Sometimes, you have to wonder whether activists for a cause do more harm than good for their cause by misdirecting their crusade efforts. For example, consider this Jerusalem Post article:
In a campaign that has spread like wildfire across the Internet, a group of Israeli environmentalists is encouraging Jews around the world to light at least one less candle this Hanukka to help the environment.
The founders of the Green Hanukkia campaign found that every candle that burns completely produces 15 grams of carbon dioxide. If an estimated one million Israeli households light for eight days, they said, it would do significant damage to the atmosphere.
Naturally, a few observant Jews are not entirely pleased with the concept.
I can’t help but wonder if the Green Hanukkia folks are only succeeding in turning off a few folks who might be on the verge of being swayed to a more conservation-minded mindset.
The “do X so we don’t have to have another miracle” meme is an interesting one. Perhaps encouraging bike-gifting and bike-riding in lieu of driving would have been a more constructive message for Hanukkah?