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Raritan Valley Community College is partnering with the Somerset County Business Partnership's Sustainable Somerset Committee for a series of programs celebrating Earth Week and Raritan River Week. The following events, which are free of charge and open to the public, will be held at the College’s Branchburg campus:

"Sustainability and Health: What's the Connection?" Monday, April 17, 11:30a.m.-12:50 p.m. (Conference Center; lunch provided)

Keynote Speaker Becky Ofrane will discuss how our actions affect the air, water and land; how the environment affects our health; the health impacts of climate change in New Jersey; and what actions we can take to help our environment. As Children's Environmental Health & Schools Coordinator for EPA Region 2, Ofrane supports statewide school environmental health programs aimed at preventing prenatal and childhood exposure to toxics, pesticides, lead, PCBs and endocrine disruptors. She also works to reduce rates of childhood asthma, obesity, cancer and autism that could be due to environmental causes. Ofrane has worked as a human health risk assessor in EPA’s Superfund program and as an enforcement inspector under the Clean Air Act.

“Planning a Native Butterfly Garden,” Tuesday, April 18, 1-2:20 p.m. (Evelyn S. Field Library)

Butterfly enthusiasts will learn which native plants attract butterflies and moths. The program also will cover the types of native plants eaten by butterflies and moths, sources of native plants, and much more. The event will be presented by Naturalist Rich Hoffman from the Somerset County Park Commission Environmental Education Center.

Discount LED Lightbulb Sale, Tuesday, April 18, noon-3 p.m. (outside the Book Store, College Center)

NJ Clean Energy will be selling a variety of Energy Star LED lightbulbs and lamps.

Enabling Garden planting, Wednesday, April 19, 3-5 p.m. (in front of the Conference Center)

Branchburg Rotary will sponsor a planting in the new Enabling Garden, a fully-accessible garden designed by Rutgers University to stimulate the senses.

Electric and Plugin-Hybrid Car Show, Wednesday, April 19, 5-7 p.m. (Science/West Building courtyard; light refreshments provided)

Ditschman/Flemington Ford and the NJ Electric Auto Association will display their environmentally friendly vehicles. RVCC students also will demonstrate science projects, such as an illuminated umbrella and a hydroponic garden.

For additional information, contact RVCC Sustainability & Energy Coordinator Sue Dorward at susan.dorward@raritanval.edu or 908-526-1200, ext. 8612. The Somerset County Business Partnership serves as Central Jersey's regional Chamber of Commerce.

Raritan Valley Community College’s main campus is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. Serving Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for close to 50 years, RVCC is an educational and cultural center that is nationally recognized for its innovative programming, service to the community and environmental leadership. The College offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training, professional development, and adult and youth personal enrichment courses. The College also has a performing arts center and planetarium.

RVCC is committed to offering a quality and affordable education through effective teaching, liaisons with the community’s businesses, and state-of-the-art technology. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 3, 2017

Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383

PR #144