GREEN TIKKUN COMMITTEE PAGE

Our motto is "Bal Tashchit"  -   Do Not Waste

Linking Judaism with Environmentalism

Here's how we reduce, reuse, and recycle:

• using a commercial composting company, aiming to surpass Montgomery County's goal of recycling 50% of our waste
  
• training our custodians, kitchen staff, administrative staff, teachers, students & congregants to use our compost, recycling & trash bins correctly
  
• buying 50% of our energy from wind power providers
  
• having "green" religious school and preschool activities (making light switch covers, Tu b'Shvat planting, Youth Group E-cycling event, CFL-bulb sales)
• establishing a "Do Not Idle" goal in the driveway and parking lot
• supporting a local farm (CSA - Community Supported Agriculture) going on 3 years, together with Bethesda United Methodist Church and other neighbors
  
• working with GWIPL --Greater Washington Interfaith Power & Light-- an organization that brings people together from all faith communities to discuss best green practices
• supportive rabbis, executive director & board
• hosting Scholars-in-Resident Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin and Hazon's Nigel Savage, who have spoken on themes such as "enoughness" in Judaism and about eco-Kashrut 
  
• documenting our efforts  in order to be certified as a "Green Business" by Montgomery County's Chamber of Commerce
• hosting this webpage to promote what we're doing. 

 

ADDITIONAL STEPS BETH EL HAS TAKEN TO "Go Green"

• All bulbs in the shul are either compact fluorescent (CFL) or the similarly efficient T8.
• All thermostats are programmable and have been programmed.
• 50% of electricity purchased by Beth El comes from wind power.
• The paper that Beth El uses in the office has 30 percent recycled content.
• Old flyers are reused in the office to print documents for internal use (instead of throwing out or recycling the old flyers).
• Recycling bins are now all over the synagogue. Large containers are located outside near the trash dumpster. All kinds of paper are recycled (office, newspaper, cardboard). Co-mingled glass, plastic, and aluminum are recycled. Just as at home, you can help. Become familiar with what can and cannot be recycled. Rather than create more trash, please look for the bins, and recycle whenever you can.
• To reduce mailing costs and the use of paper, donations to Beth El can now be made on-line through the Beth El web site. On-line reservations and payment for events are coming.
• For each CFL sold by USY/Boy Scouts at Beth El, GWIPL donates a CFL to a low-income congregation in the Washington area.
• We are gradually eliminating the use of disposable plates, cups, and utensils; and provide convenient coffee cup collection points throughout the building to facilitate nightly washing by custodians in our energy-efficient dishwasher.    As we lessen our congregation’s impact on the environment, you can take some of the same steps at home.

 

 

READ MORE ABOUT:

• Mindful Waste: What we compost, recycle, re-use, or throw-out at Beth El
  
  
• Mindful Transportation: Getting to Beth El reducing pollution and stress
  
  
• Mindful Eating: CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and Eco-Kashrut
  
  
• Mindful Rearing: Beth El Pre-School activities
  
  
• Mindful Herding: Religious School/Youth Group Activities
  
  
• Mindful Reading: How Beth El's communications are increasingly on-line
  
  
• Additional Photos

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DO NOT THROW AWAY CFL BULBS INTO THE TRASH!

Worried about the mercury in burned-out CFLs & how to dispose of them safely and locally?  Take them to "MOM's" (My Organic Market) at:

MOM's will also take your used batteries.  Just put tape on each contact before dropping off.

 

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WASTE SORT leads to hiring of EnviRelation for commercial composting

           

Here is what commercial composting looks like:

           

 

Link to report is in the works.

  

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Link to Green America's: "Ten Things You Should Never Buy Again"

 

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Look for more Green Tikkun Committee happenings at Beth El and more information in the Scroll.  If you have questions or ideas, or would like to participate, please contact Michele Lieban Levine at info@bethelmc.org.