The Mahwah Environmental Volunteer Organization is hosting an E-Recycling collection event this Saturday, July 9, at the Department of Public Works building at 142 N. Railroad Avenue. Old computers, printers, cell phones and other electronic waste will be collected from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. MEVO, which began as a high school club in 2008 and is continuing to expand both in Mahwah and other Bergen County towns, is hosting the event in conjunction with Principia NP, which promotes green lifestyles while providing scholarships and financial aid information to students. The e-waste drive is part of …

Rain or shine, a county-wide paper shredding, electronics and tire recycling event will take place Saturday at Campgaw Mountain as the Bergen County Utilities Authority will attempt to make Bergen a bit more environmentally conscious. Campgaw will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accept used electronics and tires, and shred old documents. The documents could include old tax forms, banking statements or bills. Keep in mind that newspapers, magazines, and books will not be accepted. Shredding will be limited to four bags per resident and each bag cannot exceed 10 pounds. E-waste, which as of …

Spring cleaning? Patch takes a look at what's in the garage and backyard, to give you ways to refresh and find more space in your home for the things you really need. Below are suggested donation sites, thrift/consignment stores and creative ways of giving your old things a new life. Outdoor Toys and Jungle Gyms Donate: Old jungle gyms can be donated toHabitat for Humanity.  Send playgrounds to kids in developing parts of the world through Kids Around the World.  Contact a local childcare center to see if they can use your playground. Sell: To save on shipping, place ads in the classified …

Governor Chris Christie’s administration Thursday announced $39,334 of a $16M statewide “Clean Community Grant” to benefit Mahwah’s litter cleanup efforts. According to the Christie administration, the grant will allow for school, religious, local governments and businesses to engage in community clean-up efforts. "This grant program is a perfect example of state and local partnerships working together to maximize the use of limited resources to address environmental issues," Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Martin said. The Clean Communities grants are funded by fees the …

Each Thursday in April, the Green Patch will highlight a way that you can get involved with environmental efforts in Mahwah. If you want to enjoy the nature around us while learning how to preserve it, check out some of the upcoming events being offered by the NY-NJ Trail Conference. The Conference, which recently held a ground-breaking ceremony to begin renovations on its future home, the old Darlington Schoolhouse in Mahwah, “recruits volunteers to create, protect, and promote more than 1,700 miles of public trails,” according to its website. The site can be a great resource for people …

From biodegradable dog-poo bags to hemp-made sponges, Mahwah-based online green retailer Give A Green Bag has something green for everyone. "Give A Green Bag offers affordable high quality earth friendly solutions for everyday products," says company founder Suzanne Lippe. The Mahwah resident was inspired by environmental changes around her to create the website, which was launched in 2008. "Making environmental changes within my home prompted me to begin Give A Green Bag. Green products often cost more money. I set out to find affordable substitutions. As a baby-boomer, I also felt …

In honor of Earth Day tomorrow, Patch Picks is going green this week!Check out how you and your family can be more environmentally-friendly with your garbage. Recycle Paper: It's not only is it better for the environment, its also better for the economy. It costs about $70 a ton to put garbage in a landfill, whereas paper generates $60 a ton in revenue—a difference of $130 per ton. And when you consider that the average person generates 1,000 pounds of garbage per year (or half a ton!), that's a huge savings. American paper is a valuable commodity on the overseas markets because our paper is …

When it comes to following a green diet, there are several different aspects to consider. There’s your own health (and pocketbook), the ecological impact of growing and transporting food, and the waste generated from packaging. How does this translate to your own kitchen? We talked to local experts to tackle some frequently asked questions about green eating. What does it mean to eat organic? Officially, the USDA organic label means foods are produced without antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, irradiation or bioengineering. Why should I eat organic? “Eating organic foods reduce your exposure …

Though you may not realize it, trash you put curbside every week travels out of state before making it's final stop. "The trash collected from residents is disposed at a transfer station that is determined through a competitive bid. The township also contracts the curbside collection of trash to a private vendor, also through a competitive bid," Mahwah Public Works Director Keith Hallissey says. The town's trash is also serviced by Suburban Disposal Inc. The company is one of the leading providers of waste services in New Jersey. "Mahwah trash goes to C&A Carbone Inc. The plant is located  on…

Each Thursday in April, the Green Patch will highlight a way that you can get involved with environmental efforts in Mahwah. MEVO, the Mahwah Environmental Volunteer Organization, is planning a cleanup of the banks along the Ramapo River in honor of Earth Day on April 23. The group’s newsletter explains the reasoning behind choosing this project as the Earth Day event. It says “this main resource of Mahwah has become polluted and in disrepair, and we, as people and as environmentalists, must do something about it.” “We are hoping to draw a large amount of volunteers from Mahwah High School …

Ramapo College says it is just as committed to environmentalism as it was when the college began a sustainability program over 40 years ago. "At Ramapo College there are three levels at which we are persuing facility , sutainability management, every day operations, and education. We are currently working at all three levels to move Ramapo toward a greener future," says Ashwani Vasishth, Director of Master of Arts In Sustainability Studies, at Ramapo College. Ramapo College began its commitment to sustainability in 1969. Although Ramapo has continued to grow both in size and student …

Each Thursday in April, Patch will highlight a way that you can get involved with environmental efforts in Mahwah. An annual community-wide clean up event at Lake Henry, the area behind Continental Field, is coming up on April 30, and the cleaning crew is in need of volunteers. “This year, the boy scouts have a conflict and cannot make it to the clean up. Our girl scouts will be there, and some volunteers from Ramapo College. But, we want to make sure that we have enough volunteers to make sure the area is clean for everyone to use and enjoy,” said Councilwoman Lisa DiGiulio, who chairs …

Every Wednesday in April, Patch is running a four-part energy series in which we consult a Rockland Electric expert to share tips on how to monitor and manage your home's energy usage.  In Part One of our series, How Green Is Your House?, Rockland Electric Energy Expert Scott Markwood explains how to control energy costs by controlling the "envelope" of your house - keeping warm air in and cold air out.

Using chemicals isn’t the only way to get a bright green, healthy-looking lawn. According to local lawn care experts, there are many ways to be environmentally-conscious while keeping your lawn beautiful. Using Organics, Not Pesticides Because of the health risks, local landscapers are trading in pesticides for organics. Organics are naturally-occurring fertilizers, like compost, manure, peat or worm castings. Eco-friendly landscapers will use a combination of natural ingredients, like a leaf compost, instead of chemicals. Tip: Grass disposal commences at recycling in Mahwah this Thursday. …

If remodeling is part of your spring cleaning plan, local experts are urging residents to give homes a green make-over.  "Going green doesn't mean going extreme," according to Susan Tenny Keefe, Decorating Den interior decorator. Keefe, a professional Green Designer, accredited by the Sustainable Furnishings Council, says “trying to retrofit a home to make it 100 percent green would inevitably end up contributing too much to the landfills. Most people want to decorate in an environmentally responsible way, but just aren't sure where to start.” Keefe insists that environmentally-friendly home …

April is here and that means Earth Day is right around the corner. At Patch, we think dedicating just one day to the environment isn't nearly enough. That's why we're declaring it Earth Month. Every weekday in the month of April, we'll feature a different aspect of going green. After all, green is our favorite color.  Throughout the month, our daily Green Patch feature will highlight local environmental issues such as where our garbage goes. We'll also introduce you to green businesses in the area and share some conservational practices that will not only shrink your carbon footprint, but …