Find resources for reducing your personal carbon footprint and living in greater harmony with the Earth.
RESOURCES FROM WEBINARS AND PROGRAMS
JCAN-MA has many webinars for decarbonizing your home, synagogue, and lifestyle. These include Rate Hikes- Yikes, Hope is Heatpumps, Running a Decarbonizing Program, and many others. You can find them under Events.
SUSTAINABLE B’NEI MITZVOT
- How to Have a Sustainable Party – Click here for a guide that provides a variety of ways that you can make your event sustainable and eco-friendly. Feel free to share this document and use as many or few of the suggestions provided- even small actions make a difference!
- Mitzvah Project Ideas on Climate Change & Sustainability – This is for the b’nei mitzvah student: Click here for notes and ideas which are an opportunity for you to make a real impact on your community, and on the transition into a greener world.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
- Mass Energize is a non-profit that provides tools to help individuals and communities reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and increase local leverage. JCAN-MA has built a partnership with them.
RESOURCES FOR READING AND DISCUSSION GROUPS
- To get a sense of the importance of personal actions in combating climate change, gather some friends to read and discuss We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast by Jonathan Safran Foer. Download a free discussion guide from Adamah.. This superb, readable, and very Jewish explication focuses first on the importance of personal action, and second on the importance of food choices.
OTHER PROGRAMS FOR PERSONAL CHANGE
- Living the Change from GreenFaith is about personal change and focuses on energy, food, and transportation. They have a variety of campaigns such as Sacred Activism and Faiths For Climate Justice.
- Drawdown is a comprehensive program for reducing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. They’ve created numerous ways to connect their in-depth program to individuals and communities by working with another organization on a Drawdown challenge. Drawdown Challenges happen periodically, and you can be a part of the next one.
RESOURCES FOR GREEN BURIAL
PERSONAL ACTIONS FOR YOUR HOME AND LIFESTYLE
- Change light bulbs to energy-efficient ones
- Turn off all lights and/or unplug appliances when not in use
- Install dimmer switches
- Install solar panels
- Retrofit home
- Wash full loads of laundry in cold water
- Turn off anything plugged in electric sockets (plug small appliances into a power strip and turn it off)
- Replace appliances with energy efficient ones
- Change filters on heaters, air-conditioners
- Service your air conditioner
- Turn your air conditioner up or off when leaving the house
- Dry on the clothesline, or at least only run your dryer with full load
- Use your stove less. Use the microwave oven or toaster oven instead
- Install low-flow showerheads
- Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth
- Install a timer on your hot water heater
- Adopt a vegetarian diet
- Grow your own produce as much as possible
- Buy groceries from local farmers
- Use awnings to shade south and west facing windows
- Hang white drapes to reflect light
- Weatherstrip doors and windows
- Keep your house cool by closing blinds on sunny side of house
- Water your gardens in the morning
- Recycle motor oil
- Use a car wash for washing your car
- Don’t idle your car
- Buy a hybrid or electric vehicle
- Drive less often: walk, bike, use mass transportation
- Vote with your dollars! Don’t buy products from companies not practicing sustainability
- Drink shade-grown coffee
- Join groups to make your voice be heard and to learn, e.g., Citizens Climate Lobby, 350.org, etc
- Educate yourself