Green Jersey

Parsippany joins the “cool” cities

Veterans Memorial Park in Parsippany. Image via Morton Fox.

The national Cool Cities program aims to “solve global warming, one city at a time,” and tomorrow night, Parsippany will officially join the club.

At 7 p.m., Parsippany Mayor Michael Luther will sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, committing to reducing townwide carbon dioxide pollution to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Beforehand, there will be a discussion of how the township’s emissions will be measured.

For most towns, committing to a reduction also means committing to energy efficient policies (employing energy efficient street lights and adopting green building standards), a green vehicles policy (making city vehicles go hybrid, perhaps), global warming reduction policies (such as a no-idling rule), renewable energy policies (town buys “green” power), transit and land-use improvements and state action to reduce greenhouse gases.

According to the Cool Cities site, 983 mayors from other cities and towns around the country have signed on. Eighty New Jersey cities and towns are listed on the program’s website. (That leaves 485…)

Tomorrow night’s meeting in Parsippany is at Town Hall, 1001 Parsippany Blvd.