Blackwood – Tonight Democratic council members Frank Schmidt and Dan Hutchison introduced efforts to implement Dave Mayer's "Green Gloucester Township" initiative by calling on the Gloucester Township Economic Development Corporation to fight for federal money for environmental projects. The Mayer "Green Gloucester Township" Initiative proposes to:
- offer expanded household recycling options, which also cuts costs related to trash dumping,
- cut energy costs by making township facilities energy efficient,
- create C.A.R.E (Clean Area Renewable Energy) zones that would harness alternative energy such as solar power and generate revenue for the township,
- replace or retrofit township vehicles to improve fuel efficiency and better protect taxpayers during spikes in gas prices, and
- harness federal stimulus money to install solar panels, reducing local energy dependence and cutting energy costs for the township and the school district.
Dave Mayer's energy efficiency plan is strongly based on conservation and common sense for a clean and green Gloucester Township
Attacking the largest costs in Town Hall including traffic signals and street lighting- Currently the Township spends approximately $1.5 million on these utilities and Dave will cut these costs dramatically by implementing LED lights in traffic signals and working with utilities and the BPU to install solar-powered lighting for street lights.
Making Gloucester Township Public Buildings sustainable will shrink the operational budget in Town Hall by harnessing green energy. Dave recognizes buildings are a prime source of energy consumption throughout society and manufacturing solar power can create a clean form of energy that not only will subsidize current utility costs but create a new stream of revenue for the Township through the sale of energy credits back to the utility company. Solar energy is the kingpin to an economically sustainable operation in Town Hall and return on capital investment is almost instantaneous, not to mention that Dave will work closely with the state Clean Energy Program to utilize funding from the BPU and take full advantage of President Obama's economic recovery act funding to defray any capital costs to local taxpayer. Such funding could also be extended to residents interested in making their homes efficient and sustainable through a new municipal loan program that would help fund electric, thermal solar systems, or other alternative energy systems.
Mayer has also studied the benefits of creating an efficient work place in all public buildings which includes taking advantage of the state's energy audit plan that rewards municipalities for making common sense changes such as installing a new energy efficient HVAC system, installing CFL bulbs for all building lights, digital thermostats and timers for lights and utilities, new insulation and weather stripping for all public buildings. Through the energy audit program the state will reimburse 75 percent of these changes saving taxpayers significant amount money.
The Democratic Team will introduce a green IT plan that will cut costs through utilizing virtual server thin clients to cut energy costs for computer usage throughout all public buildings. The total savings would equal the capital return on investment and would drop utility bills.
"Residents are tired of officials who talk about being green but fail to lead on these critical issues," said Frank Schmidt. "It's time for Gloucester Township to realize the taxpayer savings that come with environmentally-friendly policies and, with federal stimulus funding available to cover the start-up costs, there's not a moment to lose," added Dan Hutchison.
The proposed green initiative promotes expanded household recycling in Gloucester Township as well.
"Moving to single-stream recycling produces immediate cost savings for municipalities," added Dave Mayer, candidate for Mayor, citing more than $420,000 in savings Cherry Hill Township saw during the first six months of its recycling program. The Mayer Green Initiative also expands recycling efforts to include yard waste, a move that would increase revenue for the township and alleviate a growing dumping problem in the area.
In addition, the Mayer "Green Gloucester Township" initiative proposes aggressively pursuing a Clean Cities Program that would allow the township to purchase new vehicles or retrofit existing township vehicles to be more fuel efficient.
"We've learned over the last few years that 'going green' helps our pocketbook as we help create a sustainable environment for our children," said Michelle Gentek, a community activist turned council candidate. "After four years of unfulfilled environmental promises, we need to act now to take advantage of the federal and state funding to pay to turn the vision of a Green Gloucester Township into a reality."