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Green Team Awareness Event
For the past few weeks, you may have noticed and even purchased the new TIOH green bags, designed by Sara Guggenheim. I love mine and use it for carrying my refillable water bottles, my reusable insulated lunch bag and on occasion, my groceries. Its not so much that I needed another bag, I really didn’t. In fact the most common response I heard when asking people to buy a bag was “oh, I probably have a hundred of them” or “I buy them all the time and I always forget to keep them in my car.”
It can be so difficult to keep up the with PC trends. I have just started getting my mind around not buying water bottles anymore and remembering to refill my reusable ones before I leave the house in the morning so I don’t run out and buy one. It took a while to make sure that I had canvas bags in the trunk of my car, one in the backseat and a few in the house. I still forget to unplug all the electronics in my house that are not in use.
It’s a process, no doubt about it. No more paper lunch bags for the kids, no more ziplock snack bags (which kills me because they are so great aren’t they?). Frankly, it can all seem a little daunting…clothing, cleaning supplies, household items, gas for the car, going to the dry cleaners, pet food, produce. Now, its not enough just buying organic fruits and vegetables, it has to be locally grown with a minimum of transport time to avoid polluting the air. If I’m lazy and throw this one envelope away have I just maxed out some landfill in a place I’ll never see?
Asking questions is a vital and necessary component to making changes. The TIOH Green Team meets regularly and we ask a lot of questions. Our goal is to implement changes that can be effective immediately while looking ahead to larger, long term challenges. We encourage participation from the community as it is an inclusive kind of group that is made better and stronger by more voices and more passion.
As for those bags, they are organic cotton, locally made in California and are sturdy enough for years of use. All the proceeds are used towards “greening” the school. They are still available for sale. You can wrap your Hanukkah gifts in them instead of buying wrapping paper. Useful and environmentally friendly. What could be better?
By TIOH Congregant Lisa Cook
Pick up your TIOH Organic Cotton Locally Made Tote by emailing stephanies@tioh.org. Don't be the only one at the supermarket without one!
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