Hoboken Green Drinks is once again trying something new! This month, we’re joining hMAG to put on a mixer. We expect this to be a great networking opportunity and a fun time! We’re raffling off some great items. Proceeds from the raffle will be donated to the Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition. There will also be drink specials and complimentary snacks.

When: Thursday June 17th from 7 – 9 pm
Where: The Shannon on 1st Street between Washington and Bloomfield Streets

Raffle items:
- 2 Handbags from Elliot Lucca
-Gift Basket from Rebellations Hair & Makeup Studio
-Gift from SXE Fitness Apparel
-$25 Gift Card, T-shirt & Hat from The Taco Truck
-1 Free Exercise Class & Kleen Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle from Local Barre

Whether you’re interested in networking, mingling, or a fun way to start your Thursday night, join us for what’s sure to be a good time!

Go to the hMAG website and read the article. To learn more about the strides being made by our green buildings sub-committee, click on “Contact” and send us an email.

Recycling at this festival was a huge improvement over the attempt to recycle at the fall 2009 festival. At that event, all of the recyclables collected had too many contaminants to bring to the recycler. Sadly, it all went into the trash. Learning from these past mistakes, Jason Tecza (pictured) and JD Capuano came up with a new plan to get festival-goers to recycle and reached out for help to make it happen.

Our success is attributable to collaboration with the City of Hoboken – both Environmental Services and Cultural Affairs, help from Greener Corners, cooperation from the food vendors, and volunteers! The city was very excited about doing this and was a good partner in getting the special bins set up and in collecting the materials. Check out the administration’s excitement on the City’s website. Greener Corners is looking to bring recycling to the streets of Hoboken everyday and one of their co-founders, Aaron Klein, brought us special temporary recycling bins with clear bags just for the festival.

What really helped make this happen was volunteers wearing bright green shirts displaying “Hoboken Recycles” on the front walking around monitoring the recycling containers for contaminants. They adorned latex gloves and picked out plastics that aren’t yet recycled in Hoboken (with a 5 or 6 stamped on them) and any trash that mixed in. The volunteers also picked recyclables out of the garbage. Aaron helped with this effort. The volunteers were happy to see festival-goers largely putting items in the right receptacles – recycling vs. landfill waste.

One other ingredient added to the success. We would like to thank the food vendors who almost unanimously allowed us to tape signs instructing festival-goers to recycle on their booths.

Look for more great things we’re pushing to improve recycling in Hoboken!

We’re also seeking volunteers to adopt a sapling(s) to insure proper post planting care, thereby insuring high survival rates. Responsibilities include watering and related tree care.

Please contact James Tricarico (917) 597-7425 from the Shade Tree Commission at jamestricarico@yahoo.com to sign up! Volunteers will meet at the at the Boys & Girls Club Park located on Jefferson Street between 1st & 2nd.

Nationwide, more than 1 trillion gallons of water leak from U.S. homes each year. That’s why WaterSense is promoting Fix a Leak Week from March 15 to 21, 2010, to remind Americans to check their plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.

Fixing Leaks Across the Nation
Help make Fix a Leak Week a flowing success! Visit the WaterSense website and click on Flow to learn about events and programs taking place near you. Also find step-by-step instructions on how to fix a leak and much more!

Subcommittee reports:

Green Building Ordinances: Tom Chartier reported on the group’s progress in drafting green building ordinances for Hoboken starting with a focus on redevelopment zones. It would establish a Green Building Compliance Officer, a role for someone currently in the planning/building departments of City Hall. That person’s job would be to educate the various city departments (fire, building, sewerage) to help them understand the various changes in green building materials and standards and how to promote their use. To earn approval in a redevelopment zone, a developer would have to follow these guidelines, which are based on LEED Silver (or equivalent in similar rating system) for larger buildings, or LEED basic (or equivalent) for smaller ones.

The group recommends allowing the option of self-certification instead of USGBC certification to reduce resistance and cost. The builders would have to document the steps they’re taking to meet LEED requirements, and the Compliance Officer would check for completeness.

Regardless of certification method and system, there would be follow up check-ups before final Certificate of Occupancy (or final building inspection – whatever is required in Hoboken) is issued, to make sure the builders are making progress (or financial penalty for builders that don’t want to meet certification, fines based on square footage and points missing for LEED Silver certification of the equivalent). Some elements specific to Hoboken are encouraged, such as bike racks, water retention solutions, etc.

Members of the Subcommittee met with City Community Planning Director Brandy Forbes, who provided some input, and the group is now floating the draft ordinance around for comment before presenting it to City Council. Currently, there’s no zoning officer, so that’s holding up the review. [note, Ann Holtzman has since been appointed zoning officer.] Also, there is no designated Redevelopment Counsel for the city. When those positions are filled, the group will ask them to review the proposal.

Director Forbes had asked about how the fines would be accounted for if a builder opted to pay instead of complying. Tom recommended establishing a fund from these fines for other green projects – but the group would need to check into legal restrictions on this use of funds. Other towns that have tried these ordinances and failed have largely failed because there was no effective penalty for noncompliance.

Discussion: Paul suggested that building department is ultimately responsible for approving construction permits, not sure that planning dept./board are strong enough. Pat Samperi recommended setting up some kind of incentive or selling point for builders – use a carrot, not just a stick. Tom responded that the goal is for the compliance officer to educate builders and other city departments about the benefits of using certain green aspects. Jason asked whether, from a regulatory perspective, the equal protection principle may not allow the city to attach an extra burden on builders that goes above and beyond state building regulations. He also asked if the vertical integration (?) of the plan makes it easier to challenge in court; meanwhile, city undertakes so many projects in so many different areas of responsibility, how will this ordinance affect projects in multiple zones overseen by different agencies? Jason also recommended that instead of using a penalty, the city should start by assessing a fee for all builders in redevelopment zones, then refunding it in pieces as builders meet certain thresholds, established by the building, plumbing, electric, fire departments – the four building inspectors in Hoboken.

Other Green Building ordinances: The subcommittee is also researching ordinances for non-redevelopment zones, using a combination of requirements and incentives. Ideas include property tax abatements (like NYC has for green roofs and solar power installations) to encourage builders/building owners to install them. Not sure where the money would come from, but could use reductions of application fees. Incentives and requirements for energy efficiency – the city could grant variances in exchange for builders who meet LEED certification standards. Not just compact fluorescent lightbulbs, but combustion and leakage testing, insulation, etc.

Sustainable Jersey & NJ Clean Energy Community Partners program:
JD and Melissa explained that Sustainable Jersey is a certification and incentive program that rewards municipalities in New Jersey that go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term. Sustainable Jersey designates certain “actions” that municipalities can implement to receive the certification, along with cash incentives to help communities fund their marketing and community outreach/education programs. These actions address issues such as global warming, pollution, biodiversity, buying locally, community outreach, green building, and sustainable agriculture.

Hoboken has not yet enrolled, but QLC is already enrolled as a Community Partner in the companion NJ Clean Energy program, which also awards grants for completing certain steps. The community needs to pass an ordinance, appointing a designated champion and a green team and then the programs offer support and guidance for accomplishing the programs. Visit sustainablejersey.com and NJCleanEnergy.org for more information. CGH should propose to City Council and the Mayor that they choose someone to spearhead the program and designate CGH as the supporting Green Team.

Energy Audit: Brad gave an update on the status of the Energy Audit implementation. Concord Engineering recommends using Direct Install program of BPU – cost is a little higher than projected, since the plan is to replace fixtures, not just bulbs. City Hall project is underway. Firehouses and police HQ will come next, then the Boys & Girls Club building. Stimulus money will be used to replace HVAC system at the Multiservice center. The City’s newly hired Environmental Services Director comes with experience of Sustainable Jersey program in Plainfield.

Recycling: Jason Tecza reported that because of the change in leadership in the city’s Environmental Services department, the Recycling subcommittee hasn’t made much progress in finding out details on Hoboken’s recycling. For starters, the city’s recycling poster is outdated – needs updating. There’s very little education of homeowners and landlords, virtually no enforcement – the city needs to step up. Need penalties and enforcement. Recycling is only picked up one day a week. He estimates that the city is only picking up 8 – 10% of separated garbage. Other complication is that private businesses use private haulers. There are fines for garbage pails sitting out at the wrong time of day, but it’s easy to protest mixed-disposal fines, as it’s hard to prove that passers-by didn’t simply add recyclables to regular trashcans as they pass your building.

Jason gave an overview of typical “Pay as you Throw” programs: Many cities use special cans, bags or stickers to designate recycling refuse. Fees are based on size of cans, number of garbage bags or stickers affixed to bags. There are 7,000 PAYT cities in the U.S. Economics are compelling. Cities like Worcester, Ma., cut their solid waste disposal costs by $1.2 million in garbage and increased recycling rate from 3 – 36%. Need to treat waste removal as a utility, not as a public service. Some cities require homeowners to contract for garbage pick-up, which changes behavior. You could split it out from general municipal taxes. For starters, you can reduce the number of days that garbage is picked up and step up number of days that recycling is picked up. Composting can be a business – works in BPC in NYC.

Tom has been talking to Eagle recycling (mostly building materials) and the owner is interested in participating in community education about different types of plastic and where the money is. Cardboard and plastic values fluctuate. Plastics numbered 3 – 7 are not accepted in municipal recycling. JD – need to phase in change: education, then new voluntary options, then enforcement. City garbage contract is up for renewal in the next six months – we could intervene and offer suggestions for making it more cost-effective.

Outreach:

Spring Arts & Music Festival – May 2, we’ll have two tables; invite reps from the Sustainable Jersey program with NJ Clean Energy sign-up forms and lightbulbs to hand out at one table, and our group can use the other. Let’s aim to get some recycling separating bins installed someplace prominent and use the event to talk it up. Get a high-profile resident to help with a photo-op. Composting demo? Or get high school kids to help us at the booth to encourage people to sort garbage.

Green Expo: Tom Chartier mentioned Ecoventions and the Meadowlands accelerator program – groups who can help us put on a program to talk to businesses about how to go green. One for business owners, another for homeowners. Need to set some dates and get some volunteers to help plan. Need contacts with Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club or Jaycees. Email JD if you’re interested in being on a planning committee.

Green Drinks: The last Green Drinks event, was a special Green Drinks and Eats held on Thurs., Feb. 18, hosted by “The Skinny Chef” Jennifer Iserloh and husband Ulli at their home. The event was well attended and lots of fun! Stay tuned for the next event – back at a local establishment.

To help address this problem, WaterSense was launched in 2006. WaterSense is an EPA-sponsored partnership program that seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by promoting water efficiency and enhancing the market for water-efficient products, programs, and practices.

WaterSense brings together local water utilities and governments, product manufacturers, retailers, consumers, and other stakeholders to:
* Decrease indoor and outdoor non-agricultural water use through the adoption of more efficient products and practices.
* Help consumers make water-efficient choices, including differentiating between products and services in the marketplace and adopting simple daily activities that reduce water use.
* Encourage innovation in manufacturing
* Establish and standardize rigorous certification criteria that ensure product efficiency, performance, and quality.

WaterSense helps consumers identify water-efficient products and programs that meet WaterSense water efficiency and performance criteria. Products carrying the WaterSense label perform well, help save money, and encourage innovation in manufacturing.

WaterSense partners with manufacturers, retailers and distributors, and utilities to bring WaterSense labeled products to the marketplace and make it easy to purchase high-performing, water-efficient products.

WaterSense also partners with irrigation professionals and irrigation certification programs to promote water-efficient landscape irrigation practices.

Check out the WaterSense website to see what you can do!

1. Set your hot-water heater to 118 degrees farenheit.

2. Get a low flow shower head at your local hardware or home improvement store.

3. But a digital shower timer. These can range from inexpensive to expensive models which shut off the water after a certain period of time. Make sure you buy one that you will be able to see through the steam of the shower and doesn’t wake up the household!

The 5 Percent website has some good tips!

Fine particle pollution may actually cause more deaths in NJ than homicides and car accidents combined. The American Heart Association has concluded that air pollution increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

New vehicles don’t take long to warm up at all. And not only does idling increase maintenance costs over time, but idling fines begin at $100 for passenger vehicles and $250 for commercial vehicles. Learn more and checkout the website Stop the Soot.

Hoboken Mayor David Roberts signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in March 2008. The document was unanimously supported by the City Council. The Climate Agreement dedicates the city administration to make every effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2020. The Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition introduced the agreement to the city and was assisted in its efforts to gain acceptance by the support of Councilpersons Terry La Bruno, Beth Mason, Michael Russo and Dawn Zimmer.

Mayor David Roberts accepts a Certificate of Appreciation from the Sierra Club upon signing the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. Left to right: front row Councilwoman Terry La Bruno, Mayor David Roberts and Quality of Life Coalition Coordinator Helen Manogue. Second row Councilman Michael Russo, Councilman Peter Cunningham, QLC members Joan Abel and JD Capuano.

The QLC was influential in getting the agreement adopted. Gaining enrollment in Climate Protection Agreements by counties and municipalities is the goal of a Sierra Club program called COOLcities. In that effort the Club contacts local groups such as the QLC and asks them to introduce the Agreement and work for and follow up on its passage. The QLC is performing that function in Hoboken. It met with council members in February and the council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the pledge on March 5, 2008. The group was helped in its efforts by the support of Councilpersons Terry La Bruno, Beth Mason, Michael Russo and Dawn Zimmer.

The QLC has created a special committee to work on the implementation of the Climate Protection Agreement. It is known as the Committee for a Green Hoboken. The Green Committee will work closely with the city administration in obtaining an energy audit of municipal buildings and operations from which a CO2 reduction plan will be devised. Simultaneously, the committee will be soliciting local residents to participate in the Change-A-Light Program (change light bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent) and the state’s Clean Power Choice effort (homeowners opt for a preferred energy source such as solar, wind, etc. via PSE&G)

Members of the general public are invited to become part of this global improvement effort. Contact us through this website for more information on how to get involved.