Community Green Committee Meetings - JSQCA + SJC hosted via Zoom
Join a JSQCA + SJC Community Green Committee Meeting _ NEW Monthly Mtg For JC Stakeholders - FREE !
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About this event
This collaboration between JSQCA + SJC welcomes individuals and community orgs, including neighborhood associations, and other stakeholders to a monthly discussion (3rd Wed evenings at 7pm exept July & August - we take a break over the Summer !) on topics that matter to making Jersey City a more sustainable and resilient city. Topics of interest to Jersey City, NJ and our Northeast Region will be discussed.
Mtg starts at 7pm and Zoom details will be emailed to you in your registration confirmation and also again shortly before the meeting.
UPCOMING MEETING DETAILS BELOW . . .
Wed June 18th Meeting details -
We welcome special guest Chris Layton / Director of Eastman's Circular Policy Strategy who will be updating us on Eastman's breakthru 'plastics chemical recycling' process here. This will be a follow-up discussion to our May 20th SpeakEasy Salon on "The Future of Waste & The Circular Economy" and the April CGC Mtg when we hosted Beyond Plastics NJ cofounder Janet Spiezio.
This session will wrap up this season's discussions on plastic waste and where we go from here.
PREVIOUS MEETING DETAILS BELOW ...
Wed April 16th Meeting details -
As an Earth Day topic this April, we will be discussing PLASTIC materials and the related public health issues ... of particular concern is micro and nanoplastics - more information here.
In preparation for the meeting it would be useful to review the trailer for the film "We’re All Plastic People Now" - https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8lovpt
The PBS program provides an investigation into the hidden story of plastic and its effect on human health.The video link to the film can be found here: https://www.pbs.org/video/were-all-plastic-people-now-rkg2mq/
An additional great resource on plastic can be found here / BeyondPlastics.org and we are delighted to be by special guest Janette Spiezio, Co Founder and Co Chair of Beyond Plastics NJ, a chapter of Beyond Plastics, a national organization that is working to reduce the harms of plastics through education, advocacy and legislation.
- Janette is also an entrepreneur and owner of Sustainable Haus Mercantile, a large zero waste, refill shop in Summit, NJ founded in 2017. Janette is a designer and makes over 50 products in haus. With over 3000 more products in the shop, Sustainable Haus has solutions to most household challenges to allow for a plastic free, non-toxic, low waste lifestyle. The Sustainable Haus team works with customers for a personalized approach on their journey to reduce waste, toxins and plastic. Their tagline is: Healthy Home * Healthy People * Healthy Planet. Janette is also a Climate Reality Leader and has two eco minded adult daughters.
If you missed this meeting here is the recording
Janette Spiezio presentation materials here
Wed March 19th Meeting details -
The JC Tree Canopy will be the topic of this meeting with presentation by the University of Vermont Spatial Analytics Lab (UVM SAL) who just completed a study SJC commissioned analyzing trends over a 10-year period. They will present their findings and also share the story map we are developing for the public to better understand important aspects of the study. One of their lead analysts Max Solter (originally from Jersey City !) will be our guest speaker .
If you missed this meeting here is the recording
Wed February 19th Meeting details -
We are excited to welcome back Ron Petherbridge, Air Quality Expert and SJC Board Member, to provide an Air Quality Primer for the commuity and also update everyone on the US EPA supported Air Pollution Study underway, with that grant awarded to the City of Jersey City HHS and partners SJC, GNA, Rutgers EOHSI, Gensler and JCHA. One of the goals of the grant is to deliver community education about air quality conditions in Jersey City. This will help inform and protect residents with respiratory conditions and other related vulnerabilities. Please join us for updates on the grant activities and this Primer.
If you missed this meeting here is the recording
Here is Ron's Presentation from tonite - Air Quality Primer 102
Here is Ron's Presentation From 2024 - a more in-depth Primer, Air Quality 101
Flyers shared during the meeting - it would be great if you shared these with your circles !
- Overview - What JC Is Doing About Air Quality Issues !
- The Daily Breather (JC Alert System)
- JC Community Health Survey (Anonymous)
Wed January 15th Meeting details -
We are excited to welcome the NJ Highlands Coalition to speak with us this evening, with Executive Director Julia Somers and Director of Policy & Communications Elliott Ruga presenting about The Highlands and their importance to the rest of the state, including JC and to the region.
The Highlands Rediscovered in HDYouTube · Bob Szuter
4.5K+ views · 10 years ago... HIGHLANDS REDISCOVERED (2004) looks at both the science and the history of New Jersey's portion of this heavily-forested region ... 26:57
If you missed the meeting you can listen to the recording here
Wed Dec 18th Meeting details -
Affordable Housing in JC is the topic for this evening discussion with Guest Speakers Katie Brennan, Affordable Housing Professional. Candidate for Assembly, 32nd District and Michael Ehrmann who is affiliated with the JSqCA, both local advocacy leads for Affordable Housing in JC - stay tuned for more details !
Katie and Michael's presentation here
In case you missed this meeting here is the recording and here is the chat exchange
- Special Notation re correction in comments made during the meeting by Michael - "I made one mistake in my remarks which I would like you to share with the others in attendance. The current small property rehabilitation program only has $250,000 on hand, which is enough for upgrades in 20 - 25 properties, not the 250 I was talking about! Sorry about my slip."
Wed Nov 20th Meeting details -
We are pleased to welcome Andrew Fenwick of the JC Sustainability Divison and Forester Mike Diciancia who will be discussing updates to the Jersey City Urban Forestry Program. Their update will be followed by a community Q&A so please plan to join us to discuss this popular topic amongst JC residents !
City of JC Sustainability Division presentation here
In case you missed this meeting here is the recording and here is the Chat where a bunch of resources were shared
** Stay tuned for a talk by Forester Mike at our Mon Dec 9th 6:30pm Community Forestry MATTERS ! community Zoom call - details and registration (required) here. All Urban Forestry community meeting recordings are posted on SJC's YouTube channel which you can subscribe to here - see Urban Forestry Playlist
Wed Oct 16th Meeting details -
We are pleased to welcome two important organizations to this meeting to introduce more about their activities and priorities to the community - JC Together / Boris Franklin Executive Director and the League of Women Voters for Hudson County / Jovina Johnson, Co-President. These organizations are working hard to engage the public with their initiatives, yet there are many folks who don't know very much about them, so please join us to learn more !
League of Women Voter presentation here
JC Together presentation here
In case you missed this meeting, here is the recording
Wed Sept 18th Meeting details -
We are pleased to welcome Kevin Dunshee, Chief Commercial Officer at Solar Landscape who is the leading developer for the Community Solar Program being rolled out by New Jersey, with more than half of all the targeted solar renewable energy projects under this statewide program for residents. The 3rd round of projects were launched in August and the opportunity for residents throughout the state to support this transformation away from fossil fuels is available to sign-up for FREE and thereafter enjoy a 31% discount off their electricity bills each month. Tune in to learn how you can participate !
Also, see the June 19th Meeting details below where Kevin presented about the Jersey City Public Schools Energy Savings Improvement Program (ESIP0 where 38 schools are in focus to have solar implemented on their roofs by Solar Landscape, who won the RFP to implenent that. Kevin will also give an update on the progress of those solar installations during his presentation with us.
Solar Landscape is an award winning company having received the US Dept of Energy Sunny Award in 2021 and is also the contracted partner for the JC School District building energy retrofit project who is implementing solar on 38 schools here in Jersey City !
In case you missed the meeting here is the recording.
Solar Landscape presentation materials here.
Wed June 19th Meeting details -
We are pleased to welcome Greg Burns, Business Development Manager at DCO Energy who will talk about the Jersey City Public Schools Energy Savings Improvement Program (ESIP). It is the largest ESIP project ever implemented in the state of New Jersey, which will impact students for generations, improving sustainability and resiliency efforts within the school district by reducing CO2 emissions by 19M+ pounds, and most importantly, it will improve the learning environment for the students and teachers.
Greg was our guest at our CGC Meeting last September and is returning to update us on the progress of the project. He will be joined by Kevin Dunshee, Chief Commercial Officer at Solar Landscape who was awarded the solar contract as part of the ESIP, in partnership with DCO.
The project is valued at $122M+ where 44 school buildings will be upgraded with the some or all of the following Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs): LED Lights, District-Wide Energy Management System, Boiler Replacements, Removal All Fuel Oil, Improve Indoor Air Quality & HVAC Enhancements, Building Envelope Improvements, Steam Trap Replacements and Solar. DCO will also offer district-wide educational components to the curriculum so both students and teachers understand these impacts. N J.com June 2023 article about the initiative here.
In case you missed the meeting here is the recording.
DCO / Solar Landscape presentation here.
Wed May 15th Meeting details -
Special Guest will be Amanda Diamond, Sustainability Director for the City of Jersey City, who will provide updates on sustainability and resiliency measures the city is taking, including where the JC Climate & Energy Action Plan implementation is at, and also share recent developments about the JC Tree Canopy and urban forestry efforts, amongst other important priorities and developments from the Infrastructure Dept / Division of Sustainability.
In case you missed the meeting here is the recording.
2023 Council Resolution to update the 2018 Forestry Standards here - finalized Forestry Standards being reviewed by City Legal Dept and will be published in two weeks !
Wed April 17th Meeting details -
Special Guest will be Maggie McCann, the State DEP’s Urban Parks and Initiatives Administrator, who will provide updates on two important projects: The NJDEP Essex Hudson Greenway Project and the Liberty State Park Revitalization Program.
Nearly two miles of the NJDEP Greenway is currently under design in Newark and Kearny with a groundbreaking set for later this year. The Greenway will eventually connect to Jersey City. The Interior cleanup of Liberty State Park is already under way, with conceptual designs for the northern section of the park having been completed, and master planning for the southern sections of the park underway. Hear more about both projects and upcoming public engagement opportunities at this presentation.
In case you missed the meeting, here is the recording.
Wed March 20th Meeting details -
This discussion will focus on an exploration of Environmental Justice / Eco Justice . Special guests will be David Larrabee, Physicist / Educator, and Ashwani Vasishth, Sustainability Professor / Ramapo College; both are instructors in the SJC Certificate Program In Urban Sustainabilty
Two questions to consider –
· Do you know what Environmental Justice (EJ) is, and the difference between EJ and Eco Justice ?
· Do you know that Jersey City has been designated an EJ municipality by the NJ Department of Environmental Projection, and a Justice 40 Community by the US Environmental Protection Agency ?
Environmental Justice is now a household word, but it wasn’t always so. EJ activists and advocates have worked tirelessly for over 20 years to bring Environmental Justice into the spotlight in New Jersey. Now, New Jersey is leading the way nationally with strong infrastructure, policy and practice in environmental justice with Newark’s Cumulative Impact Ordinance and the State Environmental Justice Law. We will discuss these developments and
Context –
· US EPA on environmental justice . . . “ this goal will be achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work.”
· “Eco-justice is the journey … It is the emerging, demanding, promising reality with which human moral agents must come to terms if there is to be a good and viable future for people and the planet.” Source - Eco-Justice, The Unfinished Journey, William E. Gibson editor
In case you missed the meeting here is the recording and CHAT resources shared here.
David Larrabee's presentation materials here.
Wed February 21st Meeting details -
This discussion will focus on 'THE ECONOMICS OF TRASH' . Special guest will be David Larrabee, Physicist / Emissions Lead, SJC Cert Program In Urban Sustainabilty.
The world economy is mostly a linear economy; material is extracted (ore, crops, water, etc), processed (ore to aluminum), manufactured (aluminum to automobile), distributed, sold, used up, and discarded. Each step produces waste which ends up in; landfills, waterways, the atmosphere, in our soil and water, or as litter. Keeping the cost of disposal down, reduces costs, increases profits, and encourages consumption. There are costs with waste that are not directly captured in the monetization of the extraction to disposal pipeline; so called externalities. Recycling has been of limited used in reducing the waste streams.The long term goal is a move to a more circular economy where; waste is minimized, the waste from one activity is an input to another, and what waste remains can be disposed of in an environmentally benign manner.Transitioning to a circular economy will require that we use the economic tools available as well as legislation. Economic pressures can challenge industries to move toward the circular economy. Legislative efforts are needed to address environmental justice issues within urban/suburban environments as well as between urban/suburban and rural areas.
In case you missed the meeting here is the recording.
David Larrabee presentation materials here.
Wed January 17th Meeting details -
Special guest will be X Braithwaite, Environmental Justice Organizer, Clean Water Action NJ
As we bid farewell to the holiday season, we want to kick off the new year with a Call To Action. - Join us in urging the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to take immediate action on the renewal of the Title V Operating Permit for Diversified Global Group (DG3) in Jersey City. DG3's emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) pose severe threats to air quality and public health.
- With 1.9 tons of hazardous substances released annually, including the detrimental Ethylene Glycol, our community faces risks of respiratory issues, cancers, and more.
- As co-sponsors of this petition, we demand strict emissions controls, investigations into DG3's practices, and addressing their pollution legacy with the NJDEP. Your signature supports our collective demand for a healthier future, safeguarding our community from the harmful effects of air pollution.
So in your sustainability goals for this year, please click the petition link, as we continue our push for a greener and safer environment. Together, let's make 2024 a year of positive environmental change!
Sign the petition on the Clean Water Action website at this link
In case you missed the meeting here is the recording.
And see resources shared in the chat.
X Braithwaite presentation materials here.
Wed Dec 20th Meeting details -
This discussion will focus on the recent Wallet Hub Survey citing Jersey City as one of the Greenest Cities in America - SUSTAINABLE JC DISAGREES and we will discuss why. Special guest will be David Larrabee, Physicist / Emissions Lead, SJC Cert Program In Urban Sustainabilty.
Get ready for a lively discussion - this survey borders on 'greenwashing' and everyone should understand the credibility of studies like this and coming from media sources, government offices, etc. This is a good learning opportunity for the community 👍
In case you missed the meeting, here is the recording.
David Larrabee presentation materials here.