‘Fields of Green’ Off To A Great Start
“How was it?” a friend asked about Bethesda Green’s ‘Fields of Green’ Internship Fair on Saturday, March 27 – knowing I’d been there that morning.  It was great, really great.  Bethesda Green’s Rosalie Grazzini, Volunteer Coordinator and organizer of the event, take a bow.  The ‘Dave team’ – Dave Feldman, Executive Director and Dave Heffernan, Director of Communications, take a bow.  You did a great job.  Students talking to companies.  Companies talking to students.  Local colleges talking about their programs and classes.  Start-ups, business incubators, non-profits that plant trees, clean energy companies – all in our backyard.  The largest green higher education building with LEED™ Gold certification in the state of Maryland at The Universities of Shady Grove.  There’s a lot going on in Montgomery County, and we know all about it due to Bethesda Green and the Internship Fair.  Thank you.

The Greening of Montgomery County
“We can have a healthy economy and a healthy environment.  That’s the mission of Bethesda Green”, said George Leventhal, County Council Member, speaking at the Internship Fair.  With over 200 young adults registered, and hundreds of internships available, there was a lot going on and the Fair was well organized for students and young adults to take advantage of the offerings.  Nearly two dozen companies and schools were set up in two rooms, and a panel discussion by experts with experience in the Green jobs market talked with attendees about the opportunities in Green today.  “Just think about where you want to go longer term,” said Anca Novacovici, Founder and President of Eco-Coach and author of the DC Metro Area Green Career and Jobs Guide.

Erika Mitry, manning HonestTea’s booth and talking with potential interns about the company’s Road Warrior position, told us how she came to work for HonestTea.  “I picked up a bottle of HonestTea and read the back.  I was living in DC and couldn’t believe they were based here.  It’s been great.“

Documentary Filmmaker Plans Web Video Series
Adding to the excitement and possibilities of the Fair was Laura Seltzer, an award winning documentary filmmaker who plans to film ‘Fields of Green’ interns as they work and gain experience in Green jobs – and put video cameras into the interns’ own hands so they can create their own videos about working in Green industries.  “We’re planning a web video series of remarkable interns who are comfortable behind the camera and in front of the camera”, Laura said.

Bethesda Green Seeks Donations for Video Cameras
Bethesda Green is currently seeking funding to purchase several inexpensive video cameras to help facilitate effective student filming.  According to Bethesda Green, businesses who sponsor the purchase of these videos will be given priority of site documentation.   The Fields of Green Video Series is a way to extend the experience of interns in Montgomery County and educate others who are interested in working for Green companies.  And, it’s a great way to highlight Green companies in the area, and the enthusiasm and talent of local students.    If you have a way to help, please let them know.

For more details about ‘Fields of Green’ and the Intern Video Series please contact Bethesda Green, which is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization located on the second floor of the Chevy Chase Bank Branch at 4825 Cordell Avenue, Suite 200, Bethesda, Maryland 20814.  Bethesda Green will host a Premiere Party on Wednesday, April 21 from 7-9:30pm at the Hard Times Café for Laura Seltzer’s PBS documentary “The Last Boat Out”, about Virginia’s Watermen and the Chesapeake Bay, narrated by Sam Waterston.  Suggested donation for the Premiere Party is $10 to go toward education programs for Bethesda Green and communities throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  Please RSVP by April 14^th to attend the Premiere Party to Melissa@SeltzerFilmVideo.com or 202-210-4689.