Owner of Jewish Environmental Initiative, a committee of the JCRC of Saint Louis
Gail Wechsler is the Director of Domestic Issues/Social Justice at the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis. She is the staff person for the Jewish Environmental Initiative (JEI), a committee of the JCRC and a part of the JCRC's Bohm Social Justice Initiative.
Gail's Blog Subscribe
Making Hanukkah Green, Inspiring Future Generations
This blog is written by guest blogger Leah Schuckit, JCRC Fall 2016 Social Justice Intern. As a young Jewish kid, Hanukkah was my favorite time of the year. I can still remember being in grade school and impatiently waiting for my Hebrew School lessons to turn to the Maccabees and the Temple menorah’s miracle. I remember the way that certain brands of candles smelled once you lit them and the excitement I felt when my family would start ...
Three Simple Steps Toward Going Green
If you are someone who cares about protecting the environment, you may find yourself frustrated at times because you are not doing as much as you could to change your lifestyle. While caring for God’s creation and reducing waste (baal tashchit) are important principles in Judaism, you don’t have to do it all to make a difference. Here are a few simple suggestions to get you going on the right path. Start slow and keep it going: As with ...
Sukkot and Eco-Friendly Eating
Sukkot, the harvest holiday that takes place on the 15th day of the month of Tishrei, marks the end of the agricultural year. Jews give thanks for the bounty of the Earth. We commemorate the holiday by decorating our sukkah with fruits, vegetables and harvest items. We shake the lulov and the etrog to connect ourselves to the Earth as we eat and spend time outside. It is fitting during the traditionally agricultural holiday of Sukkot to ...
Tips for a Native Garden
~ Although late summer or early fall may seem like an odd time to begin a garden, it is a great time to plan the garden and get plants and flowers into the ground before cold weather hits. If you are thinking about planting a garden, consider creating a native garden as the best way to restore native ecosystems and be kind to the environment. What better way to follow the important goal that Judaism teaches to "till and tend God's creation, the Earth." ...
Go Back to School and Be Green
With many area schools beginning their fall semester between mid-August and early September, many students and their parents will be heading to the stores for back-to-school supplies. Your back-to-school purchases make a huge difference. Here's why: 14 billion pencils are produced every year, many made with wood from ancient forests. Americans use about 31.5 million tons of printing and writing paper each year, requiring 535 million trees (most ...
Energy Conservation for your Home: Summer Edition
The weather may be hot and humid, but summer is still a good time to be mindful of the importance of protecting God’s creation, the Earth, by reducing energy waste in your home. Below are a few simple suggestions to get you started. These tips will both help reduce waste and reduce costs. Green Lighting Tips: Do not place lamps near a thermostat. The thermostat senses the heat produced by the lamp which can change how often the air conditio...
Greening Your Travel: Part Two
Summer is here and what better way to honor the environment and the Jewish principle of baal tashchit (do not waste) than by planning your summer travels to be as eco-friendly as possible. Here are a few tips to help as you plan your summer getaway: Use eco-friendly transportation as much as possible: Some options include doing a biking vacation and/or taking public transportation (such as train or bus) to get to your ultimate destination. ...
Reducing Food Waste in Seven Easy Steps
Statistics show that in the U.S. alone 60 million metric tons of food is wasted each year, of which about 40 million metric tons of it end up in municipal landfills. This represents between 30 to 40 percent of the overall food supply and the single largest component in landfills. It is an important value in Judaism that we not waste resources, including food (the principle of baal tashchit). Below are a few simple steps you can take to personally ...
Get Ready for Earth Day
By JEI intern, Maggie McCarthy Though the earth sustains us, its health depends upon our care and responsible use of its resources. Protecting the planet is both a religious and spiritual imperative. The Hebrew phrase l’dor v’dor captures this central command. We must pass on a thriving earth “from generation to generation”. Earth Day provides the perfect occasion to remember our duty to the planet. In attempts to raise environmental ...
Greening Your Purim
The Jewish holiday of Purim, which begins this year on the evening of March 23, celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from their enemies in the biblical Book of Esther. Purim typically involves reading from the Megillah, dressing up in festive costumes , eating hamantashen and giving gifts of food and drink to others (Shalach Manot). With a little creativity, you can make this holiday more eco-friendly. Below are some suggestions: Do a ...
Native Plants for Everyone
By guest blogger, Maggie McCarthy, JCRC Environmental Intern While February may seem early to think about gardening, planning ahead in the winter months allows necessary time for creating a healthy and sustainable home garden. Despite the tendency to think of landscaping as purely ornamental, harvesting appropriate plants can bolster the environment and fuel local ecosystems. Giving such thought and care to gardening endeavors enables us to protect and ...
Support your local farmer
When shopping for groceries, many of us are quick to turn to the closest chain store for food items. We often forget to uphold the principle of “Bal Tash’chit” which urges us not to waste. This value is central to Judaism and has the potential to stave off further environmental damage. Although we may not see the potential for waste in purchases from supermarkets, oftentimes these stores harm the national environment and detract from local business. ...
Rededicating Ourselves to Helping The Environment and the Poor During the Holiday Season
By Guest Blogger Maggie McCarthy, JEI Environmental Intern The winter months provide several occasions for celebration. Hanukkah is the festival of lights and celebrates the victory of the Jewish people over religious persecution. The secular New Year is a time for reflection and renewal. Though we find ample opportunity for gratitude during these holidays, many in our local community struggle with hunger and poverty. These issues ...
Ways to Reduce Waste When Dining Out
There are a number of ways that you can reduce waste as you dine out at restaurants or head to a café for a warm drink in the cold weather. Reducing waste (the principal of baal tashchit) is a core value in Judaism and can go a long way toward helping the environment, especially added up over time. Consider ways to reduce paper cup waste: Take a thermos with you when you order coffee in a coffee shop, indicate that your order is “for here” ...
Eco-friendly baby products
If you are expecting a baby or have little ones in your home, you may be wondering how to surround your infant or toddler with products that are environmentally safe. Below are a few suggestions that will help reduce waste (baal tashchit) and keep your baby healthy too. Make your own organic baby food—The safest food for your baby is the same fresh, organic food you eat. Rather than worry about additives in store bought baby food and the ...
Simple Steps to Reduce Water Use
Water use in and around your home takes its toll on the environment, because it needs to be cleaned, delivered, and then treated, using energy and resources every step of the way. Conserving water helps protect natural ecosystems and aquifers, saving both energy and money. It also is a great way to honor the Jewish principle of ba’al tash’chit (do not waste). Follow these tips to trim down your water footprint. Fix water leaks: Roughly 7 ...
Going Green when you Remodel Your Home
Many home remodeling efforts take place in the summer and fall. Before you begin a home remodeling project, consider ways you can remodel to make your home more “green.” This can include everything from using eco-friendly products to improving energy efficiency. Being eco-friendly when you upgrade your house is one way to honor the Jewish principle of baal tashchit (not wasting). In addition to being a good steward to the environment, ...
Eco-Friendly Summer-2015 Edition
June marks the official beginning of summer. What a great time of year to get outdoors and practice the principles of reducing waste and honoring G-d’s creation, the Earth. Here are a few suggestions of summer activities to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment. Use natural methods to protect against the sun: Use of sunscreens is commonplace from May through August. Many sunscreens, however, contain chemicals and may be ...
Greening Your Shavuot
The holiday of Shavuot is coming soon. Shavuot celebrates the occasion of G-d giving the Torah to all of the Jewish people. It also is known as the Festival of First Fruits. In Biblical times, Shavuot was the first day in which individuals could bring first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem. Listed below are a few things you can do to celebrate the environment and the natural world on this spring holiday. Plant seasonal, native plants and ...
Eco-friendly Eating: What You Eat and its Impact on the Planet
Every day and every meal, we make food choices. When we do, we invariably make an impact on the planet because different foods carry different environmental footprints. Below are a few things to keep in mind in terms of what you eat and its effect on God’s creation, the Earth. Choose less meat in your diet: Most if not all of the climate pollution that our food creates happens before we buy it. The extent of these impacts depends on how much ...