Green Action Plan
By ROBERT LINNEHAN
The Cherry Hill Sun
3/20/2008

The Cherry Hill Council unanimously adopted the Cherry Hill Green Action Plan after Mayor Bernie Platt introduced the 10-point plan on March 10. The plan is designed to improve the quality of life for the community by endorsing strong environmental tenets.

The plan combines the use of renewable energy, strict conservation and incentive-based recycling to make Cherry Hill a sustainable community, Platt said. The council also passed a resolution endorsing the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement.

More than 100 interested residents attended the meeting.

“It is an indisputable fact that our most precious resource, the earth, is under constant assault, with our wildlife becoming increasingly endangered and our air and waterways growing more and more polluted,” Platt said. “The evidence does not lie, and the news continues to get worse. Even over this weekend we found large amounts of our country’s water supply, including Philadelphia’s, is tainted with pharmaceutical byproducts.”

The Platt administration has been working with a group of residents since last year to implement positive changes in the township, officials said. Some of these proposed changes will likely start after the New Jersey Clean Power Program completes an energy audit of the township, but two specific changes could come before the audit is completed.

The installation of a 100 kilowatts solar panel project on top of town hall and the possible implementation of RecycleBank throughout the township are two very important aspects of the Green Action Plan, Platt said, and should be implemented before the energy audit.

“Moving forward, Cherry Hill’s green plan will counteract our current climate crisis. We will adopt renewable energy resources, conserve energy use through new technology and increase our recycling rates,” Platt said. “And while some of these programs will come at a cost, they will save taxpayers money and create new streams of revenue. This plan represents clarity and vision and will deliver real change and hope for our future.”

The township initiated a pilot program of RecycleBank services to 950 homes in the Knollwood neighborhood last year, Platt said, and reports from the pilot program have been favorable. During the pilot program, the Knollwood neighborhood experienced a 90 percent increase in its recycling tonnage and saw 99 percent of its households participate in the program.

Before the pilot program, homes from the Knollwood neighborhood recycled about 5.31 tons a month. During the program, homes from the neighborhood recycled about 9.25 tons a month.

Robert Milligan, senior vice president of RecycleBank, attended the meeting and praised Cherry Hill for possibly expanding the program to the entire township.

“We look forward to Cherry Hill clearly leading the state in recycling efforts,” he said.

RecycleBank provides each home with a special 96-gallon recycle container that is able to monitor exactly how much each home recycles each week by scanning a barcode when recycling is collected.

The amount recycled by each individual home is translated into RecycleBank Reward Points. The points can then be redeemed for coupons that residents can use to shop at hundreds of participating stores.

In addition to the RecycleBank program, the township council unanimously passed an ordinance authorizing the township to make an application to the New Jersey Clean Energy Program for rebates and the solicitation of bids for photovoltaic systems (solar power) for town hall.

“Although this plan outlines great goals, I want everyone to know that nothing will be easy,” Platt said. “This plan is a call to action and a strong environmental commitment to our community. Only by all of us working together for a common goal can we make real change happen in Cherry Hill.”

In other township news:

Platt issued a proclamation to Brad Hennefer, a Cherry Hill High School East senior, proclaiming March 10 as “Brad Hennefer Day” in Cherry Hill. Hennefer, a member of the East varsity basketball team and varsity golf team, is the only athlete in the country with Down Syndrome that plays two varsity sports.

Because the proclamation was issued at 8 p.m., Platt officially extended “Brad Hennefer Day” into March 11 so the young basketball player could enjoy a full day in his honor.

Surrounded by his teammates and coaches, Hennefer accepted the proclamation with a smile and thanked Platt, members of council, his friends, family, teammates, coaches and girlfriend for the honor.

“Thank you very much for this honor. I’m here tonight because of all the people in here that have supported me,” he said. “I hope that my achievements will open up opportunities for other people with disabilities.”