Green & Healthy Homes Initiative

Creating Green and Healthy Homes to improve health, economic and social outcomes for all.

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

Maryland lawmakers passed reforms to curb unnecessary gas pipeline spending that drives up utility bills, but the @MarylandPSC has failed to implement the law.

Now, the @OPCMD is taking the PSC to court. Read more:
https://t.co/3Gk8SOHeNU

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

@MarylandPSC should be doing everything to protect EmPOWER, the state’s energy efficiency program that is proven to reduce costs.

Read more: https://t.co/2qh5dht4da

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

“Energy efficiency helps families make their homes more comfortable, makes them affordable, it creates space on the grid, it improves health, and we are cutting back on those savings.”- GHHI President & CEO, @RuthAnnNorton

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

With the two-year anniversary of @GovWesMoore's Executive Order on Clean Heat Rules, the Maryland Clean Heat Coalition is hosting a session to update the public on where we stand on implementation and what is needed from all of us to get Clean Heat and Zero Emissions Heating Equipment Standards over the finish line.

Join our expert panel on Thursday, July 16th from 12-1:15pm for an in-depth conversation and Q&A on how we can work together to advance Maryland's transition to pollution-free buildings that offer healthier homes and reduced energy costs for all.

Featuring:
Ruth Ann Norton, @HealthyHousing
Mark Stewart, @MDEnvironment
Anne Havemann, @CCAN
Jim Conlon, @ElysianEnergy
José Coronado-Flores, Flores Photovoltaics, LLC

Register here: https://t.co/fpUWeMa8VM

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

Yesterday, GHHI joined the launch for Bright Future Maryland. The event brought together advocates, community leaders, and residents to call for broader efforts to lower energy bills through clean, local energy solutions.

Bright Future Maryland joins other important efforts, such as the Maryland Clean Heat Coalition, working across the State to build momentum toward a future where every Marylander has access to lower energy costs and reliable, clean power. The solutions are in front of us, and we must work together to accelerate their adoption and scale.

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

As we saw last week, extreme heat is already a public health crisis here in Maryland and across the country. Heat waves are the deadliest weather hazard, and their frequency has tripled in recent decades due to climate change. Poor housing quality, characterized by inadequate insulation, poor ventilation, and insufficient cooling, compounds these health risks. This hazard disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color, who face heightened exposure due to the urban heat island effect.

GHHI's policy brief presents a framework through which policymakers, housing agencies, and local governments should prioritize investments to protect vulnerable residents from extreme heat.

Learn more about our framework here: https://t.co/TmBh5dAZDn

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

We’re paying too much for energy bills – while utility companies and data center developers reap record profits.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. A brighter future with lower costs and clean power is possible.

The Bright Future Maryland platform outlines real solutions for our energy crisis – we need our leaders to pledge to act now to address our energy crisis.

Learn more: https://t.co/5E66NlhtHe

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

Read more from GHHI President & CEO @RuthAnnNorton and @SirnaTony, Buildings Senior Policy Lead at @EvergreenAction:
https://t.co/OGAFUugccX

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

How can Maryland create jobs, lower energy bills, & deliver efficient cooling to more residents, especially low-income households? By implementing Clean Heat Rules that help upgrade homes with state-of-the-art heat pumps.

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

Heat pumps provide efficient cooling, a necessity amid last week’s heat wave. With $84 million available, @GovWesMoore can get a head start and help families  stay safe and cool indoors.

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

Congratulations to @youngiftedgreen, and the Memphis Lead Coalition for being recognized in Washington, DC by the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative as part of the “Honoring Excellence in LSL Replacement” initiative.

Their work on the Lead Free Memphis initiative continues to set a powerful example of community-driven leadership in advancing public health and safer water systems.

Read the full announcement here: https://t.co/wFBIK08dqG.

#LeadFreeMemphis

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

Extreme heat can be dangerous, and even life-threatening!

Protect yourself and your loved ones by taking a few simple precautions:
✅ Stay hydrated throughout the day.
✅ Avoid strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest hours of the day.
✅ Check on older adults, young children, neighbors, and anyone who may be more vulnerable to heat-related illness.
✅ Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing, seek shade, and apply SPF 30+ sunscreen when spending time outdoors.
✅ Never leave children or pets in parked vehicles.

Know the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke and seek medical attention immediately if someone shows signs of confusion, loss of consciousness, or a high body temperature.

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

What an incredible day at GHHI's 2026 New Jersey Convening on Healthy Homes & Lead Poisoning Prevention!

This year's theme, Woven Together: Strengthening the Fabric of Our Shared Vision, came to life as public health leaders, healthcare providers, advocates, community organizations, and government partners united to advance a lead-free future.

A special thank you to the @NJDeptofHealth for helping make this convening possible, as well as our generous sponsors, @wellpoint , @HorizonBCBSNJ, and the @RWJF, and our partner, The Cooperative, for your continued support and commitment to healthier homes and healthier families.

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

⚠️Lead Hazard Alert⚠️

@USCPSC is warning consumers to stop using Darice “Timeless Minis” miniature red wagons, watering cans, and chairs immediately. These products contain lead paint levels that exceed the federal safety limit and pose a serious risk of lead poisoning for children.

If you have these items at home, remove them from children's reach and dispose of them right away. Lead exposure can cause lifelong health and developmental impacts, and no level of lead exposure is considered safe for children.

Parents and caregivers who believe a child may have been exposed should contact their healthcare provider about lead testing.

https://t.co/IeidjR1NVK

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

Today we're celebrating the #HVAC professionals who keep our homes safe, comfortable, and energy-efficient year-round.

At the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, we've had the privilege of working alongside contractors across Maryland through our Clean Heat Coalition efforts, contractor convenings, and workforce development initiatives. These professionals are on the front lines of the clean energy transition, helping families lower energy costs, improve indoor air quality, and access healthier homes.

As Maryland invests in heat pumps and home electrification, the success of these programs depends on a skilled, trusted, and supported HVAC workforce. We appreciate the technicians, installers, business owners, and apprentices who show up every day to serve their communities and build a cleaner energy future. #HVACTechnicianDay

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

With support from the Thriving Communities Grant, LPTC has expanded access to green space by creating five Mini Peace Forests and Gardens across Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, Maryland. These spaces provide opportunities for residents to connect with nature close to home.

LPTC has also delivered environmental education and hands-on stewardship activities for intergenerational South Asian American communities, equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to address climate and environmental challenges in their neighborhoods while fostering stronger community connections.

Learn more: https://t.co/HqtaPlXlOr🌱

[Green & Healthy Homes Initiative @HealthyHousing]

Great news for Pennsylvania! House Bill 916, also known as the 2 by 2 bill, has advanced through the Pennsylvania House and is one step closer to becoming law. The legislation would help to make sure all children receive two blood lead tests before the age of two, at 12 months and again at 24 months, because early detection is critical and no level of lead exposure is considered safe for children.

This milestone comes one year after our President and CEO, @RuthAnnNorton, stood in the Pennsylvania State Capitol Rotunda and urged lawmakers to take action to protect children from the lifelong impacts of lead poisoning.

We thank lawmakers for moving HB 916 forward and encourage the Pennsylvania Senate to pass this important legislation.