Areyvut: Quick Educational Activities for Tu B’Shvat

• Start an environment club in your school or synagogue. 
• Decorate reusable items. Brainstorm disposable items that can be easily replaced with reusable items. Choose one of the items on your list to decorate and distribute to community members or to sell as a fundraiser. Suggested items include reusable shopping bags, plastic lunch boxes, hard plastic refillable water bottles, mugs, and placemats.
• Host a “litter-less” lunch. Invite students to a “litter-less” lunch to be served on all recycled products. Encourage participants to bring natural foods that do not have wrappers and to think creatively as to how to prepare and transport their foods. For example, use lunch boxes instead of paper bags, containers instead of sandwich bags, and thermoses instead of drink boxes or water bottles. 
• Take a trip to your local recycling plant. Bring a bin from your school or synagogue straight to the plant. Students will be able to follow their recyclables into the first steps of becoming reusable.
• Donate a tree in Israel in honor of someone special. Since your local environment benefits from trees planted all around the world, this is the perfect opportunity to help beautify and restore Israel. Encourage your family, friends, and colleagues to join in your efforts by setting up a contest to see who can donate the most trees in Israel. 
• Volunteer at a local park or forest. Contact a local park ranger to find out how you can help sustain the trees in your area. Inquire whether or not you are able to help care for the trees and ask how your help may be needed to advocate on their behalf in the local community. 
• Learn how to desalinate ocean water to make it fit for use. 97% of the water on Earth is ocean water, but ocean water, along with all other saltwater, is not considered fit for human use. Learn more here and consider the possible pros and cons of using a desalination system to maintain our water supply.

Simple ways to help the environment: 

• Fix a leaky faucet.
• Turn off the lights when you leave the room. 
• Read a book about the environment.
• Take a hike and pick up litter along the way.
• Have a picnic at a nearby pond and clean up its shore. 
• Take a trip to the local zoo or wildlife refuge.
• Purchase a tree from a local nursery and plant it in your yard. 
• Make a donation to save an endangered species. 
• Make a resolution to limit the use of animal products. 
• Adopt a pet from your local animal shelter.
• Buy non-toxic cleaning products. 
• Buy from a local farm. 
• Start a compost heap.
• Take the bus to school instead of driving. 
• Arrange a carpool for yourself and your friends. 
• Turn off any appliances you are not using.
• Unplug your charger when it is done charging. 
• Turn your thermostat up or down one degree (depending on the weather!). 
• Buy a recycling bin for someone who doesn’t have one. 
• Use reusable silverware, plates, and cups instead of disposable. 
• Offset your carbon emissions by donating a tree in Israel.
• Replace your drafty windows and doors. 
• Use tap water instead of bottled water.