December 4, 2007

                                                                        Re:      Clean Power Community Partner

Dear Mayor:

In my capacity as Co-chair of the League’s Mayors Committee for a Green Future I am issuing you a challenge!

Communities across New Jersey are participating in an exciting campaign this fall that will have a positive impact on our state’s energy use and environment. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, through its Office of Clean Energy and New Jersey’s Clean Energy ProgramTM, has been working diligently to encourage New Jersey residents to change their incandescent light bulbs to ENERGY STAR® qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs.  Every bulb changed saves money, energy and the environment. All of this is part of the New Jersey’s Change a Light, Change the World, campaign in conjunction with the national EPA campaign. 

I am proud to say that the residents of my town, Maplewood, have signed approximately 800 pledges to change at least five bulbs per household.  To date, Maplewood residents have pledged to change over 5,300 bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent. The result is an estimated yearly savings of 1,499,958 kilowatt hours in electricity and the elimination of 2,175,471 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions!

Can your municipality do better?  At the moment, Maplewood, a township of 24,000 people, has accumulated more pledges than any other municipality in the nation.  So let’s compete!  Maplewood is continuing its campaign.  And whoever wins, the ultimate winners are the people of this great State.

I urge all cities and towns throughout New Jersey to join the fight against global warming by becoming Clean Power Community Partners and asking residents in your community to take the New Jersey ENERGY STAR pledge.  Just 200 pledges or more in each community can make a world of difference.  It’s an ideal way to participate in this worthwhile initiative and make a difference in the New Year.

Please call 1-866-NJSMART to become a Clean Power Community Partner and receive more information about how you and your community can help New Jersey become the #1 Change a Light pledge driver in the nation.  Visit www.njcleanenergy.com/CAL to take the pledge and to find a list of over 900 retailers across the state offering special discounts on ENERGY STAR qualified lighting now through December.  And call me at 1-973-762-8120 for advice on how to launch your own local campaign. 

Sincerely,

Mayor Fred Profeta
Co-chair, League’s Mayors Committee for a Green Future
Maplewood, New Jersey