Environmental Commision

The Environmental Commission was established in 1970 for the protection and the development or use of natural resources, including water resources, and for the preservation of scenic, historic, aesthetic, educational, environmental, ecological and scientific values to be found in the lands, waters and total environment of the Borough of Shrewsbury. For details, see LINK

A major goal of the Environmental Commission is to make Shrewsbury a green community by emphasizing the three R’s: Reduce, Restore and Recycle.

Below is a list of past and current activities that the Environmental Commission has been involved in and encourages businesses and residents to join.

The Green Team is an integral part of the Environmental Commission. Through its efforts, the Boro gained Bronze certification from the Sustainable Jersey program for its environmental projects, joining only 139 New Jersey municipalities to do so.  The Green Team Advisory Committee is now gearing up for recertification in 2015.  The group will choose new green projects and take the lead in implementing these initiatives in a continued effort to preserve Shrewsbury's resources for future generations.  Building on completed projects such as the community garden and the Master Plan Sustainability Element, the town is already on its way to the goal of 150 points needed for recertification.

Join the Environmental Commission and the Green Team We are looking for enthusiastic and committed residents to help join in the rewarding work of preserving and sustaining Shrewsbury's natural resources and building an environmentally friendly community.  We meet once a month to plan, discuss, and implement a wide range of approaches to advise local government and inform residents on environmental issues, laws, and programs.  This is a great way to do something positive for your community!  Please email us at clerk@shrewsburyboro.com

1. Promote the use of reusable bottles to help keep our community clean and safe for residents and wild life.  Click here to view Borough Resolution #2010-89 
    
2. Organize an annual Green Community Day celebration. The Borough is currently organizing a Community Day to be held some time in October.
    
3. Promote lowering unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions and exposure to air toxins by reducing wasteful vehicle idling. No Idling signs are available from the Environmental Commission for commercial property owners to post.  Click here to view Borough  Resolution #2011-57.
    
4. Promote recycling.  The Borough is actively involved in recycling junk mail, plastic, newspapers and many other items. As an example, the average adult in the USA receives a whopping 41 pounds of junk mail a year and approximately 44% of this mail winds up in a landfill without having been opened. That's a lot of trees, water and other resources being wasted. Consider to have your name removed from junk mail lists and use reusable bags non-plastic bags when grocery shopping. Possible Web sites to remove your name are http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Junk-Mail  and  http://www.directmail.com/directory/mail_preference/ .  See below for more information on schedules for recycling and bulk trash pick ups and the kind of materials that can be recycled.
    
5. Avoid storm water pollution. Click on this link to view a number of easy Things You Can Do Every Day To Protect Our Water . Also see Shrewsbury's Storm Water Management Plan here (LINK)
    
6. Support and encourage children who attend the Shrewsbury Borough School and their families to walk or bicycle to school. The greater Shrewsbury community celebrated "Walk to School Day" on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 and over 225 students participated. The event was organized by the Safe Routes to School Team (SRST), the Shrewsbury Police Department and the Superintendent of the school in an on-going effort to encourage the children to exercise, reduce traffic and carbon emissions and make our streets safer for pedestrians.  For more information on the Safe Routes to School programs, see http://www.saferoutesnj.org/
    
7. Collaborates with the Shrewsbury Shade Tree, Community Garden Committee and the Shrewsbury Garden Club.
    
8. Sustainability Element: The Sustainability Element of the Master Plan will  ensure that the Borough will have a plan in place to preserve and protect its natural resources and continue its efforts to maintain a sustainable community.  The Element establishes suggested guidelines in five key areas: land use, circulation, education, conservation and government.  The entire document can be viewed on the Boro's website.  A collaborative effort between the Environmental Commission, the Master Revision committee and Dave Cranmner, the town engineer, work on the Element which was funded by a $7500 grant from ANJEC and matched by the Boro. 
   
   Get involved with the implementation of the Sustainable Element of the Shrewsbury Master Plan. See the Sustainability Element here (LINK)
    
9. Create awareness of the Energy Star program, a government sponsored program that highlights ways to reduce energy consumption. For more information go to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home.index. 
    
10. ANJEC: The mission of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions is to achieve responsible and sustainable use of New Jersey’s natural resources and protection of environmental health. ANJEC is a statewide organization that provides leadership, education, and support for environmental commissions and other local boards and public officials, and partners with other organizations to advocate for strong state and regional environmental policy.

    Participate in the activities of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commission (ANJEC) as they relate to local and statewide issues.  For more information go to http://www.anjec.org/

11. Create awareness of current local and national environmental issues such as fracking and the proposed Port Ambrose LNG off the coast of New Jersey.  To learn more about fracking, go to http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/fracking/ 

    For more information on the Port Ambrose LNG proposal, click on this fact sheet from Clean Ocean Action. ​

The Green Team is an integral part of the Environmental Commission. Through its efforts, the Boro gained Bronze certification from the Sustainable Jersey program for its environmental projects, joining only 139 New Jersey municipalities to do so.  The Green Team Advisory Committee is now gearing up for recertification in 2015.  The group will choose new green projects and take the lead in implementing these initiatives in a continued effort to preserve Shrewsbury's resources for future generations.  Building on completed projects such as the community garden and the Master Plan Sustainability Element, the town is already on its way to the goal of 150 points needed for recertification.

Join the Environmental Commission and the Green Team We are looking for enthusiastic and committed residents to help join in the rewarding work of preserving and sustaining Shrewsbury's natural resources and building an environmentally friendly community.  We meet once a month to plan, discuss, and implement a wide range of approaches to advise local government and inform residents on environmental issues, laws, and programs.  This is a great way to do something positive for your community!