SHAYNE’S BAR MITZVAH PROJECTS
Shayne is passionate about many, many things. He loves to learn and his curiosity has no bounds. One topic that Shayne has educated himself intensely about is… CLIMATE CHANGE. Climate Change has become Shayne’s obsession. He is very frightened of it, angered by it, and is determined to do all he can to stop it… or at least to slow it. So in thinking about his so-called “Bar Mitzvah Project”, our family realized that Shayne has worked hard on several environmental “projects” recently. Projects that challenged his intellect, his creativity, his self-discipline, his time-management skills, his presentation skills, his resourcefulness, his generosity and his self-confidence. In other words, these small projects in climate activism all served in a big way to help Shayne become — as a Jewish Bar Mitzvah signifies — a young man. A man on a mission.
We are sure you’ll be very interested in learning about each of Shayne’s Climate Change projects. Read on!
Shayne became a Pescatarian
Cattle are the No. 1 agricultural source of greenhouse gases worldwide. Each year, a single cow will belch about 220 pounds of methane, which is shorter lived than carbon dioxide but 28 times more potent in warming the atmosphere. Emissions are also caused by livestock feed production, manure and land-use change. About two years ago, Shayne started to greatly decrease his meat intake. On his 13th birthday, he officially stopped eating beef, lamb and poultry. This is Shayne’s best way of reducing his carbon footprint. Our whole family eats dramatically less meat now and we feel great about it.
18% Donation to Carbon-Offsetting
Shayne is donating 18% of his Bar Mitzvah gift money to a selection of projects in Africa and Southeast Asia via the Eden Reforestation Projects (https://edenprojects.org/) and Gold Standard (https://www.goldstandard.org/). Planting trees, solar farms, wind farms, biogas energy production and energy efficient cookstoves… wonderful ventures to help make the people of the Third World more self-sufficient and resource-sustainable. Shayne’s 18% donation is helping to offset his own carbon footprint.
The Sunrise Movement
Sunrise is a youth movement to stop Climate Change and to create millions of good jobs in the process. Sunrise is building an army of young people to make Climate Change an urgent priority across America, end the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on our politics, and elect leaders who stand up for the health and well-being of all people.
Shayne completed a week-long training course to become an effective activist and he regularly engages with forums, videos, chat groups and Zoom meetings with the Sunrise Movement leadership. Several years younger than the other teens in Sunrise, Shayne looks forward to a bigger role when he’s a bit older.
Interviews in Documentary Films
“Shayne’s Climate Corner” column in the school e-newsletter
Spokesperson at community events