Green Team Advisory Committee

This advisory committee shall consist of residents and employees of the Borough of Ramsey.  Green Team members serve one-year renewable terms.

Responsibilities

The Green Team Advisory Committee will advise the mayor and council of the borough on ways to improve municipal operations with "green" initiatives which are economical and environmentally sound through research and evaluation.

Sustainable Jersey is a certification program for New Jersey municipalities that want to go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term.  Since 2009, Sustainable Jersey has registered over 445 municipalities in its program and actively certified 200 communities from around the State.  Participating municipalities have completed more than 5,000 environmental actions and are putting comprehensive sustainability programs in place in their communities.

Ramsey first qualified for Sustainable Jersey in 2011 at the Bronze certification level; certification is good for three years. To earn the one hundred fifty points necessary for Bronze certification, the members of the Environmental Commission and the Green Team (Joe Guastella, Reeva Kymer, Donna Miller, Mike Morris, Patrick Nerney, Chance Parker, Steve Ramiza, and Debra Sahler) worked with many people in the borough. Those in the borough who helped with the Sustainable Jersey actions include Meredith Bendian, Sherry Richards, and Kelly Sylvester (Borough Hall), Nancy Boone (Farmers’ Market), Sarah Comstock (Tisdale School), Holly Falcone (Ramsey High School), Jay McMahon (Shade Tree), Harry Smith (Recycling), Ralph Venturini (OEM),  Joan Waring (Board of Health), and Angela Weber (“Bag It” Program). Under the overall direction of Karen Dey, assisted by Joseph Dey and Rachel Dey, Ramsey’s 2017 application was approved, and the borough earned its Bronze certification for the third time.  Ramsey has also joined Basecamp, Sustainable Jersey’s Bergen Hub.  To learn more about the Ramsey Green Team and Sustainable Jersey, please contact one of the members of the Environmental Commission/Green Team.   Ramsey earned Bronze Certification again in 2020.  The group earned SILVER CERTIFICATION for the first time in 2021, successfully completing 33 actions.

History

The Borough of Ramsey strives to save tax dollars, assure clean air and water, and improve working and living environments to build a community that is sustainable economically and socially. It is a community which will thrive well into the future.

The Borough of Ramsey wishes to build a model of government which benefits now and far into the future with green community initiatives which are easy to replicate and affordable to implement.

In an effort to focus attention on "green" issues, the mayor and council established a Green Team Advisory Committee on October 28, 2009.
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Ramsey Green Business Recognition Program
The Environmental Commission/Green Team has initiated a Green Business Recognition Program.  This new program recognizes and promotes local businesses that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability by instituting responsible environmental practices at their place of business.  To qualify as a Green Business, businesses must implement at least five(5) of the established criteria. 
The Environmental Commission/Green Team is pleased to announce the first two Ramsey businesses which have earned Green Business Recognition---Bar Boutique at 110 East Main Street and The Mindful Cafe at 183E Main Street.  Congratulations!