An underground network of sewer pipes runs alongside our local streams and carries raw sewage from our homes and businesses to wastewater treatment plants situated on the Patapsco and Back Rivers. In a perfect system, the sewage would go from point A to point B without ever seeing the light of day. But in many…
We’re just a few weeks into 2023, and there are already so many exciting advocacy initiatives to support! As Maryland’s state legislative session gets underway this week, the Baltimore County Council is also starting the year off strong by introducing a bill to ban plastic bags. Read more about this bill below and take action…
Sewage backups into peoples’ homes are a big problem in Baltimore City. When raw sewage spurts out from a basement-level toilet, bubbles up from a floor drain, or floods a washing machine, it presents a danger to residents’ health, causes damage to homes, and requires immediate attention and resources to fix. Backups can be caused…
We’ve been busy tracking local and state legislation since our last Advocacy Update! On March 16th, Baltimore’s City Council held a hearing on a bill to require City government operations become net zero. This was the final hearing on Councilman Mark Conway’s climate package. Now we need to tell the City Council to pass the…
Take Action! Fight Climate Change From raw sewage backing up into peoples’ basements to the urban heat island effect exacerbating hot temperatures, climate change poses significant risks to Baltimore’s communities, waterways, and environment. And the effects of climate change are not felt equally. As a result of systemic disinvestment, Black and brown communities are more…
The last few months at Blue Water Baltimore have been packed with important advocacy efforts in Baltimore City. We asked you to take action in support of the city’s trees and to speak out against sewage backups — and you did big time! We have some exciting progress to share on these two issues. These…
If you follow our work at Blue Water Baltimore, you know that we are all about trees. Why? Trees clean our air and water, reduce flooding, lower temperatures and energy bills, improve public health and social cohesion, and beautify our neighborhoods. Planting trees is a critical part of our work to restore the health of…
What are native, non-native, and invasive plant species? Native species have co-evolved in specific ecosystems for thousands of years. Native plants are anchors of healthy, biodiverse communities. They have adapted to local soils and climate conditions. Each species plays a necessary role in the delicate web of life and preserves the balance and beauty of…
You’ve probably been hearing about how elections are being impacted by COVID-19 around the country and may be wondering what’s going to happen with our local elections in Maryland. While voters in Wisconsin were recently forced to put their health at risk to exercise their right to vote, Marylanders will have the opportunity to participate…
In anticipation of Baltimore’s plastic bag ban, we’re partnering with the Office of Sustainability on a design contest for reusable bags to give out to city residents. Earlier in January, before we fell into the grips of a global pandemic, Baltimore City passed a plastic bag ban to protect our streets and streams from this…