Green Jews or Green Juice...or both

Written by: Dave Goodman

So a lot of people have been coming up to me the past couple months asking what Green Juice is.  Perhaps the branding is a little ambiguous, but you're all just going to have to deal with it.  Let's see, it is overtly 'Green' so it has to do with the environment.  Check.

Is it a juice company, like 'Booster Juice'?

We haven't thought that far ahead, but I see no reason why an organic juice event could not fit under the Green Juice chain of happenings.

Is 'Juice' referring to energy?

Well that's funny you should ask Dave, Jews, along with the rest of the North American population use entirely too much 'Juice' or energy for their daily habits, so maybe providing green or clean 'Juice' is part of what Green Juice aims to achieve.

Wait, wait, wait...are you trying to say that Green Juice is a play on words for 'Jews'...kind of like the sign this idiot is holding up?

Well that guy is just confused about how to spell 'Jews' right?  I mean, the high vitamin C content in most Juice cannot possibly be cause for concern.  But he does have a funny play on words going there.  I say to you, Islamic fundamentalist...cute sign.

So if we could all just move past the branding for a second and look at how Green Juice can serve as an effective platform for promoting the Green in our Jewish community.  After a couple great hands on social action visits to UJA Federation's Kavanah Garden on the CHAR campus with Risa Straus, we finally got our speaker series going last week.

Dr. Ron Dembo, founder of Zerofootprint was the keynote speaker of our kick-off networking event, graciously hosted by Tory's LLP on Wellington, and Chaired by volunteer Adam Banack.  Now I didn't do a head count, but we had a 110 person RSVP list!  Based on the number of left over name tags from those who did not come, we can estimate that 70+ were at Tory's beautiful boardroom stocked with plentiful alcohol (organic Mill St. was even served) overlooking a city using peak energy!

Don't worry!  Zerofootprint and Ron Dembo have figured out how to curb this peak energy dilemma.  Better yet, they are on to a theorem of how to curb energy consumption by the sheer power of allowing people to measure what they use.  They have currently rolled out the 'Zero Challenge' to 300 schools across the GTA in an effort to curb consumption based on their mantra: 'Measure. Compare. Change'.  Genius!

So why are Jewish schools not in the top 10 eco-schools?  Surely we as a people know the importance of leading by example right?  Green Juice is interested in making this happen.  If you are a teacher in the Jewish community, or an aspiring teacher - might not be a bad idea to do some exploring - http://canada.zerochallenge.org/  (Check out results map and leader board).  So that's partly what Green Juice is about.  Jewish community leading by example.  Just what Dr. Ron Dembo is doing, taking his career from risk analysis in the finance sector to pursue his passions in the Green sector and find practical solutions to mitigate climate change through energy efficient technology.

Young Jewish leaders who have taken it upon themselves to make their vocation a socially responsible endeavor deserve our attention.  Not only must they be recognized, we must learn from them.  Finding lucrative opportunities, saving the planet, and enhancing the image of Jews who want to better the world...Green Juice might be on to something.

Join us in under one month on a Thursday evening @ JUMP for special JET panel presentation of 'Sustainable Entrepreneurs'.  Young Jews who are involved in start ups in different sectors of 'Green' industry. 

We are still looking for a tagline.  We are still looking for great event concepts, prospective speakers, cost-effective venues, or long-term projects that involve volunteer committees and large-scale impact. 

If you know of a Green Juice worthy happening or opportunity, please do not hesitate to comment below or reach out to dave@greenjuice.net.

The 'Green' juice IS worth the squeeze.