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18 things you can do easily in a Jewish home to save the earth
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| Reduce your garbage production -- |
"Wasting even as little as a mustard seed is against the law of Baal Taschit (do not waste)" Maimonides.
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| Reuse plastic bags -- |
If every Canadian family used just 10 fewer plastic bags a month, we'd save 1 billion bags a year. Reusing material goes back a long way in Jewish tradition. In fact the wicks for the menorah in the temple used to be made from the reused underwear of the Cohenim.
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| Turn off the tap -- |
When you brush your teeth, shave, etc.; we pray for rain 3 times a day in the amidah, don't let the blessing of rain go to waste. Conserve water!
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| Take public transit, carpool, or bicycle -- |
Reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.
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| Eat 1 less meat meal per week -- |
The impacts of meat meals are 10-20 times larger than that of vegetarian meals. Try to reduce your meat consumption, 1 meal at a time.
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| Stamp out Styrofoam -- |
Carry a reusable mug with you at all times. Adam va-Adamah has mugs for sale. Call the number below.
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| Say a Bracha (blessing) over your food -- |
Take a moment to appreciate where your food comes from and what sacrifices have been made so that you can eat
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| Plant a garden -- |
Bring the realities of food production closer to home. Start small. Zucchinis, cherry tomatoes and rhubarb are just a few foods that grow very easily in BC.
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| Install a toilet water displacer -- |
40% of fresh water in your house is flushed down the toilet. Reduce your consumption with every flush by putting a water displacer (rock, reused water filled bottle, etc.) in the back of your toilet.
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| Use florescent light bulbs -- |
Compact fluorescent bulbs can be used in all regular light bulb sockets. They last longer and use ¼¼ the energy of an incandescent bulb.
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| Buy Organic -- |
Pesticide use has been linked to human death, as well as to issues such as bioaccumulation that threaten our natural species. Buying organic food is healthier for you, the farm workers and the planet.
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| Use cloth diapers -- |
1% of all landfill space is occupied by diapers. Reduce your child's ecological footprint from it's first days.
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| Honour Shabbat -- |
"Shabbat is a day where we accept the world as it is, and don''t manipulate it as humans are so good at doing. Try one day a week not to manipulate, but to appreciate the world in which we live.
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| Hang a birdfeeder in your yard -- |
Be like Noah, protecting the world's animals in an era when their habitat is being quickly destroyed.
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| Compost -- |
33% of garbage produced in the city of Vancouver is food waste. Through composting you can eliminate this waste, as well as provide a chemical free fertilizer for your garden. Be like the Baal Shem Tov who said, "A person should consider himself as a worm, and all other creatures his friends in the world."
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| Go for a hike -- |
For centuries our spiritual leaders have been going into nature to bring themselves closer to G-d's creations. Try saying the Shema at the top of a mountain. It can take on amazing meaning.
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| Write a letter -- |
Write to Government calling for stronger endangered species legislation. Postage is free. Write Hon. Jean Chretien 80 Willington St. Ottawa, ON K1A 0A2 or email to :pm@pm.cgc.ca
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| Get involved -- |
Contact Adam va-Adamah Environmental Society to see how you can be involved in making a change in your home, school or synagogue (our email address will be inserted here soon).
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