Maplewood, Millburn, South Orange Receive Sustainability Award

Three Essex County municipalities were among eight New Jersey towns to receive awards for their sustainability efforts.

Sustainable Jersey, a nonpartisan organization that supports community efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental equity, selected eight winners out of 59 municipalities that achieved certification in 2013.

The winners are Maplewood, South Orange, Millburn, Bordentown, Galloway, Madison, Rahway and Woodbridge.

Maplewood, Millburn and South Orange were awarded the “Collaboration Award” which recognizes municipalities that worked together or a municipality that partners with other organizations to implement a program or project. The award recognizes that many sustainability issues must be addressed on a regional scale or require the pooled resources of more than one partner.

“Maplewood is honored to be a leader in the Collaboration Award with South Orange and Millburn,” said Maplewood Deputy Mayor Kathleen Leventhal. “Towns sharing in regional sustainable efforts result in an efficient and effective way to plan, educate residents and businesses, and carry out our goals.”

Town mayors will accept the awards at the Sustainable Jersey luncheon at the New Jersey League of Municipalities’ Conference on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

“I’m proud that the South Orange Village Environmental Commission, due in part to the leadership of Walter Clarke, is receiving the Sustainable Jersey Collaboration Award for its efforts to improve our region along with Maplewood and Millburn,” said South Orange Village President Alex Torpey. “Regional collaborations such as this will only become more important in addressing sustainability goals because so many of the challenges which confront our individual municipalities do not recognize our political borders. Extra-community challenges require inter-community collaboration.”

“Millburn Township, through the efforts of our Green Team co-chairs, René Paparian and Ellen Ingber, is happy to be working with Maplewood and South Orange to create a sustainable environment, not just locally, but also regionally, and appreciates Sustainable Jersey recognizing our joint endeavors,” added Millburn Mayor Sandra Haimoff.

According to Sustainabile Jersey, 399 of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities are participating and 137 municipalities have achieved Sustainable Jersey certification. In 2014 the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program will be launched in partnership with New Jersey School Boards Association and other statewide educational organizations.

“The diversity of accomplishments of this year’s winners, and the communities that they serve, is impressive,” said Randall Solomon, co-director of Sustainable Jersey. “These eight towns have demonstrated sustainability initiatives that are producing tangible results worthy of emulation as they contribute to improving the future and New Jersey’s quality of life.”

The winners are as follows:

• Sustainability Champion (Large Category) with 870 points: Woodbridge Township (Middlesex County)
• Sustainability Champion (Medium Category) with 465 points: Madison Borough (Morris County)
• Sustainability Champion (Small Category) with 390 points: Bordentown City (Burlington County)
• Leadership Award: Galloway Township (Atlantic County)
• Creativity and Innovation Award: Rahway City (Union County)
• Collaboration Award: Maplewood, Millburn and South Orange (Essex County)

Sustainable Jersey’s partners include the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, The Sustainability Institute at The College of New Jersey, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU).  

Program sponsors include the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the Surdna Foundation, Walmart, PSEG, South Jersey Gas, New Jersey Natural Gas, Church and Dwight, Covanta Energy, Energy Solve, Terhune Orchards, Bayshore Recycling, Good Energy, EcoMatters, Waste Management of New Jersey, Phoenix Advisors, Spiezle Architectural Group and Concord Engineering.