Making the synagogue environmentally friendly

ENCINO, Calif., Jan. 29 (JTA) — Ten easy ways to begin greening your synagogue from Barbara Lerman-Golomb, associate executive director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life: • Switch to cost-effective and energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. • Buy recycled paper products, use both sides of the paper, then recycle it again. • Pre-cycle; buy products that are in recycled packaging or that can be recycled, such as cans, glass, plastic, paper and cardboard. • Minimize use of disposable plates, cups, paper towels, napkins, plastic and silverware for synagogue functions. Avoid using Styrofoam products. • Turn thermostat down a few degrees in the winter and up a few degrees in the summer. • Encourage congregants to carpool to religious school and to turn off engines while waiting to pick up children. • Buy Energy Star (energy-efficient) appliances. Turn off lights and office equipment, such as copy machines, when not in use. • Buy flow restrictors for sinks and water-saving toilet tank dams. • Use non-toxic cleansers. • Don’t use pesticide on the lawn and use a non-toxic integrated pest management system.