(P12/2) TRENTON - Unwanted televisions, computers, electronic tablets, e-book readers, and monitors that have been replaced by new electronic holiday gifts cannot be tossed into the trash but must be recycled as required by the state’s one-year-old Electronic Waste Management Act, which generated an estimated 40 million pounds of recycled e-waste last year in New Jersey, DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said today.

This is a five-fold increase in e-waste tonnage over the approximately 8 million pounds collected in 2010, and an amount that is expected to increase this year as the program expands and improves in all 21 counties in New Jersey.

“This program has been a great initial success in helping to clean up our state, to ensure these old TVs and computers do not end up in landfills or incinerators,’’ said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. “But we still have to fill gaps in this program to ensure that all appropriate electronic waste is recycled and that everyone has convenient options for recycling.’’

Electronic waste makes up 2 percent of the solid waste disposed in New Jersey. But as a result of consumer demand for new technologies, and subsequent disposal of old devices, e-waste is growing two to three times faster than any other component of the solid waste stream.

Those discarded TVs, computers and computer monitors contain lead, mercury, cadmium, nickel, zinc, brominated flame retardants, and other materials. Cathode Ray Tubes, or CRTs, contain large amounts of lead that is used to shield consumers from radiation.

Improperly handling discarded electronics, without proper controls, or simply tossing the materials in the trash can expose hazardous chemical compounds that are known to negatively affect human and environmental health.

The Electronic Waste Management Act, which took effect Jan. 1, 2011, bans disposal of televisions and all personal or portable computers - including desktop, notebook and laptop computers, as well as computer monitors - in the regular waste stream. Manufacturers of these devices now fund the collection of e-waste so that it is free for consumers.

State residents can no longer put TVs, computers and monitors out on the curb for regular trash collection pickup. Instead, these items must be taken to a drop-off point, such as a county or municipal solid waste collection center or a participating electronics retail store. Best Buy stores statewide and community-based service programs, most notably Goodwill Industries and the Salvation Army, also accept these materials.

The Electronic Waste Management Act does not cover cell phones, DVD players, VCRs, game consoles, or other electronic devices, although some retailers and service organizations provide opportunities for recycling these items.

“The DEP is seeking to improve understanding of the e-waste recycling law and improve compliance in 2012 through education, including a planned major e-waste outreach and education campaign,’’ said DEP Assistant Commissioner of Environmental Management Jane Kozinski. “So, whether you received a new television, iPad or desktop computer or gave one as a gift, be sure to tell your family and friends of this new system to handle your e-waste.’’

Residents should contact their county solid waste agency or municipal recycling coordinator for e-waste recycling options currently available in their cities and towns.

For more information on New Jersey’s E-Cycle program, including a list of e-waste recycling locations statewide, a connection to all 21 county recycling web sites, and information for consumers on “front door’’ pickup service to deal with extra heavy televisions or for people with special needs, visit: http://www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/ewaste/index.html

(12/P1) TRENTON - The Department of Environmental Protection today launched a new mobile phone application to help visitors plan for and make the most out of their trips to New Jersey’s state parks, forests and historic sites.

The free Pocket Ranger application provides information on activities, amenities and services directly to users’ smartphones, and is part of the Christie Administration’s plan to make the park system more self-sustaining while improving visitor services.

The version of the application compatible with Apple iPhones was launched today. The Android- compatible version will be launched in several days. The applications can be downloaded at www.StateParkApps.com

“We are very proud to offer this new service to the public,” said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. “New Jersey’s park system is second to none and has been experiencing record numbers of visitors in recent years. This application gets us in step with the times, making it much easier for people to plan their visits to our wonderful parks, forests and historic sites and make decisions about what to see and do once they get there.”

With a few taps of the screen, visitors can use their smartphones to find overviews, directions, operating hours and activities available at various sites managed by the DEP’s Division of Parks and Forestry. Visitors can also fine-tune their searches by looking for activities that interest them, such as hiking, bicycling, swimming, fishing, boating, canoe rentals or winter activities.

“With a broad tapestry of rolling green hills, forests, beaches, historic villages and battlefields, and vast natural beauty, New Jersey’s parks offer exceptional outdoor recreation for the entire family,” said Grace Hanlon, Executive Director of the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism. “Through this fun and exciting app, our residents and visitors will have another great tool in their hands to make their trips even more enjoyable and memorable.”

Governor Christie and Commissioner Martin recently released the Administration’s long-term strategy for keeping New Jersey’s parks open, affordable and even more accessible. The plan establishes a model for parks to generate revenues to make them more self-sustaining while making the park experience more rewarding for millions of visitors by improving visitor services, amenities and activities.

The DEP will receive a portion of advertising revenues generated by the application, which is not costing anything for the department to implement.

“This new ParksByNature application is a first step in the major overhaul and modernization of how we operate and protect our parks,” said DEP Chief Project Advisor Lou Valente. “This app will provide immediate benefits to our visitors while providing the DEP with information that we will use to continue to improve the park experience for millions of visitors.”

The state park system encompasses 440,000 acres in all 21 counties, and includes more than 50 historic sites, historic battlefields and villages, and 39 active recreation areas with year-round operations. The park system also boasts more than 500 miles of hiking and riding trails and 10 miles of ocean beaches.

Pocket Ranger can help visitors make lodging reservations, has social networking capabilities, and provides an advanced map-caching feature that allows users to continue to navigate even if mobile service is lost. In addition, advanced GPS technology allows hikers to keep track of where they are and how far they’ve hiked. The same technology enables hunters and anglers to mark favorite hunting spots and fishing holes.

The application also has a Friend Finder feature that allows users to keep track of the location of friends and family. As an added safety feature, Pocket Ranger has an alert feature that notifies select contacts of your GPS coordinates in the event of an emergency.

“Our expectation is for the Pocket Ranger Mobile Tour Guide to encourage a new generation of park goers explore and discover all that New Jersey’s state parks have to offer,” said ParksByNature co-founder and program coordinator Brett Melillo. “This robust mobile app will not only enhance the visitors’ experience, but will also renew overall interest in New Jersey parks and raise the funds needed to preserve and sustain them. It’s a win for the state parks and a win for the people of New Jersey.”

New Jersey is the ninth state to make the mobile tour guide application available to the public. The others are Pennsylvania, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Missouri, Rhode Island and South Dakota.

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(11/P138) TRENTON - A host of environmental, student, business, science, and civic leaders from across New Jersery are being recognized for their ideas and commitment to protecting and enhancing our state’s environment, as they will be named winners of the 2011 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards at a ceremony to be held tonight at the State Museum.

Projects and concepts honored include planning initiatives to incorporate green design, transportation, and open space preservation; engaging the public to reduce the use of fertilizers and harsh soaps from entering streams and waterways; buiding innovative solar, wind and landfill gas energy projects; promoting recycling efforts in their communities; and restoring wetlands in public spaces, among others.

Three of the winners highlight local initiatives to promote stewardship of Barnegat Bay. The Christie Administration has made restoration of the bay from decades of ecological decline a key environmental priority.

“These concepts showcase environmental excellence at its best in our state,’’ said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. ‘‘We can all learn from these award winnerss. They are taking action in their communities, recognizing natural beauty, utilizing natural resources and discovering new and innovative ways to improve our environment. The winners and all of those who participated have set a truly high bar for environmental excellence among all New Jerseyans. Governor Christie and I commend their leadership.’’

This is the 12th annual awards ceremony. It became known as the Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards in 2006. Coordinated by DEP, the program is sponsored by the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.

A panel of judges accepted more than 60 nominations that featured unique or valuable environmental concepts or activities.

To learn more about the Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards visit www.nj.gov/dep/eeawards.

GOVERNOR’S ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Clean Air Category
Winner: Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA), Pleasantville
ACUA is recognized for its solar, wind and landfill gas energy projects. Projects include a 500-kilowatt solar array, 7.5-megawatt wind farm and 5.4-megawatt landfill gas-to-energy project, which provides 100 percent of the electricity needed to power facilities operating in ACUA’s 360-acre Environmental Park solid waste facility. The ACUA provides wastewater and solid waste recycling services to the 274,000 residents of Atlantic County.

Water Resources Category
Winner: Ocean County Boat Pumpout Program, Ocean County
Ocean County is recognized for its boat effluent waste removal program for Barnegat Bay. Since its inception in 1998, 727,000 gallons of effluent have been removed from holding tanks of boats that may otherwise have been discharged directly into the Barnegat Bay estuary.

Healthy Ecosystems Category
Winner: New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF), Far Hills
NJCF is recognized for its wetlands restoration project at the 9,400-acre Franklin Parker Preserve located in Burlington County, in the Pinelands National Reserve. Partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, when completed, this project will convert 1,100 acres of cranberry bogs, blueberry field and disturbed agricultural wetlands back to natural wetland communities.

Honorable Mention: American Littoral Society, Highlands
The American Littoral Society is recognized for its “Bayscape for Barnegat Bay” program which encourages responsible landscaping practices around the bay. This program includes education through workshops and in-ground demonstrations, plus partnerships with business, homeowner associations and residents. In 2011, the program added a Bayscape for Barnegat Bay retail garden center to further promote the sale of native plants in the watershed.

Innovative Technology Category
Winner: Johnson & Johnson Information Technology Center, Raritan
The Johnson & Johnson Information Technology Center is recognized for its unique solar array and stormwater management project. Solar canopies installed over parking lots will produce 2.1 megawatts of power. Stormwater diverted off canopies, which would otherwise run off into the parking lot, will recharge ground water and go to a collection tank to be used to irrigate lawns at the site.

Land Conservation Category
Winner: New Jersey Audubon’s Support Agriculture Viability and the Environment (SAVE) Initiative, Port Murray
Operating in 16 of the state’s 21 counties, New Jersey Audubon’s SAVE initiative has found an innovative and practical way to conserve land by developing a program that makes it economically viable for participating farmers to grow black oil sunflowers for birdseed. Incorporating aspects of the locally grown movement, it guarantees participating farmers a set price and an established market for sunflower seeds through Audubon’s 22,000 members. In addition to preserving farmland, revenue from every bag of birdseed sold goes to protecting critical wildlife habitat, including restoring 70 acres of native grasslands at a state wildlife management area this year.

Healthy & Sustainable Communities Category
Winner: Jersey City Green Committee, Jersey City
The Jersey City Green Committee is recognized for its comprehensive sustainable redevelopment planning initiatives, incorporating green design, transportation, urban agriculture and open space preservation. The committee developed many sustainability policies resulting in reduced energy and resource consumption, enabling healthier lifestyles and advancing environmental stewardship.

Honorable Mention: Grow it Green Morristown, Morristown
Grow it Green Morristown is recognized for its community garden program utilizing underdeveloped land and donating produce to local food banks and soup kitchens, including more than 2,000 pounds of food this year.

Honorable Mention: Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Essex County, Newark
Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Essex County is recognized for its sustainable landscaping and stormwater management training program for military veterans. Through a partnership of Rutgers Cooperative Extension, the Planetree Corporation, and the Veteran Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, unemployed veterans are trained through a green job skills program based at the East Orange Veterans Affairs Hospital.

Environmental Education Category
Winner: Lavallette Elementary School Environmental Club - “Nix Nitrogen ‘N Nettles Now” Barnegat Bay nitrogen reduction education program, Lavallette
Lavallette Elementary School 7th graders, their teachers and parent volunteers are recognized for their “Nix Nitrogen ‘N Nettles Now“ Barnegat Bay nitrogen reduction education program. The students’ efforts have led to an increase in public awareness in their barrier island community and have encouraged residents to reduce the amount of fertilizer they apply in their yards.

Honorable Mention: Victoria Pan, Student, Ridgewood H.S, Ridgewood
Victoria Pan, a Ridgewood High School senior, is recognized for her energy conservation and recycling efforts at her high school. She is also recognized for her significant accomplishments providing outreach to other schools so they may duplicate the successes.

Environmental Leadership Category
Winner: Valerie Montecalvo, President, Bayshore Recycling, Keasbey
Valerie Montecalvo is honored for her leadership efforts in the field of recycling and her company’s commitment to alternative energy. Under her leadership, Bayshore Recycling operates an array of permitted recycling facilities with a combined capacity of over 10,000 tons per day. Moreover, in 2008, $5.7 million was invested for a 679-kilowatt rooftop solar energy system that assists in powering the day to day operations.

Class Feature: 7th Graders at Lavallette Elementary School, Lavallette, NJ
Environmental Education and Student Activities Winner
Imagine living on a narrow barrier island - the Atlantic Ocean to your east and Barnegat Bay to your west - and looking forward to dips in the bay during the summer months. But once you the bay’s shoreline and wade in, you have to turn back around because you are greeted by the painful stings of sea nettles.

That was the reality that 21 seventh graders from Lavallette Elementary School faced two years ago. When they started investigating that problem in the classroom, they suspected that a contributing factor in the increase in the occurrences of jellyfish could be stormwater flowing into Barnegat Bay. That’s when they took action and formed “Nix Nitrogen ‘N Nettles Now.’’ The student group has spearheaded public awareness campaigns to encourage residents to reduce the amount of fertilizer they apply to their lawns and in their yards.

Their efforts stood out in the eyes of judges for the 2011 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award. The Lavallette Environmental Club is the winner of the “Environmental Education & Student Activities” category.

“It has been a wonderful two years,” said Jill Lorenz, a co-leader of the Lavallette Environmental Club. “The kids are always up to the challenge to come up with unique, attention grabbing ideas. They knew that traditional environmental measures wouldn’t work and have inspired their classmates and area residents to be more conscious about restoring the bay.”

Since May 2010 the students have educated their classmates, the general public and elected officials at nearly a dozen events including assemblies and festivals. They even presented their project at a joint New Jersey Senate/Assembly hearing where they received a standing ovation. The students have also been recognized nationally, finishing second among 131 entries in the Disney Planet Challenge Award in April 2011. Their awards have totaled over $10,000, with proceeds benefitting bay preservation projects.

On top of these accomplishments, the students set two world records including the greatest number of jellyfish hats and the greatest number of jellyfish scarves worn at one time, as documented by RecordSetter.

Progress Update Regarding Governor Christie's Action Plan for Barnegat Bay
NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
December 2011

This edition of DEP's Barnegat Bay Action Update features key accomplishments made during October and November, and upcoming announcements about Governor Christie's comprehensive action plan to restore and protect Barnegat Bay. These include:

• On October 19 over 2,400 volunteers (including DEP Commissioner Martin, DEP officials and staff) participated in New Jersey's first Barnegat Bay Blitz and cleaned up dozens of areas in the Barnegat Bay watershed's 37 municipalities. Volunteers came from a wide array of local groups including students, senior citizens, environmentalists, business and government leaders, and even military personnel from Fort Dix. Volunteers gathered 739 bags of trash plus 578 bags of recyclables. In addition, three 30-yard dumpsters and three dump trucks were filled. To learn more about the Blitz and activities in each of the municipalities, go to www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/bbblitz.htm. The spring Barnegat Bay Blitz will be held on Wednesday, May 9!
  
  

• On November 18 the partners involved in ambient water monitoring for Barnegat Bay gathered at the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson to discuss the water quantity and quality data collected to date, the impact of Hurricane Irene, precautions to take in winter sampling, and the data collection needs for 2012. It was an opportunity for DEP to express its gratitude to the Ocean County Health Department, Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority, Pinelands Commission, Monmouth University, Barnegat Bay Partnership, Ocean County Utilities Authority, Environmental Protection Agency, United States Geologic Survey, MATES school, and the Forest Resource Education Center for their assistance in obtaining 297 water samples, taking 2,857 field measurements, and sending 3,351 bottles of filtered and unfiltered samples to 4 laboratories for analysis. To learn more about the program and results from each of the sites, go to http://www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/plan-wqstandards.htm .
  
  

• On November 9 Cattus Island County Park in Toms River hosted DEP's most recent stakeholder meeting on Action #10 of the Governor's 10-point action plan, to reduce watercraft impacts to ecologically sensitive areas in the bay. The meeting was well-attended and featured presentations and group discussion on these areas. To learn more about Action #10 please visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/plan-watercraft.htm .
  
  

• In October the Secretary of the U.S. Interior released the final 50-State America's Great Outdoors Report, that outlines more than 100 of the country's most promising projects designed to protect special places and increase access to outdoor spaces. The report contains two projects per state and establishes a community-based, 21st century agenda for conservation, recreation, and reconnecting Americans to the outdoors. The two promising projects selected for New Jersey are both in Barnegat Bay. One project involves a park and water access area in Brick Township. The second project involves the acquisition of 18 parcels of land, just over 1,000 acres, that would become additions to state parks and wildlife management areas that are managed by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and that are in the Barnegat Bay watershed. To learn more about the Barnegat Bay projects, how they will be addressed in the coming months, and to review the full report, go to http://www.slideshare.net/USInterior/americas-great-outdoors-fiftystate-report .
  
  

• In November DEP sent out a press advisory and electronic announcements regarding fertilizer use. According to New Jersey's fertilizer law, as of November 15 residents cannot apply fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus to their lawns until next spring and commercial applicators of fertilizer must complete their customer service cycle of late fall nitrogen or phosphorus fertilization by December 1. (Please note that all other materials, such as products containing potassium, lime and composts, are still legal to apply after these dates.) Fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus cannot be applied onto lawns again until March 1. Though this law applies statewide it was established as part of the Governor's 10-point action plan to restore and protect Barnegat Bay. For more information go to http://www.nj.gov/dep/healthylawnshealthywater/ .
  
  

• On October 4 DEP's communications staff and reps from the Barnegat Bay Partnership provided remarks to school district leaders who attend the Superintendent's Roundtable meetings coordinated by the Ocean County Executive Superintendent's office. The presentations highlighted the environmental education resources and opportunities that are available to schools in the Barnegat Bay watershed. The sampler resource list that was distributed at the meeting and circulated to districts can be found at http://www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/docs/bbed-sampler-workshop-final.pdf.
  
  

• The New Jersey Forest Service, part of DEP, hosted the 17th annual Fall Forestry Festival on Saturday, October 1st. Families and scout groups enjoyed more than 50 live demonstrations, naturalist-led hikes and exhibits. The festival was held at the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson, which is located in the Barnegat Bay watershed. This year's event drew the highest attendance ever, attracting over 1,350 visitors.
  
  

• Over 700 anglers participated in the 20th annual Governor's Surf Fishing Tournament that was held on Sunday, October 2 at Island Beach State Park. The beautiful weather enhanced the tournament as competitors reeled in sixty-seven eligible fish in the kingfish, blackfish, bluefish and striped bass categories. DEP Commissioner Bob Martin was on hand to greet tournament participants and take part in the awards ceremony. Mr. Michael Nightingale of East Windsor, New Jersey, took home the grand prize and the Governor's Cup by catching a 33-3/8" striped bass.
  
  

• The Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education in Waretown is hosting a Season of the Pines enrichment workshop for educators on December 7. Participants will meet from 9:00 a.m. * 2:30 p.m. and will receive the interactive Seasons of the Pines CD, autographed Season of the Pines book, Season of the Pines curriculum guide, Project Learning Tree's Exploring Environmental Issues in the Places We Live, and a Pine Barrens Tree Frog tote bag * all for the fee of $40.00! For more information call (609) 698-8003.
  
  

• DEP's Watershed Restoration Program has scheduled an enrichment workshop for educators to receive the revised Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide (Water Education for Teachers). It will be held on January 18 from 9:00 a.m. * 3:00 p.m., at the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education in Waretown. The fee is $20.00. To learn more about the workshop, call (609) 984-0583 or email NJwet@dep.state.nj.us.
  
  

• Mark your calendars! The spring Barnegat Bay Blitz will be held on Wednesday, May 9.
  

The Wall Street Journal

DECEMBER 7, 2011

Year of the Tree: Save It or Chop It?

By ANNE MARIE CHAKER

There were two big reasons Tony Keinath purchased his two-story home on three-tenths of an acre in Charleston, S.C.—the stately American beech and the Southern red oak growing in the backyard.

But 12 years later, after a string of oddball acts of nature on the East Coast including an earthquake, a hurricane and a freak October snowstorm, Mr. Keinath is giving his trees a pre-emptive whack. Charleston escaped much of the storms' destruction, but he is in no mood to take chances. "My wife and I decided to have both trees removed before our luck runs out," Mr. Keinath says. The bill came to some $1,800.

Elsewhere in the U.S., homeowners troubled by the combination of old trees and rogue weather are sharpening their axes. Pasadena, Calif., a 23-square-mile city, says it lost more than 1,000 street-side trees last week in the windstorm that swept through several Western states.

No wonder many people are preparing for winter by taking a hard look at their big trees. "I don't know any arborist that knows we're in a down economy right now," says W. Todd Watson, a consulting arborist in Millican, Texas. Trees there have been weakened and made vulnerable to disease and pests as a result of the state's continuing one-year drought, the worst on record there since 1895, according to John Nielsen-Gammon, the state climatologist.

To chop, or not to chop: Homeowners do mental gymnastics figuring out the financial effects.

Healthy shade trees are real assets. A mature, shade-producing tree can add as much as $10,000 to the value of a property, says David Hucker, chairman of the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers, in Rockville, Md. The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equal to 10 room-size air-conditioners operating 20 hours a day, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Even the most majestic tree feels like a ticking time bomb to a homeowner waiting for it to topple.

If your tree falls on a neighbor's home, damages are typically covered by the neighbor's own homeowner policy, says Victor Merullo, a Columbus, Ohio lawyer who specializes in tree disputes.

Coverage isn't guaranteed. Often, an insurance company representative visits to determine whether a fallen tree was healthy, or whether the property owner was negligent. Some homeowner policies cover only a portion of the damage. If the tree's precarious condition is clear, an insurer may refuse to pay—meaning the owner could be on the hook for damages far exceeding the cost of cutting it down.

Eric Wiseman, urban forestry professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, thinks tree failures have escalated in recent years, and not just because of the weather. Tree work is a big-ticket expense and low on a cash-pressed homeowner's to-do list. A three-person crew with insurance and equipment might charge anywhere from $1,200 to $1,500 a day, says Mr. Hucker, of the landscape appraiser council. He recently watched a $12,000 job—"a 100-foot oak tree, 54 inches in diameter overhanging a small house in a tightly confined development with no room to work," he says.

Chuck Ulmann, a museum curator in West Chester, Pa., was concerned about the 80-foot Norway spruce towering along the property line of his front yard that was shedding bark after being hit by lightning last summer.

He contacted three tree companies: One sent a worker, who took pictures, at a cost of $150. The other two estimated the cost of removal at $3,500 and $5,500. The first company looked at the photos and told him the tree wasn't in immediate danger. After a little more research, Mr. Ulmann felt confident that it was stable. "We could have really been taken for a ride," he says.

If a tree near a house or other structure looks as if it could pose a safety hazard—leaning to the point of lifting part of the ground, or cracking on the trunk—chances are it should be taken down before Mother Nature does the job. Other signs of stress—earlier-than-normal loss of leaves or fall color—may indicate problems under the soil line.

Overwatering, drought and other conditions can overwhelm a tree's natural defenses. Residential construction can put pressure on old root systems. And more municipalities are requiring a certain number of mature trees to remain on land undergoing development.

The result is "a lot of trees on properties that really don't have any business staying there," Prof. Wiseman says.

Sad though it may be to take down a beloved tree, homeowners can take comfort in the discounts, financial incentive programs and even free trees meant to encourage replanting. But it's important to avoid repeating old mistakes. Some homeowners want to plant new trees close to the house, to make landscaping look less sparse.

For a tree that might eventually grow to 50 feet, plant at least 10 to 15 feet away from the house, says Ed Gilman, professor in environmental horticulture at the University of Florida, Gainesville. (Check the nursery label for the specimen's expected mature size before purchasing.) Dig a hole at least twice the width of, and no deeper than, the root ball, loosening up surrounding soil to give roots room to grow.

Write to Anne Marie Chaker at anne-marie.chaker@wsj.com

Copyright 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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DECEMBER 7, 2011

Getting to the Roots of Your Trees' Stress

By ANNE MARIE CHAKER

Trees with signs of stress above the soil line—loss of leaves, or early autumn color—may respond to help.

Inspect near the roots of a big tree, even if it appears healthy, says Ed Gilman, professor in environmental horticulture at the University of Florida, Gainesville. Find where the trunk "flares" into roots, and follow the roots below ground with a shovel or metal stick at least three feet from where they disappear into the soil. They should feel like wood.

If the roots extend past three feet, chances are good that they can support the tree. If roots show signs of decay, the tree should probably come down. "You've got to dig and get dirty to find that sort of thing out," Prof. Gilman says.

Compacted soil at the root zone feels hard to the touch; rainwater puddles. Address this by adding a layer of mulch. It will attract worms and microorganisms, which burrow and make openings for air and water. Don't mound up mulch, volcano-style, around the base of the trunk, which encourages rot.

Mushrooms are an easy-to-spot sign of disease that may indicate root rot and a potentially unstable tree. A tree with mushrooms should be monitored but not necessarily taken down.

Address dead limbs and other structural problems with smart pruning or the use of support cables or other techniques. Resist the temptation to "fix" a big tree with aggressive cutting, which may diminish the tree's ability to defend against environmental stresses.

D-shaped holes in the bark or new tree shoots emerging at the root zone of your ash trees may be a sign of infestation by the Emerald Ash Borer, an insect native to the Far East that targets ash trees, says Dave Dailey of Birchcrest Tree and Landscape, in Rochester, N.Y.

Healthy trees can be treated pre-emptively with a $200 insecticide injection that lasts about two years. Infested trees can be treated in early stages, but treatment may be less effective.

—Anne Marie Chaker

Write to Anne Marie Chaker at anne-marie.chaker@wsj.com

Copyright 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Green Building JournalTM Vol. 2 No. 12 - December 2011 [ Become a Green Building Pro Today - Win an iPod ] 1. Editor's Note In this issue: 1. Editor's Note 2. Empire State Goes LEED Gold3. The End of Green Washing4. Green Is Bringing Sexy Back 6. Cool Roofs Get Cooler7. Sustainability: THE NEXT GENERATION 8. VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: Best of GreenBuild As 2011 comes to a close it's amazing to reflect on Green Building today.  The fact that the Empire State Building is now LEED Gold shows that Green Building has truly gone mainstream.  Along with that success has come a torent of green washing.  At last there is hope for that too, read the End of Green Washing.  During the holiday season see how the USGBC is giving the gift of green to those who have the very least, through Project Haiti.   Enjoy the journal and be sure sign up for Green Building Pro’s exciting new webinar serie Abraham Hopkins Green Building Pro, Media Director Follow us on Twitter @buildgreenpro 2. New York's Tallest Skyscraper Goes Gold The tallest building in New York currently standing is the Empire State Building. It is a beautiful symbol of the greatness of New York, rising 1,250 feet (381 meters) with an antenna spire rising to 1,454 feet (443.2 meters) above bustling midtown Manhattan. It was named one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers, amidst the ranks of the Panama Canal, the Channel Tunnel, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Now it can add another notch in its belt, as it has just been awarded LEED Gold certification by the US Green Building Council. [ Read More] 3. EPD's - The End of Green Washing Proven environmental credentials are fast becoming a prerequiste for materials evaluation and selection. Replacing the seemingly endless flow of unfettered Greenwashing claims saturating the marketplace. A movement has begun to formalize a process of evaluating the environmental benefits and cost of Green building materials. Many European nations are closing in on requiring Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), a universal system of evaluation based on third-party comparison of data across pre-established categories, and the notion is also gaining traction in the U.S. [ Read More] 4. Green is Bringing Sexy Back PALO ALTO -- Tesla is taking the world’s first premium electric sedan, Model S, across North America. Model S Beta prototypes will be on display for public viewing from Toronto to Newport to introduce the country to the car of the 21st century. The Beta prototypes on display are 90% production intent in fit finish and performance, and provide customers the opportunity to experience how their future car will look and feel.  [ Read More ] 6. Cool Roofs Get Cooler Four proprietary cool roof products manufactured by Coat’N’Cool have earned an ENERGY STAR rating, it has been announced by Michael Magallanes, vice president of marketing for Coat’N’Cool, an Orange County, CA – based company.  Marketed under the Coat’N’Cool brand name, Coat’N’Cool is a highly effective and long lasting reflective coating that is available in a variety of colors. The products earning the ENERGY STAR rating include four popular colors: Basecoat White, Topcoat Antique White, Topcoat Butter Cream, and Topcoat Siltstone.  [ Read More ] 7. Sustainability: THE NEXT GENERATION More and more, affordable housing developers such as Jamboree Housing are finding that the first two questions city officials ask about our communities are: how much will it cost, and is it sustainable? It’s quite possible that an affordable project that would otherwise be opposed in a community, might find support and ultimate approval if the developer has a compelling sustainability story to tell. [ Read More ] 8. VIDEO SPOTLIGHT: The Best of GreenBuild 2011 To find the latest in Green building innovations we went to GreenBuild Toronto, USGBC's premire event and largest Green expo in the world. The turn out for 2011 was the largest ever with over 1,700 green exhibitors.   If you missed GreenBuild 2011 don't miss this short video with our favorite innovations in Green Building materials and technology.   [ See The Video ] CMC Media Inc - 3905 State St 7-235 Santa Barbara, CA, 93105 - 805-683-1200 - © 2011 All Rights Reserved

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Barnegat Bay Action Update - Special Announcement #12
Barnegat Bay Action Plan featured on "Eye on Ocean County" Series
NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

As part of DEP's public education efforts for the Governor's action plan to restore and protect Barnegat Bay, DEP has been fortunate to work with Comcast Cable in Ocean County to tape several programs for cable television.

These programs are part of Comcast's "Eye on Ocean County" series.Three 30-minute segments about water monitoring, research and fertilizers, and stewardship, can be viewed at DEP's Barnegat Bay website.

Go to www.barnegatbay.nj.gov and then to the shaded box on the left side of the page. Scroll to and click on "Eye on Ocean County: 30-minute Programs on the Action Plan."

Enjoy the shows!
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If this Barnegat Bay Action Update - Special Announcement was forwarded to you, please go to http://www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/subscribe.htm to subscribe directly, in order to receive future updates.
To learn more about Governor Christie's Action Plan for Barnegat Bay, visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/.
If you have questions about the Action Plan, please email DEPbarnegatbayinfo@dep.state.nj.us.

Dear Colleagues,

Working with the Outdoors Alliance for Kids, we are launching today an organizational sign-on letter to Congress in support of the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act.  This legislation would reconnect children, youth and families with nature.  My original email about the introduction of the bill is below.

Please follow this link to get a copy of the legislation, a fact sheet and view the organizational sign-on letter.

http://online.nwf.org/HKOASignOn

Thanks for your consideration and all the best!

• Directing the President to develop an inter-agency federal strategy and action plan to connect children, youth and families with the natural world;
• Encouraging states to develop similar state-based strategies that incorporate public health, parks and recreation, transportation and other initiatives at the local level; and
• Supporting research documenting the health, conservation and other benefits of active time spent outdoors in the natural world.

The legislation encourages solutions that include connecting communities with green spaces, providing opportunities for outdoor recreation, engaging the health community to educate parents and caregivers and much more.  We believe that the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act's focus on health and recreation solutions will be an excellent complement to the No Child Left Inside (NCLI) Act's systemic approach of getting environmental education back into our nation's schools.

We will be in touch in the coming weeks about opportunities to urge Congress to take action on this important legislation.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

All my best,

Patrick Fitzgerald

Barnegat Bay Action Update - Special Announcement #10
Spread the Word - NOT the Fertlizer!
NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
November, 2011

Help Spread the Word -NOT the Fertilizer!

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection reminds you that as of November 15, residents cannot apply fertilizers to their lawns until next spring.Likewise, commercial applicators of fertilizer have until December 1 to complete their customer service cycle of late Fall fertilization. Fertilizers cannot be applied onto lawns again until March 1st.

New Jersey's Fertilizer Law was established as part of the Governor's 10-point action plan to restore and protect Barnegat Bay. It isone of the most stringent fertilizer laws in the country.

For more information about the new law and what you can do to to www.nj.gov/dep/healthylawnshealthywater .

Help spread the word -NOT the fertilizer!

Barnegat Bay Action Update - Special Announcement #8
America's Great Outdoors Report and Initiative Features Two Barnegat Bay Projects
NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
October, 2011

The Secretary of the U.S. Interior Ken Salazar today released the final 50-State America's Great Outdoors Reportoutlining more than 100 of the country's most promising projects designed to protect special places and increase access to outdoor spaces. The full report, which contains two projects per state, comes as part of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors (AGO) initiative to establish a community-based, 21st century agenda for conservation, recreation, and reconnecting Americans to the outdoors.

The two promising projects selected for New Jersey are both in Barnegat Bay. One project involves Brick Township, which is designated by the State of New Jersey as an Urban Aid Community. The township is acquiring property for a park and recreation area that is located close to Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge and provides public waterfront access and outdoor recreation opportunities. Proposed improvements to this site include a boardwalk, canoe boat launch and playground, in addition to a water park, interpretive signs and gardens that will demonstrate and teach about stormwater impacts and best practices.

The second project involves the acquisition of 18 parcels of land, just over 1,000 acres, that would become additions to state parks and wildlife management areas that are managed by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and that are in the Barnegat Bay watershed. These additional properties will provide increased public access to the recreation opportunities at these public sites.

To learn more about the two Barnegat Bay projects go to http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/AMERICAS-GREAT-OUTDOORS-Salazar-Highlights-Two-Proposed-Projects-in-New-Jersey-to-Promote-Outdoor-Recreation-Conservation.cfm .

Interior Department agencies will work with states and communities to advance the projects with existing resources through technical support and with their administrative authorities, and coordinate among each of its key bureaus, including the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and, where possible, other federal agencies, to direct available resources and personnel to make tangible progress on these projects. They will also partner with states and communities to leverage grants, private funding and other resources.

In the next month, the Secretary will identify a Department official to lead each project. Those individuals will be held accountable for the development of an action plan, in collaboration with local stakeholders; and the advancement of that plan during the next year.

To view the full report, go to http://www.slideshare.net/USInterior/americas-great-outdoors-fiftystate-report .

To view a map of the projects announced, go to http://www.doi.gov/Americas-Great-Outdoors-Highlighted-Projects.cfm .

For more information on the President's America's Great Outdoors initiative, visit http://americasgreatoutdoors.gov/ .

Dear Colleagues,

Moments ago Congressman Ron Kind (WI) and Senator Mark Udall (CO) introduced the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act in Congress!  This is a huge milestone for all of us working to reconnect children, youth and families with nature.

You can read more here and see Congressman Kind's blog on the bill here.  The Outdoors Alliance for Kids press release is attached.

We believe that the policies proposed by the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act will advance our collective efforts to reconnect children, youth and families with the natural world, while improving our children's health, supporting economic growth and strengthening the future of conservation in America.  The legislation will achieve these goals by:

• Directing the President to develop an inter-agency federal strategy and action plan to connect children, youth and families with the natural world;
• Encouraging states to develop similar state-based strategies that incorporate public health, parks and recreation, transportation and other initiatives at the local level; and
• Supporting research documenting the health, conservation and other benefits of active time spent outdoors in the natural world.

The legislation encourages solutions that include connecting communities with green spaces, providing opportunities for outdoor recreation, engaging the health community to educate parents and caregivers and much more.  We believe that the Healthy Kids Outdoors Act's focus on health and recreation solutions will be an excellent complement to the No Child Left Inside (NCLI) Act's systemic approach of getting environmental education back into our nation's schools.

We will be in touch in the coming weeks about opportunities to urge Congress to take action on this important legislation.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

All my best,

Patrick Fitzgerald

Patrick Fitzgerald
Director of Education Advocacy
National Wildlife Federation
National Advocacy Center
901 E St, NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC  20004
www.nwf.org
Phone: (202) 797-6821 |  Fax: (202) 797-6646  |  FitzgeraldP@nwf.org  |  Twitter: PatrickNWF

Celebrating 75 years of protecting wildlife.

Click HERE.

By TAMAR LEWIN (NY Times, October 25, 2011)

Jaden Lender, 3, sings along softly with the “Five Little Monkeys” app on the family iPad, and waggles his index finger along with the monkey doctor at the warning, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed!” He likes crushing the ants in “Ant Smasher,” and improving his swing in the golf app. But he is no app addict: when the one featuring Grover from Sesame Street does not work right, Jaden says, “Come on, iPad!’” — then wanders happily off to play with his train set.

“I’ll lie to myself that these are skill builders,’” said his father, Keith Lender, who has downloaded dozens of tablet and smart phone apps for Jaden and his 1-year-old brother, Dylan. “No, I’m not lying,” he said, correcting himself. “Jaden’s really learning hand-eye coordination from the golf game, and it beats the hell out of sitting and watching television.”

Despite the American Academy of Pediatrics’ longstanding recommendations to the contrary, children under 8 are spending more time than ever in front of screens, according to a study scheduled for release Tuesday.

The report also documents for the first time an emerging “app gap” in which affluent children are likely to use mobile educational games while those in low-income families are the most likely to have televisions in their bedrooms.

The study, by Common Sense Media, a San Francisco nonprofit group, is the first of its kind since apps became widespread, and the first to look at screen time from birth. It found that almost half the families with incomes above $75,000 had downloaded apps specifically for their young children, compared with one in eight of the families earning less than $30,000. More than a third of those low-income parents said they did not know what an “app” — short for application — was.

“The app gap is a big deal and a harbinger of the future,” said James Steyer, chief executive of Common Sense Media, which had 1,384 parents surveyed this spring for the study. “It’s the beginning of an important shift, as parents increasingly are handing their iPhones to their 1 ˝-year-old kid as a shut-up toy. And parents who check their e-mail three times on the way to the bus stop are constantly modeling that behavior, so it’s only natural the kids want to use mobile devices too.”

The study found that fully half of children under 8 had access to a mobile device like a smartphone, a video iPod, or an iPad or other tablet. Of course, television is still the elephant in the children’s media room, accounting for the largest share of their screen time: about half of children under 2 watch TV or DVDs on a typical day, according to the study, and those who do spend an average of almost two hours in front of the screen. Among all children under 2, the average is 53 minutes a day of television or DVDs — more than twice the 23 minutes a day the survey found children are read to.

And almost a third of children under 2 have televisions in their bedrooms, a substantial increase from 2005, when the Kaiser Foundation found that 19 percent of children ages 6 months to 23 months had them. In families with annual incomes under $30,000, the new study found, 64 percent of children under 8 had televisions in their rooms, compared with 20 percent in families with incomes above $75,000.

Computers are common as well: about 12 percent of children 2 to 4 use them every day, and 24 percent at least once a week, the study found; among those 5 to 8, 22 percent use a computer daily, 46 percent more once a week. On average, the children who use computers started doing so at age 3 ˝.

The report found that despite more than a decade of warnings from the American Academy of Pediatricians that screen time offers no benefits for children under 2, “only 14 percent of the parents surveyed said their doctor had ever discussed media use with them,” said Vicky Rideout, its author.

“I get the impression that a lot of parents do not take the recommendation that seriously,” she said. “Part of it may be wishful thinking. Parents like their media, and it’s really tough to resist the lure of putting your kid in front of something that purports to be educational and will keep them occupied.”

The media landscape changes so rapidly that up-to-date data can be hard to come by. “The last time we did a study, there were no apps,” Ms. Rideout noted.

Some tech-savvy parents use different platforms to tailor their children’s screen time.

Jeannie Crowley, who helps faculty members at the Bank Street College of Education integrate technology into teaching, got rid of television at home because of the ads and branding.

But Ms. Crowley hands her iPad over to her 19-month-old daughter, Maggie, to play with the Smule piano app. And at bedtime, the family often watches “30 Rock” on the computer, Maggie dancing to the opening music. The toddler also loves YouTube videos of barking dogs.

And she is also adept with her mother’s smartphone.

“She learned how to unlock it, observationally, about two months ago.” Ms Crowley said. “About two weeks ago, she was on the train with me, and she popped the slide bar. And I’ve seen her use the bottom of her sweater to rub the screen clean, because she knows that’s something Mommy does.”

Most of all, Maggie likes to watch the cellphone videos her parents take of her stomping on leaves, getting sticky sap on her hands or wearing her new pink polka dot pajamas.

“We can look at ducks, and afterwards, we can look at the pictures and talk about ducks,” Ms. Crowley said. “It’s a way to reinforce her language skills, and let the other parent see what her day was like.”

David Wingard downloaded his first baby app when his son, Alexander, was 8 months old.

“It was a free app a friend showed me, doodle something, where the screen is black, but when you move your finger across the screen it changes colors,” Mr. Wingard recalled. “Alex thought it was cool for a few seconds, then he tried to put it in his mouth.”

Now a more mature 14 months, Alex’s attention span for apps has grown. “If we’re stuck on the subway, he’ll play with them for three, maybe five, minutes,” Mr. Wingard said.

He and his wife still don’t use them much, he said: “We’re scared he’ll break the phone.”

Click HERE.

Click HERE.

It's not just about energy. How can sustainability be integrated into the curriculum?

New Jersey's public schools have long been test cases for energy conservation and other sustainable strategies; the proliferation of solar panels on school roofs is just the highest-profile example.

In the past two years alone, there have been more than 30 solar projects approved in New Jersey schools, and another 20 proposed.

As such strategies increasingly become economic issues, the state's School Boards Association is launching an unprecedented study of schools' green practices. The goal is to determine where and how they can bring short- and long-term savings and other benefits to existing schools.

The Sustainable Schools Project, costing $300,000 and taking place over three years, aims to cull from schools their success stories and their lessons in not just energy efficiency but also how they teach and set examples of sustainable living in the classroom.

"You hear a lot about new green schools going up, but not very much on what is happening in existing schools," said John Henry of the association's Educational Information and Resource Center (EIRC), which will be heading up the study.

"And not just in energy, but what are the other areas that could bring savings and also improve the education for these children," he said. "We see coming out of this a sustainable how-to, a guidebook of best practices."

The launch of the project comes at a time when the state is re-evaluating its own aggressive clean energy goals, which aim to have 22.5 percent of the state's electricity produced by solar power and other renewable sources by 2020. The big question, however, is whether the state will continue funding clean energy efforts at its current level, expected to cost $319 million this year, an expense borne by gas and electric customers. The bulk of that money, 80 percent in the current funding year, goes to finance projects to reduce energy consumption.

On the economic front, the schools project is growing out of necessity for districts facing ever-growing -- and unpredictable -- annual energy costs.

There is not a statewide tally of energy costs, but one cooperative purchasing program for about 350 districts overseen by the association saw more than $130 million spent on energy last year. For the first time, schools also may not exclude those costs from property tax caps.

A big byproduct of those rising costs was the surge in solar projects in schools, with nearly every other renovation project proposed to voters lately including at least some solar component on the promise that it would pay for itself in a few years.

But that was before the market fell out from under the solar industry in New Jersey, with some fearing that districts may even default on their borrowing for such approved projects. Those lessons will be part of the study as well, Henry said.

"Are those good investments for school districts?" he said. "Will it save them money, and what are the other outcomes? I think districts are still looking at it as an option, but we hear some skepticism and some questions if it's a great investment any more."

The project will extend to what is taught in the classroom, as well, especially in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. The initiative will select a number of project schools that will integrate the notion of sustainability into a set of lessons and model behaviors, all compiled into so called "green strategic plans," Henry added.

"That's at the heart of the project," said Charles Ivory, EIRC's executive director. "With the goal of making the green school a learning laboratory, the project is in direct alignment with U.S. and New Jersey Department of Education initiatives to expand STEM education and make it more relevant to students through real-world learning."

Click HERE.

The South Branch and Upper Raritan Watershed Associations are pleased to announce that, effective October 1, 2011, the two organizations will merge and become the Raritan Headwaters Association.

The merger is strengthening protection of New Jersey's water supplies. Our new name reflects our location (the region that gives life to the Raritan River), our focus (water) and our commitment to working with stakeholders to protect this very special watershed area.

For more details go to www.raritanheadwaters.org

Click HERE.

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Click HERE.

Furthering its commitment to partnering with educators in the development of a new statewide teacher evaluation system, the Department of Education today announced 21 members of the Evaluation Pilot Advisory Committee (EPAC) that will advise the department on the teacher evaluation pilot program over the course of the 2011-12 school year.
http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2011/0923sac.htm

Click HERE.

Acting Education Commissioner Chris Cerf issues a statement on New Jersey's participation in writing new science standards at http://www.state.nj.us/education/news/2011/0920sci.htm .

Lehman Township, Dingmans Ferry, PA - Did you ever want to go inside a Beaver Lodge or a Bat Cave?The Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is in the process of transforming its indoor pool into an EcoZone! – a hands-on, discovery room.The new interactive exhibit room at PEEC will open this November and will include a bat cave, beaver lodge, eagle’s nest, fossil pit, and much more.The displays will be hands-on and interactive; visitors will crawl through the bat cave, walk through the beaver lodge, and dig for fossils.

PEEC’s old indoor pool has been closed for some time due to the high cost of maintenance & repairs.In an effort to make use of the large space in a way that would complement PEEC’s mission, Executive Director Jeff Rosalsky visualized a room where the thousands of children that visit PEEC each year could learn about nature in a fun, hands-on setting.Through the efforts of PEEC staff & volunteers, and with many generous donations of funds, time, and materials, the room is nearing completion.

You can see photos of the work in progress on PEEC’s Facebook page or visit PEEC to hike our trails and check on the EcoZone!The windows into the room have been uncovered & visitors to PEEC can observe the daily progress.

PEEC’s mission is to advance environmental education, sustainable living, and appreciation for nature through hands-on experience in a national park.PEEC provides unique, year-round environmental experiences to families, school groups, scouts, and nature enthusiasts of all ages. The environmental center is located near mile marker 8, within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, in Dingmans Ferry, PA (Lehman Township). For more information call (570) 828-2319 or visit PEEC on the web at www.peec.org. PEEC is close to home, where learning comes naturally!

Simple yellow Post-it notes with the message “When not in use, turn off the juice,” pointedly left on classroom computers, printers and air-conditioners, have helped the Mount Sinai School District on Long Island save $350,000 annually on utility bills.

Energy consumption in New York City’s 1,245 school buildings is down roughly 11 percent since 2008, as motion detectors have been installed on classroom lights and unused refrigerators and freezers have been unplugged for the summer.

In Yonkers, energy savings have financed $18 million in new boilers, windows and other capital improvements that the Westchester County district could not otherwise afford.

Schools, once known as energy wasters, are embracing conservation in increasing numbers. A desire to practice the environmentally friendly principles discussed in classrooms has been heightened by soaring energy costs and tighter budgets. With the help of a growing industry of energy consultants, school officials are evaluating every detail of their daily operations, like the temperature of the swimming pool and the amount of electricity the cafeteria ovens use, and are replacing energy-guzzling equipment with more efficient models.

Supporters say that even small adjustments can pay off almost immediately. “If we tested schools in efficient use of energy, many of them wouldn’t get a passing grade,” said C. David Myers, president of building efficiency for Johnson Controls, which has joined with 60 of the 125 school districts on Long Island to reduce energy use by 20 to 40 percent annually.

Nationally, more than two dozen states, including California, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, New Hampshire and Virginia, have used millions in federal stimulus money since 2009 to pay for energy programs and upgrades in school buildings, said Judy Marks, director of the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities in Washington. These efforts include replacing light fixtures, adding solar panels and buildinggeothermal heating and cooling systems.

Some states have also started programs to finance school conservation efforts and to create local contracting jobs. Most recently, Oregon passed legislation in June to provide school districts with low-interest loans and grants for school efficiency improvements; Washington State started a similar grant-based program in 2009.

In some instances, districts like Mount Sinai have appointed an official energy manager — in its case, Chris Heil, an assistant high school principal — to police hallways and classrooms to root out energy waste. Armed with yellow notes, he inspects 100 classrooms a day and “tickets” violators. Teachers have been known to run back to their classrooms when they see him coming. When one instructor refused to shut down his classroom computers at night, Mr. Heil sent him an e-mail calculating how much money was being wasted, and promised to share the next message with the superintendent.

“I’m kind of like the cop who walks around and makes sure people are doing what they’re supposed to be doing,” Mr. Heil said. “As soon as you take me away, people will start their bad habits again.”

Mr. Heil sometimes shows up at schools at 4 a.m. to make sure the custodial staff remembered to turn off the lights. He has rummaged through storage closets to locate switches to shut down rooftop exhaust fans that ran nonstop. Such vigilance has reduced the district’s utility costs by 30 percent since 2007, Mr. Heil said.

As part of the Bloomberg administration’s campaign to reduce the municipal government’s energy consumption and carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2017, the city awarded $100,000 in May to schools that voluntarily decreased their energy use in a monthlong competition. Martin Luther King Jr. Educational Campus in Manhattan won top honors with a 35 percent reduction. And this fall, rooftop solar panels are being installed on three school buildings.

“We’re focused on energy reduction like crazy,” said Dennis M. Walcott, the city’s schools chancellor, who regularly checks on schools that he sees lighted up at night.

Many districts across the country have financed conservation efforts through so-called energy performance contracts with companies that advise them on how to be more energy-efficient and guarantee them specific savings, either in dollars or kilowatts. If the district’s actual savings fall short, the company writes a check to make up the difference.

With contracts involving equipment investments — which can be $50,000 to tens of millions of dollars, depending on the scope of the projects — districts typically use existing utility budgets or borrow money through third-party lenders, and then pay it back out of their immediate energy savings so that no budget increase is needed.

In Yonkers, the improvements included replacing Lincoln High School’s 60-year-old boilers, which guzzled 137,500 gallons of heating oil a year — “so much fuel that it seemed like we had oil trucks parked out front,” said John Carr, the executive director of school facilities in Yonkers. The new boilers burn only 80,000 gallons.

Three consultants — Johnson Controls, Trane and Energy Education — have reported that their school business has grown by at least a third since 2006. The companies send in engineers and specialists to conduct extensive audits of each district — Energy Education uses a checklist of 1,200 items — and then custom-design conservation programs. “Anything that consumes energy, natural gas or water is going to get evaluated,” said Larry Wash, Trane’s president of global services.

In New Jersey, the schools in Holmdel Township have lowered their electric and gas bills by about half since 2009, to $1 million annually. In environmental terms, that breaks down to 3.5 million fewer kilowatts of power and 240,000 fewer therms of heat a year.

William Balicki, Holmdel’s energy manager, said he kept a tight check on thermostats, and installed automatic timers on outdoor lights in bus yards and parking lots that once stayed on long after the drivers left.

Mr. Balicki also considered placing motion sensors on classroom lights, but instead settled for $75 worth of stickers to post above light switches as a reminder to flip them off.

“Anytime we can ask people to physically do it, we do,” he said. “This is pretty much a people-based program. It’s changing behavior.”