Thanksgiving is not only a time for family and friends but also a celebration of the environment and all it provides for us. You can make it truly sustainable by following these tips:
- Get Active: Get outdoors and work off that second slice of pumpkin pie! National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has tips for winter hiking and suggestions for great cold weather trails so you can tell your family to take a hike and not get in trouble.
- Feast on local, seasonal foods: Fruits and vegetables in season for the late fall don’t need to be trucked around the country, and your purchases support your community. Use the Eat Local tool from EarthShare member organization Natural Resources Defense Council to find farmers’ markets your area, and then visit American Farmland Trust to learn why supporting local agriculture is so important.
- Use natural decorations: Forgo craft store supplies for beautiful, biodegradable decorations you can find in nature. Pinecones, gourds, leaves, and acorns are just some of the materials that can add seasonal ambience to your dining room.
- Seek out an authentic heritage turkey… Because industrialized turkeys are specially bred and raised with hormones to force them to gain weight very quickly, heritage birds are smaller, have less meat, and are closer to wild birds. It may not be that easy to find a true heritage bird and they have to be ordered ahead of time. Start with Heritage Foods USA.
- …or go meatless: Most of your Thanksgiving feast is meatless anyway. Why not try some of the countless vegetarian (meat-free) and vegan (free of all animal products including dairy) alternatives to classic Thanksgiving recipes?
- Compost kitchen scraps: All those squash peels and carrot tops could be working to enrich your potting soil. Invest in a compost bin and turn your kitchen scraps into something useful instead of throwing them away.
- Don’t forget about the leftovers: Americans waste almost 40% of all edible food, much of it through improper storage. Here are our tips to help you and your family reduce food waste.
