November 1, 2018

Our Environmental Stewardship Corporate Objective focuses on “Meeting our long-term goals for a sustainable energy future by operating our facilities in an environmentally responsible manner and continuing to reduce our impact on the environment.” In supporting this important objective, employees in our Toledo Edison and Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) service areas gave a different meaning to the phrase “spending a day at the beach.”

Beach Sweeps

JCP&L sponsored three locations for the 33rd annual Clean Ocean Action (COA) Beach Sweeps event. Instead of bringing a beach towel, sunscreen and a good book to the beach, employees participated in one of the longest running cleanups of its kind in the world. From Raritan to Delaware Bays, volunteers gathered along the ocean to clean beaches and waterways. Our beach locations were Jenkinson’s Beach in Point Pleasant, Belmar Beach and Asbury Park Convention Hall Beach. This is the second year JCP&L has participated in the event.

During Beach Sweeps, participants collect and record valuable data about debris, which is presented in annual reports and used to advance federal, state and local programs to reduce litter.

“As an Ocean County resident, I know how important our beaches are,” said John Meehan, area manager, JCP&L. “Beach communities are vital to the region, including our customers, employees and their families. They are a treasured New Jersey natural resource and support tourism and the local economy. We should all do our part to help future generations enjoy them.”

Point Pleasant volunteers hard at work!

Clean Your Streams

Recently, a team of Toledo Edison volunteers participated in the 22nd annual Clean Your Streams Day. Employees brought trash bags, shovels and rakes to remove debris from streams, riverbanks and watersheds in Toledo and surrounding areas.

This is the second year Toledo Edison employees have participated, according to Tyler Leggett, FEU Environmental coordinator. “We had seven employees and their family members volunteer this year. It’s the largest community-based streams clean up event held in the greater Toledo area. Because of Clean Your Streams, the water areas are less polluted, and it improves the recreational value of these areas,” he said.

Jeff Burgoon, manager, Regional Fleet and Facilities Services, Toledo Edison, jumps right into the stream cleanup.

Some of our Clean Your Streams volunteers, l.-r.: Trina (Medilee) Myers, Customer Account specialist IV; Karen Burgoon (Jeff’s wife); Jeff; Tyler; Brad Gillespie, manager, Customer Accounts; Brandi Gillespie (Brad’s wife); Meg Adams, Regional External Affairs consultant; Brent Coakley, director, Operations Support; Maddox Coakley (Brent’s son); and Roseann Ruskinoff, distribution Tech II-Lines.