Reflections for Chanukah
Shalom and welcome to another edition of Tikkun Tips, a nugget of eco-Jewish thought from your friends at the Teva Learning Center. So winter is now upon us and it seems that mainstream America has finally caught onto the concept of conservation. And while the average Joe’s motivation may be financial, not ecological, millions of Americans have begun taking small, but noticeable steps toward a more energy efficient country.
Well, sort of. Ok, millions might be a stretch. But hey, I’m just trying to grab onto any small morsel of hope. The past 12 months have demonstrated both the awesome power of the natural world and our painful inability to respond to it. In the wake of the torrential hurricane season gas prices skyrocketed, as did the average American’s outrage; outrage not only at the horrific images seen on TV and the human negligence that intensified the tragedies, but also at the financial impact of these events on people living thousands of miles away. “What do you mean I have to pay $85 to fill up my SUV?”
Even President Bush, staunch advocate of not letting anything interfere with the American way of life, encouraged people to drive less. "We can all pitch in ... by being better conservers of energy," Bush said. "I mean, people just need to recognize that the storms have caused disruption and that if they're able to maybe not drive...on a trip that's not essential, that would be helpful." As Jon Stewart noticed on the Daily Show the next day, it was harder for Bush to say those words than it is for us to actually conserve energy.
So hybrid cars are selling out left and right while SUVs sit on dealer lots unnoticed. And it seems that everyone is concerned about heating bills and taking various precautions to winterize their homes. Covering the windows with plastic, insulating hot water pipes. Anything that might save them a few bucks.
While these actions are encouraging, I fear that the public is missing the larger point. You see, we live in a mentality of plenty; as if our lives were fueled by a never ending source of energy. But this is clearly not the case. As long as our way of life is fueled by oil, we need to maintain a mentality of scarcity. Oil is not only the energy for our cars, it also fuels our agricultural and commercial sectors in ways farm beyond what we as individuals often consider. The most radical assessments put an end to the era of cheap oil today, but even conservative estimates see the end in the next century. So while relatively fuel efficient cars and heating systems may extend the lifespan of this treasured commodity, they do nothing to bring us closer to a sustainable option, they simply buy us some time.
In his book, The Long Emergency, author James Howard Kunstler writes that we have become so delusional in our belief that oil will always be cheap, that it will not be until we are looking at the era of inexpensive oil in the rear-view mirror that we will begin to ask ourselves what we can do differently.
Green designer Bill McDonough, speaking at Construct Canada’s Round Table on Sustainability and Functionality in November, explained that we need to do more than use “eco-friendly” products. “Just using natural materials is not the answer- if we all wear Birkenstocks and organic cotton the world will run out of cork and fresh water.” (Article on TreeHugger) From his perspective we need to redesign every aspect of how we live our lives. Kunstler writes that we won’t have that luxury; that as the oil supply becomes less and less accessible, our lifestyles will revert to those of 200 years ago out of necessity. We will return to living in small communities in which we get around by foot (or even horse and buggy!), eating food grown much closer to home and using materials available locally. And while to some, or most of the readers of this article, this prediction sounds delightful, Kunstler describes that the transition would not be smooth.
While Kunstler’s assessment is not the most uplifting, it is a necessary voice. But it cannot be the only voice. At the COEJL conference in February, Rabbi Michael Feshbach said, “There is so much pain in this world, so much suffering. Some comes from the choices we make; more from our struggle to scrape out an existence in the face of the elemental forces of the world. But either way the suffering comes, our moral challenge and our mortal purpose is to retain a sense of compassion and connection, perspective and proportion – and to live our lives in joy and celebration and appreciation as well. A bumper sticker proclaims: If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention. I agree. But for anyone who has ever climbed a mountain, or walked through an ancient forest, or taken in the sunrise on a beautiful beach, I would also add this: If you’re always outraged, you’re not paying attention either.”
As Chanukah nears, the weather here in Philadelphia has turned remarkably cold. I feel as if the wonders of autumn passed by too quickly and I am already am wishing for warmer weather. I have been driving more to avoid the bitter winds I encounter on my bike. I am tempted each morning to turn the heat up just a little bit. At this point in the year, my worst habits emerge. But soon enough, Chanukah will arrive, and the candles of the Chanukiah will give off more warmth than simply the heat from the flames. Chanukah will guide us through the darkest week of the year, and will instill in us a sense of hope.
Hope is the essence of Chanukah. Hope that the oil for one day would, ironically enough, last just a little bit longer. Hope that a small, dedicated band of Hebrews could outlast a much larger and more dominant army. So as we enter into a period of time in which the warmth of the sun stays hidden and despair seems to be the logical reaction, we must carry with us a little hope. Hope that our work in this world will not be in vain. That our fellow global citizens will be ready to receive the message before it is too late.
Bill McDonough quoted Don Huberts, CEO Shell Hydrogen, who said, “The Stone Age did not end because we ran out of stones, and the Oil Age will not end because we run out of oil.” (Article on TreeHugger) The Stone Age ended because humans began to see the advantages of other materials, new technologies. Let us hope that we too will proactively move toward sustainability, and not have that decision forced upon us.
Chanukah Sameach!
Nati Passow
Nati Passow is a carpenter, educator and writer living in Philadelphia, Pa. He is Co-Director of the Jewish Farm School .
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Read an article adapted from The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler.
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