“Lenape means ‘the original human’, and that is where we need to get back to,” Chief Vincent Mann expressed, adding, “[reconnecting with the land] would provide us a way to encourage the people of tomorrow to take what we are sacrificing to create for them to further the future.” Indigenous people have a rich history of interacting in harmony with the environment.
Posts Tagged ‘climate change’
Rethinking Colonial Narratives and Transforming Native Insight into Actions: Indigenous Preservation of History
Thursday, July 20th, 2023Planning for Tomorrow, Not Today
Tuesday, July 18th, 2023“It doesn’t matter if we make every vehicle electric, and it doesn’t matter if we turn of all power plants; climate change will still get worse,” exclaimed Shawn LaTourette, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), during the 2023 Planning and Redevelopment Conference plenary, The State of Planning and Redevelopment in New Jersey, co-sponsored by New Jersey Future and the NJ Chapter of the American Planning Association.
Launching the Next State Plan
Tuesday, July 18th, 2023The State Plan “is more than a guide for land-use… it’s for public health, transportation, and much more,” stated Michael Kolber, Senior Planner for the City of Trenton, during the 2023 Planning and Redevelopment Conference as a panelist on the roundtable session Launching the Next State Plan, sponsored by New Jersey Future and the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association.
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes! How Water Utilities and Communities are Addressing Changing Climate, Changing Regulations and Changing Lead Pipes!
Monday, July 17th, 2023“Water is the only utility you ingest,” noted Mark McDonough, President of New Jersey American Water, as he reflected on the serious responsibility that water utilities have to protect the health of the communities they serve. To deliver on this responsibility, water utilities must address ever-changing environmental challenges.
Planning for Climate Resilient Stormwater Infrastructure
Monday, July 17th, 2023“Watersheds are not political and do not follow political delineations,” said Mayor Andrew Nowick from the City of Lambertville at the 2023 NJ Planning and Redevelopment Conference (NJPRC). As flooding increases due to increased intense rain events and aging stormwater infrastructure, it is more important than ever to plan ahead to protect all New Jerseyans in the face of climate change.
Five Community Planning Initiatives To Solve Problems and Save Money
Tuesday, June 6th, 2023Local officials face a rapidly changing world due to forces beyond their control. Impacts from the pandemic, climate change, and the racial reckoning cannot be ignored, nor can new state government requirements, ranging from housing to flood resilience. But by investing in community planning initiatives, municipal and county leaders can solve problems, save money, and strengthen their communities.
Rolling Along: Why New Jersey Should Join Other States and Offer an E-Bike Incentive Program
Wednesday, May 17th, 2023Electric bicycles, along with programs intended to incentivize their adoption, are rolling out across the country and New Jersey can’t afford to be left behind in this transportation revolution. Transportation emissions, which account for more than a third of all total greenhouse gas emissions in the state, are a critical target for climate change mitigation, necessitating the use of every tool to help us drive less.
New Jersey Future Shapes and Supports New Flood Disclosure Legislation
Friday, October 21st, 2022New Jersey has started down the path to join 29 other states that require home sellers to disclose past flood damages to potential buyers. Senate Bill 3110, which would benefit renters in addition to homeowners, was introduced last week at the Senate Environment and Energy Committee hearing on Thursday, October 6. This bill took shape two months after a joint Assembly and Senate Environment Committee hearing in which New Jersey Future testified on the need for robust flood disclosure legislation.
New Jersey Future Provides Direction at Joint State Senate and State Assembly Climate Hearing
Tuesday, August 16th, 2022“As New Jersey works to advance decarbonization and resilience efforts, we must ensure that residents are able to make informed decisions for themselves, and their families, in the wake of growing climate risks,” said New Jersey Future (NJF) Policy Manager Kim Irby, at the August 11th joint legislative committee hearing hosted by State Senator Bob Smith (D-17) and State Assemblyman James Kennedy (D-22) last Thursday.
The Risk to Our Roofs: Considering and Harnessing the Climate-Housing Nexus
Monday, July 11th, 2022New Jersey faces major challenges with the dual threat of climate change and housing unaffordability. While at face value, these two issues seem to pertain to natural or built environments, respectively, the two are inseparably linked and must be addressed in tandem.
