A Secular (and Environmentally Friendly)
Sabbath
Adrian Hon and Naomi Alderman
Orthodox Jews
don’t all look like this
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”
Exodus 20:8
(number four in the ten commandments)
“Six days shall you work but on the seventh day you shall rest”
Exodus 34:21
What’s work?
According to the Orthodox Jews, work includes:
• writing
• cooking
• driving a car
• changing the state of anything electrical
Changing the state?
• You can leave a light on or off, or on a timer, but can’t alter the settings
• No using computers, telephones, cameras, televisions, any other electronic devices
• All food has to be cooked in advance
What’s left?
• Meals with friends
• Going for walks
• Reading
• Sleeping
• Singing
• Conversation
Adrian: I’m not Jewish - obviously. Originally interested in experiencing a sabbath, having day of rest away from mobile and computer and tube. Then got thinking about whether sabbath was environmentally friendly or not.
Device Model Quantity HoursPower Consumption
(W)*Power Change
Lightbulbs 15W energy saver 16 -2 15 -480
Urn +24 +2690**
Small LCD TV Samsung SM741MP 1 -8 42 -252
Big LCD TV Toshiba 37WL66 1 -8 240 -1920
Computer iMac 20” Core Duo 1 -8 80 -640
Console Xbox 360 1 -3 185 -555
Laptop Dell Inspiron 1525 1 -5 30 -150
Car Astra 2008 5-Door Hatchback 1.6i
1 -40km -156g CO2/km -6.24kg
* Power consumption = (average on mode) - (standby mode)** Overall change as measured by power meter over Sabbath period
Based on family of four, relatively environmentally friendly. This is not scientific - rough estimation of changes in energy usage.
Results
• Total change: -1.307kWh, -2.6l petrol
• Cost savings: £2.99 (£2.86 + £0.13)
• CO2 savings: 6.998kg
This is per week. Over a year, savings add up; if you did it every month, save £40. If every week, over £150; CO2 saved would be 350kg.
Recommendations
• Consider inviting friends over for a monthly “secular Sabbath” - no TV, phones, computers, just chat, walks and good food
• Don’t use an urn
• Don’t drive
• The benefits aren’t just environmental: it really does feel good for the soul
Energy savings don’t have to be seen as sacrifice, especially when people are getting information overload - can be see as a good byproduct of a new ‘day of rest’
Sources
Lightbulbs 15W energy saverhttp://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy_saving_products/types_of_energy_saving_recommended_products/energy_saving_light_bulbs
Small LCD TV Samsung SM741MP http://www.ebuyer.com/product/120778
Big LCD TV Toshiba 37WL66 http://www.home-entertainment.toshiba.co.uk/consumer/products.nsf/pages/lcdplasma-regza-37wl66?opendocument
Computer iMac 20” Core Duo http://weblog.infoworld.com/enterprisemac/archives/2006/02/imac_keeps_its.html
Console Xbox 360 http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-356-1.htm
Laptop Dell Inspiron 1525 http://www.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/corp/environment/en/prod_datasheets?c=us&l=en&s=gen
Car Astra 2008 5-Door Hatchback 1.6i
http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search/vehicleDetails.asp?id=20260
CO2 emissions from electricity
http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/small_business/customer_services/where_we_get_our_energy/default.asp
More Information
• http://www.secularsabbath.org
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat
• [email protected] http://mssv.net
• [email protected]://naomialderman.com