Monmouth University will go carbon neutral on Earth Day and help students and area residents to do the same. On Tuesday, April 22, 2014, Hess Energy Marketing, a Direct Energy Company, is providing the University with Verified Emission Reductions (VERs) equivalent to the University’s energy consumption for that day. The carbon off-sets are the equivalent of taking seven passenger cars off the road for a full year.
On Friday April 18, TechniArt, a division of NJ Clean energy, will hold a lighting fair in the Rebecca Stafford Student Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Lighting Fair will provide the Monmouth University community and local residents with the opportunity to purchase energy efficient lighting. The use of this lighting will help them save on future residential electric bills. Different LED bulbs and lamps will be available along with a Combo Special.
On Tuesday, April 22, Monmouth University will host an Earth Day Celebration on the patio of the Rebecca Stafford Student Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with Clean Water Action and several other University energy partners. The event will have music, giveaways, environmentally-themed games, and information tables. All are invited to stop by and get a free LED bulb, while supplies last.
On Saturday, April 26, the Community Garden will be opening its doors for planting. The School of Social Work runs the garden and provides the opportunity for participants to grow their own fresh produce, as well as produce that is donated to local organizations and individuals in need. For more information on the Monmouth University Community Garden, visit www.monmouth.edu/communitygarden.
Monmouth University has distinguished itself as a leader in demonstrating energy efficiency among academic institutions. Monmouth University is the first independent university in New Jersey to sign a comprehensive green operation agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The University was named the New Jersey Clean Energy School of the Year in 2006 by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and received a 2007 Merit Award from the Monmouth County Planning Board for its Solar Panel Installation Project. In 2012, the University installed a 600 kw Solar Panel system on seven University buildings under a Power Purchase Agreement with Torcon Energy Services.