http://greenerbloomfield.org Greener living, working, and community in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Thu, 22 Apr 2010 01:30:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 en hourly 1 http://greenerbloomfield.org/2009/08/speak-up-to-support-sustainability-initiatives/ http://greenerbloomfield.org/2009/08/speak-up-to-support-sustainability-initiatives/#comments Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:28:09 +0000 John http://greenerbloomfield.org/?p=468 Speak up for sustainability! At Monday’s Council meeting (August 10, 7:30pm, Town Hall), the Bloomfield Township Council will be voting on 3 resolutions and 2 ordinances related to sustainability proposed by Greener Bloomfield, and 1 resolution from the Bloomfield Recycling Committee, for Sustainable Jersey actions. Please attend and speak during the public comment in support of one or more of these important initiatives: Project Porchlight, Anti-Idling, Sustainable Land Use Pledge, Grass “Cut It and Leave It”, Water Conservation. (Click ‘More’ to view these resolutions and ordinances)

• Project Porchlight resolution – declares August 15 Project Porchlight Day, when volunteers will go door-to-door, and encourages residents to save money and electricity by changing a standard light bulb to a more energy efficient one. (More volunteers needed!)
• Anti-Idling resolution – declares September “Anti-Idling Month” to focus attention on the issue, warns of the dangers to health (especially asthma), wasted fuel, greenhouse gas emissions, engine wear, and NJ’s state law and $250 minimum fine for idling more than 3 minutes. It also encourages residents to idle no more than 10 seconds and supports anti-idling education, targeted enforcement of the law, and establishment of “idle-free zones”.
• Sustainable Land Use Pledge resolution – resolves to take a number of steps in land use decisions and include them in the next Master Plan resolution, such as facility siting, housing variety, open space, transportation choices, mixed use, green design, regional cooperation, and sustainable parking regulations.
• Grass “Cut It and Leave It” resolution – encourages residents to leave their short grass clippings on the lawn where it will help mulch and fertilize, rather than bagging it for fuel-hogging, polluting trucks to pick up.
• Anti-Idling Ordinance – copies the NJ state laws restricting vehicle idling to less than 3 minutes and sets penalties of $100-$2,500 (with a few exceptions for emergency vehicles, etc.).
• Water Conservation Ordinance (draft) – encourages protection and conservation of water, limits residents and businesses from watering more than 2 days per week (except for new plantings and other exclusions), and establishes procedures for water/drought emergencies.

]]> http://greenerbloomfield.org/2009/08/speak-up-to-support-sustainability-initiatives/feed/ 0