Millburn for Climate Action group is an informal group with climate community organizers. Along with Columbia University’s Eco Ambassador Program of Center for Sustainable Development of the Climate School, the group convened 50 young people who were ready to share their eco-activism through native plant swap. The native saplings were grown from seeds by local residents. The resident gardeners pooled their saplings together and with permission from the Millburn Library Director, Mr Michael Banick, were able to set up 500 native plants to share in Millburn.
The backdrop of this event was rather dismal with record breaking heat the past 4 days and temperature escalating to new heights. What should one do for the environment, when things look out of control. Well, the answer is do what you can. Millburn for Climate Action group and the Eco Ambassador group convened a plant swap where the young people led the stage. They helped to set-up, and share the plants with individuals going to the libraries and talk to each other about the importance of native plants. Young people managed a recruitment list to native plant, they shared tips on how to grow milkweeds with library goers and some were relentless that the passersby need to get the knowledge about native plants and get some for their own yards.
To support them were Jackie Benjamin Lieberberg, former Township Committee mayor, who encouraged the young people to be pro-environment. Republican candidate Ben Stoller also shared his concern that environment needs to be the focus at the town’s leadership level. Rene Paparian, a long time environmentalist made everyone aware of native plant resolution that is process by the Environmental Commission. Members of the Environmental Commission, Odarka Stockert was generous to share her native plant collection. One of the key points that the Resolution focusses on is to have all government buildings only include native plants and have more community spaces that include native plants. With the community leaders supporting native plants and young voices, Millburn is on a steady path to environmental sustainability.
What steps are needed in Millburn? Young voices discussed that household need to convert their yards to eco-friendly havens. Plant more natives can result in supporting the specialized bees, monarchs and many other insects. We discussed how not to be afraid of insects and how they support the eco-system. Something that Doug Tallamy has researched and proven that we need to turn our yards into bio-diversity clusters. Our yards can be so much more than the boring green grass. We discussed how milkweeds support the monarch population passing Millburn and how our yards needs can help the monarch population. Easy small steps to reduce grass and support native plants. We also discussed how “weeds” is a mis-name and that we need to popularize milkweeds, black eyed susans and other natives. Second, we discussed at the township level, we need more land patches with native plants. This will involve presenting our case at the Township meetings, meeting with the DPW which is involved with planting in the town. Many more steps to be taken. But the Eco Ambassadors are ready.