Lawrence Home and Energy Expo to be Held Sunday

The annual Home and Energy Expo – the first in a series of six events planned to be held this year by Sustainable Lawrence in conjunction with the Lawrence Township Green Team – will take place Sunday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lawrence High School at 2525 Princeton Pike.

The six-event series is intended to highlight projects and practices designed “to improve your health, comfort and quality of life, while saving money and being good to our environment.”

The goal of Home and Energy Expo, in particular, is to help members of the community “make informed remodeling and purchasing decisions that promote sustainability.”

Tahirih Smith, director of Sustainable Lawrence, will give the keynote address and discuss the other upcoming events that Sustainable Lawrence has planned, while special guest speaker Mike Winka, director of New Jersey Clean Energy, will talk about NJCE’s policies and rebate offers. And Thomas Eldridge, business administrator for Lawrence Township Public Schools, will talk about how the in one year’s time through its solar panel project.

According to Sustainable Lawrence officials , expo attendees will be able to:

• learn about the latest energy-efficient heating and air-conditioning products and other ways they can save money heating and cooling their homes;
• explore green cleaning options;
• learn the benefits of an energy audit;
• hear information about geothermal and solar financing and installation from homeowners and installers;
• find out how to recycle old appliances and get money toward new efficient ones;
• explore new “eco-chic” appliance, fixture and decorating options;
• gain practical insight from neighbors and benefit from hands-on demonstrations;
• compare offers from various experts.

“In our sixth year, Sustainable Lawrence is expanding its grassroots, collaborative approach to become a clearinghouse for sustainability resources and a catalyst for projects that promote stewardship for our planet and a healthier life in our town. Programs and workshops, such as the Home and Energy Expo, will systematically increase our collective and individual knowledge and will provide the residents with the tools to spring into action. We are a diverse community and a community of doers, all we need is the know-how,” Smith said in a news release.

Township Councilwoman Pam Mount, chair of the Green Team and a board member of Sustainable Lawrence, added: “Through the hard work of Sustainable Lawrence, the Green Team, the mayor’s committee, academic partners from The College of New Jersey, the New Jersey League of Municipalities, as well as hundred’s volunteers, Lawrence is one of 67 New Jersey municipalities now certified sustainable. We achieved this certification by improving energy efficiency, health and wellness, smart land use and transportation, reducing waste, sustaining local economies, protecting natural resources and address diversity and equity. The Home and Energy Expo was designed to help Lawrence residents benefit from incorporating these practices into their own lives.”

The expo, which is free and open to the public, will feature special programs for children of all ages. Local fresh food will be available for purchase, and raffles will be held.

For more information, visit www.sustainablelawrence.org or contact Sustainable Lawrence at (609) 731-1818.