Get Green to “Go Green” With Sustainable Jersey

Get Green to “Go Green” With Sustainable Jersey
We'd all love to be a little greener. To install solar panels on our roofs, to buy grass-fed USDA-certified organic meat, and to plant a thousand happy little trees through our communities. But in reality, few if any of us have time or resources. Nor do our municipal governments, especially these days. The time and resources required to live a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle can make these changes seem, frankly, unattainable.

The Sustainable Jersey program seeks to change all that. 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. It’s that promise wedged between the commas- “save money”- that’s making the biggest impact amongst today’s budget slashing. Sustainable Jersey pledges to find federal and state grants for municipalities that go green, and so far, it’s brought a huge number of towns over to the green team. Twelve communities in Hunterdon County are among 328 throughout the state entering the certification process. Thirty-four fully-certified communities in 2010 were awarded $220,000 in grants; thirty-three more communities have since received certification in 2011.

Hunterdon County communities are just beginning the certification process, which requires that first and foremost a municipality establish a “Green Team” to oversee sustainability efforts. A number of communities already have their Green Teams- Califon, Flemington, Frenchtown, High Bridge, Lebanon, Clinton and Lambertville and the townships of Bethlehem, East Amwell, Kingwood, Raritan and Readington- while a few are still working to form them- Hampton, Union Township, Delaware Township, and West Amwell Township.

Sustainable Jersey seeks to promote a comprehensive and results-oriented approach to sustainability. Though some actions- such as the Green Team- are required for certification, the process allows communities considerable flexibility in choosing what programs to implement. The certification process functions as a point system based on a checklist of 118 actions in 16 categories. Broadly speaking, the categories can be sorted into three overarching themes: prosperity for the community, such as supporting local economies and promoting energy efficiency; providing for the people, like conducting community partnerships and outreach, and undertaking arts, culture, and historic preservation; and giving back to the planet, such as waste management initiatives, green design programs, and improving land use and transportation. The certification is good for three years, charges no fees or processing costs, and rewards communities that might have been voluntarily implementing green programs anyway.
Not only does Sustainable Jersey save (and make) your town money, it can provide access to training and tools, promote your town, and best yet, through your community’s participation you become an active participant in protecting the environment. And that's exactly what I want my local government to do for me.