Office of the Governor
Governor's Weekly Radio Message Discusses
Sustaining Our Economic and Environmental Success
Gov. Christie Whitman provides a weekly radio message to radio stations throughout the state. Each week, the message focuses on a different concern or event of interest to New Jerseyans.
This week Governor Whitman talks about a growing movement to promote products that are as good for the environment as they are for the state's economy. They are called sustainable businesses. The businesses use sustainable resources for their raw materials. They make products that address environmental problems, and they have designed their manufacturing process to cause little or no harm to the environment.
New Jersey is a leader in developing companies like these. According to the Governor, New Jersey is the first state to create a statewide Office of Sustainable Business to encourage the growth of this critical sector of the state's economy. There is also a special, low-interest loan fund that has already allocated $1.8 million in loans to New Jersey environmental companies - and leveraged several million more dollars - to help them succeed.
A copy of the message is attached.
The radio message can be accessed by calling the Governor's actuality line at 609-292-3249. It will be available today, beginning at noon, and will run through the weekend.
Radio Message for April 28
Sustaining Our Economic and Environmental Success
Hello, this is Governor Christie Whitman.
On May 15, a remarkable road rally will take place on State Street in Trenton, passing right by the State House. What makes it so unusual is that none of these cars will be powered by a conventional gasoline engine.
It's called the Tour de Sol, and it will showcase the very latest in alternative-fuel vehicles - including the New Jersey Venturer, a hybrid-electric car built by New Jersey government, industry, and students. Considering the price of a gallon of gas these days, the timing couldn't be better for an event like this.
The Tour de Sol, and the vehicles it highlights, are part of a growing movement to promote products that are as good for the environment as they are for the economy. I'm talking about sustainable businesses - those that use sustainable sources for their raw materials, those that make products that address environmental problems, and those that have designed their manufacturing processes to cause little or no harm to the environment.
I'm proud to say that New Jersey is a leader in developing companies like these. In fact, we created the nation's first statewide Office of Sustainable Business to encourage the growth of this critical sector of our economy. We also established a special, low-interest loan fund that has already handed out $1.8 million in loans to New Jersey environmental companies - and leveraged several million more dollars - to help them succeed.
Let me give you a few examples of the kinds of companies we have helped.
Waste Alternatives is a company that produces asphalt road materials out of 100 percent recycled materials. S&B Pallet Company re-manufactures and reuses wooden pallets so that we reduce the use of virgin wood to make them. Anscott Chemical Corporation has come up with a technology to dry- clean clothing without using dangerous chemicals often used in the process.
One of our real success stories is the Flexabar Corporation, which makes water-based marine paints with no volatile organic compounds. We helped Flexabar with a Sustainable Development loan and showcased them among a number of sustainable businesses on my trade mission to South America last year. Flexabar now markets its products internationally and has tripled its sales within the past few months.
These companies - and others like them in New Jersey and around the world - are proving that you can protect the environment and promote a strong economy at the same time.
I am committed to encourage sustainable businesses in New Jersey and to support companies that are working to make their products and processes as environmentally sound as possible. Doing so is part of a larger mission that I hope we all share: to create a sustainable state, one in which we protect the resources we have today so they are there for us tomorrow.
Working together toward a sustainable state, we can create a New Jersey we will be proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren. A New Jersey where good jobs and sparkling waters remain in abundance. A New Jersey that maintains thriving companies and beautiful scenery.
Working together, we can make New Jersey truly the best place in which to live, work, and raise a family.
Thank you, and have a great week.
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