The religious school at Temple Micah is making changes in order to protect our environment. As Kermit the Frog sang, "it's not easy being green...", but we are trying to educate our students and families as to the importance of taking care of our environment. We are aware that it may not be easy to change some of the methods and ways we look at our environment, but we also realize that we all must make an effort to protect the world in which we live.

One of the first stories in the Torah is about the environment. in Genesis we learn how Adam and Eve serve and protect the Garden of Eden. it is our responsibility to continue to serve and protect our "garden" for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren. Just as we teach these stories to our children, this year teachers at Temple Micah will be teaching about our environment and how we can maintain and improve our "garden."

A Jewish tradition, bal tashchit (do not waste) teaches us to conserve resources. There have been many reports about the environment in movies, on television and in books, but we as Jews have a responsibility to take this a step further. We must establish, conserve, and maintain a healthy relationship between humanity and the rest of God's creation. As our tradition teaches, "Lo alecha hamlicha ligmor v'lo atah ben chorine l'hitbater mimenah." "We do not need to be the ones to complete the work, but we are certainly not free from trying."

The religious school has thought about ways to implement the ideas of reduce, reuse and recycle. Teachers will not be sending home flyers, but instead will communicate with families by e-mail. New recycle bins are being provided for each classroom by the Temple Micah Green Team. We will encourage the use of recyclable paper plates, cups and napkins for snacks. All students will be given Jewish National Fund tzedakah boxes to take home; at the end of the school year, the money from these boxes will be used to support "green" efforts in Israel.

Some interesting facts about things we all do most of the time in our lives. Did you know...

For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.

You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.

By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt light bulb for four hours.

For more interesting facts, go to gogreeninitiative.org.

The Go Green theme is the beginning of an important shift in the way we treat our world and think about the way we use our environment. As Kermit the Frog sang, it will not be easy, but we can work together to make a difference in the world.

"See my works, how fine and excellent they are! All that I created, I created for you. Reflect on this, and do not corrupt or desolate my world; for if you do, there will be no one to repair it after you." Midrash Ecclesiastes Rabbah 7:13.