Township, Environmental Commission Hope for Silver Certification

The Berkeley Heights Environmental Commission has the full support and encouragement of the Township Council going forward as it attempts to achieve a Silver Certification from the state’s Sustainable Jersey program.

The township was already one of the first towns in the state to earn the program’s Bronze Certification, and has since attempted to improve its presence in promoting and enacting environmentally-friendly ideas and programs throughout the township.

According to chairman Leonard Berkowitz, the Environmental Commission has undertaken several more environmental responsibilities in the hopes of joining Summit as a township with a Silver Certification. Events held by the commission have included a styrofoam recycling day, as well as educational programs at the Berkeley Heights Public Library which, according to Berkowitz, taught residents “how they can save energy in their own homes and reduce their (carbon) footprint.”

The Environmental Commission has also invested in four take-home energy meters that residents can check out from the library to investigate their energy usage, and has also continued to look into planting more varieties of trees in areas of need throughout the township.

“We took a survey of street trees to see what varieties are there, so when we plant new trees, we won’t have a monoculture of the same variety of trees,” said Berkowitz.

The Township Council’s support goes a long way toward the achievement of a Silver Certification for the township, which is awarded after the township earns 350 total points at the discretion of Sustainable Jersey. This is why the resolution to support the group passed unanimously on Tuesday night.

“Getting these plans with some kind of vote of confidence from the council is worth points on the road map to getting a Silver Certification,” said Berkowitz. “It’s worth about 30 points out of 350 (points), so it’s significant.”