Our Guiding Principles

Communities thrive when:

• They are economically self-reliant
  
• People have access to efficient transportation
  
• Natural resources are used in ways that rebuild and preserve them
  
• Everyone experiences health and well-being
  

Who We Are
Sustainable Living Maryland, formerly known as the Maryland Heartland Sustainable Living, was formed in 2007. The original goal of Sustainable Living Maryland was simply coordinating the annual Maryland Heartland Sustainable Living Fair. The Fair highlighted sustainable agriculture and living practices and promoted alternative forms of energy and building. However, feedback from each successive fair reaffirmed the organization's desire to expand its scope.

Renaming the organization to Sustainable Living Maryland reflects our efforts to work year-round promoting a paradigm shift to localization. In the face of serious economic disruption, and approaching energy shortages due to Peak Oil, Sustainable Living Maryland has expanded its agenda. The goal is to help Maryland residents live fulfilling and healthy lives, benefitting from local food production, alternative energy options, and a strong, sustainable local economy.

Sustainable Living Maryland hopes to provide education on, and participate in, building a close-knit community where understanding and co-operation will foster this improved quality of life for all. At the same time, these practices will promote conserving biospheres and preserving the beauty and bounty of Maryland for future generations.

Meet the Board:

Sally Long President	Sally has been a member of the Fair Board since 2009. An avid advocate for sustainable living practices, she is a regular recycling volunteer for the Waste Not Carroll events and has assisted numerous colleagues, with professed 'brown thumbs.' in growing their own organic vegetables. Originally from Baltimore, she lived on a farm on Maryland's Eastern Shore for 30 years where she raised her own vegies, chickens and a little bit of good natured 'trouble'. She now lives in Westminster on Hook Road where passers-by enjoy her 'drive by' flower garden on their way to town.
Craig Paskoski Vice President	Craig handles public relations and marketing for Sustainable Living Maryland. A former editor at the Baltimore Sun, Craig has helped with the past two fairs and joined the board in 2009. He is an avid recycler and is interested in alternative energy sources. He is a member of the Community Media Center and lives in Finksburg with his wife, kids, and cat.
Allan Gross Secretary	Allan is a software engineer who has degrees in electrical engineering, biomedical engineering and education. He's putting his hobbies of writing comics, music and tutoring math on hiatus to join Sustainable Living Maryland. He hopes to raise awareness and work toward solutions in the area of Peak Oil and moving to a local sustainable economy. Growing up watching "Gilligan's Island" and idolizing "The Professor", Allan has the audacity to think he can actually help solve this mess!
Buck Harrison Treasurer
Kim Stenley	Kim joined Sustainable Living Maryland in 2009. She helps with public relations, fair organization and public policy. A former chair of the Sierra Club Catoctin Group and Carroll County Times columnist, she was a 2008 recipient of the Carroll County Environmental Awareness Award, individual category. She is working to improve her gardening and homemaking skills as her family forges a simpler life outside of Taneytown.
Jackie Coldsmith	Jackie is a native of Carroll County. After obtaining a degree in Environmental Science from Hood College, she completed an internship in Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry in Vermont. This led her to pursue her small farm in Taneytown which she has been running since 2002. She lives at De La Tierra Gardens with her husband and daughter and works to promote local food and sustainable living here in Carroll County.
Dan Andrews	Dan Andrews helped found Sustainable Living Maryland in 2008. He coordinates fair meetings, helps establish project goals and objectives, and acts as liaison. He is also the current chair of the Sierra Club - Catoctin Group, a member of the Carroll County Environmental Advisory Council and a member of the Carroll County Sustainability Committee. He was a 2007 recipient of the Carroll County Environmental Awareness Award, individual category. He loves teaching the virtues of renewable energy and is especially impassioned about living a life that "takes only memories, leaves only footprints".
Shawn Connell	Shawn joined Sustainable Living Maryland in 2009 after completing a program with the Peace Corps working in public health and sustainable communities in Morocco. He currently volunteers with Waste NOT! carroll and is working on his masters degree in sustainable communities from Goddard College, his area of focus is local food systems. He and Josie Johnson run small organic farm in New Windsor.
Josie Johnson	Josie is the current web manager for Sustainable Living Maryland. She joined the board in 2010 after participating as a volunteer and vendor in the past three fairs. She and Shawn run a small farm in New Windsor where she has a passion for homesteading and sustainable farming practices. She would like to continue to foster community and a healthy local food system.
Joe Maurio	Joe is a licensed Professional Engineer who works on instrumentation, control and power systems for naval and land-based applications. He is a former Board Member of the Green Building Institute in Jessup, MD where he helped organize and develop introductory level classes. Joe is part of the greeNG team at Northrop Grumman Corporation Sykesville Campus that won Carroll County Environmental Awareness awards in 2009 and 2010. He is a part-time inventor (author of four US patents) and volunteer with several technology-based youth activities such as Kids@Carroll Engineering Camp, Project Lead the Way, and Lego League. His interests include renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy harvesting and green building practices.