For Immediate Release

CITY OF NEWARK TO HOST SEVENTH ANNUAL “GATEWAY TO A CLEANER NEWARK CITYWIDE CLEANUP” DAY,
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1ST
Volunteers Sought For Annual City Wide Cleanup to Beautify Sites throughout the City;
Newark and Clean Communities Council will “Slam Dunk the Junk” from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Newark, NJ - September 24, 2009 - Mayor Cory A. Booker and Neighborhood and Recreational Services Director Melvin Waldrop announced today that volunteers are needed to participate in the Seventh Annual “Gateway to a Cleaner Newark Citywide Cleanup” on Thursday, October 1st, to break out brooms and bags to clean up litter from Newark’s empty lots in an effort to “Slam Dunk the Junk.”

It’s all part of the Seventh Annual “Gateway to A Cleaner Newark Citywide Cleanup” Day, hosted by the City of Newark, County of Essex, and the New Jersey Clean Communities Council. The cleanup efforts kick off at 8 a.m. at Lincoln Park and will go on until 2 p.m. The event will take place rain or shine. This year’s theme is “Slam Dunk the Junk.”

Teams of volunteers from Newark-based community organizations and businesses will put aside their paperwork and computers to spend the morning cleaning up selected areas of the City of Newark. The Division of Sanitation and Recycling are providing equipment. Clean-up sites will be selected prior to the event.

“‘Gateway Cleanup Day’ annually showcases our determination to make Newark a safer, stronger, and prouder City,” Mayor Booker said. “I commend all of our residents and community partners who will support this initiative which will make our neighborhoods cleaner and greener.”

The day will begin with registration at Lincoln Park, located at Broad Street and Clinton Avenue from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Teams will be formed, supplies will be distributed, and cleanup sites will be assigned.

Teams will remove trash from 9 a.m. until Noon. The teams will then return to Lincoln Park for lunch and an award ceremony. Awards will go to the teams of volunteers that collect the most litter. Awards will also be given for interesting, educational, or unusual trash picked up.

“The Newark cleanup is part of a highly successful series of urban cleanups hosted by the New Jersey Clean Communities Council to foster cooperation of government agencies, community organizations, schools, and businesses in cleaning up litter,” said Sandra Huber, the Council’s Executive Director.

The Department of Neighborhood and Recreational Services’ Division of Sanitation is providing the equipment for the cleanup crews.

Director Waldrop noted that other partners include Essex County, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the Newark Downtown District, the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners, the Greater Newark Conservancy, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Regional Business Partnership, Integrity House, Waste Management of New Jersey, Ace Environmental Services, Covanta Energy Corporation, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, PSE&G, and the Newark Public Schools.

“We are proud to have these many partners in this year’s clean-up,” Director Waldrop said, “And prouder still to host this cleanup for the seventh straight year. These annual clean-up efforts inspire our residents to keep Newark tidy all year long and beautify our neighborhoods, leaving a long legacy. I congratulate our Recycling and Sanitation team on this highly successful program.”

Some organizations are providing specialized material. Coca-Cola Bottling Company is providing volunteers to help with the cleanup and water bottles for all participants. The Newark Public Schools are providing students to participate in the clean-up drive.

Teams can register up until the day of the event. Volunteers can also choose their own sites to clean up.

Teams will be created on October 1, and named after different types of trees. Awards will be given out after the cleanup at the Noon lunchtime ceremony, for the most successful clean-ups.

The New Jersey Clean Communities Council is a grassroots, community-driven, state-wide litter abatement program funded by the Clean Communities Act to reduce litter in the Garden State. The New Jersey Clean Communities Council and the state departments of Environmental Protection and Transportation manage the program.

Creating a cleaner and greener Newark has been a major goal for the Booker Administration, since taking office in July 2006. In addition to supporting clean-up projects like the “Annual Gateway Cleanup,” the City created its first Environmental Commission in 2009, backed environmentally-friendly and “green” construction measures in public and private development projects, and remediated lead and other hazards from City-owned land. Under the Newark Climate Prosperity Initiative, the City has also created a collaborative energy initiative to address the municipal, residential and commercial sectors that hosts summits on creating greener urban environments, provided its employees with electric cars for official business, promoted weatherization programs for residents, and given out energy-efficient electric light bulbs.

Teams and individuals can continue to register right up to the morning of the event, or donate food, funds, or supplies. For more information, a list of sites to be cleaned, or to register, contact the City of Newark Office of Recycling at (973) 733-6683 or by fax at (973) 733-5974. You can also register with the New Jersey Clean Communities Council at: (609) 989-5900 or by fax at: (609) 989-9066, or by e-mail at njclean@comcast.net

-NEWARK-

Contact:         Newark Press Information Office: (973) 733-8004.
or PressOffice@ci.newark.nj.us

HIGHLIGHTS OF NEWARK’S GREEN ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The City of Newark has numerous green initiatives underway to enhance quality of life, public health and support economic development.  The City has made significant progress in greening municipal operations and has marked accomplishments toward greening the City at large. Here are some highlights: 
·    Newark’s first Environmental Commission sworn in March 2009.
·    Sustainability folded into master plan, design guidelines, economic development strategy and funding for development of Sustainability Action Plan recently secured. 
·    With more than $40 million dollars committed, the City is in the midst of the largest open space expansion and rehabilitation in over a century, and the City’s Adopt a Lot program encourages community gardens.
·    The City provides incentive for green building and has LEED standard residential developments, such as Richardson Lofts and Lincoln Park townhouses coming on line.  The City is also greening its new capital construction. 
·    Climate Prosperity Initiative:  Recognizing the potential to realize savings through energy efficiency that can support our economy as well as the environment, the City has developed a collaborative energy initiative to address the municipal, residential and commercial sectors.  We are connecting residents to weatherization programs that can reduce utility bills, connecting businesses to retrofit programs and supporting job-training programs so that residents are prepared to participate in the clean energy economy.
·    Developed Green Jobs Network with NewarkWorks to stimulate collaboration and coordination across organizations to provide residents with quality training, in areas such as weatherization, brownfields remediation and for other green jobs.
·    Fresh Foods: With five farmers markets operating in the City and support for grocers, we are expanding the availability of wholesome foods. 
·    Engaging residents and youth through workshops, fairs and activities such as energy efficient light bulb distribution - more than 9,000 Energy Star bulbs have been distributed to date!

Going green is not something that can be done in a vacuum or by any one office or program.  Going green requires broad participation - hence our slogan:  City of Newark - Go Green With Us!