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Welcome
January 2014
Dear Neighbor,
I’m delighted to contribute to this first issue of the Sustainable Ewing Green Team newsletter, a new outreach effort by the current team.
The Ewing Green Team, an annually appointed board since 2009, is charged with promoting a more environmentally responsible and sustainable Ewing Township. Our fledgling organizational efforts of the first four years culminated in a nail-biting, but ultimately successful 2013. We received Ewing’s first sustainable certification from Sustainable Jersey, an organization purposed with helping NJ municipalities to go green, save money and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term. Included in the actions were Environmental Commission efforts in Ewing trails development, resource inventory documentation and community forestry; Township parks staff in doubling and fencing the community gardens; public works collaboration in enhanced recycling efforts; Mayor, Administrator, Planner and Council assistance in some key resolutions; collaboration with TCNJ students in a film series and partnering with Lawrence to double local attendance at a Green Expo. The list goes on.
Certification gives us the momentum and courage to strive over the next three years to achieve yet a higher level of certification through twice as many projects, involving twice as many volunteers, designed to make Ewing an ever more sustainable community. We are ramping up with the aid of Township officials by beefing up our membership, and extending our terms of office. Training, visioning and strategizing sessions have also begun. A grant was sought and awarded us enabling enhanced outreach through technology. We are also intending to apply for a larger grant to hire a professional visioning guide.
We welcome all like-minded Ewing citizens to step into and help accelerate our efforts.
Pete Boughton, Chair
Looking Forward in 2014
2014 promises to be a time of transition toward a more sustainable Ewing. The Green Team is making a start toward its next level of SJ certification--silver.
In order to achieve silver, the Green Team will need to increase its "organizational capacity" - to accomplish more requires increased effort, with Ewing residents getting involved in organized ways working on specific sustainability projects within the township.
In the next several months, the Green Team will do the following:
- organize into 7 or more study groups, or task forces
- obtain funding for a long-range planning facilitator
- identify stakeholders-who needs to be involved in these efforts for them to be truly effective?
- create a vision for sustainability in Ewing -create a detailed action plan in each of the sustainability areas
- empower each of the task forces with the resources needed to achieve their tasks
- review progress
- celebrate!
Do you feel led to join in this effort to create a future of prosperity and environmental stewardship in your township? We hope so! Stay tuned for more updates and calls to action...
Mary Jane Leach, Vice Chair
Council Assignment a Learning Experience
When I was first appointed as Council Liaison to the Ewing Green Team, I wasn’t sure exactly what role I’d play or what to expect. What I discovered was a group of committed folks who want to make their world a better place – one step at a time; in the place they call home – Ewing.
What makes Ewing’s team strong is that each member brings a wealth of experience, compassion and passion. What connects each member is a shared vision of making Ewing a sustainable community - a community that will support not only themselves but future generations. They are true stewards of this small hamlet and their “footprint” will leave an indelibly positive mark on their corner of planet earth.
Everyone’s heard the expression, “Think Globally but Act Locally” – these folks are putting that expression into action. Whether encouraging policy change, educating the public or helping institute sustainable practices – the Green Team members are forcing our community to take a serious look how individually we can positively impact our environment.
I’ve learned so much from each of them over the last year. I am proud to have served as their Council Liaison – not because we attained certification, that’s just recognition of the work done so far. Rather, it is their passion for making Ewing a better place today and for the future.
Jennifer Keyes-Maloney, Council Liaison
Ewing Community Gardens
 Are you looking forward to the 2014 gardening season and already run out of room in your plans? Have you heard about the Ewing Community Gardens on Whitehead Road Extension? There, for the princely sum of $5 per plot, Ewing residents are able to toil in harmony with other like-minded gardening enthusiasts every growing season. Prior to this year, Ewing’s community gardeners also had to have the bushwhacking skills of Davy Crockett to get to their plots in the height of summer. They also battled the deer, groundhogs and rabbits.
2013 issued in an era of change for the Ewing Community Gardens. A new 8’ deer fence now surrounds the entire garden facility which has also been expanded to provide additional garden plots for residents who, like the rabbits and the deer, are on to the fact that freshly grown produce from your own plot is great for you. A new water supply for the expanded side of the gardens meant that all the gardeners were in business. The new half of the gardens is organic and no-till. Things are definitely improving at the site and more changes are in the offing.
If you have a hankering to grow your own produce and would like to enjoy the sense of peace from communing with nature and neighbors who share the same passion, register for your plot at the Ewing Community Gardens in the spring. Sign-ups will begin in at the Township Clerk’s office in March and with the new facilities at the expanded site your gustatory satisfaction is almost guaranteed. Join us at the gardens and enjoy both the challenges and rewards of community gardening. Check the Ewing Community Gardens website for more information.
Joanne Mullowney, Communications/IT Officer
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