FREEHOLD – Monmouth County’s “Lunchtime Series on the Environment” will conclude on Thursday, Oct. 16, with a session dedicated solely to exploring ways to pay for many of the initiatives that were presented during the six-month-long program.

 

Featured presenters at the free luncheon are Mark Loeser of the New Jersey Clean Energy Program and a representative from the Monmouth County Improvement Authority, which arranges financing for municipalities on capital improvement projects.

 

“Now that we have shared with municipalities, local environmental commissions and planning boards what is being done across the country to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and act in ways that are more beneficial to the environment, we are also providing ideas to help pay for it,” said Freeholder Barbara J. McMorrow, who co-sponsored the luncheons with Freeholder John D’Amico Jr.

 

“With these sessions we have all learned to think differently about how government can be a better friend to the environment, and hopefully some of it will be put to good use,” she added.

 

During the course of the luncheons, Monmouth County adopted appointed a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Advisory Committee to work with the Planning Board in analyzing the county’s greenhouse gas emissions and recommending ways to reduce those emissions.

 

“Counties can play a unique role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions because of their regional perspective in transportation planning, water conservation and wastewater and solid waste management,” D’Amico said. “The economic arguments for implementing climate stabilization solutions are compelling, from near-term gains of energy efficiency to long-term climate protection initiatives. It all adds up to reducing the impact of greenhouse house emissions.”

 

Prior luncheons focused on such topics as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building technology, reducing lighting pollution, the benefits of buying hybrid vehicles, watershed management, solar and wind energy and energy conservation, among others.

 

The luncheon is from noon to 2 p.m. in the second-floor conference room at the Hall of Records, 1 East Main St., Freehold. Please R.S.V.P. to Freeholder McMorrow by calling 732-683-8837 by Oct. 14, as seating is limited, or sending an e-mail to freeholdermcmorrow@gmail.com. A light lunch will be served.

 
Save the date:

 

9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15 – Green Team training with the Monmouth County Cool Cities Partnership at the Monmouth County Agriculture Building, 4000 Kozloski Rd., Freehold Township.

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