.
- 7/5: A Place at the Table Hunger poses economic, social and cultural implications for our nation.
- 8/2: Deeply Rooted John Coykendall’s seed preservation inspires us to reconnect with the land.
- 9/6: Tapped An exploration of the financial and ecological impact of the bottled water industry.
- 10/4: Hempsters Seven activists fight to legalize industrial hemp in the United States.
- 11/1: How to Let Go of the World A riveting account of the dramatic changes occurring due to climate change.
- 12/6: Racing to Extinction Exposing the forces that are leading our planet to its next mass extinction.
- 2017 Environmental Events
- Download a flyer of all events in the 2017 Shore Homesteading series (PDF)
- March 2: Garbage Warrior A documentary that explores working with reclaimed materials in sustainable design and disaster relief. View feedback
- 4/6: Seed: The Untold Story Follow passionate seed keepers who are protecting a 12,000 year-old food legacy. View feedback.
- 4/22: Earth Day Family fun and environmental programming at Memorial Row, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- 5/4: The Power of Community A documentary about how Cuba survived Peak Oil. Figg’s Ordinary, 101 S. Cross St.
- 6/1: We Feed the World A film about how corporations affect farmers, fishermen and the food supply. View feedback.
- 7/6: Wendell Berry, Poet and Prophet A sensible, no-compromise plan to save the world. View feedback.
- 8/3: Fresh New ways to think about how and what people eat. View feedback.
- 8/19: Tomato Tasting Vote for the best tasting tomato.
Lockbriar Farms, 10051 Worton Road, 11am-1pm
- 9/7: Urban Permaculture Regenerative design in the city. View feedback
- 9/23: Permaculture Open House Student-guided tours of the Washington College Campus Garden, a food forest and wildlife sanctuary.
1-3pm, parking behind 508 Washington Ave.
- 9/26: The Backyard Medicine Cabinet Plants throughout history have healed wounds, settled tummies and soothed coughs. Learn which plants to cultivate in your own living medicine cabinet, their historic uses and simple ways to prepare. Washington College, Hynson Lounge, 6:30-7:30pm.
- 9/30: An Eastern Shore Oktoberfest Live music and children’s activities to benefit Colchester Farm CSA. Buy tickets online.
- 10/5: Passive House Revolution How to maximize energy efficiency in home construction and remodeling. View feedback.
- 10/11: Introduction to Yoga Yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and therapeutic touch create meaningful connections in everyday life. A discussion of how your body works, why yoga supports health, and easy techniques to practice at home.
- 10/19: Natural Pest Prevention Permaculturist Shane Brill on ecological tactics for healthy landscapes.
- 10/24: Food Day How sustainable is your chocolate?
- 10/28: Make a Movement A community performance art piece to inspire action on climate change.
- 10/30: Trashed Explore the extent of global waste.
- 11/2: Bag It A film about reducing plastic in our lives. View feedback
- 11/14: Straws and Stuff Two short films and community visioning about the reducing waste in Chestertown.
Washington College, Hynson Lounge, 6:30-8:00pm.
- 12/7: The Clean Bin Project Can we live completely waste free? View feedback
4/22: Earth Day Family fun and environmental programming at Memorial Row, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- 2016 Environmental Events
- Download a flyer of all events in the 2016 Shore Homesteading series (PDF)
- January 7: Ed Minch Are your energy bills hurting your wallet but your home is still cold? In this session you will learn the common sources of heat leakage and how to correct this problem.
- February 4: Eric Buehl How homeowners can improve regional water quality by using rain barrels, rain gardens, native plants, and the proper use of pesticides.
- March 3: Dirt: The Movie A story with heart and soul brings to life the environmental, economic, social and political impact that the soil has.
- April 7: Vanishing of the Bees Follows commercial beekeepers as they strive to keep their bees healthy. Bees pollinate a third of the food we eat but they are vanishing from their hives at an alarming rate.
- May 5: Chasing Ice Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the track of history by gathering undeniable evidence of our changing planet.
- June 2: Andrew Ristvey Discussion on niche crops with an emphasis on introducing aronia as a viable crop in this region. View feedback.
- July 7: Lyle Almond A review of CCLC’s Eight Essentials of Conservation Landscaping and aesthetic and ecological principles of woodland gardening.
- August 4: Blue Gold Blue Gold wars of the future will be fought over water, not oil, as the source of cell life enters the center stage on the global political arena for control of our dwindling fresh water supply.
- September 1: Just Eat It A food waste story. Americans toss and the equivalent of $165 billion in food annually.
- September 20: Growing and Cooking with Herbs Join Master Gardener Sabine Harvey for a talk on how to produce, preserve, and use herbs to spice up home cooking.
- October 1: Backyard Ecosystems Certified Horticulturalist Cindy King will share a presentation followed by a question and answer session.
- October 6: Olamana Gardens Get inspired by several do-it-yourself projects including worm cultivating, soil-blocking, and aquaponic garden designs. View feedback.
- October 8: An Eastern Shore Oktoberfest Live music and children’s activities to benefit Colchester Farm CSA.
- October 12: Wild Homebrewing From apple cider to dandelion and elderflower wine, learn how to homebrew using foraged fruits and flowers with Tara Holste.
- October 17: Composting 101 Learn how to turn kitchen scraps, fallen leaves, and grass clippings into soil fertility with Master Gardener Denise Malueg.
- October 24: Feast and Famine: The Food System of the Mid-Shore Join this intensely interactive workshop to learn the realities of life here on the Shore, how the “system” really works, and what you can do to help.
- November 3: Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective An introduction to permaculture, an ecological design method for solving issues related to agriculture, economics, and governance. View feedback.
- November 15: The Versatile Cabbage Explore the many variations of this easy-to-grow and highly nutritious plant family.
- December 1: Alone in the Wilderness Follow the mesmerizing story of Dick Proenneke, a man who ventures into the Alaskan wilderness to live a simple life in the natural world.
July 7: Lyle Almond A review of CCLC’s Eight Essentials of Conservation Landscaping and aesthetic and ecological principles of woodland gardening.
August 4: Blue Gold Blue Gold wars of the future will be fought over water, not oil, as the source of cell life enters the center stage on the global political arena for control of our dwindling fresh water supply.
September 1: Just Eat It A food waste story. Americans toss and the equivalent of $165 billion in food annually.
September 20: Growing and Cooking with Herbs Join Master Gardener Sabine Harvey for a talk on how to produce, preserve, and use herbs to spice up home cooking.
October 1: Backyard Ecosystems Certified Horticulturalist Cindy King will share a presentation followed by a question and answer session.
October 6: Olamana Gardens Get inspired by several do-it-yourself projects including worm cultivating, soil-blocking, and aquaponic garden designs. 
October 8: An Eastern Shore Oktoberfest Live music and children’s activities to benefit Colchester Farm CSA.
October 12: Wild Homebrewing From apple cider to dandelion and elderflower wine, learn how to homebrew using foraged fruits and flowers with Tara Holste.
October 17: Composting 101 Learn how to turn kitchen scraps, fallen leaves, and grass clippings into soil fertility with Master Gardener Denise Malueg.
October 24: Feast and Famine: The Food System of the Mid-Shore Join this intensely interactive workshop to learn the realities of life here on the Shore, how the “system” really works, and what you can do to help.
November 3: Inhabit: A Permaculture Perspective An introduction to permaculture, an ecological design method for solving issues related to agriculture, economics, and governance. 
November 15: The Versatile Cabbage Explore the many variations of this easy-to-grow and highly nutritious plant family.
- The Plastic Straw Petition advocating for reduced use of straws garnered 176 signatures during December 2017.
Join Us!
Anyone wishing to serve on a Commission or Committee should send a resume to Town Hall (118N Cross Street, Chestertown, Maryland 21620) with a cover letter indicating which Commission or Committee that they would like to serve.