Celebrate FeBREWary in Maryland with the Montgomery Energy Connection During ‘Kick Gas’ Events

Maryland has put a focus on its emerging brewery industry over the past few years by celebrating the second month on each calendar as “FeBREWary.” In a joint campaign locally, the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)’s Montgomery Energy Connection program has seized the opportunity to meet residents at breweries and offer energy-efficient lightbulb swap events. Over the next two weeks, DEP will add a “Kick Gas” campaign in its brewery visits to highlight the County’s new EV Purchasing Cooperative Pilot Program and encourage residents to make their next vehicle purchases electric.

Since 2015, February has been proclaimed “Maryland Craft Beer Lovers Month” by Governor Larry Hogan. FeBREWary is the official month-long celebration of Maryland craft beers—and a great time to visit and explore Maryland’s breweries.

Montgomery County has been celebrating its many small and independent brewers along the Tastemakers Trail, and during the special month, DEP created the Brews and Bulbs initiative that allows residents to swap out inefficient light bulbs for high-efficiency LED bulbs. They can do that while drinking locally brewed beer and supporting local businesses.

 
This year, the County’s participating breweries will be hosting light bulb exchanges and also will have members of the Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington, DC. available to talk about Electric Vehicle ownership. County representatives will be also providing information on its new EV Purchasing Cooperative and on conversion to solar power.

The schedule for Montgomery County’s FeBREWary events includes:

• Friday, Feb. 11. 5-7 p.m. Brookeville Beer Farm, 20315 Georgia Ave, Brookeville.
• Saturday, Feb. 12. Noon-3 p.m. Silver Branch, 8401 Colesville Rd., No. 150, Silver Spring.
• Tuesday, Feb. 15. 5-7 p.m. Saints Row, 1211-1213 Taft St, Rockville.
• Wednesday, Feb. 16. 5-7 p.m. 7 Locks, 12227 Wilkins Ave, Rockville.
• Thursday, Feb. 17. 5-7 p.m. Waredaca, 4017 Damascus Rd, Gaitherburg.
• Friday, Feb. 18. 5-7 p.m. Lone Oak, 5000 Olney Laytonsville Rd, Olney.

At the events, residents can bring in inefficient bulbs and swap them for efficient LEDs. Lighting accounts for about nine percent of a typical home’s energy use. Replacing a home’s five most frequently used light fixtures (or the bulbs in them) with ENERGY STAR© qualified lights can save more than $65 a year in energy costs.

More information on the FeBREWary events can be found on the My Green Montgomery website at https://mygreenmontgomery.org/2022/febrewary-2022-time-to-kick-gas/.