Sustainable Jersey is a certification program for municipalities in New Jersey. By supporting community efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and improve environmental equity, Sustainable Jersey is empowering New Jersey towns to build a better world for future generations. It provides tools, training and financial incentives to support and reward communities as they pursue sustainability programs. New Jersey is the first state in the nation to have a comprehensive sustainability program for communities that links certification with strong state and private financial incentives, and a fully resourced program of technical support and training.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Municipal Government Focus: Only New Jersey municipalities apply for certification.
Free: No registration fee or certification fees are charged to local governments.
Voluntary: Local government participation is strictly voluntary and never mandated.
Specific Menu of Actions: The program provides local governments with a clear mission and a menu of sustainable actions to achieve. Sustainable Jersey Actions
New Jersey Based and Consensus Driven: The technical content of the program’s actions are developed with the help of 22 task forces that comprise New Jersey state local officials, experts, non-profit groups, and members of the business community. Recommended best practices/actions are vetted with local government officials.
Program Training, Workshops and Technical Support: Training, monthly workshops and technical support is provided to communities in order to build general capacity and effectiveness of local governments and Green Teams for implementing the program.
Green Teams: Each registered community is required to have a Green Team. The Green Team is appointed by the municipal governing body and includes representatives from the Environmental Commission, Operations and Maintenance, Planning and Zoning, and other relevant municipal departments as well as volunteers from the community and key constituencies such as the business community, faith based groups, and school groups.
Political Affiliation: The number of republican and democratic led municipalities participating in the program is nearly equal.
For more information please visit the Sustainable Jersey Website