■ Environment
■ Environment
Connell Foley LLP, Environmental Law Practice Group
Host to the CIANJ Environmental Business Council’ s bi-monthly Roundtable, Connell Foley LLP’ s Environmental Law Group is at the forefront of environmental issues facing stakeholders in New Jersey and throughout the nation. With attorneys who have relevant technical and scientific backgrounds – as well as decades of experience navigating environmental regulations – the group is uniquely situated to advise clients on environmental best practices, and expertly guide businesses facing regulatory challenges, intricate litigation, and transactional due diligence issues, as well as spills and other environmental catastrophes. In the last year the group has advised on matters including“ Dirty Dirt Law,” flood-risk reduction projects, and contaminated-property remediations costing hundreds of millions of dollars. Recognized authorities on environmental law issues, the group’ s members have recently delivered presentations at events including the New York City Brownfield Partnership’ s Innovative Development Summit, and published several environmental-law-related articles in prominent publications including COMMERCE Magazine.
The Environmental Innovation Award winners will be announced on April 22 at a breakfast ceremony at Nanina’ s In The Park, Belleville, NJ.
Photo: Getty Images / iStockphoto / RomoloTavani
Michele Zolezi General Manager Pure Soil, A Division of Earle
Michele Zolezi has over 30 years of experience as an environmental professional in New Jersey.
She possesses extensive expertise in regulatory compliance and has dedicated her career to enhancing our communities through site remediation cleanups, brownfield redevelopment, and environmental project management.
Currently, Ms. Zolezi serves as the corporate environmental affairs executive for the Earle Companies and is responsible for the management and operations of Pure Soil, a Division of Earle, one of New Jersey’ s leading recycling firms. In this capacity, she champions Earle’ s commitment to environmental responsibility by promoting recycling, waste minimization, lowering resource burden, and reducing environmental impacts.
Michele is actively involved in various environmental and legislative committees for industry and professional groups, providing insight on legislation, regulations, and policies that affect recycling, waste management, pollution prevention, and more.
She represents local municipalities and the state through her appointment to the USEPA Small Community Advisory Subcommittee, advocating for all small communities in America to have access to clean air, drinking water, waste disposal, and related services that protect public health in a sustainable environment. In this role, she contributes to discussions on emergent contaminants, proposed regulations, strategies for pollution reduction, while enhancing community engagement on climate change issues. Additionally, she advocates for federal funding and programs to assist states and local governments nationwide.
In her local community, Ms. Zolezi serves as an elected official addressing environmental challenges such as PFAS in drinking water, alternatives for water use reduction, pollution prevention, and waste reduction initiatives. She is a strong proponent of environmental sustainability and stewardship, working with her local environmental commission to provide insight, education, and support to residents.
Through her professional experience, education, service, and advocacy, Michele is dedicated to promoting sustainable environmental best practices in all facets of her work.
LPS Industries
1. A project to conserve water resulted in finding leaks and inefficient use of water facility-wide, saving $ 40,000 / year in water and sewer charges.
2. A project to upgrade factory and office lighting from more than 1,100 metal halide and fluorescent light fixtures to LED lighting saving over $ 60,000 / year in electricity charges.
3. Continued use of a solar panel system and a TPO membrane roof over their 200,000-square-foot roof. The TPO roof saves approximately 20 % on their cooling costs and the solar panel system provides 25 % of their facility and process electricity.
4. Continued use of recycling for pallets, corrugated cardboard, and metals.
Michele Zolezi, General Manager, Pure Soil, A Division of Earle
FOR Solutions, LLC
FOR Solutions is a leader in implementing sustainable environmental best practices through its innovative food recycling systems. By utilizing state-of-the-art aerobic in-vessel rotary drum composting biotechnology, it helps institutions and businesses divert organic waste from landfills, significantly reducing environmental issues / problems. Its composting systems efficiently convert uneaten food into high-quality, nutrient-dense compost that promoting soil health and regenerative agriculture. By integrating waste reduction strategies with operational efficiency, FOR Solutions supports sustainability efforts at colleges / universities / school districts, corporate campuses, and municipalities. Its approach minimizes waste transportation emissions, reduces disposal costs, and encourages sustainable materials management. Through education and outreach, FOR Solutions help organizations adopt long-term sustainability strategies. FOR Solutions’ commitment to best practices in waste reduction ensures that institutions can meet their environmental goals without compromising efficiency. Its work exemplifies a scalable, eco-friendly solution that aligns with global sustainability targets, proving that practical innovation can drive meaningful and lasting environmental change.
William Paterson University
William Paterson University has implemented a variety of innovative environmental sustainability best practices. Our fully electric shuttle bus fleet, the first among New Jersey’ s colleges and universities, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and sets a new standard for sustainable transportation in higher education. To conserve water, we have installed waterless urinals, reflecting a shift toward more sustainable facility management, and provided bottle filler water stations to reduce single-use plastic waste and encourage use of reusable water bottles among students and staff. Our comprehensive recycling programs, including solid waste, organic waste composting, and waste-to-energy recycling, divert significant waste from landfills. Educational campaigns encourage a campus culture of sustainability. These practices have reduced campus greenhouse gas emissions by 30 %, diverted over 20 % of waste from landfills, and saved an estimated 500,000 gallons of water annually, demonstrating our impact and commitment to environmental stewardship and leadership in promoting green initiatives.
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