by michael brown
Global warming, toxic spills, endangered species, water shortages, desertification — with all the bad news, it hardly seems possible to stop our collective slide into oblivion.
Once a year, however, Jews are given the opportunity to focus their attention on many of these important matters. We can re-examine our role in this world and push ourselves in the direction of being more responsible creatures on this planet. Much as it is customary to make New Year’s resolutions on Jan. 1 to help us change ourselves, Tu B’Shevat gives us a starting point to help us change the world.
The holiday began originally as a collective birthday for trees. Jewish law forbids the picking of fruit from trees in the land of Israel before a certain time. This holiday helped farmers keep track of this obligation.
With the creation of the state of Israel, the custom of planting trees on this day helped transform acres of barren landscapes into lush forests.
In recent years Tu B’Shevat has began to take on a more extensive environmental persona. Today, this Jewish Earth Day encompasses the whole spectrum of environmental issues. So, in recognition of the holiday, here are some ways we can make a positive environmental impact on our world:
Buy local: Local has replaced organic as the latest green food trend — and rightfully so. Buying local is a win-win situation. It saves energy on transportation and resources on packaging. It tastes better and is better for you, and it helps support your local and regional economy. Search out nearby farmers markets and roadside stands. Ask around and keep your eyes open. Buying local can include such things as produce, meat, eggs, honey or wine. Check out Local Harvest (www.localharvest.org) to find producers and growers.
Support Israeli organic agriculture: Israel has made great strides with organic farming, increasing its number of operations and diversifying its products. Many of these products equal or surpass the quality of other similar products on the market. You can easily show your support for Israeli farmers by buying Israeli products instead of other imports. If you are used to buying olive oil from Italy or Spain, why not substitute with one of the many Israeli olive oils. Halutza Olive Oil (www.halutza.com) is produced in the Negev desert region of Israel. It has a line of oil that is produced organically and has also won awards for quality. Likewise, Hadiklaim: The Israel Date Growers Cooperative (www.hadiklaim.com) has several types of organic dates for sale.
Grow some food: You don’t need 40 acres and a mule (or even 10 acres and a tractor), and no, having a black thumb is not really a legitimate excuse. Anyone can cultivate a bit of food. Growing your food brings great taste and superior nutrition to your table. It also keeps you tuned into the world around you and reminds you that food doesn’t appear overnight in the supermarket. If you’re a beginner, start with something simple that can be grown on a sunny windowsill or porch, such as herbs. You can grow a variety of plants in pots if you don’t have land. Contact your local agricultural extension agent for information, or check out a book from the library.
Reduce, reuse, recycle: This old environmental mantra is still relevant today. Make a conscious effort to practice the 3 R’s in your everyday life. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a very informative Web site (www.epa.gov) that outlines various strategies for reducing, reusing and recycling. Talk to children about ways they can participate in helping the environment. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has a kids page (kids.niehs.nih.gov/recycle.htm) with a wealth of information for adults, too.
Donate to green organizations: Whether you want to save the rain forest or preserve open space in Israel, there is an organization that can help put your money to work. Refer to the Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) for excellent information on the efficiency of charities you are interested in donating to. The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (www.coejl.org) has an extensive listing of Jewish and Israeli organizations active in environmental issues.
Michael Brown lives in New Jersey and is the author of “The Jewish Gardening Cookbook.”
CopyrightJ, the Jewish news weekly of Northern California