Get To Know Our SJC Green Drinks +TREES Sponsors – March 5th @ Atlas Gastropub, 6-9pm

We wanted to write a short post with some reference links about our sponsors, so you get to know more about the terrific work they are doing to make Jersey City greener and more resilient.  Some of their work is close to the ground with building projects they are working on locally and some of their work expands to statewide initiatives and development projects in other countries.

The Lively, developed by LMC and located at 321 Warren St in Jersey City, is an 18 story, 180-apartment home community inspired by a love of art and design. This boutique apartment community features refined residences, a dynamic 14,500 square foot multi-arts center for a local non-profit organization, and an unbeatable location in the heart of downtown Jersey City's vibrant Powerhouse Arts District. The building earned the National Green Building Standards (NGBS) Silver green certification for the use of sustainable material, systems, and on-going commitment to sustainability. The Lively is also the first project in the State’s history to electively install a permanent storm water retention system beneath the public right-a-away, which benefits the building and the surrounding community. Furthermore, the Lively includes the following sustainable features: condensing high efficiency gas boiler servicing the entire building, central high efficiency heating system for all common areas, LED high-efficiency lighting, high-efficiency  appliances, intelligent heating system at exterior pool, recyclable insulation, high-efficiency water closets, faucets, and showers, prefinished exterior materials, and intelligent utilities tunneling. LMC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lennar Corporation, is a multifamily real estate development and operating company with diverse portfolio of institutional quality multifamily rental communities across the U.S. Learn more about LMC at www.LiveLMC.com and the Lively at www.theLivelyapartments.com.

JMA Jorge Mastropietro Atelier is both an architectural studio and development company with offices in Hoboken and Buenos Aires Argentina. He has completed a number of JC projects with advanced energy efficiency, materials re-use and green infrastructure elements as the main of his structural designs.  JMA considers every project, big or small, as an opportunity to bring momentum and awareness to the Green Building Movement, and as a step further towards a more ecofriendly society.

Their project at 345 Central Avenue in Jersey City skillfully complemented a 1-story historic building with a 3-story sustainable design structure which integrated natural materials, strategic placement of windows and openings to allow cross ventilation and natural light to permeate all levels, bringing the lower supermarket level and the food growing roof, which now services a business operation and the consumers of the site, into a closed loop system.  They took great pains to conserve additional energy at each level of the building system, including incorporating motion sensors along the common spaces which will greatly reduce wasted energy overtime. The project took maximum advantage of several sustainability aspects achieving JMA’s overall performance goal for the project.   More about the JMA philosophy and approach here

345 Central Avenue

We’re very excited about this upcoming event and the opportunity to bring professionals from all walks, neighbors and artists together.  Sustainability is a cultural conversation and for that to take flight, folks need to meet each other and start talking about What Sustains Us?  Join us on Wednesday evening Dec 4th downtown at LITM, 6-9pm, for some relaxed conversation -  let’s get to know one another 😊

@thelivelyapts  @jorgemastropietroatelier  #SustainableJC  #SJCGreenDrinks+TREES  #Sustainable  #JersecyCity @atlaspublichouse @atlashousenj

Climate Change Solutions Forum Nearby - Join SJC In Elizabeth NJ, Tues Jan 28th 6-8pm

What does Climate-Ready CSO Solutions Mean ?

Submitted by Debra Italiano, SJC Board President

Climate-Ready Solutions Forum - Learn More About Here

For those of us who have been working with the City for some years around flooding, CSO’s and stormwater management issues, we have come down a long road nearing the delivery to the state of Long Term Control Plans by our JC Municipal Utility Authority (JC MUA) and 21 other NJ Cities on how they are going to address these issues and attend to needed infrastructure upgrades that will cost billions of dollars. Yes, this will be largest set of public works projects ever, across the state’s municipalities and yes, rate payers will be responsible for a good chunk of the investment in the solutions that are selected, to solve the problems that these issues represent.

So . . . 3 things are really important - pay attention, ask questions, get educated. It’s the same 3 things we all find generally useful of course, however, because this topic has been ESPECIALLY complex, even for those of us tracking the details for years, these 3 things are REALLY important right now, as THERE ARE ONLY 5 MONTHS LEFT before these plans get turned in to the state, and THEREAFTER THE PUBLIC WILL NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN.

So . . . this forum in Elizabeth is bringing together a group of top notch leaders from around the state to speak to those who attend about how these plans are being implemented over the next 30 years and what we need to consider when we lean in to ask ARE THESE CSO SOLUTIONS CLIMATE-READY ?

For Speaker Line-up and More Details From Sewage Free NJ - SewageFree.org/Events or you can contact Mo Kinberg directly if you have a questions (mkinberg@njfuture.org)

The Event Is FREE But REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED, CLICK HERE

Opportunity For More Green Infrastucture In Jersey City - Public Meeting Web Nite Jan 15th

Join SJC and group of other community stakeholders, including city staff, all working together to help shape a Long Term Control Plan that will help Jersey City navigate stormwater flooding issues, CSO’s and climate change impacts to the city, now and in the future. Please participate in the discussion and become educated about various solutions being considered and decisions that must be made by June .

While more Green Infrastructure is on the table as one of the alternatives, as are a combination of Grey Infrastructure solutions, the Mayor and the JC Municipal Utilities Authority (JC MUA) need to hear feedback from the public.as to which costs and which benefits matter most to you, and which quality of life advantages we should be considering when making these decisions - environmental, social and economic.

If your schedule permits, engaging in these START meetings will bring your ideas together with ours - we all need to row together to bring good solutions forward and START is one of working groups in JC where that is happening. Meetings are not always in the evening but this one is so for folks that have day jobs this is hopefully more convenient for you !

Public Meeting Of Shade Tree Committee Mon Nite City Hall

In case you missed this message last month we are sending it AGAIN ! The good news is that this month it is not a Caucus Meeting and the Public Gets To Participate - so if you care about TREES in JC start attending these meetings please ~.

Message from last month -

Join Sustainable Jersey City at City Hall 7pm for the Inaugural Gathering of the NEW Shade Tree Committee (STC)! This group is intended to help shape urban forestry policy in Jersey City and along with the City’s new Forester, public participation will bring momentum to their work 👍

Please come out to support this initiative - there will be sub-committee activity and certainly more work than this group can handle given all the issues that persist with our Trees and the deteriorating Tree Canopy in Jersey City. Come take a listen, learn about the challenges, see where you can get involved to make a difference ~

When you arrive at City Hall, ask the Security Desk for the SHADE TREE COMMITTEE meeting is being held in the “Business Administrator’s Conference Room”

Come with your concerns and ideas - we know you have a bunch, you’ve been sharing them with us for years !

There Is Still Time To Make a Green Resolution!

It is start of a new decade which means that it is also a great time for new greener beginnings. If the idea of taking on a cleaner and more carbon neutral lifestyle seems daunting you, try our easy, environmentally-friendly resolutions.

• Reconsider your paper usage.

  • While paper products are more environmentally friendly than plastic, we still use way too much. Before you take that paper bag or print out that memo, think about whether you need it.
    

• Turn off lights and devices when you are not using them.

  • Stake those energy vampires. If you aren’t using it, shut it down.
    

• Try second hand shopping, upcycling, donating or recycling your garment.

  • Fast fashion is bad for the planet. Consider purchasing previously loved quality goods or creating something new out of an older piece of clothing. If you need to dispose of your old garment try donating or recycling it, for example in any H&M store location.

• Bring your own reusable utensils.

  • Reusable bags, cups and lunch boxes go a long way toward reducing the amount of waste we create.

• Air dry your clothes

  • Not only it helps your clothes to last longer but it also saves energy and money

• Drive les

  • You can instead try to walk, bike, take public transit, car pool, etc. more often.

• Plan your shopping and reduce food waste

  •    If you are organizing a party and you are not sure how much food you will need, you can use a tool to help estimate how much food you will need based on your head count, e.g. Save the Food's Guest-imator and remember to freeze anything extra that won't last in the refrigerator.

• Use reusable shopping and produce bags

  • As much as plastic may be unavoidable in some industries, such as health care, bags seem to be going out of fashion. Stay in in mew decade by using reusable shopping and produce bags!

Happy greener 2020 to all!