N.J. mayors unite for environment
Green committee introduces plan to help community leaders take action
Michelle Cerone / Staff Writer
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Metro
Local government officials from across the state united to discuss a plan for making their communities more sustainable at yesterday's meeting for the Mayors' Committee for a Green Future.
The committee has been working with the New Jersey Sustainable State Institute to develop the Green Future Roadmap. The plan is a resource municipalities can use to become environmentally friendly communities. The committee introduced the plan at the meeting as well as information about two tools for improving the environment.
"We are going to make New Jersey green one municipality at a time," said Fred Profeta, the Maplewood deputy mayor for the Environment.
He said the plan defines the criteria towns must meet to be considered green, and provide guidance and incentives to help towns meet these goals.
Profeta, the committee's co-chair, said communities can take steps toward sustainability by holding a green fair, establishing a green curriculum in schools and expanding recycling programs.
"We have to make some decisions as to focus," Profeta said.
This committee introduced information about how to conduct an energy audit for municipal buildings and how to do green purchasing at the meeting held at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
Profeta said they formed another group, the Sustainable Community Working Group, to come up with ideas for the criteria. He said it would then be up to the committee to decide what their focus would be and to try to get incentives for the municipalities.
Highland Park Mayor Meryl Frank spoke about some of the difficulties in creating a sustainable community. She said the environment is a hot issue right now, but several years ago, it wasn't the case. Frank said when the town first began to put solar panels on their municipal building, there weren't other towns doing it.
"It's something that, five years ago, if you tried to sell it in your community, they'd think you were just a tree hugger," Frank said. "They thought it would be expensive."
The committee has been working with the New Jersey Sustainable State Institute to develop the Green Future Roadmap. The plan is a resource municipalities can use to become environmentally friendly communities. The committee introduced the plan at the meeting as well as information about two tools for improving the environment.
"We are going to make New Jersey green one municipality at a time," said Fred Profeta, the Maplewood deputy mayor for the Environment.
He said the plan defines the criteria towns must meet to be considered green, and provide guidance and incentives to help towns meet these goals.
Profeta, the committee's co-chair, said communities can take steps toward sustainability by holding a green fair, establishing a green curriculum in schools and expanding recycling programs.
"We have to make some decisions as to focus," Profeta said.
This committee introduced information about how to conduct an energy audit for municipal buildings and how to do green purchasing at the meeting held at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
Profeta said they formed another group, the Sustainable Community Working Group, to come up with ideas for the criteria. He said it would then be up to the committee to decide what their focus would be and to try to get incentives for the municipalities.
Highland Park Mayor Meryl Frank spoke about some of the difficulties in creating a sustainable community. She said the environment is a hot issue right now, but several years ago, it wasn't the case. Frank said when the town first began to put solar panels on their municipal building, there weren't other towns doing it.
"It's something that, five years ago, if you tried to sell it in your community, they'd think you were just a tree hugger," Frank said. "They thought it would be expensive."