Frederick County Honors Local Sustainability Leaders
FREDERICK, Md. – Frederick County recognized seven businesses, organizations, and individuals for outstanding environmental leadership during the County's annual Sustainability Awards celebration on Thursday, October 15.
Presented by the Frederick County Sustainability Commission and Division of Energy and Environment, the Sustainability Awards recognize community members and organizations whose actions help conserve resources, protect the environment, educate others, and build a more resilient and healthy community.
“Sustainability takes many forms,” County Executive Jessica Fitzwater said. “From conserving energy and reducing waste, to planting trees, restoring habitat, and engaging the next generation of environmentalists, each of this year's honorees is showing how local action can make a lasting difference.”
The 2026 Sustainability Award recipients are:
- AstraZeneca (Category: Industrial Enterprise) – AstraZeneca demonstrated that major growth and energy efficiency can go hand in hand. From 2015 to 2025, production at its Frederick manufacturing facility increased by more than 600 percent, while total site energy use increased by only about 1 percent. The company has also transitioned the site to 100 percent renewable energy as of January 2026 and is working toward its goal of carbon-zero operations by the end of 2026.
- Daly Computers (Category: Commercial Enterprise Over 50 Employees) – Daly Computers has expanded recycling, reuse, and waste-prevention efforts throughout its operations, emphasizing repair, refurbishment, donation, and resale of technology whenever possible. Its efforts have helped recycle more than 290 tons of cardboard and paper in recent years, along with plastics, metals, printers, electronics, batteries, and other materials that might otherwise become waste.
- Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm (Category: Commercial Enterprise Under 50 Employees) – This seven-acre Middletown farm demonstrates regenerative agriculture through cover crops, crop rotation, minimal tilling, water-efficient irrigation, and natural soil amendments. The farm grows more than 35 kinds of fruits and vegetables and has established an orchard of more than 500 fruit and oak trees on land previously used for conventional soybean production.
- Wild Potomac (Category: Nonprofit) – Wild Potomac connects watershed restoration with community education and stewardship. Since 2025, the organization has planted 206 trees and more than 1,000 shrubs and wildflowers, engaged 184 volunteers contributing more than 2,400 hours, and established two community food forests, including one at the Brunswick Food Bank.
- Michael Turell (Category: Individual) – For more than 40 years, Michael Turell has helped Frederick County youth explore insects, ecosystems, and environmental stewardship. Through the 4-H Entomology Club, Scout Troop 278, and hands-on activities ranging from stream studies and insect identification to butterfly monitoring, he has helped generations of young people develop scientific curiosity and an appreciation for the natural world.
- Anwesha Parida (Category: Student) – Anwesha Parida has led tree planting, community cleanups, recycling, and environmental education efforts throughout Frederick County. Her work has included organizing the planting of 46 trees, mobilizing more than 50 youth and community volunteers, removing approximately 40 pounds of litter and recyclable material, and contributing more than 250 volunteer service hours.
- Mridula Vasudevan (Category: Student) – Mridula Vasudevan has combined peer education with hands-on environmental projects, including a school “Compost Coaching” program, community cleanups, clothing swaps, upcycling workshops, and native tree planting. Her efforts have helped plant 190 native trees, divert more than 300 pounds of textile waste from landfills, and engage more than 500 students and residents in environmental education and sustainability projects.
The Sustainability Awards highlight the connected environmental work happening across Frederick County. From climate action and watershed protection to environmental justice and community building, these efforts make Frederick County a place where families thrive, businesses grow, and natural resources are preserved.
To learn more or get involved, follow the Division of Energy and Environment on Facebook or Instagram. More information about the Sustainability Awards and previous recipients is available at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/GreenAwards.
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Contact: Annmarie Creamer
Communications Manager
Division of Energy & Environment
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