Thanksgiving is just around the corner for some of us. If you celebrate it and are looking for ways to GREEN it up this year, here are some quick green tips to make your Thanksgiving & approaching holidays as eco-friendly as possible. 1. Turkey Compromise.
A) Buy an organic Free-Range Turkey. Check http://www.localharvest.org/organic-turkey.jsp to find an organic turkey near you.
B) Buy Locally - If you don’t happen to know a farmer, pull open your local yellow pages and look for a butcher. Most butchers will have access to turkeys raised less than 100 miles from where you live.
2. Organic. Buy everything you can buy organic, milk, meat, veggies, fruits, etc. This includes any boxed or canned items you may purchase. Remember to go online and search for Organic coupons. Check http://www.organicvalley.coop/coupons. This will help cut down the cost of your Thanksgiving feast.
3. Packaging. When you go to the store buy things that have the least amount of packaging and try to buy packaging that is environmentally friendly. And don’t forget to bring your reusable bags with you to the store!
4. Don’t cook so much. Yes, “it is better to have more than not enough” but is it really necessary to count 3 servings per person? Isn’t that a bit much? Think about all the left-overs you had last year and then cut down on that amount of servings if you are going to have the same amount of people over this year. Between the turkey, the many side dishes and the desserts there is plenty of food to stuff everyone and more. If you accidentally do make too much food or someone cancels, give the leftovers away to family and friends, Don’t let them mold up in the fridge.
5. Recycle. I know it goes without saying, but sometimes when family and friends are over recycling takes an extra effort. Make sure your recycling bins are clearly labeled. This is often a great time to share with less-informed family members why you choose to recycle and how they can easily help you to do so.
6. Dinnerware and silverware. It’s okay to use your good dishes or even your regular dishes for Thanksgiving. It is a celebration after all, but if the thought of washing so many dishes is terrifying look into biodegradable or bamboo disposable dishes. Check out http://www.greenyour.com/lifestyle/leisure-recreation/barbecue/tips/use-biodegradable-dishes-and-flatware for ideas.
7. Beautiful weather outside. A lot of bodies in one house can make the place warm so if it’s cool outside open up some windows to help the place cool down, instead of turning on the AC.
8. Decorations. Reuse your old decorations from last year in a new way or make some new ones using items from your back yard (leaves, branches, etc.). As always the Internet is a great resource for creative ideas.
9. Plant a tree. The Fall and Winter seasons are a great time to plant trees and shrubs so take this time to plant a tree and keep the green growing. In one year, the average tree absorbs roughly 26 pounds of carbon dioxide and returns enough oxygen to supply a family of four.
10. Compost. Fall is a great time to start if you don’t already, and composting will cut down on your waste by drastic amounts. Between composting and recycling it IS possible to make only 5 lbs of trash PER YEAR. Even if you’re not there yet, consider composting the leftovers from your dinner.
11. Travel Smart. If you must fly or drive to visit family this Thanksgiving consider purchasing carbon credits to make up for it. Or if you’re driving, use less fuel emissions by making sure your car is in good working order and your tires are properly inflated. If possible, carpool to reduce the number of cars on the road and lower the greenhouse gas emissions.
12. Donate your turkey fat. No, not the fat you put on from eating the turkey (though, wouldn’t that be great?), but the actual fat from the cooked turkey. Can you believe a Tucson-based company recycles Turkey fat into Biofuel? Check to see if a company in your community does too.
13. Say Thanks.
