NEW JERSEY NATURAL GAS HOLDS KIDS AND CONSERVATION POSTER AND VIDEO CONTESTS

Wall, NJ – New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) is holding its annual Conserve to Preserve® Kids and Conservation poster and video contests that are designed to provide students the opportunity to use the power of art to showcase their energy-saving efforts for a chance to win prizes. The Kids and Conservation video and poster contests, open to students within NJNG’s service territory, “are just one way to educate the younger generation about easy, practical solutions they can use – whether at school or play -- to become more energy-efficient and make smart energy decisions throughout their lives,” Tom Hayes, director of customer and community relations at New Jersey Natural Gas, emphasized.

Now in its sixth year, the poster contest encourages fifth grade students to convey their energy-saving efforts in poster art. Participating students will be given an energy conservation booklet, where they can choose one or more of its 20 energy‐saving tips to use as the theme for their poster.

One winner each will be chosen from Monmouth, Ocean and Morris counties. The winning students will receive laptop computers. And their schools will receive $1,000 contributions toward environmental or energy conservation projects while the winning students’ teachers receive $100 gift cards. In addition, the Radio Disney AM 1560 Road Crew will make an appearance at each of the winning students’ schools with energy conservation themed activities and NJNG community partner New Jersey Press Media will feature the selected posters on the Asbury Park Press Web site.

In the second annual Kids and Conservation video contest, high school students (13 and older) are invited to create and submit a short video, no more than two minutes in length, that shows how they go above and beyond to save energy.  Ultimately, “we hope that high school students will take advantage of this opportunity and use their artistic talent not only to share their ideas about saving energy but heighten awareness of the importance of energy efficiency and conservation,” Hayes continued. Natural gas conservation efforts related to heating, water heating and cooking should be the main focus of the video. 

Videos can be submitted as individual or group projects. One individual video winner will receive $500 and the winning group submission will receive $2,500* while their schools will receive $1,000 contributions toward environmental or energy conservation projects. Moreover, New Jersey Press Media  will showcase the top three finalists’ videos on the Asbury Park Press Web site where the public will vote for the viewer’s choice award and the winner will receive $500.

 “This provides the ground work for schools to partner with their students to establish a more energy-efficient learning environment for current and future students,” Hayes pointed out.

The Kids and Conservation poster and videos contests are a natural extension of NJNG’s Conserve to Preserve initiative, which provides customers with the tools and resources they need to make wise energy choices for the protection of the environment and natural resources. Visit the Kids and Conservation page of the Save Energy & Money section of NJNG’s Web site, www.njng.com, for engaging resources that will encourage children to conserve today for a greener tomorrow.

Poster and video contests submissions will be accepted until November 18, 2012. For more information or to register contact Carolyn Cannon at 732-938-1035 or ccannon@njng.com. Winners will be announced at NJNG’s annual meeting in January 2013.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Poster and video contests end November 18, 2012. Video contest open to high school students (13 and older) within NJNG’s service territory and poster contest open to fifth grade students within NJNG’s service territory. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. For complete rules visit the Kids and Conservation Section of www.njng.com.

New Jersey Natural Gas
New Jersey Natural Gas is the principal subsidiary of New Jersey Resources, a Fortune 1000 company, that provides safe and reliable natural gas and renewable energy services, including transportation, distribution and asset management in states from the Gulf Coast to the New England regions, including the Mid-Continent region, the West Coast and Canada, while investing in and maintaining an extensive infrastructure to support future growth. With $3 billion in annual revenues, NJR safely and reliably operates and maintains 6,800 miles of natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure to serve nearly half a million customers; develops and manages a diverse portfolio of 1.5 Bcf/day of firm transportation and over 62.1 Bcf of firm storage capacity; offers low carbon, clean energy solutions through its commercial and residential solar programs and provides appliance installation, repair and contract service to nearly 135,000 homes and businesses. Additionally, NJR holds investments in midstream assets through equity partnerships including Steckman Ridge and Iroquois. Through Conserve to Preserve®, NJR is helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency. For more information about NJR, visit www.njresources.com, “Like” us at facebook.com/NewJerseyNaturalGas or follow us on Twitter @NJNaturalGas.