Dear Melanie,

I am a devoted environmentalist. I try my best to do as much as possible to reduce my carbon footprint and protect the world, however, there is always more to be done! How can I celebrate Shabbat in an eco-friendly manner?

– Tree Hugger in Town & Country

Dear Tree Hugger,

There are many ways to “green” your Shabbat. On Friday nights, choose to light beeswax candles instead of paraffin candles. Beeswax is the only naturally occurring wax and it produces no petrochemicals or toxins, making the air inside your home significantly cleaner. If you don’t already, walk to synagogue on Saturdays instead of driving. This will give you quiet time to reflect on the past week. Plus, refraining from driving for one day every week can reduce your carbon emissions by about 795 pounds per year. Instead of eating cholent or a stew for lunch, opt for a cold, dairy meal. You will save energy by eating unheated food and will reduce your carbon footprint by abstaining from eating meat. Twenty percent of global warming emissions come solely from the production of meat. For more information on how to have an eco-friendly Shabbat, check out the Jewish National Fund’s GoNeutral campaign at http://support.jnf.org/goneutral/index.html.

Dear Melanie,

I recently went to a baseball game with a non-Jewish friend. I wore a kippah designed to look like a baseball just for the occasion. At the beginning of the game, during the national anthem, all of the other fans took off their hats. My friend asked me whether or not I should keep my kippah on, but I did not know the proper thing to do. I ended up leaving it on. Was I right to keep my kippah on out of respect for God and my religion or should I have taken it off out of respect for my country?

– Baseball Fan in Brentwood

Dear Baseball Fan,

While the Torah does not mandate wearing kippot, it has become customary to wear them constantly (except while sleeping, bathing, or swimming) out of respect and awareness of God. That said, kippot are technically not considered to be hats, and therefore can be worn during the national anthem. However, whether or not you want to wear yours during the anthem is entirely up to you – there is no right or wrong solution.

“Dear Melanie” hopes to help those with burning Jewish questions find the answers they seek. This column will be an ongoing series, publishing your questions and my advice. To submit your questions to “Dear Melanie,” email me at [email protected]! No topic is too controversial, no question will be left unanswered – I look forward to reading your submissions!