GREENING SYNAGOGUES RESOURCES

Parking

Automobiles
Internal combustion engines, while helping us get from point A to point B in reasonable time, nonetheless emit carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, benzene, and other pollutants which are toxic to humans and other creatures. These are the primary source of urban smog, and a major contribution to such public health and 'environmental justice' challenges as childhood asthma and respiratory problems among the elderly. Renewable or 'alternative' fuels, such as methanol / ethanol (either of which offsets just a fraction of the total pollutant load) and water (which, when energy is applied to it via electrolysis, can be the source of portable hydrogen which burns cleanly in small engines), may one day provide the energy necessary to propel modern society. But for now, progress is measured in small yet meaningful increments, with hybrid vehicles marking a good start…

Walking and Biking
Walking and biking improve the health of our environment as well as the individual. Installing bike racks, storage lockers, and showers can help considerably. Be creative with funding by involving local bike shops and other small businesses. For example, the public bike racks in Princeton, New Jersey, were donated by a local bike shop.

Mass Transit
Most metropolitan areas have the benefit of a broad bus system, and often of a well-developed light-rail system as well. Your institution can be a resource for people interested in using these systems, as well as an advocate for their expansion and their affordability (often through interfaith coalitions such as the Industrial Areas Foundation, Gamaliel, DART, and PICO). Meanwhile, learn what subway / light rail / Metro station and bus routes are closest to your facility and to your population centers -- and always have bus schedules available for callers and visitors. Most mass transit systems offer additional services for citizens with disabilities, or the elderly; familiarize yourself with the local options. Increasingly, various locations in the U.S. offer FlexCar and ZipCar programs for short term (hourly use) driving needs, often connected to the bus / subway system.

Carpooling
High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes were developed to encourage people to carpool, with employers adding other incentives such as reduced-rate parking and "up-front" spaces for carpool vehicles. Other benefits of carpooling include less driving (work) per person, monetary savings from using less fuel, less damage to air quality, and the joy of a more social experience on the way to work or school. Religious institutions can encourage carpooling to share trips to the place of worship and religious school. Those synagogues and other facilities located in denser neighborhoods, or where overflow parking is a sore spot with neighbors, might consider "HOP" -- High Occupancy Parking -- where the nearest few rows of spots are "reserved for vehicles carrying two (three?!) or more people."

Vehicle Maintenance
This applies directly to any vans or cars the synagogue might own, but is also here as the basis for projects the youth group, sisterhood, men's club, or social action committee might sponsor, along the lines of "clean it up, all the way from home to shul and back." First, read your owner's manual. It outlines recommended maintenance intervals, product specifications, and operating procedures, and also explains the emission control system's warranty. Contact the manufacturer or a local dealer to obtain a copy of the manual if you do not have one. Some items need regular checkups and periodic replacement: air filter, vacuum and coolant hoses, oil, oil filter, fluids, belts, etc. Keep tires inflated to the recommended pressure to minimize tire wear and maximize fuel economy (this alone can make a difference of one to three miles per gallon). To find out about the savings associated with fuel-efficient vehicle use, visit the Fuel Cost Calculator.

New Resources
Texas Transportation Institute Urban Mobility Study
National Transit Database Annual Report
EPA Small Engine Emission Standards
EPA Green Vehicles Guide
EPA Transportation and Fuels
DOT National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
EPA/DOT Best Workplaces for Commuters

Greener Transportation
U.S. transportation sector emissions are one of the most significant contributors to the growth of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere (the cause of global warming) as well as local air pollution. Lessening our driving can be an important component of a synagogue greening strategy. Options include:

Carpooling: Carpooling sites include AlterNet rides, Nirbi and Carpool World. Also a new group called Space Share has begun working with synagogues on carpooling for the High Holy Days and other high-traffic times.

Car cooperatives

Use of more efficient vehicles: hybrid vehicles, and other innovations. Write to the automakers telling them that as a matter of conscience and of faith, you want to be able to choose more fuel-efficient vehicles than are now on the lot.

Alternative Transportation: bicycle, walking, mass transit – you can even advocate as a shul for better bus service in the neighborhood near the synagogue, and elsewhere.