Stockton Celebrates 10th Annual Environmental Forum

Students, educators, vendors, and members of the community came to the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey for the college’s 10th Annual Environmental Education Forum on Saturday.  

“We’re educating the community and spreading awareness about wind and solar energy,” said the student group Water Watch President Erin Maguire. “The community and the environment go hand in hand with each other."

The forum offered many workshops to educate the community about the environment. One workshop titled “Simple Ways to Save Energy in Your Home” identified room by room where energy and money can be saved in the home. 

From dryer vents to electrical sockets, Mcguire, Devon Doles and Lucia Ruggiero ran through every nook and cranny of possible insulation problems in a house. 

Many people gathered around Stockton professor Patrick Hossay for a well-informed tour of the college’s use of alternative energies, including the geothermal system and the solar panels in the south lot.

“After the construction (of the new panels), we will have one and a third megawatts of photovoltaic energy produced on campus,” said Hossay. “By then, that should be the most megawatts produced by any college east of the Mississippi River.”

Keynote speaker Martin Johnson, founder of the Isles Program in Trenton, which rebuilds houses in the urban areas of Trenton, outlined his philosophy of community and environment. 

“Many people would think that having more people live in densely populated areas is counterintuitive to helping the environment,” said Johnson. “It’s a lot lighter on the planet to have people living closer together.”

Aside from the educational component, many community vendors and outreach programs set up tables. Penny Klein of South Jersey Fair Trade and Go Green Galloway was there with her petition to make Galloway a Fair Trade Township. 

“Fair trade and going green go along with each other,” said Klein. “It helps farmers increase business. [Products] usually cost more because they use a premium for the farmers that go to education, bus stops for their small children and other things.”

Angela Jones, of Vineland, and Colby Tippins, of Galloway, came to spread awareness for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Jersey Shore. 

From selling organic food items to promoting a native plant Swap and Sale on May 7 at their congregation on Pomona Road, the congregation embraces the environment and the community.

“We’re trying to be more engaging in the community,” said Jones.