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.

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.

[From the Slow Food Northern NJ invitation] Every four to five years and opportunity arises for all concerned with the health of our nations children to evaluate, defend, and improve federal Child Nutrition programs. Child Nutrition Act is the federal policy that allocates funds and regulations for all school feeding programs- this year the Child Nutrition Act is up for reauthorization.

In 2004, the National Farm to School Program was established as a section of CNA but no money was allocated in the end. The time is ripe to implement policies that include locally and regionally grown foods in national meal programs, and we need advocates to make this happen.

The National Farm to School Network works with schools, farmers, food services, children, parents, and communities, providing direct technical assistance to get farm to school programs off the ground. They represent millions of Americans supporting policy solutions:

• Restore the right of all children to access good food in school
• Educate and inform communities about healthy food and its impact on the wellbeing of children; and
• Connect farmers, school districts, food service companies, and great ideas to the food system delivering school lunch

• Recycling – make mandatory at all schools
• Solar panels (photovoltaics) to provide electricity
• Improve indoor air quality and comfort
  • Have better heat adjustments (rooms are too hot or too cold)
  • Add air purification
  • Switch to “green” cleaning supplies
• Turn lights off when rooms not in use
  • Add occupancy sensors
  • Having cleaning crews only turn lights on for the room they’re cleaning and turn off when leaving
• Composting of cafeteria food waste
• Switch all electrical appliances to “Energy Star” appliances
• Start an Environmental Club at all schools
• Have more buses that use alternative fuels
• Post “no idling” signs at schools