DNR Helps Marylanders Go Green with Rain Barrels
Registration deadline for rain barrel workshop is June 10

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Annapolis, Md. (May 11, 2009) — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Education Team is holding a workshop June 19 at 12 p.m. to help Maryland citizens make their homes smarter and greener using rain barrels. Rain barrels slow down roof water runoff and allow it to infiltrate in the ground, giving plants and roots the chance to absorb the nitrogen rich storm water before it runs off into the streams and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

DNR, with the help of partner Arlington Echo Outdoor Education center, will hold the hour-long workshop to teach Marylanders everything they need to know to install the 55 gallon barrel. The workshop costs $80 but participants will be able to take home their own rain barrel.

A small house – about 1,000 square feet—produces more than 630 gallons of runoff during a summer storm. Every drop caught in a rain barrel will not only help turn around the Chesapeake Bay, but offer great nutrients for a garden. Participants can even attach a hose or soaker hose to the barrel to help water their plants. Participants will also have to buy a flex tub to attach the barrel to their rain gutters.

Please visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/education to download the registration form. Contact Elena S. Takaki at etakaki@dnr.state.md.us or call 410-260-8715 with questions.

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May 11, 2009

Contact: Josh Davidsburg 410-260-8002 office I 410-507-7526 cell jdavidsburg@dnr.state.md.us

Introduced by Governor Martin O’Malley in October 2008, Maryland’s Smart, Green & Growing initiative was created to strengthen the state’s leadership role in fostering smarter, more sustainable growth and inspire action among all Marylanders to achieve a more sustainable future. The Initiative brings together state agencies, local governments, businesses and citizens to create more livable communities, improve transportation options, reduce the state’s carbon footprint, support resource based industry, invest in green technologies, preserve valuable resource lands and restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov