YEARLY
ARCHIVED PRESIDENTS MESSAGE |
August
31, 2007
THE
GEC GOES TO WASHINGTON
My
vice President and myself were excited to finally establish the Green
Energy Council in our Nations Capitol. Our trip began with securing
our GEC offices at 1700 Pennsylvania Ave.
and approving the final renovations. All contact information will be
uploaded to the website shortly.
Our
first meeting was with the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).
What a phenomenal operation. We expressed the need of an organization
that represented all of “green”. And the we felt the GEC could only
compliment their efforts on Capitol Hill. We also discussed the way
the GEC could act as field operatives in the state legislatures and
in the media. Our future synergy will show legislators that there may
be multiple alternative energy applications but when it comes to smart
legislation we can all have one voice.
Our
next meeting was with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
We met with the executive director of the NAHB green building standards
program and introduced him to our “Shades of Green” initiative. We offered
our support for the NAHB Green Building Standards program which shows
builders and developers ways to go “green” without paying someone to
certify it.
We
also visited the USGBC offices and had formal introductions with President
Fedrizzis secretary. It was unfortunate that we were not accepted by
someone higher up in the organization. We had requested a meeting three
weeks prior to our Washington
visit. We left a GEC discovery package and contact information.
Our
final meetings were with US Congressional Energy Liaisons for seven
of New Jerseys Congressmen. We decided to focus on New Jersey
this trip because New Jersey ranked second only
to California last year
in alternative energy applications. Fifteenth in the world believe it
or not. As well as the fact that New Jersey
always follows suit with the Federal Government in mirroring legislation.
I
found that this new “Energy Liaison” position is one that all of them
feel will become a full time legislative job. Formal introductions were
made and meetings lasted about forty five minutes with each representative.
Well
that’s a wrap for the GEC trip to DC. Until next week!
August
17, 2007
Another great week for the Green Energy Council!
The GEC is having great success in achieving attendees to the Economic Recovery Summit for South Jersey.
We have had a response from former Vice President Al Gore. Unfortunately, he cannot attend the event due to prior comittments but has sent a very encouraging email about the GEC efforts.
Governor Corzines office is awaiting the governors response in regard to his attendance.
Invitations have gone out to all New Jersey Senators, Assemblyman and Assemblywomen that have sponsored "green" legislation over the last couple of years.
Invitations have also gone out to all municipal mayors in Atlantic, Cumberland and Gloucester counties.
By mid next week I will be traveling to Washington ,D.C. to finalize paperwork for our Washington, D.C. office space. Efforts are being taken to secure our first international office in London. Stay tuned!
August 10,2007
What an amazing week for the Green Energy Council!
The website is 90% complete. We hope that it provides you with an abundant amount of information that will help your business flourish.
This week has produced phenomenal opportunities for the Green Energy Council.
We have secured office space in the Nations Capital, renovations are underway and we will be 1500 Feet from the White House.
Mobilization has begun for the Economic Recovery Summit 2 for South Jersey. Invitations have gone out to everyone from former Vice President Al Gore, Governor Corzine, HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson and 95 other public partners as well as every mayor in Atlantic,Cumberland and Gloucester counties.
Another 1600 invitations have been sent out to attendees to register for the event on October 25, 2007. ( Please search this site for more information about the Summit)
Our radio advertisements have begun airing and we are diligently working to establish state chapters and every day new interest comes in for additional requests for state chapters. We are presently working on New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Nebraska,California, Texas and Virginia. Amazing!!
Numerous invitations have gone out to populate our board of directors with diversity that will best represent our organization and membership.
Press releases about the GEC are popping up all over the country.
Our representatives are also working on setting up international office space in China, the Philippines, London, Spain, Germany and Portugal.
The GEC monthly radio show will air starting September 3, 2007 at 8:00P.M. on 92.1 F.M.
Our International spokesperson search is underway and many entertainers and politicians have responded to the call.
Our student educational outreach initiative is currently being crafted as well as our international scholarship fund.
I am honored to be president of the Green Energy Council. I am confident that the Green Energy Council will become the "real watchdog" for Green.
Stay Tuned!!!
Another great week for the Green Energy Council!
The GEC is having great success in achieving attendees to the Economic Recovery Summit for South Jersey.
We have had a response from former Vice President Al Gore. Unfortunately, he cannot attend the event due to prior comittments but has sent a very encouraging email about the GEC efforts.
Governor Corzines office is awaiting the governors response in regard to his attendance.
Invitations have gone out to all New Jersey Senators, Assemblyman and Assemblywomen that have sponsored "green" legislation over the last couple of years.
Invitations have also gone out to all municipal mayors in Atlantic, Cumberland and Gloucester counties.
By mid next week I will be traveling to Washington ,D.C. to finalize paperwork for our Washington, D.C. office space. Efforts are being taken to secure our first international office in London. Stay tuned!
August 10,2007
What an amazing week for the Green Energy Council!
The website is 90% complete. We hope that it provides you with an abundant amount of information that will help your business flourish.
This week has produced phenomenal opportunities for the Green Energy Council.
We have secured office space in the Nations Capital, renovations are underway and we will be 1500 Feet from the White House.
Mobilization has begun for the Economic Recovery Summit 2 for South Jersey. Invitations have gone out to everyone from former Vice President Al Gore, Governor Corzine, HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson and 95 other public partners as well as every mayor in Atlantic,Cumberland and Gloucester counties.
Another 1600 invitations have been sent out to attendees to register for the event on October 25, 2007. ( Please search this site for more information about the Summit)
Our radio advertisements have begun airing and we are diligently working to establish state chapters and every day new interest comes in for additional requests for state chapters. We are presently working on New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Nebraska,California, Texas and Virginia. Amazing!!
Numerous invitations have gone out to populate our board of directors with diversity that will best represent our organization and membership.
Press releases about the GEC are popping up all over the country.
Our representatives are also working on setting up international office space in China, the Philippines, London, Spain, Germany and Portugal.
The GEC monthly radio show will air starting September 3, 2007 at 8:00P.M. on 92.1 F.M.
Our International spokesperson search is underway and many entertainers and politicians have responded to the call.
Our student educational outreach initiative is currently being crafted as well as our international scholarship fund.
I am honored to be president of the Green Energy Council. I am confident that the Green Energy Council will become the "real watchdog" for Green.
Stay Tuned!!!
September
27 & 28, 2007
GEC National President joins NJ State Chapter at the 2007 Clean Energy
Council Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick, N.J.
September
26, 2007
Last evening an amazing thing happened, a municipal mayor
named Scott Rudder and his town council in Medford, N.J. passed an
ordinance that waives permit fees for any resident that installs alternative
energy applications to their home or business. I resided over the
proceeding and gave a few words of encouragement to them for being
pioneers to make it easier for their community to do their part to
stop Global Warming!
I will be forwarding a copy of the ordinance to Mr. Ben Spinelli New Jersey's head of the Office of Smart Growth as well as New Jersey's new DCA Commisioner Joseph Dorio. I believe that 565 other municipalities that make up the great state of New Jersey should adopt the same ordinance.
September
26, 2007
GEC National President joins NJ State Chapter in visiting Mayor Pringle from the city of Belmar, N.J. Mayor Pringles city is a pilot program for LEED Comminuties. He is asking for help to save redevelopment plans within the city from being abandoned by developers since a superior court case has ruled that "Blight" is basically no longer a criteria for redevelopment.
GEC National President joins NJ State Chapter in visiting Mayor Pringle from the city of Belmar, N.J. Mayor Pringles city is a pilot program for LEED Comminuties. He is asking for help to save redevelopment plans within the city from being abandoned by developers since a superior court case has ruled that "Blight" is basically no longer a criteria for redevelopment.
September
26, 2007
GEC National President joins NJ State Chapter at the Borough of Ocean Gate N.J. Council Meeting to endorse Mayor Kennedy's ordinance to allow a 50 MW wind turbine to power Ocean Gates municipal building as well as mayor and councils foresight to pass similar ordinances to allow residential wind turbines within their community.
GEC National President joins NJ State Chapter at the Borough of Ocean Gate N.J. Council Meeting to endorse Mayor Kennedy's ordinance to allow a 50 MW wind turbine to power Ocean Gates municipal building as well as mayor and councils foresight to pass similar ordinances to allow residential wind turbines within their community.
September
25, 2007
Yesterday, I was invited to attend a roundtable discussion with NJ US Congressman Chris Ferguson at PNC Bank in Bridgewater, N.J. I applaud Congressman Ferguson for having the foresight to have this meeting in his district to hear from business leaders about the positive things that they are doing to be better stewards of the environment as well as give him some ideas to take back to Capitol Hill and the Energy Committee.
Yesterday, I was invited to attend a roundtable discussion with NJ US Congressman Chris Ferguson at PNC Bank in Bridgewater, N.J. I applaud Congressman Ferguson for having the foresight to have this meeting in his district to hear from business leaders about the positive things that they are doing to be better stewards of the environment as well as give him some ideas to take back to Capitol Hill and the Energy Committee.
I
was enlightened to learn that Continental Airlines was washing their
engines more regularly to lower carbon emissions ( yes , they are recycling
the water used), They are also installing wing tips to reduce drag on
all their fleet. They also allow the option of someone buying carbon
credits which allow continental airlines to help install alternative
energy applications in much needed areas of the world.
More
companies need to follow their lead.
I
met a gentleman from Farleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey that
headed the sustainable businses incubator at that University. Exciting.
Finally,
I was shown that PNC Bank is leading the way in sustainable design in
constructing their New Jersey branches according to LEED. More financial
institutions need to follow their example.
That's
all for now I'm on my way to another meeting!
September
25, 2007
GEC National President joins NJ State Chapter at the Medford Township N.J. Council Meeting to endorse Mayor Scott Rudders ordinance to waive all permitting fees for alternative energy applications within the township.
GEC National President joins NJ State Chapter at the Medford Township N.J. Council Meeting to endorse Mayor Scott Rudders ordinance to waive all permitting fees for alternative energy applications within the township.
September
24, 2007 What a whirlwind the past couple of weeks
have been! In my recent travels in New Jersey I have seen politicians
address issues of high property taxes, healthcare reform, ethics
reform and monetization of the states toll roads. But , I have
not heard any conversation on the most parmount issue facing their
state as well as the Planet. And that is "Global Warming"
Scientists have said that we don't have decades to reverse
Global Warming, we have maybe a decade! Maybe voters want to hear
what their leaders are going to do to save the planet, not just
property taxes.
According
to a recent report out of Princeton University New Jersey beaches
will loose 3% per year over the next ten years due to rising sea levels.
Other studies have shown that Atlantic City will be completely under
water at least four times per year by the end of this century.
If we don't fix the problem of Global Warming quick enough than there
won't be anyone around to pay taxes since we will all be living on
the tops of mountains from all the flooding.
September
24, 2007 GEC National President joins NJ State Chapter
at the Best Green Practices Round Table with NJ US Congressman Chris
Ferguson at PNC Bank in Bridgewater, N.J.
September 20, 2007 GEC National
President Joins NJ State Chapter at the Vineland Chamber of Commerce
Meet the Candidates Luncheon
September
21, 2007 GEC National President joins NJ State Chapter
at the MODC Candidates Luncheon
September
17, 2007 The 92.1 Radio Show
in South Jersey was amazing. Since it is the only station in the
country to the present time that will give the GEC radio time,
I have agreed to co-host the radio show once a month from now
on.
My
recent attendance to the Atlantic County Environmental
Conference held at Stockton State College in South Jersey
was incredible. I met four amazing young women from a school in
Stafford Township, New Jersey that truly inspired me. They were
grade school children that were motivating their community to
take action on saving the planet.
In
a nutshell this is why I do what I do everyday for the GEC. These
young ladies almost brought tears to my eyes by their fervor to
be better stewards of our environment.
We
met representatives from the Boy Scouts of America and will be
seeking a relationship with them in order to promote the GEC Education
Initiative.
I
met two high school teachers from South Jersey and I committed
to attend a environmental conference that they are hosting in
late May of this year.
I
know that the GEC Education Initiative will be monumental in changing
our childrens behaviors about stewardship of the environment.
But most of all I know that education is paramount if we are to
make a change. Education from our congressional leaders all the
way down to the 48 million students in classrooms across America!
The GEC is and will stay committed to this goal.
September
17, 2007 GEC National President Radio show on
92.1 Radio New Jersey
September 7, 2007
We have begun preparations for a very big month for
the GEC.
I
have attached a schedule of events and appearances:
October
30, 2007
Well
the Economic Recovery Summit for South Jersey is finally over. It was
an exhaustive effort by all the GEC staff and I would like to thank
each and every one of you that helped. I would also like to thank our
event sponsors. The AWEA ( American Wind Energy Association)
for being our award sponsor for the GEC 2007 Environmental Stewardship
Awards which were presented to the following recipients:
Senator
Nicholas Asselta ( NJ 1rst Legislative District ) for co authoring
along with myself the "American Solar Field Bill" which would allow
for a solar array field of greater than 2 Mega Watts to be allowed to
net meter back into the electric grid.
Mayor
Scott Rudder and the Medford Township New Jersey Council for
passing the first ordinance to waive permitting fees for alternative
energy applications within their municipality. The GEC has has submitted
a copy of the ordinance to Governor Jon Corzine and impressed upon him
to include the ordinance in the Energy Master Plan for the state of
New Jersey that is to be released in late November of this year.The
GEC has also sent a copy to the New Jersey State Department of Consumer
Affairs and impressed upon them to suggest to 565 other municipalities
within th estate of New Jersey to pass similar ordinances within their
town borders in order to make alternative energy applications more affordable
to workforce families.Finally a copy of this ordinance was sent to the
International Residential Codes and Standards Division of the Federal
Government.
Mayor
Paul Kennedy and the Borough of Ocean Gate New Jersey Council
for drafting the first ordinance that would allow a wind turbine to
be installed in order to power their municipal building as well as
create within the ordinance the standards that would allow normal
constituents to install wind turbines within their community. The
GEC has submitted a copy of the ordinance to Governor Jon Corzine
and impressed upon him to include the ordinance in the Energy Master
Plan for the state of New Jersey that is to be released in late November
of this year. As well, the GEC has asked Governor Corzine to attend
the November 12, 2007 town council meeting in the Borough of Ocean
Gate when Mayor Kennedy and his council anticipate to sign the ordinance.
The GEC feels this would be a phenomenal opportunity for the Governor
to reveal his plans for a future 80 wind turbine field off the coast
of the Jersey Shore.
The
GEC has also sent a copy to the New Jersey State Department of Consumer
Affairs and impressed upon them to suggest to 565 other municipalities
within th estate of New Jersey to pass similar ordinances within their
town borders in order to make alternative energy applications more
affordable to workforce families.Finally a copy of this ordinance
was sent to the International Residential Codes and Standards Division
of the Federal Government.
The
event was an awesome opportunity for municipal, county and state officials
to learn about the possibilities of alternative energy for their communities.
The National GEC released information about its "Shades of
Green Initiative" The formal introduction of this initiative
will be released for public comment period in March of 2007 at the
WEIRC Conference in Washington DC.
Other
issues discussed. The GEC has begun dialogue with the State
of New Jersey to impress upon them to utilize 11,000 former landfill
sites across New Jersey and utilize them as Hybrid Alternative Energy
fields. These sites could generate methane, solar and wind energy.
The GEC also impressed upon officials to use this same opportunity
on brown fields, gray fields and 660 Super Fund sites within the state.
Municipal
and county officials were educated on how power purchasing can allow
their communities to generate residual income streams for their towns.
I
would like to thank the ERS 2 sponsors:
American
Dream Custom Builders LLC ( GEC Member & Master Sponsor
)
Green
Energy Installers, LLC ( GEC Member & Master Sponsor
)
Wells
Fargo Home Mortgage ( GEC Member )
Sun
Technics ( GEC Member )
Office
Depot ( Event Sponsor )
Eastern
Energy Services ( GEC Member )
Tiger
Foam( GEC Member )
Shore
Insulation( GEC Member )
As
Well as our Event Partners:
AWEA
( American Wind Energy Association )
NJ
Clean Energy Program
And
finally the officials that joined us:
Senator
Nicholas Asselta ( Keynote Speaker)
Assemblyman
Van Drew ( Speaker)
Assemblyman
Nelson Albano
Joseph
Fiordalisio Commissioner Board of Public Utilities ( Panelist)
Justin
Ken yon, NJ Economic Development
Authority( Panelist)
Rick
Riccardi Habitat For Humanity ( Panelist)
Rick
Brown NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Mayor
Quinn- Millville (
Panelist)
Mayor
Peter Elco- Absecon
Mayor
Carol Foster Corbin
City
Mayor
Palmentieri Mays Landing
Mayor
Peter Scapellato
Franklin Township
Deputy
Mayor Sheppard Lawrence Township
Anthony
Escochagi -Atlantic County Department of Regional Planning
Representatives
From South Jersey Gas
October
1 , 2007
I
have to commend the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and the New
Jersey Clean Energy Conference. What an enlightening event. They were
gracious to all of our National Board of Directors and we met a lot
of amazing people.
It was a great venue to introduce New Jersey to the GEC Education Initiative. I am sure that through conversations with attendees from the US Department of Treasury, PSE & G Global, to industry leading alternative energy installers, manufacturers and other non profit entities that the GEC is well on our way to funding the $1/2 billion the GEC needs to reach 48 million students across America as well as increase our membership.
I
personally met with former Governor Jim Florio and spoke to him about
New Jersey's 20 by 2020 program and how the GEC could help New Jersey
reach those goals.
I
had a few moments to speak with Mr. Ted Turner, the keynote speaker
about aiding the GEC in promoting the GEC Education Initiative. We have
been trying to reach his daughter Laura who owns the rights to Captain
Planet. I have been trying to contact the Captain Planet Foundation
to create a synergy with the GEC to support our
k
through fifth grade curriculum where Captain Planet could possibly visit
schools across America with the GEC.
During
the workshop about New Jerseys Energy Master Plan, I gave testimony
that I felt that ordinances like the one I mentioned in Medford Township
New Jersey be included as a mandate in the Energy Master Plan as well
as that multiplicity in regulatory bodies needs to end in New Jersey
in order to expedite alternative energy applications. I also suggested
that New Jersey consider 11,000 landfills that exist in it's state as
hybrid alternative energy fields with wind, solar and methane fields.
I also asked them to consider 660 superfund sites in their state for
the same.
In
closing, I found that New Jersey has some of the most educated regulatory
agency leaders from Jeanne Fox, head of the BPU to Adam Zellner, from
the Department of Environmental Protection to Mark Stout from NJ Department
of Transportation.
I
am sure that when New Jerseys Energy Master Plan is released in late
November, it will be a plan that will be a solid starting point for
New Jersey to begin its 20 by 2020 plan.