Green Day Challenge

 

EarthShare New Jersey
Green Day Challenge

 

April 11, 2025 & April 25, 2025

 

Are you up for the challenge?

EarthShare New Jersey (ESNJ) is hosting the 10th annual Green Day Challenge to get businesses involved with our environment. This challenge invites employers large and small from across the state to partner with an ESNJ partner or friend for an environmental project (projects are available in most counties).  Once the project is complete, the team and site will be evaluated for overall scope and impact by panelists. The results will be tabulated and awards will be presented for Best Overall Challenge, Team Work, Spirit, and more at EarthShare Celebrates NJ  2025 at Patterson Family Barn! Each company participating receives 1 ticket to attend the celebration!

Each 3 – 4 hour volunteer event at a site you select includes water, supplies, tools and guidance.  The participation fee also includes a donation.  Lunch can be added for an additional cost.  

1 – 5 Employees              $  600
6 – 15 Employees           $  850
16 – 25 Employees          $1,100
26 – 40 Employees          $2,100
41+ Employees          negotiable

2025 Challenge Sites have been announced!

Keep checking back as more are added! 

Sign up HERE

 

Build a beautiful boardwalk for all

Bergen County
15-30 Volunteers
Morning or Afternoon of April 11 or 25

Help us to make our nature center more accessible! We will be building a boardwalk to accommodate people of all abilities to enjoy our park. 

Restoring the Urban Forest
4/11/25 – AM RESERVED

Bergen County
15-40 Volunteers
Morning of April 11 or 25

Your team will play a pivotal role in restoring the native understory an urban forest. This hands-on volunteer experience will focus on planting hundreds of native plants, including landscape plugs and divided perennials, to help combat invasive species and restore vital habitat in areas of the park still recovering from past neglect.

Deer Drive and Trail Maintenance

Bergen County
5-15 Volunteers
Morning of April 11

Working with staff, volunteers will help drive deer out of the deer exclosure fence. Additional activities will include trail maintenance, laying boardwalks, pulling invasive species.

River Cleanup

Bergen County
5-40 Volunteers
Morning of April 11

To help protect & preserve our local waterways, we call on volunteers to assist us in recovering as much nonpoint source pollution from the water as possible. The more you help remove from the river, the healthier the water becomes for humans and wildlife that depend on it for survival! So, roll up your sleeves and join us as we come together to pick up litter and debris from the river, its shoreline, and the surrounding parkland! 

 Brush Pile Habitat Project

Burlington County
25-40 Volunteers
Morning or Afternoon of April 11

Help us maintain the beauty and health of our trails while creating vital habitats for local wildlife! We’re looking for volunteers to assist with trail maintenance and our Brush Pile Habitat Project. This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, work as a team, and make a direct impact on our mission to preserve and protect wildlife.

Garden Glow Up

Cape May County
5-40 Volunteers
Morning or Afternoon of April 11 or 25

Our gardens need a glow up this spring! We have a native pollinator garden with trails that needs cleaning up and maintenance. Additionally, we need to get vegetables planted in our container gardens.

Old Forest Facelift

Mercer County
10-25 Volunteers
Morning of April 11

We’re diving into a day of sprucing up the edge of an old forest—cleaning out the riff-raff of garbage and invaders, and decking it out with native plants to keep it thriving as a natural superhero filtering runoff! 🌿💪

Garden Project
4/11/25 – PM RESERVED

Mercer County
10-25 Volunteers
Morning or Afternoon of April 11 or 25

Help us maintain our community gardens! Various projects will be completed in our gardens to make them as accessible and fruitful as possible. This work will support our community! 

Garlic Mustard Push and Pull
4/11/25 – AM RESERVED

Mercer County
5-25 Volunteers
Morning or Afternoon of April 11 or 25

Fight the garlic mustard push by joining our pull! Garlic mustard is a troublesome, invasive that pushes native plants out of large areas where they would otherwise flourish. We will pull garlic mustard alongside our trails to give more native plants a chance. A garlic mustard pesto recipe will be on hand just in case any are curious!

Beach Cleanup & Mindfulness

Monmouth County
5-40 Volunteers
Morning or Afternoon of April 11 or 25

Breathe with the sea! Deepen your connection to the life-giving waters of the Jersey Shore with simple, engaging mindfulness exercises, followed by giving back to Earth with a meaningful beach cleanup.

Over the River and through the Woods

Monmouth County
5-25 Volunteers
Morning of April 11

A fun day in a beautiful wooded park helping with cleanup, removing invasive plants, mulching , garden cleanup and planting bulbs. We provide the tools, gloves etc.  Work in the morning , relax on the beach in the afternoon.

Help Build a Wildlife Observation Blind

Ocean County
5-15 Volunteers
Morning or Afternoon of April 11 or 25

 There is a lot of wildlife that calls our property home or visits during migration. The mature tree canopy is a haven for various species of birds. The marshes, creek and river shoreline also provide critical habitat ad are the perfect places to observe this wildlife. Help us to build a “blind” or a shelter that allows people to observe birds without being seen, often found in parks, refuges, and sanctuaries. They are used by bird watchers, ornithologists, and wildlife photographers to get up close images of birds and film their natural behaviors. Ours will also be used by students and the public!

Helping Hands for Habitat!

Somerset County
5-40 Volunteers
Morning of April 11 or 25

Join staff while we get dirty making a direct impact on habitat by removing invasive species and planting native plants. We will also work on improving trail use by upgrading several trails with new mulch.

Happy Trails!

Sussex County
6-25 Volunteers
Morning or Afternoon of April 11 or 25

Volunteers will clear paths, trim back overgrowth, and re-blaze select segments of our 11 miles of trail. All materials, including gloves, clippers, rakes, hammers, blazes, etc. included. 

 

2024 Winners

Overall Winner

MJH Life Sciences

 

Spirit Award

PVH

 

Teamwork Award 

PSEG and Veolia

 

Best Dressed

Sojo Spa

Outdoor Enthusiasts

NJM Insurance

Guardians of the Sanctuary

Johnson & Johnson

Playground Partners

Movado

Island Warriors 

PWC 

Park Loyalists

PSEG

Beachcomber Award 

PVH 

Stormwater Manager Award

Veolia