New Toolkit Provides Guidance to Reduce,

Recover and Recycle Food Waste in NJ Pre K-12 Schools

Sustainable Jersey for Schools and Rutgers Cooperative Extension have released a new online toolkit: Reduce, Recover & Recycle Food Waste for PreK-12 Schools. This clearinghouse of best practices and resources is designed for school leaders looking to reduce food waste while also promoting healthy food and addressing food insecurity. 

Town of Clinton Educates Community to Reverse Local Light Pollution (Hunterdon County)

In partnership with the Red Mill Museum and the NJ Sierra Club, the Town of Clinton Green Team hosted a community event to educate the community about light pollution and discuss actions that residents, businesses and the town can do to bring the night sky back. The event began with a screening of the award-winning 16-minute documentary about light pollution and why darkness matters titled Dark Sacred Night.

Somerville Thrives with Addition of Jay Scott Community Garden (Somerset County)

The Jay Scott Community Garden became a reality in 2023 thanks to the hard work of many volunteers and a collaboration between the Borough of Somerville, the Somerville Environmental Commission and the green team. The 1,400-square-foot garden sits on borough-owned land and is located behind the firehouse on Veterans Memorial Drive.

Ridgewood High School Students Secure Grant and Lead Planting of 17 Native Trees (Bergen County)

When the Village of Ridgewood had to cut down nearly 100 diseased ash trees due to damage caused by the invasive emerald ash borer, students from the Ridgewood High School Green Team took action. Encouraged by their green club faculty advisor, Miles Luo, the students helped apply for and secure a $2,000 Sustainable Jersey for Schools grant funded by the New Jersey Education Association.

Funds Available to Develop Community Energy Plans and Implement Projects

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) has extended the application deadline to May 24, 2024, for the Community Energy Plan Grant (CEPG) Program and the Community Energy Plan Implementation (CEPI) Program. 

The CEPG and CEPI programs empower local communities to create and implement community energy plans that align with the State’s Energy Master Plan. A total of nearly $8M is available, with $4.5M earmarked for the CEPG Program and $3.4M earmarked for the CEPI Program in FY24.