The following is from Maplewood Township:
Sustainable Jersey representatives announced that Maplewood has met the rigorous requirements to achieve Sustainable Jersey certification. Maplewood is one of only 25 New Jersey municipalities that attained certification at the silver-level in 2016. It will be honored at the Sustainable Jersey Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 in Atlantic City with Mayor Victor De Luca accepting the award.
“We are honored and proud to have earned Silver Certification,” said Mayor De Luca. “Maplewood has been a leader as a green and sustainable municipality and this year we established a Township Sustainability Committee to continue moving our green agenda forward. I want to thank our Department Directors and volunteers on the Green Team and Environmental Advisory Committee for their assistance with our Sustainable Jersey application,” said De Luca.
To become Sustainable Jersey certified at the silver-level, Maplewood submitted documentation to show it had completed 34 sustainability actions in 15 categories, earning 365 points (minimum is 350 points). Among the categories for which Maplewood submitted action plans were 1) energy tracking & management, 2) a green business recognition program, 4) municipal carbon footprint, 5) sustainable land use, 6) prescription drug safety and disposal, and 7) diversity on boards & commissions]
“Sustainable Jersey is incredibly proud of the 74 New Jersey towns that achieved certification this year,” said Donna Drewes, co-director of Sustainable Jersey. “The 198 Sustainable Jersey certified towns demonstrate leadership and are a testament to how much we can accomplish toward the long-term goal of a sustainable New Jersey.”
Certified towns excelled in areas such as improving energy efficiency and health and wellness, reducing waste, sustaining local economies, protecting natural resources and advancing the arts. “Collectively the 440 participating Sustainable Jersey towns are a powerful force in New Jersey,” said Randall Solomon, co-director of Sustainable Jersey.
About Sustainable Jersey
Sustainable Jersey is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides tools, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs. Currently, 78 percent, or 440 of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities are participating in the municipal certification program and 208 school districts and 516 schools are participating in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification program.
Sustainable Jersey’s partners include the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, Sustainability Institute at The College of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program. Program underwriters include the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Program and the Surdna Foundation. The 2016 Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program for municipalities is funded by PSEG Foundation and the Gardinier Environmental Fund. South Jersey Gas and New Jersey Natural Gas are Platinum Sponsors. NJM Insurance Group is a Gold Sponsor, Bayshore Recycling is a Silver Sponsor and our Bronze Sponsors are Investors Bank, Covanta, Energy Solve, JCP&L, GovPilot Direct Energy Solar and SolarCity. The Sustainability Summit venue sponsors are Good Energy and Verizon.
