Bridgewater Receives Green Street Designation

It started out as a simple conversation about the weather, and ended in winning a sweepstakes that is giving Bridgewater resident Meena Shah $10,000 to spend on sustainable products.

Shah was the winner of a sweepstakes Seventh Generation, a company based in Vermont, was sponsoring to help people be green. And her win not only earned Shah the prize money, but also gave Bridgewater its own "Green Street" designation.

The prize was presented to Shah in a ceremony Friday at the municipal complex, as representatives from Seventh Generation congratulated her, and presented the township with 1,000 kits for going green to be given to residents, as well as a street sign, labeling the entrance into the complex as "Green Street."

"[My friends and I] were talking about the weather and other stuff, and how we think there is something wrong with the weather pattern," she said. "We were thinking about what we could do to help the environment."

Shah said she stumbled upon the website for Seventh Generation and saw the information about the competition.

"I said I never win anything, so I thought I'd try," she said.

John Murphy, a senior vice president with Seventh Generation, said the 23-year-old business is committed to helping people change the world, particularly with regard to taking care of the environment.

"We are coming together for the future," he said.

The company, Murphy said, focuses on developing products that are sustainable, including recycled paper products, plant-based household cleaning products and others, so long as they are not bleached with chlorine.

"We can create products that way that are as efficient as others," he said. "This speaks to the health of the environment and human beings."

"We are trying to inspire a consumer revolution around health," he added.

The sweepstakes, Murphy said, was a national program, and participants were invited to tell their stories about how they stay green in their daily lives. Shah's story, he said, inspired them.

"We picked a random winner, but when we looked at Meena and what she was doing, and then we learned about Bridgewater, it made sense," he said. "It was a great fit."

Bridgewater heavily focuses on sustainability with its own green initiatives, including the challenge and others through the health department and the environmental commission.

Shah, who has lived in Bridgewater for 25 years, said she was born and raised in India, where they do not use harsh products that could be damaging to the environment, like cloth diapers instead of disposable ones, and products without bleach.

"In Bombai, it is very warm, so people line their clothes outside to dry [instead of using a dryer]," she said. "I say this to my kids, and now when I use a paper towel, they remind me I could use a cloth napkin."

"I always try to be green," she added.

And Murphy said Bridgewater seemed like a good fit for the program.

"This speaks to what Bridgewater is doing for sustainability," he said.

The $10,000 Shah received is to be used to purchase sustainable products from gaiam.com, an e-commerce site designed to promote healthy living.

"I am thinking of purchasing chemical-free laundry detergent, a humidifer and other products," she said. "I am always going green, and I'm glad people are thining about it too."

The free kits from Seventh Generation will be available in the and the municipal complex for the first 1,000 residents who want one.