GREENING SYNAGOGUES RESOURCES

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

(Adapted from the COEJL Program Bank: Recycling and Waste Reduction Program)

We say “reduce, reuse, recycle” for a reason!

To live lightly on Earth, we must first reduce the sheer amount of stuff we use -- burn less gas, produce less trash, buy fewer things, seek less packaging, etc. This leaves more for others, which touches on Jewish values of justice. It fits with Jewish medieval “sumptuary laws,” by which the rabbis of old cautioned us to live as simply as we appropriately can. It also dovetails with today’s “voluntary simplicity” movement (visit a blog on Jewish Simplicity).

Even after we’ve minimized how much we bring in, we can get creative about reusing what we already have. Paper that’s clean on one side can be kept in a special pile, and used in our copy machines and printers for drafts or internal memos. Jars can be used for storage. All these objects and many more can be used for art projects. And so on. Such a thrifty sensibility -- for our pocketbooks, for our society, and for Creation -- is encouraged in the writings of Maimonides and many other Jewish thinkers.

Finally -- only after reducing as much as possible, and reusing everything we can -- we should recycle what’s left. Food scraps become compost; old cans become new cans; plastic jugs become park benches and playground equipment; glass becomes glass; paper becomes paper. Logically, it should cost us less to separate our trash and have it be reused. Unfortunately, all too often, we have to go out of our way to establish a strong recycling program in our synagogues and other institutions. But doing seems like a Jewish mandate under the law of bal tashchit / ‘do not waste,’ which Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch called “the first and most general call of God.”

Read on for helpful facts, suggestions, and activities, so that your synagogue can follow the “eco-halacha” of reducing, reusing, and recycling.

Some recycling facts from Earth Day, Inc.:

• all forms of recycling save energy, thus reducing air pollution and global warming
• recycling aluminum uses 95% less energy than producing aluminum from raw materials;
• through recycling, it is possible to reduce our waste stream by 80%;
• for every ton of 100% recycled paper used in place of nonrecycled paper, 17 trees are saved, 64% less energy is used, and air pollution is cut by 74%;
• only 35% of newspapers in the US are recycled, even though a single Sunday edition of a major paper, such as the New York Times, typically uses 75,000 trees in its production;
• recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to light a 100 watt bulb for four hours

1. Recycling in the synagogue and home
   In a growing number of localities, there are already government-sponsored recycling programs. Even in such cases, the synagogue can take a useful role in promoting recycling; in areas without such programs, the synagogue's role can be even more critical. Recycling in the synagogue may proceed in one of two fashions.
   1. The first involves encouraging members to undertake this project individually, by disseminating information to all congregants about what items from their homes they may recycle, along with a list of collection services and/or locations that will accept different materials. Congregants would then be responsible for bringing their own materials to the recycling locations. Other congregants could be organized to carry the synagogue's recyclables to the appropriate locations. If there are city or countywide recycling programs already in existence, this information could serve to publicize those recycling efforts and to encourage fuller participation by congregants. Projects of this sort can be coordinated by an adult committee, a youth group, or an older grade in religious school.
   2. The second method for creating a recycling program is for the synagogue itself to have bins for recyclable materials. The synagogue would recycle its own paper, cans, and so on in these bins, and, if there is no citywide or countywide program in effect, congregants could also drop their recyclables off into the synagogue bins. In order for a program of this type to run smoothly you will need to:
      • Have the children in your school or youth group survey all the congregants in the synagogue as to whether or not they recycle and approximately how much they recycle of different products each week. The students, using facts such as those provided at the beginning of this program, can then calculate how many trees and how much energy is being saved, as well as how much pollution is being prevented, by the recycling efforts of the synagogue community. Voluntary goals of increased recycling could be set for each new year.
      • Decide how extensive the recycling program is going to be. Although many different items can be recycled, we recommend starting with office paper, newsprint, aluminum, and glass. Depending on your local market for recyclables, you may then be able to expand into items such as plastic containers and so on.
      • Identify government agencies or commercial recycling businesses in your area that pick up recyclable material. Check the Yellow Pages or call the waste disposal department of your local government to find this information. If those resources are not helpful, contact the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
      • Once you have identified possible recycling partners, contact them to work out pickup arrangements. In most cases, in exchange for the materials themselves, they will pick up the recyclables at little to no cost and may even let you use their large bins. (Note: If your synagogue has a trash pickup contract based on estimated tonnage, the contract should be renegotiated once the recycling program is under way. The money the synagogue saves from reducing its garbage costs can be used to offset any costs of recycling).
      • If the company doing the pickup does not lend you bins, purchase or have donated large lidded trash containers into which the synagogue and congregants can place their items to be recycled. A parking lot is often the best location for these containers.
      • Inside the synagogue, place extra wastebaskets for recyclables in offices and classrooms. Remember: in your synagogue, community center, school, or home, the easier you make it to recycle, the more successful the program will be.
      • Publicize the recycling project in your synagogue bulletin. Preschool, religious school, and day school students can also learn about the project in their classrooms.
      • If there is no citywide recycling program in your town, use the success of the synagogue's effort to advocate for the establishment of such a program.

2. Reducing the amount of waste generated
   1. Purchase recycled paper and other recycled products. Already, many recycled products are little or no more expensive than similar nonrecycled goods. (See "Audit" program or COEJL's Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Page for sources for such products.) By purchasing such products, you not only help the environment, but you also ensure that there will be a steady market for recycled materials - lowering your costs and promoting environmentally sound business enterprises.
   2. Reduce or avoid use of items, such as Styrofoam, that cannot be recycled.
   3. Reduce use of paper products and disposable plastic silverware. Instead, use regular reusable plates, cups, and utensils. Have office staff and volunteers bring mugs to the synagogue to be used instead of disposable cups.
   4. Wherever possible, reduce or combine synagogue mailings, which allows the synagogue to save money as it reduces waste.
   5. See the "Audit" program or COEJL's Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Page for additional suggestions on waste reduction.

3. ACTIVITY: Making your own "recycled paper"
   Time: 1 and ¾ hours (including soaking and drying times)
   As a kickoff to your recycling project at a school or in a home, you can teach your students or children how to make their own "recycled paper."
   1. Gather the following: Scrap paper, a piece of screening (approximately 10" x 10") with the edges taped over to prevent wounds (duct tape works best), wash basin, blender or food processor, old towels, rolling pin
   2. Tear scrap paper into small pieces. Soak it in hot water for one-half hour. Take a handful of the paper, put it into a blender or food processor, and add water until half-full. Blend until you no longer see pieces of paper.
   3. Pour mixture over the screen (with basin to catch water). Shake the screen bake and forth to get an even layer of fibers on the screen. It may be necessary to lower the screen into the water in the basin in order to even out the layer. Lift the screen carefully out of the water.
   4. Lay the screening between old towels. Roll with a rolling pin to get fibers flat and even. Let dry for at least an hour.
   5. Gently remove the paper from the screen by turning the screen upside down and peeling the paper away from the edges. The rest of the paper should fall away from the screen.