Scary news I know, but yes Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away. Where did the summer go? And how is Thanksgiving, and dare I say Christmas, right around the corner. With holidays coming up there are several ways you can have a greener holiday. These tips are easy enough for anyone to use-no excuses allowed for not being able to follow at least one or two of these eco friendly Thanksgiving tips!
1. Turkey. Consider purchasing a locally farmed turkey which was free range and organically raised. This will bring to your table a fresh turkey with substantially less chemicals than a store bought turkey.
2. Vegetables. When making veggies to go with the turkey, search for vegetables that are in season and perhaps local to your area. If local veggies are not available look for organic veggies in your local supermarket as they are grown with less chemicals.
3. Gravy. Make your own gravy vs. the kind you can buy in a can. Not only will this save you a serving of BPA (which has been discovered to be present in canned foods, as it leaches from the can) but it also tastes so much better!
4. Stuffing. Consider using an all natural bread for your stuffing, either made from scratch or picked up from a local all natural bakery.
5. Coffee. Serve a fair trade, shade grown organic coffee after dinner as people are relaxing after the filling meal.
6. Pumpkin Pie. When making your pumpkin pie, search for a pumpkin or two that has been responsibly grown. Again if locally grown pumpkins are no longer available, search for an organic pumpkin as the growing process for organic vegetables uses a lot less chemicals and pesticides.
7. Drinkware/Dishes. ALWAYS use reusable plates, cups and utensils for all appetizers, meal and dessert, along with any drinks.
8. Football Games. When going to a football game of your old home team or your current home team, always bring with you a thermos and a Not a Paper Cup (or a BPA free SIGG bottle for cold drinks) . This will save you from spending money at the local coffee shop and buying a coffee in a paper or Styrofoam cup which will only be thrown away.
9. Carpooling. Are you traveling for Thanksgiving? Consider the other guests going and see if it makes sense to set up a carpool. This will consume less gas, less wear and tear on cars and on the road, and you will have great company to chat with along your route to dinner.
10. Leftovers. Does Noni (Italian grandmother) always send you home with leftovers? Plan ahead this year and bring your own containers for the leftovers. This eliminates having containers which will need to be recycled after you are done with them , or possibly even thrown away if they aren't able to be recycled.
11. Extra Hot Air. If you have no little ones around this holiday dinner, keep the oven open for a little bit after the turkey is done cooking. This will add a bit of warmth to the house and may help cut down on your heating expense for the day :)
12. Grocery Shopping. When grocery shopping for your produce, be sure to use reusable produce bags instead of the plastic bags provided by the grocery store. Don't worry if your bags get a little dirty, they can washed in the washing machine after you are done with them! The less plastic consumed the better the Earth will be!
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