Gloucester Township Receives Sustainable Jersey Leadership Award

Gloucester Township's efforts to go green have paid off in the form of a special award at the Sustainable Jersey Special Recognition Ceremony.

In addition to being one of 11 New Jersey municipalities given silver-level certification in the Sustainable Jersey program, Gloucester Township also won the Sustainable Jersey's 2012 Leadership Award. The award recognizes a municipality that has contributed the most to the Sustainable Jersey program through demonstrated leadership locally, regionally and statewide.

In receiving the award, the Township was credited for developing the first Energy Master Plan for any municipality in the state, a Companion Animal Management Plan, energy related actions within the township and a development section on their Sustainable website.

Former Councilwoman Michelle Gentek accepted the leadership award on behalf of the Gloucester Township Green Team and Mayor David Mayer at the Jan. 29 ceremony. Gentek is the head of the township's Green Team.

Gloucester Township's silver-level certification was officially announced in October after the township was found to have met the balance of requirements sufficient for that level. The certification was an improvement over the township's bronze designation in 2011. When the silver-certification was first announced in October, Gentek pointed to the township's single-stream recycling program as one way the township has shown progress in their green initiative.

Some of the projects for which Sustainable Jersey recognized the township included a rain garden, the success of the community garden, holding a green fair and promoting healthy living with the Mayor's Wellness Campaign.