EVENTS COMING UP

Friday, March 9 @ 11:00am - Vegan Cooking Class @ Christ Church 

Join us for a vegan cooking lesson (with lunch!) graciously hosted by Arpita Jindani, and enjoy a healthful, impactful way of eating. Cover fee of $5 - RSVP here. 

Saturday, March 10 @ 2:00pm - Film Screening of "Saving the Great Swamp"

Madison's Environmental Commission is hosting a free screening of "Saving the Great Swamp: Battle to Defeat the Jetport" at the Madison Public Library.

Saturday, April 21 - Annual Earth Day Cleanup

Join your neighbors and friends to help clean up Summit! Stay tuned for the clean-up sites and how you can sign up. Follow the Environmental Commission's Facebook group for the latest.

For the full below infographic, see New Hope Network. Also check out Green Summit NJ's Instagram or website for the popular Summit recycling photo series.

GREEN TIP

Do your part to be aware of your plastic bag usage and disposal - there are so many good reusable bag options (just don't forget to take them with you!) and even when you do get some plastic bags, take them to a local supermarket for recycling instead of throwing it in the trash. Kings, ShopRite and Whole Foods nearby all have collection bins for plastic bags and other "stretchy" plastics.

Also, check out Green Summit's display at the Summit Free Public Library this month - guess how many plastic bags are in the display, and you may win a reusable bag!

IN THE NEWS

SUMMIT AREA 

Green Summit is also undertaking a survey of the community to understand what is at the top of your mind when it comes to sustainability in Summit and in your home. Literally 2 questions! Please take a moment and complete this survey. Share with your friends, too!

Tonight's community meeting about the Broad Street Redevelopment project has been postponed due to the snowstorm. This will be a great opportunity for Summit residents to learn about the project and voice their thoughts about it. Here are the new details: Monday, March 19 @ 7pm at St. Teresa of Avila Memorial Hall.

NEW JERSEY

Speaking of plastic bags, what ever happened to the plastic bag "tax" in New Jersey? Several versions of a bill to put a 5-cent charge on plastic bags statewide were presented in recent years, none of which were enacted into law. In the meantime, three New Jersey towns have enacted bag-taxes or bans: Longport has had a 10-cent fee on plastic and paper bags since 2015; Long Beach will be banning plastic bags effective May 2018; and Teaneck will be imposing a 5-cent tax on plastic bags effective July 2018.

NATIONAL

With the rise in flooding in recent years, the New York Times turned their attention to federal floodplain and industrial data for the United States. They found that more than 2,500 sites that handle toxic chemicals are in flood-prone zones, with more than 1,400 of those in high-risk zones. With heavy rainfall predicted only to rise in both intensity and frequency, there are many facilities at risk of emitting toxins that are harmful to our health and environment.

GLOBAL

Cape Town may avert "Day Zero" of the water crisis (that is, the day the state would be forced to turn the water off), as residents have collectively cut down their water usage by 60% and seasonal rains should be around the corner. However, they are not "in the clear", and many cities (including Sao Paulo, Miami and London) will need to revisit their ability to preserve and sustain water supply. But at least Cape Town's efforts, and California's in the years prior, show that collective action to reduce water usage can significantly improve the management of water sustainability.

GREEN READS

"When the Rivers Run Dry: Water-- The Defining Crisis of the Twenty-first Century" by Fred Pearce (2006). This book examines how the global water crisis is unfolding in different regions, and looks at the significant impact water scarcity will have on global food supplies as early as 2025.