Sparta Earns Sustainable NJ Certifications

From Sparta Township:

February 10, 2020

Sustainable Jersey representatives announced that Sparta Township has met the rigorous requirements to achieve Sustainable Jersey certification. Sparta is one of 100 towns that have attained certification in 2019. Sustainable Jersey’s participating communities represent over half the state’s municipalities and nearly 90 percent of its population.

To become Sustainable Jersey certified, Sparta submitted documentation to show it had completed a balance of the required sustainability actions, meeting a minimum of 150 action points. In addition to reaching 150 points, each certified community had to create a green team and select at least two out of 12 priority action options. Sparta did 8 of the 12 priority actions by completing a: 1) Environmental Commission; 2) Digitizing Public Information; 3) Recycling and Waste Reduction Education and Compliance; 4) Municipal On-Site Solar System; 4) Community Paper Shredding Day; 5) Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure; 6) Emergency Communication Planning; 7) Prescription Drug Safety and Disposal, and 8) Environmental Commission Site Plan Review.

“Congratulations to the municipal staff, green team volunteers and community members who have worked hard to achieve Sustainable Jersey certification,” said Randy Solomon, the executive director of Sustainable Jersey. “The 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 453 participating Sustainable Jersey towns are a powerful force in New Jersey.

About Sustainable Jersey

Sustainable Jersey provides tools, training, and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs. Currently, 80 percent or 453 of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities are participating in the municipal certification program and 345 school districts and 896 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, the PSEG Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Sustainable Jersey Grants program for municipalities is funded by PSEG Foundation and the Gardinier Environmental Fund. Platinum sponsors are South Jersey Gas, New Jersey Natural Gas, and PSEG. The Gold Sponsor is Elizabethtown Gas. Silver Sponsors are NJM Insurance Group, Bayshore Recycling, Northfield Bank, New Jersey American Water, Jersey Central Power & Light, Atlantic Health System and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. The Bronze Sponsors are Covanta, Greener by Design, Ørsted, Florio, Perrucci, Steinhardt & Cappelli LLC, First Environment, Roux Associates, Republic Services, The ECG Group, Bryan Electric, and Red Oak Power.

Website: www.SustainableJersey.com; www.SustainableJerseySchools.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/SJ_Program; www.twitter.com/SJ_Schools

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SustainableJersey

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sustainable_jersey/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-jersey

This press release was produced by Sparta Township. The views expressed here are the author’s own.