Kratom for Pain Relief

Gloucestercitynews.net (February 13, 2020)–It is unfortunate that some of us have encountered accidents at some point in our lives. In some cases, we are blessed enough for the accident to not inflict any major injury. Sometimes, the injury is incessant enough to linger for longer than anyone would want it to be. Medications, too, seem to cease to

credit unsplash.com

provide any evident relief.

One feels utterly hopeless when even medical science has nothing to offer for a problem so troublesome. But, nature has a remedy for every crisis mankind faces. Its vast storehouse of herbs and shrubs are the answer to possibly every physical malady human faces. One such herb is Kratom. Kratom, or Mitragyna Speciosa, as it is called in the scientific community, is a native plant predominant in Thailand. It has been used for its medical applications since the nineteenth century. Kratom works very efficiently for pain relief. A study conducted on 10,000 Americans concluded that a staggering 68% of them used Kratom for self-treatment of pain. Here, we explain the pain-relieving properties and a bit about the

best Kratom for pain relief

. Read on!

The high concentration of Alkaloids

Humans experience pain due to the presence of pain receptors that travel to the brain. Kratom has a naturally high concentration of alkaloids. These alkaloids dull the pain receptors which results in an evident decrease in the pain a person is experiencing. Thus, no matter how old the pain is, kratom shows its effectiveness by attacking the very base of origin of pain. Maeng Da Kratom literally translates to \’pimp grade\’ kratom, which is suggestive of its very strong reserve of alkaloids.

Promotes the production of Serotonin and Dopamine

One of the curious effects of kratom is the enhanced production of Serotonin and Dopamine in the body. The initial of these neurotransmitters regulate a person\’s mood while the following elevates the feeling of happiness. This helps a great deal in chronic pain as it is often accompanied by persistent depression and anxiety. This also helps in coping with long lingering pain. Besides, it is always a good idea to be a bit more cheerful and happy.

Richness in Mitragynine

Kratom is known to be very rich in Mitragynine. Mitragynine is an alkaloid that has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. This is very effective in muscle stiffness, and therefore, is a terrific pain reliever. This is additionally effective in diseases such as fibromyalgia, arthritis and rheumatism, etc. Mitragynine is also known to produce euphoric and stimulating effects on the human body.

Helpful in managing Diabetic neuropathic pain

A lesser-known impact of kratom is its ability to control blood sugar levels. Pain is one of the leading consequences of diabetic neuropathy. Controlling blood sugar levels can be a bit tricky for a person who cherishes food. An unstable diet can result in blood sugar spikes which can be dangerous in several cases. Research has proven that alkaloids in kratom help in regulating insulin production and thus, control the amount of glucose in the blood. This helps in preventing sudden rises or troughs that diabetics face.

Non-harmful pain-relieving perks of opioids

There are multiple medical conditions where opiates are used to counter pain afflicted in the body. But, there are multiple side effects of opiates such as addiction, dependence, respiratory dependence, etc. Kratom can be used to derive all the positive pain-relieving perks of opioids while ruling out the potential negative effects it can impart in a human. Kratom can be used without the suspicion of unaccounted ill effects.

Increases energy levels

Excessive pain can reduce the circulation of blood and energy levels as well. Kratom optimizes specific metabolic processes and rebuilds energy levels and increases circulation, fighting the sensation of pain. This is exceptionally useful for the physically active workers as the grievance of low circulation and energy levels is commonly heard from them.

Conclusion

Kratom has been traditionally used for assistance with pain and distress. It comes loaded with natural antioxidants. Whether it is acute or chronic pain, it can help in managing both of them. While using chemical painkillers may introduce a number of side effects, such as nausea, dependence, etc, kratom is a safe and effective way of confronting pain. Tried and tested, Kratom is one of the best alternatives at your disposal to counter and cope with any kind of pain or discomfort you wish to get rid of.

Heart + Paw Opens First Center City Location

Callowhill and Broad is the First of Several New Heart + Paw Locations Opening in 2020

PHILADELPHIA, PA (February 2020)

– The future of pet care is coming to Center City Philadelphia! Pet destination

Heart + Paw

is coming to the city

on Saturday, February 29.

Launching on the bustling intersection of

Callowhill and Broad

, this one-of-a-kind integrated pet care center is reimagining the future of pet care by offering veterinary care, grooming and daycare

all in one low-stress environment

for your four legged family member. They consider themselves partners in pet parenthood, and prove this by offering personalized care plans to each pet’s unique health needs.

A major distinguishing factor of Heart + Paw is that their centers empower

local creatives and entrepreneurs through their ‘Local at Scale’ space and retail strategy.

This comes to life in their centers through custom fixtures, furniture and retail. Heart + Paw is dedicated to sustainability both in avoiding extensive global shipping and sustaining businesses in their backyard in the wake of globalization.

Heart + Paw chose this neighborhood for it’s unique community and density of pet-obsessed parents. Proudly Philadelphian, the brand is excited to be headquartered in a region with one of the largest number of pet owners per capita. Heart + Paw’s most recent location in Cherry Hill already has a strong following of loyal pets and parents, and they are set to open two more locations in

East Market (launching 3/14) and Marlton, NJ later in 2020

“At Heart + Paw, we’ve re-imagined the future of pet care. We are working to create a destination experience for healthier, happier pets. Heart + Paw has brought the best of everything a pet needs under one roof,” says

Vincent Bradley, Co-Founder and CEO of Heart + Paw.

Heart + Paw offers a unique service experience to its clients, both two and four legged. The space itself was designed with the latest research on low-stress handling, bringing function and design together in an unprecedented environment. For cats, Heart + Paw offers a feline-only waiting room and a low stress exam room including tailored cat exam shelves designed by their Chief Veterinary Officer. For dogs, elements like the walk-on scale and custom floor exam mats reduce the stress of veterinary visits. Digitally enabled touchpoints like a mobile app and texting services with the veterinarian make the best pet care conveniently accessible. The courtyard is a welcoming environment with coffee and wifi where clients can watch dogs play in daycare, observe grooms in action in the pet spa, shop for curated local retail or attend educational pet events.

The Callowhill

Grand Opening

celebration is set for

Saturday, February 29. The day will begin with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. along with pet-friendly “green” carpet photo ops.

The public (and their pets) are welcome to join in on the fun and to explore what this cutting edge pet care center has to offer. To celebrate, Heart + Paw is offering a free first vet exam, 50% off a grooming service, and 10 consecutive days of daycare FREE (and an additional 15% off daycare packages) if you book on or before the Grand Opening.

NJ American Water Plans Infrastructure Work in Beverly

CAMDEN CITY, N.J. – FEB. 12, 2020 –

New Jersey American Water

will replace approximately 5,100 feet of aging water main in Beverly beginning next week. The project also includes replacing five fire hydrants and 114 utility-owned service lines along the pipeline route. The company will upgrade the aging water lines, installed as far back as the 1930s and as small as four inches in diameter, with new, larger ductile iron main along the following streets:

Laurel Street

from Front Street to Railroad Avenue

Putnam Street

from Laurel Street to Cooper Street

Spruce Street

from Putnam Street to Railroad Avenue

Pine Street

from Laurel Street and Spruce Street

This $800,000 investment will continue to advance water service reliability and increase water flows for household consumption and fire protection in this community. This improvement is part of New Jersey American Water’s multimillion-dollar initiative to accelerate the

renewal of water infrastructure

that has reached the end of its useful life in more than 100 communities across the state.

New Jersey American Water’s local, qualified contractor, Pioneer Pipe Contractors, Inc., will begin work on or about Feb. 17 and expects to finish by the end of April, weather permitting. Work hours will be from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Work outside of these hours is not expected unless required to maintain project schedule. Final street restorations will be completed in the summer of 2020.

For the public’s and workers’ safety, traffic restrictions and/or alternating traffic patterns are likely to occur during work hours. All emergency vehicles and local traffic will be allowed access during construction. New Jersey American Water values the safety of its workers and advises drivers and pedestrians to take caution in the vicinity of work sites.

About New Jersey American Water

New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.7 million people. For more information, visit

www.newjerseyamwater.com

and follow New Jersey American Water on

Twitter

and

Facebook

About American Water

With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,100 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to more than 14 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit

amwater.com

2nd District Democrat Candidate Wants to Change Electoral College

[February 13, 2020 – Longport, New Jersey] –

In an article published yesterday in the NJ Globe, entitled, “

Democrats Who Signed No-Line Pledge Still Seeking Line

,” David Wildstein reported on the contradiction that four of the five candidates for Congress in New Jersey\’s second congressional district have signed a promise to “end the county line,” yet have continued to seek the Atlantic County Democratic line at the same time.

Brigid Callahan Harrison

The story stated that the pledge, did not “appear to have any teeth” and specifically sited candidate Amy Kennedy for seeking and winning the endorsement of the Atlantic City Democratic organization, and Ashley Bennett, who previously ran on the line for freeholder three years ago, with both also currently pursuing votes to obtain the line at Atlantic County Convention on March 8.

Brigid Callahan Harrison, the only candidate who did not sign the pledge, issued today the following detailed policy statement on

Electoral Reform and Clear Election Policy

The right of the people to freely and fairly decide who will represent their interests is the foundation upon which our democracy rests. But Washington DC’s culture of corruption is eating away at that foundation, and as a member of Congress from New Jersey’s second congressional district, I will prioritize several measures that will take power away from the rich and well-connected and return it to where it belongs – in the hands of the people.

I recently met with End Citizens United, a group of over 4 million members who champion electoral reform. During my meeting with them, I discussed my vision for electoral reform and clean elections. My reform agenda includes the following:

End

Citizens United

Chief among the ways we can return some power to the people is amending our constitution to overturn

Citizens United,

which essentially granted corporations and other monied interests the same rights as citizens. I believe that Congress and the states must work to amend the constitution by ratifying the Democracy for All Amendment, which grants Congress and the States the power to regulate and set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections.

Strengthen the Federal Election Commission

Another key aspect of keeping elections clean is through supporting the Federal Election Commission, the agency charged with enforcing our nation’s campaign finance laws. The FEC has essentially been stripped of its authority because half of the seats on the board remain unfilled during the Trump administration, rendering the board unable to function without a quorum. Any electoral reforms should statutorily mandate that, if vacancies on the FEC remain unfilled by a presidential administration for longer than 90 days, the presidential appointment is forfeited and the chair of the House Ethics Committee is empowered to appoint FEC Board members. I support increasing the ability of the FEC to enforce laws already on the books by providing the FEC with the resources it has been denied.

I will work to pass the Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act, which will strengthen the FEC’s ability to enforce current campaign finance laws.

Get Foreign Money Out of US Elections

I resolve to help keep foreign money out of US elections by supporting the Get Foreign Money Out of US Elections Act, which restricts the ability of foreign corporations to spend money in US election, and the DISCLOSE Act, which prohibits foreign interests from creating dark money organizations or shell corporations in order to influence US elections.

Greater Transparency

I would advocate for passage of the Keeping Our Campaigns Honest (KOCH) Act which requires that ads placed by dark money organizations must disclose their largest donors.

In Congress, I will support the Honest Ads Act, which would set the same standard for online political advertising as is currently required for television and radios ads.

We must make sure that our democracy remains in the people’s hands is by ensuring that the wealthy aren’t able to buy our democracy. We need to end the culture of corruption in Washington because for too long, the rich and well-connected have had disproportionate influence in our elections. That reality is in part responsible for the increasing anger and frustration that many Americans rightfully feel toward our government.

CNB SPORTS NEWS: Lexus, and the Metropolitan Golf Association, will Host Complimentary Golf Clinics

(NAPSI)—As golf remains a significant piece of business and social culture, it’s important for women to feel confident on the course. Knowing the basics of the game could encourage participation in key business decisions taking place on the course every day. Nearly 5 million women play golf these days and if you’re among them—or would like to be—here are a few facts and tips you should know.

Lydia Ko, the youngest player in golf history to be ranked No. 1 in the world.

Where To Turn

Lexus, in partnership with the Metropolitan Golf Association, will host another round of complimentary golf clinics this season to familiarize women in the tristate area with the game and spur their love for the sport.

• On May 8, 2019, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Golf & Body NYC with a special guest speaker.

• On June 20, 2019, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Bethpage State Park.

• In July 2019 in the Westchester, N.Y. and Conn. area (check the website

www.mgagolf.org/wgolf

for the latest details).

During each event, attendees are taught the basics of putting and chipping, then offered one-on-one counsel from golf pros.

For further inspiration, there are TED-style talks from female golfing legends. The evening also includes light refreshments, gift bags, and the opportunity to meet other professional women in a fun and casual setting.

What’s Being Done

This is just part of Lexus’s involvement with women’s golf. The company sponsors such legends as:

• Lydia Ko, the youngest player in golf history to be ranked No. 1 in the world.

• Annika Sörenstam, considered the greatest female golfer of her generation.

• Natalie Gulbis, one of the most popular players on the LPGA Tour.

The car company says that they, like it, carefully hone their craft every day, remain focused on their game and strive for perfection.

Useful Tips

To help your golf game:

1. Swing high. Swing the clubhead several inches off the ground so you’re more likely to swing around your body instead of up and down.

2. Aim to go through, not to, the ball.

3. Give yourself room. Set up with a wide stance, ball forward, weight on your right side and a tilt in your shoulders. Hold the driver far enough away from your body to allow for a big, powerful swing.

4. Follow through. When you finish your swing, 90 percent of your weight should be on the left side, with your hips and chest left of the target.

Learn More

For more information, visit

www.mgagolf.org/wgolf

and

www.lexus.com

Majority Say Houston Astros Players Involved in Cheating Should Be Held Accountable

Research Also Finds Strong Support for Strengthening Whistleblower Programs While Most Say Leadership Punishments Will Motivate Culture Change

Arlington, Va., February 11, 2020 – As Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers and catchers report to spring training this week, new research finds that the overwhelming majority of Americans believe that the players involved in the Houston Astros cheating scandal should be punished for their actions. Ninety percent of Americans say that players on the team who broke the rules should be punished. There was a slight variation among gender, with 94 percent of women in agreement and 86 percent of men in agreement.

On the issue of holding Astros leadership accountable, less than half (48 percent) of Americans say the punishments handed down to leadership will result in changing player behavior. But, 74 percent say that the leadership punishments indeed will motivate changes to the organizational culture that enabled the cheating.

When it comes to the role of whistleblowers in outing bad behavior, 86 percent of Americans are in favor of employers strengthening whistleblower programs to encourage early identification of problems.

These findings are from a national poll of Americans conducted by

Eagle Hill Consulting

on the heels of one of the biggest scandals to hit professional baseball in more than 100 years. After a whistleblower account was

published

by the news media, MLB investigated an extensive cheating scandal by the Houston Astros that determined the rules violations were “player-driven and player-executed.” Yet,

punishments

were levied by MLB only against team management and leadership. No players were punished for breaking the rules as part of a deal to encourage players to disclose what happened.

“The results show that Americans understand that it’s critically important to hold both leadership and employees accountable for unethical actions. Whether in sports or business, just holding leadership accountable may not correct employee bad behavior,” said

Melissa Jezior

, Eagle Hill president and CEO.

Part of MLB’s rationale for the punishments was that the scandal stemmed from a failure by the leaders “to adequately manage the employees under their supervision, to establish a culture in which adherence to the rules is ingrained in the fabric of the organization, and to stop bad behavior as soon as it occurred.”

“Leadership ultimately is accountable for a toxic culture that allows bad behavior, and it is leadership’s responsibility to right the ship. The difficult task leaders face, however, is aligning the stated culture with the day-to-day behavior of employees. Culture can be measured and managed – from incorporating it into performance reviews to fostering an environment where employees can report problematic behaviors before they escalate and permeate the organization. Otherwise, organizational culture failures can result in financial losses and reputation damage, a lesson the Astros learned the hard way,”Jezior said.

The polling research found that:

Nearly all (90 percent) of Americans polled say that players who broke the rules should be punished

Only 48 percent believe that holding leadership accountable for player bad behavior will result in correcting the behavior.

Nearly three-fourths (74 percent) indicate that punishments will motivate leaders to change the organizational culture that enabled cheating.

The vast majority (86 percent) say that employers should strengthen whistleblower programs to encourage early identification of problems.

The survey was conducted online on January 30-31, 2020, and included more than 1,000 respondents from a random sample of American adults across the United States.

The polling research found that:

Nearly all (90 percent) of Americans polled say that players who broke the rules should be punished

Only 48 percent believe that holding leadership accountable for player bad behavior will result in correcting the behavior.

Nearly three-fourths (74 percent) indicate that punishments will motivate leaders to change the organizational culture that enabled cheating.

The vast majority (86 percent) say that employers should strengthen whistleblower programs to encourage early identification of problems.

The survey was conducted online on January 30-31, 2020, and included more than 1,000 respondents from a random sample of American adults across the United States.

Eagle Hill Consulting LLC is a woman-owned business that provides unconventional management consulting services in the areas of Strategy & Performance, Talent, and Change. The company’s expertise in delivering innovative solutions to unique challenges spans across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, from financial services to healthcare to media & entertainment. Eagle Hill has offices in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Boston, MA and Seattle, WA. More information is available at

www.eaglehillconsulting.com

Booker, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand School Nutrition Education

Proposal would increase investments in hands-on projects for student health, nutrition

Roughly 15 percent of New Jerseyans experience food insecurity

WASHINGTON, DC

—U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced a bipartisan bill to establish a new pilot program for school nutrition programs to fund nutritional education in schools. The

Food and Nutrition Education in Schools Act of 2020

would allocate federal funding for projects that educate students while connecting them to healthy food practices, with a priority given to schools in neighborhoods with high rates of childhood diet-related illnesses and those in which 40 percent of students qualify for free or reduce-priced meals.

Nutritious, healthy foods are critical to the wellness and academic performance of students. Several studies have shown that children are more likely to eat healthier foods when given the opportunity to participate in hands-on lessons that let them try a food multiple times and connect the dots between the classroom, the cafeteria, and the school garden. . Because dietary illnesses can adversely impact school attendance and academic performance, equitable access to nutrition education can better prepare students for success in the classroom and beyond. Yet the typical elementary school student receives less than 5 hours of nutrition education per year. This legislation seeks to reduce barriers to hands-on food and nutrition programs that help get more kids to eat the food already available to them at school and to continue to improve the food as kids learn to love it.

“As Ron Finley, an inspiring black leader and urban farmer in South Central Los Angeles once said, ‘In South Central, we got drive-bys and drive-thrus, and the drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys.’ Countless studies have demonstrated that a lack of access to nutritious food – particularly in underserved communities – manifests itself in all areas of human development, from increased rates of diet-related diseases to reduced academic performance,”

Booker said.

“We must do more to ensure our kids have consistent and equitable access to healthy foods, and the education that will help them make healthy diet choices throughout their lives. By prioritizing communities disproportionately impacted by food insecurity and diet-related illnesses, this bipartisan legislation would bring equitable access to food and nutrition education to children across the country.”

“Teaching students how to prioritize their health by choosing nutritious foods is an invaluable lesson that will serve them for years to come,”

said Sen. Cornyn.

“This legislation would invest in programs that educate Texas children to make healthy choices, which can help lower the incidence of disease linked to obesity and, in turn, save taxpayer money.”

“As a food service director, I wholeheartedly support the bill to establish food and nutrition educators in schools,”

said Warren DeShields, Director of Food Services at Bridgeton Public Schools.

“This will bridge the gap between education and nutrition programs in an effort to increase the acceptance and consumption of healthy appetizing meals in our cafeterias. It will also be exciting to see students encouraged to participate in evidence-based interventions like school gardens, farm to school initiatives, and nutrition education that can be built into their everyday curriculum for learning!”

\”The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics believes that well-coordinated, comprehensive, integrated nutrition programs in preschool through high school are essential to improve the health, nutritional status and academic performance of our nation\’s children,\”

said registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy President Terri J. Raymond

. \”This legislation is a good step in supporting efforts to make food and nutrition education a priority in our country\’s schools.\”

“Together with communities, FoodCorps envisions a future in which all our nation’s children––regardless of race, place, or class––know what healthy food is, care where it comes from, and eat it every day,”

said Kumar Chandran, Policy Director at FoodCorps

. “We have seen firsthand how food and nutrition educators can make a difference by delivering high-quality hands-on opportunities in classrooms, cafeterias, and gardens, changing kids’ relationship with food for the better. Students in FoodCorps schools with more hands-on learning activities are eating up to three times the amount of fruits and vegetables as students who receive less of that hands-on learning. This bipartisan bill proposes to expand evidence-based food and nutrition education resources and programming to even more schools, ensuring school nutrition professionals have greater support to get kids excited about eating healthy school meals. We applaud Senators Booker and Cornyn for their leadership and vision to lift up the health and well-being of students by investing in food and nutrition education, and we look forward to collaborating with them to build support for the bill to be passed into law.”

The Act provides grant funding to local educational agencies for projects that (1) hire full-time food and nutrition educators to implement programs in schools that have the goal of improving student health and nutrition and (2) that fund school gardens or other evidence-based interventions relating to student health and nutrition to create hands-on learning opportunities for students.

Pilot programs must incorporate teaching techniques proven to maximize healthy food consumption, including hands-on learning, school gardens, taste testing, student engagement and farm-to-school practices. Projects must be in a variety of rural, suburban, and urban settings and at least one project must be located on an Indian reservation or at a school in which the majority of students are members of an Indian tribe.

The

Food and Nutrition Education in Schools Act of 2020

is endorsed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Advocates for Children of New Jersey, Afterschool Alliance, American Heart Association, Community FoodBank of New Jersey, FoodCorps, Hunger Free New Jersey, National Farm to School Network, and New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children.

As Mayor of Newark, Booker witnessed first-hand how our broken food system harmed local residents, as large sections of Newark were essentially “food deserts,” where communities had no access to healthy foods. He was instrumental in

helping to bring several supermarkets

to the area that helped increase access for Newarkers to healthy foods. He also

spearheaded the creation of community gardens

Members of the Gloucester County Commission for Women Sworn In

(Deptford, NJ) –Freeholder Jim Jefferson attended the swearing in ceremony of four members of the Gloucester County Commission for Women (CFW) who were confirmed for new terms.

Marguerite Stubbs, Gail Slimm, Lisa Cerny, and Beverly Wellons took the oath to continue serving the CFW, a fact-finding and advisory group who work to suggest and urge identified reforms in regards to treatment of women.

Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger said, “Thanks to the continued work of individuals like these four women and the Commission for Women as a whole that our county is able to promote reforms in regards to the treatment of women.”

Freeholder Jefferson, who serves as liaison to the commission, said, “The work done by this commissions will always carry a lot of weight and we have so much respect for the members who work tirelessly to help support other women. This is an appropriate time in our world to highlight the inequity women have faced in every facet of our culture, and change it for the better.”

Pictured: Marguerite Stubbs, Gail Slimm, Freeholder Jim Jefferson, Lisa Cerny, and Beverly Wellons

Guest Opinion: Trump Budget Again Proposes Failed Food Box Idea

Proposes Cutting Food Aid Spending by $181 Billion

President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget proposal, released today, proposes slashing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – formerly known as the Food Stamp Program – by $181 billion over ten years. It also proposes eliminating SNAP benefits – which can now be used by program participants to obtain the food of their choice at supermarkets, farmers markets, and corner stores – and replacing them with a box of shelf-stable food provided by the government, an idea rejected in two previous years by members of Congress of both parties. In response, Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, a nationwide direct service and advocacy organization, issued the following statement:

“Though it is unlikely that this proposal will become law, it is troubling that the Trump Administration – for a third time – is calling for a massive new governmental bureaucracy to micro-manage the food consumption of low-income Americans. Amazingly, this proposal would slash food aid but somehow manage to grow the size of big government. There’s no way one can improve nutritional outcomes among families on SNAP by reducing the amount of money they have available for fresh fruits, vegetables, and milk. This proposal would add stress to the nonprofits that serve these individuals and hurt the grocery industry by taking SNAP participants out of the grocery store. It’s no wonder that Republicans and Democrats in Congress, the food industry, and anti-hunger advocates and service providers all panned this nonsensical idea the two times it was previously proposed. Re-runs are bad enough when they are good shows – they are especially horrible when everyone has already panned the show the first time it ran. Year after year, month after month, day after day, the Trump Administration proposes new ways to increase the pain of struggling families. It’s like a cruelty ultra-marathon, but once again, low-income Americans and advocates for them will rise up against such cruelty, outlast their oppressors, and defeat such heartless, counter-productive proposals.”

Food Waste Recycling Pilot in Camden County

(Gloucester Township, NJ) – Cafeterias and kitchens in county buildings will soon begin filling recycling containers instead of dumpsters thanks to a pilot program approved by the Freeholder Board. Proposals are currently being accepted to find a vendor who will collect food waste generated during meal preparation and transport it to local composting and food recycling sites.

Mass production kitchens, like the ones at Camden County College and the Camden County Correctional Facility, produce thousands of pounds of food waste during preparation. However, the skin of potatoes, peels of bananas, and other excess organic materials currently being carted away to the incinerator or landfill along with the rest of Camden County’s trash, can be recycled and reused just like paper and plastics.

The pilot program is one more way the Freeholder Board hopes to lessen the environmental impact of facilities owned and operated by the county.

“We’re looking at thousands of pounds of organic material that has an environmentally-friendly, cost-effective use, and we are currently throwing it away with all of our other trash,” said Freeholder Jonathan Young, liaison to the Camden County Office of Sustainability. “By reducing the tonnage we’re sending to the incinerator we can save the taxpayer money, while also taking the county one-step further towards environmental sustainability.”

To implement the program, the county is looking for a vendor to supply 55-gallon bins that can store food waste generated in kitchens at county facilities. That vendor will then collect the recyclable material and deliver it to sites where it can be reused as animal feed or recycled via composting or anaerobic digestion.

Composting involves mixing food waste with browns like leaves and dirt to create a nutrient rich soil conditioner. Once the organic material has broken down, the mixture can be combined with soil used to grow plants, fruits, and vegetables.

Alternatively, anaerobic digestion uses microorganisms to break down the food waste, which then releases methane. This methane can be converted into usable gas which generates electricity, heat, or other fuels.

Collected materials for the pilot program are to come solely from kitchen preparation, where the majority of waste is generated. Cooked ingredients and food that has been handled by customers or patrons will continue to be thrown in the trash to avoid contamination.

“The United States generates more than 100 billion pounds of mostly edible food waste each year,” Young said. “If we can find a way to reduce our contribution to that total, while also saving the taxpayer money and reducing the amount of material entering our waste stream, then we are going to pursue it.”

Bids for the program will be opened on Feb. 11. The chosen vendor will be awarded a one-year contract for food waste collection services, with the opportunity to renew the program twice.

The program will be administered by Camden County’s Office of Sustainability, the first-of-its-kind in New Jersey, which also runs several county-wide sustainability programs and initiatives and serves as a central hub for all of the county’s 37 municipalities. The office runs the Hydroponic Greenhouse Program, started in 2016, which grows fruits and vegetables year-round to use in lunches for senior programs and to generate revenue by partnering with local restaurants.