The term sustainability is used to describe an efficient way of looking at development and growth. According to The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook (p. 119), it is "about meeting today's needs without hampering future generations." This means growth that ensures waste-free production, values people, and maximizes profits -- the process recognized as the triple bottom line. 

Sustainability Plan

The Bowie Sustainability Plan, adopted on November, 21, 2016, is a 10-year plan that details goals, strategies, and actions that will help ensure Bowie is a diverse and vibrant community that is committed to its citizens, economy, and natural environment. Achieving the objectives in this plan will be a continued community effort, and every resident can make a difference. Each year we do an update of where the City is in regards to the Sustainability Plan - what actions have been taken, what we have achieved, and what we still need to work on. View the 2020 update here.

Sustainability Webinar Series

During COVID, the City hosted a series of webinars on different sustainability related topics. An entire playlist can be viewed on the City's YouTube account by going here. 

Green Citizen Award
The City presents an annual Green Citizen Award to one citizen with outstanding practices in sustainability and community outreach. The awardee is presented each spring at the Bowie Green Expo by the Mayor and the award committee. The committee reviewing nominations is made up of members of the Bowie Green Team and Environmental Advisory Committee. 

• The first winner was Gaye Williams in 2017
• Dr. Harold Moline in 2018
• Cecelia Reddy in 2019
• Ann Fleming in 2020

For 2021 we are doing things a little different and trying to recognize all of the hard work and sacrifice during this past year in lockdown...

Our number one Green Citizen Award goes to...

• The Bowie Interfaith Food Pantry
  

  It includes the pantry workers, the volunteers of the garden that helps supply the pantry with fresh fruits and vegetables, the donors, and everyone else involved in this amazing process. The director and staff made major adjustments to be able to keep the pantry open while many others had to close due to COVID-19. The pantry feeds so many and works tirelessly in the community to ensure equal access to foods for all. For that, we thank you!

• Our second award goes to: Work from Home-ers
  

  Have you thought about how much gas you've saved this year? Those of you stuck in the house for a year have done the environment a lot of good. It has been hard on everyone, adjusting to schedules, taking on new responsibilities, less human interaction, but think of it on the bright side: you've done a lot of good for the environment. 

• Our third award goes to: Composters and Food Waste Program-ers

  - Those that can dispose of food scraps in their own backyard or in the City program need to be recognized. Did you know that each week, families participating in the City Food Waste Program send about 6 lbs. of food waste to the composting facility? That's about 1380 pounds a week. Inversely, using this metric, that's about 348,000 pounds Bowie sends to the landfill each week. Landfills are a super emitter of greenhouse gases and food scraps are a main contributor. So, the less food waste we send to landfills, the less emissions it produces. Composting and food waste programs are just the ticket. Thank you!

• Our fourth award goes to: Teachers
  

  You all have outdone yourselves. Keeping kids engaged through a screen, having more eyes on you, having to learn how to do everything virtually, dealing with slow connections or wandering kids. Hats off to all of you! 

• And last but certainly not least:  Front line workers
  

  A big thanks to all of you that have kept us safe and kept businesses running. We are so proud to be surrounded by front line workers and heroes proving that all heroes, in fact, do not wear capes. They are our own family members and neighbors. 

See How Bowie Stacks Up

Below are a few sustainability indicators, tracked by the State of Maryland, using American Community Survey data. See how Bowie stacks up compared to the County and State.