Your green promises:

I won't litter, Joel Austin, Pinner >> Be more eco friendly, Connor Buchalter, Hatch End >> Re-use water bottles so less waste, David, Middx >> I won't waste water anymore, Ben Green, Hach End >> Help my dad recycle everyday, Phoebe Decker, Northwood >> Turn electrical things off when I have finished using them, Talia Austin, Pinner >> Not to waste food, Joshua Roson, Rickmansworth >> Eat fairtrade chocolate, Josie Sacks, Pinner >> Bike/walk to places not to far away, Zoe Buchalter, Hatch End >> Recycle plastic bags when I go shopping, Sophie Scholl, Moor Park >> Take and re-use our own plastic bags when we go shopping, Cass Family, Harrow >> Not waste paper, Jed Gaffin, Northwood >> Walk to school more, Lea Abrahams, Pinner >> To be more careful with water, Max Abrahams, Pinner >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Ellie Roston, Rickmansworth >> Try and ride my bike as much as I can, Zack Bluestone, Stanmore >> Walk to from school everyday, Meiron Avidan, Stanmore >> Use tap water instead of bottled, Rianna Roston, Earth >> Turn everything off, not leave it on standby, Lewis Decker, Northwood >> Put my rubbish in the bin, Aron Bhalla, Harrow >> I will put my rubbish in the bin, Seth Bhalla, Harrow >> I will not watch the same thing as my brother on a different TV, Ilana Braham, Northwood >> Our family will walk to places if it is less than 2miles, the Garland family, Pinner >> Don't use sandwich bags for packed lunch, David Braham, Northwood >> Switch off lights when I am not using them, Matthew Rodin, London >> To walk and get the train more, Steph Leigh, Watford >> Not to litter and put rubbish in the bin, Jacob Lauder, Harrow >> Help put out the recycling more, Rachel Bard, Hertfordshire >> To put my cans in a recycle bin, Hannah Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Walk to the bus stop, Matti Brooks, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Gemma Black 5B, Hertfordshire >> I pledge to water my plants with a watering can and not waste water, Gemma Black 5B, Hertfordshire >> Make more things e.g sculptures instead of just putting them in the bin, Minnie Diamond, Bushey >> I shall turn off lights and T.V. when not needed on, Harrry Rubin, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Harry Rubin 5 Beech, Herts, London >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Katie Moss, Radlett >> Only flush the chain when I need to, Hannah Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Cycle one a day if not more, Jamie Cooper, Harts >> Ride on my bike at least once a day, Sophie Pollock, Borehamwood, Herts >> Grow my own fruit and vegetables in the garden, Isabelle Copeland, Bushey >> Don't leave lights on, Rebecca A, Herts >> Use energy efficent light bulbs!, Dov Colman, Borhamwood >> Not use the car for short journeys, Josh Zucker, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Jake Murray, Borehamwood >> To not leave the shower running!, Lauren Seres, Herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Tyler Freedman, Bushey >> Do more recycling and help my mum sort out the waste, Maddie Freedman, Bushey >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Joseph White, Radlett, Herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Zoe Klein, Hertfordshire >> turn off the plugs in my bedroom, Oliver Rothstein, Adlenham, herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Nina Freedman, Borehamwood >> Take showers instead of baths, Harry Singler, Bushey >> Recycle my household waste, Harry Black, Bushey >> Recycle my household waste, Mrs Myers, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Daniel Simmons, Radlett >> Not to turn lights on if it is not neeeded, Etienne Dean, Borehamwood >> Not use the car for short journeys, Leah Gorb, Bushey >> Use bits of junk around the house to make something & to not throw it in the bin, Sophie Pollock >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Natalie Maurer, Hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Rebecca Selt, Radlett >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Avital Cohen, Borehamwood >> Recycle my household waste, Max Bean, Bushey >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetable, Talia N, Hertfordshire >> Recycle my household waste, Leanne Rosner, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Leanne Rosner, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Kezia Blakeley, Hertfordshire >> Don't buy herbs if you can grow them, Emily Sterman, Hertfordshire >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, Joshua Silver, Radlett >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Ella Kosmin, St Albans >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Ella Green, Borehamwood >> Replace two light bulbs in my house with energy efficient light bulbs, Jacqueline Sefton, Bushey >> Take showers instead of baths, Sophie Hyman, Borehamwood, Herts >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Joshua, Herts >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Benjamin Isaac, Herts >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Abby Rosen, Elstree >> Replace two light bulbs in my house with energy efficient light bulbs, Amanda Finestone, Borehamwood >> Try to have a shower instead of a bath and will not sing in the shower for too long, Sadie, Hertfordshire >> Cycle at least once a day, Jamie Cooper, Borehamwood >> Re-use plastic bags when shopping, holly, herts >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Michelle Hertz, Stanmore >> Start growing my own herbs and vegetable, nicola weisfeld, hertfordshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Jack Glazer, Bushey >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Jack Glazer, Bushey >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Holly Weisfeld, Hertfortshire >> Turn the TV off and not leave it on standby, Joshua Collins, Hertfordshire >> Eat less meat, Stephen Scott, London >> Turn the tap off when I brush my teeth, Hannah, London >> Continue to educate myself and others in ways of taking care of our earth, Raven Moon, Connecticut >> Try to live on less and take pleasure in the effort, Erich Connell, Greenville, NC >> I will be a vegertarian on a weekly basis, Lee-Ann, Tauyuan, Taiwan >> I promise to make sure all recyclable items go in the recycling and not in the bin, Lara Gordon, London >> I will try to keep recycling my clothes and not buy too many new ones, L.Bratter, North London >> I promise to recycle by altering my clothes, Anita Lancet, London >> Be vegan, Sren Kragh Lindbo, Copenhagen >> Think about what effect I am making on the world before I do anything, Zoe Black, London >> Walk not use the car, Tanzeela, New Malden >> Turn lights off when I leave a room, Gideon Bratt >> To protect animal rights, Venecija Levi Breder, Quebec, Canada >> Take showers instead of baths, Lisa, Scottsdale, Arizona >>

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Green and Just Celebration Guide

Whether you’re planning a small family gathering or a large event, you’ll encounter lots of choices about how to invite your guests, where they’ll stay, what they’ll eat, and how you’ll celebrate together.

This guide, created by the Californian Jewish Community can help you make those decisions in light of Jewish values.

Eco-Friendly and Green Weddings

A green wedding is any wedding where the couple tries to decrease the impact of their event on the planet - and there are many ways to do it! Every part of a wedding has eco-friendly options worth considering, to find out benefits of having a green wedding click here.

The Green Guide Bride is an excellent resource 0r read the Jewish Wedding Network.

Green Simcha Guidelines

When entertaining, celebrating or organising a simcha/event there are plenty of ways to reduce the carbon footprint. Although celebrations can be lavish, and it is hard to make an event completely ‘green’, these guidelines provide some practical suggestions for areas where you can make a difference.

Invitations

Email invitations if possible, but if you send printed invitations, make sure they are on recycled paper and encourage guests to recycle the invitations.
Consider post-card style invitations as these use less card/paper.
Ask for replies by phone or email, rather than including a separate reply card.
Print with low-toxic dyes or soy ink, double-sided where possible.

Travel

If possible choose a central location where it is easily accessible on public transport.
Encourage people to share cars, particularly if some of the guests are from out of town.
If your venue is away from where people live, consider a coach or minibus so guests can travel in fewer cars.
If you have guests attending from overseas consider offsetting their carbon. Whilst carbon offsetting is controversial (click here for more information on carbon offsetting), it is better to offset the carbon emissions that are unavoidable, rather than ignoring them.

Food

Ask your caterer to use seasonal foods and fairtrade products.
In the menu include information about the various ingredients, where they were sourced and why.
Sticking to a meat free meal will reduce the carbon footprint of your event enormously.
If you serve fish ensure it is sourced sustainably.

Gifts

If you are receiving gifts at your simcha, ask guests not to use wrapping paper.
Consider asking your guests for unusual green gifts e.g. to pay for the loft insulation/energy efficient boiler you wouldn’t be able to afford yourself.
Rather then consuming more, why not give a gift that will help others and has a real long-term benefit. We recommend the Good Gifts website

Crockery and tableware

Use non-disposable crockery wherever possible.
If choosing paper or plastic, choose goods made with recycled content. Vegware products, made from vegetables, can be ordered on-line here or Green Gate Bio Packaging supplies a wide range of eco-friendly catering disposables, including biodegradable and compostable cups and fibre tableware, in an attempt to reduce the negative environmental impacts of the catering industry.

Decorating/waste

Try to use natural decorations such as plants and freshly cut local flowers. These can be taken away at the end of the evening and then composted.
Consider centrepieces which can be donated or re-used.
Make sure everything that can be recycled is.
Wasted food, depending on the type, can also be given to charity.
If using balloons, consider latex as these are more environmentally friendly; make sure balloons are responsibly discarded after use.

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