The following information was provided by the borough of Fanwood.

Mayor Colleen Mahr announced today that Fanwood has joined only 125 other New Jersey towns in becoming Sustainable Jersey certified, an achievement that recognizes the Borough for its ongoing efforts to protect natural resources, reduce waste and teach residents how to be "green".

"Municipalities that earn the certification are considered by their peers, by state government, and by the experts and civic organizations in New Jersey to be among the leading municipalities in the state," said Samantha McGraw of Sustainable Jersey.

"I'm so excited and so appreciative of each and every one of our Green Team members who helped us reach this goal," said Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr.

To earn Sustainable Jersey certification, Fanwood had to complete the program's rigorous list of sustainability actions such as energy audits of municipal buildings, conducting a green fair, embracing "safe routes to school" and anti-idling programs. Fanwood earned more than the 150 points needed for the first level of Sustainable Jersey certification, Bronze.

Fanwood's Green Team is led by former Borough Councilwoman Donna Dolce, who recruited volunteers and began mapping a course towards certification in 2011.

“I found this effort to be a perfect culmination of all the good works of our community,” said Ms. Dolce. “We earned points in many areas where Fanwood was already involved in ongoing, good sustainable practices, so this was truly a community achievement.”

The certification will make Fanwood eligible for future grants and financial considerations.

Sustainable Jersey is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 2009 that supports community efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental quality.