Leading Community Sustainability

Sustainable Highland Park's Annual Earth Day Fair!

Sunday, May 3

11:30 am – 3:30 pm
North 3rd Ave (Raritan to Denison)
In the heart of the Highland Park Street Fair

Learn More

SHP team holding plants
Our Mission

Who is Sustainable Highland Park?

Sustainable Highland Park (SHP), the Borough’s Green Team, is dedicated to educating and implementing sustainable actions and practices that improve the quality of life for all those who live, work, and visit Highland Park, NJ. This includes environmental, economic, and social initiatives. In our capacity as the Green Team, Sustainable Highland Park aims to help the Borough maintain and advance our silver level Sustainable Jersey certification.

Logo for Highland Park's Sustainable Jersey Silver Certification.
Two volunteers posing with a recently planted native plant.
About Us
What we do

Current initiatives

A volunteer raking leaves away from a storm drain.

Adopt-a-Storm Drain

Litter, debris and other pollutants enter storm drains and eventually pollute our waterways. It can also clog drains, flooding local streets. Residents can adopt one or more storm drains in their neighborhood and periodically remove leaves and litter from the top of the drain.
More information
A volunteer picking up litter from a roadside.

Community Cleanups

Tired of seeing trash on our streets and sidewalks and in our parks and other natural areas? So are we. Do you wish you could do something about it? Well, we are! And so can you!
More information
All Initiatives
Events

Come meet us or lend a hand

All Events
May 02

Community Cleanup

Pre-Earth Day clean-up – North 3rd Ave, rain gardens, Raritan Ave.  Meet in the parking lot on North 3rd and Raritan Ave, Highland Park

Gloves, buckets, and other supplies will be provided.

10:00 AM
–
12:00 PM
N. 3rd Ave. and Raritan Ave.
Get involved

There are many ways to participate

Whether you have a lot of time or a little, there are many ways to help make our community more sustainable!
More about getting involved
News

Sustainability News

  • Sustainability Spotlight: Sarah Grunstein

    April 22, 2026
    April’s Sustainability Spotlight features Sarah Grunstein, an art teacher at Highland Park High School who teaches sustainability through art.
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    Nominate a resident, business, or organization for an upcoming  Sustainability Spotlight here.

  • Sustainability Spotlight: Karen Swaine

    March 17, 2026
    March’s Sustainability Spotlight features Highland Park resident Karen Swaine who has spent decades advocating for native plants and deterring invasive species…
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    Nominate a resident, business, or organization for an upcoming  Sustainability Spotlight here.

  • Sustainability Spotlight: Cleaning Outcha Closet

    February 14, 2026

    February’s Sustainability Spotlight features Cleaning Outcha Closet, a local thrift market group based in Highland Park, focused on eco-friendly shopping.

    Read more

    Nominate a resident, business, or organization for an upcoming Sustainability Spotlight here.

  • SHP 2025 Year in Review

    January 7, 2026

    View Sustainable Highland Park’s 2025 accomplishments presentation here

  • Sustainability Spotlight: The Highland Park Native Plant Sanctuary

    November 12, 2025

    November’s Sustainability Spotlight features the Highland Park Native Plant Sanctuary. Read more.

    Nominate a resident, business, or organization for an upcoming Sustainability Spotlight here.

  • Sustainability Spotlight: Will Payne

    October 26, 2025

    October’s Sustainability Spotlight is Highland Park resident Will Payne and his Little Free Garden on North 2nd just north of Lincoln. Read more here.

    Nominate a resident, business, or organization for an upcoming Sustainability Spotlight here.

All Sustainability News
Our Accomplishments

Some of the impacts in the community we've made

1300
Native plants seedlings distributed for residents' gardens
800
Pounds of trash collected in 2024
150
Storm drains monitored by local residents