Low Waste Shabbat
13 WAYS TO LIVE MORE SUSTAINABLY EXPLAINED, updated 2026
I. Think twice before shopping. Every product we purchase has an environmental footprint, from the materials used to create it to the pollution emitted during manufacturing to the packaging that ends up in landfills & incinerators. Even if you can recycle or compost a product at the end of its life, the upstream damage has already been done. So before you buy, ask yourself if you really need it. If you do, consider buying secondhand instead of new, & look for products made from lower-impact materials & with minimal packaging & shipping. Also, don’t buy polyester & quick-dry items. Learn more about the benefits of secondhand shopping.
II. Ditch plastic and switch to reuse. Plastic never really goes away. At least 14 million tons of it ends up in the ocean annually, making up 80% of all marine debris. Every year thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals & other marine mammals are killed after ingesting plastic or getting tangled up in it. And then there’s the insidious human health & environmental problems with microplastics. You can start cutting back on conventional plastics & bioplastics.
A. Use reusable, cloth bags (not bags made from recycled plastic) when you shop, ditch single-use water bottles, bags & straws, & avoid
products made from or packaged in plastic whenever possible (e.g., select unwrapped produce at the grocery store).
1. Switch to reusable storage products every chance you get.
a. Store/freeze food in glass containers e.g. mason jars. How to avoid breakage when freezing: https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2020-01/318539.pdf
b. What about silicone bags, bottle nipples, etc? Not necessarily safe—Consult
https://lifewithoutplastic com/pages/silicone?srsltid=AfmBOor6ajcCZyHW0QSnPuAaZJpmx9hs69gz7XsNylJnN5y4oqQxB88S
2. Every piece of plastic avoided is a win for the planet. Learn more about plastics pollution, the problem with plastic bags, & don’t get scammed by greenwashing!
a. Greenwashing is false or misleading statements about environmental benefits of a product or practice, e.g. “Don’t worry the bioplastic is biodegradable or only made from plants.” “Emerging research shows that plant-based plastics — just like petroleum-based plastics — contain many thousands of synthetic chemicals, with large numbers of them extremely toxic. However, the bioplastics industry strongly denies that bio-based plastics contain hazardous substances. Scientists are finding that while plant sources for bioplastics, such as corn or cane sugar, may not themselves be toxic or have adverse health impacts, the chemical processes to manufacture bioplastics and the many performance additives needed to give them their attributes (hardness, flexibility, color, etc.) can be quite toxic.” Research is ongoing. (https://news.mongabay.com/2024/04/bioplastics-as-toxic-as-regular-plastics-both-need-regulation-say-researchers/).
b. Plastic Pollution Facts: https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/learn/plastic-pollution-facts
c. Problems with plastic bags: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_
sustainability/sustainability/plastic_bag_facts.html
B. Microplastics & Your Health: Just say, “No” to any plastics, especially those that get washed or in water in any way. Although recycled plastic products sound good, they’re a big source of microplastics as is all polyester & quick dry clothes. Microplastics are tiny toxic, plastic pieces less than 5 ml long that can harm human health & the environment & have been found in food, water, animals, & in our bodies. More on the toxic effects associated with them in info below. Also, because our oceans are polluted with microplastics, most sea salt brands are contaminated. “A 2017 study led by researchers at the Environmental Science & Technology Journal found over 90% of sea salt samples from around the world contained microplastics. Not all salt is created equal. When it comes to avoiding microplastics, unrefined salt – like Himalayan pink salt, Celtic sea salt, or Redmond Real Salt – is your best bet.” https://wellnessmama.com/health/microplasticssalt/#:~:text=Well%2C%20it%20turns%20out%20that,stray%20pieces%20here%20and%20there. “Microplastics and our health: What the science says” 1.2025: https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2025/01/microplastics-in-body-polluted-tiny-plastic-fragments.html “What’s the Difference Among Microplastics, Phthalates, BPA, & PFAS (Forever Chemicals)? Here's why these potentially toxic materials are concerning & where we encounter them in everyday life” as explained in Consumer Reports:
https://www.consumerreports.org/toxic-chemicals-substances/microplastics-phthalates-bpa-pfas-a1059022044/ To know how to minimize the potential deleterious effects on your health, go to the following article: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/microplasticsfood?srsltid= AfmBOoob1BZZB034xzu2xHyMj6pS3RIiZ3o3ERFGVUQIp6wxJ2tqcJ
III. Take extinction off your plate. Meat production is one of the most environmentally destructive industries on the planet, responsible for massive amounts of water use, pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, & habitat destruction. So, when you choose to eat more plant-based foods & reduce your meat consumption, you reduce your environmental footprint. Learn more about how to adopt an Earth-friendly diet & beat foodwaste: https://takeextinctionoffyourplate.com/
IV. Reduce food waste & compost.
A. Food is the single largest category of material thrown into municipal landfills. In the United States nearly 40% of edible food goes to waste, & all the land, water & other natural resources that went into producing it go to waste along with it. Prevent food waste with smart, planned shopping & make sure to consume what you purchase.
B. Discarding food & organic waste in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas with 26 times the warming potential of CO₂. Alternatively, composting cuts the emission from organic material by more than 50% while providing a sustainable soil amendment for gardening & agriculture production. (https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Featured-Stories/Steps-to-Lower-Your-CarbonFootprint#footnote6)]
V. Simplify the holidays. Holidays, birthdays, weddings & other celebrations are often excessively wasteful. In Dec., for example, Americans create 23% more waste than in other months of the year. But it’s not just the extra trash that’s a problem. All the fossil fuels, trees & other natural resources that go into producing gifts, decorations, single-use dinnerware & wrapping paper make our celebrations dreary for wildlife & the habitat they need to survive. But you can redefine your celebrations in ways that respect land, waters & wildlife. Instead of celebrating your next holiday with plastic décor, excessive gifts & single-use food & drink containers, you can decorate with foraged plants, give homemade or secondhand gifts, & serve plant-based meals with reusable dinnerware. Learn more about how to simplify the holidays & have more fun with less stuff.
VI. Choose organic gardening, landscaping with native plants, and reducing lawns which are passé & often require chemical maintenance.
A. From coffee to fruit to clothing, choosing organic products helps reduce your impact on wildlife & the planet. More than 2 billion pounds of pesticides are sold annually in the United States. Pesticides & herbicides are pervasive in fish & wildlife habitat & threaten the survival & recovery of hundreds of federally listed species. Pesticides also pollute the air, water, & soil & contaminate the food we eat.
B. If you garden, avoid pesticides & herbicides at home by growing organically. Building wildlife habitats in your yard by growing native, pollinator-friendly plants attracts beneficial insects & helps keep unwanted pests away. Choosing organics keeps harmful pesticides & herbicides out of our land & water, protecting farm workers, vulnerable communities, wildlife & your family.
C. Creating more sustainable landscapes can help remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. If you have a lawn or outdoor space, growing native plant species can support carbon sequestration while reducing energy & water consumption by reducing the need for mowing & irrigation. Native plants also enhance biodiversity by attracting beneficial insects & providing food & habitat for animals & insects that will also help your garden.
VII. Ditch fast fashion, animal-based textiles, polyester, & quick-dry clothes. Fast fashion is an enormous, rapidly growing industry. The number of new garments made per year has nearly doubled over the past 20 years, & our global consumption of fashion has increased by 400%. The fast fashion industry is a significant contributor to the climate crisis, responsible for as much as 10% of global carbon emissions. Animal-based textiles like wool are responsible for water pollution, widespread habitat loss from deforestation, & other harms to wildlife.
- Slow down your fashion by caring for your clothes, repairing when possible, & when you need new clothes, shop secondhand or join clothing swaps. If you must buy new, look past the green-washing & purchase clothing made of truly sustainable materials like organic cotton, hemp or Tencel from brands that are made to last.
- It is controversial as to weather any wool can be ethically sourced. It can be if sourced responsibly ensuring animal welfare & supporting sustainable farming, but traditional practices often involve cruelty like mulesing (skin cutting) and overcrowding, making many conventional sources unethical; look for certifications like ZQ, RWS, or Oeko-Tex, and brands transparent about their supply chain to ensure ethical production. Read greenwashing in the wool industry: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/ programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/shear_destruction
VIII. Be water wise. Water conservation is critical as our growing population puts increased demand on the nation’s water sources, & we face unprecedented droughts. You can conserve water by taking shorter showers, fixing leaky toilets, and choosing low-flow & low-water appliance options. Consider xeriscaping your yard, a landscaping technique that uses native, drought-adapted plants that require less water & maintenance over time & provide habitat & food for birds & bees. Also, one of the biggest water hogs is animal agriculture, so shifting your diet away from meat & dairy products saves water too. Learn about safeguarding water: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/freshwater_protection/index.html
IX. Drive less, drive green. Fossil-fueled transportation emissions create greenhouse gases, smog, soot & other harmful air pollution. Changing your driving habits can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. Walk, bike, carpool, use public transportation or join ride or bike shares whenever possible. Combine errands to make fewer trips. Participate in, or start, car-free days in your community. Ask your local officials to invest in electric vehicle fleets & charging stations, & if you’re in the market for a new car, consider buying electric. It’s also important to keep your car in shape with regular tuneups & tire inflations. Tune-ups can increase your fuel efficiency — a tire that is 20% underinflated can increase a vehicle’s fuel consumption by 10%. Learn more about transportation and global warming. https://www.biologicaldiversity. org/programs/climate_law_institute/transportation_and_global_warming/index.html
X. Green your home. Just as keeping your car in shape improves your fuel efficiency, keeping your home in shape improves your energy efficiency. Make sure your home has adequate insulation & energy-saving windows & use a programmable thermostat for more efficient heating & cooling — &, of course, energy saving lightbulbs for more efficient lighting.
A. “Switch to clean heating & cooling with an air or ground source heat pump & a heat pump water heater.”(NYSERDA) Installing rooftop solar panels or solar water heating also helps the planet & can save you money. Check into tax credits & rebates for home & auto.
B. Upgrade to efficient all electric appliances e.g. induction stoves & heat pump dryers, & electrify your yard equipment, e.g. leaf blowers, weed eaters, and lawn mowers. For context, running a commercial gas lawn mower for 1 hour produces the equivalent air pollution of driving a new gas vehicle for about 300 miles.”(NYSERDA) Many states now offer incentives to help you green your home or rental at low or no cost. Call your energy provider to see if it offers free energy audits or knows of a company that does. Learn how to keep cool without the climate cost & weatherize home & business.
XI. Boycott products that endanger wildlife. Products made from animals on the endangered species list are illegal to buy, sell, import or trade in the United States, but if a plant or animal hasn’t been listed yet, they can still be harmed for someone’s profit. Also, some products harm endangered species by threatening their habitat, from cutting down old-grown forests to using up the water that riparian species need to survive. To avoid contributing to the endangerment of wildlife, shop conscientiously & look for products made from sustainable materials like bamboo & dine at restaurants that refuse to serve imperiled species. Learn more: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/tackling-wildlife-trade/
XII. Fight for the right to choose when & if to start a family. With more than 8 billion people in the world our demands for food, water, land & fossil fuels are pushing other species to extinction. Human population growth & consumption are at the root of our most pressing environmental crises, but they’re often left out of the conversation. By advancing reproductive health, rights & justice & gender equity, we can improve the health of people & the planet because better education & access to family-planning services decreases family size & our overall carbon footprint. Get the conversation started with your partner.
XIII. Take action. Use your voice. One of the best things you can do for wildlife, public health & the planet, today & for the future, is to get politically involved in your community & at the national level. Vote for candidates with strong environmental platforms. Urge your representatives to pass stronger policies to limit greenhouse gases, fight climate change, protect wildlife & public lands & support access to reproductive health services. Be informed, attend events, & talk to your friends about these critical issues. Additional SOURCES: Center for Biological Diversity
New York State Energy Research & Development Authority https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Featured-Stories/Steps-to-Lower-Your-Carbon-Footprint, https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/live_more_sustainably.html, Plastic Pollution Coalition, https://www.bonappetit.com/story/microplastics -food?srsltid=AfmBOoob1BZZB034xzu2xHyMj6pS3RIiZ3o3ERFGVUQ-Ip6wxJ2tqcJ (Info prepared by Debra J Gordon-Hellman for Temple Beth El. Questions? debragh1@gmail.com)