green team 2.0: building your capacity & promoting your team · •freedcamp •monthly...

Our 2018 Sustainability Sessions were made possible in part with the support of the following sponsors:

Welcome to

Green Team 2.0: Building Your Capacity & Promoting Your Team

June 21, 2018

Heather McCall, Schools Program Director | Samantha A. McGraw, Program Manager | Laura Occhipinti, Glen Rock Borough

WiFi network: Guest-at-TCNJ3 | username: guest2344 | password: naranyru

2018 New Jersey Sustainability Summit @SJ_Program | @SJ_Schools | #SustainableStateNJ

Can your green team be an existing body within the municipality or school?


YES!!!Utilize your Environmental Commission, School Wellness Council or other related committee


Municipal Green Team Candidates

• Agricultural & Open Space

• Arts &Recreation

• Department of Public Works

• Economic Development

Helpful HintMatch action categories with departments

and roles in your municipality, district/school

• Environmental Commission

• Health and Welfare Boards

• Historic

• Planning & Zoning

• Shade Tree Commission


District/School Green Team Candidates

Green Teams can be at the District or School level

School Board 120pts

Educators 200pts

Principal & Super. 100pts

Bus. Adm. 150pts

Muni Green Team 100pts

Phys.Ed/Health40pts

Facilities Staff 125pts

Students120pts

Tip:Consider staff stipends &

part time positions to support green team

School Nurse40pts

Food Service Provider50pts

Parent Org. 90pts


Other Green Team Candidates

• Academic Institutions

• Civic Organizations

• Faith-Based Groups

• PTAs

• Volunteers/Interested Citizens

• Local High School Alumni home for the summer


Tag Team Action Partners

Organizations are waiting

to be called by your Green Team!

• Rutgers Master Gardeners

• TMA’s

• Shade Tree Commission

• Muni & County Recycling Coordinator

• Professional Organizations (NJSBA, NJAPA)

• Regional Health Partners

• TCNJ Center for Community Engaged Learning

• Eagle Scouts from Local Troops looking for projects

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/master-gardeners/counties.php

http://njtpa.org/project-programs/tmas

http://www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/recycoor.htm

https://www.njsba.org/services/

http://njplanning.org/about/community-planning-assistance-program/

https://celr.tcnj.edu/partnership-opportunities/


Green Team + Green Team

8

• Community Education & Outreach

• Civic & Stewardship Activities

• Green Fair

• Green Your Green Fair/School Event

• Green Challenges

• Recycling Non-Mandated Materials

• Anti-Idling Programs

• Community Asset Mapping

• Safe Routes to School

• Waste Audit

FIND MUNICIPAL CONTACT FIND SCHOOL CONTACT

http://www.sustainablejersey.com/actions-certification/participating-communities/

http://www.sustainablejerseyschools.com/actions-certification/participating-districts-and-schools/


Green Team Questionnaire Responses


What do Green Teams Look Like?

• Different for each town

• Most had at least one municipal rep and one volunteer on the team

• Consider having “green team friends”


Has your municipal green team undergone leadership change?


School/District Green Team Trends


Navigating green team leadership change

• Establish co-chairs

• Develop a plan

• Partnerships with other municipal/community groups

• Stay active byo Remembering the

cause/mission

o Having an energizing vision

o Building a winning team spirit – sample ice breakers

http://www.volunteerpower.com/resources/icebreaker.asp


Strategies to Recruit, Train & Retain Volunteers

• Recruit

oWord of mouth

o Events, farmers markets

oBring a friend

oOnline platforms (ex. Ewing Twp Volunteer Application)

oCommunity groups

oDepartment announcements/ recommendations

http://www.ewingnj.org/Community-Information/Volunteer-Application.aspx


Strategies to Recruit, Train & Retain Volunteers

• Train

oDevelop a “welcome packet”

• Retain

o THANK YOUR VOLUNTEERS & share credit for accomplishments

o Encourage members to find their passion

oProvide regular program content training

oMake meetings accessible


Sharing information while working on certification

• Google Drive

• Dropbox

• Basecamp

• Slack

• Freedcamp

• Monthly meetings/calls

https://www.google.com/drive/

https://www.dropbox.com/?landing=dbv2

https://basecamp.com/

https://slack.com/

https://freedcamp.com/


Is the work of the green team promoted in town?


School/District Green Team Promotion


Three Bridges Elementary,Readington


Ben Franklin Elementary, Lawrenceville


Communication & Collaboration is Key!

• Speak regularly at Board/Council meetings & staff meetings

• Advocate for the inclusion of sustainability in District Strategic Plans, Township Master Plans, goals, resolutions and ordinances

• Hold public events

• Join other regional networking opportunities, workshops, conferences and informational forums


How is certification shared & what are the benefits?

• Town/School pride

• Save Money/Reduce School Energy Consumption

• Increased attendance at green fairs, interest in green team work

• Preparing students for the future

• Better working relationship with town and schools

• Proposals receive more weight with municipal officials (credibility)

• Access to grants

• Contributing to the overall carbon footprint reduction goals for the state of New Jersey

• SJ/SJS action documentation is useful for other honors, certifications, and grant applications.


Green Team “Swag”

• Business cards

• Cinch sacks/reusable bags/earth-friendly jute tote with town logo

• Coloring books about recycling

• Hats

• Poster displays

• Recycled pens w/logo

• Recycled rubber jar grippers

• Reusable water bottles

• Table skirt w/logo

• Window cling


Establishing your green team as a 501©(3) nonprofit

• Things to considero How will this benefit your cause?

o How will you raise your money?

o Will it be a membership or non-membership organization?

o Who will be on your Board of Directors/Trustees?

o Who will run the non-profit – volunteers or staff?

o Restrictions on lobbying activities

o Barred from political campaign activities

o SCHOOLS- Does your district have an existing Education Foundation?

• Visit The Center for Nonprofits for more information

http://www.njnonprofits.org/


New Jersey Non-Profits

Go Green Galloway (GGG)

• Formed 2008 after Galloway signed Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, non-profit formed 2012

• GGG has

• GGG and town work on certification

• GGG members do not upload to certification application

• GGG fundraises for its own events, applies for SJ grants

• Better control over how funds used

• Businesses more readily step up to sponsor GGG efforts

Sustainable Cherry Hill (SCH)

• Formed in 2008 after residents asked town to sign Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement

• Separate SCH and Green Team

• SCH holds events that earn SJ points

• SCH members do not upload to certification application

• SCH receives no financial support from town, does it’s own fundraising

• Able to work w/town on festivals

• Challenges w/diverging agendas/priorities

• Potentially unstable environment vs. continuous Township leadership

Sustainable Lawrence (SL)

• Formed 2006 from community sustainability conversations

• Separate SL and green team

• SL has received some reimbursements from the town

• Able to work w/town on events and overall collaboration

Sustainable Princeton (SP)

• Formed 2009 when Princeton Twp. And borough provided funding for part-time Sustainability Coordinator – officially launched 2012

• SP serves as town’s green team

• SP has staffed positions and they upload to the certification application

• Receives $30,000 annually from town to perform statement of work that includes sustainability initiatives of municipality

• Have office in municipal building

• Ability to help town apply and receive SJ grants and seek additional funding

• Limits degree sustainability can be embedded into work culture of town


Non-Profit Questions?

• Sustainable Cherry Hillo Edward Cohen, [email protected], 609-217-1412

• Sustainable Princetono Christine Symington, [email protected],

609-454-4757

mailto:[email protected]



General Program Questions

• Sustainable Jerseyo Maureen Jones, [email protected], 609-771-2938

• Sustainable Jersey for Schoolso Veronique Lambert, [email protected], 609-771-3427



Current Annual Sustainable Jersey Municipal Sponsors

Grants Program Underwriters

Program Underwriters

Corporate Sponsors

PLATINUM

SILVER

BRONZE

Current Annual Sustainable Jersey for Schools Sponsors

Founding Sponsor

Founding Sponsor

Founding Sponsor

BRONZE

PLATINUM

Small Grants Underwriters

Sustainable Jersey for Schools Underwriters

Corporate Sponsors

GOLD SILVER

Our 2018 Sustainability Sessions were made possible in part with of the support of the following sponsors:

2018 New Jersey Sustainability Summit @SJ_Program | #SustainableStateNJ

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This event was made possible in part through our Event Sponsor:

green team 2.0: building your capacity & promoting your team · •freedcamp •monthly...

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