To Till and to Tend

It’s Elul, a good time to clean up items and relationships that are hanging.  Here’s an environmentally friendly ritual: empty your tsedakah boxes, donate the money, and get those coins circulating – not only is it good for your soul, it’s good for the environment, as highlighted in a column in my local paper. Recirculating coins (which equals REUSING) lowers the demand for new coins; naturally mining for the minerals used in coins degrades habitat  and consumes water and energy to keep the mint producing.  Old coins are remanufactured, basic recycling. 
Last time I used CoinStar at the local supermarket rather than hassling with the coins at a bank, I was pleasantly surprised to learn CoinStar is tsedakah-enabled.  You can cash out, of course, minus their commission for processing.  But alternatively you can donate on the spot to causes like UNICEF or World WildLife Fund – here’s their list.  I talked with CoinStar and learned that charities receive a discounted service charge rate of 7.5% (as opposed to the customer’s charge of  8.9%).  You choose your charity and CoinStar prints a receipt for you and forwards the money directly.  You are allowed the full amount as a tax-deduction.  The charity gets direct cash for only a small overhead cost, less than their normal fundraising expense.  If you like, you can mail the charity a copy of your CoinStar slip, which will generate an acknowledgement from them directly.  Then of course they will solicit you by direct mail, so watch out.
At my house, we donate our laundered money.  Literally – when my kids left money in their pockets, the rule was: it will be donated!