Hoosier Jews Till & Tend the Earth:

Conserving Energy in Our Homes and Synagogues

A Statewide Initiative

What Kehillot across Indiana Will Do

• Reduce energy use in synagogue by at least 25% from their base year usage

• Engage a third of their households to reduce use by a seventh relative to an average Hoosier household

Achievable? Quite!SIX HOOSIER CONGREGATIONS Beth

ShalomECC STLC TEC UUB UUCI AVG.

House of Worship

Electricity reduced 23% 34% 35% 17% 25% 47% 29%

Nat. gas reduced 35% 28% 1% 17% 16% 43% 37%

Households

Total number 180 90 125 135 345 103 978

% have met goal 35% 33% 33% TBD 34% 53% 34%

Average reduction 22% 28% 22% TBD 30% 30% 26%

3

How do we reduce use by 25% to 40%?Cut out waste.

• Heat, cool , & light people - not empty spaces

• Plug holes in exterior of building & insulate

• Invest in technologies that use less energy:

– Automatic controls: turn items off when not in use

– Cost-effective lighting

– When replacing HVAC units, boilers, & fridges

Monroe County Schools reduced their energy use by 35% almost solely by setting back their thermostats!

Monroe County Community School Corporation Energy Use

140,346,175

116,669,230

128,541,001

190,289,596

0

20,000,000

40,000,000

60,000,000

80,000,000

100,000,000

120,000,000

140,000,000

160,000,000

180,000,000

200,000,000

2009 2010 2011 2012

Year

Use

(KB

TU)

For example,

Achieving the Household Goal is Easy• Quick simple survey to document achievement

• Sample household energy conservation pledge

• Info sheets & posters provide guidance

• Many households will already have met the goal

• Builds kehillaSynagogue

youth weatherizing

a retiree’s home

How will the Hoosier Jews Till & Tend team help us succeed?

• Energy conservation tools & technical support

• Guidance to mobilize our kehillot

• Individual support from a team member

• Peer support from other synagogue teams

• Simple accessible tools to measure progress

Hoosier Jews Till & Tend Tools

The benefits are many... • Lower utility bills for synagogue & households

• Caring for creation together builds kehilla• Serve as a model for Jews nationally & for Hoosiers

• Fun and joyful

• Will attract major media attention

Hamish Chanuka Kick-Off

“We’ll heal our Earth as worship of the Lord!” (a playful rendition of Adon Olam)

Dedication of solar panels

Youth caulking retirees’ homes

Board weatherizing each

other’s homes

Till & Tend bulletin boardSelling CFLs

Training youth energy team

What it can look like... building kehilla