If Not Now . . . .When?

Frequent flooding, out of control wildfires, tropical storms and hurricanes with greater intensity and frequency as well as tornadoes and soaring summertime temperatures. What do these all have in common? They are all part of a weather phenomenon that can be directly tied to global warming. To understand this, .we must first understand the linguistics of this science. Weather is the smallest part of the equation as it is what happens on a day-to-day basis in a particular geographic area. "Global warming is the long -term heating of Earth's surface observed since the pre-industrialized period 1850 - 1900 due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning . . ." (NASA Newsletter). Climate change is the all-encompassing phrase that covers the long -term changes in average weather patterns.

Earlier I used the word science, regrettably this word has been continually viewed with a negative connotation in the present administration. It is ironic that a president that resigned in disgrace was also responsible for much of the environmental safeguards that our present president is trying to tear down. Through an executive order Nixon established the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) on 12/2/1970. Later in that year he signed into law the Clean Air Act 12/31/1970. Two years later, he tried to veto the Clean Water Act, citing financial concerns, however it was overridden by Congress and written into law on 10/17/1972.

Lee Zeldin, the current head administrator of the EPA is doing everything in his power to reverse the good work the EPA has been doing, and in particular the effects on the Clean Air Act. (See attached) One of the first things President Trump did upon taking his second term of office was to withdraw from the Paris Climate agreement. Meanwhile, 113 countries had previously signed on to the agreement realizing the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.  

                                  Actions taken by Lee Zeldin since heading the EPA  

While this present administration is trying to dismantle all the good work the EPA has done in the past and denying global warming is even a reality, allow me to point out a few indisputable facts which clearly show the ever-increasing effects of global warming.

Glacier National Park in Montana in the late 19th century had approximately 150 glaciers, today there are only 26.

 In 2020, Phoenix, Arizona recorded a record setting 145 days of triple digit temperatures. with 2025 becoming the second hottest year on record with 122 days of triple digits. 

On 9/27/2024, North Carolina was hit by Hurricane Helene with at least 108 deaths reported. The community of Asheville was particularly hard hit, an area not used to seeing these kinds of storms. 

Even though we're just getting through September, NW FireWatch Wildlands Fire News reports 2026 has become the most destructive wildfire season in over a decade as measured in the loss of structures, livestock, livelihoods and dollars. In 2025 there were over 77,850 wildfires with over 50 million acres of land burned. As this warming trend continues so shall the frequency and intensity of the aforementioned events. 

Severe flooding across the nation in recent years has cost billions of dollars. If you add in all the other weather-related disasters, the cost to local, state, and federal coffers is astronomical, as well as the cost in human lives.  Just imagine if we were able to take that same amount of money and invest in green environmental programs, we could perhaps turn the tide of the ever-increasing global warming.

So, despite an administration motivated be securing greater wealth for the few and little to no concern for the effects of these disasters on the average American citizen, there are efforts being made to combat this administration's blind disregard for actual science. Organizations such as the National Resource Defense Council is fighting tirelessly in the courts to overturn actions taken by this President. Just recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld tougher limits on the amount of soot allowed to be released into the air. in a case brought forward by the NRDC and other clean-air allies.

Many of you probably wonder: "But. what can I do?" The answer is simple — get involved. Support the various environmental organization which are doing an incredible amount of work fighting for clean water, clean air, and a host of other environmental concerns particularly through the courts but also working with local communities. Just a few are: National Resource Defense Council, Earth Defense Fund, The Sierra Society, and Greenpeace to name a few.

The next step in to use your birth right as a citizen of this great nation and get out in vote. It has become a bit of a cliche, but every vote matters and you need to do your part to stay informed and elect government officials who will  take the concern of global warming seriously and support programs to help combat it.

Finally, learn what you can do on an individual basis: whether it be to change the kind of lightbulbs you are using in your house, perhaps consider carpooling to get to and from college, even being aware of the kind of packaging you are buying at the store. Simply type in "environmental tip for home" and you can get wonderful and easy ways to make a difference in your own footprint 

Maybe we can't change the world today or tomorrow, but we need to think about the how we are going to leave the world for our children and grandchildren and civilization as time goes on. Let's all try and make a difference.

 

NewJersey: "I don't get no respect"

 

Rodney Dangerfield often summed up his life with the one simple phrase quoted above. To those of us who live, work and love our state, it is an admonishment sometimes felt by those proud New Jerseyans who wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Late-night comedians often make light of our state, but even Ben Franklin wrote stories at the expense of New Jersey. Squeezed between New York City and Philadelphia, has often left us subject to being less sophisticated and culturally poorer than our surrounding urban centers. What we may lack in big city life, we more than make up for in other areas: agriculture, world renowned entertainers, a rich center of science and technology, beautiful country side - both north and south, and 130 miles of coast line.

Garden State

There is a reason New Jersey is called the Garden State. Tiny little NJ has (6) vegetables/fruits which are in the top ten for production in the United States: 3rd - cranberries, 3rd - peaches, 3rd - spinach, 3rd - bell peppers, 5th - blueberries, and 8th - tomatoes, Speaking of the tomato, anyone who has the good fortune to eat one mid-summer knows the gastronomic delight of its flavor and juiciness. The history of the tomato is often linked with the Campbell Soup Co. Joseph Campbell was a fruit and vegetable vender who joined Abraham Andersen, a commercial canner and packer to form the firm of Andersen and Campbell in 1869. In 1895, the first ready to eat soup in a jar was introduced — Beefsteak Tomato Soup. Two years later the invention of condensed canned soup was introduced and as they say the rest is history. The The Campbell Co. (the name changed in 2024) has its world headquarters still in Camden, NJ where it all began.

Celebrities - Entertainers and Sports

One of the benefits of being located adjacent to New York City are the many entertainment and sport celebrities who have chose to make NJ their home: Stephen Colbert, Eddie Murphy, Jon Stewart, Lil Kim, Dennis Rodman, Eli Manning, and Carl Lewis to name a few. Others who were born here add to the list: Meryl Streep, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Diane Warwick, Joe Pesci, Derek Jeter and of course Bruce Springsteen who still lives here. And, we mustn't forget Yogi Berra. As they sometime say, there must be something in the water with all that talent springing forth. If you're hoping for a celebrity citing try one of the following: the Short Hills Mall, walking the streets of Montclair, and The Stony Pony in Asbury Park might give you an opportunity. Just ten days ago, Jennifer Lopez was filming a new Netflix film at a Hunan restaurant in Denville, so you never know who or where someone will pop up.

Technology and Job Opportunities Flourish

But New Jersey doesn't just show off the glitz and glamour of celerity life. Science and technology are an essential part of the fabric of NJ. One of the premier players in the technology field is Bell Labs (bought out by NOKIA) with operation throughout the state. Its headquarters were built in Murray Hill (between New Providence and Berkeley Heights) between 1942 and 1945. They were on the cutting edge of science when a team of scientists developed the transistor in 1947. Other important milestones were the UNIX operating system and C programming."NJ has the highest concentration of scientists and engineers in the nation" (researchwithNJ.com)as well as being home to 63 universities. The following statistic alone will clearly show how the technology industry values being in the Garden State — there  are more that 10,000 technology companies spread across the state. The other big player in the field of science is "big pharma" - Pozen, Celgene, and Merck are just three of the major pharmaceutical companies. One of the reasons these companies have settled in NJ is an industry friendly government which offers tax incentives to keep these companies here. Not only do these companies provide a growth and development of future technologies providing jobs for thousands of NJ workers but which will also benefit not just citizens of NJ but citizens of the world.

Beautiful Countryside Abounds

When flying into Liberty Newark Airport, passengers often don't appreciate the beautiful landscape that is much of New Jersey. They see the NJ turnpike an surrounding industry on the most northeastern edge of the state. The area know as the Skylands in northwest NJ include the rolling hills of Morris, Somerset and Hunterdon counties, the Great Swamp - a nationally set aside wildlife preserve in the slightly north of center of the state,. and, the Pine Barrens, which cover a large portion of the southern part of the state are just a few examples of the natural beauty extending throughout the state. A little-known fact about the Great Swamp is if one looks at a present-day map of NJ, it clearly seen that RTs. 78, 24, and 287 form a triangle around the area we now call The Great Swamp. This was because the planned intention for this area was to build the next big International airport. Due to the efforts of four women who opposed this, (long before there was an internet) , a ground swell against the project developed and it was ultimately stopped and an act of Congress set this precious natural preserve aside for future generations to appreciate.

High Point Monument in the Skylands area of NJ

The Jersey Shore

The other gem in the jewels of natural beauty the residents and visitors to New Jersey can appreciate is what is commonly call the the "Jersey Shore". While briefly disparaged by the MTV show of the same name, 130 miles of Jersey coastline — from Keansburg to Cape May, the shore has provided a place to relax , refresh, and re-invigorate for millions of people over the years. Even Presidents such as Franklin Pearce and Woodrow Wilson sought the solace of sitting at the beaches of the NJ shore.  This coastline offers something for everybody: arcades at Point Pleasant Beach, peace and tranquility at Island Beach State Park, night life and a huge boardwalk in Atlantic City and the the beauties of Cape May — both historical and natural. While many parts of the Jersey shore were devastated by Hurricane Sandy, the communities affected have rebuilt and are even better than before. A shinning example of the the resilience of those who call New Jersey Home.

Think Differently Now?

Is New Jersey perfect, not hardly. We have our super fund sites, corrupt politicians, polluted rivers, high taxes and the most densely packed state per square mile in the nation, But it you look at the larger picture of our little state, it is evident to me, this is a state worthy of respect and appreciation, which is why I will always call it my home.