Sustainability in Action
In the Summer 2022 edition of the Sustainable Jersey Newsletter:
- Eatontown Borough Works to Undo the Damage of Invasive Plants
- Merchantville Grows Gardens and Promotes Food Security
- Climate Change Lesson Plans by NJ Teachers for NJ Teachers
- Delaware Township School Learning Garden Provides Access to World Beyond the Classroom
- Grants to Improve Air Quality and Energy Performance in Women- and Minority-Owned Small Businesses
Eatontown Borough Works to Undo the Damage of Invasive Plants (Monmouth County)
That battle against invasive species is being fought locally in Monmouth County. The Eatontown Environmental Commission joined forces with colleagues in Colts Neck Township and the Borough of Rumson to form the Monmouth Invasive Species Strike Team (MISST). The group is helping communities learn best practices for eradicating invasive plant species and restoring healthy habitats through trainings. The first event was held at Bliss Price Arboretum and Wildlife Sanctuary in Eatontown. Michael Van Clef, Ph.D., the Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space Stewardship Director and Invasive Species Strike Team Program Director, trained the group of nearly 25 residents from Eatontown and other neighboring towns. MISST sponsored additional trainings in the City of Long Branch, Ocean Township and Colts Neck Township. The Eatontown Borough volunteers formed a partnership comprised of the Eatontown Environmental Commission, Eatontown Shade Tree Commission, Beautify Eatontown, Eatontown Borough Department of Public Works and Eatontown Green Team. Laura Bagwell, chair of the Eatontown Environmental Commission and Green Team said, “We’re lucky to have dedicated volunteers and community partners to take on the huge task of managing the many invasive plants in our parks, yards and wild spaces. Regular work parties are held at the Arboretum to manage invasive plants by hand-pulling, snipping, lopping and sawing.” To support the initiative, the Eatontown Environmental Commission and Shade Tree Commission introduced an ordinance that was reviewed by local groups and passed unanimously by the Eatontown Borough Council in March 2022. Ordinance 05-2022 - Planting and Landscape, Native Plants, Trees amends the Eatontown Borough landscape ordinance to require that plantings for projects reviewed by the Eatontown Planning and Zoning Board be native species. It also bans any trees, shrubs and plants listed on the New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Teams Do Not Plant List. Eatontown Borough is certified with Sustainable Jersey.
Merchantville Grows Gardens and Promotes Food Security (Camden County)
Concerned with the overall health and well-being of their town, a coalition of residents and community groups in Merchantville Borough are implementing projects to nurture environmental stewardship, encourage a culture of wellness and promote food justice. The Merchantville Green Team and Incredible Edible Merchantville have enhanced the Merchantville Community Gardens that are located behind the Merchantville Community Center. Merchantville Borough, a Sustainable Jersey bronze-certified town, received two $2,000 Sustainable Jersey grants, funded by the PSEG Foundation, that have supported this work. Led by Rutgers Environmental Stewards Kerry Mentzer and Dorothy Foley, over 25 volunteers helped plant, dig, build, water, harvest and coordinate produce donations from the community garden. The community gardeners added vegetable beds, a native pollinator garden, a bin composting system, rain barrels and a garden sign painted by local artists. Merchantville Mayor Ted Brennan explained, “A group of inspired residents adopted a mission of connecting our community by promoting sustainable living, food justice and good health through the creation of edible landscapes across our small borough. Though their work has just begun, they have already developed a vibrant outreach program with more than 30 registered gardens, donating fresh produce to supplement local food pantry demands. Incredible Edible Merchantville envisions a town filled with accessible, edible landscapes and I look forward to supporting their work, as an integral part of our town’s overall sustainability strategy.” Merchantville Borough received 20 certification points toward their Sustainable Jersey certification report.
Climate Change Lesson Plans by NJ Teachers for NJ Teachers
The New Jersey Climate Change Education Hub, launched in June 2022, equips educators with teaching materials aligned to the new Climate Change Education Student Learning Standards. The free hub has exemplar lesson plans written by New Jersey educators, a database of more than 1,500 teaching resources, professional learning opportunities and guidance for school boards. The New Jersey Climate Change Education Initiative recommended that for standards to be effectively implemented, teachers need to be supported with adequate resources. New Jersey teachers were recruited to join the inaugural class of New Jersey Climate Change Teaching Fellows. Yen-Yen Chiu, Ed.D., a teacher at Highland Park Middle School, is one of the teaching fellows. Chiu explained, “As I created the lesson plans, I was constantly asking myself: Would this work in my classroom and with my students?” As a teacher of English language arts and algebra, pre-algebra and foundational math, Chiu brings a unique perspective that spans different subject areas. She said, “By creating this curriculum we are showing that climate change is a subject that goes beyond science class. Climate change is also a social, political and economic problem. By incorporating climate change into all subjects, the students will develop a strong set of skills that will allow them to apply their knowledge in the real world, including problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, negotiation and more.” George L. Catrambone School, Egg Harbor High School, Highland Park Middle School, Hopewell Valley Central High School and Stillwater Elementary School have achieved Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification and have teachers who were selected to develop lesson plans available on the New Jersey Climate Change Education Hub. The Hub was created through a unique partnership between New Jersey School Boards Association, Sustainable Jersey, The College of New Jersey, New Jersey Audubon, National Wildlife Federation and SubjectToClimate.
Delaware Township School Learning Garden Provides Access to World Beyond the Classroom (Hunterdon County)
Students, teachers, birds, bees, toads and worms enjoy a beautiful outdoor space where they can thrive and learn at the Delaware Township School (DTS). Girl Scout Troop 81295 had a vision for how to transform an unused portion of their schoolyard and through hard work, the members of this troop inspired and partnered with the community to help them complete the important project. With the help of a $2,000 Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant funded by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the school accomplished a lot. Girl Scout Troop 81295, Scout Liam Gillooly along with DTS community and staff, constructed the designed garden; it includes seating, circular pathways, a native plant garden, a composting area, a structure to store teaching and garden tools and more. The seats are made from local ash tree logs and the pathway is river stone with wood cookie stepping tiles made from local fallen trees. The area is surrounded by native garden beds planted with perennial flowers and shrubs and the entryway sign is made from a locally sourced cherry wood slab. DTS Principal Scott Lipson said, “By incorporating sustainability tools and functions into the entire space, the Learning Garden not only provides immediate access to the world beyond the classroom—but also fosters interest in how the world works and making responsible choices for the environment.” Teachers use a Google Calendar to schedule their classes in the learning garden and a User’s Manual was created to assist them with lessons. In addition to in-school activities, the garden is also used for community events. Watch the video to see how the garden evolved: Troop 81295’s Journey to the Learning Garden. Delaware Township School is a Sustainable Jersey for Schools certified school and the Sustainable Jersey for Schools 2022 NJEA grant cycle is now open, visit: https://bit.ly/SJSNJEAgrants.
Grants to Improve Air Quality and Energy Performance in Women- and Minority-Owned Small Businesses
The School and Small Business Energy Efficiency Stimulus (SSBS) Programs are part of a $180 million grant initiative for New Jersey public schools and women- and minority-owned small businesses to improve the air quality and energy performance of their buildings. The programs provide grants for up to 75% of costs to maintain, repair or replace HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems and install energy efficient and water-conserving plumbing fixtures and appliances. These programs improve the health and safety of eligible schools and small businesses while creating jobs for labor-intensive projects. Through the SSBS Programs, the Newark Board of Education received $1.8 million in grant funding to replace outdated and inefficient plumbing fixtures such as toilets, urinals, faucet aerators, showerheads and icemakers with water efficient fixtures. The improvements in the Newark schools will reduce water and energy use in the schools while providing cost savings to the district for years to come. Sixty-five schools in Newark Public Schools achieved Sustainable Jersey certification in 2022, and a significant part of their certification was the completion of the actions for energy efficiency for school facilities and energy tracking and management. Sustainable Jersey green teams and municipalities can help eligible businesses learn about these grants by sharing program information. Learn more: NJCleanEnergy.com/SSBStimulus. Check out this informational video: Energy Efficiency Stimulus Grant.