The Temple Judea Green Team-- a joint effort of the Social Action and Judeans for Justice committees -- pursues knowledge and practices that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles.
If you’re interested in helping Temple Judea be green, join the Green Team! Contact
Green Team meets the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.. Help maintain and grow partnerships with like-minded organizations; assist in planning events and what role the environment plays in those meetings; and help to educate our community in the responsibility each of us play.
Massive wildfires, severe drought, extreme temperatures...we are experiencing the impacts of a warming planet. Low-income communities of color are disproportionately impacted, and our children, grandchildren, and future generations are at risk. As individuals, we may feel helpless to make a difference. However, we can get involved with Climate Tzedek, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism's new multi-year campaign to influence environmental policy and implement just solutions. With the engagement of our congregations and in partnership with local and statewide allies, we can build power to combat climate change and end environmental racism. For more information, please contact Ellen Israel ( ) or Jane Nichol ( ).
Temple Judea invites you to upcycle! Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, transforms materials often destined for the landfill into objects that have greater value in their new form. Like recycling, upcycling underscores our sacred responsibility to protect the planet and ensure a just, healthy, and safe future for generations to come.
Inspired by the Women of Reform Judaism’s “Never in a Landfill” upcycling project, the Women of Temple Judea and the Green Team are excited to launch the Temple Judea upcycling initiative. There are endless opportunities for upcycling. One example is to repurpose plastic bags into “plarn” or plastic yarn, which can be knitted, crocheted, or woven into all kinds of projects, like placemats or even bedrolls for people in our community experiencing homelessness. Here is a tutorial on how to make plarn to get you started. In spite of recent efforts to ban single use plastic bags, Americans use an average of 365 per year, with many ending up in the landfill, where they take about 1,000 years to degrade, or in ecosystems, where they harm wildlife. So, the more we can transform plastic bags into useful items, the better!
Fast fashion also takes a toll on the planet, but you can make quilts from torn clothing, tote bags from old t-shirts, or scrunchies (hair ties) from worn out socks. Other examples of upcycling include making birdfeeders from plastic water bottles, trivets or boxes from wine corks, bracelets from string and odds and ends, or gift wrap from old maps. For other ideas and instructions, check out this YouTube Playlist or Jewish DIY ideas on Pinterest. If you want to get involved or have ideas for upcycling projects, please click here. If you are already upcycling, we want to know! Please share what you are doing along with pictures! Questions? Tracey Poirier, Women of Temple Judea / Jane Nichol, Green Team
As shomrei adamah (שֹּׁמְרֵ֣י אֲדָמָה) or stewards of the planet, it is our responsibility to conserve and protect Earth’s resources and avoid harmful consumption (bal tashchit - בל תשחית). Acting with the environment in mind, we strive for a livable planet not only for ourselves, but also for future generations (l’dor vador -לדור ודור).
Got trash? Be on the lookout – Temple Judea has purchased six three-stream waste stations! Green (organic waste), blue (recycling), and black (landfill) bins will help us "right-cycle" and:
These actions will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, combatting climate change, and may even save us money! They also reaffirm our Jewish principles to be good stewards of the planet and take care of it for future generations! Expect to see the trash stations on campus in November and stay tuned for “Trash Talk” educational sessions. For information about what you can recycle or compost in the meanwhile, click here.
We would like to highlight your stories in our Judeans Journey to Sustainability initiative. Please complete our survey by clicking HERE to tell us what you are doing to be green!
Many in our congregation have already adopted a climate-friendly lifestyle. Our work is bolstered through alliances with external organizations including the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the SFV Interfaith Solidarity Network Eco-Justice Team, the LA Faith & Ecology Network, and the Healthy Air Alliance. We also participate in the Jewish Earth Alliance, Southern California Cohort, which writes letters to our Congressional representatives on federal climate legislation, and are signatories to We Are Still In, which commits to adhering to the goals of the Paris Climate Accord.
For more information on recycling, check out the following resources from the City of Los Angeles:
