NJN’s one-hour high definition special Green Builders profiles a cast of green building pioneers who have taken the leap into making their part of the “built environment” a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly place. From The Willow School to PNC Bank to the first solar-hydrogen home, people talk about why green, the challenges, and how they fared. A green building has more to do with smart planning and a mindset change about energy use than expensive technologies or consumer sacrifice. These are real projects on the ground, working businesses and college campuses that prove you can change your carbon footprint once you change your way of looking at how a structure operates. Major funding for Green Builders was provided by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation? with additional support from the Cape Branch Foundation.

This is one of a series of Environmental Film Screenings put on by CommunityGreen.org. For more information contact Marnie Vyff at 335-4469 or marnie@ecoLOGIC-design.com.

Training will be held at the Essex County Environmental Center at 621-B Eagle Rock Avenue in Roseland from 9a-11am or 7pm-9pm on March 24th. Pre-registration is required – please 973 228-8776 if you plan to attend.

Attendees will be instructed on how to accomplish this safely and with as little distress to the birds as possible. For those of you who are not familiar with it, GeesePeace is a nonprofit organization that is tackling the resident Canada Goose overpopulation problem through humane methods. These methods are approved by the Humane Society of the United States and PETA. In short, volunteers coat the goose eggs with oil before the eggs become viable and then replace them in the nest so the goose does not lay another clutch.

If you’ve ever complained about stepping in goose poop or watched kids slide around in it on the soccer field, this is your chance to take responsible action toward the ultimate goal of a more harmonious relationship between humans and these beautiful birds. To learn more about GeesePeace, please visit http://www.geesepeace.org.

“The Disappearing Male” is about one of the most important – and least publicized – health issues facing the human species: the toxic threat to the male reproductive system. The last few decades have seen dramatic increases in the incidence of boys and young men suffering from a number of problems including low sperm count, testicular cancer, ADHD, autism, and dyslexia. The male birthrate is steadily decreasing.

“The Disappearing Male” takes a close and disturbing look at what many doctors and researchers now suspect are responsible for many of these problems: a class of common chemicals called “endocrine disrupters” that are found in everything from shampoo, sunglasses, meat and dairy products, to pesticides, carpets, cosmetics and baby bottles.

The second film, “Big River”, investigates the environmental impact one acre of corn causes for the people and places downstream. In a journey from the heartland to the Gulf of Mexico, two farmers trade their combine for a canoe––and set out to see the big world their little acre of corn has touched.

Their trip flashes back to the pesticides they sprayed, fertilizers they injected, and the soil they plowed, leading to new questions explored by new experts in new places. Topsoil is eroding, fertilizer has runoff, and the herbicides they used are blamed for a cancer cluster that reaches all too close to home.

Please join us for these free films and an open discussion following. For further information please contact the office of Environmental Affairs at (973) 509-5721. [From Montclair Township website.]

The screening will be hosted at the Montclair Public Library’s Main Branch, 50 South Fullerton Avenue, Thursday, January 21st at 6:30 p.m. All events at the Library are free. The Green Film Series continues throughout 2010, on the third Thursday of each month. RSVP at Meetup.com.

This year’s first film, “The Story of Stuff”, looks at our consumption patterns and the connections between environmental and social issues, encouraging more sustainable consumerism and changing how we look at all the stuff in our lives.

The second film, “Trashed”, investigates one of the fastest growing industries, the garbage business, analyzing the causes and effects of “taking out the garbage” while showcasing individuals, activists, corporations and advocacy groups working to affect change.

What are some of the effects all this waste will have on already strained natural resources, and our global climate? Who does it affect most?

Everyone is cordially invited to attend these two short, entertaining films, and an open discussion afterwards.

The Great West Essex Toy Swap is an opportunity to bring your old toys to exchange for different toys your kids will love. It’s a great way to ensure your child’s previously loved things will geta new happy home, and that you can give them new things to play with at no cost to you. It’s a wonderful ReUse event!

The Great West Essex Toy Swap is the brainchild of Bloomfield resident and artist Greg Gutbezahl.The Swap will be held on Sunday February 21, 2010 from 10am to 3pm, with a drop off day on Saturday, February 20, 2010, after 4pm, at Temple Sholom of West Essex 760 Pompton Ave Cedar Grove, NJ 07009-1229, (973) 239-1326.

The SWAP organizers are currently looking for volunteers for the swap committee from the Caldwell to Bloomfield area. If you are interested, please visit the contact page on the website (see below), or email Greg at greg@gmg-design.com

Please visit the swap website http://toyswap.wordpress.com/ for updates and information.

The Swap organizers are also seeking donations to provide for promotions, and for schools and groups to promote the event through their lists. If you are able to help, or know of a business who may be willing to sponsor the event, please let Greg know, or contact JoAnn Pine at 973 239 1321.

Baristanet reports that the program, launched with Creative Outdoor Advertising of America (”COA”), “is designed to enhance the township’s recycling efforts while generating revenue for the municipality”. The 26 recycling stations throughout the town will feature advertising to offset the cost.

“This new program offers residents an additional outlet to recycle while enjoying their time out and about Bloomfield,” said Councilman Nick Joanow, council liaison to the recycling committee and advocate for the new program. “We’re going to bolster our litter abatement program and generate new revenue through this initiative.”

New Year’s Resolutions for Bloomfield
by John Palomaki

I’m sure most of us are happy to give 2009 a swift kick out the door. The economy, jobs, war, healthcare, and climate crisis would be enough challenges for a lifetime. We’re losing trust in our elected officials and institutions. At a time when we need to work together, divisive rhetoric is pushing us apart. We’re losing the middle ground in our economy and in the ability to work together to find solutions.

Fortunately, 2010 is a new year, and all of us in Bloomfield can make some New Year’s Resolutions to think and act in ways that will benefit us all in the long-term, economically, socially, and environmentally, without causing new problems along the way.

By the way, that’s the definition of SUSTAINABILITY. While often used to refer to the environment, it’s just as important to think about sustainability in terms of thriving financially and socially. It’s often called the “triple bottom line” where we measure success not just by someone’s wallet, but on how we all do:  “People, Planet, and Profit” (they’re not mutually exclusive). We just need the will to discard our old unsustainable ways and create newer more sustainable habits and practices.

So, here are a few resolutions we should make for Bloomfield. If you have more ideas, write a letter to the editor or add your comments on www.GreenerBloomfield.org.

1. Build greater civility and seek common ground. Say “Hi” to your neighbor, or even have a nice conversation. Hold the door, apologize when you bump someone, offer to help answer a question or give directions or shovel the snow. We can keep our voices calm, listen, acknowledge and try to understand another’s perspective, and show respect for others, even if we disagree. On virtually every issue, there’s something we all can agree to, and we can seek win-win solutions.
2. Work for change. It’s easy to complain, anonymously write a nasty letter or blog post, or rely on someone else to do it. But change only happens if we work for it. Go to meetings, speak your mind, write letters, and have discussions, but talk about the solutions, how you’d fix the problems or make them better. Volunteer to help, even if it’s just an hour, on any issue you feel passionate about.
3. Set a good example. Someone is always watching what we do, whether it’s a neighbor, a co-worker, a stranger on the street, or a child. Young people especially need positive role models. A good attitude, a good deed, careful words, and even a smile can go a long way toward showing someone there’s a better way.
4. Make a commitment to health. Eat a balanced and varied diet of less-processed and more natural foods, exercise regularly, and spend more time outdoors. Help your kids develop healthy habits. Diabetes is the biggest health issue for children, and limiting sugars and encouraging exercise and more diversity in diets can go a long way to prevent it.
5. Support local efforts. Shop, eat, and play locally, give to local charities, and participate in local events. You’ll use less gas. You’ll be supporting local jobs. You’ll help businesses stay here or start here, which in turn support local organizations and contribute to Bloomfield’s tax base. And you’ll make Bloomfield a more vibrant place to be.
6. Turn your car off. We have great mass transit, from the Bloomfield shuttle to the many buses and trains that go through town. We have bikeable and walkable streets. Leave your car at home or take fewer trips. If you have to drive, don’t idle! Turn your car off after 10 seconds if you’re stopping for 30 seconds or more, while you’re waiting to pick up or drop off your kids at school, when you’re “just running in” to the convenience store, post office, or dry cleaner, or warming up your car on a cold morning. You’ll save gas, save money, keep our air cleaner, and keep our more vulnerable kids and seniors safer from asthma and other respiratory diseases.
7. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Do we really need all the “stuff” we buy? The first step is to buy less, so less stuff is manufactured, packaged, shipped, and discarded. Use reusable coffee mugs, water bottles, grocery bags, recycled paper, and “pre-owned” goods from garage sales and vintage shops. Take advantage of Bloomfield’s top-notch recycling programs, with curbside pickup of all papers, plastics, bottles, and cans and depot drop-off of electronics and clothing each Saturday at Grove Street (recycling even earns our town some money).
8. Support sustainable building, land use, and resource protection. As a township that’s already over 90% built out, we must be careful about how we use the property we have. We need to build and renovate our properties for greater energy, water, and resource efficiency. We need to preserve open space to regenerate air and water quality, provide scenic beauty and recreation, protect habitats for wildlife, and save the Township money (since open space uses fewer costly resources like schools, infrastructure, and services). We should encourage (green) mixed-use development, low-and mixed-income housing, and complete streets programs adopted for the new Downtown Redevelopment and extend them throughout the township for their economic, social, and environmental benefits.
9. Make hard but long-lasting choices. It’s going to be an extremely tough year for municipal and school budgets, with increasing costs (especially salaries and benefits) and decreasing revenues (less state aid and lower tax collections). We must encourage and support our elected officials in making tough but wise choices with a long-term view, just as we have to in our households. All sides need to work together. People may have to sacrifice a little in salaries, benefits, conveniences, and services, so we can have employment levels, budgets, and taxes that we can sustain over a longer time with less dependency on the state. We can insulate buildings better, buy more energy-efficient equipment, and make other capital changes that will reduce annual operating costs. We can use more fuel-efficient vehicles, or use the vehicles we have less. We can turn down the thermostats in the winter. We can print less, print on both sides, make fewer copies, and do more electronically.  We can share or outsource services with other neighboring towns and businesses. We can step up our efforts to find new revenue sources, including grants, property sales and leases, solar access leases, and selling services to other municipalities. We all need to accept and contribute to a new way of thinking sustainably in our school and government operations, as well as in our homes.
10. Celebrate! Celebrate our successes, our family and friends, our diversity, and our heritage. They give us the capacity to understand each other better and make the world a better place.

Remember, it’s not just about us, it’s about our children, our planet, and future generations.

(John Palomaki is a Bloomfield homeowner and the co-founder and coordinator of Greener Bloomfield, a community organization that works toward sustainable living, working, and community in Bloomfield NJ. Greener Bloomfield coordinated actions with the town government and community to be one of the first 34 towns in New Jersey to receive Sustainable Jersey certification. For more information, go to www.GreenerBloomfield.org.)

1. Skip the throwaways: So much of what we buy is destined for the landfill almost as soon as it passes the checkout scanner. Aim to buy gifts and decorations that last, or can be handed down.
2. Put the brakes on driving: We live in a very pedestrian-friendly town. Shops and convenient services are within walking distance of most neighborhoods. It might not be possible to do all your holiday errands on foot, but with so many stores conveniently located, it may be surprising how much you can get crossed off your list within steps of your front door.
3. Satisfy the Foodie: Whether it’s Mexican, Italian or Thai, Bloomfield has some suberb restaurants, many of them offering gift certificates. A meal out is a welcome treat for almost anyone, and is one gift that won’t end up in the trash.
4. Pamper Mom (Dad, Teacher or Pet): Everyone can use a little extra TLC during the winter months. Spa’s such as Flic Spa on Broad Street can be a tropical oasis and offer special packages. If you’re looking for pampering lotions, natural remedies for skin and hair, or a holistic calming spray for your pet, Topical Solutions on James Street has the answer. All of their products are developed and hand-made right here in Bloomfield.
5. Power Down: When helping kids with a wish list, encourage the idea of some gifts that don’t require batteries: books, trips, and old-fashioned board games fan the flames of imaginative, open-ended play.
6. Get Healthy: A membership to one of the many gyms, yoga or dance studios in town gives the gift of total wellness and supports local businesses at the same time. (Garden State Yoga is one you might want to try.)
7. Come Together: Try to carve out some time with friends and family to just be together and remember the “reason for the season.” It can be the perfect recipe for recharging everyone during what is for many the busiest time of year.
8. Freecycle and Recycle: Whatever your circumstances this season, there’s a chance what you need can be had for free on Freecycle.org. This national non-profit has an Essex County group that costs nothing to join. List an item or post an ad for an item you want. Chances are, someone nearby has what you need or can use what you don’t.
9. Make it Personal: A gift certificate of your time, whether it’s two hours of babysitting for a busy parent, or an offer to run errands for an elderly neighbor, is eco-friendly and can be more meaningful than anything store-bought.
10. Have fun!

Contributed by Erin S. Ihde, MA, a mom of two and a pediatric environmental health researcher who lives in Bloomfield.