Powering Progress (Olam BaShavua 1.1) - May 22, 2024
POWERING PROGRESS
In a striking revelation, a recent report on global electricity shows that 30% of the world's power now comes from renewable sources. This figure is set to double by 2030, thanks to a UN agreement made last year, as hydropower, wind, and particularly solar energy continue their rapid expansion. (Source Article: The Guardian; Ember)
Energy in the Torah: In this article, the author discusses what we can learn from the Jewish tradition about how to use energy responsibly (Torah Article)
GrowTorah Value: 🌎 Stewarding the Earth 🌎
PATAGONIAN PARADISE PRESERVED
Local activists in Patagonia triumphed in a decade-long battle to safeguard the Cochamó Valley by acquiring 325,000 acres of pristine wilderness, home to rare species, thereby preventing the construction of roads and power lines and ensuring the land's permanent preservation. (Source Article: The NY Times)
Preservation in the Torah: In this article, the author discusses lessons we can learn on countering destruction from Parshat Noach. (Torah Article)
GrowTorah Value: ⚖️ Tzedaka ⚖️
BYOB: Biodivers-ify Your Own Backyard
Over 14,000 properties have received the Backyard Habitat Certification, which offers guidance and verification to homeowners who remove invasive plants, replace them with native species, and transform their yards into thriving ecosystems for insects, birds, and other wildlife, enhancing urban biodiversity in the Portland area. (Source Article: Reasons to be Cheerful)
Biodiversity in the Torah: In this article, the author explores the value of the continuity of species (from plants, to animals, to insects) in Jewish texts and traditions, including and beyond halachic imperatives. (Torah Article)
GrowTorah Value: 🦋 Compassion for Creatures 🦋
GREEN GENEROSITY
A family in Austin, Texas declined a $130 million offer for their land from developers planning to build thousands of houses and buildings and instead sold the land to the county for much less and are turning it into a public park for everyone to use. (Source Article: Texas Monthly)
Balancing Profit and Protection in the Torah: Explore this article to delve into one of the earliest directives bestowed upon humanity concerning the Earth—L’Ovdah U’Lishomrah, emphasizing both cultivating and reaping benefits from the land while ensuring its preservation. (Torah Article)
GrowTorah Value: ✡️ Incubating Emunah ✡️
