Local companies such as Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. know it?s good business to be involved in the community, especially around Earth Day.
Last week, BGE employees volunteered to join the Friends of the Trails, the Anne Arundel Parks and Recreation Department and the Greater Odenton Improvement Association to plant trees and shrubs and mulch plant beds along the WB&A Trail in Anne Arundel. The event served two purposes: improving the environment and educating the public about safely planting trees near power lines.
“We take our business very seriously, but we also want to make time to beautify the outdoors and work with our customers,” said Linda Foy, spokeswoman for BGE. “Our employees really enjoy these community events.”
More and more Baltimore companies are taking part in community environmental projects, said Kelly Hodge-Williams, executive director of Business Volunteers Unlimited Maryland, which connects businesses with nonprofits to organize community service events.
“The general message we hear is, ?We?re concerned about the community in which we do business, and we have a responsibility to make it better and stronger,? ” Hodge-Williams said.
BVU has worked with some of the Baltimore area?s largest companies. Legg Mason plans on participating in Green Thumb Day with Medfield Heights Elementary School on Wednesday and has promoted Friends of the Baltimore Parks Day on May 3 to its employees. Constellation Energy employees went into low-income communities and replaced lightbulbs with energy-efficient bulbs. Marketing firm Euro RSCG plans to hold a volunteer event this summer at Cylburn Arboretum and is starting an initiative to be green in the office.
“The younger generation of employees has had a big influence,” Hodge-Williams said. “They?re saying, ?I want to be involved and I expect you as my employer to facilitate that.? ”
Younger employees are also expecting to work in green office environments, said Joe Wilke, senior construction manager for Forest City, which developed the 278,000-square-foot John G. Rangos Sr. Building in the Science + Technology Park at Johns Hopkins in East Baltimore.
The building, which opened April 11, was built with heat-recovery flywheels to filter warm and cool air from the building, a white roofing system and high-efficiency lighting. The developer also paid to have recycling picked up from the building.
“The next generation of employees has been brought up to care more about the environment,” Wilke said. “It?s important, not only for this generation, but for future generations.”
