“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”  - Margaret MeadThe Simplicity Matters Earth Institute organizes ongoing discussions of issues related to conservation, ecology and saving our planet. Four local groups based in Bethesda, Towson, Columbia and Vienna, Va. meet monthly. The monthly groups are a chance to learn about and discuss a specific topic within a small circle of individuals, share ideas and solutions and suggest actions.   Simplicity Matters is an offshoot of the Potomac Valley Earth …

  Tania Hayek Mercer and Christine Fabrizio became fast friends after meeting at the Whole Foods in Friendship Heights. Mercer was leading the cooking class Fabrizio attended, and the two had a few things in common: Both were based in D.C. and had trained as health coaches at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and both believed in the power of raw food. Their mutual hankering for kale chips didn't hurt. Now known as the Sunfire Girls, the two women have created three varieties of kale chips for sale now at the same place they met. Their original, ancho chile or coconut lime kale chips …

Despite a cold morning and icy sidewalks, over 70 county residents spent this past Saturday at Bethesda Green talking about increasing the amount of locally grown food in Montgomery County and watching a live stream of TEDx Manhattan’s ‘Changing the Way We Eat’.  Organized by Bethesda Green, Full Plate Ventures, and Slow Food D.C., Full Plate Ventures principal Cheryl Kollin welcomed the group by saying, “This is the only viewing party organized in the entire D.C. metropolitan area.”  It was a day to listen to speakers at the cutting edge of our national debate about local food, hear from …

It’s a busy day for Mark Leisher in the office of Mark Leisher Productions at Bethesda Green. The phone is ringing, emails are coming in and people are stopping by. But Leisher is focused on his current project and passion – a 30-minute documentary about the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve.  “I work as a one-man band," Leisher said. :I’m doing it all on my own and that’s tough as a film maker.”  A 30-Minute Documentary to Showcase the History and Promise of the Ag ReserveLeisher got involved with the Ag Reserve through the Montgomery Countryside Alliance when he learned the group …

Patch recently asked one simple question of area individuals who bring greener living to Bethesda through their entrepreneurship and their passion for saving our planet: "Living a greener lifestyle is often about finding new ways to be green and continually adjusting how you live. What have you added or changed in the past year that you’ll continue to do in 2012 in either your business or your personal life?"We hope these amazing responses will inspire you to make changes in 2012!  Seth Goldman, President and TeaEO, Honest Tea.  "I think the biggest change for me this year has been to make …

It’s the thought that counts, and if your thoughts are green then you’re probably thinking about low impact giving for the holidays.  Here are some suggestions to get you going if you’re still looking for the right gift for someone special!Make a donation to a sustainable cause or organization in someone’s name.  We all have people in our lives that seem to have everything.   If they support green causes making a donation in their name to an organization that’s saving our planet is a great way to go.  They feel good, you feel good and the organization is thrilled.  There are many to choose …

The Green Savings Coop, a Bethesda Green business incubator company, offers access to discounts for renewable energy, home and building needs, transportation and sustainable products and services. Executive director Mike Kennedy, recently spoke with Bethesda Patch about the Coop, its growth and success over the past three years, and plans for the future.One Stop and One of a Kind“There’s an old adage that going green costs more,” Kennedy said. “That’s just not true for the Green Savings Coop.”   Kennedy has spent the last three years developing and growing the Coop, starting with a close look…

Visit Brookside Gardens.  Brookside Gardens in Wheaton is a 50 acre public display garden and a 2011 Bethesda Magazine Green Champion.  Don’t miss their evening Garden of Lights from November 25 to January 8.  This year 70 percent of the Garden of Lights Show has been converted to LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights. With reductions in printing and encouraging visitors to come on the least busy nights the Garden of Lights is ‘getting greened’.  Enjoy!  There is a $20-$25 charge per car for the Garden of Lights.  Admission to Brookside Gardens is free.Bethesda’s Farmers Markets.  The Montgomery …

Red Wiggler Community Farm is a non-profit farm in Germantown that provides employment for adults with developmental disabilities through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, provides educational opportunities to area youth, and practices organic farming and environmental stewardship. Patch attended a Farm Walk at Red Wiggler this summer and their Annual Harvest Supper this fall, and recently caught up with founder and executive director Woody Woodroof. Woodroof spoke about the completion of Red Wiggler’s Murray Multipurpose Program Building and Cafritz Greenhouse as he walked …

Chef Tony’s restaurant hosted D.C. Digital Week’s "Local Food Goes Digital" on Monday evening. The event, organized by Cheryl Kollin, principal of Full Plate Ventures, showcased the efforts of Foodem.com founder Kash Rehman to connect local farms with Washington, D.C.-area chefs and restaurants. Chef Tony Marciante prepared a special menu of local foods for the evening, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Montgomery Countryside Alliance.Growing Demand for Local Food a Challenge for Local Restaurants, Hospitals and SchoolsKollin spoke about the growing demand for local food in …

Ten Acres of Apples and a Dream to Produce Hard Cider Distillery Lane Ciderworks grows 39 varieties of apples for eating, baking and cider making on 10 acres of orchards within 90 minutes of Bethesda. Owners Rob Miller and Patty Power are a husband and wife team who have realized their dream of making their own hard cider in Maryland. During the past 10 years they have planted over 2,000 apple trees in their orchard and persevered through paperwork and regulations to become the first company in Maryland to produce and sell hard cider on their premises. They now offer several types of hard …

SCRAP-DC is a new nonprofit in the DC area committed to teaching creative ways to recycle items into usable products — Legos into earrings, fire hoses into shopping bags, worn books into boxes — the list is endless. With a DC site and a presence at area events co-directors Karen Klein and Heather Bouley show anyone who’s interested how to take everyday discards and turn them into usable treasures.Two Creative Recyclers Come Together to Co-Direct SCRAP-DCPatch spoke with Klein, a Kensington resident who has turned a passion for creative reuse into inspiring others. While visiting family in …

The Nissan Leaf has arrived in Bethesda, and Patch had a chance to take a test drive with the help of Chevy Chase Nissan on Wisconsin Avenue. This all electric car is an early example of how auto manufacturers are rethinking design and function to limit environmental impact. Take the opportunity to learn more, and you’ll be ahead of the curve!Leaf Demo Arrives and First Deliveries Scheduled for Mid-NovemberChevy Chase Nissan received a Leaf on Oct. 4 for demonstration and test drives, and sales consultant Anthony Talavera, drove the Leaf over to Bethesda Green’s Gala at Round House Theatre on…

Savenia Labs has officially launched their independent lab-tested energy rating system. Strosniders is offering the first opportunity for this Bethesda Green Incubator startup to present their ratings to the public starting with ratings of small appliances.  Patch wrote about Savenia Labs earlier this year as John Jabara, founder and CEO, was in the final stages of launching the company. Stop by the small appliances aisle of Strosniders in Bethesda and Silver Spring to take a look!  Support from Bethesda Green and Cooperation from StrosnidersJabara met with Patch in the small appliance aisle …

Round House Theatre was the setting Wednesday night for Bethesda Green’s second annual gala, an evening to bring together supporters of Bethesda Green and recognize the winners of Bethesda Magazine’s 2011 Green Champion awards.  Over 200 guests and honorees got a chance to eat, drink and mingle before heading into the theater for the awards ceremony hosted by Dave Feldman, executive director of Bethesda Green, and Steve Hull, Bethesda Magazine publisher. It was an evening of fun, surprises, and support for all things green – and a chance to hear from "green champions" whose time, talents and …

The newly renamed Rock Creek Conservancy held an evening open house Tuesday at their new home at Bethesda Green. The Conservancy now shares office space with other green startups at the downtown headquarters as part of Bethesda Green’s incubator program. The Rock Creek Conservancy is a nonprofit group working to protect and restore Rock Creek and its waters, parks and lands. Rock Creek covers 1,700 acres and 33 miles of creek running through the Washington metropolitan area, and the Conservancy focuses on the creek and surrounding area in Maryland and Washington, D.C. It’s a unique swath of …

Chef Tony’s was the setting for Monday’s Savor Local Flavor – Dinner at Chef Tony’s, a special dinner prepared from local ingredients and served to 30 very lucky guests who gathered to discuss and enjoy the benefits of local cuisine prepared by the talented Chef Tony Marciante.  The dinner was the final event in the "On the Farm, Around the Table" series hosted by Bethesda Green and Full Plate Ventures. The evening, during which Chef Tony’s dinner held center stage, was a fitting end to the series’ focus on the rewards of working with local farmers to increase the availability of locally …

The rain stopped, the clouds parted, and the sun came out on Saturday, Sept. 10 for Red Wiggler Community Farm's 16th annual Harvest Supper.  Held each September at the farm, this evening is a time for growers, staff, volunteers and fans of Red Wiggler to come together, hear about the successes of the past year and plans for the next, and to show their support. Red Wiggler Community Farm is a non-profit in Germantown that provides meaningful employment for adults with developmental disabilities, runs a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, provides educational opportunities to area …

Some of Bethesda's neighborhoods are a walker's paradise -- at least according to Walkscore.com. The site recently posted their list of ’10 Most Walkable Cities’ in the U.S. The site, which provides the walkability ratings of 2,500 U.S. cities, is a great source of information. Just plug in a zip code or an address, and you’ll get a rating of that location’s walkability, along with a map marking the location of nearby stores, coffee shops, restaurants, libraries and other amenities.  Cities with high walkability ratings are ranked from 0-100 as a "Walker’s Paradise" (90-100), "Very Walkable…

There’s always a scramble as kids head back to school.  School supplies, lunch supplies, backpacks, clothing and everything in between.  It’s great to be ready but it takes a lot to get there.  Want to make it easier and help our planet at the same time?  Take a look at these tips from some of Bethesda’s greenest moms – women who love their kids but love our planet too.  You might see something that will work for you!If you haven’t bought everything – or anything - yet, relax.  Just get through the first few days and then think about what your children really need.  Lynn Miller, Founder of …