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Speakers Encourage Temple Members to Save Energy and Make Smart Choices about Food
Temple Micah's Green Team sponsored talks in November by two "gurus" on eco-Judaism and solar energy as part of Temple Micah's commitment to tikkun olam (repairing the earth).
Mike Tabor, one of the originators of the green synagogue movement, called Shomrai Adamah, in the Washington area, encouraged high school students in particular to think proactively about saving the environment. Radical change can begin with something as simple as making smart choices about food. Tabor has devoted himself to organic farming in Pennsylvania for the past few years because he wants to make apples and other healthy vegetables more readily available to families and schools in place of chips, brownies, and soda. He offered to make such healthy fruits and vegetables available to Temple Micah.
Scott Sklar urged Micah members to focus first on being as energy efficient as possible at home and in the workplace--as well as at the temple --before considering using solar power and other renewable energy sources. His "top 10" energy efficiency list includes using compact fluorescent light bulbs; installing surge protectors with "on/off" switches and using them for televisions, stereos and chargers for iPods, and installing ceiling fans, which help spread heat from the top third of a room to the rest of it. Sklar said that solar power can be used to heat water for home use and swimming pools.
To show the practicality of current technology, he brought samples of plastic tubing that is used in the D.C. area for groundsource heating, as well as examples of photovoltaic roof shingles and clothing that incorporate solar panels.
The Green Team will sponsor additional speakers and welcomes suggestions sent to the the Green Team.
[from December 2007 Vine]
Shabbat Morning Service
