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

• adrian@mssv.net http://mssv.net

• naomi.alderman@gmail.comhttp://naomialderman.com