September 30, 2020

Montgomery County to Join Celebrations of October as ‘Energy Action Month’ and Oct. 7 as ‘Energy Efficiency Day’ with Focus on Lowering Energy Use and Costs


October is “Energy Action Month” and Wednesday, Oct. 7, is annually designated at “Energy Efficiency Day.” To join the national celebrations of each, Montgomery County, through the Montgomery Energy Connection network, will be hosting events in partnership with the County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Montgomery County Recreation, the County’s Department of Health and Human Services, and community partners to provide residents with information and opportunities to lower energy costs.

In this time of COVID-19, most of the activities in this year’s celebration will be virtual events that include scavenger hunts, trivia games and senior webinars. However, for “Active Aging Week,” which is Oct. 4-11, there will be popup Fit Kit and LED events giving residents an opportunity to swap out old incandescent and CFL bulbs for energy-efficient lighting. Active Aging Week is part of a national initiative promoting healthy lifestyles. Now that more people are taking part in indoor and online activities, it is a prime opportunity to make sure residents have the tools needed to keep energy bills down.

“Energize with 15 in Fifteen” online trivia games are scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays throughout October. Each week will feature the connection between energy and parts of the environment including recycling, trees, water and lawns. Participants can win prizes for answering questions correctly.

In celebration of Storm Water Awareness Week, from Oct. 18-24, Montgomery Energy Connection will launch the #MontgomeryPlogs Challenge in partnership with the Montgomery County Watershed Restoration. This is a program of DEP.

A year-long scavenger hunt activity for residents of Montgomery County will be launched in October. The Montgomery Energy Connection Scavenger Hunt will highlight how energy and water efficiency impact buildings and businesses. More than 60 partners are participating including museums, pools and breweries. Participants will connect with the program online and via Instagram while searching for the hunt’s designated locations and businesses. Residents are encouraged to play for a chance to win $25 gift certificates from participating Montgomery Energy Connection Partners by completing a Scavenger Hunt circuit.

The latest iteration of LEDs and Libations will be available at any of the 26 County Alcohol Beverage Service locations. With every purchase of Maryland-produced beer, wine or liquor, residents will receive a free LED light bulb (while supplies last). LED bulbs use up to 90 percent less energy to deliver the same amount of light as old-fashioned incandescent bulbs--and they last 10 to 25 times longer.

Senior Planet Montgomery, a free service that produces weekly programs focused on seniors, will join Energy Action Month by hosting weekly webinars on energy. The Senior Planet program schedule will be available at https://seniorplanet.org/locations/montgomery-county/.

Energy Efficiency Day will coincide with the “Go Grow & Get Active” signature event, hosted by Montgomery Parks at Brookside Gardens. The event will be held virtually from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Follow the event on County Cable Montgomery (Channel CCM) via streaming at montgomerycountymd.gov/CCM or watch it on Comcast or RCN (Channel 6 or HD 996/1056) or on Verizon (Channel 30).

The Energy Action Month schedule for October includes:

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