Apply for the Adamah Climate Action Fund!
So much feels out of our control, like rising temperatures. According to NASA, the summer of 2023 was the hottest on record for our planet and just recently (July 22, 2024) the globe reached the hottest daily temperature ever measured (and may even have been surpassed by the time this is published). Temperatures continue to rise, something many of us are experiencing firsthand. Where I live, in Boulder County, Colorado, the average number of days per year over 90 degrees has tripled compared to when I moved here 24 years ago.
Yet, so much is in our control, like our own actions! I take some control by insulating my attic well and powering my AC with solar, which helps me feel cooler and comforted by knowing I’m doing my part. And more than 350 Jewish organizations are taking concrete action as members of the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition, a growing cohort of 350+ Jewish organizations, convened by Adamah, that recognize the urgency of the climate crisis and commit to taking action.
Adamah’s Climate Action Fund offers zero-interest loans and matching grants to Coalition members to support them in doing projects that lower their planet-warming GHG emissions. We just completed the latest round of applications and awards. We are excited to announce that, to date, we have awarded $549,359 in loans and $196,550 in matching grants to 32 organizations, including synagogues, day schools, summer camps, and Jewish community centers. These organizations are taking action by insulating their attics, installing solar on their roofs and in their parking lots, switching to LED lighting, and electrifying their appliances. These 32 leaders are collectively reducing their emissions by at least 1,040.13 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) annually. And they are expected to save more than $561,714 in utility costs every single year—proving that it is climate inaction that is expensive!
The next application deadline is November 8, 2024. Jewish organizations interested in the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition can learn more at Adamah.org/Coalition.
Organizations of other faiths looking to establish their own climate action funds to encourage their denominational network to take action are warmly invited to reach out to learn and share ideas. Please contact me at Becky@Adamah.org.
If you are looking to expand your climate leadership in your community, take the FREE Blessed Tomorrow Ambassador Training! Additionally, for access to FREE resources, guidance, and an online community filled with congregations around the nation, join One Home One Future! A multi-faith coalition dedicated to caring for our shared home.
About the Author:
Becky O’Brien is the Director of Food and Climate at Adamah where she has been a leader in the Jewish environmental and climate movement since 2010. She administers the Climate Action Fund and loves supporting Jewish organizations and leaders who are taking concrete action to reduce their emissions. Adamah is a proud member of the Blessed Tomorrow Leadership Circle.
Additional Resources:
Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024
Watch the 2024 American Climate Leadership Awards for High School Students
Join the Campaign: One Home One Future
Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth Report 2023