The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County are pleased to announce the Commission on the Environment 2021 Sustainability Award winners. The winners are Enso Kitchen, Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary School, Bay Fibers Studio, and Master Gardeners (UMD Extension). An honorable mention was awarded to Ryken High School’s Maryland Earth Preservation Organization.
The annual sustainability awards program recognizes outstanding St Mary’s County students, restaurants, businesses, nonprofits and farms for environmental stewardship, resource conservation, innovative best practices, and pollution prevention. All nominees for the 2021 calendar year demonstrated an impressive commitment to improving local environmental impacts, exceeding the norms and requirements of their respective categories, and teaching sustainable practices within their communities.
Commissioner President James Guy said, “We are pleased to recognize businesses, restaurants, schools and nonprofits that are leading efforts to improve the environment of St. Mary’s County.”
Each of the awardees has incorporated sustainment-focused practices into their organizations. Enso Kitchen serves locally grown and produced food, and Bay Fibers Studio promotes our local native environment while also donating proceeds to Chesapeake Bay conservation and other environmental causes. The volunteers that make up the University of Maryland Extension Master Gardeners have worked tirelessly to incorporate native plants in landscape design projects and lead county residents and businesses to install interpretive boards for others to learn about wetlands, native trees, and buffer zones.
Lastly, Duke Elementary School students and teachers have an active garden club, support pollinators by planting native flowers, incorporate signage to limit paper towel waste, and have a very popular walk/bike to school program.
This year, receiving an honorable mention was the Maryland Earth Preservation Organization for increasing their efforts to bring environmental topics to even more students.
Congratulations to the 2021 St Mary’s County Sustainability Award winners!
- Restaurant: Enso Kitchen
- School: Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary School
- Nonprofit: Master Gardeners (UMD Extension)
- Business: Bay Fibers Studio
- Honorable Mention: Ryken High School, Maryland Earth Preservation Organization (MEPO)
For more information, please contact the Department of Land Use & Growth Management at 301-475-4200, ext. 1500.
