For many people, climate action is driven by spiritual values.

Nemes: “There’s a deep tradition of caring about our relationship to the planet in Judaism.”

That’s Hody Nemes, manager of Greening and Climate Initiatives at Hazon. This non-profit helps Jewish organizations become more eco-friendly through a certification program called the Hazon Seal.

Participating organizations create a sustainability team. Then each team chooses three projects to work on over the course of a year.

The efforts are scaled to the size of the group so any organization can get involved, regardless of size or budget. Some decide to focus on sustainable food by buying local organic produce, while others take on more big-budget projects like installing solar panels. One community center even built an outdoor classroom to get kids in touch with nature.

After achieving their goals, participants are invited to sign on for another year and choose three new ones. Nemes hopes the program inspires others to act.

Nemes: “Hazon’s vision is that the Jewish community will become an example for other faith communities and ultimately the country in addressing climate change.”

Reporting credit: Rosie Simon/ChavoBart Digital Media.
Image credit: Hazon.