The Worst Oil Spill Disaster

Depending on the source, between 200,000 and 1,050,000 gallons a day are currently leaking into the Gulf Coast and 400 to 600 wildlife species are at risk. The April 20 explosion at a BP exploratory drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico, 120 miles south of New Orleans, killed 11 workers and initiated what will become the worst oil spill disaster in U.S. history.

Oil is highly toxic to marine and coastal environments and its impacts on wildlife can persist for decades, said WWF officials, noting that oil can still be found from the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster. Unless the well is capped soon, the gulf spill is set to surpass the Exxon Valdez quantity of oil early this week.

We must stop new offshore oil drilling now. Here you can see more pictures of this disaster and if you are ready to help please visit www.takepart.com. Take action and sign the petition from the League of Conservation Voters, and please spread the word.

Geocaching without GPS

Last week I visited the Hilltop Reservation with my family. This wonderful nature preserve has over 200 acres and is located in Cedar Grove, North Caldwell and Verona. Use the address “125 Fairview Avenue, Cedar Grove” to get driving directions on-line. The reservation entrance is across the street from the old Essex County Hospital Center. The Hilltop Conservancy is the local group dedicated to the preservation of this area.

While hiking the wildlife refuge we came upon a box near the trail. First we thought that it belonged to hunters. But quickly we realized that this camouflaged waterproofed Tupperware was safe, it has the sign “No Danger-Geocach” on it. So we opened it and called the kids to have a closer inspection together. We found little toys such as a working Donald Duck yoyo from 1966 and laminated pictures of the area taken 30 or 40 years ago (where you could see the Essex Mountain Sanatorium, originally constructed in the early 1900s). There was also a logbook, a pen and instructions to play the Geocaching game:

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.

My kids immediately became fans of this game and are looking forward to find more boxes at Verona Park, Eagle Rock and Hilltop Reservation. The rules are: look for the cache locations at www.geocaching.com, and if you find one take something from it, leave something of equal or greater value; write about your find in the cache logbook and log your experience on-line. And last but not least…enjoy the great outdoors!

Earth Day's 40th anniversary

On Saturday, April 17th, 250 Verona residents celebrated Earth Day and pledged to increase their recycling efforts.

I would like to talk about Denis Hayes today, the National Coordinator of the first Earth Day in 1970. This event launched the modern American environmental movement, the passage of the Clean Air and Clean Water acts and creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Hayes was born in Wisconsin in 1944, raised in Camas, Washington and he received his undergraduate degree in history from Stanford University, where he was president of the student body and an activist against the Vietnam War. From 1983 to 1988, Hayes was an adjunct professor of engineering at Stanford University and he headed the federal Solar Energy Research Institute during Carter's presidency.

In 1990 he organized the first International Earth Day, with 200 million participants in 141 countries. In 2000 Hayes served as chair of the 30th anniversary of Earth Day. He is head of Earth Day Network, the group coordinating Earth Day activities worldwide.

Hayes is the current President & CEO of the Bullitt Foundation, a $100 million environmental foundation located in Seattle. An environmental lawyer by training, Hayes has published more than 100 articles, books, and papers on energy and the environment.

Time Magazine has named him as “Hero of the Planet" and Los Angeles Times recently interviewed him. Hayes certainly inspires people to become active on protecting our planet on Earth Day and everyday.

Verona Earth Day Event

As a member of the Verona Environmental Commission I would like to invite you to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

Come to Verona’s Recycling Center at 10 Commerce Court from 9 am to 12 noon, on Saturday, April 17. You are welcome to bring your recyclable items and sign Verona’s recycling pledge. The VEC will be distributing information and free township recycling bins for your home or office.

The Verona Recycling Center is open every Wednesday & Saturday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. To learn more please visit www.veronaec.org

Bloomfield Avenue is Blooming

Spring is blooming in Verona and with it more than 30 new trees recently planted along the south side of Bloomfield Avenue, from Brookdale all the way to Lakeside Ave. The tags on the trees show that these are Pyrus Calleryana 'Cleveland Select'

Also known as 'Chanticleer', 'Select', or 'Stone Hill', increasingly popular and with several cultivar names, a good urban tolerant cultivar, densely flowering and with good red-orange fall color, with an upright pyramidal form, to 35' tall by 20' wide

The Callery Pear is a tree that is commonly seen in new developments and malls, and rightly so, as it has wonderful spring flowers. It tolerates heat, drought, and compacted soils, so needs little attention. Some of the original species had limb formation that allowed easy splitting in freezing weather, but the "Bradford" variety resists this problem. The leaves are about 1.5 to 3 inches in length and width, and dark green in color. It grows in climate zones 5 - 8, and is a relatively fast grower.

Take a moment to walk by these wonderful young trees and admire their flowers. Just imagine how beautiful and inviting Verona’s downtown is going to be for years to come.

Spring Clean-Up

In celebration of Earth Day the Verona Park Conservancy will hold its Annual Spring Clean-up in the Park on Saturday, April 17th, from 9am to 11am.

Participants should bring their own work gloves. Other equipment will be provided by the Verona Park Conservancy and the Essex County Parks Department. The staging area will be a tent near the boat house. Kids accompanied by a parent or guardian are welcome.

Essex County Earth Day 2010 Celebration

The Essex County Environmental Center will hold an Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 17th from 11am to 4pm.

Activities include a live honeybee demonstration, nature walks, a composting demonstration, canoeing, kayaking, container gardening, music, exhibits by green vendors, local environmental groups, and more.

This is a free event and is open to the public. Address: 621 Eagle Rock Avenue in Roseland, New Jersey. For more information please visit their Website or call 973-226-6082.