The Alternative Press

MADISON, NJ - On Sept. 28, Sustainable Jersey announced that $200,000 has been awarded to municipalities through the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program funded by the PSEG Foundation and one of the recipients was the Borough of Madison.

A total of 32 towns were presented with the Green Grants for community-based projects to improve the quality of life in their respective communities. Since 2009, Sustainable Jersey has distributed over $795,000 in grants to New Jersey municipalities to help towns make communities more livable, environmentally-friendly and prosperous.

Mayor Bob Conley said Stephan Stocker, who works for the Environmental Commission and the Community Gardens Committee, wrote the grant. Because of his hard work, Madison’s community garden will be green and lush with beautiful plants, he said.

Stocker requested funding for the Four Season High Tunnel, which are unheated hoop houses. According to Sustainable Energy representative Kristy Ranieri, this is a demonstration project to teach community gardeners how to grow vegetables throughout the year.

“By providing this protective cover and utilizing floating row covers and hardy vegetables selections, gardeners can grow and harvest a winter crop,” Ranieri said.

The community garden, which opened in April adjacent to the high school, Conley said, is a great thing for the community. It brings people together for a good cause and it’s environmentally-friendly, the mayor added. The mini green houses will extend the growing season of the plants, fruits and vegetables in the garden, he said.

“It was a great match for what the funding was designed for,” Conley said. “It’s a great thing.”

New Jersey is the first state in the nation to have a comprehensive sustainability program for communities that links certification with strong state and private financial incentives, and a fully resourced program including technical support and training.  Sustainable Jersey is voluntary and each town can choose whether it wants to get certified and the actions it wants to complete in order to achieve enough points to get certified.

Launched in 2009, Sustainable Jersey is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that supports community efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental equity. Sustainable Jersey is empowering New Jersey towns to build a better world for future generations.  It provides tools, training and financial incentives to support and reward communities as they pursue sustainability programs.