Bal Taschit and Beyond: Do Not Destroy

The Charlotte Jewish News, October 2022

By Summer Minchew

The phrase bal tashchit means do not destroy. The mitzvah of bal tashchit – the commandment to not destroy or waste items from the natural world – is one of the core tenants of Shalom Green: The Shalom Park Environmental Initiative. But in practice, how does one not destroy when it is clearly impossible for us to live without having some negative effect on the world around us?

The source text for this mitzvah comes from the Book of Deuteronomy: “When you besiege a city for a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them. You may eat from them, but you must not cut them down. Are trees of the field human to withdraw before you into the besieged city? Only trees that you know do not yield food may be destroyed; you may cut them down for constructing siegeworks against the city that is waging war on you, until it has been reduced.”

The implication of this text essentially prohibits any wasteful negative effect on the natural environment. Do not destroy simply to destroy, as in during times of war. Eat from fruit trees, but do not cut them down, and use only trees that do not produce food for construction.

How can we fulfil the mitzvah of bal tashchit in contemporary times? I believe it means that we have a duty to be mindful of how we use natural resources, looking at not only the moment we are using them but also from a life cycle perspective. Consider the tree that bears fruit; it should not be cut down because we must have the presence of mind and the forethought to understand how it will provide for us in the future.

We can all use more forethought when considering environmental consequences of our actions from a life cycle approach. Consider Styrofoam, for example. The word Styrofoam is widely used when referring to expanded polystyrene foam, which can be used for disposable cups, takeout food packaging, egg cartons, or as “packing peanuts.” In manufacturing, polystyrene usually starts as small, dense, hard beads that are softened by heat and expanded using things like steam and blowing agents. These expanded cells are then formed and bonded into shapes for consumer

We all know by now that expanded polystyrene products are designed to be wasted. Expanded polystyrene products are lightweight but not durable, so they are used once and then thrown away. Expanded polystyrene foam products are not recyclable, with the great majority of these disposable consumer products ending up in landfill. One common estimate is that expanded polystyrene foam can represent 30% of the space in some landfills. And some estimates put the lifespan of expanded polystyrene foam in a landfill at around 500 years.

Looking at it from a life cycle approach - for every cup of coffee consumed in an expanded polystyrene foam cup, it may take me 20 minutes to drink from it, and then that cup lives on in a landfill for 500 years - to me, that is destruction simply for destruction’s sake. We could use an expanded polystyrene product because it is available to us and convenient or we could fulfill the mitzvah of bal tashchit and choose not to drink that coffee or bring our own cup or takeout container or let vendors and restaurants know that as consumers, we prefer alternatives.

This is just one example of how we can all fulfill the mitzvah of bal tashchit - do not destroy. Consider a few other possible ways we can use what we need without being excessive: taking shorter showers, making fewer new clothing purchases, and drinking from reusable water bottles. The concept of bal tashchit can help us all combat wastefulness and be better stewards of our environment. Shalom Green would love to hear your ideas on how we can mitigate environmental destruction in our everyday lives.

Connect with us on Facebook at Shalom Green: The Shalom Park Environmental Initiative is on Instagram and Twitter @ shalomgreen_CLT. If you are interested in donating your time or dollars to Shalom Green, please visit our website at https://shalomgreenclt.org/ and email us at info@shalomgreenCLT.org. Jewish tradition teaches the importance of caring for the environment, for we must act as partners in preserving creation.