Our Business is Bay-friendly!

Submit your company for a Bay-Friendly Business designation. Here are the benefits to you:

• Listed on the Save Our Bay web pages, a resource for the Island Blue Pages readers to locate providers.

• Recognition at Save Our Bay programs and events.

• Receive a Bay-Friendly Business certificate.

Complete this application including additional pages, if necessary. Return all materials to LBIF, 120 Long Beach Blvd., Loveladies, NJ 08008.

BUSINESS NAME: __________________________ TYPE OF BUSINESS: _________________

ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________________

WEBSITE: ______________________________________________________________

CONTACT NAME: __________________________ PHONE: ________________________

CONTACT EMAIL: _________________________________________________________________

Do you carry a line of ecofriendly products? Y N If yes, please describe.

What ecofriendly techniques do you incorporate into your normal business practices? Please attach any literature that describes these.

What does your company do to educate the public about Bay-Friendly products and practices? Please include materials that illustrate, if possible.

What projects have you completed that illustrate your Bay-Friendly practices? Please provide details.

Have you earned or received any special certifications or awards for your environmental practices? Y ____ N ____ Please describe and/or attach a copy.

I certify that the above information is true and correct.

CEO, Owner, or General Mgr.

Native species are the species of plants, animals, and insects that have inhabited a given area or region. Most of the species were around long before we got here, so they are an integral part of the ecosystem.

Non-point Source Pollution refers to pollution that enters estuaries from many places, such as when rainwater washes over parking lots, lawns, or farms, and brings pollutants from continued from page 26 all these sources into the estuary.

Nutrients refers to the “food” that plants need in order to grow. Examples include nitrogen and phosphorus. Too many nutrients in the water can cause problems in an estuary.

Photosynthesis is the chemical process by which green plants make organic substances (mostly sugars) from carbon dioxide and water in their cells, using energy captured from sunlight. Oxygen is released as a byproduct.

Phytoplankton are tiny, free-floating aquatic plants. Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye. Phytoplankton serve as the base of the aquatic food chain.

Rain Gardens are designed to absorb rainwater runoff by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground. Native plants are recommended for rain gardens because they generally don’t require fertilizer and are more tolerant of the local climate, soil, and water conditions.

Runoff refers to excess rainfall or melted snow that runs off the ground because it is too much for the ground to absorb. Runoff can pick up pollutants from the air or the land and carry them to streams, lakes, and oceans.

Salt Marshes are coastal wetlands rich in marine life. Salt marshes can be found behind barrier islands, where they play an important role in local ecology. They are sometimes called tidal marshes because they occur in the zone between low and high tides.

Sediment refers to fine soil or mineral particles that settle to the bottom of the water or remain suspended.

Watershed applies to all of the area that drains into the same body of water. If the rain falling on your house ultimately flows into Barnegat Bay, you reside in the Barnegat Bay Watershed.

Wetlands are swampy or marshy areas that are often preserved for wildlife. Coastal wetlands are closely linked to our nation’s estuaries, where sea water mixes with fresh water.

Zooplankton are essentially microscopic, drifting marine animals. They are food for many larger organisms such as fish. Many marine organisms—including barnacles, lobsters, crabs, starfish, etc.—begin their life with a planktonic stage.