Great JCI Article on SJC and Opportunities to Fund Sustainability Initiatives in Jersey City

Here's the article link by Matt Hammer - thanks again Matt ! http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/2013/07/08/sustainable-jersey-city-takes-a-grassroots-approach-to-organizing-and-action/

Below are my re-posted comments to Matt's article, highlighting ways to become involved with SJC and my perspectives on funding opportunities for sustainability initiatives in Jersey City.   These follow some of my initial thoughts shared in response to Andy Velwest's June Letter To The Editor post in the Reporter re: the City's budget challenges (budget gap now escalated to $21M ) - http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/22897379/article-Fill-the-police-budget-gap-with-plans-that-work-for-everyone?instance=secondary_stories_left_column

Innovative Funding Strategies for Sustainability Initiatives and Sustainability Focused Economic Development / Jobs Creation Opportunities are being implemented in many urban centers around the country - we can do the same here.

Thanks Matt - covered a lot of ground here. 

Will offer 2 refinements that are relevant –

1) Getting Involved –

YES!  SJC's ongoing educational outreach efforts are a great way for folks to get involved with Committee and Project Teams  working together to build momentum for a citywide sustainability movement; it will also give those who join us an opportunity to learn about a variety of topics that will make Jersey City greener and more sustainable.   Ongoing events like our monthly 3rd Thurs eve SJC Green Drinks + ART series (July spotlight on RTC's ARTfest! and WATER Day Theme with education partners Food and Water Watch, GRACE H2O Conserve and Highlands Coalition tabling) and new Experts Talk Series - Greener Buildings, Energy Efficiency & Water Conservation For Neighborhoods, 1st Tues eve of every month, are good examples of this and we can use more hands on deck to expand these activities.   

2) Funding Sustainability -

SJC's Rain Garden + ART Campaign is an opportunity for known successful working model to be replicated here in Jersey City, i.e., an engagement strategy that brings committed local government, development / design and neighborhood stakeholders together.  Our Innovative Demonstration Project focus is intended to highlight how sustainability programs can be citizen led, design / install opportunities that ignite private, public & philanthropic partnerships (P3), which is the basis for innovative financing solutions to be applied and which will bring needed investment and economic development opportunities to Jersey City .  Mayor Fulop does not have to bear the burden of financially underwriting a greener future for Jersey City alone - P3 partnerships are the key.  And finally, to the JCRDA ED’s point, having a Green Guide without teeth (targets, incentives and mandates, community benefit agreement process, etc.) is just window dressing.  For example, not coalescing a policy and implementation strategy for the City on Green Infrastructure has already cost us on multiple fronts – a looming  ~$60M tab to reinvent our stormwater management system and lost investment dollars by major corporate and philanthropic interests who will not bring their investments here until we substantially commit to 21^st Century & Beyond Strategies for Sustainable Cities – for innovative approaches happening elsewhere, check out these articles Sustainable Cities Collective Designing Common Spaces and Portland's Green Streets initiative.

Debra A. Italiano, Chair & Cofounder SustainableJC.org

Building a raised bed garden box

You can build your own raised bed garden box and this is a good solution if you aren't sure of the soil in your yard or area. Compost and garden soil can be added so you can be sure of the purity if you want to grow vegetables and herbs and keep it organic.

Here are directions to build your own  6' by 4'  by 1'  box.  You can change the sizes to suit your own space. The box will be filled with soil, peat and manure.  You can add whatever compost you have managed to collect to the box if it's ready. Here are the materials for the box: You can get these at a local home supply store like Home Depot. The store personnel  will cut the wood to size for you too.

Wood - Pine for a 4' by 6'  raised bed garden box: Two  12' long by 1' wide planks Cost:  about 12.00  each Cut one into 2 pieces for two 6 ' long sides Cut the other one into 8 ' long and then cut in half  for  two 4 ' long  end  pieces 4'  piece  of pine is left over Wood lath bundle of aspen for the lattice about 7.00 1 can of water based polyurethane - about 10.00 (to seal the wood)  Let it dry for a few hours. 1 wide brush:  about 4.00, hammer and nails Black plastic liner with holes punctured. You can use weed cloth as a substitute. Total cost of wood and supplies  is about 50.00 plus sales tax.

Soil 16  bags of top soil 2  to 4 cubic foot bags of peat to be mixed in 2   bags of manure to be mixed in 1 black plastic tub for compost  (To use kitchen scraps to add nutrients to the garden) Total cost about 55.00 And there you have it. It takes about a day to complete this project.  Your urban garden box can be planted with anything from flowers to vegetables and herbs.

The First Annual NJ Tour de Farms and Farm to Fork Celebration

We invite you to join us on our First Annual NJ Tour de Farms 

promoting NJ Farmers and their Farms on September 22nd.

We will bicycle through Northern NJ - which is one of THE most beautiful areas in the world!!!!

We will start the day at the Crystal Springs Farm for an incredible breakfast prepared by Chef Florian Wehrli and then bicycle through

Sussex County stopping at farms and sampling foods as we ride to High Point.

We will finish the Tour at the Fair Acres/Kittatinny Mountain Farm for a phenomenal Farm to Fork Celebration with local

foods prepared by the top chefs in our area.

Will you join with us?

Thanks,

-Mitch Morrison

Here is the website with the registration details:

http://www.tourdefarmnj.com

SJC Green Drinks + ART 6.20.2013

	works by Ibou Ndoye
	works by Ibou Ndoye
	hats by Ibou Ndoye
	Peace Shieldspray painted sled by Jordan Liketheriver
	Gully Hubbards live at Green Drinks + ART!
	Pikeaux - Fire Gaurdian recycled kinetic sculpture by Jordan Liketheriver
	Sydney recycled kinetic sculpture by Jordan Liketheriver

SJC Certification Program.