5 Ways to Green Your Thanksgiving

Now that Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, the surge in waste will likely follow. For those that are eco-conscious, the holiday season is a great way to be remindful and thankful about our environment. Here are 5 tips to a green, plentiful Thanksgiving for family, friends and office co-workers.

1. Host an Organic, Local Dinner

Thanksgiving Day should be a celebration of what we’re thankful for, including delicious foods. Sharing delicious local and organic food is a great way to show our appreciation and care for each other while being mindful of where our food comes from.  

Free of man-made fertilizers or pesticides, organic food greatly reduces environmental impact. Shopping local by buying in-season vegetables from farms within your area can help in reducing the amount of carbon emissions associated with long haul food trucking around the country.

2. Plan Meals, Share Leftovers

Thanksgiving is known for the overabundance of food, but it usually translates into a lot of food waste. This year, take the extra effort in planning meals for the number of guests you will have over, as it can save time, money, and food from ending up in the trash or compost. To reduce discarded waste at the end of the night, encourage guests to take leftovers home in their own containers or share tupperware instead of packing everything in paper plates and aluminum foil. 

If you have leftover cans and products that went unused, think about donating them to a food shelter. Many shelters see increased growth during the holiday period and can use extra donations during the busy season. In some cities, there are food recovery programs that will also take cooked food, depending on their safety guidelines.

3. Bring out the Good China

Go all out for Thanksgiving, but not with disposable plates and napkins. These items are far from recyclable, and even green, biodegradable dish-ware takes a long time to break down. Instead, bring out the fancy silverware and plates, and let the dishwasher handle all the dirty work for you. It will save money and leave a smaller footprint.

4. Encourage Carpooling

If your home will be the base for a large gathering for Thanksgiving Day, encourage visitors to carpool together. Since public transportation is usually closed or limited during this holiday, carpooling is a great alternative for rounding up your friends, family or co-workers.

5. Recycle

From decorations to well-nursed beverages, recycling continues to be one of the easiest ways to lessen our impact on the environment. You can encourage guests to recycle by putting out bins for their bottles or cans, saving you the time and effort after the party to sort through holiday trash. Any holiday decorations can also be reused each year as well. With these tips, your holiday celebration can celebrate the Earth as well.