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Avoid pain at the pump with these tips
Better gas mileage can save money and reduce greenhouse emissions
Just as Verona motorist are planning their routes to summer destinations,
gas prices have climbed to record highs. To help soften the blow, the Verona
Environmental Commission, offers some tips for spending less time and money
at the pump while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that cause global
warming. bserve speed limits
Most people would be surprised how much gas they could save by making really
simple changes. Foe example, you can save up to 23% on your fuel cost just
by observing the speed limit. Gas mileage for most vehicles decrease quickly
as speeds exceed 60 mph.
Don’t idle
Idling is another gas gobbler that uses more fuel than stopping and
restarting the engine, especially if the wait will be longer than 10
seconds, according to NJ Environmental Federation. And the larger the
engine, the more fuel is wasted while idling. Exhaust-related air pollution
from idling cars and diesel vehicles also puts people at increased risk for
asthma attacks, allergies, and other respiratory ailments, and contributes
to heart problems and higher cancer rates in high traffic areas.
Lose weight
It pays to take unnecessary items out of the car trunk. An extra 100 pounds
can cut your gas mileage by up to 2% . The smaller the car, the greater the
impact of extra cargo weight on fuel efficiency
Be good to your car
Routine auto maintenance can improve fuel efficiency
greatly. For example, replacing a faulty oxygen sensor can improve mileage
by up to 40 percent. Replacing a clogged air filter can boost fuel
efficiency as much as 10 percent. Keeping the engine properly tuned, filling
tires to dealer-recommended pressure levels and using the correct grade of
motor oil can also add up to substantial fuel savings.
Drive smart
Sensible driving habits can make a world of difference in fuel efficiency,
according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To improve
mileage by as much as 33 percent:
· Avoid rapid acceleration and sudden braking;
· Use cruise control to keep your car at a constant, moderate speed;
· Use overdrive gear whenever possible if you have automatic transmission;
· Avoid peak traffic hours;
· Instead of using the air conditioner, open the vents whenever possible.
Perhaps the best way to lengthen the time between fill-ups at the pump is
simply to drive less. Warm summer weather brings more opportunities for
walking and biking instead of climbing into the car. Use mass transportation
or tour buses to get around the cities you visit on vacation. When running
Saturday errands or going out for an evening with friends, consider car
pooling.
Of course, if you are considering replacing your car, it
just makes sense to choose the most fuel efficient model for your needs. It
will not only save you money but help reduce air pollution so everyone can
breathe a little bit cleaner air. New Jersey’s Department of Environmental
Protection publishes a “Clean Vehicle List” on its web site to help car
buyers make informed decisions at :
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/cleanvehicles
For more information about improving gas mileage and
reducing carbon emissions from vehicles, visit the US EPA’s web site at
www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/17-tips.pdf . A list of ways to enjoy a more
sustainable life, at home and in the community is available on ANJEC’s web
site at www.anjec.org/pdfs/Going Green.pdf . ANJEC is a statewide nonprofit
organization that supports local environmental commissions and municipal
officials in their efforts to protect the environment and preserve natural
resources in their communities.
Clean and green go together like mop and pail
Switching to green cleaning products is an easy way to help the
environment
Verona—As sure as the scent of lilac on a
bright May day, the sight of Verona residents armed with mops and buckets is
a clear sign of spring as they wipe away the residue of winter and buff
their windows to a high sheen .
But these days,”greenliness” and cleanliness
have become the twin virtues lined up next to Godliness. Cleaning products
that contain toxic chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a
hazard to our families, our pets, and ultimately our environment. The Verona
Environmental Commission (VEC) urges residents to stop using potentially
harmful cleaning products that not only affect air quality in the home but
also ultimately find their way into the water supply.
As an alternative, the Verona Environmental
Commission recommends a short list of natural substances that can be found
in almost any kitchen. · White vinegar is a nontoxic disinfectant and mildew
fighter that can be used either diluted or full strength to clean windows as
well as kitchen and bathroom surfaces. · Baking Soda makes a great
low-abrasive scrubbing agent, and an open box of it will help remove odors
in the refrigerator or microwave oven . To freshen a rug sprinkle baking
soda on it and leave it for 30 minutes before vacuuming. Add baking soda to
vinegar in your toilet to get “scrubbing bubbles”. · Lemon juice is an
effective bleaching agent. Use it instead of chlorine bleach on small areas
of light-colored fabrics. To get the yellow out of old lace or linen, hand
wash, rinse in water mixed with lemon juice, then hang in the sun to bleach
dry. · Liquid soap can be added to any of the above if you prefer a little
suds in your cleaning experience.
There are also many green cleaning products
readily available in stores and sold online. When shopping for products
without strong or toxic chemicals, the Verona Environmental Commission
recommends also looking for eco-friendly packaging or containers that are
biodegradable or recyclable. Concentrated products are also a good choice
because they produce less package waste that may wind up in a landfill.
Residents who jump on the green cleaning bandwagon will be in good company.
In 2006, New Jersey’s (then Acting) Governor Cody signed an Executive Order
directing all State agencies to purchase environmentally friendly cleaning
products to the greatest degree possible.
Although non-State agencies are not bound by
the Executive Order, it encourages county and municipal governments and
school districts to also review their purchasing and use of cleaning
products. In 2006, New York became the first state to actually mandate that
all public schools in the state be cleaned with environmentally preferable
products, but New Jersey has not yet followed suit.
References: ANJEC Report article on green
cleaning tips:
www.anjec.org/pdfs/Spring2007ANJECReport.pdf
Governor’s green cleaning executive order :
www.nj.gov/cgi-bin/governor/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=2883
New York schools policy:
www.cleanlink.com/cp/article.asp?id=5271
NJ Environmental Federation Healthy Schools
Campaign:
www.cleanwateraction.org/njef/campaigns-healthyschools.html
Grow Great Dirt
Leaves differ from other municipal solid waste in that they occur seasonally
and are collected separately .In season , leaves may account for over half
the municipal solid waste collected and on a yearly basis may comprise 5% to
30% of the total municipal solid waste stream. The Verona Environmental
Commission ( VEC ) encourages backyard composting as part of Verona’s
overall yard waste management program. This would help Verona’s municipal
collection, and processing cost. Additionally, residents could add grass
clippings and fruit and vegetable scraps to a compost bin; after a year
the compost material can be added to your soil, to improve its texture.
Fertilizing: How to keep your lawn off drugs
Many fertilizers have super-high levels of nitrates and
phosphates that keep plants growing fast and healthy. However, these same nutrients that
keep plants healthy can spell disaster for our ecosystems. Never dispose of unused
fertilizers down a drain: not your sink and not the storm drain .Also, beware ! Many
commercial fertilizers are combined with toxic herbicides. Know what you are buying and
only buy and use exactly what you need.
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Commission’s message not just idle talk
Turning off the engine after 10 seconds protects young lungs
Like many residents of Verona , Verona Environmental Commission members
, are sometimes tempted to warm up their car in the driveway before heading
off to work on a cold wintry day. But, as chair of the town’s Environmental
Commission, I am well aware of the damage that exhaust from idling car
engines can cause to the health of children and other residents of Verona.
Vehicle exhaust is the leading source of hazardous air pollution in our
state.. Verona school zones are a popular place for idling cars and school
buses to line up to drop off or pick up students. Unfortunately, these are
areas where idling can cause the greatest harm to children, who breathe in
more exhaust because they are closer to tailpipe level and because they
breathe at a faster rate than adults. And those sitting inside their
vehicles are not immune from the danger. When you’re sitting in a line of
idling vehicles, you and the baby in the back seat are probably breathing in
more pollutants than those outside because the air intake of your car is
facing directly into the tailpipe of the idling vehicle in front of you,.
Vehicle-related air pollution can cause asthma and other respiratory
problems and allergies, and they also contribute to heart disease and higher
cancer rates in high-traffic areas. About one out of every four school age
children in New Jersey has asthma. It’s the leading cause of school
absenteeism and the third leading cause of hospitalization among children
under the age of 15. State law already prohibits idling for longer than
three minutes, but environmental experts strongly recommend turning off the
engine whenever a vehicle is stopped for more than ten seconds. Many people
have the outdated notion that warming up the engine is better for the car..
But today’s vehicles don't need warming up more than 30 seconds. In fact,
idling can actually damage the engine because fuel residues can form,
contaminating engine oil and damaging engine parts. Idling can also cause
water to condense in the vehicle's exhaust.” From an environmental
standpoint, letting a vehicle idle typically uses more fuel than stopping
and restarting the engine, and therefore releases more greenhouse gases that
contribute to global warming. The Environmental Commission is encouraging
all residents to turn off their engines whenever they are waiting: at a
drive-through window, at the post office, when stalled in traffic for long
periods, while gassing their cars, while picking up passengers or any time
they will be stopped for longer than ten seconds. Local merchants should
also ask vendors to turn off their truck engines while unloading.
References: · Millburn Environmental
Commission’s anti-idling program:
www.theitemonline.com/page.php?page=2832 ·
NJDEP Stop the Soot:
www.nj.gov/dep/stopthesoot/
NJ Environmental Federation Idle Free NJ:
http://www.cleanwateraction.org/njef/campaigns-noidlingsuccess.html
Trees
Trees are truly Nature’s wonder “factories”. Trees work 24/7 regulating air
temperature, clearing the air, consuming carbon dioxide and producing the
oxygen we need to survive.
It is so easy to ignore the trees we see
every day, but our life without trees would be almost unbearable. And
planting a few more trees can improve the environment in any community.
Trees hold topsoil in place to prevent
flooding. Trees protect vital water supplies.
And of course forest and woodlands support a diversity of animals and
plants, essential to a healthy environment.
A single large tree can release up to 400
gallons of water into the atmosphere each day.
Tree foliage filters dust and can help remove
toxic pollutants from the atmosphere. The foliage captures and removes a
wide range of smog producing compounds such as ozone, carbon monoxide,
nitrogen oxide, airborne ammonia and some sulphur dioxide.
Mature trees improve our aesthetic
environment, absorb noise, are traffic calming, reduce stress and create a
peaceful place to relax and socialize.
Trees intercept rainwater aiding soil
absorption for gradual release into the streams, preventing flooding.
Filtering toxins and impurities , and extending water availability into dry
months when it is most needed.
Trees cleanse ground water as it filters
through their root systems.
Suburban neighborhoods with mature trees can
be up to 11 degrees cooler in summer heat than neighborhoods without trees.
Pesticides : Read the Label
Many people do not even realize that the chemicals they put
on their lawns are pesticides. "Weed 'n' Feed" products, for example, are the
most widely used pesticides, but many homeowners do not know the "Weed" portion
is a pesticide. If you must use chemicals, look for an EPA registration number on the
product. If you find it on the list of ingredients on the label, it's a pesticide. Just
because a product is registered with the EPA does not mean it is safe.
In fact, all pesticides are poisons and are considered by
the EPA to be hazardous wastes. Manufacturers use the words caution,warning and danger to
designate human toxicity. Choose ready-to-use products that have the word
"caution" on the label if you must use a pesticide. Avoid those marked warning
or danger or poison! There are many other warnings on the label as well that an applicator
must be aware of. Several types of cancer, neurological disease, and birth defects have
all been associated with exposure to common lawn care pesticides so it is best to avoid
them completely if possible !
Source of two articles was the" Hackensack Riverkeeper
"
Links
New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection:
www.state.nj.us/dep/index.html
New Jersey Public Interest Group:
www.NJPIRG.org
Association of New Jersey Enviromental Commissions:
www.ANJEC.org
Rutgers Cooperative Extension: www.rce.rutgers.edu
Don’t Toss That Bulb
Switching to compact fluorescent
light (CFL) bulbs is a very bright idea. They use about one fourth the
energy and produce 90 percent less heat compared with traditional
incandescent bulbs. And since they last up to 10 times longer than old
fashioned light bulbs, the CFLs you have purchased over the last few years
probably have not burned out yet. But what do you do with them when they
reach the end of their lives?
Because CFLs contain a small amount of
mercury they should be disposed properly. Verona residents can properly
dispose of their CFLs when Essex County has its Household Hazardous Waste
Day. The bulbs should be placed in a clear plastic bag.
For accidentally broken CFLs, EPA recommends
the following clean-up and disposal guidelines. · Open a widow and leave the
room for 15 minutes or more. · Carefully scope up the fragments and powder
with stiff paper or cardboard and seal them in a plastic bag. · Use
disposable rubber gloves, no bare hands to wipe the area clean with damp
paper towel or disposable wet wipes and place them in a second plastic bag
along with the first bag containing the bulb fragments and any other cleanup
materials. · Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on
hard surfaces. · Put the bag in an outdoor trash container or in another
outdoor protected area for the next normal trash disposal. · Wash your hands
after disposing of the bag.
If a fluorescent bulb breaks on a rug or
carpet. · First remove all materials you can without using a vacuum cleaner,
following the steps above. Sticky tape (such as duct tape) can be used to
pick up small pieces and powder. · If vacuuming is needed after all visible
materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken, remove the
vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister ) and put the bag or vacuum
debris in two sealed plastic bags in the outdoor trash or protected outdoor
location for normal disposal. For more information about disposing of CFLs,
go to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling.
This information was taken from Good
Earthkeeping article in ANJEC Report, Winter 2008.
Home Depot has taken on "green" light bulb
disposal.Individuals can return burned out unbroken CFLs during store hours.
The bulbs should be taken to the store's return desk.
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