47 New Jersey Towns Submit for Sustainable Jersey Certification

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 provides:

• A set of sustainable actions that municipalities implement to become certified. Actions include: ordinances, programs, policies and procedures and retrofit or renovation of facilities.
• Clear “how to” guidance and tools to enable communities to make progress on each action.
• Access to grants and updates about existing and new funding opportunities to help communities make progress.

CERTIFICATION BENEFITS - With over 270 New Jersey registered towns, the Sustainable Jersey scene is bigger than ever. Don’t miss your chance to:

Save money. Get money.
Sustainable Jersey towns and cities implement practices that lead to cost savings in energy, water, and garbage bills. The program helps communities improve efficiency, cut waste, and stimulate their local economy. Registered towns get special priority access and notification of incentives and grants and are eligible for the Sustainable Jersey Small Grant Program which funds $220,000 worth of sustainable projects annually across New Jersey.

Gain access to training, tools, and expert guidance.
Sustainable Jersey towns have access to clear “how to” guidance and New Jersey specific actions and resources for developing a comprehensive sustainable community program. Regular training workshops, webinars, and leadership meetings provide your town with connections to the leading experts in municipal sustainability issues.

Get recognized. Promote your town.
Sustainable Jersey towns are promoted on our website, in our publications, in the press, and at promotional events. Towns that achieve certification are provided a customized Sustainable Jersey logo that can be used on the town’s promotional materials. Municipalities are honored at an annual Sustainable Jersey luncheon at the New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference. Annual Sustainable Jersey awards are bestowed upon those who earn the most points and those towns that excel in leadership, innovation, and collaboration.

Conserve valuable resources. Protect the environment.
Residents increasingly want to live in towns that are doing their part for the environment. The Sustainable Jersey actions cover a wide range of topic areas focusing on people, prosperity and the planet. By becoming a Sustainable Jersey certified town, you align your municipality with your community’s values while saving both natural and municipal resources.

Sustainable Jersey Certification Program At a Glance

• New Jersey municipalities apply for certification
• The program is voluntary
• There is no fee for the certification, the use of the program tools, or participation in the training workshops
• The certification is valid for three years
• There are two certification levels: bronze level requires a total of 150 points and silver level requires a total of 350 points
• 34 New Jersey towns were certified in 2009
• As of June 2010, 273 towns have registered and are working towards certification

Certification Steps
You have nothing to lose by taking the first step toward certification. The online certification program allows you to pursue a balanced sustainability program one policy, program, or resource audit at a time. Your town can start slowly
and see how each small step yields economic and community gains.

Step 1: Pass a resolution that states your municipality’s intent to pursue Sustainable Jersey™ Certification. A sample resolution can be downloaded from the website: www.sustainablejersey.com.

Step 2: Register your municipality online at www.sustainablejersey.com and name your point persons.

Step 3: Implement actions (mandatory, priority, and optional) totaling at least 150 points; each action has a complete toolkit that includes guidance about who should be involved, costs, resources, what to do, submission requirements, and other information related to completing the action successfully.

Step 4: Upload documents associated with completed actions on the secure website to meet submission requirements.

Step 5: Sustainable Jersey certification awarded after review and verification of application materials.

To promote a comprehensive and results-oriented approach to sustainability, the certification application is based on a checklist of 118 actions in 16 categories. Although some actions are required, the certification process is flexible, allowing your town to choose from a broad range of actions.

16 ACTION CATEGORIES:

PROSPERITY
• Energy efficiency
• Food
• Local economies
• Operations and maintenance

PEOPLE
• Arts, culture and historic preservation
• Community partnerships and outreach
• Diversity and equity
• Health and wellness
• Sustainability planning

PLANET
• Animals in the community
• Green design
• Greenhouse gas
• Innovative demonstration projects
• Land use and transportation
• Natural resources
• Waste management