BERNARDS TOWNSHIP GOES GREEN

Bernards Township has been very proactive with our effort to “go green”. Here are some of the things we have done in all Township facilities:

• Change of all incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent
• Incandescent “Exit” signs to LED bulbs
• Conducted an energy audit on all facilities
• Exploring the use of renewable energy such as solar being a possibility

RECYCLING BINS IN OUR PARKS

In an effort to make our parks “green”, we have requested from Somerset County recycling containers to be placed at all Bernards Township parks. These are for glass and plastic bottles, aluminum and steel cans only. Bottles and cans from these receptacles will be taken to a recycling facility where they are separated to be used to produce new products. Recycling saves landfill space by reusing resources to save energy, reduces pollution, and conserves natural resources.

RECYCLING BINS IN OUR TOWN

Recycling containers have been placed in the downtown business area and will soon be placed in township parks encouraging residents to recycle. Please help us all by doing your part and make sure that bottles and cans are placed in the proper container and trash in the other!

MIXED PLASTICS AT OUR RECYCLING CENTER

When Bernards Township accumulates a truckload of mixed rigid plastics, these items are brought to a recycling facility that sort plastic resins, remove metal, shred, wash, and sometimes pellitize the plastic. New products such as plastic buckets, lumber, barrels and furniture are fabricated using recycled plastic rather than virgin plastic derived from crude oil. This new initiative saves Bernards Township disposal fees of approximately $75/ton and generates .02/lb.

RECYCLING OF PAPER

About 1/3 of the waste stream that goes to landfills is paper, which is a real shame since there is a strong market for recycled paper. Reusing more of our waste paper would help us reduce the acres of forest land that are being clear cut every year to provide paper in its many forms.

You can help ensure a continuing demand for raw recycled paper by buying office paper, paper towels, tissues, and toilet paper that are made from recycled paper. Look for the highest possible percentage of "post consumer content."

At our Pill Hill Recycling Facility, we have aggressively pursued this item for recycling. We currently generate 2 tons per month at a cost generating $80/ton.

RECYCLING OF CARDBOARD

Recycling cardboard (like any other type of paper) reduces the demand for new paper from virgin pulp, thereby saving trees and decreasing the amount of pollution generated in new paper production.  Because cardboard is such a bulky waste, recycling it saves significant amounts of space in landfills and reduces pollution in areas where trash is incinerated.

In 2007 Bernards Township recycled 830 tons of cardboard. At today’s prices we would generate $125/ton of revenue.

RECYCLING OLD METAL PRODUCTS

Metal recycling is the process of reusing old metal material, mainly aluminum and steel, to make new products. Recycling old metal products uses 95% less energy than manufacturing it from new materials.

Here are some benefits of recycling aluminum and steel:

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
• Aluminum and steel can be recycled over and over again
• Decreases environmental damage caused by mining
• Less land and water pollution

Recycling metal such as aluminum and steel drastically reduces how much energy sources we consume every day.

Bernards Township has recycled more than 55 tons of scrap metal since the beginning of 2008. This translates to approximately $11,000.00 in revenue!

CLOTHING COLLECTION BINS

Bernards Township has two clothing collection bins up at the Pill Hill Landfill as well as many bins on Stonehouse Road near the Community Service Building. The two pictured here benefit the AMVETS Service Foundation in which proceeds from the clothing benefit various Veteran Programs along with Drug and Alcohol Awareness programs. These programs include services provided for the Veterans at the VA hospitals throughout New Jersey.

In 2007, through your generosity, Bernards Township donated 145 tons of clothing!

RECYCLING COMPUTER AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Recycling and reusing electronic equipment reduces the amount of hazardous materials that may enter the environment. Recycling and reuse programs also reduce the quantities of electronic scrap being landfilled in the state.

Many computers and electronics contain components that can be hazardous to the environment. Some of these components include:

• Cathode ray tubes (CRT) - the glass picture tubes found in computer monitors and TVs contain lead, while the flatscreen monitors contain small quantities of mercury. The amount of lead varies from four to six pounds per unit.
• Printed circuit boards contain hazardous metals including chromium, cadmium, lead and mercury.
• Batteries in electronics and computers may contain lead, mercury, nickel and cadmium.
• Since Bernards Township began their electronics recycling program in 2008, over 4 tons has been recycled and that number continues to grow!

RECYCLING CARPET

With more than 2.5 million tons of carpet discarded each year and landfill capacity declining, there is a social necessity and responsibility to recycle and reuse carpet.

Carpet is a petroleum-based product. It is estimated that carpet recycling programs can save more than 700,000 barrels of oil per year, conserving 4.4 trillion BTU’s of energy. Energy savings translate into reduced pollutants as well, minimizing air and greenhouse gas emissions.

Bernards Township is one of a few towns that recycle carpet. The cost of doing this is about the same as disposal of bulky waste but it’s the “environmentally conscientious” thing to do. Over 7 tons of carpeting has been recycled by Bernards Township!

RESTRUCTURING OUR MOWING MAINTENANCE

Bernards Township has taken steps to reduce mowing areas in various parts of the town. This is a picture of Pill Hill Landfill where we have let the area grow as a meadow.

The mowing areas at the Bernards Township library lawn area as well as other municipal facilities in town have been reduced by mulching or growing wildflowers, thereby reducing areas of mowing and greenhouse gas emissions.

MULCHING OUR LANDSCAPES

Mulching is one of the most important ways to maintain healthy landscape plants. A mulch is any material applied to the soil surface for protection or improvement of the area covered.

Mulches reduce the growth of weeds, when the mulch material itself is weed-free and applied deeply enough to prevent weed germination or to smother existing weeds.

Bernards Township uses a great amount of mulch in various areas of town and landscape islands to reduce mowing therefore reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

CREATING OUR OWN GREEN RESOURCES

Here are pictures of the demonstration we had up at the Pill Hill Landfill of a machine called a Mobark Wood Hog. We transformed 4 boxes (120 cubic yards) of loose brush into 1 box (30 cubic yards) of woodchips/mulch in a matter of a couple of hours.

In 2007, Bernards Township disposed of 1335 cubic yards of leaves, 5019 cubic yards of brush, and 54 cubic yards of logs and stumps. This is a machine we are looking to purchase in 2008. With the rise of disposal costs and fuel, the purchase of this machine will save the Township thousands of dollars. This machine will pay itself off in 2 and 3 years.

HYBRID CARS

Hybrid cars are made with a gas engine, an electric motor and a high powered battery. The battery provides energy to the electric motor, which recharges by recapturing energy that normally would be lost when decelerating. When it is needed, power from the gas engine can be used to also recharge the battery. Since the hybrid car recharges in these ways, it does not need to be plugged in. A major benefit of hybrid cars is that they tend to have a significantly high amount of gas mileage, most of them getting about eight to ten percent better mileage than a conventional vehicle. Emissions are also significantly less with a hybrid.

Chances are you have seen one or both of the Townships hybrids, the Toyota Prius and the Ford Escape. We have purchased one more of each and are awaiting delivery. This will bring our fleet to 4 hybrids in two short years.

BATTERY OPERATED MOTORCARS

Battery-operated Global Electric Motorcars are a clean, green transportation alternative. These cars plug into a standard 110-volt outlet to recharge and don't require the usual maintenance. These cars are totally electric and run on rechargeable batteries.

Bernards Township is in the process of purchasing one of these vehicles partially through Clean Communities funds provided by the state. To top it off, we plan to install solar arrays at the Public Works yards to charge these vehicles with renewable energy!

The following is a link to a website created by Ariane Delafosse, a member of the Bernards Township Green Team. Bernards Township does not control the content or links provided on this web site. However, this link can provide valuable assistance and additional resources to residents, students, businesses and visitors hoping to learn more about relevant environmental topics and events.

By clicking on this link, you understand that you are leaving the Bernards Township website and opening the Green Team Web Page on Community Green.

http://www.communitygreen.org/Bernards_Green_Team.html