http://www.northjersey.com/environment/environmentnews/34860164.html
Friday, November 21, 2008
Last updated: Saturday November 22, 2008, EST 2:48 PM
BY ANDREA ALEXANDER
STAFF WRITER
ATLANTIC CITY — For local officials looking to go green, products or advice are in sight everywhere these days.
From a dealer selling 100-percent electric, zero emissions, low-speed vehicles, to manufactures of environmentally friendly office furniture, to PSE&G promoting green energy programs, more green vendors than ever are trying to sell to municipal officials.
They were in particular abundance at this week's Annual League of Municipalities Conference. And they are an increasingly common sign of a statewide movement gaining momentum.
"More officials have concerns about the environment, and their constituents have concerns about the environment,'' said Brian Law, a dealer for electric Tiger Truck vehicles, who said he has noticed more interest than ever in his energy-efficient products.
Representatives from PSE&G promoted a wind project off the coast of Cape May and Atlantic counties to provide energy to 250,000 homes. The power company also shared information about financing help available to towns and businesses for solar projects.
"It's a wave of the future,'' said a PSE&G representative at the company booth.
Hundreds of municipal officials packed conference rooms to learn how to make their town more energy efficient and economically viable while protecting the environment through better land use.
"I would love for Fair Lawn to be one of the first in Bergen County to be a sustainable community,'' said the borough's Deputy Mayor Lisa Swain. "It's the only way to have a good, clean future for our kids, and economically, it's the only way to survive.''
Green leaders gave tips Thursday on how to cut costs and protect the environment by purchasing energy-efficient appliances for town hall, installing low-flow plumbing, using recycled toner cartridges when possible and reducing municipal car use.
In Ocean City, officials agreed to lease roof space for solar panels to an energy broker in exchange for less-costly power, Joseph Clark, the city's purchasing manager told some 200 municipal officials.
Encouraging residents to recycle grass clipping and leaves, Clark also told officials, could reduce waste by up to 20 percent and lower disposal fees.
Ridgewood Councilwoman Anne Zusy was eager to embrace green initiatives after listening to presenters.
"It's ridiculous not to do it,'' Zusy said. "You don't have to be a tree hugger to feel that way.''The prominence of green vendors and programs at the league conference marked a significant shift from recent years. Highland Park Mayor Meryl Frank, a statewide leader helping towns go green, gave a presentation five years ago on such efforts.
"Fifteen people showed up,'' she said.
This year, more than 350 municipal officials were there to listen to Frank and others talk about Sustainable Jersey, a new program to provide resources and grant money for towns to go green.
"In the beginning, people were laughing at us,'' Frank said. "Now everyone wants to know how we do this and how to get on board.''
Paterson Councilman Andre Sayegh falls into the category of officials who want to know more. He said he plans to press city officials to investigate more green initiatives. He was inspired after listing to Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer talk about efforts to green the state capitol. The city saved $120,000 a year by switching to energy-efficient lights for traffic signals.
"Trenton has done it; why not Paterson?'' Sayegh said. "You'd save money. We are a cash-strapped city.''
Palmer, past president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said green initiatives are here to stay.
"Some people think going green is a fad, like the Hula Hoop," Palmer said. "This is no fad. &hellip it's going to be a priority for this nation for generations to come.''
"You can do this,'' he encouraged officials.
"It's not hard. It's not rocket science. It's just having a commitment and reaching out to others to do it.''
E-mail: alexandera@northjersey.com
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"It's ridiculous not to do it,'' Zusy said. "You don't have to be a tree hugger to feel that way.''The prominence of green vendors and programs at the league conference marked a significant shift from recent years. Highland Park Mayor Meryl Frank, a statewide leader helping towns go green, gave a presentation five years ago on such efforts.
You don't have to be a "tree hugger?" It doesn't take a genius to realize that when we're getting notices about Lead, arsenic and prescription medications in our water supply that it's time to be more environmentally conscious! Some of us have been thinking along these lines for years. Tree huggers, indeed!
Tracy,
The term 'tree hugger" refers to people who chained themselves to trees in an absolutely delirious belief that we were depleting the forests of this nation, when nothing could have been further from the truth.
It does not apply to conservationist and those concerned about pollution, like myself.
However, I do not believe in the junk science of global warming being propagated by the left and now taken as gospel by all.
The term "tree hugger" as in "dirt worshipping tree hugger" is a term that many Pagans who are environmental conservationist use frequently.
Fortunately, and thankfully, no one I know has ever chained themselves to a tree in order to make a statement.
In response to your comment about global warming, I think George Carlin put it best in his monologue, "The Earth is Fine"
"The Planet isn't going anywhere, folks. We are".
I'm confused or unaware of the truth...Ms. Zusy has been a Ridgewood council person since her election in June, 2008. How is it that she's aware of Mayor Frank's presentation five years ago, or what happened at past League of Municipalities conclaves as pertains to "green marketing?" This kind of stuff just isn't covered as news by today's media.
Going green saves money? Prove it.
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