Tzipi Livni Party Presents Environmental Agenda

Livni partners with Green Movement; party advocates public transportation reform, passing environmental protection law.

Passing a Basic Law for environmental protection and creating a long-term blueprint for the Israeli energy market will be key components of The Tzipi Livni Party’s platform, the party said on Thursday.

The announcement came as Livni presented the party’s environmental agenda together with Green Movement chairman Alon Tal, No. 13 on their joint Knesset candidates list, at the party’s Tel Aviv office.

The Tzipi Livni Party also advocates public transportation reform, maintenance of open spaces for future generations, and a new clean-tech industry development program.

“We are bringing today strategic link between two movements that want to make a change in Israel,” Livni said.

“Change is much more than an additional Knesset seat – it is promoting the issues and values that the two parties believe in. The need to reach a political settlement, work for equal share of the burden and economic and social improvement require profound change and detailed plans in order to ensure our quality of life in Israel. Israel lags in comparison to other developed countries, and it is time to change the face of Israel’s renewability together with the Green Movement.”

A Basic Law – part of Israel evolving constitution – that provides for environmental protection would allow for the preservation of the country’s natural resources for generations to come, according to the party. In enacting such legislation, the government could help prevent pollution and depletion of natural resources as well as ensure sustainable development, conservation of biodiversity, and cooperation with other countries and international organizations on environmental issues, it said.

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Hurricane Sandy, FEMA, and the Need for Big Government

By: Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz

The Rabbis teach (Ta’anit 11a) that “at a time when the community is suffering, no one should say, ‘I will go home, eat, drink, and be at peace with myself.’” To effectively aid those who are suffering, we need the cooperation and collaboration of each and every individual. We need strong individuals, effective non-profits, and committed states. However, we also need to recognize the most powerful collective body available to address the suffering. In our society, the mechanism that represents the people is the government, and it must be effective. Government does not always have to be big to be effective, but oftentimes it does, especially when responding to disasters on a large scale.

Hurricane Sandy, which struck the east coast in October 2012, was the largest Atlantic hurricane on record and the second-costliest, behind only Hurricane Katrina. At least 253 people were killed and an estimated $65.6 billion was lost due to damage and business interruption. For weeks, many in this, the wealthiest country in the world, were suddenly lacking the basic necessities of life, such as shelter, heat, power, and water. The most dramatic damage occurred in southern New Jersey and the New York City metropolitan area. In New Jersey, the historic Seaside Heights roller coaster was carried out into the Atlantic Ocean, where its tangled ruins remain today. Video of the famous Jersey shore area revealed miles of destroyed boardwalks and beaches that had virtually disappeared, along with hundreds of demolished houses and boats. To the north, nearly 100 people died within a 65-mile radius of New York City as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Manhattan had never before flooded, but Hurricane Sandy’s waters were nearly 4 feet higher than the city’s 10-foot walls. Scores were killed in their homes on the coasts of Staten Island and Queens. Some ignored mandatory orders to evacuate, others were elderly and infirm, but all were victimized by a flood surge that filled houses with water within minutes, allowing no escape. Others were killed by falling branches and trees. Millions of people were without power, and received little-to-no information from their utility companies about when power might be restored. The catastrophe was reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and many feared a repeat of the government’s feeble response to that storm might occur again.

This time, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was ready to act. Within three days, FEMA had deployed about 2,300 disaster-relief personnel across several states; provided shelter to more than 10,000 people; rescued some 700 people; and delivered around 700,000 gallons of water and 1.5 million meals to others in need. Perversely, many in the House of Representatives now propose that we slash the agency’s funding by up to 40 percent, arguing that disaster relief should be handled by the states and private sector, not the federal government. The argument typically goes that the Federal government is overly bureaucratic and slow to act while states can be nimble, understand the needs of the localities and their constituents better, and thus should be charged with more responsibility.

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10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green

10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green

How can we live lightly on the Earth and save money at the same time? Staff members at the Worldwatch Institute, a global environmental organization, share ideas on how to GO GREEN and SAVE GREEN at home and at work. To learn more about Worldwatch's efforts to create am environmentally sustainable society that meets human needs, sign up here for weekly e-mail updates.

Climate change is in the news. It seems like everyone's "going green." We're glad you want to take action, too. Luckily, many of the steps we can take to stop climate change can make our lives better. Our grandchildren-and their children-will thank us for living more sustainably. Let's start now.

We've partnered with the Million Car Carbon Campaign to help you find ways to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. This campaign is uniting conscious consumers around the world to prevent the emissions-equivalent of 1 million cars from entering the atmosphere each year.

Keep reading for 10 simple things you can do today to help reduce your environmental impact, save money, and live a happier, healthier life. For more advice, purchase State of the World 2010 - Transforming Cultures: From Consumerism to Sustainability, a report from 60 renowned researchers and practitioners on how to reorient cultures toward sustainability.

Save energy to save money.

•  Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs. 
• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) when your older incandescent bulbs burn out. 
• Unplug appliances when you're not using them. Or, use a "smart" power strip that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use. 
• Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water. 
• Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying.

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The Ultimate Latke

Video: How to fry up a batch of perfect potato pancakes this Hanukkah—and don’t forget the applesauce. From the Jewish cooking maven, Joan Nathan. 

Hanukkah Energy Scavenger Hunt

This Scavenger Hunt (see below) is a great way to have children actively learn about energy efficiency while having Hanukkah fun. It can be implemented two different ways:

*Important Preparation: Before the activity, make sure you read through and fill out the sheet yourself. Some of the questions ask for specific facts about your building, so you’ll need to know whether or not the kids have the correct answers.

For a Youth Group Meeting or Other Small Group:

Depending on the size of your group, you may want to split the kids into a few teams to compete against each other. Try to equally distribute the active vs. passive children, to help encourage involvement. Make sure an adult accompanies each group of children while they go around the building. In addition to being there for supervision, s/he will need to verify that the kids complete some of the actions or activities, and ensure that everyone is participating. Finally, let your building supervisor know about the game ahead of time. (S/he may ask you to omit the thermostat question, etc.)

You can either time the scavenger hunt or make it a race to see who can complete it first. If there are a number of groups, it might be helpful to have everyone write down what time they completed each activity. (For example, the thermostat might be at a different temperature than you originally measured it right after another group lowers it a degree. If you see that two groups were there at different times, then disparaging answers can still be correct.) Each question or challenge gains the kids a specified number of points. At the end of the activity, the child or group with the most points wins! (You may want to give out chocolate Hanukkah gelt or toy dreidels as prizes, but no matter who wins, everybody should leave with something.)

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Repairing the World

Mobilizing Jews to Protect the Environment

This Hanukkah, in a season of rededication, let us dedicate ourselves to repairing the world through protecting our environment.

What’s Jewish about caring for the environment? This is a core question that we, as leaders of Jewish organizations, ask ourselves all the time. The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) was formed at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) in 1993 to face humanity’s looming environmental crisis and to mobilize the Jewish community to protect God’s creation. Inspired by the Jewish traditions of stewardship, respect for God’s creatures, injunctions not to be wasteful and traditions of social justice, our shared mission is to unite the Jewish community in environmental efforts.

For the past 10 years, we have focused more and more on climate change and energy security as part of our commitment to the notion of tikkun olam, repairing that which is broken in the world, a central value in modern Jewish life. As it says in a Jewish commentary on the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes:

“When God created the first human beings, God led them around the Garden of Eden and said: ‘Look at my works! See how beautiful they are – how excellent! For your sake, I created them all. See to it that you do not spoil and destroy My world; for if you do, there will be no one else to repair it.’” (Midrash Kohelet Rabbah, 1 on Ecclesiastes 7:13)

This inspires the urgent need to transform the world’s energy sources and to reduce fossil fuel consumption. As Jews, along with all Americans who care about these issues, we are constantly reminded of our responsibility to care for the most vulnerable and to be aware that those who have contributed the least to causing climate change often suffer the most from its impacts. We are also particularly aware that reducing dependence on oil from unfriendly and repressive regimes is an important national security goal.

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Looking for that perfect BPA-free or organic gift for the new baby?

David Greene, owner of Livegreene, a store in Palo Alto, has put together a list of products that are organic, recycled, repurposed, and, of course, BPA-free.

For eating and drinking at home and on the go:

BPA-free, recycled plastic baby bottles and sippy cups
Stainless steel snack containers and water bottles (with BPA-free plastic sippy cup tops)
BPA-free plastic toddler dishes, cutlery and cups made from recycled yogurt containers and milk jugs
Non-toxic ice packs with covers made from recycled soda bottles
Sandwich wraps made from reusable and recyclable plastic
Lunch bags made from organic cotton
Reusable bamboo utensils

For wearing:

Organic (never been treated with pesticides) cotton “onesies,” caps, mittens and booties
Child-size cashmere-like gloves made from mechanically manufactured bamboo (as opposed to chemically manufactured bamboo, which is rayon)

For playing:

Stroller and cuddle toys made from organic cotton
Toys made from repurposed industrial scaps of natural materials
Toys made from rubber wood, which does not splinter and is sustainably grown and harvested.
Toys made from recycled plastic
Toys made from recycled cardboard and soy-based inks
Toys made from bamboo

For creating:

Recycled crayons
Low volatile organic compound glue
Glue sticks made from almond (they smell like marzipan)
Biodegradable play clay scented with organic essential oils
All-natural botanical watercolor paints
Colored pencils made from recycled newspapers
100% recycled construction and drawing paper

Your Hanukkah Gifts Can Potentially Help Our Planet

Are you familiar with the Rainforest Site?

The Rainforest Site is proud to be partnered with two nonprofit land trust organizations that are making important strides in the protection of some of the most majestic and imperiled forests on the planet. Dedicated to identifying habitats in jeopardy and developing creative approaches to protecting them, these leaders in conservation benefit from your clicks at The Rainforest Site.

If you're planning on purchasing Hanukkah gifts this year, the Rainforst Site is partnered with The GreaterGood Network, a family of websites that provide simple, effective, feel-good ways to directly help people, animals, and the planet.

See how your gifts can help fight hunger, disease, illiteracy and can help the planet.

Ten Jewish Teachings on Judaism and Environmentalism

 By Rabbi Lawrence Troster

1. God created the universe.

This is the most fundamental concept of Judaism. Its implications are that only God has absolute ownership over Creation (Gen. 1-2, Psalm 24:1, I Chron. 29:10-16). Thus Judaism’s worldview is theocentric not anthropocentric. The environmental implications are that humans must realize that they do not have unrestricted freedom to misuse Creation, as it does not belong to them. Everything we own, everything we use ultimately belongs to God. Even our own selves belong to God. As a prayer in the High Holiday liturgy proclaims, “The soul is Yours and the body is your handiwork.” As we are “sojourners with You, mere transients like our ancestors; our days on earth are like a shadow…” (I Chronicles 29:15), we must always consider our use of Creation with a view to the larger good in both time (responsibility to future generations) and space (others on this world). We must also think beyond our own species to that of all Creation.

2. God’s Creation is good.

In Genesis 1: 31 when God found all of Creation as “very good” it means several things. First of all it means that Creation is sufficient, structured and ordered (the rabbis called it Seder Bereishit, the Order of Creation). It is also harmonious. It exists to serve God (Psalm 148). This order reflects God’s wisdom (Psalm 104:24), which is beyond human understanding (Psalm 92:6-7, Job 38-39). All of God’s creations are consequently part of the Order of Creation and all are subject to its nature (Psalm 148). Humans are also part of the Order, which can be said to be a community of worshipers.

3. Human beings are created in the image of God

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Artisans Merge Traditional Jewish Foods With Eat Local Ethos

We have all heard the story. A former lawyer — or investment banker, computer programmer or teacher — makes a gutsy career change, leaving the conventional job market behind to start producing small-batch artisanal sorbet. Or ricotta, chutney or sourdough bread. But what happens when enough of these craft food mongers start making similar products — say, iconic Jewish foods? As food lovers in San Francisco have learned, that’s when things get interesting.

Take Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen, a recently opened eatery located in San Francisco’s Mission district. Founded as a pop-up restaurant in early 2010 by Evan Bloom (a former architect) and Leo Beckerman (a former nonprofit employee), Wise Sons serves house-cured pastrami on homemade rye bread, and babka densely swirled with bittersweet chocolate and cinnamon ganache to a nonstop queue. Or consider the Old World Food Truck, whose founder, chef Kenny Hockert, left the traditional restaurant kitchen to peddle from-scratch Eastern European dishes like mushroom pierogi and brisket borscht at pop-up events in the Mission and plans soon to serve them via a food truck.

There is also Bubala’s Rugelach, launched by editor-turned-professional “rugelista,” Ellyn Hament, who bakes homemade versions of the company’s namesake pastry in both traditional and inventive flavors (think mocha made with artisanal coffee and cocoa powder). And after decades of bearing the reputation as a place void of “real bagels,” the Bay Area finally can host its own version of the Montreal vs. New York bagel debate with the help of two start-up companies. Beauty’s Bagel Shop in Oakland recently began selling sweet, wood-fired, Montreal-style bagels while Schmendricks in San Francisco boils up chewy New York-style bagels.

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Greening Your Shabbat Table

Hosting a Shabbat meal is a wonderful way to spend quality time with family and friends without the distractions of the everyday (email, ringing cell phones, distracting Blackberry messages…) It also offers an amazing template over which to create new rituals and traditions that add new meaning and sustainable flair to the experience. The Jew & The Carrot offers the following resources to help you Green Your Shabbat Table and discover, “What makes this Shabbat meal different from other Shabbat meals?”

Greening Your Shabbat Table

Set a kavannah (intention) to “go local.”
Whether you decide to make all your dishes from scratch, or purchase some things ready-made, make a pledge to feature ingredients and dishes that are locally grown. Remember that the definition of “local” is loosely defined – so decide in advance where you want to draw the boundary. Even if you don’t manage to eat all local, all the time in your day-to-day life (and really, who does?), Shabbat is the perfect time to strive for that ideal. See just how local you can go!

*Teaching moment: Think about your guest list and what interests your invitees share. If several your guests are vegetarians, or committed meat eaters, consider brining this topic into the meal as well. If there are people who are involved in social justice causes, or grow their own herbs, consider what kind of menu and discussion questions would draw them in most.

Involve your friends.Don’t take on the local kavannah alone – get your friends involved! Invite them into the conversation about where ingredients for your shared meal will come from. If no farmer’s market is readily available at which you/your guests can buy local produce, what other criteria can you use for buying locally or sustainably? Perhaps everyone will pledge to use no plastic bags in their shopping (including those little bags for vegetables and fruit!) or to bike to their supermarkets instead of hopping in a cab with an armload of groceries.

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Saving the World, One Project at a Time

Beyond the fact that sometimes it’s just easier to create a craft with the things you have sitting around the house, it’s also great to reuse items we would otherwise throw away. Crafting like this is a way of doing tikkun olam, (repairing the world). In other words, we can help repair the world one art project at a time. I was recently told by our preschool director that in the "old days" preschools didn't buy any new supplies. They just reused things they had on hand.

Maybe we can all leave a tinier carbon footprint by thinking globally and creating Jewishly. I have described 10 projects below that you can easily create with your kids out of objects that would otherwise be thrown away or recycled. Some of them are for specific holidays, and others are for everyday Jewish life. Get your craft on!

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Let's Go Green (Your Guide to Sukkot)

Welcome to the time of year when all Jews Go Green, sit under the stars and feel the joy. Happy Sukkot!

Here are some tips for the holiday:

WHAT'S WITH THE HUT?
For 40 years in the desert, G-d protected us with the "Clouds of Glory".  For eight days (7 for Reform Jews and Jews in Israel), we'll step out of man-made comforts and remind ourselves to trust G-d (that he'll hold off the rain and protect us from sukkah-breakers).

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Stick your sukkah under the stars. No overhanging trees or eaves allowed. (If you're in a complex/ apartment building, make sure you have permission before erecting your Sukkah, or it won't be kosher).

WALLED IN
You can use just about anything for Sukkah walls (including existing walls), as long as the walls don't flap like sails in the wind.

Minimum wall layout: 2 full walls + 1 mini-wall (about 1/2m).

Sukkah walls should reach from the floor to the top (you can have a gap of about 10cm at the bottom or top of the walls).

SEEING STARS
No, your Sukkah will not be waterproof. The roof needs to be made of vegetation that's been cut down (a creeper over the roof is no good).

Popular options for "schach"/roof covering include: Palm, bamboo or unfinished lumber.

You know your Sukkah's kosher when it's shady inside at noon. Rather have too much schach than too little.  Do you need to see the stars? Yes (assuming you can see them through the city smog), but only from one spot in the Sukkah (feel free to set up a telescope through the branches).

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