A total of 589 bears were killed in New Jersey over the six-day hunt that began last Monday. That's around 17 percent of the New Jersey bear population. Approved by Governor Chris Christie, the hunt was originally estimated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to kill 300 to 700 bears, and it's a wonder that more were not killed, as over 7,000 bear-hunting permits were issued. The last bear hunt, which took place in 2005, drew about 5,000 hunters. The hunt's geographical area was bordered by Highway 78 to the south and Highway 287 to the east. Essex County was not part of…
Tonight is Cedar Grove Township's 44th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. At 7 p.m. in front of the municipal building at 525 Pompton Ave., members of the Cedar Grove High School Choir will sing holiday songs and Santa Claus will be in attendance. The whole affair will culminate in the lighting of the town tree. 'Tis the season for Christmas tree shopping. But which tree is right for your home? There are potted trees, artificial trees and cut trees. Each type has its benefits and disadvantages, and certain trees can be better than others depending on the situation. Potted or bulb trees are real…
Raking and leaf blowing are necessary evils in autumn. For homeowners, it's almost a relief when this brightly colored season comes to a close. But what happens to the leaves after they are collected from our curbs? Nicholas Maddaloni, Solid Waste & Recycling Programs Coordinator for the Essex County Utilities Authority (ECUA), explained that all 21 municipalities of Essex County are required to compost their leaves or to hire contractors to compost them. These are their only two options. "Each municipality has to come up with their own plan," Maddaloni said. "The leaves can't be land-filled…
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I can get away with gorging on delicious food, and when I pass out on the couch later, no one looks at me like there's something the matter with me. But all too often, people in the business of "going green" tend to ruin it for me with their wacky suggestions for Thanksgiving. I don't seriously believe you're only going to make enough food for the occasion with some portion calculator. I don't think you want to go out and purchase biodegradable cutlery. I don't want to do these things either. It can ruin the spirit of the endeavor when we try to live up …
The fourth annual Essex County deer culling, scheduled to take place between Jan. 18 and Feb. 24 in designated areas and on specific days, is causing plenty of debate. Some citizens are for the culling, which was spearheaded by Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. And probably just as many people are against it. "Cull" is, after all, just a softer word for "kill". But supporters of the program insist it's much more than organized killing. Anne Stires, president of the Hilltop Conservancy, one of three main reservations that will be hunted for the culling, spoke about the …
Patients have sought the services of Cedar Grove-based orthodontist Dr. Matthew J. Peluso for nearly six years, but what some may not know is that for most of that time, he and his staff have been working toward a paperless office. And Dr. Peluso says that he's about 80 percent of the way there. "We put our computer system in about four and a half years ago, and our goal was to keep our patient information and records on the computer instead of on a paper chart," Peluso said in an interview. But going paperless involves much more than just electronically storing patient files. "We began …
Tonight is a big night for four talented students from Verona elementary schools. The Verona Environmental Commission, in cooperation with Forest Avenue School, Laning Avenue School, Brookdale Avenue School and F. N. Brown School once again celebrated "International Walk to School Day" on Oct. 6. But for the second year in a row, they celebrated with a twist. In addition to getting students to walk to school, they also held a poster contest. The subject? Idling cars. "We noticed lots of idling in Verona, especially around schools, for dropping off and picking up kids," said Gloria Machnowski…
Halloween is coming up this week, but it doesn't have to be a "trick" for the environment. There are plenty of steps parents can take to make Halloween a real "treat" for their kids, and the planet. In preparation for Halloween festivities, everyone wants to get their children the coolest costume, but there are materials in store-bought costumes that can be harmful to kids and the environment. Vinyl-like materials often contain polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which can release dangerous chemicals. In addition, PVC is not recyclable. Try to avoid costumes containing PVC, especially masks. The …
Environmentally conscious people attempt to minimize their impact on the environment during their lives. Supporters of green and natural burials don't plan to stop there. Verona's Prout Funeral Home, located at 370 Bloomfield Avenue, is under construction. Bob Prout, the owner and funeral director, meets me at the door and begins to show me the renovations in progress: flat-screen TVs in each room for web-casts with absent mourners and memorial slide-shows, a computer system hooked in with speakers throughout the home that pipe in whatever iTunes playlists he creates for each service, and …
