Consumerism Subscribe
A selection of initiatives, blogs, resources and communities on Jewcology which focus on consumerism.
Blogs
To Rent or Own?
- February 8, 2012
One of the best ways to help tend the Earth and promote the Jewish value of bal tashchit (reducing wastefulness) is by reducing the amount of things you buy but don’t really need on a daily basis. There are many items that might not be on your list when you first think of products to rent such as camping equipment, toys or handbags. Below are some suggestions that can save you money and help the planet. Please note: JEI does not vouch for any particular rental site listed in this blog. It is suggested that you engage in due diligence with respect to any ...
Tu B’Shevat Seeds
- January 23, 2012
Dear friends, The origins of this post began over a year ago when I came across a quote that looked to me like Rabbi Heschel challenging Martin Buber’s masterpiece, I and Thou. Unbelievable, right? Like two superheroes fighting. I was compelled to explore deeper. Here’s what Rabbi Heschel said: “…I am not ready to accept the ancient concept of prayer as dialogue. Who are we to enter a dialogue with God?” He then declares that he is only an “it” immersed within the all that is God and can not be an ‘I’. ...
Eco-Friendly Personal Care
- January 10, 2012
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Judaism teaches us to be sensitive as to how we treat the Earth and all of Earth’s creatures. When choosing personal care items, keeping this principle in mind can truly make a difference. It also can benefit your health to use natural rather than chemical ingredients whose long-term effects may not be known . Below are some tips for eco-friendly ideas for the purchase and use of personal care items. Many thanks to Jewish Environmental Initiative (JEI) Teen Group member Dena Selig for her contributions to this blog. 1. Make your own beauty ...
No Free Lunch- Not Even a Data Snack
- December 27, 2011
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Exactly thirty years ago, a small quiz appeared in Co-Evolution Quarterly, with the hip sounding, slang trumps grammar name of “Where You At”. Check out these quiz questions: “How many days until the full moon? Can you name five resident and five migratory bird species in your area? Can you name the soil series you are standing upon? Can you trace your water from source to tap? Where does your garbage go?” This quiz captured a sea change in modern environmentalism; the sea change that declares that single issues and single actions are never ...
Wealth & Worth – Sustainable Celebrations
- December 6, 2011
(reposted from Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin's blog: http://blog.bjen.org/, dated December 1, 2011) The Maryland Chapter of the American Jewish Congress is developing a Green and Just Celebrations Guide for the Jewish community of Baltimore. Inspired by a guide of the same name published by Jews United for Justice in Washington, DC, it will be available (fall 2012) through synagogues and on the web, designed to make events and celebrations environmentally friendly, socially responsible, affordable and fun. This is not the first time in Jewish history that ...
The Little That Holds A Lot
- November 29, 2011
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How do I share about the hidden dangers of electronic waste? I find it hard to stare directly at this information. I’d like to start with a meditation from Reb Nachman of Breslov- his images from a hunchback beggar that depict a little that holds a lot. First, silence- the little that holds a lot. Next, let’s remember the life giving land- filled with fruit trees that become dwarfed by the bounty of fruit- the little that holds a lot. And only now do I turn to Reb Nachman’s nightmarish image of the mountain of excrement and waste- produced by one ...
facebook and the dark side of computers
- November 14, 2011
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Dear Friends, I was in our local co-op yesterday and, as often happens, I ran into a friend. My friend started by saying, “you know, I’ve started to sign up for facebook three or four times, and then I realize it wants me to give over all of my emails… I’m just not going to do it. It looks innocent- but it’s all of my emails!” I said, “I know- I’ve been almost logging on to facebook too- and when I get to those emails- I’m out of there!” We talked there in the aisle, me holding my cereal and ...
Green Eggs and Us
- October 25, 2011
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(reposted from Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin's blog, dated October 18, 2011: http://blog.bjen.org/) We can learn a lot from Dr. Seuss, or a local CSA, or a child's coloring book. That is: there's a lot more variety in the world than we think. Not all carrots are orange; not all potatoes are white; not all watermelons are red; not all bananas are yellow. According to Plants for a Future, there are 20,000 edible plants in the world today. Yet, fewer than 20 species supply 90% of what the world eats. It seems that in our rush to be food ...
On Golden Opportunities
- August 15, 2011
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Lexus has a commercial out that was bothering me enough that I ranted to my husband about it. He suggested that perhaps some of that ranting might make for a good blog posting... thus these lines. The commercial talks about all of your missed opportunities - the race you never ran, the ship around the world you never took, the novel you never wrote. And then it poses the one opportunity that you shouldn't miss. The opportunity to - da-dum! - buy a car. I am appalled by this message, not just because I still hope to do some of those things, but because I ...
Embracing the Beast Within
- August 3, 2011
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I am not going to overcomplicate this. I’m an animal. We all are. And I’m not simply referring to our taxonomic classification. I’m talking about being the kind sweating, salivating, heart-pounding beasts that you see on the National Geographic channel. As Jews we tend to shy away from describing ourselves this way. We prefer to stress our godly characteristics; reason, free will, and control (after all, it was a snake that got us banned from the Garden of Eden). However, our inner animals don’t wither away and die when we deny them. They ...
New System Tells You How Much Electricity Every Plug In Your House Is Using
- July 24, 2011
By Alona Volinsky Photo by Rennett Stowe It doesn’t matter which country you live in, the price of electricity is high. So let’s say you want to reduce the monthly electricity bill for your home, or your office — how do you know where to start? Does a fridge consume more electricity than a dishwasher? A dishwasher more than a television? Does it cost anything to leave a device plugged in overnight? These are all questions most of us don’t know the answer to, because our electricity bills don’t break down electricity consumption ...