Thanksgiving is a time for us to spend with our family, friends and others we are grateful to have in our lives. It is a time to gives thanks and praise and maybe even start a new "green" Thanksgiving family tradition. Here are some helpful and easy tips to have a green Thanksgiving dinner.
The day before Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the year, so do your part and stay at home. I know Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time you spend with loved ones, but maybe skip the stressful and chaotic traveling and lower carbon emissions as well. If you do travel to see relatives, make sure you car pool.
When making dinner, eat locally grown, organic food. Food that does not need to be packaged for a maximum shelf life tastes better and requires less fuel to reach the store. Locally grown food contributes to the economy of your county for farmers and merchants alike. Making an organic meal cuts down on pesticides and fertilizers used on your veggies. The food is healthier and better for the environment – not to mention organic farming prevents erosion, increase soil fertility, and produces higher yields.
Instead of going out to the store and buying decorations that have been sent over from China, make your own. Use shoe boxes, pipe cleaners, construction paper, and outdoor plants to make your own centerpieces. Use corn husks and other food to decorate your house and set up that Thanksgiving mood.
And always remember to recycle. Thanksgiving produces plastic, paper, glass, and all sorts of recyclable waste – so be sure to put them in their proper barrels or bring to the supermarket or local recycling center. Also, have reusable bags handy to buy all your Thanksgiving food and ingredients instead of using plastic and paper bags. In addition, try not to buy excess food. I know it may be hard to envision, but by not over indulging and letting extra food go to waste will help the planet in the long run.
I challenge you to try and use these easy eco-friendly tips on Thanksgiving day with your family. To learn more about easy ways to help the planet this Thanksgiving, watch this video from Fox 31 news, Go Green: Thanksgiving.
No comments:
Post a Comment