In 2022, The Associated signed on as a founding partner to the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition, along with twenty other national and international umbrella organizations of Jewish life.

Powered by Adamah, the Coalition is a network of Jewish community organizations who recognize the existential threat and moral urgency of climate change and commit to taking action.

For more information about the Jewish Climate Leadership Coalition, watch the Coalition launch video or visit Adamah’s website.

The Associated 2024 Climate Action Plan

In 2023, The Associated proudly released our first Climate Action Plan, outlining our strategic priorities for both reducing The Associated’s organizational greenhouse gas emissions and mobilizing our broader networks to engage in climate action.

This year’s Climate Action Plan includes a reporting on our 2023 climate action priorities, both successes and challenges, as well as our goals for expanding our climate action work in the year ahead.

2024 Climate Action Goals

Reducing Emissions

Completing Phase 2 of Solar Farm. This will entail generating power to cover all The Associated’s electricity usage.
Nature-Based Solutions. This year, we will develop opportunities for community tree plantings that leverage volunteer energies and excitement. We are working on collaborations with other not for profits like Baltimore Tree Trust to work on community tree plantings as well as the importance of nature-based solutions.
Campus Decarbonization. We are progressing on the move of our current headquarters to the Park Heights campus. This move, which is likely to not be completed until early 2025, will reduce overall commuting times, improve hybrid capability and provide electric car charging stations. We are also in the planning stages for updating the Owings Mills campus with decarbonization being an important aspect being considered. Part of this process includes cataloguing all current fossil-fuel appliances at all Associated properties and developing a plan for transitioning those appliances to electric at the end of their expected (and unexpected) lifespan.

Reducing Emissions

Baltimore Climate Action Committee. In partnership with Adamah, we will convene a committee of local Jewish lay leaders focused on the integration of climate action into Baltimore Jewish community organizations and programs (such as JCCs, day schools, synagogues, Hillels, the Baltimore Jewish Council, etc.). We are excited about the possibilities that this committee may undertake across the Central Maryland region – both Jewish and otherwise.

See the Associated’s full 2024 Climate Action Plan.