Green Brook Earns Sustainable New Jersey Stamp of Approval

Township Administrator Kelly Cupit announced that Green Brook has joined 125 other New Jersey towns in becomingcertified by Sustainable Jersey, an achievement that recognizes the township for its ongoing efforts to protect natural resources, reduce waste and teach residents how to be "green."

"What that means to Green Brook is that it puts us in a category of other elite towns that have reached the bronze certification," said Cupit. “The next level is the silver certification, which we will continue to work towards, and it also avails us to more grant opportunities.

“It basically just means that we are a sustainable community, that supports sustainable activity, so I am very excited about that,” she said at the Oct. 15 Township Committee meeting.

To earn Sustainable Jersey certification, Green Brook had to complete the program's extensive list of sustainability actions such as energy audits of municipal buildings, develop a strategic plan, embracing "safe routes to school" and anti-idling programs.

Green Brook earned more than the 150 points needed for the first level of Sustainable Jersey certification. In addition to reaching the required points, each community has to create a Green Team and select at least two of the seven priority actions for the bronze-level designation.

Some of the other activities that Green Brook both participated in and will continue to do according to the township website are:

• Grasscycling, Cut It and Leave It Program, encouraging residents to recycle their grass clippings;
• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Educational Program.

The initiative was led by Michelle Plaugic, a senior at Rutgers University and intern Green Brook hired over the summer.

Sustainable Jersey is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 2009 that supports community efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental quality.