Green Tikkun

Green Tikkun is a group of about 15 "green" shul committees from MD, DC,VA.  We meet to share our stories of green activites and continue to work to protect creation.

• Click here for Climate Resources for High Holidays.
• Click here to see the resources from our First Green Tikkun in February 2007.
• Click here to see resources from our Second Green Tikkun meeting in June 2007.

High Holidays Climate Change Activites

The following are three resources to help your environmental committee spread the message that in this New Year we should be thinking about climate change and how we can be a part of the solutions.

1. A letter which each environmental committee can post to their synagogue's website or send over their list-serve.  It has links and resources to help people take action and point them towards the environmental committee at the synagogue.

Chaverim,

During this season of repentance, prayer, and tzedakah, let us take time to also reflect on the global climate crisis, and the need for us to act to avoid further damage to the planet we inhabit and its natural ecosystems. Our tradition teaches that we are part of God’s Creation and that we have a central role in caring for this planet – a planet that sustains billions of human beings and millions of species, all part of the sacred web of life on Earth.

From these reflections may we find the capacity to change the way we live so as to become stewards of the environment and to keep faith with future generations. Let us take this time to commit ourselves to use our efforts, our money and our energy wisely.

First, to better understand how changing our actions can reduce climate change and benefit the environment, I will calculate my "carbon footprint" using:

• Cool Capital Challenge: http://www.coolcapitalchallenge.org/challenge1
  or
• Climate Crisis: http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/

I will then pledge to take action and reduce my CO2 use by following these action suggestions:

1. Eating local food one meal a week: The average meal in the United States travels some 15,000 miles from the farm to our plates. By buying locally we will save fuel and c, Carbon dDioxide, and help support our local farmers. To learn more about Tifereth Israel’s community supportive agriculture (CSAAS) program, please visit http://www.hazon.org/go.php?q=/food/CSA/communities/washingtonD_C.htm
2. Going car-free one day a week: By eliminating just 10 miles of driving a week, we can save 500 pounds of CO2 a year.
3. Changing it up: Installing energy efficient appliances such as light bulbs, refrigerators, and washing machines, can further help to cool the planet. If each household in the U.S. replaced its existing appliances with the most efficient models available, we’d eliminate 175 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.
4. Joining the greening effort at my synagogue and help green our community. Please contact (put your information here, when posting to your website) for more details.
5. Help to advocate to our elected officials for science-based, mandatory limits on greenhouse emissions, set higher fuel economy standards, and increase funding for research and development of renewable technologies and energy conservation.
   

L'Shanah Tovah v'Yerukah
Your Green Team

2. A short prayer that can be added to a Tashlikh service.

As we symbolically cast away our sins, bad habits, transgressions, and grudges, let us reflect on the impact of our bad habits on the planet. As we cast each crumb into the sea, let us reflect on one thing we have done in the past year, and how we might change that this coming year.

(Feel free to discuss with your neighbor)

My God, give me the strength, courage and guidance to change my habits this coming year -- to walk more lightly on the planet, to cool it from global warming, and to help protect the holy creation that has been passed down to me.

3. A sample letter to the editor which we can have some of the green committee leaders submit to different local papers.

Dear Editor,
During this season of repentance, prayer, and tzedakah, my family and I have chosen to reflect on the global climate crisis and how we can personally contribute to tikkun olam. We are considering our “carbon footprint” as a spiritual issue: that is, how have we been living our lives with respect to energy and the natural resources of the world? And how, in our day-to-day life, can we live more sustainably? This year we have decided to make certain changes in an effort to help protect creation and stop global climate change.

(talk about what changes you have decided to make- here are some suggestions)

• After years of having two cars, we are going to reduce and become a one car household. While saving money and reducing pollution, we will take fuller advantage of public transportation, carpooling, biking and walking.
• We are going to invest in energy efficient appliances for our household like a new refrigerator, washing machine, and compact florescent light bulbs. We know that despite these devices’ upfront cost, over time they will more than pay for themselves. We are excited that we can protect creation and use our finances wisely at the same time.
• We have joined the greening effort at our synagogue. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if all 300,000 houses of worship across the country increased their energy efficiency by just 25%, it would remove the same amount of pollution as 1 million cars.
• We are going to become active in efforts to advocate to our elected officials about polices that will help turn around the global climate crisis.
  

We hope that others will follow our example and use this time of spiritual transformation to reflect on our responsibility to protect creation for future generations.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAMES

To submit your letter:

• Washington Jewish Week: Letters must be no longer than 300 Letters and include a first and last name, as well as a city of residence; please include a daytime phone number and email address for verification. Go to http://wjw.1upsoftware.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=6
• The Current Newspapers: newsdesk@currentnewspapers.com
• The Gazettes: letters@gazette.net

SECOND GREEN TIKKUN
Here are some resources to help you:

Here is a copy of the Green Menorah Covenant.
Here is a copy of Temple Sinai's what you can do this summer document.

If you would like to have your youth group, Hebrew school, or other congregational group go to Am Kolel's vegetable garden for the day, please contact Matt at 301-349-2799 or 240-994-8646 or visit them on the web at www.am-kolel.org. All produce will be donated to Sheppard's Table.

If you think your congregation would be interested in joining a clean energy buying collective or would like more information please send an email to Allison.

Socially Responsible Simchas:
Jews United for Justice: www.jufj.org
Russ's vendor page: http://marisaandruss.com/Vendors.html (links there to green karat, wise organic pastures, collective copies, and global exchange)
Co-op America's Green Pages: http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/greenpages/
Portovert Magazine: www.portovert.com
Sweat Free community's shopping guide: http://www.sweatfree.org/shopping

Chesapeake Climate Action Network: www.chesapeakeclimate.org

Teva Learning Center: http://www.tevacenter.org/

OUR FIRST GREEN TIKKUN

Thank you to everyone who attended the Green Tikkun. With 18 Congregations & Havurot represented it was a great success.
Speakers included Russ Agdern, Organizer of the "Beyond Oil" campaign of The Shalom Center.	And Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb of Adat Shalom.

If you missed the event or need more resources you have come to the right place:

• Here is a copy of the program guide which explains congregational successes with energy efficiency and green power, green transportation, green product-sourcing, and environmental legislation and advocacy.
• Here is a copy of "Putting Energy into Stewardship" from EPA's Energy Star program.

^ To Top of Page