SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Township gets ‘Green’

by Davy James, Staff Writer
   As the cold of winter makes way for warmer temperatures, help is needed to perform a township-wide spring cleaning to help pick up a winter’s worth of litter left on community roadways.
   The South Brunswick Township Recycling Program is beginning its annual volunteer litter cleanup to celebrate Earth Day, which will occur nationwide on April 22.
   ”We’ve been running this program for a number of years and people continue to come back year after year to clean up different areas of town,” said coordinator Nancy Paquette. “We ask for an hour of people’s time and we supply gloves and a bag to do the cleanup.”
   About 40 individuals and groups have signed up to help clean up litter in the township, but more help is needed. Some areas that are open as of now are highway areas including any of the jug handles on Route 1, as well as sections of Route 130. Rural roads still available for adoption include sections of Cranbury, Ridge and Davidson Mill roads, Deans Lane and East New, Fresh Ponds and Deans Rhode Hall roads. Industrial areas still not taken include Heller Park Court, Melrich Road and Commerce Drive.
   Other roadways are also still open and Ms. Paquette said they’re hoping for smaller groups for such jobs.
   ”We’re looking for volunteer families and individuals to clean roads that aren’t suitable for larger groups,” she said. “It’s an unfortunate fact that litter continues to appear. We started this in 1992 and it works really well. After the winter there’s a fair amount of litter out there and this is a good time to get it before the grass and briars grow.”
   At the end of the drive, a celebration for volunteers and a commemorative tree planting will be held on April 26 from noon to 2 p.m. at Reichler Park. Free hot dogs, soda, games, entertainment and T-shirts will be provided.
   To sign up for the cleanup, call Ms. Paquette or Bill Epps at 732-329-4000 ext. 7274.