Geoscape claims to be the only company in NJ offering leases for solar, where for no money down, you can get solar panels on your roof and pay at least 25% less than you pay now for electricity (claims from their website). It’s also a good time to buy solar panels, with a rebate from NJ, federal tax credits of 30%, and the Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) you earn by generating electricity.

If you’re interested in generating electricity from the sun at your house, or at your business or church, then this is a great place to get it. If you already have solar electricity, or even solar thermal, please come to share your experiences. We met Jeff at the Earth Day 2010 celebration at the Essex County Environmental Center on April 16. [Disclaimer: Greener Bloomfield does not in any way endorse or recommend Geoscape Solar; we are simply providing information from one of many possible solar providers in NJ.]

We’ll celebrate Bloomfield’s Sustainable Jersey certification, a great accomplishment due to the volunteer work of our Greener Bloomfield members, friends on the Recycling Committee and other local organizations, and our elected officials and department heads! We’ll celebrate Bloomfield’s first hybrid police and fire vehicles! We’ll celebrate the holidays with a discussion on greening the holidays with Erin Ihde! And we’ll have some festive refreshments as we enjoy getting together one last time in a fulfilling 2009!

Erin Ihde, a Research/Project Manager for The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology, has written about getting to a greener holiday in the latest Bloomfield Buzz. She asks that we come to the discussion with some ideas to share to make the holidays greener.

The first show is a new edition of the award-winning movie, Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America. The film is a solutions-oriented exploration of energy issues and opportunities in the USA, looking at the sources of our electricity and the problems caused by energy production, including mountain top removal, childhood asthma, and global warming. The second film – Unlimited: Renewable Energy in the 21st Century – features a group of passionate 6th graders calling on adults to take action by addressing global warming. In addition, energy experts discuss promising technologies being used right here in New Jersey, such as solar, wind, tidal power, green transportation, and food as it pertains to energy consumption.

In Kilowatt Ours, we will meet individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities who are leading the way by using energy conservation, efficiency and renewable, green power – all while saving money and the environment. This often amusing and always inspiring story shows how anyone can easily make a difference.

Unlimited was produced locally by young Bloomfield filmmaker Daniel Califf Glick, and features Montclair residents as well as a number of local children. Recently completed, the film-maker is happy to premier Unlimited in Montclair, and he will be on-hand to answer questions. Teachers are invited and encouraged to consider it for use in the classroom.

For more information about the Montclair Green Film Series, or any local environmental issues, contact the office of Environmental Affairs at (973) 509-5721. This film series is also sponsored by Community Green. Unlimited will also be shown at the October 29 Greener Bloomfield public meeting with a discussion with the filmmaker.

• Planning for 350.org event with Bloomfield College Green Hearts Movement
• Anti-Idling activities
• Recap of Harvest Fest
• Update on Sustainable Jersey status, next steps
• Planning for Fall/Winter activities

As always, you’ll have a chance to meet others who are interested in making Bloomfield greener. Plan to participate actively, and bring your thoughts and ideas. To RSVP, please go to www.meetup.com/GreenerBloomfield.

With the amount of rainfall this regions gets, lawns can thrive with no more than 2 days of watering. Best practices are to water each section of lawn for 30 minutes, allowing water to infiltrate into the soil and encourage deep root growth. Watering for less than that results in short roots that are susceptible not only to drought but also disease. There are exemptions for establishing new lawns and for nurseries. Flowers, shrubs, and vegetable gardens may be watered as often as necessary and cars may be washed, as long as the hoses have automatic shut-off nozzles. The ordinance applies to both residences and businesses, and also urges use water-efficient plumbing fixtures. The water conservation ordinance also earns Bloomfield 10 priority points for Sustainable Jersey certification.

After a warning for a first offense, fines for subsequent offenses range from $25 to $2,000 and/or community service or imprisonment for the most extreme cases.

As one campaign says, “Ilding Gets You Nowhere”. Vehicle idling is an important public health issue, as well as an environmental one. Vehicles emit particulate matter (”soot”) that contributes to asthma and other respiratory diseases, with children and the elderly as those most vulnerable. It’s estimated that 25% of New Jersey’s school children have asthma, and schools are a primary location where idling occurs, particularly at student drop-off and pick-up times.

The Township Ordinance copies current state law and sets local enforcement policies and fines of $100 to $2,500 for idling longer than 3 minutes. The proposal for the Board of Education would establish schools as “No Idle Zones”, ask the administration to sign the NJ DEP Idle Free Pledge for Schools, and instruct bus drivers to turn off buses while parked at school and after 10 seconds when they’ll be idled for longer than 30 seconds at other locations.

The Township Council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, 1 Municipal Plaza. All are welcome to comment on the ordinance before the vote. The Board of Ed meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. at 155 Broad St, 3rd Floor.

Agenda:

• Preparations for August 15 Project Porchlight door-to-door campaign
• Planning for September Anti-Idling Month
• Update on Sustainable Jersey actions