City Seeks ‘Sustainable’ Certification

NORTH WILDWOOD – In a short, routine meeting of North Wildwood City Council Oct. 20, the city brought to an even dozen the number of Cape May County municipalities participating in Sustainable New Jersey. Council passed the required resolution and was able to register as a participating entity.
The resolution stated that council “wishes to pursue local initiatives and actions that will lead to Sustainable New Jersey Certification.”  Currently, seven of the 12 county municipalities participating in the program have earned certification. Ocean City, Avalon, Stone Harbor, and Upper, Lower, and Middle Townships have gained bronze certification for their sustainability programs. Cape May City is the only county municipality to earn the even more prestigious silver designation.
The purpose of the Sustainable New Jersey program is a focus on reducing waste, cutting dangerous emissions, and improving overall environmental quality.
The program is a partnership between involving the non-profit organization itself and a series of private sponsors along with the state Department of Environmental Protection.  Its certification program was launched in 2009.
Currently 430 of 565 municipalities across the state are participating in the program, the first steps of which include a governing body resolution similar to the one approved in North Wildwood this week, and the appointment by the governing body of a “green team” to spearhead efforts.
The Sustainable New Jersey website shows that of those 430, 189 have gained certification at either the bronze or silver level.
The designation can be an important one for state municipalities not only because of the useful and socially-responsible practices it encourages but also because certified entities can be given priority in competing for certain state grant programs.
With three out of four municipalities in the state registered, the disadvantages of failing to participate become magnified.
The fact that only a little over 40 percent of the registered communities have achieved certification illustrates that the path to that goal is not easy. Certification is gained by achieving points for actions undertaken by the municipality.
At present there are over 130 different actions that a municipality can take to earn points.  The ultimate goal is obviously to make sustainability actions an inescapable part of a municipality’s daily operations.
The resolution states that the residents of North Wildwood seek “a stable, sustainable future for themselves and future generations.” Council’s action was a first step on the road to achieving that goal. 
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.