Wyckoff Resident Is Passionate About Getting Others To Care About The Environment

Harriet Shugarman’s desire to help the planet has taken her from the world’s biggest stage to a much smaller one in comparison.

But to her, it doesn’t matter if she is speaking to world leaders at the United Nations or to a group of elementary school students, the message is the same: Help protect the environment.

Shugarman has served on the Wyckoff Environmental Commission since 2009. She was appointed chairwoman in 2010.

Shugarman was a member of the U.N.’s International Monetary Fund and helped create the first Earth Summit in 1992. The summit was the first large-scale action the U.N. took on addressing climate change.

She also founded Climate Mama, a non-profit dedicated to educating others about the reality and consequences of global climate change.

Now, instead of addressing international representatives, Shugarman spends time with young boys and girls and works, quite literally, on a grassroots level. She helped form the Wyckoff Green Team, a group of people that spearhead environmental projects in town, and teacher global climate change at Ramapo College in Mahwah.

“Our initial outreach was met with an overwhelming positive response,” Shugarman said. “About 50 people responded.”

The team is composed of residents of various ages, including several junior members. Each school has a student Green Team coordinator. He or she helps students organize sustainability projects and talk to each other about ways they can help the environment.

“We’ve had such a positive response, it’s been so great,” Shugarman said.

Shugarman and the commission are working with local Girl Scouts to install milkweed plants in Russell Farm Community Park.

Monarch butterflies need milkweed plants to survive. Climate change and pesticides have lead to a drop off in the number of milkweed plants in nature, decreasing the chance that the butterflies will make it to Mexico for their annual migration.

Girl Scouts are also helping to plant a rain garden at the library. Rain gardens are made of plants that, once planted, do not require any watering. They are native to New Jersey and are meant to survive with no help from people.

“We’re trying to get people to connect with one thing and getting the Scouts involved is one way we can do that,” Shugarman said. “If you don’t know what’s out there, you don’t know what you’re missing. Everything is connected and as we take away all of the pieces that go together, it changes things and ultimately, that’s not good for any of us.”

(Pictured: Harriet Shugarman, center, receives an award from the New Jersey League of Municipalities)