Saturday, September 12, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
NJEF's Clean, Green & Working Conference
Please join New Jersey Environmental Federation at our 23rd annual conference, Clean Green and Working, on Saturday, April 4th from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.! It is being held at the Center for Law & Justice at Rutgers University in Newark.
Governor Corzine is our keynote speaker.
UEI Featured Panel: Growing the Green Generation
Students of all ages from around the state will share their experiences in becoming community organizers and making an environmental impact in their community.
Moderators: Peggi Sturmfels, NJEF Program Organizer and
Jeanette Mitchell, Policy Director of NJEF's Urban Environmental Institute
Presenters: Vice Principal Elaine Simpson and third graders from Switlik School in Jackson Principal Miss C. Berlino and 6-8th graders from St. Peters School in Point Pleasant
Special Presenters: Graduates of the Urban Environmental Institute
Grassroots Leadership Awards:
Special "Growing the Green Generation" Award: George Washington Carver/Bruce Street (Newark)
Robert Morse, Pittsgrove Township Joseph Speeney, Bernards Borough Thomas Quinn, Mansfield School District Young Environmentalists Raising Awareness, East Orange School District, Switlick Elementary (Jackson), and St. Peters (Point Pleasant) SchoolsRegister Online
View Conference Brochure
NJEF's conference is an exciting event where you can attend engaging workshops on critical environmental issues and have a unique opportunity to network with NJEF staff, members, activists, as well as community and state leaders. You will learn new skills and facts, and sharpen those that you already possess. Together, we can protect New Jersey's waters and natural resources, build healthy and sustainable communities, and make democracy work for all of us.
The conference features a unique look at the state of New Jersey's ports in an exciting plenary entitled Grow Green, Grow Smart at New Jersey Ports; grassroots environmental leadership awards; and breakfast, lunch, and a reception featuring environmental and political leaders.
3rd Graduating UEI students calls for Green Policies @ East Side High
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 26, 2009
Contact: Jeanette Mitchell, UEI Policy Director of the NJ Environmental Federation (NJEF)
cell: 1-347-742-3465
3rd Graduating Class of Urban Environmental Institute calls for Green Policies at Newark’s Eastside HS
Newark, NJ —March 24, the third graduating class of the Urban Environmental Institute (UEI) brought their environmental justice and health concerns to the Newark School Board meeting held at Lafayette Street Elementary School in the Ironbound. The UEI students utilized their newly found environmental awareness and organizing skills to develop 3 recommendations for school board action including: (1) establishment of recycling programs as mandated by a 1987 state law, (2) creation of environmental clubs, classes and curriculum, and (3) improvement of green building infrastructure –specifically ventilation, operational lead-free water fountains and green cleaning. These recommendations build on similar concerns raised by the UEI’s 2008 Summer Academy.
The UEI is a project of the New Jersey Environmental Federation (NJEF) and Clean Water Fund (CWF)*, carried out in partnership with Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC), one of Newark’s oldest community-based organizations. The UEI is training youth and young adults to be the next generation of environmental justice leaders and grassroots activists in the City of Newark. The third graduating class consists of 14 Newark high school students from the East Ward who are nearing completion of an eight week all-Saturday environmental justice leadership and civic engagement training course. On April 4th, they will receive certificates at NJEF’s 23rd annual conference entitled Clean Green and Working at Rutgers School of Law, Newark.
“The goal of the UEI is to fight for real solutions to Newark’s environmental problems,” said Kyrese Mason, UEI student from East Ward. “I am the 1 in 4 Newark students who has asthma. Just by living in Newark, my chances of ending up in an emergency room are double that of other towns in Essex County. That’s why we are calling for a healthier environment for our neighborhoods and schools where we spend much of our waking hours. We must be bold in the action we take today.”
“My home, the Ironbound, is one of the most polluted in the city,” explained Shay-la Maxwell, UEI student and Ironbound resident. “We are the home of one of the largest garbage incinerators in the Northeast, over 100 toxic sites including federal superfund sites, over 8 million pounds of air toxics from polluting facilities, the 3rd largest port in the nation and more. Every time, we throw a piece of trash in the garbage, it ends up in the garbage incinerator down the block. We should be recycling more. As emerging young adults, we want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. I am very excited about the new skills that I have gained by attending the UEI leadership training.
“We understand that not everything can happen overnight,” stated Yasir Lee, UEI and Eastside High student. “There are individual schools in Newark, NYC and around the state that are using green cleaning – switching out toxic cleaners for asthma-busting alternatives at the same or lower cost. We want that at Eastside High School.”
The UEI’s Winter 2009 class calls on the Newark School Board to adopt policies that :
§ Establish environmental clubs, classes and curriculum to educate and train students and staff in “going green”. Conduct pilot at Eastside High, then expand district-wide. Use the clubs to develop student, staff, teacher partnerships in the individual schools to help achieve this and the following goals.
§ Enforce full scale recycling pilot program at Eastside High School with the intention of instituting comprehensive recycling in all Newark Public schools as required by a 1987 state law (N.J.S.A. 13:1E-let seq.). Establish school food waste collection and composting programs to enhance city-wide greening efforts.
View Recycling Manual for NJ Schools at http://nj.gov/dep/dshw/resource/njsrpm.pdf .
§ Enact a green school policy that improves maintenance and infrastructure including green roofs, solar power and other forms of renewable energy, non-toxic cleaning and pesticide free policies, HVAC and water pipeline/supply upgrades including operational lead-free water fountains throughout all schools.
“The NJ Environmental Federation is so proud of the East Ward graduating class of UEI fellows,” states Jeanette Mitchell, UEI Policy Director and Instructor. “These students demonstrate a real commitment to making Newark’s future different from the polluting injustices of the past. They will help cultivate a new era of environmental activism – one that will move Newark forward and guarantee that they are part of the emerging green revolution.
-end-
____________________________________
* Clean Water Fund (CWF) is a national 501(c)3 grassroots non-profit organization. CWF is the training, research, and education partner of the New Jersey Environmental Federation (NJEF). CWF works hand in hand in our communities, homes, workplaces and schools to reduce the use, exposure and health impacts of toxic chemicals. The Urban Environmental Institute (UEI) is a project of CWF and NJEF in collaboration with the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC). Similar trainings have been conducted in the Central and South Wards of Newark in the past year. Support for the UEI includes the Ford Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Fund for New Jersey, Victoria Foundation, Community Development Block Grant-Newark and Andy Cappon Community Action Project. For more information, visit www.cleanwaterfund.org or www.cleanwateraction.org/njef
For Immediate Release: Thursday, March 26, 2009
Contact: Jeanette Mitchell, UEI Policy Director of the NJ Environmental Federation (NJEF)
cell: 1-347-742-3465
3rd Graduating Class of Urban Environmental Institute calls for Green Policies at Newark’s Eastside HS
Newark, NJ —March 24, the third graduating class of the Urban Environmental Institute (UEI) brought their environmental justice and health concerns to the Newark School Board meeting held at Lafayette Street Elementary School in the Ironbound. The UEI students utilized their newly found environmental awareness and organizing skills to develop 3 recommendations for school board action including: (1) establishment of recycling programs as mandated by a 1987 state law, (2) creation of environmental clubs, classes and curriculum, and (3) improvement of green building infrastructure –specifically ventilation, operational lead-free water fountains and green cleaning. These recommendations build on similar concerns raised by the UEI’s 2008 Summer Academy.
The UEI is a project of the New Jersey Environmental Federation (NJEF) and Clean Water Fund (CWF)*, carried out in partnership with Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC), one of Newark’s oldest community-based organizations. The UEI is training youth and young adults to be the next generation of environmental justice leaders and grassroots activists in the City of Newark. The third graduating class consists of 14 Newark high school students from the East Ward who are nearing completion of an eight week all-Saturday environmental justice leadership and civic engagement training course. On April 4th, they will receive certificates at NJEF’s 23rd annual conference entitled Clean Green and Working at Rutgers School of Law, Newark.
“The goal of the UEI is to fight for real solutions to Newark’s environmental problems,” said Kyrese Mason, UEI student from East Ward. “I am the 1 in 4 Newark students who has asthma. Just by living in Newark, my chances of ending up in an emergency room are double that of other towns in Essex County. That’s why we are calling for a healthier environment for our neighborhoods and schools where we spend much of our waking hours. We must be bold in the action we take today.”
“My home, the Ironbound, is one of the most polluted in the city,” explained Shay-la Maxwell, UEI student and Ironbound resident. “We are the home of one of the largest garbage incinerators in the Northeast, over 100 toxic sites including federal superfund sites, over 8 million pounds of air toxics from polluting facilities, the 3rd largest port in the nation and more. Every time, we throw a piece of trash in the garbage, it ends up in the garbage incinerator down the block. We should be recycling more. As emerging young adults, we want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. I am very excited about the new skills that I have gained by attending the UEI leadership training.
“We understand that not everything can happen overnight,” stated Yasir Lee, UEI and Eastside High student. “There are individual schools in Newark, NYC and around the state that are using green cleaning – switching out toxic cleaners for asthma-busting alternatives at the same or lower cost. We want that at Eastside High School.”
The UEI’s Winter 2009 class calls on the Newark School Board to adopt policies that :
§ Establish environmental clubs, classes and curriculum to educate and train students and staff in “going green”. Conduct pilot at Eastside High, then expand district-wide. Use the clubs to develop student, staff, teacher partnerships in the individual schools to help achieve this and the following goals.
§ Enforce full scale recycling pilot program at Eastside High School with the intention of instituting comprehensive recycling in all Newark Public schools as required by a 1987 state law (N.J.S.A. 13:1E-let seq.). Establish school food waste collection and composting programs to enhance city-wide greening efforts.
View Recycling Manual for NJ Schools at http://nj.gov/dep/dshw/resource/njsrpm.pdf .
§ Enact a green school policy that improves maintenance and infrastructure including green roofs, solar power and other forms of renewable energy, non-toxic cleaning and pesticide free policies, HVAC and water pipeline/supply upgrades including operational lead-free water fountains throughout all schools.
“The NJ Environmental Federation is so proud of the East Ward graduating class of UEI fellows,” states Jeanette Mitchell, UEI Policy Director and Instructor. “These students demonstrate a real commitment to making Newark’s future different from the polluting injustices of the past. They will help cultivate a new era of environmental activism – one that will move Newark forward and guarantee that they are part of the emerging green revolution.
-end-
____________________________________
* Clean Water Fund (CWF) is a national 501(c)3 grassroots non-profit organization. CWF is the training, research, and education partner of the New Jersey Environmental Federation (NJEF). CWF works hand in hand in our communities, homes, workplaces and schools to reduce the use, exposure and health impacts of toxic chemicals. The Urban Environmental Institute (UEI) is a project of CWF and NJEF in collaboration with the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC). Similar trainings have been conducted in the Central and South Wards of Newark in the past year. Support for the UEI includes the Ford Foundation, Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Fund for New Jersey, Victoria Foundation, Community Development Block Grant-Newark and Andy Cappon Community Action Project. For more information, visit www.cleanwaterfund.org or www.cleanwateraction.org/njef
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