Jewish National Fund Launches Environmental Awareness and Carbon Offset Program

As a new year dawns for the Earth and its inhabitants, we must take responsibility for its future. Jewish National Fund, Israel’s oldest environmental organization, is proud to announce JNF GoNeutral - An Environmental Movement for Tomorrow

You are invited to our site www.jnf.org/goneutral, where you can calculate the average amount of carbon dioxide you put out each year by answering a series of questions about lifestyles and energy consumption, and then offset these emissions by supporting JNF’s century-old afforestation program in Israel. Trees play an important role in the Earth’s carbon cycle, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and breaking it down into carbon and oxygen. The oxygen is released into the air while the carbon is sequestered in the tree.

You can also support JNF’s other cutting-edge environmental work, such as the research and development of alternative energy sources, water desalination and recycling techniques, arid land management, and combating desertification.
Actor Chris Noth has kicked off the campaign, becoming the first person to "GoNeutral" with JNF. Known for his roles as Mr. Big on "Sex and the City" and Detective Mike Logan on "Law and Order," Noth, a committed environmentalist, has been a friend of JNF since he planted an olive tree in JNF's Presidents Forest in Jerusalem on a visit to Israel in 2004.

Since 1901, JNF has utilized its world-renowned forestry expertise to plant more than 240 million trees in Israel, transforming 250,000 acres of arid land into sustainable forests. These trees have absorbed an estimated 110 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere. JNF also leads the world in water desalination and purification techniques and organizes international conferences on desertification and arid land management.

“With a century of experience in greening the landscape of Israel, JNF has evolved into a global environmental leader and is uniquely positioned to spearhead this campaign about environmental accountability within the worldwide Jewish community,” said Rabbi Eric M. Lankin, D.Min., JNF’s chief of institutional advancement and education. "Our Jewish tradition reminds us of our responsibility for the Earth. JNF GoNeutral reaches out to both young and old, making them active participants in protecting our planet's future."

Because the first and most important step in curtailing climate change is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the GoNeutral website.

www.jnf.org/goneutral also lists simple ways to cut down on energy consumption at home, in the office, and on the road, encouraging participants to reduce their emissions as much as possible.

GoNeutral with JNF. Visit www.jnf.org/goneutral.