Sustainability and Greening of Jewish Life II

1. PEARL: Providing Education and Resources for Leadership Sustainability and Greening of Jewish Life II Jewish Reconstructionist Federation Transformative Judaism for the 21st Century 101 Greenwood Avenue Beit Devora, Suite 430 Jenkintown, PA 19046 215.885.5601 / fax: 215.885.5603 www.jrf.org Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, Sybil Sanchez, Rabbi Shawn Zevit and Guests June 15, 2011-12:00 p.m.-1:15 p.m.

2. Introduction- Rabbi Shawn Zevit Mordecai Kaplan argued that Jewish life must provide us with recipes for justice in the world when he wrote, “A theology which is not a plan of social action is merely a way of preaching and praying. It is a menu without the dinner.” (Not So Random Thoughts) If we are to have a viable future as a Jewish People, we need to build on Kaplan’s formulation of Judaism as an evolving religious civilization to include a globally sustainable approach to living in faith community. A globally sustainable, evolving religious culture will also include interdependent and healthy economic, social, political, environmental and spiritual systems. For us as Jews, as non-Jewish partners and allies sharing a Jewish path, and as human beings on this planet, there may be no more important issue to engage in and face than the issue of global sustainability in the 21st century. If you imagine yourself at the end of this year, what action(s) do you most want to change in your personal lifestyle to include a sustainability consciousness? What about as a faith community?

3. Suggested blessing for any leadership activity Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheynu melech ha-olam, asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav, v’tzivanu, la’a’sok b’tzorchei tzibur. (Developed by Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz) Blessed are you God Creator of the Universe, Source of Holiness in our actions, when we engage in the needs of the community. (Interpretative translation, Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit)

4. Text Study- Biblical and Rabbinic Eras • “The Eternal God formed the human (adam) from the dust of the Earth (adamah). God blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the human became a living being…The Eternal God took and placed the human being in the Garden of Eden, to till it and tend it.” – Genesis 2:7, 2:15 • “The land must not be sold beyond reclaim, for the land is Mine; you are but strangers resident with Me.” – Leviticus 25:23 • “The Earth is the Eternal’s and all that it holds, the world and its inhabitants.” – Psalm 24:1 • “God led Adam around the Garden of Eden and said, 'Look at My works. See how beautiful they are, how excellent. See to it that you do not spoil or destroy My world - for if you do, there will be no one to repair it after you." – Midrash, Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13 • “Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai ... used to say, “If you have a sapling in your hand, and someone should say to you that the Messiah has come, stay and complete the planting, and then go to greet the Messiah” -- Avot de Rabbi Nathan, 31b

5. Text Study- Medieval and Modern “Torah does not permit a killing that would uproot a species, even if it permitted the killing [of individuals] in that species.” – Nachmanides, Commentary on Deuteronomy 22:6 “It should not be believed that all the beings exist for the sake of the existence of humanity. On the contrary, all the other beings too have been intended for their own sakes, and not for the sake of something else.” -- Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed, 456 “Nature is of the very essence of Deity.” - Israel Baal Shem Tov, Shivkhe Ha-Besht, 329 “Master of the Universe, grant me the ability to be alone; may it be my custom to go outdoors each day among the trees and grass and all growing things, and there may I be alone, and enter into prayer.” - RebbeNachman of Bratzlav, Maggid Sichot, 48 “Know that when a person prays in the field, then all of the grasses/plants together come into the prayer, and they help him, and give him strength within his prayer. “ - RebbeNachman of Brastlav, LikuteiMaharan 11, “I can contemplate a tree. I can accept it as a picture... I can feel it as a movement... I can assign it to a species and observe it as an instance... I can overcome its uniqueness and form so rigorously that I can recognize it only as an expression of law... I can dissolve it into a number, into a pure relation between numbers, and externalize it. Throughout all of this the tree, the tree remains my object and has its time span, its kind and condition. But it can also happen, if will and grace are joined, that as I contemplate the tree I am drawn into a relation, and the tree ceases to be an It.” - Martin Buber, I and Thou, 57-58

6. Text Study- Modern • “Small is the world that most of us pay attention to, and limited is our concern. What do we see when we see the world? There are three aspects of nature that command our attention: its power, its beauty, and its grandeur. Accordingly, there are three ways in which we may relate ourselves to the world – we may exploit it, we may enjoy it, we may accept it in awe.” – Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel • “Our responsibility for all that dwells in the earth and for the earth itself extends into the future. The earth is not ours to destroy (cf. Dt 20:19), but to hand on in trust to future generations. We cannot, therefore, recklessly consume its resources to satisfy needs that are artificially created and sustained by a society that tends to live only for the present. We also need to act, together whenever feasible, to assure that sound practices, guaranteed by law, are established in our countries and local communities for the future preservation of the environment…Respect for God’s creation, of which we are a part, must become a way of life.” – International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee, “A Common Declaration on the Environment.” March 1998.

7. Text Study- Contemporary “Bal tash’hit (Avoiding waste): Material resources are limited, and we have the responsibility to guard against overconsumption and needless waste. No matter how much we can afford to buy, we should protect each thing of worth to any person or creature even if it has little value to us directly. This reflects gratitude for what we have and appreciation for the needs of all.” – David A. Teutsch, A Guide to Jewish Practice: Introduction, Attitudes, Values and Beliefs – Kashrut: The Jewish Dietary Laws Second Edition In Praise: Genesis 1,2 Hail the hand that scattered space with stars, Wrapped whirling world in bright blue blanket, air, Made worlds within worlds, elements in earth, Souls within skins, every one a teeming universe, Every tree a system of semantics, and pushed Beyond probability to place consciousness On this cooling crust of burning rock. Oh praise the hand, mind, heart, soul, power or force That so enclosed, separated limited planets, trees, humans Yet breaks all bounds and borders To lavish on us light, love, life This trembling glory. - Ruth Brin, Kol Haneshamah Daily Prayer Book, p.433

8. http://www.ahavat-olam.caVeHayah Im Shamo’a (Deut 11:13-21) If you really listen to the words of the teaching that I give you this day: That is: to love God and serve God wholeheartedly, Then the difficulties of this life will seem less harsh, Because God’s presence will guide you. Be careful not to think that your accomplishments are yours alone, Rather remember that it is God’s grace that empowers you. KNOW THAT YOU ARE PART OF THE CYCLES OF THIS LIFE, THAT WHAT YOU DO WILL COME BACK TO YOU: That if you do not love yourself, the world will appear loveless That is you do not respect the godliness in others, God’s presence will not be apparent to you: THAT IF YOU PUT TOXINS INTO YOUR AIR, EARTH, AND WATER, THEY WILL REAPPEAR AS POISINS IN YOUR FOOD Remember that these consequences result from losing touch with your God… Work hard on this connectedness, Knowing that it will not be easy, But knowing that it could easily give you peace of mind… And that you may live contentedly here On this planet For as long as the heavens are above the earth.

9. Sustainable Synagogues- Reconstructionist Resources http://jrf.org/Sustainable_Synagogue_Resources • WHEREAS, our tradition teaches us that "The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof' (Psalm 24); and • WHEREAS, our liturgy proclaims that '' The whole Earth is full of God's glory"; and WHEREAS, the Torah teaches us that " The Earth is Mine, you are My tenants" (Leviticus 25:23); and • WHEREAS, our tradition warns us that "Now all that I am going to create for you I • have already created. Think about this and do not corrupt and desolate My world; • for if you do corrupt or desolate it, there will be no one to set it right after you" (Kohelet Rabbah 7:28); and • WHEREAS, Jewish law commands " bal tashchit" -- "you shall not wantonly destroy"; and • WHEREAS, our tradition obligates every Jew to work for tikkun olam- the repair of the ­World; and WHEREAS, the devastating despoliation of our environment, directly or indirectly • contributed to by the vast majority of the human inhabitants of the Earth, • increasingly threatens the health and, indeed, the very existence of animal and plant life on the Earth, including human life; and • WHEREAS, much can be achieved by adhering to the fundamental, yet simple, principle of not wasting our resources; and • WHEREAS, each of us can make significant contributions to preserving our • environment in our homes, our synagogue, our communities, and our workplaces; • NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation that JRF shall:

10. 1990 Reconstructionist Movement Resolution on the Environment • I. AIR A. Air Toxins B. Greenhouse Effect C. Acid Rain D. Ozone Smog E. Stratospheric Ozone Depletion • II. WATER A. Agricultural Run-Off B. Discharge Limitations C. Wetland Protection D. Ocean Protection • III. HAZARDOUS AND NON-HAZARDOUS WASTES A. Waste Minimization B. Residential Waste Minimization C. Hazardous Waste Disposal D. Abandoned Hazardous Waste Sites E. Hazardous Waste Exports • IV. WILDLIFE AND NATURAL RESOURCES A. Conservation Areas B. Endangered Species C. Natural Resources • V. INSECTICIDES. HERBICIDES. AND FUNGICIDES A. Pesticide Use B. Pesticides in Food • VI. RESEARCH AND EDUCATION • VII. ETHICAL INVESTING • VIII. INVOLVEMENT OF JRF CONGREGATIONS AND HAVUROT (Internal practices) Social Action (External Advocacy, activism, Congregation-Based Community-organizing, CSA’s, etc.)

11. Sustainable Synagogues- Reconstructionist Resources http://jrf.org/Sustainable_Synagogue_Resources • http://www.jrf.org/climate • http://jrf.org/pearl/2008/sustainable-synagogues-part-2-jrf-congregations-best-practices-of-+2008 • http://jrf.org/pearl/2009/sustainable-synagogues-3.0 • Ecological Sustainability and Jewish Civilization: • http://jrf.org/sz-2007-omer-intro and http://jrf.org/omer/2007 • http://jrf.org/files/JRF Sustainable Synagogue Conference Call Notes.doc • Reconstructionist Movement : Sustainable Synagogues: Resources and Best Practices: http://stores.jrfbookstore.org/-strse-81/Sustainable-Synagogues-cln--Resources-and/Detail.bok • http://jrf.org/sustainable-synagogue-honorees • http://jrf.org/files/Jewish vbdm, Sustainability_scenario.doc

12. 2008 JRF Biennial convention Sustainable Synagogue honorees: 15 of the individuals and communities leading the way in our movement in integrating Jewish values and religious life, and sustainable communal policies and practices. • 1. Adat Shalom, Bethesda, MD, (http://www.adatshalom.net/)Environmental Education, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and Activism • 2. Beit Tikvah, Baltimore, MD, (http://www.beittikvah.org/)Sponsors of the Baltimore Jewish Environmental Conference and participants in the newly formed Baltimore Environmental Network of Synagogues See http://jrf.org/node/906 • 3. Bnai Keshet, Montclair, NJ, (http://www.bnaikeshet.org/)Synagogue Greening Initiative, Education curriculum and Honoree of Greenfaith • 4. Congregation Bet Haverim, Atlanta, GA, (http://www.congregationbethaverim.org/)Hannukah for a Brighter Future energy initiative See http://jrf.org/project-new-leaves, http://ecoomer.wetpaint.com/?t=anon; • 5. Darchei Noam, Toronto, Ontario, CAN, (http://www.darcheinoam.on.ca/)Environmental Principles of Capital Campaign http://jrf.org/files/Darchei%20Noam's%20New%20Green%20Home.pdf • 6. Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Evanston, IL, (http://www.jrc-evanston.org/)Greenest Synagogue in NA and ongoing green policy developmentJRC awarded JTA Green Beanie Award 2009 • 7. Kehillat Israel, Pacific Palisades, CA, (http://kehillatisrael.org/) Mitzvot for Sustainable Living • 8. ShirHadash, Milwaukee, WI , http://www.cshmilw.org/ Year of the Environment See http://jrf.org/Sustainable_Synagogue_Resources#comment-330 • 9. RSNS, Plandome, NY, (http://www.rsns.org/)Synagogue Greening Initiative and save-the-rain campaign See http://jrf.org/node/919 • 10. Temple Bet Hatfiloh, Olympia, WA, (http://www.bethhatfiloh.org/)Buying local and local farm initiative See http://jrf.org/node/923, and http://jrf.org/node/929 • 11. West End Synagogue, New York, NY, Brit Adamah Congregational Covenant and Educational Environmental Program, Sarah Chandler, Ed Dir special mention See http://jrf.org/omer-balance • 12. Reconstructionist Rabbinical College- Green Committee, www.rrc.eduOngoing work in energy conservation and sustainable practices at RRC. See http://jrf.org/carbon-offset, http://jrf.org/omer07-Teutsch • 13. Camp JRF, www.campjrf.org ; Recycling, composting and food waste reduction efforts with campers • 14. Rabbi Michael Cohen, for his work in Israel and the Arava Institute (http://www.arava.org/new/) See http://jrf.org/node/967, and http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/ • 15. Special Honor: Rabbi Fred Dobb, Adat Shalom, MD; COEJL Board; lifelong activist in ecological consciousness and Jewish life. http://scherlinders.wordpress.com/2009/05/08/freds-thesis/

13. Exhibit A, the community I know best: Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation sustainable materials where possible; living wage always

14. EPA “Energy Star” Congregation, 2002 Adat Shalom Recon. Cong., Bethesda MD .

15. Adat Shalom Recon. Cong., Bethesda MD

16. Caring for Creation … Adat Shalom’s 43-kilowatt Solar installation goes live this month

17. “Choose life, that you and your children may live” (Deut. 30:19) וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים - לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה, אַתָּה וְזַרְעֶךָ This is Adat Shalom’s New Composter’s Dedication (a year ago, Tu B’Shvat)!

18. Adat Shalom’s Mishnah Garden * Organic * Local * Educational * Spiritual * Communal * Activist

19. Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation Bethesda, MD Green Building Process, 1997-2001http://www.adatshalom.net/ • Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation is the second synagogue in the US to receive the EPA Energy Star Congregation award. A minimal description is under "Lech Lecha" at its website, www.jrf.org/adatsmd; this might give you ideas. The Center for a New American Dream also briefly featured it in a video, “More Fun, Less Stuff” (www.newdream.org). In short, to get others thinking about how the Adat Shalom experience could prove instructive, a few of its major environmental "victories" were:*  passive solar heating through clerestory windows and dark floor in social hall*  nertamid (eternal light) hooked up to a photovoltaic (solar energy) cell on the roof*  a designated percentage of wood came from certified sustainable forestry operations *  good zone-by-zone heating and lighting system implemented, with many settings & options*  CFL's, LED exit signs, and other low-energy fixtures installed throughout the building*  much material from the existing building saved or kept in place for new construction*  mostly local materials were used; limited Jerusalem stone shipped from Israel for symbolism*  maximum number of trees on-site before construction saved by careful planning*  low-water use (xeriscaping), low-maintenance, low-chemical, native landscaping *  low-impact cork flooring used in lobby areas; recycled carpet used in sanctuary & offices*  mostly-recycled-or-limestone composite "vinyl alternative" tile flooring in social hall & classrooms*  permeable driveway and parking lot for groundwater recharge (gravel, then alternative paving)*  wide buy-in sought from congregation on environment as key priority during building processAdat Shalom’s Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb adds: “We did well!  It wasn't all rosy, however; we "lost" on a few issues – there’s less certified wood than we'd have liked; the design prioritized natural light over denser construction, making it less energy efficient; linoleum would've been better than the composite flooring we ended up with, which still contained 12% new vinyl (which is awful stuff -- to know more about it, see Jewish activist filmmaker Judith Helfand and her award-winning documentary Blue Vinyl); and so on.  Still, our experience shows that with some thought and dedication, you can do OK on a limited budget...”

20. http://www.adatshalom.net/Adat Shalom Green Building Lessons Learned 1.  Start early.  Make environmental issues and energy conservation clear priorities from the get-go of the design and fund-raising processes.  Make the community aware that these are not just choices, they are moral and spiritual imperatives: as a house devoted to God, we must zealously strive to minimize the ways in which its construction and operation might adversely impact God's creation and God's children.       2.  Be ready to engage and educate everyone involved -- from congregants to contractors -- on environmental and energy issues.  Plan to do the legwork required to research options, in which case you needn’t be put off by dismissive messages from an architect or contractor. Get ready to pitch slightly-more-expensive-but-far-more-sustainable design elements to the board or congregation or funders.  Know how much work it will be, and know how sacred that work is.       3.  Keep sustainability in mind throughout the process.  Use the theme of sustainability to remind people of the ethical and religious commitments for which we stand; use it to goad donors into giving more (and feeling good about doing so!); use it as a rallying point for efforts to fund and build your communal home.       4.  Get information from wherever you can, as early as you can.  Learn about your architects, general contractors and sub-contractors' environmental awareness before hiring them.  And then plan to work closely with them along the way, both to support and to monitor.  Unfortunately "green building" is still new, and we have the chance to educate the professionals about it if we take our responsibilities seriously. Simply asking the questions raises consciousness.       5.  Know that unless you have infinite resources, it won't all get done at once.  Do the best you can with what's available, and keep a 'wish list' in mind for future expansions or retrofits.  Don't despair because you can't have every energy-saving device or construction technique; since you can't do everything, it's still better to do what you can.  Know that every CFL, every LED exit sign, every double-glazed window, every square foot of recycled carpet, every programmable thermostat makes a difference, and is sacred.  As Rabbi Tarfon wrote almost 2000 years ago in the Mishnah (Avot 2:21), "it is not upon you to complete the task -- but neither are you free to desist from it." 

21. http://www.jrf.org/JRC-greenest-shulJewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Evanston, IL • Reimagining the Tabernacle: America’s First Green Synagogue http://www.zeek.net/711space/ • Rabbi Rosen’s 2006 Yom Kippur Sermon that helped begin their Green Building Campaign: http://jrf.org/showdt&rid=733 • Constructing Sacred Community by Rabbi Brant Rosen http://jrf.org/omer07-BRosen • http://www.jrc-evanston.org/green_synagogue/ask_us.php • http://www.jrc-evanston.org/green_synagogue/resources

22. And back to physical plant, where we’ve happily been leapfrogged… “don’t just build a building; build a just building” -- Judith Helfand

23. Jewish Reconstructionist Cong., Evanston IL

24. JRC = LEED * Platinum * Building !!!And awesome enviro policy, too, for what happens there

25. First Platinum House of Worship Anywhere -- Ever !!!

26. www.jrc-evanston.org

27. www.jrc-evanston.org

28. jrc-evanston.orgCOEJL.orgInterfaithPowerAndLight.org

29. RSNS Green Initiativeshttp://rsns.org/reaching-out/ The Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore: Greening our Synagogue. For an annual list of greening efforts see http://rsns.org/reaching-out/ • Goals:-Introduce effective, useful steps towards greater environmental sustainability -Serve as a model for our congregation and pave new ground for the Jewish community at large -Inform, Inspire and Encourage members to engage on an individual level as we have done on a congregational level • Synagogues and Farms (RSNS, NY) http://jrf.org/node/2381

30. KI’S FIVE MITZVOT FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVINGhttp://kehillatisrael.org/ • Become Carbon Neutral: (This is the most important mitzvah of all and everything that follows is to help us to achieve this goal). • Plant trees in Israel with JNF (www.jnftrees.com) or here in America. www.americanforests.org/planttrees) or an acre of rainforest equal to land you occupy. • Buy carbon offsets - Reduce and "offset" your emissions by calculating your personal carbon footprint and donating to organizations that reduce carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Calculate your personal carbon footprint and donate directly to the National Forest Service through the Carbon Capital Fund (www.carboncapitalfund.org). • Buy green electricity for your home from LADWP’s Green LA program (www.ladwp.com/GreenLA). • Become Food Conscious: • Eat less meat. Producing 1 kg of beef causes the same amount of greenhouse emissions as driving 250 kilometres in a car. A pound of wheat can be grown from 60 pounds of water – a pound of meat takes up to 6,000 pounds. With the energy needed to produce a single hamburger you could drive a small car 20 miles. Reducing meat production in the U.S. by just 10% would free enough grain to feed 60 million people. • Buy organic and locally grown or produced products. • Use recyclable and reusable containers, and as large as possible packages rather than individual servings. • Use filtered water instead of bottles. It takes over 5 gallons of water to produce one plastic bottle plus the gas to transport it.

31. KI’S FIVE MITZVOT FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVINGhttp://kehillatisrael.org/ • Become Energy Efficient: • Buy “Energy Star” appliances for your home or business. If every Californian replaces an old air conditioner with energy efficient one it would be the equivalent of taking 275,000 cars off the road (http://www.energystar.gov). • Turn off computers, air conditioning, heating, and unplug home chargers when not in use (charge cell phones in your car). • Shut doors and air vents in unoccupied rooms. • Turn off lights, use dimmers, and remove a few bulbs from fixtures or track lighting. • Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs (compact florescent lights). They cost 75% less to operate and last 10 times longer. If every Californian changed just 5 bulbs to CFLs it would be the equivalent of taking 400,000 cars off the road. • Reduce Oil Consumption and Dependency on Foreign Oil: • Drive less, combine errands, walk, bike, and encourage public transportation. • Shop on line and make a contribution with your purchases (www.ourenergy-shopping.com). • Make your next car a hybrid or biodiesel. • Drive 5-10 miles per hour slower, keep your car tuned and proper tire pressure. • Be Waste Conscious

32. DorHadash, Pittsburgh, PA, www.dorhadash.net , Social Action Hannukah Initiative, December, 2007/5768http://jrf.org/Sustainable_Synagogue_Resources • 1st Green Night of Hannukah: The Water You Drink, www.container-recycling.org • 2nd Green Night of Hannukah:Compact Fluorescent Lights Revisited • 3rd green night of Hannukah:Become Food Conscious, For places to buy local food, go to: http://www.slowfoodpgh.com/ • Read, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan • 4th Green Night of Hannukah: Get Politically Active: Co-op America at www.coopamerica.org Coalition on the environment and Jewish Life at www.coejl.org •  5th Green Night of Hannukah: Plant Trees www.arborday.org and www.americanforests.org/planttrees • 6th green night of Chanukah: Save Trees www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailing; www.coopamerica.org/programs/woodwise/ • 7th green night of Hannukah: Healthy Lawn Care www.healthylawnteam.org; http://www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticidefreelawns/ • 8th Green night of Hannukkah: The Water to Keep You Clean

33. Darchei Noam, Toronto, Canadahttp://www.darcheinoam.on.ca/ Greening synagogue life • http://www.darcheinoam.on.ca/newhome/design.html • http://jrf.org/files/Darchei Noam's New Green Home.pdf • Synagogues reduce Energy Costs: http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20816&Itemid=86

34. CJC's Green Committee http://www.columbiajewish.org/Being_green.shtmlCJC's Green Team, part of the Tikkun Olam committee, is here to address environmental sustainability strategies that can be implemented within CJC. Begun in 2007, 15 member team Examples of Activities: • Conducted an energy audit of the Meeting House (Interfaith Center) by the Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light Initiative. Based on the audit have implemented several recommendations. • Adult Education programs. • Environmental Speaker series program covered Judaism and environmental responsibility issues and Maryland and Howard County sustainability programs. • “What’s for Dinner” Speaker series on issues concerning food including buying local and agriculture issues. • Put together programs on the environment for Congregation’s Sunday school – including Earth Day and TuB’shevat. • Initiated a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. The CSA is now in its second season. • Working with Meeting House (Interfaith Center) staff and other congregations on landscape improvements and other building improvements. (We participate on the Meeting House’s Green Team.)

35. CJC's Green Committee http://www.columbiajewish.org/Being_green.shtmlCJC's Green Team, part of the Tikkun Olam committee, is here to address environmental sustainability strategies that can be implemented within CJC. Here are suggestions which can help you minimize your impact on our fragile environment: • Garbage. Americans produce more and more of it every year, when weneed to be producing less. Even the most waste-conscious among us can feel overwhelmed by theamount of household waste that goes beyond what municipal recyclers and compost bins can handle.  • 1. Appliances: Goodwill accepts working appliances, www.goodwill.org,or you can contact the Steel Recycling Institute to recycle them. 800/YES-1-CAN, www.recycle-steel.org.  • 2. Batteries: Rechargeables and single-use: Battery Solutions,734/467-9110, www.batteryrecycling.com • 3. Cardboard boxes: Contact local non-profits and women's shelters to see if they can use them. Or, offer up used cardboard boxes at your local www.Freecycle.org listserv or on www.Craigslist.org for others who may need them for moving or storage. If your workplace collects at least 100 boxes or more each month, www.UsedCardboardBoxes.com accepts them for resale.  • 4. CDs/DVDs/Game Disks: Send scratched music or computer CDs, DVDs,and PlayStation or Nintendo video game disks to AuralTech for refinishing, and they'll work like new: 888/454-3223,www.auraltech.com.  • 5. Clothes: Wearable clothes can go to your local Goodwill outlet or shelter. Donate wearable women's business clothing to Dress for Success, which gives them to low-income women as they search for jobs, 212/532-1922, www.dressforsuccess.org. • 6. Compact fluorescent bulbs: Take them to your local IKEA store for recycling: www.ikea.com.  • 7. Compostable bio-plastics: You probably won't be able to compost these in your home compost bin or pile. Find a municipal composter to take them to at www.findacomposter.com.  • 8. Computers and electronics: Find the most responsible recyclers, local and national, at www.ban.org/pledge/Locations.html.  • 9. Exercise videos: Swap them with others at www.videofitness.com.  • 10. Eyeglasses: Your local Lion's Club or eye care chain may collect these. Lenses are reground and given to people in need. 

36. CJC's Green Committee http://www.columbiajewish.org/Being_green.shtml • 11. Foam packing: Your local pack-and-ship store will likely accept foam peanuts for reuse. Or, call the Plastic Loose Fill Producers Council to find a drop-off site: 800/828-2214. For places to drop off foam blocks for recycling, contact the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers, 410/451-8340, www.epspackaging.org/info.html • 12. Ink/toner cartridges:www.Recycleplace.com pays $1/each.  • 13. Miscellaneous: Get your unwanted items into the hands of people who can use them. Offer them up on your local www.Freecycle.org or www.Craigslist.org listserv, or try giving them away at www.Throwplace.com or giving or selling them at www.iReuse.com . • 14. Oil: Find Used Motor Oil Hotlines for each state: 202/682-8000,www.recycleoil.org.  • 15. Phones: Donate cell phones: Collective Good will refurbish your phone and sell it to someone in a developing country: 770/856-9021,www.collectivegood.com. Call to Protect reprograms cell phones to dial 911 and gives them to domestic violence victims: www.donateaphone.com. Recycle single-line phones: Reclamere, 814/386-2927, www.reclamere.com.  • 16. Sports equipment: Resell or trade it at your local Play It Again Sports outlet, 800/476-9249, www.playitagainsports.com.  • 17. "Technotrash": Project KOPEG offers an e-waste recycling program that can help you raise funds for your organization. Use Project KOPEG to recycle iPods, MP3 players, cell phones and chargers,digital cameras, PDAs, palm pilots, and more. Also, easily recycle all of your CDs, jewel cases, DVDs, audio and video tapes, pagers,rechargeable and single-use batteries, PDAs, and ink/toner cartridges with GreenDisk'sTechnotrash program. For $30, GreenDisk will send you a cardboard box in which you can ship them up to 70 pounds of any of the above. Your fee covers the box as well as shipping and recycling fees. 800/305-GREENDISK, www.greendisk.com.  • 18. Tennis shoes: Nike's Reuse-a-Shoe program turns old shoes into playground and athletic flooring. www.nikereuseashoe.com. One World Running will send still-wearable shoes to athletes in need in Africa, Latin America, and Haiti. www.oneworldrunning.com.  • 19. Toothbrushes and razors: Buy a recycled plastic toothbrush or razor from Recycline, and the company will take it back to be recycled again into plastic lumber. Recycline products are made from used Stonyfield Farms' yogurt cups. 888/354-7296, www.recycline.com.  • 20. Stuff you just can't recycle: When practical, send such items back to the manufacturer and tell them they need to manufacture products that close the waste loop responsibly.

37. Procedures for Adopting Congregational Positions related to Tikkun Olam Activities Approved by Columbia Jewish Congregation Board of Directors January 2011 In furtherance of Columbia Jewish Congregation (CJC) Board of Directors’ authority and responsibility to act on behalf of the congregation on issues of importance to the congregation and the Jewish community, the Board hereby adopts the following procedures for taking Congregational Positions to promote social justice and Jewish values. The Board may consider a Congregational Position upon recommendation of the Chairperson of the Tikkun Olam Committee and/or a member of the clergy. If an individual Congregant wants to advocate for a Congregational Position such as those given as examples below, the individual must go through the Chairperson of the Tikkun Olam Committee or the clergy to obtain their recommendation. Examples of Congregational Positions may include some of the following types: • A written statement expressing the Congregation’s view on a current public policy issue; such a statement may relate to a “Generic” (see below: Adoption of Generic Congregational Positions) or specific policy issue. • A written statement of position or policy expressing the Congregation’s view on whether and/or how to conduct CJC events and celebrations within the Meeting House. • Participation by Congregants, in the name of CJC, with organizations either advocating or providing networking opportunities on a current public policy issue; • Participation by the Congregants, in the name of CJC, in a particular one-time policy-oriented event; • Participation by the Congregants, in the name of CJC, in a particular single-issue coalition.

38. http://www.coejl.org/~coejlor/greensyn/gstoc.phpCompiled by Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb for COEJL www.coejl.org Below are links to seven different areas where we can make a difference in our synagogue – one meaningful ‘sample’ action is listed here for each area, but dozens more will appear at the click of a hyperlink. Each of the seven sections begins with a short description of what we can do and how and why to do it; much more detail is found in numerous specific webpages under each category. • 1. BUILDINGSGet Energy Star programmable thermostats, divided by zones, so you’re not heating or cooling the building beyond what’s necessary. Cutting back on the heat or A/C by just 1 degree saves an average of 3% on your utility bill -- and on your greenhouse emissions. • 2. GROUNDSPlant native species around your building, which provide much-needed habitat for local birds and other creatures while also needing less water, and no chemicals. • 3. PURCHASINGReduce, reuse, and recycle in the office: print fewer copies than needed and let people share them; keep a pile of clean-on-one-side paper for use in printers & copy machines; recycle used paper; and purchase paper with high post-consumer recycled content. • 4. PROGRAMSWith your social action committee or other group within the synagogue, plan events that are social, educational, and tikkuning-the-olam all at once – like Torah-nature hikes while picking up trash, or pulling non-native weeds from nearby woods. • 5. YOUTH EDUCATIONImplement at least one of the many great curricula that teach our young people about nature and Judaism together – kids are ripe for it, and the materials are out there. • 6. ADULT EDUCATIONTeach a timely topic that conveys Creation care together with Torah teachings -- such as the shiurim (text studies) on Jewish responses to global climate change and biodiversity. • 7. RABBINICFor rabbis, take advantage of the sermon-starters and notes on integrating environmental concern into life-cycle events found here. For non-rabbis, feel free to do the same – and to tell your rabbi about these resources! From COEJL: a full rabbinic conversation with Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, Rabbi Naphtali Weisz, Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Keiner, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Rabbi Ethan Linden...http://www.coejl.org/Rabbinic_Conference_Call_08-09-2010.mp3 http://jrf.org/files/Jewish%20Community%20Policy%20Priorities%20for%20Responding%20to%20Global%20Climate%20Change%20-%20final.pdf

39. Fair Trade Practices and Child labor Practices • A number of us in the Jewish and larger social justice streams have been tracking the issue of child slave labor and the chocolate industry (Hershey is not the only or worst culprit here) for some time. For thousands of children on this planet, slavery is not a historical event, but a current reality. We can make a difference. • Fair Trade Judaica: (http:/www.fairtradejudaica.org), a non-profit organization promoting fair trade as a Jewish value, is organizing  an educational campaign in the Jewish community, linking the Pesach theme of liberation with the issue of child labor/slavery in the cocoa industry. See the website for Pesach at http://fairtradejudaica.org/make-a-difference/fair-trade-jewish-holidays/bean-of-affliction/ •  List of kosher, fair-trade chocolate makers, none of it is yet certified kosher l'pesach, because of the extra expense: http://jcarrot.org/resources/kosher-sustainable-chocolate-list • RSNS haggadah, which is now part of COEJL's resource bank: http://www.coejl.org/~coejlor/tubshvat/celebrate/TB_Seder_RSNS_2007.pdf • Website has a link to our instructions for how to run a fair-trade tubishvatseder: http://www.hazon.org/food/tuBishvat/FairTradeTuBishvatSeder.pdf • Beyond-fair-trade chocolate company! Workers are shareholders, healthcare and onsite daycare are provided, beans are all local, etc.  http://omanhenecocoa.com/?page_id=378. • "Raise the Bar” campaign, coordinated by the International Labor Rights Forum, Green America, Global Exchange, and Oasis USA, focusing on encouraging the Hershey Corp. to commit to begin sourcing fair trade certified cocoa beans within the next two years: http://www.raisethebarhershey.org/ • AJWS:Better Beans website:  http://ajws.org/hunger/better_beans.html  and blog about food justice issues: http://ajws.org/hunger/news/ • U.S.A. Fair Trade Chocolate purchases: full article at:http://tinyurl.com/4h3f57p •  Green and Just Celebrations Guide:  http://www.greenandjust.org/ • Website looking at Child Slavery and Food Industry: http://www.foodispower.org/slavery_chocolate.htm • Fair Trade Guide from Jewish Community in UK: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/includes/documents/cm_docs/2009/j/jewish_community_resource.pdf

40. Supporting Environmental Programs: 3 Steps to Success Rachel Cohen - Sustainability Program CoordinatorReligious Action Center of Reform Judaism http://urj.org/green/ Step 1: Resources and Organizational Support • The Green Table, Just Table Initiative • Virtual Beit Midrash • Resources for education, programming and advocacy Step 2: Building Partnerships, Networking for Success • GreenFaith Pilot Program (See also www.jrf.org/greenfaith) • URJ Camps Greening Cohort • Content sharing and direct networking

41. Supporting Environmental Programs: 3 Steps to Success Rachel Cohen - Sustainability Program CoordinatorReligious Action Center of Reform Judaism http://urj.org/green/ Step 3: Time to Shine • Fain Awards for outstanding social action programming • RAC Consultation on Conscience • URJ Biennial • Blog series, webinars, online resources, etc

42. http://www.jewcology.com/ What is Jewcology? • Jewcology is a project of graduates of ROI (http://roicommunity.org), who have come together to create a resource for the entire Jewish-environmental community.  Jewcology incorporates collaboration from a wide range of Jewish environmental leaders and organizations worldwide.  This project was funded by the ROI Innovation Fund.   • The long-term goal of this project is to build a multi-denominational, multi-generational, regionally diverse community of Jewish environmental activists, who are learning from one another and from an expanding set of Jewish-environmental resources, how to educate their communities about our Jewish responsibility to protect the environment.

43. http://www.jewcology.com/

44. Resources in Israel Green Zionist Alliance: http://www.greenzionism.org/ http://www.jewcology.com/community/Green-Zionist-Alliance Israel’s Arava Institute: http://www.arava.org/ Heschel Center for Environmental Learning http://www.heschel.org.il/eng/ YeshivatShlomo Eco-Beit Midrash: http://www.shlomoyeshiva.org/ EinShemer Eco- Greenhouse: http://www.greenhouse.org.il/index2.php?id=1&lang=ENG

45. Further Resources • http://jrf.org/Sustainable_Synagogue_Resources • http://www.jrf.org/climate • http://jrf.org/pearl/2008/sustainable-synagogues-part-2-jrf-congregations-best-practices-of-+2008 • http://jrf.org/pearl/2009/sustainable-synagogues-3.0 • Ecological Sustainability and Jewish Civilization: http://jrf.org/sz-2007-omer-intro and http://jrf.org/omer/2007 • JRF Resolution on the Environment (1990) http://jrf.org/files/RESOLUTION ON THE ENVIRONMENT.doc • http://jrf.org/files/JRF Sustainable Synagogue Conference Call Notes.doc • Reimagining the Tabernacle: America’s First Green Synagogue http://www.zeek.net/711space/ • Constructing Sacred Community by Rabbi Brant Rosen http://jrf.org/omer07-BRosen • From COEJL: a full rabbinic conversation with Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, Rabbi Naphtali Weisz, Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Keiner, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Rabbi Ethan Linden...http://www.coejl.org/Rabbinic_Conference_Call_08-09-2010.mp3 • Reconstructionist Movement : Sustainable Synagogues: Resources and Best Practices: http://stores.jrfbookstore.org/-strse-81/Sustainable-Synagogues-cln--Resources-and/Detail.bok • http://jrf.org/sustainable-synagogue-honorees • http://www.jrf.org/JRC-greenest-shul • http://jrf.org/files/Darchei Noam's New Green Home.pdf • http://jrf.org/files/Jewish vbdm, Sustainability_scenario.doc

46. Further Resources • Environmental Activism and Jewish Spirituality: A Roundtable Discussion http://jrf.org/showrt&rid=627 • http://jrf.org/files/Jewish%20Environmental%20Organizations.pdf • Sustainability Sources from Jewish Tradition http://jrf.org/showres&rid=492 • The World as Sacred Spaceby Rabbi Fred Dobb • http://www.jrf.org/rt/2005/Winter-Vol12-2.pdf#page=13 • Greenfaith: www.jrf.org/greenfaith • Global Climate Change Shabbat: http://jrf.org/Shabbat-Noach-Global-350 • http://jrf.org/Jewish-Climate-Change-Initiative • Synagogue Council of Massachussets: http://synagoguecouncil.org/green_corner.htm • CAJE Eco-Judaism: http://jrf.org/files/CAJE%20Eco-Judaism%20Resources.pdf • http://www.theshalomcenter.org/haggadah-for-the-earth • Shalom Center’s Green Menorah Covenant: http://www.theshalomcenter.org/node/1276 • Orthodox Union: http://www.ouradio.org/images/uploads/events/Ecology.pdf • www.jewcology.com and www.canfeinesharim.org • Brit Adamah Checklist for Home-Based Environmental Action   West End Synagogue Student Eco-Activism Team http://jrf.org/showres&rid=732 and http://jrf.org/omer-balance