How to erase carbon footprints in Israel

TEL AVIV (JTA) -- Out of a towering mountain of waste near Ben Gurion Airport, methane gas is being captured to create thermal energy for a nearby factory.

In the Negev Desert, solar panels are on loan to Bedouin villages that don’t have electricity, allowing the residents to run refrigerators needed to store medicine for ill children.

These are two of a small but growing wave of Israeli projects to help reduce the country's carbon footprint by curbing carbon dioxide emissions -- part of the global battle to arrest climate change.

Along the way, the projects are helping bolster Israel's energy independence by promoting energy efficiency and homegrown clean technologies. [READ MORE]

JTA's Eco-Jews

The arrival of Tu B’Shevat, Judaism’s annual ode to the trees, is the perfect time to examine the most significant players and trends in Jewish environmentalism—and offer some hands-on advice for marking the holiday and greening your communities.

Visit http://jta.org/eco-jews/ for more info!