There is a widely accepted aspect of modern life that contradicts many Jewish teachings and harms people, communities, and the planet – the mass production and widespread consumption of meat.

Here is how the production and consumption of meat and other animal products conflict with six fundamental Jewish teachings:

1. While Judaism mandates that people should be very careful about preserving their health and their lives, numerous scientific studies have linked animal-based diets directly to heart disease, stroke, many forms of cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases. …read more of Should Jews Be Vegan? here

“Some see things as they are and ask why. I dream of things that never were and ask why not.” Robert Kennedy

Yes, why not? Why not a vegetarian world, or even better, why not a vegan world? What would a vegan world be like?

It would be a world with far healthier people. Numerous studies show that a plant-based diet can sharply reduce the risk factors for heart disease, various types of cancer, stroke and other chronic degenerative diseases.

Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and others have shown that a well-planned vegetarian diet, along with other positive lifestyle changes, can reverse severe heart-related problems.

It would be a far more humane world. We could eliminate the abuse of 10 billion animals in the US and 65 billion worldwide raised for slaughter every year. Animals would no longer be bred and genetically programmed to produce far more flesh, milk and eggs than is natural. …read more of Imagining a Vegan World here

Nearly half of all solid waste in the U.S., 44 percent is consumer packaging.

It does not always have to be that way.  Smart choices that we make can go a long way toward reducing waste piling up in landfills. Packaging has increased dramatically over the last 50 years and now makes up the largest share of municipal solid waste (MSW).

Packaging, by its very nature is disposable.  Meant to be tossed away and the first or last thing we do when handing consumer goods.

Certainly, choosing products with less packaging and especially that which is recyclable or compostable can make an important impact.

But can we decrease waste pollution at the source? …read more of Reduce Package Waste at the Source, Save Money and Get Healthy here

Ask anyone and they will tell you that living without the energy that powers our modern lifestyle with its lights, refrigeration, computers and air conditioners is not an option.

But we can’t live without water, either. A year ago, I wrote about the possible threat natural gas drilling poses to our drinking water, however, this is only part of the story. …read more of Natural Gas Drilling May Pose Human Health Hazards here

It seems as though the threat of global warming is becoming a reality that we just can’t ignore and the consequences may well be impacting our planet already.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D- RI) recently spoke on the floor of the senate, referencing a 2007 report by the National Academy of Sciences, which warned that the reality of global warming is being ignored at our peril.

Senator Whitehouse, “The report is an urgent call to action by a widespread group of our most responsible scientists, peer reviewed by our most responsible universities.”

While it would have been prudent to act sooner, it is still possible to make adjustments in our own lives that can make a difference. It just takes individual effort. …read more of 10 things You Can Do Right Now to Help Avert the Climate Crisis here