Sustainable Jersey
Vision
To achieve a sustainable New Jersey, one community at a time.
Mission
Empower New Jersey communities to build a better world for future generations with the tools, training and financial incentives necessary to pursue critical sustainability initiatives
Overview
Sustainable Jersey is a network and movement of municipalities, schools and school districts working collectively to bring about a sustainable New Jersey. Acting with state agencies, non-profit organizations, foundations, academia and industry, Sustainable Jersey researches best practices for what communities could and should do to contribute to a sustainable future. The program culminates in a prestigious certification award to municipalities and schools that have documented meeting a set of rigorous standards.
Since the launch of the Sustainable Jersey municipal program in 2009 and the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program in 2013, participants have successfully implemented and documented over 9,000 discrete actions from our list of best practices. Over five-million dollars in grants have been awarded to municipalities, schools and school districts in the program. Sustainable Jersey provides tools, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs. By supporting efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions, educate for sustainability, stimulate local economies, increase resiliency and progress toward an equitable society, Sustainable Jersey is empowering communities to build a better world for future generations.
Caldwell Environmental Commission’s Participation
Caldwell has participated in the Sustainable Jersey Program since 2014. That year we received Bronze Certification as well as in 2017.
We have been fortunate to receive 2 grants from the Sustainable Jersey Grants Program.
In 2017, Caldwell received a $2,000 grant for the purchase of materials to encourage people to decrease their use of plastics and to increase their support of pollinators.
In 2019, we received a $20,000 grant for storm water green infrastructure. We are currently working with the Rutgers Water Resources Department to develop 2 rain gardens to control storm water runoff. The Caldwell Progress article is included below.
We have chosen the site for the town rain garden. It will be adjacent to the Community Center, opposite the Kiwanis Oval. We hope to complete them in 2020.
Sustainability Hero
Ann Farr Marchioni, a member of the Caldwell Environmental Commission since 1978, was honored as a Sustainability Hero at the Sustainable Jersey annual luncheon Nov. 13 in Atlantic City during the New Jersey State League of Municipalities‘ annual conference. Marchioni, who has been co-chair or chairwoman of the environmental commission since 2005, has helped Caldwell achieve bronze level certification for Sustainable Jersey.
She has worked with Caldwell’s mayor and council on resolutions and ordinances that make the town greener, developing an anti-idling ordinance and seeing it passed; pressing the town to improve the means and organization of recycling; and initiating and following through on getting Caldwell on board with the Open Space Trust Fund. She has organized annual Earth Day and Arbor Day activities that have included contests for students and several sustainable events, such as bike swaps, tree planting and paper shredding. Most recently, she has been an advocate for pollinators – and the native plants they depend on; she was the singular force behind turning a plot of open space land on Personette Street into a large pollinator garden, inspiring a growing team of local volunteers to lend their time to plant and maintain.
Marchioni also led the environmental commission in initiating the PSE&G Solar 4 All Program, which resulted in an array of solar panels that will store and help keep the borough’s wastewater treatment plant running during any extended power outage as a result of severe weather.