Categorized | Editorial

Editorial: How Going Green Can Help Both You & the City

Over the past week, the City of Perth Amboy was focused celebrating Earth Week. The celebration included demonstrations on the best way both a municipality and an individual can help to preserve the environment.

Demonstrations included how to preserve rainwater, planting community gardens and installing green infrastructures. Although it rained early on Saturday morning (it cleared up around 11 a.m.), a community cleanup was in full force.

Something as simple as planting the right bushes and trees can make a big difference in preventing damaging flooding. Rainwater gardens redirect the water to flow in a direction in which it is most needed. An example: city streets with rain gardens ab absorb rain water which would normally go into the street and damage it. Even the materials that you would use when laying down a new driveway or sidewalk can make a big difference. Porous materials are better than conventional materials and more environmentally friendly.

Environmentally friendly products can save the individual or municipality money over the course of time. We know for a fact replacing a washing machine with a green friendly product helps to keep the electric bill down. These types of changes also help keep property tax down and beautify the city. We urge every household to find out all they can about green products. As the City uses and more and more green products, the property tax goes down.

Heavy rains can cause a runoff and an overflow into our sewer pipes. This runoff may cause raw sewage to go into Raritan Bay.

The luncheon was a showcase for all sustainability initiatives happening within the City.  / *Photos by Carolyn Maxwell

The luncheon was a showcase for all sustainability initiatives happening within the City.
/ *Photos by Carolyn Maxwell

20160421_143237 nnnWe attended a very informative program arranged by the City in which there were tables set up with literature and slide-shows to inform the community of the necessity of going green. One of the tables that had very valuable information about our bodies of water was literature put out by the Riverkeeper Billy Shultz.

Lorraine McCartney who is also very active with the Girl Scouts helped man that table. She was very enthusiastic when she handed out the material. She stressed the importance of teaching the public about the preservation of natural habitats of wildlife and how it affects the environment.

The Perth Amboy Green Team is very active. Their Program Coordinator is William Kurtzenburger who can be contacted at 732-826-0290 xt. 4048.

Going green has many benefits:
1.) By preserving the environment you at the same time reduce environmental pollutants
2.) By using less electricity you reduce the cost of electric bills
3.) By planting community gardens you beautify the City

We applaud all the volunteers who participate in the periodic scheduled neighborhood cleanups. These volunteers do not necessarily live in these neighborhoods yet they help to clean it. It’s up to every resident to do their part to continue this practice.

Illegal dumping of garbage is sometimes done by residents and/or nonresidents. It’s unfortunate, but it reflects poorly where you live if it’s not picked up by someone. Many businesses that operate outside out of the immediate business district have had professional landscaping done to make their property more attractive. One examples is the Shell Gas Station on the corner of New Brunswick Avenue and Convery Boulevard.

We enjoy the Learning Garden that belongs to Raritan Bay Medical Center. Novak Funeral Home on Barclay Street has a nice garden. The Municipal Complex on New Brunswick Avenue is well maintained, especially the area around the statue of fallen Police Officer Thomas Raji. Santamaria Eye Center on Market Street has gorgeous landscaping. 76 Market Street Building always has beautiful flowers and trees. At Bayside Creamery on Front Street, besides having the floral plants in front of the store, there is a mural that’s painted on the wall on the side by the late artist Thomas Ward.

Last but not least, City Hall Circle has gorgeous seasonal plants, trees and shrubs. The latest improvement is on outer Amboy Avenue. There is the planting of small trees on the roadside and a fence being put up which helps beautify the are..

Little things like planting flowers or shrubbery go a long way. Mother nature can only go so far. It’s up to us to help her out.

More information on the Sustainable Initiatives Program will follow in the next issue of the Amboy Guardian.

C.M. & K.M.

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