New Jersey Takes the Lead on Solar

William Paterson University to Install Largest Solar Energy Facility on a University Campus in U.S.  --Solar panels expected to save University $4.3 million in energy costs

William Paterson University will build a solar energy facility on the campus in Wayne that will be the largest solar facility at a university in the nation. It is expected to save millions of dollars in energy costs for the University.

Construction is scheduled to begin in February. The installation will be capable of supplying 3.5 megawatts of clean, low-cost energy. The first 3-megawatt phase is to be completed during 2010; the second 500-kilowatt phase is scheduled to go online in 2011.

“This will be a landmark project for the University,” says Stephen Bolyai, vice president for administration and finance at William Paterson. “The project will reduce our energy costs and carbon footprint, and students will be able to see the University’s commitment to a major alternative energy project, and what the University is doing to save energy costs.”

The institution has made a strong commitment to energy conservation and recently received a $1.2 million federal grant to upgrade the controls for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems on campus. As of June 2007, the University is a charter signatory in the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), a national initiative with a goal of carbon neutrality at member institutions. The University is also certified under the NJDEP Environmental Stewardship program, became an EPA Waste Wise Partner, and was recognized by the New Jersey Higher Ed Partnership for sustainability with an Energy and Climate Action Award for meritorious achievement.

Other recent energy savings commitments at the University include replacing some gas-powered vehicles on campus with electric cars; recycling paper, plastic, and other materials; and installing occupancy sensors to control lights in buildings.

Nautilus Solar Energy, LLC, a leading independent solar power producer, will finance, own, and operate the facility under a 15-year power purchase agreement. The University will buy the solar power at a reduced rate with no upfront costs. The new solar power system is designed to reduce the University’s energy costs by $4.3 million over the term of the agreement.

The project, designed by SunDurance Energy, a New Jersey-based solar power system installer, will include arrays covering some parking areas and photovoltaic cells on the roofs of some of the University’s buildings.

Elevated solar arrays will be located in Lot 1, Lot 6, a portion of Lot 5, the Power Art Center parking lot, and the extended parking lot at 1600 Valley Road. Solar panels will be located on the Power Art Center, the upper roof of the Recreation Center, Wayne Hall, and the University Commons Ballroom.

To keep the campus informed about the University’ s energy savings, a kiosk, to be located in the Science Building, will constantly display the amount of energy produced by the solar panels, and the concurrent savings accrued in real time.

William Paterson University is one of the nine state colleges and universities in New Jersey. It offers 43 undergraduate and 20 graduate programs through five colleges: Arts and Communication, Cotsakos College of Business, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Health. Located on 370 hilltop acres in Wayne, the University enrolls approximately 11,000 students and provides housing for nearly 2,300 students.

The Facts About Childhood Poisonings with Home Cleaning Products

Bleach causes the most injuries, but there's another cleanser that's more likely to send your kid to the hospital. Get the facts.

By Dan Shapley 

The Daily Green

Nearly 12,000 children aged 1-5 went to a hospital emergency room because they drank, touched or were sprayed with household cleaners in a single year, according to a new study that analyzed data from 1990 to 2006.

The good news is that the number of annual emergency room visits for household cleaner injuries is down 46% since 1990, primarily because childproof containers are now required, and parents are better educated. But the bad news is that the actual number of children hurt by household cleaners is likely to be significantly higher than the reported number, and at least 744 children poisoned by household cleansers suffered life-threatening or permanent injuries in the last year studied, according to the authors of the study, Lara B. McKenzie, Nisha Ahir, Uwe Stolz and Nicolas G. Nelson, who published their research today in Pediatrics. The study relied on data from about 100 emergency rooms from around the country.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends storing cleansers in locked cabinets, buying products with child-resistant packaging, retaining products in their original packaging and disposing properly of unneeded cleansers. Many parents report taking these steps, but studies show they rarely do. The Daily Green additionally recommends avoiding harsh cleansers in the first place, by choosing nontoxic off-the-shelf cleansers, or making your own, which is often as easy as mixing baking soda and vinegar. Try simple nontoxic DIY cleansers to clean anything around the home.

So what makes kids sick?

Not surprisingly:

• Bleach is a big culprit, causing 37% of injuries, including many that start with parents storing bleach in dinnerware – a big no-no.
• Most injuries, 63%, came from drinking cleansers, and poisoning was the most common diagnosis. Another 36% of exposures came from skin contact, leading to chemical burns or rashes.
• Nearly three out of every four injuries happened to very young children, under age 3. And nearly 60% of victims were boys.
• Children under the age of 5 account for more than half of all poisonings in the U.S. each year (1.2 million cases in 2006), and 80% of those poisonings happen in the home.

More surprisingly:

• Spray bottles caused 40% of injuries, more than any other type of container. Injuries to the eyes and face were 14 times more likely, too, when spray bottles were in play, and spray bottles were the only category of container to show no decrease in injuries caused since 1990.
• Children exposed to cleansers with acids or alkalis like lye, oven cleaners, drain cleaners, toilet bowl products and dishwasher detergents were nearly five times as likely be hospitalized for their injuries. Exposure to ammonia also increased hospitalizations.
• Exposure to cleansers is the second-biggest source of poisoning in children under the age of 6. Exposure to personal-care products or cosmetics is No. 1.

Here's a look at the categories of cleansers that caused emergency room visits, in order from most to least.

1. Bleach: 37%

swimming pool chemicals

disinfectants

2. Other: 30%

general-purpose household cleaners

wallpaper cleaners

room deodorizers

abrasive cleaners

metal polishes

room deodorizers or fresheners

tarnish removers

windshield wiper fluids

mixtures

3. Low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons: 13%

pine oil cleaning products

spot removers

turpentine

4. Acids and/or alkalis: 10%

acids

lye

caustic agents

oven cleaners

drain cleaners

toilet bowl products

dishwasher detergents

5. Detergents: 7%

laundry soaps and detergents

dishwashing liquids

(Even seemingly benign cleansers like these can be poisonous; dishwasher tablets or powder, and many laundry detergents, can be caustic enough to burn skin or damage the respiratory tract or stomach if swallowed.)

6. Ammonia: 3%

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/home-cleaning-products-0802?click=getstarted#ixzz0yCTzqxHo

 

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/home-cleaning-products-0802?click=getstarted#ixzz0yCTpeTlW

Photo: Istock / Photo Illustration by Gloria Dawson

related articles

The New Dirty Dozen: 12 Foods to Eat Organic 8 School Lunch Superfoods To Pack For Your Kid Safe Cleaning Products You Can Make at Home Toxic Toy Recalls: What You Need To Know to Protect Your Kid How to Prevent Breast Cancer: 20 Risk Factors

By Dan Shapley

	digg
Buzz up!

Nearly 12,000 children aged 1-5 went to a hospital emergency room because they drank, touched or were sprayed with household cleaners in a single year, according to a new study that analyzed data from 1990 to 2006.
The good news is that the number of annual emergency room visits for household cleaner injuries is down 46% since 1990, primarily because childproof containers are now required, and parents are better educated. But the bad news is that the actual number of children hurt by household cleaners is likely to be significantly higher than the reported number, and at least 744 children poisoned by household cleansers suffered life-threatening or permanent injuries in the last year studied, according to the authors of the study, Lara B. McKenzie, Nisha Ahir, Uwe Stolz and Nicolas G. Nelson, who published their research today in Pediatrics. The study relied on data from about 100 emergency rooms from around the country.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends storing cleansers in locked cabinets, buying products with child-resistant packaging, retaining products in their original packaging and disposing properly of unneeded cleansers. Many parents report taking these steps, but studies show they rarely do. The Daily Green additionally recommends avoiding harsh cleansers in the first place, by choosing nontoxic off-the-shelf cleansers, or making your own, which is often as easy as mixing baking soda and vinegar. Try simple nontoxic DIY cleansers to clean anything around the home.
So what makes kids sick?
Not surprisingly:

• Bleach is a big culprit, causing 37% of injuries, including many that start with parents storing bleach in dinnerware – a big no-no.
• Most injuries, 63%, came from drinking cleansers, and poisoning was the most common diagnosis. Another 36% of exposures came from skin contact, leading to chemical burns or rashes.
• Nearly three out of every four injuries happened to very young children, under age 3. And nearly 60% of victims were boys.
• Children under the age of 5 account for more than half of all poisonings in the U.S. each year (1.2 million cases in 2006), and 80% of those poisonings happen in the home.

More surprisingly:

• Spray bottles caused 40% of injuries, more than any other type of container. Injuries to the eyes and face were 14 times more likely, too, when spray bottles were in play, and spray bottles were the only category of container to show no decrease in injuries caused since 1990.
• Children exposed to cleansers with acids or alkalis like lye, oven cleaners, drain cleaners, toilet bowl products and dishwasher detergents were nearly five times as likely be hospitalized for their injuries. Exposure to ammonia also increased hospitalizations.
• Exposure to cleansers is the second-biggest source of poisoning in children under the age of 6. Exposure to personal-care products or cosmetics is No. 1.

Here's a look at the categories of cleansers that caused emergency room visits, in order from most to least.
1. Bleach: 37%
swimming pool chemicals
disinfectants
2. Other: 30%
general-purpose household cleaners
wallpaper cleaners
room deodorizers
abrasive cleaners
metal polishes
room deodorizers or fresheners
tarnish removers
windshield wiper fluids
mixtures
3. Low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons: 13%
pine oil cleaning products
spot removers
turpentine
4. Acids and/or alkalis: 10%
acids
lye
caustic agents
oven cleaners
drain cleaners
toilet bowl products
dishwasher detergents
5. Detergents: 7%
laundry soaps and detergents
dishwashing liquids
(Even seemingly benign cleansers like these can be poisonous; dishwasher tablets or powder, and many laundry detergents, can be caustic enough to burn skin or damage the respiratory tract or stomach if swallowed.)
6. Ammonia: 3%

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/home-cleaning-products-0802?click=getstarted#ixzz0yCTZqQG0

Ask Your Legislators to Pass the Safe Cosmetics Act

What are all those chemicals in your shampoo? Your lipstick? your aftershave? And what do they have to do with asthma, breast cancer and learning disabilities?

Learn, share and help change this toxic mess: Watch The Story of Cosmetics, a 8-minute film exposing the ugly truth about personal care products - brought to you by Clean Water Action, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Annie Leonard's Story of Stuff Project and Free Range Studios, and take action to help pass the Safe Cosmetics Act.

Phone Numbers Are Dead, They Just Don’t Know It Yet

Reposted via TechCrunch Aug 28, 2010

Editor’s note: The following guest post is by Nikhyl Singhal, the co-founder and CEO of voice-application startup SayNow.

Is it conceivable that one of our greatest inventions, the phone number, is about to face extinction?

Just ask Mark Zuckerberg. Earlier this year, when asked if Facebook would be around in 100 years, as long as Ma Bell has been around, Zuckerberg responded, “I don’t know. But I don’t know how long telephones will be around for.”  Will they be around for ten more years? I’ll go even further. It may not even take 5 years for the phone service, as we know it, to meet its demise.

Who’s going to lead the charge?  Voice on Gmail and Skype are just the beginning.  What are Facebook, Apple, Yahoo, and Microsoft doing?  As AT&T, Verizon, Apple and Google spent this summer hashing out plans for world domination, it seems that Facebook is best positioned to strike the fatal blow against our beloved carriers.  And it starts with those phone digits.

I’m certain my grandkids will never dial a phone number, or even have one. It’s time to say goodbye to ten digits along with the world’s oldest social network.  While we’re at it, let’s kill phone-tree mazes, do-not-call lists…everything associated with phone numbers.

Don’t misconstrue what I’m saying. This isn’t the demise of phone calls.  Far from it.  People will still talk on their phones.  They just want the service to be simple and fun, which won’t entail punching digits into a device to start a conversation.

Why put phone numbers on deathwatch?  Consider a few facts:

1. No control. Anyone can dial your 10 digits, including your ex-girlfriend, a political campaign worker, or a solicitor.  Unlisted numbers, Caller ID and do-not-call lists all tried to solve this problem, but these solutions still don’t prevent unwanted calls.
2. Phone numbers are tied to a device, not to you. Everyone has multiple numbers, yet your home line is shared, leaving callers guessing the best way to reach you.
3. User experience is very limited. The phone was designed as a utility—dial a number, have a conversation. It’s remained this way since its inception.  It’s not optimized for other experiences, which is why voicemail and conference calls are tedious, and why checking flight status is worse than a root canal.

Compare this to your social networks.  You have control over who accesses your information; you have one username and profile that you use at all times; and applications fill in the holes and extend the network’s capabilities to communicate, play games and meet people on your own terms.

On any Facebook page, I can “send a message”, even if we aren’t friends. And I can choose to receive messages from non-friends. The key thing is the network sets up a policy, and I as a user can change this. We don’t have this choice on the phone network today. Anyone can dial my number, and I can’t control it—but I do control my interaction on a social network.

Google, Skype, and others try to resolve telephony problems by stuffing the phone system into the web.  Personally, I’ve spent five years at SayNow trying to eke more out of the digit-based phone system too.  We’ve built dozens of applications that enable brands, celebrities and millions of users to use the phone in an entirely new way.  But we’ve all hit the limits of what we can accomplish.  Instead of replicating the antiquated phone network inside the web, let’s instead dramatically simplify telephony by adding voice on top of our social networks.

If given a choice between Ma Bell and Zuckerbell as our operator, we should choose Zuck.  Despite criticisms about Facebook’s privacy settings, the site gives us far more control over our interactions than we have on the telephone.  Since our contacts live in the network, we already belong to the world’s largest white pages.  And with more businesses moving to social networks, throw in the global yellow pages, too.  So say goodbye to lost phone numbers, moving contacts between devices and even 411.  More importantly, just as you determine who can see your bachelor party photos, you will soon have complete control over who has access to call you and who doesn’t. As I write this I already hear my wife saying, “Honey, why can’t my mom call us anymore?”

Also relevant here are the creative smartphone applications that developers churn out daily.  None of these leverage the primary reason these mobile devices exist: voice.  Once smartphone platforms allow developers to initiate conversations and voice messages, you can bet voice will finally become flexible and fun.

Speaking of which, I was at a Lady Gaga concert recently, and the good people at Virgin Mobile arranged for Gaga to “surprise” a fan with a phone call that upgraded her seats.  Great idea, but we all know the entire activity was scripted and carefully orchestrated.  But what if it wasn’t?  Lady Gaga should be able to open her iPhone, see her Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace fans, choose someone checked in at the venue, and…. (cue drumroll), call them.  Call one of them.  Some of them.  All of them.  And whether you have 5 million friends or just 5, phone calls should be just that easy.  So enjoy punching those digits while they are still around.

Proof That Signing a Petition Can Make a Difference!

I received the following email today because I along with many others signed a petition to help the Barnegat Bay.

Victory for NJ's Water and Environment!

Hello Marc,

Our members are what make everything happen! Thanks to your support, the New Jersey Environmental Federation, Clean Water Action's New Jersey chapter, recently celebrated two victories that will help protect New Jersey's water and environment.

Bill to help Barnegat Bay moves out of committee

Thanks to the support of coalition partners and New JerseyEnvironmental Federation staff and members, the state Senate and Assembly environmental committees recently voted yes on a package of bills that will help ease stress on Barnegat Bay. On August 17th, the bills were sent to the floor of the New Jersey Legislature. We are now working to ensure the measures make it to the Governor's desk for signing in their current and strongest forms.

This is a tremendous victory for Barnegat Bay and New Jersey's waters. One measure, S-1411/A-2290, will help reduce fertilizer pollution around Barnegat Bay, an ecosystem facing serious pollution threats from the misuse and overuse of phosphate and nitrogen-based fertilizers. Fertilizer runoff is literally sucking the life out of Barnegat Bay, leading to eutrophication (i.e. excessive nitrogen buildup, which depletes oxygen in the water, causes algal blooms, disrupts marine ecoystems from the ground up, and leads to a proliferation of jellyfish).

The New Jersey Environmental Federation helped gather thousands of letters, e-mails and faxes in support of these measures. Read more about this campaign.

Grass-Fed Basics

by Jo Robinson courtesy of Eat Wild

Back to Pasture. Since the late 1990s, a growing number of ranchers have stopped sending their animals to the feedlots to be fattened on grain, soy and other supplements.  Instead, they are keeping their animals home on the range where they forage on pasture, their native diet. These new-age ranchers do not treat their livestock with hormones or feed them growth-promoting additives. As a result, the animals grow at a natural pace. For these reasons and more, grass-fed animals live low-stress lives and are so healthy there is no reason to treat them with antibiotics or other drugs.

More Nutritious. A major benefit of raising animals on pasture is that their products are healthier for you. For example, compared with feedlot meat, meat from grass-fed beef, bison, lamb and goats has less total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories. It also has more vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and a number of health-promoting fats, including omega-3 fatty acids and “conjugated linoleic acid,” or CLA.  Read more about the nutritional benefits of raising animals on pasture.

The Art and Science of Grassfarming. Raising animals on pasture requires more knowledge and skill than sending them to a feedlot. For example, in order for grass-fed beef to be succulent and tender, the cattle need to forage on high-quality grasses and legumes, especially in the months prior to slaughter. Providing this nutritious and natural diet requires healthy soil and careful pasture management so that the plants are maintained at an optimal stage of growth. Because high-quality pasture is the key to high-quality animal products, many pasture-based ranchers refer to themselves as "grassfarmers" rather than “ranchers.”  They raise great grass; the animals do all the rest.

Factory Farming. Raising animals on pasture is dramatically different from the status quo. Virtually all the meat, eggs, and dairy products that you find in the supermarket come from animals raised in confinement in large facilities called CAFOs or “Confined Animal Feeding Operations.”  These highly mechanized operations provide a year-round supply of food at a reasonable price. Although the food is cheap and convenient, there is growing recognition that factory farming creates a host of problems, including:
• Animal stress and abuse
• Air, land, and water pollution
• The unnecessary use of hormones, antibiotics, and other drugs
• Low-paid, stressful farm work
• The loss of small family farms
• Food with less nutritional value.

Unnatural Diets. Animals raised in factory farms are given diets designed to boost their productivity and lower costs. The main ingredients are genetically modified grain and soy that are kept at artificially low prices by government subsidies. To further cut costs, the feed may also contain “by-product feedstuff” such as municipal garbage, stale pastry, chicken feathers, and candy. Until 1997, U.S. cattle were also being fed meat that had been trimmed from other cattle, in effect turning herbivores into carnivores. This unnatural practice is believed to be the underlying cause of BSE or “mad cow disease.”

Animal Stress. A high-grain diet can cause physical problems for ruminants—cud-chewing animals such as cattle, dairy cows, goats, bison, and sheep. Ruminants are designed to eat fibrous grasses, plants, and shrubs—not starchy, low-fiber grain. When they are switched from pasture to grain, they can become afflicted with a number of disorders, including a common but painful condition called “subacute acidosis.” Cattle with subacute acidosis kick at their bellies, go off their feed, and eat dirt. To prevent more serious and sometimes fatal reactions, the animals are given chemical additives along with a constant, low-level dose of antibiotics. Some of these antibiotics are the same ones used in human medicine. When medications are overused in the feedlots, bacteria become resistant to them. When people become infected with these new, disease-resistant bacteria, there are fewer medications available to treat them.

Caged Pigs, Chickens, Ducks and Geese.  Most of the nation’s chickens, turkeys, and pigs are also being raised in confinement. Typically, they suffer an even worse fate than the grazing animals. Tightly packed into cages, sheds, or pens, they cannot practice their normal behaviors, such as rooting, grazing, and roosting. Laying hens are crowded into cages that are so small that there is not enough room for all of the birds to sit down at one time. An added insult is that they cannot escape the stench of their own manure. Meat and eggs from these animals are lower in a number of key vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids.

Environmental Degradation. When animals are raised in feedlots or cages, they deposit large amounts of manure in a small amount of space. The manure must be collected and transported away from the area, an expensive proposition. To cut costs, it is dumped as close to the feedlot as possible. As a result, the surrounding soil is overloaded with nutrients, which can cause ground and water pollution. When animals are raised outdoors on pasture, their manure is spread over a wide area of land, making it a welcome source of organic fertilizer, not a “waste management problem.” Read more about the environmental differences between factory farming and grass-based production.

The Healthiest Choice. When you choose to eat meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals raised on pasture, you are improving the welfare of the animals, helping to put an end to environmental degradation, helping small-scale ranchers and farmers make a living from the land, helping to sustain rural communities, and giving your family the healthiest possible food. It’s a win-win-win-win situation.

You can read more on this topic by checking out Jo Robinson's book Pasture Perfect

    

Egg Carton Labels

A brief guide to labels and animal welfare

The Humane Society of the United States November 9, 2009-updated June 2010

The vast number of consumer labels affixed to egg cartons can leave a shopper feeling dazed and confused. One carton may label its eggs "Natural." Another carton may call them "Free Range," while yet another may claim its eggs are "Certified Organic." How are thoughtful consumers supposed to know what these labels and claims really mean?

The truth is that the majority of egg labels have little relevance to animal welfare or, if they do, they have no official standards or any mechanism to enforce them.

The Labels†

Certified Organic: The birds are uncaged inside barns or warehouses, and are required to have outdoor access, but the amount, duration, and quality of outdoor access is undefined. They are fed an organic, all-vegetarian diet free of antibiotics and pesticides, as required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permitted. Compliance is verified through third-party auditing.

Free-Range: While the USDA has defined the meaning of "free-range" for some poultry products, there are no standards in "free-range" egg production. Typically, free-range hens are uncaged inside barns or warehouses and have some degree of outdoor access, but there are no requirements for the amount, duration or quality of outdoor access. Since they are not caged, they can engage in many natural behaviors such as nesting and foraging. There are no restrictions regarding what the birds can be fed. Beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are permitted. There is no third-party auditing.

Certified Humane: The birds are uncaged inside barns or warehouses but may be kept indoors at all times. They must be able to perform natural behaviors such as nesting, perching, and dust bathing. There are requirements for stocking density and number of perches and nesting boxes. Forced molting through starvation is prohibited, but beak cutting is allowed. Compliance is verified through third-party auditing. Certified Humane is a program of Humane Farm Animal Care.

Animal Welfare Approved: The highest animal welfare standards of any third-party auditiing program. However, there are no participating producers that sell to supermarkets. The birds are cage-free and continuous outdoor perching access is required. They must be able to perform natural behaviors such as nesting, perching and dust bathing. There are requirements for stocking density, perching, space and nesting boxes. Birds must be allowed to molt naturally. Beak cutting is prohibited. Animal Welfare Approved is a program of the Animal Welfare Institute.

American Humane Certified: This label allows both cage confinement and cage-free systems. Each animal who is confined in these so-called "furnished cages" has about the space of a legal-sized sheet of paper. An abundance of scientific evidence demonstrates that these cages are detrimental to animal welfare, and they are opposed by nearly every major US and EU animal welfare group. Forced molting through starvation is prohibited, but beak cutting is allowed. Compliance is verified through third-party auditing. American Humane Certified is a program of American Humane Association.

Cage-Free: As the term implies, hens laying eggs labeled as "cage-free" are uncaged inside barns or warehouses, but they generally do not have access to the outdoors. They can engage in many of their natural behaviors such as walking, nesting and spreading their wings. Beak cutting is permitted. There is no third-party auditing.

Free-Roaming: Also known as "free-range," the USDA has defined this claim for some poultry products, but there are no standards in "free-roaming" egg production. This essentially means the hens are cage-free. There is no third-party auditing.

United Egg Producers Certified: The overwhelming majority of the U.S. egg industry complies with this voluntary program, which permits routine cruel and inhumane factory farm practices. Hens laying these eggs have 67 square inches of cage space per bird, less area than a sheet of paper. The hens are confined in restrictive, barren battery cages and cannot perform many of their natural behaviors, including perching, nesting, foraging or even spreading their wings. Compliance is verified through third-party auditing. Forced molting through starvation is prohibited, but beak cutting is allowed. This is a program of the United Egg Producers.

Vegetarian-Fed: These birds' feed does not contain animal byproducts, but this label does not have significant relevance to the animals' living conditions.

Natural: This label claim has no relevance to animal welfare.

Fertile: These eggs were laid by hens who lived with roosters, meaning they most likely were not caged.

Omega-3 Enriched: This label claim has no relevance to animal welfare.

---

†Virtually all hens in commercial egg operations—whether cage or cage-free—come from hatcheries that kill all male chicks shortly after hatching. The males are of no use to the egg industry because they don't lay eggs and aren't bred to grow as large or as rapidly as chickens used in the meat industry. Common methods of killing male chicks include suffocation, gassing and grinding. Hundreds of millions of male chicks are killed at hatcheries each year in the United States.

Governor Christie Finally Does Something Right

Last week, Governor Christie signed legislation to support the development of wind farms off the Jersey shore.  The bill calls for at least 1,100 megawatts of offshore wind - or enough to power roughly 350,000 New Jersey homes.

“With this new legislation, New Jersey could be the first state in America to build offshore wind,” said Matt Elliott, Clean Energy Advocate for Environment New Jersey.  “This shows real leadership on the part of the Legislature and Governor Christie, and will position our state as a pioneer on clean energy and green jobs in this country.”

Offshore wind farms have successfully operated in Europe for over two decades, generating pollution-free energy with little environmental impact.  So far, not a single offshore wind turbine has been built in the U.S.

“When it comes to energy, it’s time to move into the 21st century and kick our fossil habit once and for all.  We applaud New Jersey for leading America’s long overdue transition to a clean energy future,” said Elliott.

“Just in the past few months, we’ve seen just how costly and dangerous fossil fuels really are.  The Gulf oil spill, melting glaciers, and extreme weather patters are all painful reminders of just how important this legislation is.  Offshore wind is a critical part of the solution,” Elliott concluded.

New Jersey Poison Control Needs Your Help!

In January 2010, the transition team for New Jersey Gov.-elect Chris Christie recommended that Christie eliminate the $569,000 in state funding for the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System.

Part of the rationale for recommending that cut was that NJPIES was established in 1982, prior to the Internet, and that most doctors and hospitals search the Internet directly to find poison information.

In fact, that’s demonstrably not the case. Of the nearly 2.5 million poison exposure calls made to U.S. poison centers in 2008, 16 percent came from a health care facility, meaning doctors and health care providers frequently relied on the expertise of poison centers when confronted with a poison exposure.

New Jersey managed to make it through the first round of cuts, but the center has months before it will know if it has truly survived intact. If you're concerned about the future of NJPIES, write Gov. Christie here or sign the online petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/NJPIES/petition.html

It takes only a few minutes to sign this petition.  We can't always rely on someone else to sign petitions and fight for causes.  The only way to know for sure that your voice is being heard is to do it yourself.  

Benjamin Moore of Mt. Olive is Going Solar

by G. Hollbrook

Garden State Green

Back in January of this year Mount Olive, New Jersey-based house-paint giant Benjamin Moore announced it wants to install more than 9,100 ground-mounted solar photovoltaic panels to produce 1.9 megawatts of power, or enough to power 70 percent of its R&D center on Flanders-Bartley Road, a site currently occupied by cornfields.

The company was granted approval from the city’s zoning board to install the panels on nine acres of a 92-acre property currently owned by Benjamin Moore. The project still needs a go-ahead from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Morris County planning department, and the Morristown & Erie Railroad, which runs in the same direction as Flanders-Bartley Road about 1,500 feet distant. State approval is needed because the proposed solar farm is located within the Highlands region, an historic preservation and open spaces area.

When completed, it will be the first company facility to generate some of its own electricity via solar panels, according to Benjamin Moore spokeswoman Eileen McComb, who added that company intends in the future to move toward a new energy grid at all its U.S. locations.
The panels will reportedly be three feet by six feet, and tilted in a fixed array at a 35-degree angle to capture as much solar insolation as possible. In New Jersey, this value (3.0, on a scale of 2.0 to 6.0 in the continental U.S.) is sufficient to make solar power a winning proposition, as are the state’s roughly 260 days of sun per year.

According to Mount Olive’s Mayor, David Scapicchio, the Benjamin Moore installation will be the township’s first, non-residential solar installation. According to Scapicchio, Benjamin Moore will be the first non-residential entity to install solar panels in Mount Olive. He said it would enhance the township's efforts to become more environmentally friendly.

The Benjamin Moore Flanders facility employs over 200 individuals. Established since 1992, it includes a 4.5-acre testing facility, which develops new mixtures and samples paint in the real world to determine its durability.

The Natura paint line, an eco-friendly, zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) indoor paint line containing a proprietary, 100-percent acrylic resin to deliver durability, is a prime example of Benjamin Moore’s move into a cleaner, greener future. According to the company, Natura is fully competitive with Green Seal’s GS-11 standard, though the company plans to perform independent testing and will thus not seek GS-11 certification.

GS-11 is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard for interior paints which maintain VOC emission levels less than 50 grams of VOC per liter for flat paints and 150 grams of VOC per liter for non-flat paints. The good news for Benjamin Moore is that specified paints don’t need to go through formal Green Seal certification processes. They just need to meet GS-11 specifications.  Benjamin Moore also offers other low VOC paints such as Ben and Aura. 

Sometimes I Feel Like a Party Pooper

By Marc A. Reynolds

Garden State Green

As I educate myself more and more about what's really going on, what's not being played on the nightly news I can't help, but get depressed and inspired simultaneously.   It's not easy living a life that's open to learning the truth.  It's also not very convenient.  The problem is, it's the life that speaks the most to me.  It's one of the few things that gets my wheels churning and my blood boiling.  It's not my job to protect the earth or it's citizens from the evils that are profiting from it each day.  Then again, maybe I want it to be my job.  I'll be the unsolicited advocate on behalf of the planet and the people who inhibit it.

I'm just not the type of person who can watch documentaries like FOOD, Inc.   , King Corn, 180° South, GasLand without wanting to create change.  There are too many people who want to keep their heads in the sand.  It's much easier to carry on as if everything will be OK with inaction.  Even my own mother said something to me last night about not being able to change people's minds when it comes to certain environmental issues.  It was kind of ironic since this was the same woman who used to tell me as a kid that I could do whatever I put my mind to.  Here I am thirty some odd years later and I can't help, but put my mind to it...every day.  Am I saying I'm the perfect environmentalist?  No.  Nobody is, not even Ed Begely Jr. or Al Gore.  We can all do better.  I just make sure I do as much as I can.

A lot of times when I'm talking about environmental issues with people they will tell me "I do what I can".  That's exactly the point when I want to ask them, can you do just a little bit more?

Storm Water Information

What is Storm Water?  

Stormwater is water from rain and melting snow that flows over lawns, parking lots and streets becoming runoff. This water works its way back into our local waterways and eventually will end up in the Atlantic Ocean.  Along with the water, anything such as litter, oil, and/or fertilizer will also end up in our waterways. 

In 2004, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection established new stormwater rules that address water quality and the impacts associated with existing and future stormwater discharges.  A part of this regulation pertains to new construction and set   required components to help protect our water quality.  Details of all the new regulations can be found in the Department of Environmental Storm   Water Management Rules. The website for the NJDEP is www.nj.gov/dep/watershedmgt/stormwater.

What is a Watershed?

A watershed is the area of land that drains into a body of water such as our local streams, rivers and lakes. It is separated from other systems by high points in the area such as hills or slopes. It includes not only the waterway but also the land area that drains into it. 

Complications from our actions can affect our watersheds. Changing the way storm water flows, littering, oil or other vehicle fluids from parking lots, using too much fertilizer or fertilizer containing phosphorus can critically affect a watershed.  It is important to practice pollution prevention to help eliminate the damage being done to our watershed. 

What is Ground Water

It is very simple, if rainwater soaks into the ground, it is ground water.  Ground water moves into water-filled layers of porous geologic formations called aquifers. Aquifers are not flowing underground streams or lakes.  Aquifers can range from a few feet below the surface to several hundred feet underground.  A system of more than 100 aquifers is scattered throughout New Jersey covering 7,500 square miles.

Ground water is the primary drinking water source for half of New Jersey’s population. Most of the water is obtained from individual domestic water or public water supplies which tap into aquifers.

Stormwater Sewers

Stormwater flows into the system through a storm drain. These are located along the curb line of roadways and parking lots.  The grate that prevents larger objects from flowing into the storm drain is called a catch basin.  Once water is in the drain, it flows through pipes to local streams, rivers and lakes.  In most areas of New Jersey, the stormwater goes directly to our local waterways without any treatment. 

Much of the debris and other pollutants such as salt that have settled on the    surface and in the stormwater sewer are picked up and carried to the local waterways during a rainstorm.  This adds to the water quality problems and it is important to protect the stormwater system from this debris. 

The following should NEVER be dumped down storm drains. Motor oil, pet waste, grass trimmings, leaves, hazardous chemicals or any other type of debris.  Storm drains are made for water only.  

Storm Drain Labeling

Soon you will begin seeing labels on the storm drains in your area.  The new storm drain labeling requirements from the New Jersey Department of Environmental   Protection’s municipal stormwater permitting program requires the Township to label all of our storm drains to make people more aware of non-point source pollution,  polluted run-off and the connection between the storm drains and our local waterways. 

The storm drain labeling program in Roxbury will be run in conjunction with the Clean  Communities Program.  The Roxbury Clean Communities program promotes litter abatement and awareness, along with sponsoring local clean ups, educational programs for our schools and other functions.

What is Non-Point Source Pollution?

Non-point source pollution comes from many sources. Non-point source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over the ground. As the water moves, it picks up natural and man-made pollutants depositing them into storm drains which lead to our lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and even our underground sources of drinking water.  Some of the pollutants include excess fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides, oil, grease, and toxic chemicals, salt, bacteria from livestock, pet wastes and faulty septic systems.

Some states report that non-point source pollution is the leading cause of water quality problems. The total effects may not always be fully assessed however, we do know that pollutants have harmful effects on our drinking water, recreation, fisheries, and wildlife.

We can all work together and prevent non-point source pollution by changing some everyday habits.  

Water Conservation

Why Save Water?

Besides saving money, water conservation can help prevent pollution. Using less water reduces run-off and leaves more water in streams or lakes, which protects existing ecosystems such as wetlands and water supplies.  Reduced water usage may extend the life of existing sewage treatment plants and can eliminate the need for new water         supplies which are expensive to locate and build.

How Much Water Are We Using?

The average American uses 60 gallons of water a day.  That does not include car washing, lawn watering and other outdoor uses.  Flushing the toilet, bathing and washing clothes are the largest uses of water in the home.

Conservation Measures

Check faucets, hoses, and toilets for leaks. Turn off hoses and connecting faucets when not in use. This will also preserve equipment and avoid leaks.  Inspect your water pipes periodically for pinhole leaks and leaks in connections. Repair leaks as soon as possible. Don’t over fill the bathtub. Take shorter showers. Install water saving toilets and shower heads. Don’t let the water run when brushing your teeth or shaving. Keep a BPA safe bottle of drinking water in the   refrigerator so you don’t need to run the tap water for cold water.

Things You Can Do to Keep Water Clean

• Never throw anything  down storm drains.
• Don’t Litter.
• Obey your town's “Pooper Scooper” Law.
• Pre-cycle. Buy products with the least amount of packaging available.
• Recycle. Call the Recycling Department for a list of the required recyclables and for further information.
• Conserve water. Don’t let the water run when you are brushing your teeth, shorten the length of your showers and repair any leaking faucets.
• Try natural organics instead of fertilizers that contain phosphorus.

Activity	Water used
Shower	15-30 gallons (57-114 liters)
Brushing teeth (water running)	1-2 gallons (3.75-7.51 liters)
Shaving (water running)	10-15 gallons (38-57 liters)
Washing dishes by hand	20 gallons (75 liters)
Washing dishes in dishwasher	9-12 gallons (34-45 liters)
Flushing toilet	5-7 gallons (19-26 liters)

Some of the information has been  provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection,  the Passaic River Coalition and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.