Green Government: How About a NJ Sustainable Business Coalition?

Jersey Strong means more than being ready for the next Sandy.

It’s about being ready to thrive in the coming years, no matter what Mother Nature throws at us.

It’s about taking Sustainability seriously. Going beyond the low-hanging fruit of energy savings and waste reduction. Real sustainability in the era of climate change will be about innovation, growth, and business opportunities.

A new NJDEP initiative aims to do just that.

Bob Marshall, Assistant Commissioner for DEP Sustainability and Green Energy, hosted a meeting today where he introduced a draft proposal for a NJ Sustainable Business Registry.

(The meeting was in Trenton but I attended by webinar. Well done NJDEP.)

The idea is sort of like how Sustainable Jersey offers municipalities a step-by-step action plan for being a greener, more economically successful, and generally nicer place to live.

But for businesses.

The draft being considered is based on the State of Maryland’s “Smart, Green, and Growing” program.

Here are the draft goals for a NJ program:

1. Promote sustainability planning and practices among New Jersey businesses to enhance economic success, environmental protection, and an improved quality of life.

2. Identify and share resources to educate and encourage the New Jersey business community on SROI (sustainable return on investment).

I was happy to hear that this program would be a partnership between NJDEP and the NJ Small Business Development Centers.

And that there was support in the room from Sustainable Jersey, NJ Green Association, the Institute for Sustainable Enterprise at Fairleigh Dickinson University and others.

While it’s still in the beginning planning stages, I feel it’s getting off on the right foot.

For more information, contact the NJDEP Office of Sustainability and Green Energy.