Of all the holidays, Sukkot is the least likely to need "greening". After all, what could be greener then gathering four species of plants, bringing them to synagogue, and parading around the bimah with them. All this is done as a remembrance that our ancestors emerged from the wilderness which was devoid of most vegetation and water to a land rich in fruit trees and rivers (Rambam Moreh Nevuchim 3:43). The most environmentally relevant interpretation of all this greenery is: "One waves them back and forth to Him Who is Mast of the four directions: up and down, to Him who is Master of heaven and earth. Thus the Four Species allude to God's creation of all existence, and testify that there is naught besides him." (Succah 37b). None of our holidays has more environmentally relevant messages than this.

Nevertheless one environmental aspect of the holiday that could receive more attention is the source of decorations four our personal or communal Sukkah. The Halachah already mandates that the roof of Sukkah be made from something that grows from the ground and is no longer attached to it, thus reminding us of the source of the holiday in the celebration of the harvest as God's gift. However, most people do not have the opportunity to collect their own S'chach (Sukkah-covering), and typically bamboo poles purchased from a supplier are used to fulfill the obligation without generating the environmental awareness that should go with it. Furthermore most people have neither the time nor the inclination to utilize natural products in their decorations.

Now there is nothing wrong with adorning the Sukkah with all manner of beautiful decoration, but it would help us get into the spirit of the holiday if we could heed the words of the prophet to the returning exiles from Babylonia to "Go out to the mountain and bring olive leaves and leaves of the wild olive and leaves of the myrtle and leaves of the palm and leaves of thick trees to make succos" (Nechemiah 8:15). If we lived in Eretz Yisrael or some other area with Mediterranean climate where these plants grew, we could literally fulfill the Prophet's demand. However, even those who live in cities can usually go to the country side and collect their own greenery.

Why you might ask does the Prophet tell the people to go out to collect wild material? Why not go to the merchant or simply obtain a replica. As a seminal article in a prestigious scientific journal (Science 179:443, 1973) asked "What's wrong with plastic trees?" The article concluded there is nothing wrong with plastic trees, that artificial prairies and wildernesses have been created, and there is no reason to believe that these need be unsatisfactory for those who experience them. And that's the problem.

Sooner or later artificial decorations will lead us to accept the artificial as a substitute for the real. We will lose our sense of the importance of saving farms where real plants are grown and wilderness areas where animals can roam free, when we can see them better in zoos or stuffed in museums. We will take our children to artificial environments or just sit home and watch them on TV. Anyone who has ever seen a real wilderness like those in Alaska or has been to a farm and actually participated in farming tasks can tell you there's no comparison.

This year, and every year, Sukkot is a fine time to visit a farm or orchard and pick your own Sukkah decorations and apples for Simchat Torah. You will experience first hand the joy of the harvest and you will see the beauty of the fruit trees. Better still you can grow your own, if you have space and are willing to make the time for caring. A sufficient amount of decorative and later edible popcorn, for a Sukkah can be planted in as little as 30 square feet of space. Hopefully, seeing fruits and vegetables growing in their natural state will rekindle the wonder at these marvels you might have had as a child. You will then come to realize that man can only cultivate these crops, but he depends on the good will of the Creator for their fruition. The Creator in turn demands our proper care for His creations: "When God created the first people, He led them around the Garden of Eden and said: 'Look at my works! See how beautiful they are - how excellent! For your sake have I created them. Beware that you do not corrupt and destroy my world for if you do, there will be no one else to repair it" (Kohelet Rabbah on 7:13)

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