MAEOE in the News!

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-omalley-nature-20100727,0,3663209.story

Full Time Job Oppertunity in DC

DC EnvironMentors seeks Full Time Project Coordinator for new classroom-integrated EnvironMentors high school project. This position is best suited for those interested in HS youth development, EE, classroom experience, or scientific research writing. Start mid- August. Send resume, a research paper (scientific if available) writing sample, and 3 references to Jacklyn Shafir (jshafir@ncseonline.org) by July 30th.

You can have a GREENER & LOWER eletricity bill

MAEOE is the latest non-profit in Maryland, joining the likes of MPT and Towson University to partner with Viridian’s non-profit fundraising program. It all started with deregulation. In 2006, energy de-regulation happened. Now you have the power to choose your own source of power. Companies like BGE are energy distributors. They don’t create power themselves. Instead they buy it on the open market. BGE is actually encouraging customers to exercise their choice. There are dozens of companies from which to choose (http://www.bge.com/portal/site/bge/menuitem.59a6ce21fee4f6c33c88ff10016176a0/) . Many of the choices provide energy at costs lower than what you are currently paying. However, since deregulation, only 5% of Marylanders have chosen to take advantage of it. Have you? Only two, however, are green focused, Clean Currents and the Viridian.


What if that choice saved you money, reduced your carbon footprint and also helped:
- Grow Green Schools
- Support Teacher Training
- Establish Schoolyard Habitats
- Create an Environmental Literate Citizenry

Choosing Viridian Energy as your provider is safe, simple, and takes no more than five minutes over the phone or online. You'll still get one bill, and if you don't like the change, you can switch back any time. There are no contracts, no setup or cancellation fees -no risk at all to you.



When you switch a portion of proceeds is directed to MAEOE. However, any non-profit can also become a partner and raise funds to support its mission. This includes schools who are always searching for ways to raise money for projects associated with Maryland Green School initiatives. This is residual income that could be used to pay for busses to attend the Summit or materials to construct a rain garden. Best of all – students are not selling candy or pizza. They are helping people lower their carbon footprints and save money at the same time.



If you would like to setup a presentation on the non-profit partner program with Viridian – please contact MAEOE’s Viridian representative Elena Leneski – energywithpurpose@gmail.com



You can also check out MAEOE’s page: www.viridian.com/maeoe

MDNCLI: Environmental Literacy Vote-HELP NEEDED

After almost two years of development, discussions and hard work by so many, we are now approaching a crucial final vote by the State Board of Education on a Maryland environmental literacy high school graduation requirement. The proposed environmental literacy graduation requirement is slated to be published by MSDE on July 16th followed by a 30-day public comment period.

Over the next few weeks, we will be requesting your assistance demonstrating the broad support for an environmental literacy graduation requirement to the State Board of Education in three critical steps:

1) Contact school board members, on behalf of your organization, and let them know that you support this requirement. THIS NEEDS TO START TODAY!
2) Submit comments on behalf of your organization during the 30-day public comment period, NEXT WEEK--we will circulate details July 19th.
3) Send an action alert to your members so they also can submit comments during the 30-day public comment period. NEXT WEEK--we will circulate details July 19th.

Today, we need you to begin by making at least one contact with a member of the State Board of Education, on behalf of your organization. You can write a letter, or if you have a personal relationship, please plan a call or visit. Contact any school board members that you know, or who represent your area to:

• Show your strong support an environmental literacy graduation requirement
• Encourage inclusion of the environmental literacy graduation requirement in the COMAR graduation requirements section: COMAR 13A.03.02
• Let them know why environmental literacy is important (particularly to Maryland and to your region)

Below is a list of State Board of Education members and the counties in which they work and/or reside. If you do not know a member of the school board or your area is not specifically represented, please address your letter to James H. DeGraffenreidt, President of the Board.

Maryland State Board of Education
Attn: (Board Member)
200 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
FAX: 410-333-2226
Email: stateboard@msde.state.md.us
(Please blind copy or otherwise notify jdieguez@cbf.org when you contact a board member)

James H. DeGraffenreidt, Jr.
President
Baltimore City Dr. Charlene M. Dukes
Vice President
Glenn Dale
Prince Georges Co. Dr. Mary Kay Finan
Cumberland
Allegany Co. Ivan C.A. Walks, M.D.
Potomac
Montgomery Co.
Kate Walsh
Catonsville
Baltimore City & Co. Donna Hill Staton, Esq.
Clarksville
Howard Co. S. James Gates, Jr.
Mitchellville
Prince Georges Co. Madhu Sidhu
Chestertown
Kent Co.
Guffrie M. Smith, Jr.
St. Leonard
Calvert Co. Luisa Montero-Diaz
Prince George's Co.
Montgomery Co. Sayed M. Naved
Montgomery Co. David H. Murray
Student Member
Bowie
Prince Georges Co.


This is the moment we have all been waiting for. Maryland is on the verge of being the first state to create a high school graduation requirement for environmental literacy, but this will only happen with your support.

Thank you!


Julie Dieguez
Coordinator Maryland No Child Left Inside Coalition
www.mdncli.org
jdieguez@cbf.org

Chesapeake Research Consortium Job Openings

2 Post-Doctoral Positions: Quantitative ecologist, oceanographer, coastal hydrologist or resource economist

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service seeks 2 postdoctoral researchers in one or more of the following fields: quantitative ecology, spatial ecology, oceanography, coastal hydrology, or resource economics. In collaboration with the Natural Capital Project, we are developing tools to model and map the distribution of biodiversity and the flow of multiple ecosystem services across land- and seascapes, with a focus on Chesapeake Bay, U.S. east coast, Galveston Bay, Texas, and Puget Sound, Washington.

For a detailed description and instructions for resume submission, please contact Ben Hilliard via e-mail (hilliardb@si.edu).


Fisheries Ecosystem Model Technician

NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO) works with marine scientists, coastal resource managers, and the general public to provide products to help protect, restore, and manage U.S. coastal resources. The Chesapeake Bay Office is seeking an individual to assist with the management and development of fisheries-based ecosystem models. The technician will provide support to NCBO in moving towards the goals for ecosystem-based fisheries management and integrated assessments of the Chesapeake Bay. Specifically, the position is designed to primarily support development and review of the Chesapeake Bay Fisheries Ecosystem Modeling and the Chesapeake Atlantis Model.

For a detailed description and instructions for resume submission, please contact Ben Hilliard via e-mail (hilliardb@si.edu).

CRC Environmental Management Career Development Program

Are you here looking for information about openings in the CRC Fellowship Program? If you are, you have come to the right place. The Career Development Program is the same program; we just got a new name!

The CRC Environmental Management Career Development Program is an excellent opportunity for individuals interested in environmental science and/or management to gain professional, working experience in Chesapeake Bay policy development and implementation while at the same time expanding personal skill sets and growing professionally. CRC works in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program located in Annapolis, Maryland to provide three-year opportunities for emerging environmental professionals and stewards in which participants experience the interaction of science, policy development, and management by focusing on critical issues such as habitat, fisheries, nutrients and sediment, land use, growth and development, climate change, monitoring, and environmental modeling within the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.

Please see the position description(s) for each opening below. To apply for a position, please send a cover letter, resume, short writing sample, and a list of at least 3 references to Melissa Fagan, Career Development Program Coordinator, at faganm@si.edu. Please indicate which position(s) you are applying for and include information concerning education and professional background, as well as immediate and long-term career goals.

Fostering Stewardship Goal Implementation Team Staffer

Restoration of the Chesapeake Bay requires committed, passionate individuals and the CRC seeks such an individual for a three-year appointment to the Fostering Chesapeake Stewardship Goal Team. The Fostering Chesapeake Stewardship Goal Team seeks to promote individual stewardship and assist, citizens, communities and local governments undertake initiatives to achieve restoration and conservation in the Chesapeake region.

The ideal candidate for the position would have the following background and qualifications:

* A Bachelor’s degree in natural sciences, environmental management/policy/planning, communications, or other relevant area of study.
* Ability to work with people in a consensus building environment and independently plan meetings, develop agendas, and draft concise meeting minutes.
* Ability to write for the web, including appropriately tailoring text and graphics for optimum communication effectiveness. This includes demonstrated excellence in written and oral communications that are clear, concise, and to the point.
* Experience with watershed organizations and working collaboratively with citizens to solve local environmental issues.
* Experience in developing and delivering environmental education programming for local governments, elected officials, community leaders, environmental educators, and environmental education providers.
* Ability to perform background research and analysis on scientific and policy related topics.
* Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required. Experience with Microsoft Publisher and/or graphics software is preferred.
* Interest in learning how a multi-party, governmental-environmental-management partnership makes decisions effectively and sets and achieves goals through collaborative processes.

For each position listed above, the annual salary is $35,096 and a competitive vacation and benefits package is included for the three-year appointment. In addition to the experience gained through these assignments, Staffers, through individual professional development plans, also attend professional conferences, workshops, and training related to their position and identified future career interests.

For more information about the Chesapeake Research Consortium Environmental Management Career Development Program, please visit our Environmental Management Career Development Program Website or contact Melissa Fagan, Program Coordinator, at (410)798-1283 or faganm@si.edu.

http://www.chesapeake.org/CRCjobs.html

Local Easern Shore Sustainable Organic Network is hiring a Project Manager

The Local Eastern Shore Sustainable Organic Network (LESSON, Inc.) is looking for a dynamic, innovative and self directed individual to manage several local food shed building projects and raise additional funds to move the organization forward in achieving its mission to build a safe, just and sustainable regional food system. This is a part-time contractual position with the expectation that it will transition into a full-time leadership position supported significantly through grant-based initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITIES
o 35% Project Management and Coordination: Ensure that all deliverables, as described in grants and contracts related to LESSON, are delivered on time and within budget. Oversee coordination between project grants and LESSON’s strategic goals.
o 30% Program Development and Opportunity Identification: Support grant writing; identify and help develop new opportunities for funding and projects; network with potential funders to support and fund projects, staff and salary.
o 25% Communication and Networking: Represent LESSON at local events and networking opportunities. Coordinate communication such that LESSON has access to needed information, share information appropriately with community members and facilitate information dissemination to interested parties as well as direct communication among LESSON partners and community members in the fulfillment of LESSON’s mission and project development. Maintain and update LESSON website. Work with web designer to acquire skills necessary to comfortably manage day to day web-based communications network.
o 10% Reporting and Documentation. Organize and record a wide range of data regarding LESSON’s activities, projects and events. Create and present regular updates and reports to funding agencies, and for LESSON’s board of directors, as required.

JOB REQUIREMENTS
o Education. Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
o Experience. Demonstrable project management experiences. Grant writing experience preferred.
o Computer Skills. Microsoft Access, Excel, and Word; statistical analysis a plus.
o Research Competencies: Understands the basic requirements of empirically based research; is comfortable with the internet environment for information collection and sharing, understands research findings reported in scholarly sources related to sustainable agriculture.
o Other skills: Manages multiple tasks; organized and methodical; conflict management

Send letter of interest and resume, including references, to hiring@ShoreFood.org
LESSON website: www.shorefood.org

City Blossom job oppertunity

City Blossoms is seeking dynamic, creative, garden-loving individuals to help lead programming and make greening the city exciting starting this summer in D.C., Takoma Park, and Baltimore. Exp in edu required -Spanish-speaking skills are a +. Gardening and/or Arts knowledge/confidence is extremely helpful! Must be available weekdays and some Saturdays.Send resume and cover letter to Lola Bloom lola@cityblossoms.org

Birds in Focus Contest Audubon Magazine

Turn your love of birds and photography into a dream trip to the Galapagos, the Peruvian Amazon, or wild Belize in the second annual Audubon Magazine Photography Awards. Each participant can submit up to 10 photos, so you have 10 chances to win. Your winning entry will appear in the January-February 2011 issue of Audubon and in Nature’s Best Photography.

Deadline: September 7, 2010
Categories:
Professional (18 or older who has made $5,000 or more in past year on photography)
Amateur (18 or older who has made between zero and $4,999 in past year on photography)
Youth (13 to 17 years old as of May 15, 2010)

Two ways to enter:
1. Submit your digital photographs online and pay a fee

2. Mail paper prints for free

http://audubonmagazinephotoawards.org/

No purchase necessary. Contest begins 05/15/10 and ends 09/07/10. Must be at least 13 years of age and a legal resident of the U.S. or Canada (excluding Quebec) to enter. Entrants under the age of majority must get permission from their parent or legal guardian to enter the Contest and provide payment information. See Official Rules for complete details and how to enter without paying the entry fee. Void where prohibited.