Green Team

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

Since forming in February 2020, six Mount Olive members (including two youth) have attended Green Team Leader Training presented by Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC). The team is always looking for new members to join in their very important work. Contact us if you are interested.

Our Vision

We share knowledge and guidance with our community to protect, care for and honor our planet today and for future generations to enjoy and love.

Our Projects

On-Going Efforts to Protect and Care for the Environment

We are pleased to announce that the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group awarded the church with a grant to expand our community vegetable garden. Their support is most appreciated.

Improvements to Our Outdoor Meditation Space and Church Grounds

We planted three trees in the meditation circle on November 2020 and held a tree planting service. Tree plantings decrease rainwater runoff.  Flower gardens will beautify and sustain insect and bird populations.

In 2022, we were one of seven churches in the Baltimore area selected to participate in the  Chesapeake Bay Trust Urban Tree Planting Initiative. On October 25, 2022, we planted twenty-two trees in collaboration with Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake.

Shared Harvest Cooperative Community Vegetable Gardens

We grow vegetables for distribution to our Loaves and Fishes Pantry neighbors. They get fresh vegetables from the garden. In our first year, 2022, we raised and distributed 162 pounds of vegetables. In 2023, we have raised and distributed over 300 pounds of vegetables. We give thanks to the Maryland Food Bank and the Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Altantic for grant funds that enable us to continue this garden. Volunteers are welcome and needed. You don’t need experience just a willingness to help and to learn.

Mount Olive Green Infrastructure Design

In July 2023, The Chesapeake Bay Trust awarded Mount Olive UMC a Green Streets, Green Jobs, Green Town grant of $30,175 for “engineered designs of two micro-bioretention areas, a grass swale, and pavement removal” at the church. The program partners for this award are United States Environmental Protection Agency Region3, Chesapeake Bay Program, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

BayLand Consultants & Designers, Inc. were selected to do our design project. The design was completed in March 2024.  We are thankful for the assistance of Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake, Blue Water Baltimore and Gaiacene Services, LLC.

Rainwater Run-Off

We will be undertaking a storm water remediation project in several stages (see “Mount Olive Green Infrastructure Design” above). We hope to engage community members in the installation and maintenance of these critical projects.

Education, Action & Advocacy

  • Selecting speakers, Bible studies, books, and movies for the church and community members to increase understanding of issues such as climate change, storm water run-off, and other environmental issues.
  • Reducing church waste including the use of plastics and halting the purchase and use of Styrofoam products.
  • Advocating with elected officials for policies and laws that address climate change including renewable energy, climate justice, environmental racism, and improved air and water quality for all.

Resources

Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC)  provides monthly Learning Labs, guidance, and support. Their site contains many resources.

Blue Water Baltimore conducted our rainwater audit that includes remediation of storm water run-off at Mount Olive. They also provided advice and resources for our tree planting.

United Women in Faith’s  “Just Energy for All” Initiative provides monthly trainings focused on becoming better advocates for just energy policies.

“All creation is the Lord’s, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. Water, air, soil, minerals, energy resources, plants, animal life, and space are to be valued and conserved because they are God’s creation and not solely because they are useful to human beings. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of love, care and respect.” The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church: The Natural World.