In response to intensifying climate threats, the Baltimore Office of Sustainability is partnering with community organizations like Allen AME Church to provide neighborhood-based climate solutions. From cooling centers and weather tracking to equitable policy and education, the city is building a more resilient and sustainable Baltimore through collaboration and community engagement.
Category: ENVIRONMENT
Posted inBaltimore News
Refill, don’t landfill: Fran Ngong’s fight against single-use plastics
Baltimore native Fran Ngong is on a mission to cut single-use plastic waste through her eco-conscious store, FOBA Refillery. The shop lets customers refill household essentials like shampoo, deodorant and detergent while learning the value of sustainability and reducing waste.
Posted inClimate Change
Planting hope: How Baltimore locals use trees to fight climate change
Baltimore residents like Everett Mitchell and Leah Oliver are leading grassroots efforts to plant trees in underserved neighborhoods, helping to combat climate change and restore green spaces. Their work brings environmental healing, education, and a renewed connection to nature in the heart of the city.
Posted inClimate Change
In Kenya, a search for links between a changing climate and mental health
In Kenya’s Kilifi County, researchers are finding that droughts and floods linked to climate change are worsening mental health challenges for women farmers. A new study by The Aga Khan University shows that extreme weather is associated with rising levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts in rural communities.
Posted inOPINION
Hot, humid, and getting worse: Why Maryland must step up on climate
Critics question why Maryland has not joined other states suing to preserve stronger clean car standards and why costs of climate damage remain unmeasured. Maryland records 30 heat-related deaths through mid-August, the second-highest number in modern history, along with record ER visits in July.
Posted inPOLITICS
The Republican spending bill is bad for climate justice too
The Republican-led budget bill signed on July 4 eliminates key climate justice programs, including the EPA’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program, reversing billions in planned investments for underserved communities. While some grant funding is being defended in court, advocates warn that the rollback signals a major setback for environmental justice efforts, disproportionately impacting Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income Americans.
Posted inBaltimore News
Charm City is farm city: How Baltimore’s urban farms might be the best weapon against rising food costs
Baltimore’s network of 40 urban farms and 60 community gardens is helping residents cope with rising grocery costs by providing affordable—or often free—fresh produce in neighborhoods with limited healthy food options. Rooted in a century-old tradition and strengthened by decades of city policy, these farms not only feed communities but also foster job skills, entrepreneurship and social connection.
Posted in#Education
When the bullying follows you home: A teen’s guide to surviving online cruelty
By Megan SaylesAFRO Staff Writermsayles@afro.com Before the rise of social media, group chats and online forums, bullying was often confined to the school yard, classroom or cafeteria—places teens could physically leave behind at the end of the day. But now, digital devices and 24/7 connectivity have extended those boundaries, allowing harmful behavior to follow young […]
Posted inCommentary
What is artificial intelligence doing to our environment?
By McKenzie Green What?!?! I exclaim in amazement. ChatGPT isn’t an all knowing omnipotent being that can just reach into the internet at will? No. Well, yes– on the internet part– no, on the “omnipotent” bit. Artificial intelligence (AI), like ChatGPT is not an intangible being, it’s a computer; stored in buildings called data centers […]
Posted inENVIRONMENT
NAACP, environmental group notify Elon Musk’s xAI company of intent to sue over facility pollution
The NAACP and environmental advocates plan to sue xAI over pollution from its Memphis data center, citing concerns about air quality and the impact on the predominantly Black communities surrounding the facility.
Posted inENVIRONMENT
Virginia Environmental Action Network tackles toxic contaminants in local waterways
Lewis Ross Brown and Shamira A. Brown founded Virginia Environmental Action Network to address the growing environmental challenges in local communities, focusing on water pollution from toxic chemicals like PFAS and PCBs. Their efforts aim to hold government officials accountable and raise awareness about the dangers these contaminants pose to both human health and the environment.
Posted inClimate Change
Chesapeake Bay health grade dips after hottest year on record and extreme rainfall patterns
The Chesapeake Bay’s health declined from a C-plus to a C in the latest annual report, with scientists attributing the drop to extreme weather patterns during the hottest year on record. Despite the setback, long-term trends show improvement in key areas like dissolved oxygen, aquatic grasses, and nutrient levels, though challenges from climate change and declining water clarity remain.