Politics & Government

Stender Urges New Jerseyans to Dim Their Lights

The following information was submitted by the Assemblywoman's office.

A piece of legislation that calls for New Jerseyans to simultaneously dim their lights for one hour was passed by the NJ Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee last week.

The Earth Hour Joint Resolution, as it is known, is inspired by the World Wildlife Fund and is intended to inspire residents to reduce their use of electricity to encourage a more sustainable economic and environmental future for the world. Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Fanwood) sponsored the legislation.

"Our natural resources are our most precious assets," Stender said. "Earth Hour is a tremendous opportunity for communities to educate their residents on the importance of protecting our environment."

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Earth Hour was created by the World Wildlife Fund three years ago and inspired over a billion people worldwide to participate in the 2009 hour. This year's earth hour is scheduled to take place on Saturday March 27, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It is expected to generate the "largest call for action on climate change in history."

Several landmarks and organizations have already pledged to participate, including the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, the St. Louis Gateway Arch, the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Acropolis, the Parthenon, St. Peter's Basilica, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and the Sydney Opera House. Also, the American Federal of Teachers, the NAACP, the National Honor Society and the National Association of Neighborhoods have also joined in.

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Residents should make efforts to conserve everyday," said Stender, a prime sponsor of the 2007 Global Warming Response Act.  "In addition to dimming your lights, residents can also recycle newspapers, glass and cans, as well as plastic containers, batteries, properly dispose of hazardous waste and install water savers to their faucets and showers."

This bill is now eligible for vote in the General Assembly at the call of the Speaker. For more information on earth hour please visit www.earthhour.org.

 


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