Environmental Leadership in Action: Steve Jasiecki and Sherri Lilienfeld.
Steve Jasiecki
Steve Jasiecki, chair of the Sustainable Margate Green Team, has become a recognized sustainability leader on the Jersey Shore, earning accolades such as Sustainability Hero of the Month for his work educating the community and advocating for environmental protection.
As a lifelong resident and outdoor enthusiast, Steve uses personal observation and passion to bring attention to critical issues like microplastic pollution, habitat protection, and clean waterways. He regularly leads educational activities from beach walks and kayak tours to environmental presentations at community events—helping residents and visitors understand how human actions connect to the health of local ecosystems.
Through partnerships with organizations like Clean Ocean Action, the Surfrider Foundation, and Sustainable Jersey, Steve has driven initiatives that enhance local sustainability and inspire collaborative action across
municipal boundaries.
Under Steve’s leadership, Sustainable Margate has achieved recognition and measurable impact. The city earned Sustainable Jersey Bronze certification by completing actions that protect the environment and improve quality of life, enabling access to grants for sustainability projects. These include watershed management planning, native plant gardens, and bicycle and pedestrian safety planning.
Steve also works directly with municipalities and policy makers to adopt ordinances addressing pollution and wildlife protection, such as balloon release bans and construction dust containment measures that limit microplastic and other harmful particle release into the environment.
Sherri Lilienfeld
Sherri Lilienfeld, a board member of Sustainable Margate, has been instrumental in translating environmental concerns into practical policy. After learning from Steve about microplastic contamination in local bays and wetlands, she applied her engineering background to develop a model ordinance addressing construction site pollution.
This initiative promotes best practices for containing sawdust and debris—often laden with microplastics and other toxic particles—so they do not enter stormwater systems, soil, and waterways. Her work helped Margate pass a local resolution, and the policy concept has since spread to neighboring towns such as Ventnor, Longport, and Egg Harbor City.
Sherri also develops educational materials, such as bilingual flyers for contractors, to increase compliance and environmental awareness on worksites. Her efforts contributed to broader adoption of similar ordinances in multiple New Jersey communities and have attracted attention from statewide coalitions advocating for policy change.
Together, Steve and Sherri exemplify effective local environmental leadership that combines community outreach, education, policy development, and collaboration. Their work with the Margate Green Team not only improves sustainability at the local level but also serves as a model for other communities seeking real, measurable environmental progress.