By Allison Perrine
RUMSON – As a borough surrounded by water on three sides, it’s especially important to be environmentally conscious.
That’s why members of the Rumson Environmental Commission are encouraging borough-based businesses to implement as many green-friendly procedures as possible through its new Green Business Seal program, which kicked off this summer.
“This program is a great example of how our commissioners work creatively to find ways to ‘educate, facilitate and motivate’ members of our community to become more sustainable. There are so many ways we can adopt behaviors that help protect the natural resources in our beautiful town,” said Kristen Hall, chair of the environmental commission. “We believe folks really want to be part of the solution and we strive to make it easier for them.”
According to Hall, the idea for the program arose while researching ways to be more sustainable. She found the Sustainable Jersey certification process served as a “great blueprint” for ideas. With the help of fellow commissioner Jenn Crow, the two developed the Green Business Seal program and criteria. Aside from helping the environment, a goal of the program is to help businesses become more efficient and profitable while serving as a leader in the community for ways to protect the borough’s natural resources, according to its website.
“Programs like River Friendly and Green Business Seal were created to show residents and business owners how they can make simple, greener choices every day. We feel it is a great first step for those who would like to be more aware of their impact on the environment,” Crow said. She also noted that there are resources on the commission’s website “for those who are ready to make a bigger commitment to change.”
To become certified, local businesses must adopt at least five sustainable practices from at least two different categories, which include waste reduction, water conservation, energy conservation, community building and a general category. Some of the steps are broad, such as setting annual environmental goals or offering employees and customers reusable items. Others are more specific to Rumson.
Because the borough is a community surrounded by water, while developing the criteria the commission felt it was important to focus on water conservation. Under this category, businesses are encouraged to install water-efficient equipment, appliances and plumbing fixtures such as low-flow toilets. It also suggests they switch to an on-demand hot water system; install rain barrels to water plantings; landscape with native and drought-resistant plants and minimize turf; and reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides or use organic alternatives.
“As stormwater rolls over our land, especially the more developed land – the roads, driveways, parking lots and rooftops – it picks up debris and toxins and even fertilizers on the way and takes it directly to our local rivers which undermines our water quality,” said Hall. “We hope that people can landscape with native drought-resistant plants and that can help reduce the use of fertilizer. It can also help hold the riverbanks together, especially if businesses are along the roads or the riverbanks – anywhere where water’s going to flow over and kind of go into the road.”
So far, three businesses have signed up – Val’s Tavern, Cups & Cakes and Curated Passage Travel – and others are “coming down the pike,” said Hall.
“I hope that these companies can be a source of inspiration for other companies to see how you can be a successful business and have a successful storefront and still take measures to reduce your impact on our local community and beyond,” she said.
Outside of Rumson’s Green Seal program, businesses can also register with the NJ Sustainable Business Registry at registry.njsbdc.com.
Rumsonites can also maintain a clean environment by participating in the River Friendly Challenge. In partnership with Clean Ocean Action, residents are encouraged to complete a provided eco-friendly checklist and post photos of those steps being completed on Instagram using the hashtag #rumsonriverfriendly.
There are 10 items on the checklist: know your watershed address; scoop up pet waste; leave grass clippings on the lawn as a natural fertilizer; compost food and leaves; cut out chemical products; reduce or refuse the use of plastics; conserve energy; clean up automotive chemical spills; reduce stormwater runoff; and install a ‘green’ roof.
“The Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers are not only home and nursery to a variety of marine species unique to its brackish waters, the two rivers are also a recreational refuge to locals and tourists. Their natural and economic value make them important to preserve for future generations,” the environmental commission wrote on its River Friendly Challenge flyer. “By participating in the River Friendly Challenge, you are promising to try as many River Friendly practices as possible.”
According to Hall, she and Crow encourage residents to adopt at least five of these river-friendly practices “to help protect our beautiful waters.” During the 2020-21 school year, the two were able to encourage “several hundred” Rumson residents to participate in the program.
Anyone with questions can email riverfriendly.challenge@gmail.com. For more information about the Rumson Environmental Commission and its initiatives, visit rumsonnj.gov/env.
The article originally appeared in the September 23 – 29, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
