The day is overcast and dreary, Israel is engaged in active conflict, the reserves are being called up, the economy is in drerd - otherwise known as the doldrums, Madoff has decimated some of the Jewish communities most philanthropic organizations and foundations… and yet. It is a new year. And while some places tamped down their celebrations, everywhere I looked there was an air of excitement and hope. Perhaps it is because of the indomitable human spirit. Perhaps it is because we are anticipating our own eagerly awaited “regime change” on January 20 - the Obama inauguration promises to be one of the most glorious American holidays in memory.

I am excited for all these reasons; and one more. This is the Year of the Sun.

How amazing it was to open my computer on New Year’s Day and read that Toyota - which recently took a hit on its profits, the first time in 70 years - is promising to redouble its greening efforts. It is working on a solar powered car that will be able to recharge both from solar collectors built into the car and from solar rechargers at home. And Iran, yup - that Iran, has just opened its first 250 KW solar power plant. Not big, but a start.

That certainly looks promising, for we will not need to fight over access to solar energy the way we fight over access to fossil fuels. Greening our energy is good for the environment, our pocket books (the more advances in technology the cheaper it will be), our economy (we can keep more money home and spend it on important things like salaries, research and infrastructure) and the job market (you can’t outsource the creation of solar plants on American soil and solar installations on American buildings and homes). Now, perhaps, the race will be to dominate the world marketplace with solar and other green technologies. Healthy competition, after all, speeds investment and discovery.

This growing engagement in solar energy coincides with our own country’s new dream Green Team assembled by our President-Elect.

And all this is happening in the Year of the Sun. Every 28 years, the Jewish calendar sports a celebration called Birkat Hahammah - the blessing of the sun. Our rabbis of old tell us that once every 28 years, the sun returns to the day of the week, the moment of the day and the spot in the heavens at which it was created. That is a moment for celebration. And that next moment of return occurs this spring, April 8, 2009.

How wonderful that this dawning of the solar era coincides with the celebration of Birkat Hahammah. There are many ways we can mark this moment. Go to http://www.blessthesun.org for ideas and to sign the Covenant of Commitment for reducing your footprint while celebrating the natural majesty of this world.

And if you do nothing else, do this: plant a tree. I know it is low-tech. But it remains one of the simplest, and one of the most valuable acts of appreciation and preservation of our physical world. Trees, as we all know by now, breathe in carbon dioxide, and breath out oxygen. They also cool our atmosphere with their shade and respiration; absorb pollutants from the air and soil; control rainwater flow and runoff, increase property values; reduce home cooling costs in the summer; comfort the spirit; provide recreation and beauty. There is no waste with trees. And if you plant fruit trees, there is the additional joy of the blossoms, the sweet fragrance of the fruit and the harvest too!

Municipalities around the country are beginning to study the presence and value of trees in their neighborhoods, recognizing that with all their environmental benefits, trees contribute billions of dollars to cities’ operating budgets. Baltimore City is seeking to double its tree canopy from 20% to 40% over the next 30 years, an ambitious, laudable and achievable goal if we all pitch in. (Check out http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us/government/recnparks/treeBaltimore.php for more information.)

Even Baltimore County is in need of assistance in rebuilding our canopy. We have lost 2/3 of our forests to farms and development, and continue to lose 200 acres a year to development. Many of our standing forests are in compromised health, and have few saplings to replace them. While we participate in the state’s Tree-mendous Maryland re-planting program, we have no grand plan, set goals or other organized approach to conduct tree inventories, or a forest management program. That will hopefully change soon. But in the meanwhile, we can do our part. Government doesn’t own enough land and cannot plant enough trees to solve this problem. The solution lies partially in our hands.

So, plant a tree during this Year of the Sun and celebrate how solar energy can truly make our planet green.

You needn’t wait. You can start a tree from seed or a twig in your home over the winter and transplant it later in the year to a cozy, safe spot outside. Check out http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/environment/education/ep_needtrees.html for more information on tree selection, purchasing and planting tips.