Students of Mountain View Elementary School Join N.J. Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh
To Declare ‘It’s Cool To Conserve’ And Learn ‘3 C’s Of Conservation’

First-Ever Statewide ‘Conservation For Kids’ Program, Billed A Huge Success

Newark, N.J. – More than 50 students of Mountain View Elementary School in Flanders, New Jersey, joined Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh, Esq., to declare, “It’s Cool To Conserve,” at the launch of the state agency’s “Conservation For Kids,” program on Friday, September 30.

Singh initiated the first of its kind “Conservation for Kids” program in the state of New Jersey to educate elementary and middle school students on the importance of energy and water conservation and to urge them to adopt the “3 C’s of Conservation: Care, Commit and Conserve.”

“It is important for children to understand their social and global responsibility towards conservation at an early age, especially since they are growing up in a world of escalating demand and rising prices. I am heartened at the enthusiastic response we have been receiving from schools throughout the state, since we announced our program on, ‘Conservation for Kids,’ said Singh.

The creative and interactive presentation, including a power point featuring simple steps of conservation, like turning off lights and shutting off water faucets when not in use, and a question and answer session in which Singh quizzed the students, set the stage for a fun and engaging way to learn important lessons of conservation. Students shouted out the answers when Singh popped the questions, and listened attentively to how 20 gallons of water may be wasted daily, from a single leaking faucet.

Laughter and applause of children greeted the opening video presentation titled “Gifts Of Life --- Gifts For Living,” featuring children enjoying the Gifts Of Life of planet earth, like the sun, the moon, the oceans, the mountains, the stars and the trees, from which we generate Gifts For Living including electricity, water, natural gas, telephones and television, all crucial public utilities. The message for the children was that Americans, who account for 5 percent of the world population, and use 25 percent of the world’s energy, have a special responsibility to conserve, so there is more to go around. A message that many of the children took to heart, as they declared to Singh, after the presentation --- in words, and with hugs. Others joined Singh in raising their newly acquired bottles of water, to declare that “It’s Cool To Conserve,” and raising their right hands to take a pledge to actively participate in conservation efforts at home and at school. To recognize their enthusiastic response to the program. Singh declared the children The Ratepayer Advocate’s “Conservation All Stars.”

The New Jersey Division of the Ratepayer Advocate of which Singh is Director, is distributing fun and exciting conservation giveaways like water bottles and pencil cases, so that the children can take the message of conservation home after participating in the presentation.

Gail Reuther, Executive Director of the Mount Olive Child Care and Learning Center, which hosted the kick-off event of the “Conservation For Kids” initiative of the Ratepayer Advocate, said that her school was delighted o help launch the program. “I thought the program was very well presented by Ratepayer Advocate Seema M. Singh, in a developmentally age-appropriate manner for the age group of children which was from 5 to 10 years. It’s great because children learn important concepts of conservation in a fun way.”

Dr. Carla Cooke-Harris, Asst. Commissioner, Division of Prevention & Community Partnerships, who approached Singh to initiate conservation programs for students and teachers, said she was gratified at the success of the program. “Children have the ability to help conserve valuable resources of our planet. This initiative gives them the chance to put their skills to work, and teaches them their social responsibility at an early age.”

Singh worked with the School Based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) in the New Jersey Office of Children’s Services’ Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships in the Department of Human Services to roll out the program in schools throughout the state. The SBYSP offers support services to schools across the state, including Family Friendly Center after-school sites and Family and Children Early Education Services (FACES) programs for children up to age 6.

“There is no doubt that conservation is the key to reducing utility bills, increasing the reliability of service, and protecting the environment for years to come,” said Singh, who is already actively promoting the benefits of conservation among adults. “It is particularly important to begin educating our youth at an early age about our valuable resources and how to conserve them now and for years to come.”

The “Conservation for Kids” program includes a poster and quiz contest for participating schools sponsored by the Division of the Ratepayer Advocate.

The Division of the Ratepayer Advocate is an independent state agency that represents and protects the interests of consumers of electric, natural gas, water/sewer and telecommunications and cable TV service. It serves as an active participant in every proceeding whenever New Jersey companies seek changes in rates or services. The Ratepayer Advocate also gives consumers a voice in setting long-range energy, water, and telecommunications policy that will affect the delivery of services well into the future. Additional information on this and other matters can be found at the Division of Ratepayer Advocate’s website at http://www.rpa.state.nj.us.

First-Ever Statewide ‘Conservation For Kids’ Program

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