Green Bar Mitzvahs: An Eco-Guitar Hero

Brendan Eprile (pictured above with mom Judy Schwartz, dad Tony, and dog Thembi) had his bar mitzvah last month at Congregation Beth El in Bennington, Vermont. For Bendan's bar mitzvah project he helped make Bennington more energy-efficient. He sent a letter with conservation tips to families at his school. The letter was also published in the Bennington Banner.

When it came time to plan his bar mitzvah, it was important to Brendan and his family that the event be consistent with his project (and their values). Here are a few of the green choices they made:

1. Location
Brendan's bar mitzvah party took place at Pompanuck Farm Institute, a living/learning eco-retreat center in Cambridge, NY - fifteen minutes from Bennington. As Brendan's mom Judy explained, "All of the structures at Pompanuck are hand-built from local materials, using sustainable practices. Events like ours help support their educational programs."

2. Simple Decorations
Because they were in such a beautiful location, the family chose to keep the decorations simple by using lights and colorful place settings.

3. Activities
Instead of having plastic toys, the kids explored the farm, played soccer and made up games.

4. Cake
For dessert they had a cake shaped like a guitar made by Lisa Carrino, co-director of Pompanuck. The entire meal was served on compostable dishes and was eaten with compostable cutlery.

5. Music
Brendan, who is an avid guitar player, played songs he wrote himself and blues improvisation with his guitar teacher, Barry Hyman. His electric guitar, and all of the electricity for the event, was powered by solar energy.