CONGRATULATIONS UNION!

November 16, 2009
The Honorable Anthony Terrezza
Mayor, Union Twp.
1976 Morris Avenue
Union, NJ07083

Dear Mayor Terrezza:

We are pleased to announce that your municipality has achieved the 2009 Sustainable Jersey certification. The certification is good for three years. Your town is part of an elite group of municipalities that have achieved the prestigious Sustainable Jersey certification in the first year of the program. Municipalities that earn the certification are considered by their peers, by state government,and by the experts and civic organizations in New Jersey, to be among the leading municipalities in the state.

Your town will be recognized at the first‐annual Sustainable Jersey awards luncheon at the New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at the Sheraton Hotel in the Crown Ball Room, 2nd Floor, Atlantic City, New Jersey from 12:00 – 1:30 pm. We hope you will use your complimentary ticket to attend. At the luncheon, you will receive a customized Sustainable Jersey certification plaque and will be invited to the front of the room to accept your award. Please e‐mail info@sustainablejersey.com to confirm the name of the person that will accept the award for your town. A photographer will be available to take your picture after you accept the award.

On November 10, we will send you a media release template that you can customize and distribute to your media contacts. Sustainable Jersey will also send out a media alert about the towns that have achieved certification and the awards event. The media will be admitted into the luncheon in order to cover the event.

You will receive a customized Sustainable Jersey logo with your town’s name shortly. A Sustainable Jersey communications tool kit will be provided to you in December that will include promotional templates such as Sustainable Jersey presentation materials and a media guide that you will be able to customize and use to promote your certification. If you have any questions about the Awards Luncheon please contact Medea Villeré at 732‐932‐5475 ext 660 or email info@sustainablejersey.com.

Congratulations on your outstanding achievement!
Sustainable Jersey Project Partners

PRESS RELEASE

Press Release
Contact: Frank Bradley
Phone: 908-851-8500
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1:00P.M.. EDT, October 28, 2009

TOWNSHIP OF UNION’S RECYCLING HITS RECORD HIGH

TOWNSHIP OF UNION, UNION COUNTY, N.J. Mayor Anthony Terrezza and Commissioner of Public Works Brenda Restivo announce that today the Township of Union Public Works Department’s recycling program shows that is working. A recently released state recycling tonnage report, addressed today at the Union County’s recycling coordinators meeting, held today in Scotch Plains, the Township of Union received the highest tonnage within the county and the largest grant award.

“We were not expecting the same numbers…. a little higher maybe…. because we have really stepped up the enforcement,” said Mayor Terrezza. An impressive total of 68,110.30 tons of materials were removed from going to a landfill translating into a $ 99, 649.49 in grant funding. “That’s more than double the $ 45,000 we had received at our last higher report”. Commissioner of Public Works Brenda Restivo added “All of our programs from our participation in Sustainable Jersey, talking to industrial generators on route 22 corridor to our Public Works speaker’s bureau going to neighbors association to neighbor associations helped in this”.

Additionally, Business administrator Frank Bradley stated that the money that the township will receive is only a portion of the savings. “This means that we went to the landfill or incinerator with fewer Tons (materials) and with a $ 105.00 per ton fee to dispose the waste, an additional cost was not passed on to the taxpayer”. “The Township of Union should be proud of this achievement, kudos to the Public Works Department and their program…we beat much larger town such as Elizabeth, just their larger area and population (as compared to Union) should have won...” – he ended.

The Public Works department stated, “Our next challenge will be residential compliance.”- said Public Works Superintendent Sergio Panunzio, “We want to be corrective and not punitive in educating our residents”.

He attributed the success of this program to Mayor Terrezza and Commissioner Restivo who have launched the “2009 Green Initiative” back in January 2009. “The support of everyone with this program has been sensational… from department heads supporting us with data to our administrator… you know ….it’s not popular for elected officials to support a program that may impose fines …but as they always said…it’s the right thing to do… and today their support as paid off” he ended.

The Department of Public Works is planning for even more enforcement and educational events this spring.

The money is distributed by the New Jersey State Department of Environmental Protection based on tonnage and a formula, which calculates the removal of material from the Municipal Waste Stream. The money was released yesterday by the DEP in Trenton and should be received by the Township as early as next week. Grant expenditures can only be applied to recycling purchases by the township or enhancing an existing recycling program
-End-

Sustainable Jersey Notice:

47 New Jersey Towns Submit for Sustainable Jersey™ Certification
Awards Presentation on November 17 at NJ League of Municipalities Conference
Trenton, NJ (October 1, 2009) - Representatives of Sustainable Jersey today released the list of thefirst 47 New Jersey municipalities that have submitted for Sustainable Jersey certification. Out of the 231municipalities that have registered to start the process, 47 towns across 15 counties submitted complete
applications with documentation to show they meet the rigorous submission standards. The submissions are being reviewed now and the final list of certified communities will be announced later in the month. All 47 towns will be recognized as pioneers at an awards luncheon on Tuesday, November 17.

These towns will be recognized at the first annual Sustainable Jersey awards luncheon on Tuesday,November 17 at the New Jersey League of Municipalities conference. Admission is open to the public,
but the $35 tickets are going fast. In addition to special keynote speakers, the top achieving municipalities that have made outstanding accomplishments will be recognized. Awards will be presented to municipalities in the following categories: sustainability champions, leadership, innovation,and collaboration.

# 47 from Union County- Township of Union-

Sustainable Jersey

A meeting will be held in Town Hall's Bonnell Room
On WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14 2009 at 7:30 P.M.
to discuss the Township of Union's Sustainable Jersey
Application.

The public is invited

Green Team Meeting

A meeting will be held in Town Hall's Bonnell Room on
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14Th at 7:30 P.M.
To discuss The Sustainable Jersey Initiative.

The public is invited

WORK ON VAUX HALL ROAD

Please be advised that the work on VAUXHALL ROAD is part of the Elizabethtown Gas Company and approved by the County. (VAUXHALL Rd is a County Road.)

The department has received numerous calls, however we cannot answer many of the question since the project was approved by the county. The department is attempting to reach out to Elizabethtown Gas and the County to answer some of the questions.

In an attempt to aid our residents, we are posting the company Customer Service Number. We suggest when calling ask for a supervisor.

Elizabethtown Gas Co. Customer Number 1-800-242-5830
ASK FOR A SUPERVISOR

Clunker refrigerators?

BPU aims to recycle 20,000 units by paying $30
By SCOTT FALLON
STAFF WRITER
New Jerseyans can get clunker refrigerators or freezers hauled away for free and be paid $30 under a recycling program launched this week by the state Board of Public Utilities.The $3.3 million project is an attempt to recycle 20,000 refrigerators with two environmental goals in mind: the removal of inefficient appliances that use two to four times the electricity of newer models, and the safe disposal of foam insulation and coolant chemicals."The removal of an old, inefficient refrigerator or freezer is an easy way for our residents to save on their electricity bills while helping to protect the environment," Jeanne Fox, president of the BPU, said in a statement.The energy savings from recycling 20,000 refrigerators will equal the amount of power used in approximately 1,400 homes for one year.Replacing an older refrigerator can save $50 a year in electricity costs, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency.Modern refrigerators consume an average of about 500 kilowatt-hours a year; a unit manufactured 20 years ago uses an average of 1,200 kilowatt-hours a year.The $3.3 million comes from the Societal Benefits Charge - a state fund that ratepayers are required to pay into.The BPU will pay Jaco Environmental, a Washington State-based company, $101 for every refrigerator. The agency is also promoting the program through advertisements and direct-mail campaigns.About 95 percent of a refrigerator or freezer can be recycled.Metal is recycled into rebar. Plastic can be used for computers, MP3 players and a variety of other things. Glass shelves get new life in concrete mixtures.The foam insulation and cooling chemicals are disposed of without releasing their ozonedepleting gases into the atmosphere.


Interested parties should visit http://www.njcleanenergy.com/residential/programs/refrigerator-freezer-r
ecycling-program
or call 877-270-3520

Requirements for Program Participation

1. Customer must be a residential electric customer of one of the following NJ utilities: Atlantic City Electric, Jersey Central Power & Light, PSE&G, Rockland Electric Company. 2. Customers of municipal electric utilities do not qualify. 3. Appliance types include refrigerators and freezers. 4. Maximum 2 units per customer per year. 5. Valid for period from July 15, 2009 through December 31, 2009. Unit must be picked up within this time frame. 6. Refrigerator/Freezer size limited to 10 - 30 cu. ft. 7. Refrigerator/Freezer must be operational at time of pick up. 8. Refrigerator/Freezer unit must be owned by customer. 9. No age restriction. 10. Refrigerator/Freezer must have clear access path for removal.

Why participation is important to you

1. Old refrigerators and freezers are not bio-degradable. This is why states like New Jersey, California and Illinois have laws that prohibit dumping these appliances into land fills. 2. Other recycling companies have to charge a fee to pick up and recycle your old appliances, because it is a thorough process. However, when you enroll in this program, we pick up and recycle your old refrigerator or freezer for free. Plus, you will receive a $30 cash incentive for participating. 3. Old refrigerators and freezers typically use two times more electricity than newer models. By everyone doing their part to conserve energy and recycle responsibly, New Jersey residents will reduce energy use and help protect the environment.

A cash incentive of $30 will be paid to you for your effort in recycling responsibly.

If you have any questions about the recycling program, or if you would like to schedule your pickup date by phone; please feel free to contact our customer service center toll free at 877-270-3520.

Hurricane Season

The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) has asked us to provide and your citizens some important information regarding this hurricane season.

Hurricane season runs from approximately June 1 through November 20, but as demonstrated by the 2005 season (including Hurricane Katrina) this time frame can vary. For New Jersey, the peak time for hurricanes and tropical storms runs from mid-August through the end of October.

NJOEM recommends the following readiness steps:

“Get a Kit” of emergency supplies – the items that will help you stay self-sufficient for up to three days (72 hours), if needed.
“Make a Plan” for what you and your family will do during an emergency – this includes knowing how to evacuate and how to Shelter-in-Place.
“Stay Informed” of possible threats – especially during Hurricane Season. Tune into your local media outlets for the latest breaking weather news. In the event of an emergency a battery powered radio is a great tool.
Additional information on the hurricane season is available at: http://www.ready.nj.gov/plan/hurricane-before.html.

BATTERIES

As of December 31st 2008 the New Jersey Deparment of Environmental Protection has declassified "Batteries" from the hazardous waste list. This is in response to a study by the USDEP that affirms that the old batteries (With hazardous waste such as mercury) are no longer in circulation. YOU CAN DISPOSE OF YOUR BATTERIES "A-AA-AAA-C-D" WITH YOUR REFUSE.

Eco-Tips FOR THE BEACH !

1. One of the biggest, yet simplest things you can do is to snip your six-pack rings! Six-pack rings should be cut apart before putting them into the garbage (even if you don't live near the ocean). This is because they may be dumped into waterways with other garbage, or swept into the ocean by wind from landfills. Once underwater, these rings are invisible, and many animals can't avoid them until it's too late. You can protect marine inhabitants (including some that are endangered or threatened) by taking an action that requires less than 30 seconds of your time. If you find any on the beach or in the water, pick them up and snip them before disposing of them properly. Sea Turtle with half-swallowed plastic bag Turtles eat jelly fish and often mistake plastic bags for them
2.Avoid taking disposable plastics on your boat or to the beach ESPECIALLY plastic bags. Plastic bags in the water resemble jellyfish - the preferred diet of many marine animals. Needless to say, the ingestion of plastic bags often results in death. According to "50 Simple Things you can do to Save the Earth", "A U.S. Fish and Wildlife survey of albatross babies found 90% with plastic in their digestive systems." Balloons are devastating to marine animals if ingested. It has been shown theat even balloons released in the midwest will, in a matter of days, find their way to the ocean. Don't let go of your balloons and speak up if you know of a plan for a balloon release!
3. Do NOT throw cigarette butts in the water. Marine birds or fish may eat them and they do NOT break down.
4. Pick up any litter that you may find in the water or along the shoreline and then dispose of it properly.
5.Volunteer for local beach cleanups.
6.Dispose of toxic materials such as waste oil, weed killers or paint strippers in the proper way.Please do not simply dump materials of this type down your drains.Using non toxic alternatives is also an excellent choice.

If you own a boat:
7. Keep a trash can on board (and use it).
8.DO NOT put left over fishing line in the water.
9.Never discharge wastes (especially from the toilet) into the water.
10.Have the boat motor serviced so that gas or oil do not leak into water.

UNION DPW GOES GREEN

Responding to the growing need for environmental stewardship and calls from the Township’s community for the implementation of sustainable practices, The Township of Union Department of Public Works has adopted this Green Purchasing Policy. The following policy outlines the purchasing component of Township of Union’s Department of Public Works plan to “green” its products and services.

1.0 Directive:
Hence forth, the Department of Public Works will give preference to environmentally superior products, where quality, function and cost are equal or superior. Products and packaging materials will contain a prescribed minimum post-consumer recycled content and will be minimized and/or substituted With more environmentally appropriate alternatives whenever possible. All products will be chosen based on efficient use of energy, natural resources, and potential for safe, non-hazardous disposal.

2.0 Notification:
The department will inform all suppliers / vendors of products and services about the policy and will work with them to meet its criteria. Where practical and cost effective, products will be ordered in appropriate quantities to avoid having to dispose of obsolete products.

3.0 Whenever practicable

“Whenever practicable,” products should be purchased which meet the criteria specified in the EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) database which is available on the EPA website (www.epa.gov).

Anthony Terrezza********Brenda Restivo
Mayor**********Commissioner

INFORMATION

Anti-Idling Vehicle Education
The Township of Union recently notified all of the businesses about vehicle idling law that may require you to make a few changes in your habits. If you and enough other drivers reduce unnecessary vehicle idling, the result could be cleaner air for everyone.

EVENT

THURSDAY GREEN CONCERTS
Thursday May 28th Beginning at 6:30 P.M. Thru 8:30 P.M. at Columbus Park, Union N.J. This event will commence the Green Fair Weekend with local Band playing in the park ,

Eco Tip # 20 PAPER SHREDDING

FRIDAY APRIL 4TH IN PLAINFIELD
This Service is free to Union Co. Residents and you can watch your document being shredded in front of you.
For more information contact The Union County office of Recycling! Link Below!

Eco Tip # 19 PAPER SHEDDING

SUNDAY APRIL 19th in CRANFORD
This Service is free to Union Co. Residents and you can watch your document being shredded in front of you.
For more information contact The Union County office of Recycling! Link Below!

Eco Tip # 18 DEATH BY SIX PACK

Always cut up six pack holders. If they get into the water supply , they will strangle birds and get tangled up in them. They can also get stuck on dolphins' noses condemning them to a slow death by starvation.

Eco Tip # 17 REUSING BAGS

Try to remember to take bags with you whenever shopping. Many supermarkets offer durable bags for life which last considerably longer than the usual bag

Eco Tip # 16 RAINFOREST BURGER

Only one tenth of the food that animals eat is converted into meat. Some fast food restaurants have a reputation for using rainforest beef, and each individual burger farmed this way causes deforestation of an area the size of a kitchen

Eco-Tip # 16 EMISSIONS

Reducing engine idling will improve our air quality, reduce our carbon footprint, protect our health and save money.

1. Vehicle emissions are the leading source of toxic air pollution in New Jersey .Burning gasoline and diesel in our cars and trucks releases:
• particulate matter,
• dirt,
• nitrous oxides,
• hydrocarbons such as formaldehyde and benzene, and
• carbon monoxide.
2 Vehicle emissions are a major source of carbon dioxide contributing to global warming. About of third of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States come from vehicle emissions.
3 Vehicle exhaust is hazardous to human health, especially children’s. Studies have linked air pollution to increased rates of cancer, heart and lung disease, asthma and allergies.
4 Idling is unnecessary. Fuel injection engines do not need to be warmed up for more than 30 seconds except on extremely cold days (below 0◦ F).
5 Idling is hard on your engine.4 An idling engine does not run at peak efficiency, which results in incomplete combustion of fuel, residue on spark plugs and dirty engine oil.
6 Idling is expensive.2
• An average car burns close to a gallon of gas for every hour spent idling.
• All vehicles get zero miles per gallon while idling.
In general, 10 seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting the car.

OLD LIGHT BULBS...................

YOUR local Home Depot is NOW accepting old mercury light bulbs (Fluorescent)! The Home Depot Corporation has begun a national campaign to recycle these hazardous waste bulbs.
Visit or contact your local HOME DEPOT!

Eco Tip # 14 - RECHARGABLE BATTERIES

Using rechargable batteries saves a lot of energy, toxic chemicals and money!

Eco Tip # 13 GIVING TO CHARITY

When you or your family grow out of old clothes/books/furniture/boyfriends, take them to a charity!

Eco Tip # 12 Levi Strauss

As recycling becomes increasingly important, local authorities are beginning to provide more and more recycling points. The variety of recyclables material is also growing fast. Plastic, wood , paper, tires, glass, tins, and cans, even clothes and shoes can be recycled. IN FACT... ALL OF LEVI STRAUSS'S NEW STATIONARY IS MADE FROM RECYCLED DENIM OFF-CUTS!

Eco Tip # 15 Recycling logo

The recycling logo consists of three arrows forming a circle. It’s known as a ““Mobius Loop””. If the logo displayed on a dark background it means the product or package is made from recycled material. If the it’s on a light background the material can be recycled.

ANNOUNCEMENT

THE TOWNSHIP OF UNION RECYCLING COORDINATOR CLIFF PIETRUCHA can be contacted at
908-686-1922 or CPIETRUCHA@Uniontownship.com

EcoTip # 11 BUY LOCALLY

Buy Locally Buy food (and drink - ideally tap - water) from local companies whenever possible. Each pound of local food you purchase prevents a quarter pound of global warming (C02) emissions. Support your area's Farmer's Market. If possible, grow your own fruits and vegetables using organic gardening practices. You can find local farmer’s markets, community supported agriculture, restaurants that cook with regional cuisine, and food cooperatives through farmers market.

EcoTip # 10 SHOPPING BAGS

While shopping, if you only buy a few products skip the shopping bag. For larger purchases, bring your own. Learn about the dangers of plastic bags and what countries around world are doing about it!

EcoTip # 9 BULK PURCHASES

Bulk Purchases -Avoid products that are packaged for single use (i.e., drinks, school lunches, candy, cat and dog food, salad mixings, etc.). Instead, buy in bulk and transfer the products to your own reusable containers. Many health food stores have bulk bins where they sell everything from grains to cereal to cleaning products.

EcoTip # 8 REDUCE PURCHASES

Reducing purchases.... In general, think before you buy any product - do you really need it? How did the production of this product impact the environment and what further impacts will there be with the disposal of the product (and associated packaging materials)? When you are thinking about buying something, try the 30-Day Rule -- wait 30 days after the first time you decide you want a product to really make your decision. This will eliminate impulse buying.

EcoTip # 7 SIMPLIFY!

Simplify Your life as much as possible. Only keep belongings that you use/enjoy on a regular basis. By making the effort to reduce what you own, you will naturally purchase less/create less waste in the future. For information on voluntary simplicity, check out Voluntary Simplicity Web Resources.

BEST BUY TO ACCEPT ELECTRONICS

Big News in the Electronics Recycling Arena!!!!

Beginning February 15th, all Best Buy stores will begin accepting electronics!!!!

While there are certain conditions and exemptions, this is certainly a great 7-day/week option for residents!!
_______________________________________________________
For More Information contact:__________________________

Union NJ (Store 472)
2391 Route 22 W
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: 908-810-2150
_______________________________________________________

Vauxhall NJ (Store 1506)
2255 Springfield Ave
Vauxhall, NJ 07088
Phone: 908-206-9720

Union County Food Waste Forum

Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to learn how to set up a food waste recycling system. Join other county businesses and institutions in meeting local food waste composters and haulers to see how this green initiative can save you money.  Registration is Free!

 Monday March  16th 2009          

 Kean University (Union. N.J.) 

For registration and information please contact: 

The Union County Recycling office at 908-789-3660

 

ECOTIP# 5 WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP

Pack a Waste-Free Lunch

 A waste-free lunch means that you have no packaging to throw away when you're done - nothing other than apple cores, banana and orange peels, peach or cherry pits. The best way to reduce garbage is to not create it.

Fueling Refuel your vehicle during the evening hours to reduce the amount of pollution created.Combine errands and plan out the shortest route possible. The heaviest car emissions occur during the first two miles that a car is driven (while the engine is still cold). Whenever possible, walk or ride your bike.

 

ECOTIP# 4 FARMER MARKET

 Farmers' markets, sometimes called greenmarkets, are markets, usually held out-of-doors, in public spaces, where farmers can sell produce to the public.Farmers' market produce is renowned for being locally-grown and very fresh. People argue farmers' markets allow farmers to pick produce at the peak of flavor, preserve the nutritional content of fresh produce, and since locally-grown produce does not travel as far to get to your table, the difference in mileage saves fossil fuels.Farmers' markets often feature produce grown naturally or organically, meats that are raised humanely on pasture, handmade farmstead cheeses, eggs and poultry from free-range fowl, as well as heirloom produce and heritage breeds of meat and fowl.

ECOTIP # 3 FERTILIZATION

Fertilization -Fertilizing your lawn encourages healthy plant growth. In this case, however, MORE IS NOT BETTER! Fertilize sparingly, as you can actually over stimulate plant growth, making the lawn more susceptible to dry conditions and disease. Additionally, the more fertilizer applied to a lawn increases the likelihood of harmful chemicals running off into streams or seeping into groundwater. The combination of over-watering and over-fertilizing can be dangerous to both plants and humans!

ECOTIP# 2 WHY BAG GRASS???

 A DON’T Bag grass  plan can save the homeowner time, energy and money, and reduce the amount of waste going to our landfills. The principle is simple - return clippings to your lawn. By leaving your clippings on the lawn and allowing them to work their way back into soil, you can realize these benefits and still maintain a beautiful, green lawn. In fact, grass clippings contain valuable nutrients that can generate up to 25 percent of your lawn's total fertilizer needs. A hundred pounds of grass clippings can generate and recycle as much as three to four pounds of nitrogen, one-half to one pound of phosphorus, and two to three pounds of potassium back to the lawn. These are the three most important nutrients needed by lawns and commonly supplied in lawn fertilizers. The other good news is that grass clippings do not contribute to thatch (an organic debris layer between the soil and live grass) since grass clippings are 75-85 percent water and decompose readily. Why, then, do many homeowners bag grass clippings? Basically, it is a personal preference and habit most homeowners have acquired. Another reason is that bagging does ensure that no clippings remain on the lawn to detract from lawn quality and aesthetics. Proper lawn care practices will usually eliminate surface clipping debris and ensure a successful Don't Bag It program. 

ECOTIPT# 1 MOWING YOUR LAWN January

The lawn should be mowed frequently enough so that no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade length is removed during any one mowing. During periods of active turf grass growth, many lawns will require mowing more than once per week if this recommendation is to be followed.. If extended wet periods prevent timely mowing and the turf grass gets excessively tall, move the mower height adjustment to the highest setting and mow the lawn. Once the clippings dry, lower the height adjustment to the desired height and then mow the lawn a second time in a different direction. This approach is termed "Double Cutting."