Long Branch takes steps to 'go green'

Long Branch takes steps to 'go green'
City applies for DEP grants to reduce carbon footprints
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

LONG BRANCH — Energy-saving traffic signals, pocket parks and a proposal for a trolley are among the "green" initiatives the city is pursuing to promote sustainability.

"Going Green" was the topic for the monthly meeting of the Long Branch Concordance on Oct. 20, where Long Branch Zoning Officer Michelle Bernich and Purchasing Agent Carol Mellaci discussed the city's ongoing commitment to adopt environmentally friendly alternatives.

Bernich presented a brief history of what Long Branch has done in recent years to go green at the meeting, which was held at the Brookdale Learning Annex on lower Broadway.

"It started off a couple of years ago when the mayor [Adam Schneider] created the Energy Review Committee," she said. "We talk about what the city can do to make it a better environment."

One of the things the committee has accomplished is implementing a green page on the Long Branch website.

"One of the first things we did was create a green page," Bernich said. "We have tips to let you know what's going on."

Bernich said the committee has been actively involved in recent years in the statewide "Change a Light, Change the World" campaign.

"For the last three years, we've actually been at the top," she said. "We have been doing public events. Everybody can make a commitment and do it in their home."

Bernich said that Long Branch has made a significant effort to switch to LED lights around the city.

"Some of the other things we have done in the city is change to LED traffic lights," she said. "We have already changed the greens and the reds. Every time the yellows are out, those get LEDs."

Bernich said the city has also switched over some of the holiday lighting to conserve energy.

"We've also changed 3,000 Christmas tree lights," she said. "We will be doing that as time and money permit to other holiday lights," she added.

Bernich said the city will adopt a new master plan in the coming months, and one of the things implemented in the new master plan will be more green initiatives.

"One of the key incentives is to have green initiatives for planners, builders and homeowners," she said. "That update is scheduled in the next four to five months.

"We are looking at doing pocket parks and adding green buildings in the design process," she added.

Bernich said the city has recently applied for four grants from the state Department of Environment Protection.

"We submitted four applications to the DEP in their greenhouse gas reduction program," she said.

Two of the applications are to reduce carbon footprints in the city. The third application will go to a proposed trolley car, and the fourth will be for community outreach.

"We are looking to do the trolley from the train to the beach to the business areas," she said. "We are hoping it's free so people don't have to drive.

"The fourth one is for community outreach," she added. "We find that people don't really know what the city is doing or what they should do."

Also speaking at the LBC meeting was Meg Gardner, Clean Ocean Action Citizens' Action and Activities coordinator.

Gardner spoke about the Beach Sweeps program, which takes place twice a year.

"We do them twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. We have over 60 sites along the Jersey Shore," she said.

Gardner said the point of the beach sweeps is not just to clean the beaches but also to collect data on pollution sources.

"We collect data every time we do it and compile an annual report every year that lets us look at the trash trends," she said. "That helps us see what is changing over the years and helps us present that information to elected officials and governing bodies so we can enact legislation."

Gardner said a problem with the data is that it is nearly impossible to single out the source of the pollution problem.

"One of the problems is that it is pointless pollution. We can't identify one source of the pollution, it comes from all of us," she said. "Preventing that is coming with more awareness."

Contact Kenny Walter at

kwalter@gmnews.com.