Multi-faith Alliance of Climate Stewards - MACS of Frederick County, MD
Climate Pledge
You’re right, you can’t change the climate by yourself, but together WE CAN!
Here are some individual actions that will collectively make a difference.
Please join us!
Burn Less Fossil Fuel
WHY?
Using less electricity, gas, and oil decreases your carbon emissions and saves you money.
HOW?
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When making upgrades at home, buy energy-efficient appliances such as induction cooktops, convection appliances, and heat pumps or mini splits.
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Hang your clothes to dry naturally.
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Switch to rooftop solar with help from Frederick County’s Switch Together program, where the registration (open each spring and fall) is free and there is no obligation to make a purchase. If installing solar is not an option, you can join a community solar cooperative such as Neighborhood Sun, where discounts for electricity range from 10% to 30% compared to utility providers.
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Take advantage of Maryland’s EmPOWER program incentives for energy-efficient home appliances and HVAC upgrades through Potomac Edison.
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Visit Interfaith Power & Light DMV's website to learn more about what you can do to shift to clean energy, moving away from gas and saving energy.
Change Some Food Habits
WHY?
Animal agriculture as it is typically practiced in the United States is an enormous producer of greenhouse gases, harms soil, and is a catalyst for massive deforestation around the world. Another “why” is it’s healthier for us to eat a plant based diet.
HOW?
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Eat a plant-rich diet. Sustainable eating is healthier for us and the planet.
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Buy locally produced food. It is healthier, uses less fuel, and the food is fresher and tastier. To learn more about buying food locally, visit Homegrown Frederick. Frederick Food Council provides many resources for healthy local eating.
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Make sure you use the food you buy. Food that ends up in landfills contributes to emissions of methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas.
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Compost food waste through backyard composting or a composting service such as Compost Crew.
Travel Lighter & Less
WHY?
Fossil-fueled driving and airline travel greatly increase carbon emissions.
HOW?
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Stay closer to home.
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Bike, walk, carpool, and use public transportation whenever you can.
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Seek alternatives to air travel such as car trips or train travel, when possible.
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Consider making your next vehicle an EV or hybrid.
Support Biodiversity
WHY?
Healthy soil and lush native vegetation draw carbon from the atmosphere while supporting native wildlife.
HOW?
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Limit the size of your lawn – or eliminate it altogether.
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Plant deep-rooted, native perennials, especially those that attract pollinators and support the native ecosystem. For information on how to get started, visit Homegrown National Parks, Maryland Native Plant Society, or the University of Maryland Extension Office. Free or inexpensive trees can be obtained at Tree Frederick or Maryland DNR.
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Avoid chemical fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides or herbicides that destroy soil health. Go to UMD Extension’s Organic Lawn Care site and to the Xerces Society for information on integrated or organic lawn care.
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Volunteer with tree planting efforts in your community, for example with Streamlink Education.
Voting & Advocacy
WHY?
There is a lot we need to work on together, not just individually.
HOW?
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Register to vote at MD State Board of Elections.
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Check on who’s on the ballot at TurboVote.
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Read about why your vote matters at "4 reasons your vote matters."
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Support candidates who reflect your values, including on climate stewardship.
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Get to the polls in both local and national elections.
Talk About It
WHY?
According to Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, a renowned climate scientist and an evangelical Christian, the first thing we should do is to talk about the climate crisis. She explains: “People don’t need to be made to care. They already care. They just haven’t connected the dots.” Learn more from Dr. Hayhoe here.
Listen to others about their interests, jobs, hobbies, sports and beliefs then make connections to the climate and care for the environment.
HOW?
Talk about it..
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At home
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With friends
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At work
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At your place of worship
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With your elected officials
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Anywhere you happen to be!
Act Collectively
WHY?
All of our faith traditions call us to care for our neighbors by working to repair our damaged climate.
HOW?
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Join Multi-faith Alliance of Climate Stewards of Frederick County (MACS), a group of about a dozen neighboring congregations, acting locally on our moral duty to future generations by protecting the Earth and its inhabitants from harmful impacts of climate change. Sign up here.
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Working together with statewide partners Interfaith Power & Light DMV (IPL-DMV) and Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake (IPC), MACS has hosted education events, planted trees, and is advocating for local policy that reduces pollution and sequesters carbon. Sign up for emails from IPL-DMV here and IPC here.
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MACS partners with Mobilize Frederick in their work across the county, including their Cooking Up Cleaner Air program. Learn more and subscribe to their newsletter here.