Over the last year, Sustainable Princeton has been proud to be the organizer of the grant-funded project, Changing the Landscape, which seeks to improve the health of the environment and workers’ health through adopting sustainable landscaping practices. This project included several meetings with members of Princeton’s landscaping community, elected officials, and environmental advocates to ensure that the voices of those most impacted by any proposed rule changes were involved in the decision-making process. The ordinance changes passed by Princeton Council on October 25, 2021, represent an important first step in transitioning away from fossil fuel-powered equipment. This policy change is just one piece of the puzzle, but it has real and immediate positive impacts.Â
To build upon these changes and the effort put forth by our project partners, Sustainable Princeton has established a fund to incentivize the transition to battery-powered lawn care equipment by providing financial assistance to the landscaping community. Community members have generously donated to this fund to support local businesses as they adopt more sustainable practices, including the use of cleaner, quieter equipment.Â