{"id":2395,"date":"2020-07-03T16:30:20","date_gmt":"2020-07-03T20:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/home\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T14:08:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T18:08:46","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-black-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-cf477eb88cca4e8841397588a30d28ee\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(216,236,184) 1%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%)\"><em>SUSTAINABLE BRIEFS<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(240,241,239) 0%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:150px\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/leaf-blower.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"711\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/leaf-blower.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9621\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/leaf-blower.webp 711w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/leaf-blower-300x225.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 711px) 100vw, 711px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-fb42510cac664b3c96b8e1b7bc2d87d0 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:17px\">New Jersey Senate Bill 623 (S623), sponsored by Senator Bob Smith and introduced January 13, 2026, proposes a statewide phase-out and ban on the sale and use of specific gas-powered leaf blowers while offering tax credits to help businesses transition to electric alternatives.  It\u2019s now under legal review and was referred to the NJ Senate Environment and Energy Committee. Track the official status and read the full text directly <a href=\"https:\/\/legiscan.com\/NJ\/text\/S623\/2026\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ec4b35b842076d7d6f5e2b762284bb33 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:17px\">A &#8220;Polluters Pay&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.njspotlightnews.org\/2026\/06\/polluters-pay-bill-advances-would-create-50-billion-cleanup-fund\/\">bill<\/a> saying fossil fuel companies need to contribute to environmental cleanups passed at a recent hotly contested NJ Assembly committee hearing. It would require oil, coal and natural gas companies to help pay towards a $50 billion fund to assist New Jersey\u2019s response to climate change impacts.  The &#8220;Polluters Pay Act&#8221; is not yet law, but the Assembly Appropriations Committee reported it out with amendments in June.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover aligncenter is-light has-custom-content-position is-position-center-left has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-45a86db91a61dff186c0ed911c2cec7e\" style=\"min-height:281px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-9443 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Light-Bulbs-1024x576.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Light-Bulbs-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Light-Bulbs-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Light-Bulbs-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Light-Bulbs.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#616c6a\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:139px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-24dbf31d03b339f78bc781698dc7a041 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:30px\"><strong>ELECTRIC BILLS <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-bc32c788dd1e95aa3b21554ea5868a3d wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:30px\"><strong>ON THE RISE<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:21px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-dfc49fad8615aa3a0bf80860046cfded wp-block-paragraph\">You may be feeling extreme price increases in your electric bill. Why have they risen so quickly in NJ? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-e897de4bd7cbc84b87fd1912c4fbec34 wp-block-paragraph\">To blame: the rapid rise of new A.I. data centers as well as problems directly related to PJM Interconnection, the nonprofit that manages the country\u2019s largest electricity grid region &#8212; which includes NJ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:8px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-9d4aa1e3d91a0e50cce51bac681c35e2 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>PSEG is providing assistance to residents to address these increasing costs<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-d8c740cc7ddc61dda12451758ecc67d5 wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/programs\/electric-bills-rising-help-is-here\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"9440\">Electric Bills Rising? Help is Here!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color has-medium-font-size wp-elements-5cf522e843ea3d83c8eb73ef6128a017 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>PSEG&#8217;s main customer service line: Toll-free:&nbsp;1-855-846-2895&nbsp;(Monday \u2013 Friday, 8 a.m. \u2013 8 p.m.)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:22px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:6px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:14px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-luminous-vivid-orange-to-vivid-red-gradient-background has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-f875942736c9a966cb67491e2bf95138\">Grilling This Summer? Of Course You Are!<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Grilling-safety.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Grilling-safety.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9591\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Grilling-safety.jpg 791w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Grilling-safety-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Grilling-safety-768x994.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/More-grilling-safety.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/More-grilling-safety.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9592\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/More-grilling-safety.jpg 791w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/More-grilling-safety-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/More-grilling-safety-768x994.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SMART-WAYS-TO-PREVENT-DROWNING.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SMART-WAYS-TO-PREVENT-DROWNING-791x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9605\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SMART-WAYS-TO-PREVENT-DROWNING-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SMART-WAYS-TO-PREVENT-DROWNING-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SMART-WAYS-TO-PREVENT-DROWNING-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SMART-WAYS-TO-PREVENT-DROWNING-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SMART-WAYS-TO-PREVENT-DROWNING-1583x2048.jpg 1583w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/SMART-WAYS-TO-PREVENT-DROWNING.jpg 1700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-luminous-vivid-amber-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Native-Plant-trifold-v.4-11.25-x-8.75-in-1-2.pdf\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"796\" src=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Native-Plant-trifold-v.4-11.25-x-8.75-in-1-2-pdf-1024x796.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9390\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Native-Plant-trifold-v.4-11.25-x-8.75-in-1-2.pdf\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"796\" src=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Native-Plant-trifold-v.4-11.25-x-8.75-in-1-2-pdf-1024x796.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9390\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(202,248,128) 0%,rgb(22,116,51) 82%,rgb(113,206,126) 100%)\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/FLOWER-FOR-THE-MONTH-OF-JULY-2023.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/FLOWER-FOR-THE-MONTH-OF-JULY-2023-791x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6825\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.55859375;width:436px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/FLOWER-FOR-THE-MONTH-OF-JULY-2023-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/FLOWER-FOR-THE-MONTH-OF-JULY-2023-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/FLOWER-FOR-THE-MONTH-OF-JULY-2023-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/FLOWER-FOR-THE-MONTH-OF-JULY-2023.jpg 1173w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SUSTAINABLE BRIEFS New Jersey Senate Bill 623 (S623), sponsored by Senator Bob Smith and introduced January 13, 2026, proposes a statewide phase-out and ban on the sale and use of specific gas-powered leaf blowers while offering tax credits to help businesses transition to electric alternatives. It\u2019s now under legal review and was referred to the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9400,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"fullwidth.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2395","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2395"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2395\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9622,"href":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2395\/revisions\/9622"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sustainablelawrence.org\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}