Waste Subscribe
A selection of initiatives, blogs, resources and communities on Jewcology which focus on waste.
Blogs
Support your local farmer
- January 14, 2016
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. While many boast convenience, they often fail to provide locally sourced meats, grains, dairy products, and produce. ...
Rededicating Ourselves to Helping The Environment and the Poor During the Holiday Season
- December 9, 2015
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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 result from, not only a lack of resources, but also from the mounting environmental crisis. Tumultuous environmental condit...
Ways to Reduce Waste When Dining Out
- November 23, 2015
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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” and ask for the mug rather than the paper cup. You can then pour the coffee into your thermos. Also consider brewing ...
Eco-friendly baby products
- October 19, 2015
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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 waste caused by purchasing all of those little jars, buy a baby food grinder. After pureeing items, you can also make extra ...
Eden Village Camp is hiring a Farmer/ Educator
- September 10, 2015
Eden Village Camp is Hiring! About Eden Village Camp: Eden Village Camp aims to be a living model of a thriving, sustainable Jewish community, grounded in social responsibility and inspired Jewish spiritual life. By bringing the wisdom of our tradition to the environmental, social, and personal issues important to today’s young people, we practice a Judaism that is substantive and relevant. Through our Jewish environmental and service-learning curricula, joyful Shabbat observance, pluralistic Jewish expression, and inspiring, diverse staff role models, we foster our ...
Rabbinical School of Hebrew College Issues Environmental Call To Action
- August 25, 2015
“Even though we may understand the story of creation differently from our ancestors, like them we recognize the need to care for God’s holy works with care and diligence." Rabbi Arthur Green, Rector of the Rabbinical School at Hebrew College
Simple Steps to Reduce Water Use
- August 5, 2015
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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 gallons of water is lost each day per person to leaks. Walk around your house and look for leaks (which can also prevent ...
Going Green when you Remodel Your Home
- July 1, 2015
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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, homeowners who go green in their remodeling efforts will often see more green in their wallets. Even the smallest green ...
Eco-Friendly Summer-2015 Edition
- June 2, 2015
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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 harmful to the skin and the environment. Look for a sunscreen made with organic ingredients and no chemicals. Read the ...
The Dream and Its Interpretation
- April 22, 2015
Excerpt from "The Dream and Its Interpretation," by A. D. Gordon, translated by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen A. D. Gordon (1856-1922) was an early Zionist and pioneer in the Land of Israel. His words, written 100 years ago in totally different circumstances, resonate today when we read them through the lenses of climate change and environmental degradation. We dreamed, you and I, my brother and my sister, interpreter it has none, an ancient dream it is, as the days when we went forth from exile, but you forgot it or did not elucidate it for yoursel...
Vote for Green Israel in the WZC Election before April 30th!
- March 27, 2015
You can support the Israel you want to see. All American Jews can vote in the World Zionist Congress election going on right now. One of the most common questions, we get is why it costs $10 to vote. As Mirele Goldsmith, a Green Israel slate member answers: "The American Zionist Movement has contracted with an independent company to run the online election. This is to insure that the election is fair. The registration fee is being used exclusively to pay for the election. It is not a donation to the WZO. I wish there was no fee, but it is a small price to pay ...
GREENING YOUR PASSOVER
- March 23, 2015
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Passover celebrates the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery to freedom. It is also rooted in the agricultural cycle of the year. Passover usually coincides with the beginning of spring. Passover references a time when our ancestors were more connected on a daily basis to the natural world. To become more connected to the Earth and go “eco friendly” for this holiday, consider following all or some of the tips below: Help the environment by reducing waste as you empty your home of chametz (leavened foods such as breads, pastas, etc). Give leftover bread ...
Eco-Friendly Tips for Winter
- February 26, 2015
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As we head into the last month of winter, being mindful not to waste (the Jewish principle of baal tashchit) and to care for the Earth should still be on your mind. Even in the cold months, there are things you can do to use less energy and find winter-friendly products that are less harmful to the environment. Below are a few suggestions: User safer antifreeze: Just 2 ounces of the standard ethylene glycol antifreeze can kill a dog. Propylene glycol offers a much less toxic alternative (although with fossil fuel origins, it's hardly eco-friendly). Since both ...
Going Green for Valentine’s Day
- February 4, 2015
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If there is a special someone in your life, Valentine’s Day is a day when you probably feel compelled to celebrate and give a gift. At the same time, this holiday can be the height of commercialism and yet another reason to shop for high end “stuff.” Consider rethinking the holiday and using it as a way to show love while being mindful of environmental impact. Below are a few ways to do so: --Give an eco-friendly gift: Avoid the mall or department store. Go eco-friendly with your gift. Some ideas include fair trade chocolate, organic handmade soap or a ...
Eden Village is hiring farm educator apprentices for 2015 growing season!
- January 26, 2015
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Eden Village Camp is Hiring! Submit Your Application About Eden Village Camp: Eden Village Camp aims to be a living model of a thriving, sustainable Jewish community, grounded in social responsibility and inspired Jewish spiritual life. By bringing the wisdom of our tradition to the environmental, social, and personal issues important to today’s young people, we practice a Judaism that is substantive and relevant. Through our Jewish environmental and service-learning curricula, joyful Shabbat observance, pluralistic Jewish expression, and inspiring, diverse staff ...
Do’s and Don’t’s of E-Recycling
- January 9, 2015
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With the large increase over the past few years in electronic communication devices, and the fast pace in which new versions of the latest cell phones and tablets come out, there is a potential for concern about what is happening to old electronic devices when they are replaced. Electronic gadgets that are simply tossed in the garbage or sent to an unreliable e-recycling organization can result in toxic waste that threatens health and safety. Keeping in mind the Jewish value of baal tashchit (do not waste) , there are a number of things you can do as you consider ...
Tips for an Eco-Friendly Simcha
- October 1, 2014
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Planning a simcha, such as a wedding, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, or bris, offers many opportunities to make an environmental impact. Every choice you make in planning your event can be a chance to make a statement about the importance of respecting and preserving God's creation, the Earth. Here are some ideas of ways to reduce waste as you prepared for the big day. Reduce paper use: Consider using the Internet for all or some of your announcements about your event. Invitations can be sent electronically. RSVPs also can be sent to a specially designated email address ...
Earth Etude for Elul 16- The Compost Bin in Our Hearts
- September 11, 2014
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by Rabbi Katy Z. Allen My compost bins are so much more than just a place where compost happens. The area beside the three wire and wood bins is place where I often feel my father’s spirit – he was raised on a farm, and though he became a professional, gardening was in his blood, and he spent much of his spare time in his garden and his orchard. Yet, it is not just the reminders of my father or the sense of his hovering spirit that gives meaning to my compost bins. They are symbolic of so much – which may be more the truer reason that I think ...
Greening Your High Holidays
- September 2, 2014
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Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are right around the corner. There are a number of things you can do as a way to resolve to be more environmentally aware this new year. Use local and organic ingredients in your meals: The healthiest foods for the holiday are foods that are grown locally without any pesticides. Food purchased from local farmers or that you grow yourself will be fresher and have a higher nutritional content than food flown in from hundreds of miles or more away. If you are planning to serve the traditional snack of apples and honey, consider that ...
Adventures in Being “So Kind”
- August 26, 2014
Register. There it was on my list of pre-baby things to do. I had the feeling that people would want to buy things for us, and I knew they’d be asking if we had a registry. Setting one up seemed like the proper thing to do. It would help everyone know what we needed. But the truth was, we didn’t need all that much. We had saved bags of clothing, toys and other baby gear from our older son. And we live in a generous community where neighbors had already given or lent us key things like a carseat, a baby swing, a jogging stroller and our choice ...
