The purpose of the Temple Emanu-El Environment Committee is to fulfill the Jewish imperative of tikkun olam (repairing the world) by encouraging environmental stewardship within the congregation and promoting environmental awareness among the greater Emanu-El community. The Environment Committee shall promote sustainable Temple operations to reduce its impact on the environment, provide outreach and education to the congregation about environmental opportunities, and engage congregants in projects to raise environmental awareness.
The Environment Committee focuses on three areas:
- "Green Emanu-El" : Examine and evaluate Temple Emanuel's current operations and identify opportunities to reduce the Temple's footprint on the environment.
- Education and Public Relations : Educate congregants about opportunities to reduce their individual impacts on the environment, and about the strong ties between Judaism and our responsibility to safeguard the environment.
- Projects : Create opportunities and projects to engage congregants in environmental-related projects. Examples included a trip to a Bay Area recycling center, beach & Golden Gate Park clean ups, and tree plantings.
To participate, contact Terry Kraus, tkraus@emanuelsf.org or (415) 751-2541 x111.
ENVIRONMENTAL TIPS
RECYCLE ALMOST EVERYTHING!
B'RIT ADAMAH - A COVENANT WITH THE EARTH
Steps You Can Take (click to download pdf)
With thanks to Rabbi Micah Citrin of Congregation Beth Am for sharing these easy measures we can all take.!
GLOBAL REQUIUM?
DO A DOUBLE MITZVOT
Help the Environment
and Provide Transportation to Services
Do an Easy Mitzvah -- Share a Ride
Perform two mitzvot at once. The first mitzvah will be for all
of us to save the environment. The second mitzvah is to reach
out to someone who needs transportation to attend temple
services. Please contact either Alyce Brown, (415)563-7366 or
alycebrown@sbcglobal.net or Ellen Cleary, (415)379-8603 or
ellencleary@comcast.net. Include your name, address and phone
number and whether you need a ride or will share one.
THE PATH FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
ACTION THROUGH "GREEN EMANU-EL"
Members of the
Temple community have been actively developing new
programs that celebrate our environment and promote
conservation. The roots of Jewish environmental
principles are based on our traditional laws and ethics,
which encourage the awareness that we are all stewards
who must prevent the destruction or impairment of
our precious natural resources. Our "Green Emanu-
El" is a creative program designed to meet the goals of
conservation through education and outreach, and
individual action.
The first effort of the Green Emanu-El program was to
complete an inventory of energy usage and resource
conservation on the Temple grounds. This was accomplished
with the support of the Temple board and staff, and the
cooperation of the City of San Francisco Environmental
Department. Steps have been taken to use our resources
more efficiently and, as a result, with economic benefits. As
pollution prevention programs are introduced, the Temple
community will also become aware, through signage and
other promotions, of ways that each Temple member and
consumer can enjoy these same advantages in their home
environment.
These efforts are just beginning. The innovative
Environment Committee, in coordination with our
rabbinic staff, will introduce conservation programs
related to our traditional observances throughout the
year and provide the means for easy implementation
outside of the Temple grounds. In the Spring of 2006, in conjunction with Earth Day, the Environmental Committee coordinated an "Eco-Shabbat" celebration, which culminated in a two-day
collection of computers and oher goods that were
recycled in collaboration with Goodwill Industries.
A bicycle rack has been installed to facilitate
transportation by those members who want to avoid
contributing to internal combustion pollution on their
way to the Temple grounds. Zoned heating within our
building and planned improvements to our lighting
and water usage are under study. And a programmed
outreach campaign to introduce easy conservation tools
for savings in the home is under development.
As "Green Emanu-El" materials become available, please
take a moment to consider how you can conserve natural
resources as a home consumer. And if environmental
protection is of interest, you are welcome to contact the
Temple Office and join the "Green Emanu-El" effort of
the Temple Environment Committee.
About the Temple 