New Jersey
Opinion: To combat climate change, N.J. must do more on food waste – New Jersey Globe
OPINION
On April 16, 2024, the State of New Jersey Clean Air Council took up the important and timely topic of “Reducing the Impact of Food Waste on Air Quality and Climate Change.” While it may not be obvious at first glance, the science on the connection between food waste and climate change is clear. The decomposition of organic matter, or food waste, in landfills creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas whose warming effect is more than 80 times powerful as the same amount of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reports that food waste is the single most common material sent to landfills, making up approximately 22 percent of New Jersey’s solid waste. That equates to a staggering 325 pounds of food for each New Jersey resident.
An alternative to sending food waste to landfills and incinerators is to compost it into a beneficial soil amendment product. Composting, which may occur on a small-scale level with a backyard composting pile or at the commercial level with state-of-the-art facilities, has other benefits besides reducing methane emissions and providing a valuable product that cycles nutrients back into the soil. Diverting food waste to composting facilities can save space in landfills, extending their lifespan, and reduce our contributions to waste incinerators, which are often located in overburdened communities.
In 2020, New Jersey has attempted to encourage more food waste composting by requiring large food waste generators, such as industrial food processors, supermarkets, restaurants or medical facilities, to recycle their food waste at an authorized food waste recycling facility within 25 road miles. Unfortunately, there are only two authorized food waste recycling facilities in New Jersey, neither of which produces compost as an end product, and there is one commercial scale composting facility that is pending approval by the state. This is no where near the scale needed to capture all the food waste generated in New Jersey.
The cost of not having a robust food waste recycling or composting program in New Jersey is that it hinders our ability to reach our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, limits local government’s ability to meet increased resident demand for more sustainable ways to handle waste, and does not support our agricultural community by providing a valuable soil amendment for their crops. And, unlike some other actions needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the development of compost facilities can take place in the short-term to achieve immediate results and jump-start an in-state circular economy that reduces waste and pollution, develops high value products and restores our ecosystem.
As a leader in environmental and climate change action, New Jersey must do more to move forward with policies, rules and investments to support companies, local governments, non-profit organizations and community-based groups that want to develop food waste composting facilities.
Here are some of ideas that the New Jersey Clean Air Council should consider as it reviews how to reduce food waste and control emissions from food disposal:
- Eliminate uncertainty in the marketplace through the consistent treatment and application of laws and regulations during the county review process for the siting of compost facilities through the development of guidelines.
- Update the permitting process to include a tiered permit structure that is based on the modern science of composting. Rules regarding composting have not been updated for nearly forty years and New Jersey is falling behind other states.
- Increase public education on the importance of reducing food waste, as well as the benefits of diverting what is left from landfills or waste incinerators.
- Ensure parity for food waste composting facilities with facilities that use food waste to produce biogas in terms of state rules, policies, climate goals and investment.
As New Jersey moves forward with important clean energy projects, increasing electric vehicle purchases and charging infrastructure, and building decarbonization, it should not leave behind one of the easiest and immediate ways to achieve our climate goals – composting.
Christina PioCosta-Lahue is the founder and President of Vivaria Ecologics. Throughout her career, she has worked in food and agriculture systems in a range of contexts – from agribusiness multinationals to government projects with smallholder farmers – and geographies – from Latin America to sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, she has held roles in the US and abroad in the education sector, government advisory work and real estate and urban planning. Christina holds a Master in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BA in Growth and Structure of Cities from Haverford College.
NEWARK, New Jersey — A United Airlines flight headed to Newark, New Jersey returned to the Los Angeles airport Monday about 40 minutes after taking off for an emergency evacuation after a reported fire, authorities said.
All flights at the LAX International Airport were ordered to remain on the ground for about half an hour during the flight’s return and evacuation, according to advisories from the Federal Aviation Administration. No injuries were reported.
The flight, which was en route to Newark Liberty International Airport returned to LAX to address an issue with one of the engines, the airline said in a statement. There was no mention of a fire, but the LA Fire Department said it responded and there was a fire that was contained as of an hour after the plane’s landing.
The flight took off at 10:43 a.m., began to turn around at about 11 a.m. and landed again at 11:19 a.m., according to flight tracker FlightAware.
The LA Fire Department said they assisted with the evacuation of more than 250 passengers and crew. Passengers exited the plane on the taxiway using slides and stairs and were taken to the terminal, the airline said.
The airplane was a Boeing 787-9, a variant of the popular line of 787 Dreamliner long-haul aircraft.
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Manasquan HS grad Matthew Solomon has special motivation in leading red-hot TCNJ. Montclair State, Stevens also repping the Garden State.
video David Buley’s dunk energizes CBA crowd as Colts win Shore title
David Buley’s dunk in the third quarter energized CBA crowd as Colts won the Shore Conference basketball title in 58-37 rout of Red Bank Catholic.
It was the kind of sequence that embodies everything we love about sports – and especially college basketball.
With 10 seconds left in the Saturday’s New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament final, TCNJ guard David Alexandre drove the lane, got cut off, spun around a whipped a pass into the paint as he fell backward. There to receive it was forward Matthew Solomon, a Manasquan High School grad, who finished his hard cut with a dunk that gave the Lions a two-point lead at Montclair State.
Then, on the other end, Montclair State star Jacob Morales had a long look at a game-winner with two seconds left – but Solomon closed out and blocked the shot as time expired.
Both teams are headed to the Division III NCAA Tournament, which unveiled its bracket today (so is a third New Jersey representative, Stevens Institute of Technology). It was an incredible moment on its face, so exhilarating that former Villanova coach and two-time March Madness champion Jay Wright spotlighted it on social media.
“That’s surreal,” Solomon said. “I grew up watching Nova, so to see that was really cool. He was giving Division 3 basketball some love, which is deserved.”
One of the best-kept secrets in college sports is just how high-quality D-3 hoops is, and Jersey has long been a hotbed, regularly sending squads to the Final Four. On the men’s side the Garden State’s last national champion was Rowan in 1996. That could change in the coming weeks.
But along with quality hoops, Division 3 ball features amazing stories, and the story behind Solomon’s heroics is even more incredible than jaw-dropping end to Saturday’s classic.
On his left wrist, the 6-foot-7 senior out of Spring Lake Heights wore protective tape over a wristband that read, “Paterno Strong” in honor of his cousin Billy Paterno, who died in 2024 at age 3 of leukemia. His parents, Point Pleasant residents Danielle and William, were at the NJAC title game.
“They’re an amazing family,” Solomon said. “The stuff they went through showed me what real strength looks like. Me facing adversity on the basketball court, when I look over and see them and look down on my wrist and see the Paterno Strong wristband, after what they did, I can keep playing for 40 minutes of basketball.”
Solomon finished the epic final with 22 points and 17 rebounds on 10-of-13 shooting, but he was quick to credit Saddle River Day grad Alexandre (24 points, 4 assists) and ace point guard and Don Bosco Prep grad Nick Koch (14 points) for their contributions.
For some context on the achievement: Montclair State was 24-0 and ranked No. 1 in all of Division 3 when TCNJ beat the Red Hawks twice in three-game span.
“Jersey basketball, you know how it is – the best in the country,” Solomon said. “We got a taste of playing the top team in the country and that definitely prepared us for what’s next, and hopefully we prepared them, so we can both show the whole country what New Jersey basketball is about.”
There’s one more powerful aspect to Solomon’s story. His father Larry Solomon died of Covid in February 2021, and a month later his brother Andrew Solomon hit the game-winning shot with one second left in the Shore Conference A final, capping a perfect season for Manasquan High. Andrew went on to serve as a manager with Monmouth’s basketball program.
“People are trying to compare my shot to his, but Andrew’s got me topped by a million,” Matthew said.
But between his father and his cousin Billy, “I’ve got people watching me from above,” Matthew said. “All the things I do are for them.”
Keep that in mind as TCNJ (21-6 overall, 14-4 NJAC) opens the Division 3 bracket against Johns Hopkins (20-7) Friday Randolph-Macon in Ashland Virginia. The winner will face either host Randolph-Macon (25-3) or North Carolina Wesleyan (21-6) Saturday at the same site.
“We know we can run with the best of them,” Solomon said. “We’re not pleased with just being here now. Maybe the past two years, just making it was enough. This year that’s not enough. We’ve got a special group.”
In a new wrinkle this year, the D-3 quarterfinals, semifinals and final will take place in Indianapolis, sharing a stage with the Division I Final Four. It’s a fitting reward.
“Playing Division 3 basketball has changed my life,” Solomon said. “You’ve really got to love the game, but I’ve built relationships with teammates, coaches and alumni – connections that I’m going to have the rest of my life. If I were to go back to high school, I would make the same exact decision a thousand times out of a thousand.”
Montclair State (25-1, overall, 17-1 NJAC)
The Red Hawks reached No. 1 in the nation after reeling off 24 straight wins to open the campaign. They average 92.1 points per game shooting a whopping 40.4 percent from 3-point range and hitting 13.1 triples per game.
They will play host to Maine-Farmington (22-5) on Friday, and if they win will host the winner of Bates (18-8) vs. Yeshiva (20-8) in the second round on Saturday.
Leading the way is senior forward Jacob Morales, a Montvale native, Pascack Hills High School grad and former Rutgers walk-on. The NJAC Player of the Year averages 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 39 percent from 3-point range.
Sophomore guard and Trenton native Kabrien Goss (14.7 ppg), freshman guard and Morris Catholic grad Cristian Nicholson (11.4 ppg) and sophomore forward and Lenape High School grad Myles Primas (9.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg) are key contributors.
Under head coach Justin Potts, the Red Hawks reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year and also made the field in 2022-23.
Stevens (18-9 overall, 10-4 MAC Freedom)
The Ducks are four-time MAAC Freedom champions under head coach Bobby Hurley, who won his 300th game at the program’s helm in February.
They will visit Christopher Newport (21-5) in Newport News, Va., on Friday, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s second round at the same site against either Mount Union (23-3) or Washington and Jefferson (22-6).
Junior guard Tommy Scholl, the MAC Freedom MVP, averages 18.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Junior forward Harmehar Chhabra, a South Brunswick High School grad, averages 14.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists and recorded a triple-double (12 points, 11 boards, 11 assists) against Lebanon Valley last month.
Junior guard Kyle Maddison (14.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.0 apg) and senior guard Matt Leming out of Haddonfield (9.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg) add to an offense that shoots 47 percent from the field.
This is the program’s fourth NCAA Tournament appearance, all under Hurley. The Ducks reached the second round in 2022.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
A New Jersey animal shelter is asking for the public’s help after last month’s blizzard did heavy damage to its property in Ocean County.
On social media, Popcorn Park Animal Refuge posted a video and described the fury of the storm. saying that the blizzard “caused unexpected damage… impacting habitats, fencing, structures, and critical infrastructure.”
The nonprofit animal haven says its team “worked tirelessly to keep every animal safe during the storm,” however, “the aftermath has left us facing urgent repairs and significant financial strain.”
Photo: Popcorn Park Animal Refuge
The refuge says this winter has been “especially challenging.” It says “repeated severe weather has forced extended closures to the public, further limiting vital support and creating an added burden during an already difficult recovery period,” adding “we need our community now more than ever.”
Popcorn Park was established in 1977, according to its website. It’s part of the Associated Humane Societies — which bills itself as New Jersey’s largest animal welfare organization. Popcorn Park describes itself as “a sanctuary for abandoned, injured, ill, exploited, abused, or elderly farm animals, birds, and wildlife (domestic and exotic).”
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