Although these statements might seem somewhat harsh in tone, they are needed to shed light on gravity of these issues and to challenge our political leaders to take action.  In last month’s post I stated that my hope was for a more civil discourse to emerge in connection with addressing environmental issues and for everyone to work together in addressing these complex problems.  However, maintaining civility does not mean that our religious leaders should back away from their role in sparking both introspection and conversation among followers.  Rabbis across the world who view our role as Jews to be stewards of the earth should be speaking about important environmental issues, including climate climate change, with the same passion as the religious leaders from the Vatican. Congregants should be challenged from the pulpit to take action, both personally and on behalf of their community.  Similar to so many other issues over the past century where society seems paralyzed and ill equipped to take on a major challenge, it is usually our religious leaders who can provide the antidote, not only in the form of encouragement, but also in presenting such actions as an obligation.

This Earth Day, my hope is that we can start to have a needed civil conversation, with those who share our views and those who may disagree, on how we can address these critical environmental issues that impact millions in this country every day (billions around the world), especially the most vulnerable among us, and which will certainly impact exponentially more of us every year if we refuse to collectively work together to address these issues head on.

The story pasted below can be found here: http://www.weather.com/health/news/earth-day-health-and-climate-change

Intense heat waves — a result of climate change — are one of the most dangerous ways to the planet’s health affects our own, according to a new World Health Organization report that will be presented at the European Environment and Health Process in Haifa, Israel, at the end of the month.

The WHO report also includes a framework for the 32 nations in Europe to address these and other health-related challenges.

“Health in Europe is already suffering as a result of the effects of climate change,” the organization wrote in a press release. “The devastating floods of May 2014 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia affected more than 2.5 million and killed 60 people. In addition, a WHO study released in 2014 projects an annual increase of heat-related deaths in Europe, reaching 27,000 by 2050, for the over-65 age group unless action is taken now.”

(MORE: The Worst Cities for Spring Allergies)

Specifically, more should be done toward building an infrastructure for clean energy and transportation, as well as agricultural measures, the report said.

“Situations vary from country to country, of course, but climate change affects everybody across the entire region, from young to old,” Dr. Bettina Menne, Program Manager of the WHO Centre for Environment and Health, said in a press release. “Climate change is a cross-cutting issue in health, and what has been done so far is simply not enough to tackle the profound consequences.”

Similar sentiments have been reflected stateside by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency and others.

“What we know is that the temperature of the planet is rising, and we know that in addition to the adverse impacts that it may have when it comes to more frequent hurricanes, or more powerful storms and increased flooding, we also know that it has an impact on public health,” President Barack Obama said during a roundtable discussion on public health on April 7.

This Earth Day, learn more about these top climatic health challenges.

Heat waves. By most measures, heat is the deadliest type of weather pattern. In particular, extreme heat waves are known to harm low-income urban residents who may not have access to air-conditioning. A 2013 report linked extreme heat specifically to human-caused climate change, reported National Geographic.

Wildfires. The changing climate’s heat waves and droughts will lead to increased wildfire outbreaks, if they have not already, according to the Third National Climate Assessment Report from the U.S. Global Change Research Program, released in 2014. (However, direct links between human-caused climate change and past wildfires, up until at least 2013, have been tenuous, according​ to the same National Geographic report.)

Drought and water quality. Declining water supplies, and in turn, reduced agricultural yields are major concerns due to climate change, the Climate Assessment Report found. (That said, natural climatic variability, not necessarily human-caused climate change, could be the largest contributing factor to the California drought, a NOAA report released in 2014 announced.)

Vector-borne diseases. Diseases spread through mosquitoes and ticks killing thousands every year. The number of diseases affecting humans, plus the number of cases, is set to rise. “The climate will get warmer which means non-native species will be able to survive better, mosquitoes will develop at a faster rate and warmer temperatures will permit tropical pathogens to be transmitted and at a faster rate,” Dr. Jolyon Medlock from the Emergency Response Department at Public Health England told weather.com in an email after a study about future disease outlooks in the U.K.

Air pollution. Seven out of 10 doctors consider air pollution to be the top climatic health concern currently affecting individuals in the United States, according to a recent survey. Air pollution is known to cause lung cancer and has been linked to COPD, asthma and other respiratory illnesses, as well as heart attacks and heart disease. Hot, humid air exacerbates these conditions by causing the formation of additional ozone smog in the air.

Allergies. Not only will a generalized warming trend cause spring allergy season to start earlier and fall to go later, but also the changing climate itself is causing plants to produce more pollen. “The pollen is [directly] affected by greenhouse gases,” Dr. Clifford W. Bassett, medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York and an ambassador for the AAFA, told weather.com earlier this spring. “It’s a double whammy — longer pollen season, as well as the fact that the pollen itself may be more super-charged.”

GreenFaith  (http://greenfaith.org/):  GreenFaith has an amazing fellowship program for faith leaders and certification program for houses of worship.  As they state on their website, “The GreenFaith Fellowship Program is the world’s only comprehensive program to prepare lay and ordained leaders from diverse religious traditions for religiously based environmental leadership.”  I highly recommend both the fellowship and certification program and encourage you to click on the link to learn more.   GreenFaith also took a leadership role in the recent  People’s Climate March in NYC, an event which garnered international attention.

Interfaith Power and Light (http://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org/):  A national organization that has chapters in many states.  Generally the various state chapters are very interested in collaboration and can be a wonderful resource in connection with environmental advocacy and education.

The Forum on Religions and Ecology (http://fore.research.yale.edu/): An excellent resource for both materials and learning opportunities.  As stated on the website, “with its conferences, publications, and website it is engaged in exploring religious worldviews, texts, ethics, and practices in order to broaden understanding of the complex nature of current environmental concerns. The Forum recognizes that religions need to be in dialogue with other disciplines (e.g., science, economics, education, public policy) in seeking comprehensive solutions to both global and local environmental problem.”

Evangelical Environmental Network (http://creationcare.org/blog.php?blog=1):  This group termed the phrase “Creation Care” which I personally love. Although the group is mostly focused on Evangelical Christians, the blog link I provided can be a good resource as the blog is updated and conveys various events taking place through the EEN.

Green Muslimes (http://www.greenmuslims.org/about/):  Mostly active in the DC area, this is a great website to learn how the Muslim community is addressing environmental issues.

I started with Jewcology while working with an organization called Faiths United for Sustainable Energy, which unfortunately had to close its doors a few years back.  Though that organization I was able to meet a wide range of people affiliated with various religious organizations who cared deeply for the environment.  Through FUSE, individuals from different religious backgrounds were able to come together and collaborate in an effort to be good stewards of the planet.  I think the same applies to Judaism as, which is a very large tent containing a wide range of viewpoints.  If we as Jews can come together in order to share and exchange ideas, thoughts, and experiences in connection with  environmental  advocacy, activities, events, and Jewish teaching, we can create an even stronger Jewish environmental movement, in hopes of passing down a more sustainable world to the next generation, like my new son.

Please feel free to comment on this post or send me emails directly and I am always happy to discuss.  After all, that is the entire purpose of Jewcology.

I wish everyone a happy and sweet New Year.

I have very much enjoyed blogging for Jewcology over the past two years, however, due to the upcoming bar exam in July, I will be taking a hiatus from my monthly post. It has been an honor and truly thrilling for me to take part and witness Jewcology develop and blossom from a seedling of an idea among a group of innovative Jews coming together for a week in Israel, into a thriving community.

In honor of Earth Day, I want to post a series of quotes from individuals who have inspired the environmental movement in the United States and beyond.

We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.
When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and

"There are some of us who can live without wild things, and some who cannot. For us of the minority, the opportunity to see geese or wild flowers is a right as inalienable as free speech."

" That land is a community is the basic concept of ecology, but that land is to be loved and respected is an extension of ethics.

Rachel Carson

“The question is whether any civilization can wage relentless war on life without destroying itself, and without losing the right to be called civilized.”

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”

“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.

More Great Quotes from the EPA Region 2 Website: http://www.epa.gov/region2/library/quotes.htm

"We have forgotten how to be good guests, how to walk lightly on the earth as its other creatures do." Barbara Ward, Only One Earth, 1972.

"We owe our lives to the sun… How is it, then, that we feel no gratitude?" – Lewis Thomas, Earth Ethics, Summer 1990.

"The ultimate test of man's conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard." – Gaylord Nelson, former governor of Wisconsin, founder of Earth Day

A few nights ago my wife and I watched a really intense episode of Law and Order SVU which focused on a disturbed couple who abused young children and used them as indentured farm laborers. My wife, who is a doctoral student in food policy at Rutgers University then emailed me the following link about a topic we have discussed several times over the past few years: http://www.npr.org/2011/07/09/137623954/the-troubled-history-of-the-supermarket-tomato. This book reveals disturbing details related to conditions in which farm workers often operate, something many who live in Florida have been hearing about for years. In the NPR article referenced above, the author states that "there's an even darker side to the modern commercial tomato…up until recently, workers on many of Florida's vast industrial tomato farms were basically slaves…People being bought and sold like animals…people being shackled in chains. People being beaten for either not working hard enough, fast enough, or being too weak or sick to work. People actually being shot and killed for trying to escape. That sounds like 1850's slavery to me, and that, in fact, is going on, or has gone on." Although the above story is an extreme example of when farm workers are mistreated and taken advantage of, abuse of workers is certainly not rare (http://www.alternet.org/food/outsourcing-abuse-how-farm-workers-are-being-cheated-out-their-hard-earned-money).

The following is a really great blog entry on the topic of farm slavery in America: http://blog.thegreenplate.org/2011/02/beware-far-slavery/. I know at many Passover seders I attended in the past we bring up those individuals who are currently enslaved throughout the world, however, we often forget to recognize the slavery-like conditions that might be occurring in our own back yards. This occurs when as a society we turn a blind eye and allow the most vulnerable to be preyed upon. As Jews, and especially during this time of Pesach, we should feel a strong connection to this issue and make sure our voices are heard. There are many important environmental and health issues related to the manner in which we grow and distribute our food. Equally important, however, are the workers and their families and making sure they are protected and being treated with dignity.

This Passover my family will be joining the new custom of placing a tomatoe on our seder plate in order to recognize the plight of so many farm workers, facing harsh conditions in order to provide for their families (http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/tomato-seder-plate-article-1.1296337). I welcome you to join me and during the seder to discuss ways in which we can have an impact on this issue, especially at a time when immigration reform is a hot topic and the minds of most politicians. I also encourage you to go to the Fair Food Program Website and find more ways to get involved: http://fairfoodstandards.org/about.html.

These are obviously very complicated issues. Certainly as a society we want to encourage scientific research and the ability to patent something like a seed or gene provides an proprietary incentive for investors to put money into research in these areas. That being said, the concept of being able to patent seeds or genes intuitively does not sit right. In the case related to genes the defendant claims that by isolating human genes that already exist in nature, the gene can be patented. If the patent is upheld the company would be allowed to block research on these human genes or other companies would have to pay a fee. Although I am not a fan of the slippery slope argument, in this case I believe there are very real ethical concerns as to where the line will be drawn. If companies can patent a seed or a human gene, what else in nature can patented?

I think these are very interesting questions and as Jews we should certainly be paying attention. Not only because of our responsibility as stewards of the earth but also because these issues can impact us in other ways. While researching this topic I found this 2005 article regarding the same gene and company at issue in the Supreme Court case when it applied for a patent in Europe, discussing how this specific gene is specifically relevant to Jews and a how the Israeli Ministry of Health fought against the patent.http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2005/07/jewish_guinea_pigs.html. Note that a patent in Australia for this same gene was also recently upheld: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-02/15/australia-breast-cancer-gene-patent.

The quest to patent things that are found in nature but then altered in some manner by humans will likely continue. The question we must ask as a society is to what level this practice acceptable and to what extent it is ethical in any form.

I was surprised to learn that President Obama had focused part of his inaugural address on climate change. When I heard the speech I was particular struck by the language he used in calling for action. President Obama stated the following: "We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition; we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries — we must claim its promise. That is how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure — our forests and waterways; our croplands and snowcapped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That's what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared."

From 2007-2010 I was the executive director for Faiths United for Sustainable Energy an organization with the goal of mobilizing and education faith communities on environmental issues. One of the major issues we focused on was climate change and we joined with many other coalitions in an attempt to take action. At the time of President Obama's first inaugural address, we were very hopeful that meaningful climate legislation could be passed, however, that hope quickly faded as climate change was essentially erased from the political lexicon in the United States. As I stated in my blog last week, the prospect of any broad climate legislation in the U.S. is unlikely due to the political climate, however, there is now new hope that action can be taken on a national level. It is time for faith communities to step up the fight on climate change and other environmental issues. We must support President Obama's goal statement on climate change and put pressure on him to select a strong new head for the EPA and take other executive action that does not require the approval of Congress. We must come together and let President Obama know that faith communities agree with him that we are stewards of this earth, and the United States should be leaders in taking action on climate change and other pressing environmental issues.

During my time at FUSE we interacted with many other groups around the country who do this type of interfaith work, including GreenFaith, (http://greenfaith.org/about) and Interfaith Power and Light (http://interfaithpowerandlight.org/). There are also organizations with a mission of mobilizing a particular religious group around environmental issues such as the Evangelical Environmental Network (http://creationcare.org/), the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program (http://nccecojustice.org/), and the Coalition on the Environment on Jewish Life (http://coejl.org/. Many groups focused on Judaism and environmental issues are members of Jewcology, including Canfei Nesharim (http://www.canfeinesharim.org/index.aspx), Hazon (http://www.hazon.org/), and the Green Zionist Alliance (http://www.greenzionism.org). This is just a short list of groups focused on climate and environmental issues. Since 2010, every time I do a search for environmental faith groups I come across new organizations seeking to protect the environment based on their belief that it is a religious obligation to do so.

As I stated last month, I think much of our impact as faith communities can be through local action. That being said, we should use President Obama's call to action on climate change, specifically his invocation of God in his speech, to make a push both locally and nationally for meaningful action on climate change.

With every passing day I become less of an optimist and more of a realist. This past year has provided many of us a glimpse of the chaos and destruction that might be in store for us all if no meaningful action is taken on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Although I am encouraged by the outpouring of support for devastated regions, I am losing faith in our government's ability to pass any legislation, nevertheless a meaningful energy/climate bill. There will be no national strategy to tackle the inevitable consequences of climate change, and as we just witnessed in Doha, an international solutions continues to be unlikely. The dysfunction taking place in Washington D.C. and the lack of an international agreement leaves the burden on local communities to take the lead on climate issues. In this regard I believe faith communities have a crucial role to play. A great example will be the conversation that will likely take place here in New York regarding zoning. The debate has already been taking place as to whether homeowners in certain vulnerable areas should be allowed to rebuild. Most of these areas are home to working class families and so it further complicates the issue. In my opinion, faith communities should not be making the case one way or the other as to whether a homeowner is allowed to rebuild but instead should be fighting to make sure that if allowed to rebuild these communities are protected against future storms and based on principles of sustainability, or if not allowed to rebuild that homeowners are provided the resources to find adequate housing. There are tough decisions that will be made over the next few years regarding land use and the ability to build in flood zones. Faith communities must make sure to be at the table in order to protect the interest of low income and working class families who have been disproportionately impacted during these major weather events over the past decade. The following are some interesting articles on this topic and I welcome you to join the discussion.

http://science.time.com/2012/11/20/after-sandy-why-we-cant-keep-rebuilding-on-the-waters-edge/

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Climate-Change-and-Rebuild-by-Mark-Dunlea-121224-905.html

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/13/opinion/safina-rebuild-sandy/index.html

http://blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2012/11/kean_florio_hurricane_sandy_re.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324595904578120962784383982.html

A new report just released this week says the ice sheets are melting five times faster than in the 1990’s and occurring more rapidly than scientists believed in 2007 (http://science.time.com/2012/11/30/climate-change-polar-ice-sheets-melting-faster-raising-sea-levels/) . At the same time climate discussion occurring over the last week in Doha have been unfruitful and hope that a meaningful agreement can be reached is fading (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/doha-talks-after-6-days-no-consensus-yetclimate-issue/494234/). At the same time meaningful discussion is starting to take place in the Northeast regarding whether to rebuild in coastal areas destroyed by Sandy (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324595904578120962784383982.html), and to what extent New York City and other major metropolitan areas need to build infrastructure to prevent similar destruction in future storms (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-09/billions-on-flood-barriers-now-might-save-new-york-city-l.html and http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/bloomberg-questions-aid-protect-flooding-ny-subways-article-1.1210855).

It seems to me that Sandy has shifted both attitudes about climate change and the conversation itself. Not only is Sandy making believers out of those who may have been on the fence regarding “climate weirding” but based on the fact that any sort of agreement is unlikely both here at home or internationally in terms of meaningful emissions reductions, adaptation is starting to take center stage. After all, if we can’t agree on what is causing climate change we can at least now all agree that the climate is changing rapidly and without steps towards adaptation there will be Sandy-like consequences that become the norm.

Obviously we must continue to fight for a shift away from a fossil fuel economy and towards the use of renewable energy because the risks associated with climate change are not only to human beings, but to the natural environment itself. However, this shift will likely occur too late as time may have already run out in terms of sea level rise, ocean acidification, and other climate related consequences. Therefore, while we must continue to work for climate mitigation, we should work with those who are now on board with climate adaptation, even if they are skeptical about its cause, because the climate is changing and those who will be most impacted by a lack of preparedness will be the working class and poor (as witnessed in Katrina and Sandy). It is our job to make sure they have a voice at the table.

It is important to note that this is not a reason to give up fighting against those who refuse to support renewable energy and are clearly in the pockets of Big Oil (http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/climate-skeptic-group-works-to-reverse-renewable-energy-mandates/2012/11/24/124faaa0-3517-11e2-9cfa-e41bac906cc9_story.html). Even if certain impacts from climate change are irreversible, the degree of those impacts is yet to be determined. If the world continues to burn fossil fuels until the supply is diminished and refuses to shift towards renewables, I fear adaptation will be unachievable. So at the same time we continue to work towards mitigation, we must work with those willing to deal with adaptation, even if they continue to be skeptical that human beings are the main cause of climate change.

As a New York City resident with friends living through New York and New Jersey, the past week has certainly been intense and tragic. The truth is that for my wife and I, Sandy brought days of downtime because we did not lose power or suffer any damage to our apartment or car. We feel incredibly lucky but at the same time so awful for the millions impacted by the storm. During the past week I have seen images on television and heard stories on NPR about so many heartbreaking experiences. But at the same there have been an equal amount of stories about people working together, something I saw firsthand yesterday at a church in Brooklyn where volunteers came together to help those in need and the pure quantity of donations of food and clothes (the temperature dropped dramatically the past few days) was overwhelming, filling the inside of the church. This includes stories of neighbors helping neighbors, strangers reaching out to strangers, volunteers and rescue workers putting their lives in danger to assist folks in trouble, and even politicians working across political lines, despite the election being less than a week away.

Now there has suddenly been a lot discussion in the past week about Sandy’s relationship to climate change. Even as I sit here now listening to Meet the Press, climate change is suddenly back in the headlines. New York City’s mayor Michael Bloomberg used Sandy as the impetus to make a presidential endorsement based on climate change and after years of a void in news coverage on the issue, it is once again a topic being mentioned daily in newspapers. In my view, it is time to take action, not only on climate change, but on so many other issues, using the lessons we have learned from Sandy, and other national crises in the past. We so quickly forget how we can accomplish difficult tasks when we are able to work together.

Sandy is a tragedy plain and simple, but it is also forces us to confront the new reality in which we live. We must start working together to confront this changing world, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation. I live across the street form a gas station where lines of cars have stretched miles waiting for gas. The entire southern portion of Manhattan that not only is the epicenter of world financial markets, but also home to so many artists and struggling working families was flooded and sent into to darkness for almost a week. Staten Island, the beaches of Brooklyn, and the entire Jersey Coast were completely devastated with families and communities living in a state of emergency as I type this blog post. It is time for us as a nation to realize that we must take action in regards to our energy policy, in terms of updating our infrastructure, and in addressing the manner in which we produce and consume goods.

Whether or not you want to label the increase in extreme weather occurrences throughout the world, including hurricanes, droughts, and floods, as climate changes is not something I will address in this post. The important takeaway is for people to start coming together in order to assure that we are better prepared in the future to deal with this new reality. If we can do it in times of crisis then we should be able to come together when the waters have receded and our communities are in the process of recovering. If we go back to partisan bickering and we act like Sandy was just a freak storm (occurring 14 months after Irene and 12 months after an October blizzard) then I fear we will look back in 50 years on Sandy as a mild beginning to a world where extreme weather becomes the norm.

I usually use this monthly blog as an outlet to voice my opinions about policies related to environmental issues. However, this week I read a really cool article that I wanted to share. The short article (produced below along with a link) illustrates how amazing nature can be and the importance of protecting and preserving as many species of living organisms as possible. Although I have never viewed a Gouldian finch, and it is quite likely I never will, there is no question that the world would be worse off if these birds were somehow wiped out. Now, there is nothing to suggest that these finches are endangered, but I am using this species to exemplify the importance and true magnificence of every living species. Can you imagine if we as humans advertised our personality by the color of our heads? I think an argument can be made that we often forecast our daily moods through facial expressions or posture (although a few people I know gets upset because I read too much into their facial expressions and often get it wrong), but the idea that this species has developed a color scheme to match their personality is simply remarkable. There are so many amazing species out there and it is worth learning more about them, not only because they are super fun to look at and learn about, but also to remind ourselves of the pure quantity of “awesomeness” (I think this is the word that really captures how I feel) out there in the world among the over 1.7 million species of living things on our planet. Check out the following links for 25 cool and obscure animals: http://www.succeedsocially.com/coolanimals

Full Story: http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/44494

Bird's head colour determines its personality

UK researchers have shown that highly sociable Australian birds, called Gouldian finches, have different personalities according to the colour of their heads.

The team, led by Leah Williams and Dr Claudia Mettke-Hofmann from Liverpool John Moores University, found that red-headed birds have aggressive tendencies, while those with black heads are bold and take more risks than their peers.

This is only the second time researchers have demonstrated such a strong link between personality and colour. The only other study showed that dark, male Hermann's tortoises are both more aggressive and bolder than paler males.

'We think that head colour is used as a signal of personality to other birds in the flock, so they know who to associate with,' says Williams, who studied the birds as part of her PhD project.

Scientists first noticed a link between animals' different colours and various aspects of their behaviour such as aggression, sexual behaviour and predator-avoidance tactics in the early 90s. Red, for example, has long been associated with aggression in cichlids, other birds, reptiles, primates and even us.

But individual behaviours like aggression can only be called personality if repeatable over long periods of time.

After reading the following article, http://www.voanews.com/english/news/environment/Climate-Change-Panel-Says-Expect-More-Extreme-Weather–144966925.html, titled “Climate Change Panel Says Expect More Extreme Weather,” it is hard not to make the immediate connection to the story of Pesach.

“The 594-page report is the work of 220 authors from 62 countries. It cites thousands of scientific studies. Enough is known, the editors say, to make good decisions about how to manage risks of climate-related disasters.” It discusses the prediction of these scientists that “While no evidence connects global warming with specific local weather event… warmer temperatures, boosted by CO2 and other gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, will trigger more intense droughts, heavier rainfall and stronger storms.” There is a high probability that weather during the past two years, including 1600 tornadoes that crisscrossed the United States, rainfall that was 80 percent more than the seasonal average in Thailand, and Russia’s hottest summer experienced in 500 years, is evidence of this shift. The IPCC Chairman Rajendra Pachauri stated that “it’s very clear that heat waves are on the increase both in terms of numbers and duration” and “another important finding is the fact that extreme precipitation events are on the increase.” Not to mention that extreme weather disasters are cost $80 billion a year on average.

Having lived through some incredibly odd winters in NYC over the past two years, whether due to climate change or not, I think the issue is starting to creep back into the consciousness of regular citizens after several years of stagnation in terms of public discourse. I think Pesach is a perfect time to start up the conversation in our own communities. Although energy is consistently a hot topic (excuse the pun), climate change has been totally eclipsed by other issues. Maybe it needs to be rebranded because so the term global warming and climate change have both been so tainted by rhetoric and propaganda.

My suggestion is to just call it the “New Plague.” That way, whenever there is a snow storm in August, a hurricane in the Greenland, a flood in the Sahara, or a see level rise that overtakes small island countries, we can just say, “oh it’s that New Plague striking again.” We don’t have to think about why these events are occurring or event try to come together in order to create solutions for mitigation and adaptation. No, instead we can just pretend that it is G-d sending these events to serve a greater purpose.

The only thing I can’t figure out is the reasoning. Is there a metaphor here in that we are enslaved in some way and these events will free us?

Any clever suggestions would be appreciated.

The Washington Post reported that “The two-year, $109 billion transportation bill before the Senate has wide, bipartisan support, but has become a magnet for lawmakers’ favorite causes and partisan gamesmanship. Among the amendments batted aside were GOP proposals to bypass Obama’s concerns about the Keystone XL oil pipeline, to delay tougher air pollution standards for industrial boilers and to expand offshore oil drilling….Also defeated was an amendment by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, which would have forced the Environmental Protection Agency to rewrite a rule requiring boiler operators to install modern emissions controls. Boilers are the second-largest source of toxic mercury emissions after coal-fired power plants. Collins said the EPA’s rule would drive some manufacturers out of business. And the Senate turned down an amendment to expand offshore oil drilling even though its sponsor, Sen. David Vitter, D-La., contended it would increase domestic energy supplies and reduce gas prices…The transportation bill itself would overhaul federal transportation programs, including boosting aid to highway and transit programs, streamline some environmental regulations in order to speed up approval of projects and consolidate dozens of programs.”

Now I am not unsympathetic or ignorant to business and economic related issues. I fully understand the impact that environmental regulations and governmental decisions related to energy exploration and development can have on certain industries. However, this type of argument is simply stale because if the government relented every time this argument was made, there would be no environmental regulations. Although, yes Ms. Snowe, I feel bad that some manufacturers will go out of business, I am even more concerned about the mercury contamination and subsequent health implications to communities surrounding these plants that have not installed modern emissions controls. Further, while I understand that building a new pipeline from Canada to the Gulf would create some jobs, the benefits remain unclear. As Johnathan Alter wrote recently in Bloomberg,

“TransCanada underwrote a study by an outfit called the Perryman Group claiming that Keystone XL will create 119,000 total jobs. But according to a report by the Cornell Global Labor Institute, the Perryman study is bogus. It included the vaguely calculated multiplier effects of $1 billion spent for a section of the pipeline in Kansas and Oklahoma that has already been built and isn’t part of the controversial extension. The temporary construction and manufacturing jobs created by the project over two years — estimates range from 2,500 to 20,000, depending on how much of the money is spent in the U.S. — would be welcome, but by themselves they hardly justify approval of the whole thing.”

Alter also claims that the pipeline could lead to a huge increase in oil prices, as opposed to the claim being made by proponents that it will substantially decrease prices (read the full article here:http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-02/keystone-pipe-brings-pain-at-pump-few-jobs-commentary-by-jonathan-alter.html ) .

While I fully understand oil and gas remain critical in terms of the present economy, the absolute lack of discussion and leadership related to renewable energy, or the presentation of new ideas to move us towards a more sustainable energy future, is simply depressing (but not so shocking). If the best we can do is Obama’s hybrid credit (http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/obama-alternative-fuel-cars/2012/03/08/id/431816) which although positive feels like I am living in 2008, then we are in serious trouble.

I was having a good deal of trouble figuring out what I wanted write about this month on Jewcology. As I was searching for a topic I thought about doing a search for Jewish environmental poetry. The first passage that came up in my search was the following:

Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) 3:1-8
For everything there is a time and a season for every experience under the heavens:
A time to birth and a time to die,
A time to plant and a time to uproot the planted;
A time to kill and a time to heal,
A time to breach and a time to build;
A time to cry and a time to laugh,
A time to mourn and a time to dance;
A time to throw stones and a time for gathering stones,
A time to embrace and a time to be far from an embrace;
A time to search and a time to let go,
A time to guard and a time discard;
A time to rip and a time to mend,
A time to be silent and a time to speak;
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time to fight and a time to make peace.

This passage spoke to me for many reasons. The first, and most obvious, is that everybody is familiar with this passage because of Pete Seeger’s adaptation of it, and the Byrd’s cover of it making it into an international hit. I realized upon reading it that I had never really taken the time to read through the verse line by line and to meditate on each lines meaning.

As I began to do just that I had to pause after reading the second line. This past month I lost my grandmother, who was the last living parent of either my father or mother. At the same time, only two weeks later, my cousin and his wife gave birth to a beautiful boy. Although this cycle happens every day all over the world, it is not something I think about too much because it is outside the scope of my daily experience. I then moved on to each of the next lines and realized that each line can be read independently or as one long sentence.

I believe the environmental movement should mirror the structure and message of this passage. We must be strategic in the battles we choose to fight, and manner in which we speak to those we are attempting to convince. It is also important for us to take the time to appreciate the very environment we are attempting to protect. I think that each line in the verse can also be taken as a command. You can read “there is a time plant” as a suggestion, or as a command. The same can be said for each of the other lines. Reading each line as a command may change the way we think about both our strategy in taking on issues and the balance we strike between our advocacy and personal lives. We must at times speak up, but we also must take the time to be silent and allow others to take the lead (and also take the time to be silent with our own thoughts in order to think through our actions). We must at times fight hard, and even hate those who are taking positions that are so contrary to the concept of stewardship. However, there is also a time to put our differences aside with those we view as opposition , to let go, in order to make constructive progress. Most importantly we must take the time to laugh, love, and dance in order to sustain us through the uphill battle that we consistently face in our advocacy.

I recently wrote an article for the Pace Environmental Law Review Blog that I have posted below. For this post on Jewcology, I wanted to expand on my Law Review post by expressing how I view these events from a Jewish standpoint. Hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," is a very hot topic these days in many different circles. This is an issue being debated by politicians, lawyers, community zoning boards, landowners, corporations, neighbors, and religious communities. In each of these situations the individuals involved are bringing different priorities to the table. Some view fracking as a great economic opportunity, others view the right to frack on their own land as a constitutional issue, some view fracking as an opportunity for the U.S. to achieve greater energy independence, others approach fracking from a purely environmental standpoint, and then others are worried most about potential health impacts those living in communities where fracking takes place. I think that all of these views have merit and there is rigorous debate taking place between these parties on a local, state, and national level.

As a Jewish environmentalist, my main concern with fracking relates to the potential danger posed to both the environment and the health of those living in communities where fracking takes place. While our society continues to have a strong demand for energy, the question is how far we are willing to go in order to meet those demands. As discussed in the post below, there are continuing questions about the safety related to fracking. We must ask if these risks are worth it and whether there are there better ways to achieve the same goal without the same potential for harm. It is important that we as Jews think about these questions and make our voices heard. Over the coming years these debates over energy will only grow more heated as nations search for new sources to meet the demand of their citizens, and I hope that more Jewish communities will engage in these issues.

http://pelr.blogs.law.pace.edu/2011/12/23/new-claims-of-danger-related-to-hydraulic-fracturing/

New Claims of Danger Related to Hydraulic Fracturing

Dec 23rd, 2011 by Jesse Glickstein

Over the past few years hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” which is defined by Oxford Dictionary as “the forcing open of fissures in subterranean rocks by introducing liquid at high pressure, especially to extract oil or gas,”[1] has become an increasingly controversial subject. Several states, such as Pennsylvania and Arkansas have been allowing companies to use hydraulic fracturing for several years. However, as more states contemplate allowing the use of fracking, the process has come under greater scrutiny, and many citizens have voiced concerns about the potential consequences of allowing the use of this drilling technique. This backlash has resulted for several reasons, including the fact that claims have been made in states where fracking is legal about issues with water contamination, and claims by citizens in those state that they have suffered health related issues due to natural gas seeping into the water supplies. These claims were given nationwide exposure with the release of Gasland, a documentary film that showed faucets spewing flames and water samples with high levels of contaminants used in the fracking process.[2]

The situation has been further exacerbated by the poor economic climate, pitting neighbor against neighbor.[3] Those citizens who want to lease there property and allow companies to frack for gas are guaranteed to make money, and in some instances become instant millionaires.[4] Those citizens who do not want to lease their land due to safety concerns have been fighting on a national, state, and local level to prevent companies from being able to frack.[5] Others claim that landowners are not provided with enough information to truly understand the risks and costs associated with leasing their land for fracking.[6] Many people are also concerned about the secrecy that has surrounded the fracking process, including the fact that companies are exempt from regulation under The Safe Water Drinking Act.[7] Until recently, companies had refused to release the ingredients they used in the fracking process, which has now been reported to include over 750 different chemicals.[8] Although companies eventually disclosed this information, their initial secrecy and resistance to doing so has raised concerns and made many people wary of the process. In New York, for example, localities are attempting to ban the process by zoning hydraulic fracturing out of their specific municipality, even if the State decides to approve the fracking process. [9]

Over the past few months two important developments have taken place. The first was a major news story when the EPA recognized the possibility that chemicals used for fracking in central Wyoming were the likely cause of contaminated local water supplies.[10] This was the first admission by a government agency that hydraulic fracturing is potentially a source for water contamination. Another independent study conducted in northeastern Pennsylvania and upstate New York by scientist Robert Jackson of DukeUniversity stated that “methane concentrations in drinking water were much higher if the homeowner was near an active gas well.”[11] This study, along with the EPA’s finding in Wyoming, present opponents of fracking with strong support for their contention that citizens should be skeptical regarding the safety guarantees given by the natural gas industry.

The second major development in recent months has been reports that hydraulic fracturing may be connected to the increase of earthquakes occurring in Ohio,[12] Oklahoma,[13] and Arkansas.[14] Despite the fact that many scientists say the likelihood of that link is extremely remote, that thousands of fracking and disposal wells operate nationwide without causing earthquakes, and that the relatively shallow depths of these wells mean that any earthquakes that are triggered would be minor,[15] the mere news of this type of activity has stirred strong public reaction.

It is possible that these worries have been heightened by the recent events related to the nuclear reactor in Fukushima and the Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf. Many citizens seem wary of the potential impacts that a natural disaster or that human error could have on the health of the environment and nearby citizens if hydraulic fracturing is allowed to continue. This news may also have triggered Colorado to pass the most stringent fracking rules in the United States just this past week.[16] It seems that the next few years will see increasing amounts of controversy between industry and citizens, states and municipalities, and landowners with their neighbors, over whether to allow hydraulic fracturing to take place in their states, cities, and backyards.

The Federal Clean Air Act (1970, 1977 & 1990) established national standards for regulating the emission of pollutants from stationary and mobile sources.; The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (1972) amended by the Clean Water Act (1977, 1987), established water quality standards; provides for the regulation of the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters and for the protection of wetlands.; The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (1974, 1977 & 1986) set drinking water standards for levels of pollutants; authorizing the regulation of the discharge of pollutants into underground drinking water sources.; The Toxic Substances Control Act (1976) provided for the regulation of chemical substances by the EPA and the safety testing of new chemicals.; The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976) established cradle-to-grave regulations for the handling of hazardous wastes; The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (1980), also known as the Superfund program, provided for the cleanup of the worst toxic waste sites.; The Food Security Act (1985, 1990) later amended by the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act (1996), discouraged cultivation of environmentally sensitive lands, especially wetlands, and authorized incentives for farmers to withdraw highly erodible lands from production.

Further, many states have their own versions of these laws and so government agencies and citizen groups often have different options in determining how to pursue a polluter. These legal remedies were not available prior to 1970.

It is also important to be thankful for all of the organizations that are now raising awareness through education and advocacy in relations to local, national, and international environmental issues. Think about the sheer number of groups that you yourself are involved with and then research whether that group was around 30 years ago. A recent article states that “the environmental movement has expanded in the number of organizations, members and total revenue almost every year since 1960.” (http://www.treehugger.com/corporate-responsibility/number-of-environmental-ngos-growing-by-leaps-and-bounds.html). Not only is the number of groups consistently growing, but so are the issues that environmental groups address. Here is a list of just some of the issues that some groups focus on exclusively, and others incorporate as an aspect of their work:

Climate Change, ocean acidification, conservation, species extinction, coral bleaching, renewable energy, energy efficiency, invasive species, habitat destruction, environmental health issues such as lead poisoning and asthma, genetic engineering, nanotechnology, nuclear issues, overpopulation, ozone depletion, land use and urban sprawl, water pollution, acid rain, mercury issues, smog, indoor air quality, resource depletion, logging, mining, toxic waste, fishing, shark finning, whaling, deforestation, E-waste, recycling, medical waste, and landfill issues.

Although I am often the first to complain about the state of environmental policy both in the United States and around the globe, it is important to recognize how far the environmental movement has come since 1970, and to appreciate the hard work and sacrifice that so many individuals made in order to get us to where we are. I think sometimes, especially during times of exhaustion and despair, it is important to look at what others have accomplished in order for use to regain the necessary strength and confidence that we too can make great strides in our work.

I read a story last week that really got my attention. It was posted on the New York Times Green Blog (see story here: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/29/an-oil-bonanza-in-discarded-plastic/), and was discussing a company’s effort to convert discarded plastic into crude oil. Now I know this does not sound like the most environmentally friendly initiative, as the crude oil will eventually be utilized, resulting in the release of green house gases into the atmosphere. However, although I am a huge supporter of renewable energy, I think there is room for businesses such as this, in our effort to create a more sustainable society. The article also discussed a company who can extract commercially viable nylon from old carpet and a company that has retrofitted a mill for grinding expired pharmaceuticals to recycle rubber.

According to the EPA, an estimated 2,480,000 tons of plastic bottles and jars were disposed of in 2008. Of course, some of these bottles are recycled through municipal programs, however although the amount of plastic bottles recycled in the U.S. has grown every year since 1990, the actual recycling rate remains steady at around 27 percent. Therefore, if a company can incentivize consumers of plastic bottles (especially large industrial ones ) to collect a larger percentage of these materials, then I think it is a positive development.

Although I do not believe that this will result in any significant change in the amount of oil we consume as a society, I do think it illustrates a broader point about our need to view waste as a renewable resource. I recently read that the total municipal solid waste in the United States has grown from 88.1 million tons in 1960 to approximately 243 million tons a year today, according to figures from the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Much of this waste can be composted or recycled. For example, San Francisco has created a large scale urban collection of food scraps for composting which has resulted in over 600 tons of food scraps and other compostable material each day being turned into nutrient-rich soil.

This concept of recycling and composting is engrained in Jewish tradition. The Sefer Hachinuch states that "Righteous people … do not waste in this world even a mustard seed. They become sorrowful with every wasteful and destructive act that they see, and if they can, they use all their strength to save everything possible from destruction. But the wicked … rejoice in the destruction of the world, just as they destroy themselves." COEJL has a great resource explaining the concept of BalTashchit, http://www.coejl.org/learn/je_tashchit.php, the Jewish principle that we should not waste or destroy, and should regret any loss or destruction that they witness.

We as Jews should support initiatives that help encourage and incentivize all entities in our society to recycle and compost so that we can reduce the amount of waste in the world. This can be done through businesses offering to pay for resources that they can recycle into other useful products, or through penalties imposed on those who refuse to comply (this type of program exists in San Francisco where households pay for sanitary pick up based on the weight of their trash. Therefore, the more one composts and recycles, the less the weight of the garbage). Regardless of the mechanism, I think it is vital that we adopt a holistic approach to the task of transforming our world into a more sustainable place. Although personal responsibility and changing the manner in which each of us interacts with the environment will play a large role in this process, creativity and ingenuity will be equally important if our society is to succeed in this daunting task.

Writing a blog post for Jewcology is usually a fairly fluid process for me. Throughout the month I generally collect different articles and compile thoughts in a document that I then go back to when I am trying to figure out what theme I want to address in my blog. This month was different. It did not occur to me until last week that the blog I was going to post had a deadline of September 11^th. Sitting in the passenger seat of my car, with the Hudson River to my right and my wife listening to NPR which is playing personal stories of families who lost loved ones on 9-11, I feel compelled to convey a story of hope that is also related to the environmental issues we are facing throughout the world.

Yesterday, I received an email from a friend of mine who runs a non-profit news site called DailySource. I had not communicated with him for over three years, but he wrote to share a new story that he thought I would find interesting. It is the story (posted below with a link) of interfaith work taking place in Israel focused on bringing faiths together to address the many environmental issues facing the region. The organization is called The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (they have a profile and blog on Jewcology, and their website is http://www.interfaithsustain.com/?page_id=202). Their stated goal is to “promote the cooperation and training of religious leaders, teachers, and seminary students for environmental sustainability.”

The organization also has a program called the The Emerging Religious Leaders Sustainability Project which “brings together Muslim, Christian, and Jewish seminary students from Israel and the West Bank for a series of ten interactive seminars on human coexistence and environmental sustainability. The seminars… focus on how we live on the land (environmental sustainability) and how we live together (human sustainability). The seminars incorporate sources of profound wisdom and teaching concerning harmony and balance with nature that have arisen in several religions across space and time.”

I did not lose any friends or family as a result of the attacks that took place on 9-11 and so there is no way I can understand the pain and grief that those who did lose loved ones have faced every day since. I do think that environmental work can provide an avenue for healing some of the riffs that have been created between different faith communities as a result of both the attacks and events that followed. The story of interfaith work in Israel encourages me because some of the religious tension we have experienced in the United States over the past ten years has been an ongoing issue throughout the Middle East for centuries.

During a recent forum held by the Center, founder and executive director Rabbi Yonatan Naril stated that “he sees the multi-faith paradigm in Israel as an advantage rather than as grounds for more conflict. “People of many faiths draw inspiration from their respective traditions to live sustainably, and these efforts cross-pollinate each other and encourage coexistence on our shared planet and in this land.” Deputy Minister of the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Religious Affairs Haj Salah Zuheika, spoke about the roots of environmental awareness in the Koran, pointing out today’s special challenges in the region, declaring “the earth is like our home, and those who live in the same home should know how to live together.” Auxiliary Bishop to the Latin Patriarch Msgr. William Shomali, who presides over Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, stated that “the main religions should study ecological issues together because we have a common destiny. We need to put all of our energies together to solve the environmental crisis, which is ethical, moral and spiritual.”

The 10^th anniversary of 9-11 should be a day for grieving and reflection. However, I hope it will also be a day for looking forward into the future in an effort to search for ways to bring communities together, much like occurred in New York in the days and weeks following the attacks. I hope the message of the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development will be heard, not only in Israel, but throughout the world.

Note: Although there is no schedule posted, The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development in collaboration with the Elijah Interfaith Institute, plans to undertake a North American tour in 2011-2012.

See Article at http://www.source.ly/10IcZ and http://www.interfaithsustain.com/?page_id=402

I know that the goal of Jewcology is to “build a multi-denominations, multi generational, regionally diverse community of Jewish environmental activists who are learning from one another and from an expanding set of Jewish-environmental resources, how to educate their communities about our Jewish responsibility to protect the environment.” However, I hope we can also find inspiration to seek out and collaborate with other faith groups in our own communities when we are planning an event related to the environment, whether it is a Tu B'shvat celebration, a panel discussion on water conservation, or a themed movie night focused on sustainability. There are so many issues that can highlight the differences between different faiths, but environmental stewardship is an issue that can unite communities and help form a foundation of trust for discussions on other topics where common ground may be harder to find. On a broader scale, I also believe that faith communities are in a unique position to set an example for politicians around the world who are having trouble setting differences aside, and finding a way to work together to solve pressing environmental issues. I urge you to click through these links and spend a few minutes on each site.

I have also posted one of my favorite Hebrew songs below, titled "Kol Ha'Olam Kulo Gesher Tzar Meod," which translates into "The Whole World Is A Narrow Bridge," because I believe that environmental stewardship can act as the bridge between both faiths and nations in building a world that is not only more sustainable, but also more compassionate and understanding. As the song states, "the main thing is not to be afraid at all," which in this context means reaching out to our brothers and sisters of other faiths in an effort to build bridges with environmental stewardship.

Fasting to help save environment:
http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/fasting-to-help-save-environment-1.851133

Evangelical Environmental Network: http://creationcare.org/

Interfaith Power and Light: http://interfaithpowerandlight.org/

GreenFaith: http://greenfaith.org/

Interfaith Environmental Network: http://www.interfaithenvironment.org/

Interfaith Environmental Initiative of Alabama: http://www.interfaithenvironmental.org/

Alliance of Religions and Conservation: http://arcworld.org/

Environmental activism of nuns profiled:
http://cjonline.com/life/connected/2011-08-13/environmental-activism-nuns-profiled

KOL HA'OLAM KULOGESHER TSAR ME'OD

THE WHOLE WORLDIS A NARROW BRIDGE

Kol Ha'olam kulo
Gesher Tsar me'od
Gesher Tsar me'od
Gesher Tsar me'od -
Kol Ha'olam kulo
Gesher Tsar me'od –
Gesher Tsar me'od.
Veha'ikar – veha'ikar
Lo lefached –
lo lefached klal.
Veha'ikar – veha'ikar
lo lefached klal

The whole world
is a very narrow bridge
a very narrow bridge
a very narrow bridge
The whole worldis a very narrow bridge –
A very narrow bridge.
And the main thing to recall –
is not to be afraid –
not to be afraid at all.
And the main thing to recall –
is not to be afraid at all.

.

From: http://www.hebrewsongs.com/song-kolhaolamkulo.htm

Last weekend I was about to board a plane when I decide to buy a magazine in an airport store. As I was glancing through the mountain of options, the cover of a magazine called Fast Company caught my eye. I don’t usually stray from my favorite two or three magazines (especially in the airport where they are so expensive), but the cover of Fast Company had a picture of Matt Damon on the cover that stated “Matt Damon And His Global War For Water.” I was intrigued because although I have heard people say often that the wars of the next century will be fought over water, I really know very little about this subject area. After reading about Water.Org, an organization Damon helped create and sustain, I had a desire to become more educated about this escalating environmental crisis.

Tonight, while thinking about this post and having water on my mind, I suddenly began to sing the words “mayim mayim mayim Hey mayim b’sason hey hey hey hey mayim mayim…” As I had flashbacks to elementary school and camp, singing and dancing to one of my favorite Israeli dance songs, I decided to look up the translation which has an opening verse that states “Joyfully shall you draw water from the fountains of triumph.” It was amazing how much this song represented the work that Water.Org is doing in helping to build wells and water systems in areas of the world without access to clean water. I would not be doing the organization justice if I attempted to convey all of the work they do, but I highly encourage you to visit http://water.org/solutions in order to learn more about the organization and their community based approach to spreading access to drinkable water around the world. They do not simply go into a community and install a well, but instead they work with local partners, involve residents in the process to assure community ownership, and provide education so that the water systems can be maintained and remain a source of clean water.

I know that many of my posts express a certain degree of frustration regarding both the state of the environment and the politics that seem to be a roadblock in implementing global solutions. However, this organization is a great example of the hope that remains when individuals come together in order to address a problem. Matt Damon and Gary White (the other co-founder) come from two different backgrounds. In fact they each had their own organization dealing with water before meeting and deciding to merge. They put egos aside, giving up both the name of their organization and complete control, in order to make a difference in an area of the environmental world that often gets neglected but has enormous impacts on the day to day lives of every human being. Again, I do not have the space here ,but I encourage you to read some facts about the water crisis here: http://water.org/learn-about-the-water-crisis/facts/

I have posted the words to Mayim Mayim below. It is a song of great joy, but I hope while you read it you also begin to think of the sorrow and anguish that so many feel (over one billion) because they do not have access to clean water. I know that the people who read this post most likely are already active in the environmental world and have many causes they are active in, however, I urge you to learn more about the water crisis because from what I have been reading over the past few days, unfortunately the little I knew before my plane trip continues to remain true: the wars of the next century will be fought over water. Let us all pray that one day the song "Mayim" and others like it that celebrate the life sustaining gift of water, only bring joy to those who sing it.

Note: (There is actually a documentary that aired about the fight between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida over water, which have all had serious drought issues over the past few years, so the issue is not just isolated to developing countries: http://www.waterwar.org/about2.html).

MAYIM, MAYIM

Ushavtem Mayim (Besason)

Ushavtem mayim b'sason
mimainei hayeshua .
Ushavtem mayim b'sason
mimainei hayeshua

Chorus:
Mayim – Mayim – Mayim – Mayim
Hey, mayim b'sason
Mayim – Mayim – Mayim – Mayim
Hey, mayim b'sason

Hey, hey, hey, hey
Mayim – Mayim
Mayim – Mayim
Mayim – Mayim – b'sason

Mayim – Mayim
Mayim – Mayim
Mayim – Mayim – b'sason

WATER, WATER

Joyfully shall you draw water
From the fountains of triumph
Joyfully shall you draw water
From the fountains of triumph

Chorus:
Water – water – water – water
Hey, water in joy
Water – water – water – water
Hey, water in joy

Hey, hey, hey, hey
Water – water
Water – water
Water – water – in joy

Water – water
Water – water
Water – water – in joy

http://www.hebrewsongs.com/?song=mayimmayim

Following politics can be frustrating, to say the least. Whoever said that ignorance is bliss may have hit the nail on the head when it comes to ordinary citizens and their choice whether to take an interest in elections and the decisions that our elected leaders make in regards to policy. This is especially true when there is a leader who gains your respect because he/she bucks their party (either Democrat or Republican) and makes a decision based on both the information presented and on that elected officials set of values. It seems to be me, that more often than not, the environment is an area where politicians who have taken a stand based on principle and scientific evidence, are quick to flip flop when the political tide turns.

There are example of this behavior on both sides of the isle (Including a gas tax holiday proposed by many democrats and the chants of drill baby drill by republicans before the 2008 elections). Most recently Representative Fred Upton, decided to make a 180 degree turn on his previous positions on the environment after facing a tough primary (see LA Times article here: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-upton-profile-20110611,0,2898672.story) This is a man who consistently took a stand, often against his party’s wishes, stating on his website that climate change is a real problem that must be addressed, sponsoring several bills to address various environmental issues, and in general being and advocate for good stewardship towards the earth. However, finally at a crucial moment, when he was given the reigns of House Energy and Commerce Committee, a position where he could truly become a facilitator for bi-partisan solutions to environmental problems facing our country (and world), he decides to abandon everything he stood for in order to pander in an effort to keep his job.

One of my favorite lines from any movie was in the American President when Michal Douglas, playing the Commander in Chief, states “I was too busy trying to keep my job I forgot to do my job. Well that ends now.” I only wish more of our elected officials would take this stand. Enough of the games. Enough of the politics. Enough of trying to keep your job by sacrificing positions you know should be taken (and have taken over and over in the past). It is one thing to disagree with the opposition or to be true disbeliever in something (even if irrational), but it is another to consistently take a position over many years, and then suddenly take a U Turn in order to keep your job and earn votes.

Dear Mr. Upton, and all the other politicians playing games with the environment: That Should End Now!

2. New Study Warns of Arctic Mercury Pollution: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5g1c7x73hsUhq24krg1-3ceMSkLVg

3. Environmental Illness in Kids Costs Billions: http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/EnvironmentalHealth/26306

So I know the above request seems like I am providing you a homework assignment, but these articles help give a bit of context to this post. The three articles above highlight a point that is grossly overlooked in media. There are always stories and debates on the hot topics. Right now it is nuclear power, last year it was climate change, and of course now that oil prices are rising again there are discussions about renewables, fracking, and drilling. However, there is rarely great focus put on the health impacts caused by environmental pollution (this of course is demonstrated by the fact that the 3 sources above that ran the stories are clearly not mainstream in America).

Although the threat of a nuclear disaster is dangerous and must be addressed, it is an example of a large catastrophic event that statistically has a small chance of impacting most Americans. However, the issue of chemical pollution, where mercury and toxins consistently make their way into our air and water supply, is virtually guaranteed to affect our lives.

There are no easy answers or quick fixes to this problem. Much of this pollution comes from the factories that make the goods we use, the food we eat, and the power we use in our homes. However, there are solutions and the longer it takes our society make the necessary changes, the great the cost.

I urge you to read the stories above and to also make an effort to pay attention, not only to the stories about the hot environmental topic of the day, but also to the stories of long term pollution that occurs slowly over time, and has an enormous impact on the lives of communities around the globe.

May It Be Enough

I have always loved the part of the Pesach Seder when we go through Dayenu. I think the fact that the prayer is so fun for children who get to take their voices from a whisper up to a roar makes it one of those moments every year that brings years of Pesach memories flashing back. However, as I have grown older I tend to focus on the word itself: Dayenu. I think the idea of being thankful for every step that the Jews took as they were able to leave Egypt, make their way towards Sinai to receive the Torah, and then into the Promised Land where the Holy Temple was eventually built, is important. It is a great lesson that we are thankful for each and every step, even if it ending after any of the steps really may not have been enough. I think by viewing these 15 steps of the Dayenu ritual it helps us as Jews understand how vital a role each and every step played in the Jews making their way from bondage to freedom. The 15 steps taken together were enough.

I think that this is the same view we must take when thinking about the state of our natural world. Every step in the process of working towards creating a clean and sustainable environment is vital, but if all of the steps do not come together to culminate in meaningful changes, it will not be enough. I pray that we can look back in 50 years and say that :

“If we had only written emails to our elected representatives, it would have been enough.”

“If we had only made phone calls and visited our Congressional leader’s offices, Dayenu.”

“If we had only spent time in our individual lives to reduce our own impact on the environment, Dayenu.”

“If we had only sat down with our Rabbi and Jewish educators to stress the importance of including a message of environmental sustainability in our synagogues, Dayenu.”

“If we had only passed meaningful clean energy legislation in our own country, Dayenu.”

“If nations of the world came together to address environmental issues as a global community, Dayenu.”

Obviously this list could go on but, I think the point I am trying to make is clear. Every step we take, whether as an individual, a community group, or a nation is vital to achieving larger environmental goals. However, it will only be enough if we continue to take these steps which can then hopefully culminate in a moment of, Dayenu.

During this Pesach, I hope you will bring this message to your Seder table. The work we do regarding Tikkun Olam, whether related to the environment, homelessness, modern day slavery, or any other important social issue, is so important. We all have limitations, both or time and resources, so we must do as much as we can and hope that combined with the actions of others it will be enough.

Kenya Hi Ratzon. May It Be So.

Until a few years ago I would not have classified myself as an environmentalist. Further, my entrance into the world of environmental advocacy was related to my growing interest in energy issues. However, during my journey over the past few years I have come to understand that nothing can be a more obvious sign of our society’s disregard for the natural world than the rate at which we are killing off majestic creatures of creation.

I recently read the following headline: “Without Intervention Lions Heading for Extinction.” In 1960, there were 400,000 lions living in the wild. Today, there are just 20,000.http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/133999157/without-intervention-lions-heading-for-extinction?sc=fb&cc=fp. Reading this article, not only made me incredibly sad, but also sparked my curiosity. If mighty lions are in trouble, what is the state of lesser known species?

Unfortunately, as I began to do a quick search, the fragile condition of the natural world became apparent.

According to a recent study, humans are driving extinction faster than species can evolve. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/07/extinction-species-evolve). The study further states that the, “The world’s sixth mass extinction may be under way… Over the past 540 million years, five mega-wipeouts of species have occurred through naturally-induced events. But the new threat is man-made, inflicted by habitation loss, over-hunting, over-fishing, the spread of germs and viruses and introduced species and by climate change caused by fossil-fuel greenhouse gases, says the study.” The study calculates that three-quarters of today's animal species could vanish within 300 years. http://www.canada.com/technology/science/story.html?id=4371708

I apologize for the format of my post today. I thought it was important to give easy access to links so that you can read this information for yourself and have a chance to digest it because this short blog post certainly does not due the information justice. Biodiversity is under attack. Species are continuing to go extinct at an increasing rate. Unless the international community steps up efforts to protect endangered species, in a few generations much of the biodiversity that exists throughout our planet will be destroyed.

The following link is to a slide show of 10 animals that are very close to extinction. I urge you to flip through these photos in order to appreciate the wide range of species that are disappearing all over the world. http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1888702_1863813,00.html

Here is a list of the endangered species in the United States alone: http://www.earthsendangered.com/continent9M-all.html

The following link discusses sea creatures endangered by human activity: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/04/ocean-acidification/kolbert-text

I have posted the text from the creation story in Genesis. After reading these articles and sifting through a dozen related ones, I decided to pull up the text from creation. As I read it a great sense of sadness overtook me. I am not naïve. I understand that there have been extinctions that have occurred throughout history. However, the difference is that in this case it is not the result of a natural event. We as a society have decided that protecting biodiversity is not a priority. However, we should remember the words from Genesis after the fifth and sixth days of creation: G-d saw that it was good. G-d blessed them. So should we.

Day 5: And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky." So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

Day 6: And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

I read an article last week on NPR about a small nation call Kiribati, which is made up of 33 tiny islands, scattered across an area more than twice the size of Alaska. This nation is in danger of being engulfed by the rising Pacific Ocean that surrounds it. The tides have already started to shift, often ruining crops and personal property belonging to residents located fairly far inland. There is no clear evidence that this sea-level rise has anything to do with climate change, however, Kiribati illustrates the hardships that will arise, especially for coastal cities and island nations, as sea levels do rise over the next century due to climate change.

However, this article caught my eye for another reason related to how faith can play a role in our reaction to hard situations. There is a contingency in Kiribati who say they “are torn between what they hear from scientists and what they read in the Bible.” One man said he believes in the biblical account of Noah's ark. In that story, after G-d devastates the world with a flood, he makes a covenant with Noah that he will never send another.” Another man stated that "saying we're going to be under the water, that I don't believe, because people belong to God, and God is not so silly to allow people to perish just like that." The president of the nation, in which only 23 people stated they did not attend church our of 90,000 residents in the recent census, said that he understood this skepticism based on faith, however, “ the facts are there in front of us. The sea level rise is going to put us underwater, much earlier perhaps than we all anticipated."

I am relaying this story because it is very easy for us to look at all of the environmental issues in our world and simply state “it is in G-d’s hands.” It is true that in the story of Noah, G-d made a covenant not to send another flood. However, these environmental problems are not being sent by G-d. The environmental crisis that continues to gain momentum was created by humans, and judging from our history, G-d does not intervene to stop human made catastrophes. The situations in which G-d was thought to have performed a miracle required initiative by human beings. Moses had to have the confidence to go back to Egypt and face Ramses for G-d to enact the 10 plague; It took Nachson ben Aminadav walking into the Red Sea up to his nose for the waters to part; and certainly the victories experience by Jewish forces, from the Maccabees to the IDF in battles that appeared hopeless, took the initiative of men and women with great courage and tenacity, whether or not G-d played a role,

G-d does not act alone. However, we have seen the miracle of our natural world’s ability to recover when human beings take action. We have witnessed in our lifetime humans take action to help heal the ozone hole over the Antarctic. Humans have been responsible for reviving a dwindling species by enacting laws for protection and aiding the creatures in repopulation efforts. At the most simple level all of us have had a plant that we had neglected in our home which seemed to be shriveled and lifeless but with a little water, care, and time the plant is sprouting new leaves.

Although it may be hard to accept for many people, G-d will not be coming to the rescue. G-d is not going to switch our society from a reliance on dirty to coal to renewable energy, and G-d will not stop companies from pouring mercury and other poisonous chemicals into our water systems. G-d will not step in front of a logger’s chainsaw in the rainforest and G-d will not stop global temperatures or sea levels from rising. However, if we as human beings decide to take meaningful actions on these issue, G-d may become our partner in making what seems impossible become a reality….like so many times before.

See Full Article From NPR Here: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/16/133650679/climate-change-and-faith-collide-in-kiribati

My answer to this question is probably going to sound cliché, but that is only because it is so simple. It is so easy to get “caught up,” that we can quickly lose all perspective. In my case, the daily grind of law school, especially when dealing with examinations and the rat race for grades that comes with it, made it so easy for me to forget why I decided to attend law school in the first place. For you it may be dealing with stress from your job or the constant hustle that goes along with having a family. That is not to say that taking ones responsibilities seriously is not important. However, it is so important that we remind ourselves what is truly important and to put everything in perspective.

So you still might be asking how this post ( what may seem to be more like a diary entry) has to do with Jewcology. I think most of us who interact on Jewcology define a large part of our identity through environmentalism, whether in our professional job, in our volunteer work, or through our personal behavior. However, it is so easy to forget the meaning behind our actions and simply get caught in the muck of life.

As I received my last grades on January 20th (and took a gasp of fresh air which I was hoping would revive my sanity), it occurred to me that I had missed Tu B'Shevat. I logged on to Jewcology and read a wonderful post about environmentalism and Tu B’Shevat and I was overcome with disappointment . How is that possible? I missed a holiday that is built into the Jewish calendar to celebrate nature and the wonderful foods that our earth provides. I lost perspective. I spent so much time worrying over things I no longer had control over (exams were over in December) that I forgot about celebrating the very thing that drove me to attend law school in the first place.

The great thing about losing perspective is that there is always a chance, not only to regain it, but to attain more clarity that one had before the loss. I am going to make an effort this year to celebrate Tu B'Shevat at least once a month. Whether by taking a hike, strolling through the park, or even reading a magazine dealing with nature, I am going to make an effort to keep it all in perspective. My challenge for everyone reading this blog is to do the same. When life gets crazy, challenge yourself (and I will do the same) to remember the real purpose behind what you are doing. Especially regarding environmental issues, when the battles are often uphill, I urge you to keep it all in perspective and remember why you started that charge uphill in the first place.

Like so many of the people I know who are deeply concerned with the rapidly multiplying environmental issues confronting our world, I recently became discouraged by the inability of our government to take meaningful action. This feeling slowly morphed into disgust, which turned into anger, which then changed into fear. I kept thinking, if our leaders cannot even address the big environmental issues that are occasionally covered by the media, such as climate change and alternative energy, then we are in real trouble when it comes to the hundreds of other environmental issues that are never discussed. Every day I read articles about ecological time bombs, such as ocean acidification, species extinction, coal ash pollution, and water shortages, all of which drastically impact our world. It feels as if nobody is listening and everybody is standing still.

Hope

I woke up this morning and read an article that restored a bit of my hope. I am not convinced that we can turn back the tide on all of these environmental problems, but I am certain that our elected officials in Washington D.C. are unwilling to take the necessary bold steps needed to tackle these issues. The article was discussing how the large environmental groups are scaling back their lobbying efforts in D.C. and instead are opting to focus their resources on local efforts in different states and municipalities. The message that popped into my head in flashing lights stated: GET BACK TO YOUR ROOTS. Too often we feel powerless. It is so easy to fall into a pit of despair and give up. It is so easy to say, “They aren’t doing anything about this,” and then shrug our shoulders and concede. However, as Jews we should know better than anyone that big things can happen when we take initiative. We cannot never “say uncle” and give up when it comes to protecting our natural resources and the people who will be harmed by its degradation. It is time for us to re-energize. It is time for us, both as environmentalists and Jews, to get back to our roots.

Action

What does that mean? I think the answer will be different for every individual. For me, it means trying to take more of an interest in the issues facing my local community. I will continue to write letters and make phone calls to my elected officials in an attempt to hold them accountable. However, I will no longer let their inability to take meaningful action hold me hostage. It also means I need to get back to my spiritual roots. I do not want to be an environmentalist. I am a Jewish environmentalist and need to find more ways to intertwine these two strong aspects of my identity together. That is why I am so excited about Jewcology. It is an opportunity for us to learn from each other and trade ideas on what “getting back to our roots” can mean. It is also a place where we can find support on those days when despair is creeping into our heads and sorrow into our hearts. Reading about the work of others can help us find the light and strength we need to feel hope again.

Last Thought

The following passage is a Celtic prayer which has always spoken to me as a Jew: “Almighty Creator: the morning is yours, rising into fullness. The summer is yours, dipping into autumn. Eternity is yours, dipping into time. The vibrant grasses, the scent of flowers, the lichen on the rocks, the tang of seaweed. All is yours. Gladly we live in this garden of your creating.”