Gree(n)tings everyone!!!
I hope you and yours are doing well. I've been very busy but happy, thanks be to God! On Wednesday, February 18th, after my three class presentations at Montgomery Blair High School for my Miss Earth Maryland school tour for my Beauties for a Cause project, I attended a Happy Hour event later that evening. I attended Good Green Fun Happy Hour at Mrs. K's Toll House, a program hosted by Silver Spring Green. This program is done every third Wednesday in the month in restaurants in Maryland's Silver Spring area. I attended the event with one of my dear friends, Ramzain.
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| Silver Spring Green Chair Ms. Barbara Henry and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson |
Silver Spring Green brings together diverse perspectives from businesses, residents, civic groups and government to catalyze the transition to a sustainable economy, facilitate environmentally responsible lifestyles, and strengthen our shared sense of community. The mission of SSG is to build community through sustainability. SSG began in 2011 with the purpose of encouraging Silver Spring's transition to a next generation green community, one characterized by inclusion, innovation, collaboration, and mutually beneficial partnerships. With Silver Spring being my home for the past 11 years, I'm grateful for an organization such as SSG to exist and create an eco-friendly community.
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| Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and Mr. Alan Bowser (Conservation Montgomery Board Member) |
At the event, I got to meet and chat with Mr. Alan Bowser, who is a Board Member of Conservation Montgomery. The mission of
Conservation Montgomery is to "sustain Montgomery County's quality of life and natural resources for current and future generations though community awareness and sound decision-making." Mr. Bowser has extensive professional experience as an attorney, economist, and senior executive in the public and private sectors. A former United States Deputy Assistant Secretary for Basic Industries in the Department of Commerce, serving under Secretaries William M. Daley and Norman Mineta; he also was a Director of the Petroleum Finance Company, Ltd. He specializes in transportation, manufacturing, energy and environmental issues. He served as Chief of Staff/Confidential Aide to Montgomery County Council member-at-Large Duchy Trachtenberg. Currently, an attorney in private practice, he is President of the Silver Spring Town Center, Inc., and a member of the Board of Safe Silver Spring, Inc., the Sligo Creek Golf Association, Inc., Building Bridges America, Inc., and the Park Hills Civic Association.
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| Mr. Jeremy A. Pearce (Financial Advisor at Progressive Asset Management Group) and Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson |
The guest speaker of the event was Interim Executive Director Ms. Fran Teplitz of Green America. The mission of
Green America "is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society." This organization works "for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the bounty of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come." Ms. Teplitz talked about the four strategies used in the work of Green America which include: empowering individuals to make purchasing and investing choices that promote social justice and environmental sustainability; demanding an end to corporate irresponsibility through collective economic action; promoting green and fair trade business principles while building the market for businesses adhering to these principles; and building sustainable communities in the United States and abroad. Some things that resonated to me during her presentation was Green America's efforts towards advancing women's status and creating micro-finance organizations, divestment, as well as the difference between community bank and community development bank.
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| Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and friend/model Ramzain Suma |
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Goofy Girls!
Miss Earth Maryland 2015 Ruby B. Johnson and friend/model Ramzain Suma |
I had a wonderful time at this program, getting to meet several environmentalists in the Silver Spring area and the organizations they are affiliated with. I also had the opportunity to talk about my Beauties for a Cause project as Miss Earth Maryland, and the international Miss Earth Pageant and what makes it unique in contrast to other pageants. Additionally, I really enjoyed the food that was provided and the hospitality of the workers at the restaurant!
Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Earth Maryland 2015
Continuing the legacy of beauty and responsibility
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