The Ewing Green Team (EGT) is an appointed board and is composed of a group of concerned Ewing residents dedicated to building a sustainable community in Ewing Township.  [Current Board].  The Board is appointed for 3 year terms by the Mayor and Ewing Twp. Administration and they work in concert to achieve lasting change in Ewing.

Meetings

The Team meets monthly on the 4th Wednesdays.
Time: 7  – 9 pm
Location: Ewing Senior and Community Center, 999 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing, NJ 08628

Contact

On the Web – EwingGreenTeam.org
Email – ewinggreenteam@gmail.com

History

The Team was established in 2009 by municipal resolution Sustainable Ewing Resolution under the auspices of the Ewing Environmental Commission and was co-chaired by John Hoegl and Peter Boughton.

In 2013 Ewing received a BRONZE level certification from Sustainable Jersey.

In 2016 Ewing earned re-certification from Sustainable Jersey at the SILVER level.  In addition, they received a Sustainability Champion award for the municipality earning the greatest number of points (460) in the medium sized category (from population 5,000 – 39,999).

In 2019 Ewing recertified in the Sustainable Jersey program, again at the SILVER level with a total of 510 points.

Read our Annual Sustainability Report 2018

Vision

The Ewing Green Team envisions a Ewing Township that incorporates sustainability into the actions and decision-making processes of community members and municipal offices.  Ewing will be a community that leads in efforts to:

• create and maintain sustainable ways of living;
• build strong and diverse economic opportunities; and
• cultivate a community that welcomes people from all walks of life.

Mission

To achieve our vision, the Ewing Green Team will:

Respectfully engage with and respond to the needs of community members to raise awareness of the many issues related to sustainability.  Lead, educate, and empower the community to create together paths to a sustainable future.  Improve the quality of life in Ewing and our surrounding communities for this and future generations through education, cooperation, and action.

Strategic Plan

EGT Strategic Sustainability Plan
The final plan released at the conclusion of our community visioning in 2015.

Current Initiatives

Following its first Bronze Level certification from Sustainable Jersey in 2013, the EGT felt that it was important to take stock of where they stood before moving forward.  They wanted to: (1) build on Ewing’s success and sustainability momentum, (2) increase their capacity as a Green Team, (3) engage more citizens in sustainability activities, and (4) solicit community input & incorporate it into future sustainability planning.  The goal was to develop a community-based vision for the sustainable future of Ewing for 5, 10, and more years down the road.

In 2014 a community visioning process was conducted to solicit citizen input. A Strategic Sustainability Plan was released after the conclusion of the process. EGT members, along with interested residents, are now hard at work to create the Ewing of the Future from the tasks identified during this process.  See current initiatives below.

Current Initiatives

Community Building

• Neighborhoods – identify, map, and create neighborhood associations – an ongoing project.
• Welcome Booklet – In 2018, the team published Ewing’s first Welcome Guide within recent memory.  It provides information about almost everything you ever wanted to know about living in Ewing, NJ.  It’s ideal for new and prospective residents and those who already live in town and just want to learn more about what the community has to offer.

Waste and Recycling

• Waste Education – educate and provide updated 3R information.  See the Ewing Township Recycling Info Depot at http://ewingrecycles.org for a Ewing centric, with added information from within Mercer County, recycling hub.
• The team has also focused on recycling education at community events, as well as creating recycling flyers for public distribution.

Preservation/Conservation

• Preserve, protect and enhance the local tree canopy in Ewing.  The Team worked on a Emerald Ash Borer campaign to educate homeowners about the threat to Twp. Ash trees and to coordinate remediation efforts with local partners.  This effort also included a tree planting to replace some of the lost trees.
• The Team is also working with the Ewing Environmental Commission to promote a tree ordinance in Ewing.
• A subcommittee of the Green Team, Wild About Ewing, is currently busy promoting the Ewing Community Wildlife Habitat Project.  Ewing has enrolled in the National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat Project to educate residents about the importance of gardening for wildlife by using native plants, sustainable gardening practices, and providing food, water, shelter, and places to raise young on their properties.

Economic Development

• Green Business Recognition Program for Ewing businesses.

Energy Efficiency

• Energy Education & Outreach Campaign for Residents
• Outreach Campaign for Local Businesses – Direct Install. Ewing businesses, to date, have received over 620K for focused energy upgrades.

Additionally, the Team runs the following events every year:

• The Ewing Fall Spin – an annual bike tour of Ewing to promote bike safety and trails in town.
• Scarecrow Contest – this award-winning event promotes recycling education and the arts
• Garden Tour of Ewing – an annual tour of some of Ewing’s best gardens, run to promote beautification and sustainable gardening practices.