The oft-used phrase tikkun olam, Hebrew for repairing the world, typically describes acts of charity and volunteerism.
But at the To Life! festival, organizers are taking tikkun olam literally.
This year the vision of To Life! coordinator Amy Grossmann is to produce the greenest festival yet. Grossmann’s hope is not just to reduce waste at the festival, but to slowly help shift people’s habits and minds in a sustainable direction.
“The environmentally friendly changes we are making this year are going to be a lot of extra work for us. But we have complete buy-in from the JCC, and lots of excited volunteers to help us implement it,” Grossmann said.
While Grossmann has never produced a green Jewish event of this size (8,000 visitors are expected to turn out for the festival) and has few green festival models to follow, her passion and desire to set a good ecological example is driving and guiding her effort.
While recycling has always been a part of the festival, this year Grossmann is introducing food waste composting. Signs will instruct people on how to dispose of their food for proper composting.
To help with this endeavor, Grossmann has partnered with the ecology club of Palo Alto’s Gunn High School, which will provide the expertise and labor to accomplish this task.
Plastic will be discouraged at this year’s festival. Food vendors will use recycled and compostable plates and utensils, and all vendors are banned from using disposable paper or plastic bags. The Albert L. Schultz JCC has teamed up with the Palo Alto Public Works Department’s recycling program to hand out free reusable tote bags to attendees.
The festival’s publicity campaign will also encourage people to bring their own bags and water bottles. While bottled water will be available for sale, free drinking water will be provided in large coolers for anyone with their own container.
“We are still selling bottled water, because you can’t eliminate water sales completely. It takes time to change people’s behavior, but free water is a good incentive to start that process,” Grossmann said.
Organizers also are promoting the use of green transit such as Caltrain, carpooling or biking to the festival. The California Avenue Caltrain station is steps away from the event and is a convenient, Earth-friendly choice for getting to the festival from far away.
“Taking care of the planet is a very important concept,” Grossman said. “And we are moving forward in small steps.”
How to stay green at this year’s To Life!
Because protecting the environment is a joint effort, the festival has compiled a list of the top five things to do to help make the To Life! festival even greener.
• Bring your own water bottle for free refills at filling stations.
• Bring your own reusable shopping bag or pick one up at the Albert L. Schultz JCC booth.
• Walk, bike or take public transit to the festival.
• Throw your trash in designated recycling and compost cans.
• Support To Life! food vendors who will be providing low-waste, compostable dishware.