Building a sustainable community takes, well, a community. Over the past few weeks and in the month ahead, local individuals, organizations and the municipality are all taking more steps towards greater sustainability. Together, they are hoping a cleaner future is possible.
MUNICIPAL GREEN TEAM
Within the Princeton government, continued efforts have been made to bring people together “to save tax dollars, maintain clean air and water, improve working and living environments to build a community that is sustainable economically, environmentally, and socially,” states Princeton Council’s March 10th Resolution Appointing a Municipal Green Team for 2025. It also aims to “implement actions within the Princeton Climate Action Plan, build a community that offers middle-income housing and a thriving business community and to continue focusing on sustainability and documenting its efforts by maintaining its certification under the Sustainable Jersey Program.”
Towards this effort, Mayor and Council approved the resolution and have appointed members of Princeton’s Boards, Committees and Commissions, municipal employees and those from Sustainable Princeton to advise the Mayor and Council. Working together with people from different departments and groups can bring varying perspectives, goals and ideas. The hope is that will lead to more initiatives and an environment that is more green, economical and enduring.
“Being more green isn’t just about the environment—it’s about creating healthier homes, more resilient communities, and a future we can all look forward to,” explains Christine Symington, Sustainable Princeton’s Executive Director and a member of the 2025 Municipal Green Team. “The more we contribute, the more momentum we build, and the greater the change we can achieve together.”
LOCAL SCHOOLS TAKE PART
In addition to the local government efforts, all six Princeton Public Schools have their own Green Teams and are certified through Sustainable for Jersey Schools. This means they are amongst the leaders when it comes to environmental initiatives and efforts. Doing so also makes them eligible for grant money, to further the cause – money which was just awarded to three of the schools. The $2,000 Sustainable for Jersey School grants, funded by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), were handed out at the end of March to Community Park School, Littlebrook School and Princeton Middle School.
“We hope this funding serves as a catalyst for transformative sustainability initiatives, sparking greater awareness and positive change throughout your community,” said Sustainable Jersey Executive Director Randall Solomon.
At Community Park, efforts have been underway to transition from disposable to reusable service ware. With the grant, the school will have the ability to purchase a full set of cutleries, get the supplies needed to collect and sanitize utensils and further educate its students about sustainability. Littlebrook is also planning to use the grant to transition to reusable wares for both its classroom and cafeteria.
“We are grateful for this Sustainable Jersey-NJEA grant, which will help Littlebrook Elementary further our commitment to sustainability. Expanding our collection of reusable wares supports our growing student body while reducing waste and fostering environmental responsibility,” shares Luis Ramirez, Principal at Littlebrook.
Princeton Middle School is going to use its money outside of the school, growing its sustainability initiatives through hands-on design, build and maintenance of a new outdoor compost system where four grow boxes are to be built to host worm composting.
RESIDENTS HAVE A ROLE
But it’s not just Princeton’s public entities alone that are working to help create a greater sustainable community. Individuals around town are joining in, too, by utilizing offerings that can help them be greener. For example, Princeton’s Food Scraps Drop-off Program, allows approved residents to drop their leftover scraps to be collected and composted into energy or soil, rather than contributed to landfills. What was once a small pilot program now has more than 320 residents and has recently expanded to provide five local drop-off sites: at the Municipal building, Monument Hall, and Johnson Park, Riverside and Littlebrook Elementary Schools.
Further assisting in keeping things out of landfills, in 2024, Mercer County residents helped to achieve a 54% recycling rate. And in 2025, it got even easier to do this as more things became recyclable. In January, the Mercer County Improvement Authority began accepting plastics labeled #5 (polypropylene), in addition to the already accepted #1 and #2 items. Polypropylene are the 2nd most common type of plastic, so adding these to your recycling protocol will likely make an even larger impact this year.
“We’re grateful to be part of a community of individuals, organizations, and institutions working toward a more sustainable future. While large-scale change is critical, it’s equally true that every person, household, and group in Princeton has a vital role to play. Climate change is a collective challenge, and it requires a collective response,” Symington adds.
If you want to learn more or get involved in community efforts, Earth Day is coming up on April 22nd, which has spurred many organizations to open up environmental experiences for the greater community. Here are some happenings you can take part in:
April 22nd – Young farmers are invited to Terhune Orchards where the Read & Pick will focus on growing and planting. Everyone will leave with their own seeds to plant at home. Advanced registration is required.
April 25th – Head to Princeton University’s Frist South Lawn for the Earth Month Festival (from 12:30-3:30pm). Sustainability-themed organizations will be on site to share ideas, activities and even free succulents!
April 26th – Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve will be the site of an Earth Day Community Volunteer Event coordinated by Friends of Princeton Open Space. Come help perform riparian and forest restoration including removing invasive species, plantings and building protection for native plants. Meet in the Mountain Lakes House Parking lot (at the end of the long driveway) at 10am or 1pm dressed to garden, and with your own work gloves and tools, if you have them. All volunteers are also invited to an on-site potluck picnic at noon.
April 27th – Party Like it’s Your Earth Day @ Morven Museum as it joins forces with Sustainable Princeton for earth-friendly fun from 11am-3pm. The day includes a yoga experience (registration required), garden tour and even a Trashion Show, where recycled and repurposed materials will be shared as creative new fashions! You can stop by to see them, or enter the competition yourself. There’s also going to be food, music and more. If you attend, you are asked to bring old clothes or books for a swap or repurposing. Bring your reusable water bottle as well and blanket to sit and enjoy the experiences!
Lisa Jacknow spent years working in national and local news in and around New York City before moving to Princeton. Working as both a TV producer and news reporter, Lisa came to this area to focus on the local news of Mercer County at WZBN-TV. In recent years, she got immersed in the Princeton community by serving leadership roles at local schools in addition to volunteering for other local non-profits. In her free time, Lisa loves to spend time with her family, play tennis, sing and play the piano. A graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lisa was raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts but has lived in the tri-state area since college. She is excited to be Editor and head writer for Princeton Perspectives!