The Neighborhood Design Center works throughout the Baltimore and Prince George’s County area helping residents, small non-profit organizations, and community development corporations do what they typically otherwise couldn’t: improve their communties. These communities many times are seeking to improve blocks and homes, renovate parks and school grounds, reclaim abandoned structures for new community uses, improve neighborhood commercial districts, etc., but simply lack the means. The Neighborhood Design Center helps by offering multiple free services: conceptual building and site plans, preliminary feasability studies and cost estimates, neighborhood master plans, and community development guidance. As the center itself is a non-profit, it does all this by mobilizing volunteer architects, planners, landscape architects, engineers, and other design professionals who donate their professional services to help neighborhoods in their initial revitalization efforts. Through their work the center hopes to strengthen community participation in neighborhood improvement efforts, educate the public about the value of good design, and serve as a catalyst for increased investment in neighborhood development.

More wisdom from "Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life," by Wayne Dyer. The 21st verse of the Tao is a poetic musing on the mystery of the all-knowing, all-providing energy that surrounds us always. The last two lines read:

How do I know the ways of all things at the beginning?
I look inside myself and see what is within me.

The Tao comes from the truth that is inside of us at all times. Another version of this, from the Sufi poet Hafiz:

If you think that the truth can be known from words
If you think that the sun and the ocean can pass through
That tiny opening called "the mouth". . . .
Oh! Someone should start laughing!
Someone should start wildly laughing –
Now!

Upon reading about us in City Living Baltimore Jana Murrell contacted GOforChange to find out more about Baltimore’s growing eco-scene. Jana, who is enjoying her new reign as Miss Earth United States 2008 , has worked as a newscaster in her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, is currently a traveling physical therapist.

In her capacity as Miss Earth US, Jana has been involved with several eco-related promotions to build awareness for environmental causes. To continue her support, Miss Murrell and the team at GOforChange visited the Mill Valley Center and Farmers Market on Friday Aug. 1st from 6-8pm to highlight the garden center, great local vendors and the Baltimore Biodiesel Coop .

Read on for more details …… Continued

Eco-Green Living , located on NW Church Street in Washington, D.C., is an ideal stop for anyone looking to be a bit more green-minded in their home or personal purchases, offering a wide range of products from bamboo flooring to organic bedding to fair trade chocolate. They feature products from multiple lines of green vendors, like natural light systems from Solatube , tankless and solar water heaters from Rheem , and body products from Perfect Organics .

Door to Door Organics , located in Bucks County, PA, has been delivering organic produce to homes and businesses on the East Coast since 1996. The family owned and operated business delivers a variety of fruit, vegetable, or mixed fruit and vegetable boxes, depending on availability, using biodiesel to fuel their delivery vehicles. They strive to recycle everything possible and leave the smallest carbon footprint possible, even composting their "NOT plastic bags". Visit their website for more information or to order online.

Yes, their name is really Bark! And for good reason. No, they’re not a tree store. They offer premium natural and organic products for pets, like preservative-free pet foods and treats, natural supplements, eco-friendly toys and bedding, and handmade local items. They strive to provide products that are organic, hormone- and antibiotic-free, free-range/cage-free, made from recycled materials, sustainable and environmentally friendly, locally made, fair trade, and/or humanely raised. With locations in Clarksville and Olney, Maryland pet-owners have little reason not to visit.

Klockner is a green building company out of Takoma Park specializing in design / build projects including upscale additions, renovations, and custom homes. With an extensive knowledge base on green products and construction methods, the firm offers services in budget development and project design.