SJC BLOG

EPA Releases New Green Infrastructure Strategy, Focuses on Making Green Infrastructure a Part of Business as Usual for Communities

EPA Releases New Green Infrastructure Strategy, Focuses on Making Green Infrastructure a Part of Business as Usual for Communities EPA has launched a new strategy to expand the use of green infrastructure, with the goal of making green infrastructure a part of business as usual for local communities. The Agency’s 2013 Green Infrastructure Strategy builds on its previous 2008 and 2011 green infrastructure strategies. The new strategy maintains a focus on information exchange and community engagement, while focusing on improving federal coordination, Clean Water Act regulatory support, research and information exchange, funding and financing, and capacity building.

More information:  http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/greeninfrastructure/gi_support.cfm

Jamie Piziali

US EPA - Office of Wastewater Management

Green Infrastructure Program

202-564-1709    piziali.jamie@epa.gov

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Feel like being inspired ? Check out this year's Solar Decathlon !!

For those of you who don't know about it, and for those of us who do, the Solar Decathlon is always worth checking out and is always inspiring. California comrad Mary Hunt, the smart touch behind the Ecolutionary Selling blog site, writes about her experience http://www.ecolutionaryselling.com/ Photo Gallery here http://www.flickr.com/photos/solar_decathlon

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VERY LOW COST EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY - SJC's Certificate Program in Urban Sustainability for Jersey City

We have just gotten approval to offer the following Continuing Education and Professional Development Credits for this course !! 24 USGBC CEU’S offered for LEED credentialed individuals taking the course

6 Professional Development Credits for those educators choosing the Eco-Schools USA Module

This is the first course of it's kind being offered in Hudson County / Jersey City and is an incredible opportunity to learn about systems thinking, sustainability concepts / practices and to join others to consider how to create successful projects in your neighborhood.  We hope to be working with many of you after the course as we plan and install demonstration projects around Jersey City with cross-section of community stakeholders.

Workshop Series, Fall 2013 - Starts September 30, Ends December 16th

Participation is limited; inaugural rate of $275 is being offered only once and thanks to all the instructors who are working to together on a pro bono basis to land this collaborative enterprise up at Hudson County Community College.

Additional Certifications being offering depending on choice of final module:

  • Eco-Schools Certificate: Introduction to School / Extended Campus Sustainability Planning.
  • Green Path NJ Certificate: Principles of Smart Growth and LEED for Neighborhood Development

More information here -  http://sustainablejc.org/wordpress/certificate-program/

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Food Waste - What are you doing about it ?

The extreme issue of Food Waste has been in the news quite a bit lately, including NYC's new initiative being proposed by Mayor Bloomberg; won't be easy but we all have to address this problem http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/09/19/nyc-mulls-food-waste-ban/ Today, colleague Andy Velwest shared another article which is worth a read and is also an opportunity to let folks know what Sustainable JC is up to on this topic - http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2013/09/16/carbon-footprint-food-waste-bigger-most-countries

FoodRpng_700pxwSJC's Community Composting Project has recently gained the recognition of the EPA who will be rolling out a major consumer education campaign in 2014 in an attempt to reduce household food waste by 25%. SJC was selected as the only east coast group to pilot their educational materials before that launch.

More on our Community Composting Pilot can be found here (Bokashi + Community Garden Exchange) here http://sustainablejc.org/.../projects/community-composting/

And check out these strategies to reduce food waste for your household - Top Five Ways to Waste Less Food

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Streamlined Approach to Implementing More Solar in Jersey City

Am wondering if any of the findings / recommendations about improving business practices related to construction activities here in Jersey City, as outlined in the Mayor's Transition Report (ref starting on page 104  http://sustainablejc.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Transition-Report.pdf ), have been implemented ?  Seems a number of these are easy fixes. If we marry those fixes to more teeth aka mandates in the 'it would be nice if you feel like building green'  recently released Redevelopment Agency's Green Guide For Developers, maybe we would see some transformational activities begin to happen across Jersey City's neighborhoods.  More specifically, what incentives can be offered to activate more green building, green infrastructure and clean energy options across the City ?  Thumb through this document if you have a chance and you'll see what I mean http://sustainablejc.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/JCRA-Green-Guide.pdf

My colleagues over at Sungevity have been hard at work on the west coast clearing obstacles like "permitting issues" to all for massive implementation of residential solar and a recent announcement detailing a tool they developed may be just what we need here to get things going http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_23807366/east-bay-cities-announce-streamlined-process-solar-permits

Sharing information like this is what SJC does a lot of.  With our focus on best practices, innovative demonstration projects and NOT reinventing the wheel, the opportunity to learn from those who have gone before us abounds !  Especially in the sustainability arena where Jersey City has been a slow starter.

Other cities are implementing coordinated sustainability initiatives like crazy - why aren't we ?  We need to launch a Sustainability Office inside of City Hall - not through some autonomous agency - and put together a Jersey City Sustainability Task Force that is inclusive of community stakeholders, the school district, business interests and municipal officials, and work together to formulate a Sustainability Action Plan that can be implemented over time.  No better time than right now to do this.

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