Thanksgiving is coming up in a few short weeks, and it’s time to think about planning for all your guests. It can be overwhelming to plan for so many people, clean the house, do all the grocery shopping, but don’t lose sight of the purpose of the holiday: to give thanks. Appreciate the world around you by having an eco-friendly Thanksgiving meal. According to life.gaiam.com, here are a few twists to “greenify” your delicious Thanksgiving:
Cook organic food—Give thanks to your local farmers by buying their food at co-ops or farmer’s markets. If something you need is out of season, then shop organic at a grocery store. These foods will have a low carbon footprint and be more delicious.
Reuse to-go containers—Fight climate change on turkey day by asking guests to bring their own reusable containers. “Every year, Americans use enough plastic wrap to cover the entire state of Texas.” Be mindful of how you store your leftovers this year.
Use china and cloth napkins—Paper plates, napkins and plastic silverware may be easy to clean up, but the environmental impact is lasting. “The average American uses 2,200 two-ply paper napkins per year- which adds up to 662 billion napkins being added to the landfill on an annual basis.” Be green: use cloth napkins and dinner plates.
Compost leftovers—If you’re lucky enough to be able to grow a garden in November, don’t forget to compost the leftovers from Thanksgiving. Potato peels, carrot peels and cranberry sauce can all be added to a compost pile.
