SUSTAINABLE JERSEY ™ is a certification program for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term.
Sustainable Jersey:
- Identifies concrete actions that municipalities can implement to become "certified" and be considered leaders on the path to a sustainable community
- Provides clear “how to” guidance and tools to enable communities to make progress on each action
- Provides access to grants, and identifies existing and new funding opportunities for municipalities to make progress toward the actions
- Encompasses the 3 equal, interrelated components of sustainability:
Prosperity-support your local economy and use community resources
Planet-practice responsible environmental management and conservation
People-embrace social equity and fairness
ANNOUNCEMENTS OF INTEREST
See the video below from New Jersey Natural Gas, Sustainable Jersey's 2011 Corporate Honoree (debuted at the 2011 Sustainable Jersey Awards Luncheon)
2012 SUSTAINABLE JERSEY PROGRAM UPDATES (1.25.12)
The Sustainable Jersey team is currently incorporating the feedback received during 2011 into the Sustainable Jersey actions.
There will be minimal differences between 2011 and 2012 overall. The general program requirements remain the same (points, priority actions, etc.).
A modest number of the current actions will have significant changes - significant changes are defined as having implementation or submission requirements that are different enough that the previous version would no longer earn points.
We will post a list of which actions will be affected at the earliest possible date. Please check here for updates.
National Green Ribbon Schools (GRS) Program (1.25.12)
Sustainable Jersey is proud to announce New Jersey’s participation in the new national Green Ribbon Schools (GRS) program, which will recognize exemplary achievement and best practices in the areas of energy efficiency, healthy school environments and sustainability education. A key element of the GRS program will focus on how successful practices lower operating costs while improving student achievement.
New Jersey is one of 34 states that will implement the GRS program in 2012, its pilot year. Schools making significant efforts in one or more of the areas cited above are strongly encouraged to apply. The application can also serve as a self-assessment tool for your schools.
Important Deadlines: Interested schools should email a Letter of Intent to participate in the NJ Green Ribbon Application process by February 6, 2012 to Carol James at cajames@me.com.
Email the completed NJ Green Ribbon Schools Application and all related documents to Carol James at: cajames@me.com by March 2nd, 2012.
To find out more about this exciting opportunity, visit the New Jersey Green Ribbon Schools web site.
32 New Jersey Towns Win Sustainable Jersey® Grants; $175,000 Awarded for Sustainable Projects Funded by Walmart (11.15.11)
Award Recipients Span 18 Counties: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex and Warren
$175,000 has been awarded through the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program funded by Walmart. Thirty-two local governments will accept green grants for sustainability projects at the Annual Sustainable Jersey Awards luncheon on November 15, 2011 at the New Jersey State League of Municipalities’ conference in Atlantic City. This is the third year that Walmart has funded the grants program, bringing their total contribution to $595,000.
“Over the past few years, through Walmart’s sponsorship of the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program, municipalities across New Jersey have taken on the task of making their communities greener and more sustainable,” said Jennifer Hoehn, Walmart Senior Manager of Public Affairs for the state of New Jersey. “Walmart is proud of the success of this program and we look forward to continuing to make a difference in the state through these grants.”
The 11 winners of the $25,000 and $10,000 grants have proposed projects that provide sustainable solutions to everyday challenges. Wind turbines, electric vehicle charging stations, school food composting, community gardens and more have been added to the list of initiatives that the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program is funding.
THE 2011 SMALL GRANT WINNERS ARE:
• Three $25,000 Grant Winners: Marlboro, West Windsor and Woolwich Township.
• Eight $10,000 Grant Winners: Berkeley Township, Cape May City, Frelinghuysen, Hardyston, Secaucus, South Orange, Teaneck and Washington Township.
• Twenty-one $1,000 Capacity-Building Grant Winners: Burlington City, Burlington Township, Chester Township, Chesterfield Township, Eatontown, Elsinboro Township, Galloway Township, Glen Rock, Green Brook, Haddonfield, Hawthorne, Jackson Township, Livingston, Maplewood, Milltown, Morris Plains, North Plainfield, Norwood, Pequannock, River Vale and Wyckoff.
The Sustainable Jersey grants are intended to help local governments make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey certification. Currently, 62 percent of New Jersey’s towns and cities (350 towns across all 21 counties) have registered to become Sustainable Jersey certified. “The impact that these projects will make in New Jersey is incredible,” said Pam Mount, Chair of the Sustainable Jersey Board of Trustees. “Funding green initiatives at the community level will have a ripple effect that will benefit us all.”
In applying for a grant, each municipality submitted a proposal describing its local sustainability initiative and described how it would relate to the Sustainable Jersey actions. A total of 86 proposals were reviewed and scored by a neutral Blue Ribbon selection committee composed of uncompensated experts and public figures.
For full press release, click here.
Sustainable Jersey® Announces New Board of Trustees (11.10.11)
On Nov. 1, 2011 Sustainable Jersey announced its 2011/2012 Board of Trustees led by Chairperson, Pam Mount, who is a Lawrence Township Councilwoman and the former Chair of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities’ Mayors’ Committee for a Green Future. The newly formed Board includes New Jersey’s most accomplished leaders in municipal governance and sustainability, including mayors, sustainability experts, accomplished scholars, corporate leaders and innovators.
"We are extremely fortunate to have such talented people join Sustainable Jersey," said Donna Drewes, Co-Director of the Institute for Sustainability Planning and Governance at the Municipal Land Use Center at The College of New Jersey and Sustainable Jersey founding partner. "Each Trustee brings extensive experience and his/her leadership is something that will be an invaluable asset as Sustainable Jersey strives to expand its reach across New Jersey to support every town that pursues a comprehensive sustainability program through our municipal certification program."
In just over two years, Sustainable Jersey's 350 participating communities now represent over half of the state's municipalities and nearly 75 percent of its population. Due to its rapid success, representatives of Sustainable Jersey are strengthening the organization with the addition of the Board of Trustees as it evolves from a partnership into a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The 2011/2012 Sustainable Jersey Board of Trustees includes:
• Clint Andrews, Professor, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University
• Roland Anglin, Ph.D., Executive Director, Initiative for Regional and Community Transformation (IRCT), Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University
• Ana Baptista, Director of Environmental and Planning Programs, Ironbound Community Corp.
• Chris Bollwage, Mayor, City of Elizabeth (Union County)
• Richard Dovey, President, Atlantic County Utilities Authority
• Caroline Ehrlich, Chief of Staff, Woodbridge Township
• Richard Fair, Director, Master of Government Accountancy Program, Rutgers University
• James Florio, Former Governor; Senior Partner at Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Fader
• Maureen Hassett, Senior Vice President, Govt. and Communications, Economic Development Authority
• Mary Anna Holden, Mayor, Madison Borough (Morris County)
• Anne Hoskins, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Sustainability, PSEG Service Corp.
• Jane Kenny, Managing Partner, The Whitman Strategy Group
• Pam Mount, Councilwoman and former mayor, Lawrence Township (Mercer County)
• Anne-Marie Peracchio, Director, Conservation and Clean Energy Policy, New Jersey Natural Gas
• Ellen Pompper, Mayor, Lower Alloways Creek (Salem County)
• Ex-Officio: William Dressel, Executive Director, New Jersey State League of Municipalities
• Ex-Officio: Michele Siekerka, Assistant Commissioner, Economic Growth and Green Energy New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
• Ex-Officio: Gary Finger, Ombudsperson, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
The Board of Trustees will be recognized at the annual Sustainable Jersey Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, November 15 at the New Jersey League of Municipalities’ conference in Atlantic City. The key note speakers will include James Florio, the former New Jersey Governor and Trustee of the Sustainable Jersey Board of Trustees and project partners Joseph Fiordaliso, Commissioner of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and Michele Siekerka, Assistant Commissioner, Economic Growth and Green Energy, at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
See PDF of press release here.
20 More Towns Achieve Sustainable Jersey® 2011 Certification! (11.7.11)
The certified towns from the August 26 application deadline have been announced!
With the addition of the 2011 certified towns, there are a total of 96 Sustainable Jersey certified municipalities. Six communities raised the bar by meeting the Silver Level of certification that requires the completion of more sustainable actions in the program.
The 2011 Sustainable Jersey SILVER Level Certified Communities from the August applicants are as follows:
1. Bernards, Somerset County
2. Cape May, Cape May County
3. Cherry Hill, Camden County
4. Jersey City, Hudson County
5. Summit, Union County
6. Woodbridge, Middlesex County
The 2011 Sustainable Jersey BRONZE Level Certified Communities from the August applicants are as follows:
1. City of Orange, Essex County
2. Flemington, Hunterdon County
3. Gloucester Township, Camden County
4. Haddon, Camden County
5. Hanover, Morris County
6. Hoboken, Hudson County
7. Lawrence, Mercer County
8. Linwood, Atlantic County
9. Long Branch, Monmouth County
10. Monmouth Beach, Monmouth County
11. Oakland, Bergen County
12. Raritan, Hunterdon
13. Tenafly, Bergen County
14. Washington Township, Morris County
The full press release can be seen here. (The press release for the previous 8 towns, certified last month, can be seen here.)
All 28 towns certified in program year 2011 will be honored at the 3rd Annual Sustainable Jersey Awards Luncheon in Atlantic City on November 15th.
Congratulations again to all the Sustainable Jersey certified and registered towns on all your great work!
NOTE About Application Deadlines
August 26, 2011 was the last deadline that will qualify towns to have their applications reviewed in time for participation in the 3rd Annual Sustainable Jersey Awards Luncheon, November 15, 2011, at the 96th Annual New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference.
This deadline was for certification, NOT registration. This deadline was only for towns seeking to be certified in time to be acknowledged at the Annual Sustainable Jersey Awards Luncheon in November.
Completed applications submitted between August 27, 2011 and January 6, 2012 will still be considered part of the 2011 program year, but will be reviewed after the 2011 NJLM conference.
If you have questions, contact us at info@sustainablejersey.com or by calling 609-771-2938.