The Green Team earned the bronze certification through statewide nonprofit Sustainable Jersey
For the first time in township history, the Harrison Township Green Team was awarded and recognized as a sustainable community by the statewide nonprofit Sustainable Jersey.
The Green Team, comprised of appointed township Environmental Commission volunteers, was created almost one year ago with the purpose of reviewing and evaluating initiatives to make Harrison Township environmentally friendly.
According to Chairman Mark Froio, Sustainable Jersey provided the Green Team with a list of more than 150 potential actions it could take as a community to earn the certification. Each action is worth a certain amount of points, with 150 points needed to receive the bronze level recognition. Froio said through measures such as utilizing solar panels and rain gardens to maximize energy efficiency within municipal buildings, as well as improving public engagement with demonstrations and presentations at Harrison Township Day and community shredding events, the Green Team accumulated 160 points. In total, the township accomplished 16 actions within eight categories.
“This is not a gimme type of accreditation; a lot was kicked back and needed to be resubmitted,” Froio said. “We’re excited about it, to have it and to have achieved it this quick.”
According to the Sustainable Jersey website, www.sustainablejersey.com, the nonprofit organization “provides tools, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability programs.” In doing so, the program expects communities to “reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental equity.” More than 440 towns within the state are registered with the program, and more than 200 were recognized in November for achieving certification.
Froio said the team had submitted for the certification in September, however multiple actions were rejected or called for revision due to insufficient documentation or improper categorization. According to Froio, the team thought at this point, the certification would be a goal to achieve in 2018, however it came as a surprise when they received notification from Sustainable Jersey in December their resubmissions had been awarded at the bronze level.
“The certification means a lot of good things,” Froio said. “Ultimately, our goal is to make our township as sustainable and green as we can.”
With the sustainable designation, Harrison Township is eligible to receive certain grants, as well as additional resources to accomplish further green initiatives.
Moving forward, Froio said, the Green Team would be assessing what is left to accomplish to receive the next level of silver certification, which requires 350 points gained through sustainable actions.
Froio encourages residents to attend Green Team public meetings, held the first Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building courtroom. Members of the Green Team include Daneen Fuss, secretary; Sam Zappala; Froio; Mike Gonserkevis; Lawrence Moore, vice chair; Joseph Schwab; Elizabeth Sarson; John Craig; Daniel Nowakowski; Matthew Warner; and Jeffrey Jacques, township committee liaison.
To learn about the Green Team, visit their page at www.harrisontwp.us.
