Getting Past Plastics II - Accountability in Sustainability (Hybrid)

In a robust performance by our panelists, ‘Getting Past Plastics II showed how our town, schools, houses of worship, and Rutgers research in climate change are working to make future generations a home they can live in. On April 25th at 7 PM Alpha Delta Kappa’s Kappa chapter, East Brunswick Hadassah, East Brunswick Sustainability Task Force and the technology help from the East Brunswick Public Library did a superb of bringing together significant leaders in our township. The link to the recording can be found at: https://youtu.be/ouFWaKC35_M

Our panel was Mayor Dr. Brad Cohen, Assistant Professor Roger Wang from Rutgers climate solutions, the Principal Planner and Clean Communities Coordinator for Middlesex County Carole Tolmachewich, and engineer Richard Zielinski from Trinity Presbyterian Church on Green Houses of Worship, student authors of The Essential Guide to Understanding Sustainability Shrenik and Daivik Patel, for the superintendent Matthew Goldstein high school teacher of environmental science. Forum moderator Nancy Kranich and chat monitor Sandy Lanman drew numerous and insightful questions from the in-house and zoom crowds.

Some people believe that New Jersey’s windmills may be the cause of so many whales ending up dead on our shores. Liti Haramaty, marine biologist, stated that there is NO evidence of that. What is injuring the whales is warmer water that draws more whales to us and the tremendous rise in shipping that is causing the injuries. What she and other advocates are calling for is for ships to slow down for whale protection.

To the question asked about the landfill in Staten Island that is covered with lovely green grass the Patel student authors answered that what is incapsulated inside a landfill defies natural degradation and fills with toxic, non-biodegradable materials that are very bad.

Carole Tolmachewich from the county, urged us all to inform the county whenever we see garbage thrown into recycling trucks. She urged us to take advantage of PSE&G’s program to come to homes and show us how to be more sustainable. They will give us free materials and a month’s free service.

Rich Zielinski from Trinity Presbyterian Church showed the numerous improvements that the church continues to make since qualifying for the ‘green house’ designation 15 years ago. Some examples are adding a dishwasher to clean not throw away dishes and cutlery, community garden, preschool, improved lighting, recycling, teracycling,

Melissa Novak, Churchill science teacher presented awards to the winning students of the salvage art sculpture contest. Kathryn Nguyen headed the Call to Action letter writing to government and industry asking to recycle alkaline batteries and improve the distribution of circular bundles from littering our streets and storm drains. Books, materials, donation bins for recycling used sneakers, crayons, and dead pens were on display.

Closing the program Co-chair Christine Sullivan asked the audience to do 3 things for the sake of their children and grandchildren—

1. When ordering take out from restaurants –skip the things you don’t need.

2. When buying bottled beverages take a sec to find the recycle triangle and look to see if it has a 1 or 2 inside that triangle. If it does NOT, that bottle CANNOT be recycled.

3. Be an advocate for change. Talk this up to your families, friends, and neighbors for the sake of your children and grandchildren. “ It will be the effort and change we start right now that will provide future generations with a home they can live in and look after…”

# #

In our second Getting Past Plastics forum, we will focus on waste reduction in our schools; Township recycling, climate solutions from Rutgers University researchers, and a call to action for our government and industry.

You will have the opportunity to view the EB Public School students’, “Salvage Art Sculptures,” write letters to officials, view sustainability resources, and find out what “green” houses of worship can do for our community.

We will also be recycling attendee’s dead pens, crayons, markers, and pairs of used sneakers, and offer door prizes as well.

Panelists:

Nancy Kranich, Moderator
Lecturer and Special Projects Librarian
Rutgers University – New Brunswick

Mayor Dr. Brad Cohen, Mayor
East Brunswick Township

Dr. Victor Valeski, Superintendent
East Brunswick Public Schools

Rich Zielinski, PhD in Chemical Engineering
Chair of Building and Environmental Committees, Pre-School Board, and ruling elder of Trinity Presbyterian Church

Dr. Roger Wang, Assistant Professor
Climate Solutions, Rutgers University

Melissa Novak, Science Teacher
Churchill Junior High School

Daivik Patel and Shrenik Patel, co-authors
The Essential Guide to Understanding Sustainability

Representative
New Jerse Department of Environmental Protection

Sponsoredy by theEast Brunswick Sustainability Task Force, East Brunswick Hadassah, ADK- Alpha Delta Kappa- Kappa chapter, and the East Brunswick Public Library.