Sustainability in Action

Jersey shore green teams have joined forces to prevent construction site plastic waste pollution. Plastic particle contaminates, generated by the cutting, scraping and drilling of products from poly compounds such as TREX and AZAK, are buried in the ground where they leach into wetlands and can end up in the ocean. Microplastics in the ocean can bind with other harmful chemicals before being ingested by marine organisms. They have been detected in marine organisms ranging from plankton to whales, in commercial seafood, and even in drinking water.

Sustainable Downbeach is working with towns to pass resolutions and ordinances to amend a city’s construction code to require contractors and homeowners to take protective measures to prevent microplastics from entering the environment. In March 2024, Margate City and Hamilton Township passed a resolution. Somers Point City followed and passed a resolution in May 2024. Longport and Monmouth Beach have an ordinance pending.

Steve Jasiecki, the chair of Sustainable Margate and member of Sustainable Downbeach, said, “We’re hoping to add more towns to this list. A resolution is good, but an ordinance is better. If we work town by town, perhaps the State will take notice and take it from there to make it a law. I’m pleased to say that our work in Margate has resulted in greater compliance and contractors and workers are more mindful of their worksites.”

Sustainable Margate member Sherri Lilienfeld created a flyer that can be provided to contractors and shared with other towns to use. Interested towns can download the Contractor Microplastics flyer in English and Spanish. In addition, NBC10 Jersey Shore bureau reporter Ted Greenberg did a story in January 2024 that aired on the local news: Watch the video.

Sustainable Downbeach is comprised of the Longport, Margate, Ventnor and Atlantic City green teams. Margate, Ventnor, Atlantic City, Hamilton and Somers Point have achieved Sustainable Jersey certification at the bronze-level. Other projects the group has partnered on include the balloon ban ordinances, reusable bag education and carry-out bag fee ordinances, beach sweeps, watershed management plans and more. Through collaboration, Sustainable Downbeach is making considerable progress.

In March 2024, seven students from Hightstown High School and the Peddie School presented their Hightstown Water Story to a room of community members at the Hightstown First Aid Squad. The presentation was the final product from their participation in the Hightstown Environmental Youth Leadership Program. Facilitated by staff at The Watershed Institute, the students met weekly and completed the narrative that will allow Hightstown Borough to complete the Sustainable Jersey certification action: Water Story.

Michael Bollentin, a member of the Hightstown Environmental Commission said, “We’re so impressed with the work done by the students and appreciate their contribution to the sustainability program. Everyone wins when young people engage with their local government, we hope they will continue to be involved in decisions made about the environment.”

The Watershed Institute worked with the non-profit NJ RISE, the Peddie School and the Hightstown Environmental Commission to launch and run the program. For nine weeks, the students were briefed on municipal government and learned the names and duties of their elected officials at the borough, county and state levels. They met members of the Environmental Commission, the Town Council and the Shade Tree Commission. The students learned about watersheds and related issues as well as how to communicate that knowledge with others in effective advocacy. Thank you to the Watershed Institute staff that worked with the students including Lucia Middleton, community water advocate, and Priscilla Oliveira, outreach and inclusion manager.

Hightstown Borough is certified at the silver-level with Sustainable Jersey. The Water Story action results in a holistic understanding of a community’s water infrastructure, water governance and water resources as well as the identification of local water issues. Completion of the Water Story action is required for municipalities working toward the Gold Star in Water.

Evesham Township has a long history of support for preservation of open space, natural resources and rural character as demonstrated in its planning and policy documents. In December 2023, the Evesham Township Planning Board adopted an updated Open Space and Recreation Plan after completing a comprehensive planning effort involving Township officials, staff, residents and consultants. The updated Open Space and Recreation Plan Element of the Township Master Plan is intended to improve upon the existing network of parks and recreational facilities and further supplement environmental conservation efforts within the Township.

Evesham Township received a $5,000 Atlantic City Electric Sustainable Communities Grant that it used to begin updating the maps for the Open Space and Recreation Plan. The Township contributed additional funds to complete the map revisions. The new maps were updated and incorporated as a digital Geographic Information System (GIS) layer. All digital data was created on the New Jersey State Plane Coordinate System and North American Datum of 1983. These changes will make it easier for the Township of Evesham to work with the data and share digital mapping information with Burlington County and other partners.

An updated and adopted Open Space and Recreation Plan is required to apply for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program, which helps to plan and grow New Jersey’s protected lands. Through the Local Assistance Program, Green Acres provides grant and loan funding to local governments (municipalities and counties) to acquire open space and develop outdoor recreation facilities.

Evesham Township is certified at the bronze-level with Sustainable Jersey. The updated Open Space and Recreation Plan will enable Evesham Township to add certification points in its next application through completion of the Sustainable Jersey action: Open Space Plans.

Atlantic City Electric’s Sustainable Communities Grant Program, which is administered by Sustainable Jersey, accepts applications from South Jersey municipalities served by Atlantic City Electric for environmental stewardship and resiliency projects. Contingent upon receiving funding from Atlantic City Electric, the next cycle of this program will be announced in Spring 2025. Green Acres funding is typically announced in November and can be used towards land acquisition, park development, environmental stewardship, historic and natural resource restoration and inclusive playground projects.

As New Jersey’s waste stream continues to grow faster than our ability to recycle, educating about backyard composting is important. Sustainable Ringwood’s Green Team is starting at the local level, sharing the benefits of composting and how to do it. Supported by a $10,000 Sustainable Jersey grant funded by the PSEG Foundation, the outreach campaign includes demonstrations, educational posters, a video, social media posts and giveaways.

In 2023, the Ringwood Green Team partnered with Ringwood Public Library to host presentations on the fundamentals of composting. “We want our neighbors to reduce waste and feed their garden with backyard compost,” explained Jennifer Hsu, chairperson of Sustainable Ringwood. “We help our neighbors with everything from the ideal ratio of browns to greens and the best location for the compost bin. It just takes a little bit of explanation to get people on their way to enriching their garden and reducing their waste.” Hsu led the outreach campaign and was the presenter at the events.

The over 30 children and adults in attendance at the library composting presentations also participated in a hands-on experience to build a compost pile with kitchen scraps and leaves. After the presentations, a few participants were selected to receive a giveaway, including a stainless steel compost bin for kitchen scraps, an outdoor compost bin and the book entitled “Let it Rot!”

Over 300 people have viewed the presentation video “Backyard Composting,” located on the Ringwood Public Library website. The Ringwood Green team created six large composting posters that were on display in the library for three months. The posters were used in Facebook posts shared on the Sustainable Ringwood/Green Team Facebook page. The outreach campaign is ready to launch again in summer 2024. Ringwood Borough is certified at the bronze-level with Sustainable Jersey and received five certification points for completing the action: Backyard Composting Program.

Finding a community solar project is simple with the Community Solar Project Finder. Enter your zip code and discover community solar projects in your area. Learn more.

Community solar projects enable greater access to solar energy. Electric utility customers who have previously been unable to go solar, due to a variety of factors including cost, unsuitable roof, or lack of roof control, can now access this renewable energy. It enables low- and moderate- income households and the environmental justice community greater access to clean energy and savings on their electricity bills. Community solar encourages local clean energy development without compromising the preservation of open space or protected lands in New Jersey.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities is partnering with Sustainable Jersey on this initiative. Municipalities that support community solar can receive certification points under Sustainable Jersey’s Municipally Supported Community Solar action. Review the Community Solar: Sustainable Jersey How-To Guide to learn the multiple roles municipalities can take in supporting development of community solar projects.