Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
Luckily for you, it’s not too late to make sure that Thanksgiving at your house is as green as it can be.
We’ve already talked about 12 easy ways to green your Thanksgiving, but check out these other ideas from around the web.
I guarantee that you’ll find an idea you haven’t thought of yet.
The first step to having a greener Thanksgiving is to remember what it is we’re celebrating.
Greenzer reminds us that those first Thanksgivings weren’t about the pilgrims celebrating their abundance and bountiful harvest, it was about being thankful for the little that they actually had.
That may ring truer this year than others in the recent past for many people.
#1 – The Daily Green’s Fun Thanksgiving Ideas
Our friends at the Daily Green have a great collection of green Thanksgiving ideas.
Whether you’re looking for 9 vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes or why you should be drinking organic wine, they’ve got you covered… as always.
#2 – Earth 911’s 8 Green Thanksgiving Tips
Earth911 has some wonderful ways to green your Thanksgiving this year as well.
Something unique you’ll find there is how to execute efficient “crowd control” and not waste pounds and pounds of food. Check it out:
“At least 28 billion pounds of edible food is wasted each year – more than 100 pounds per person. One of the best ways to reduce your waste this Thanksgiving is to plan ahead for the meal and practicing portion control.
Use Less Stuff created a handy list of approximate per person food and drink portions:
- Turkey- 1 pound
- Stuffing- ¼ pound
- Sweet potato casserole- ¼ pound
- Green beans- ¼ pound
- Cranberry relish- 3 tablespoons
- Pumpkin pie- 1/8 of a 9 inch pie
After the meal, evaluate how many people were present and how much of each dish was consumed. By keeping track each year, you can make a more efficient, less wasteful Thanksgiving meal in the future.”
That’s a great tip right there!
#3 – Planet Green’s Ideas For Saving Money At Farmer’s Markets
Planet Green, as always, has one of the most conclusive guides to greening your Thanksgiving.
They recommend shopping for your non-perishables and staple items at your local Farmer’s Market about a week in advance:
“Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to hit up your local farmers’ market for organic, locally-sourced produce. Since these traditional recipes typically rely on food that’s in season, you can pretty much find everything you need in the way of root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams) as well as specialty items like honey or even beeswax candles to adorn your table.”
Go on, mozy on down to your farmer’s market. You’re going to find the quality much better and prices much lower than your grocery store.
You may even consider sourcing everything in your Thanksgiving meal within 100 miles of your home.
#4 – Alternative Consumer’s Tips For Planning Your Leftovers
The Alternative Consumer has one of my favorite green Thanksgiving guides this year.
I like their suggestion for planning to take home leftovers:
“Avoid plastic wrap. Most plastic wraps contain PVC which quickly winds up in landfills and has been linked to harmful environmental consequences. Use aluminum foil or, even better, send family home with glass or ceramic storage containers that they can return to you after. (The really conscientious may bring their own reusable leftover container, just in case”
Nice! I like the idea of bringing your own reusable leftover containers. If you’re the one hosting Thanksgiving this year, why not encourage your friends and family to bring some dishes or containers to tote home the yummy leftovers?
What are some of your favorite ways to green Thanksgiving this year?
I think every little step toward living green is an awesome one… but eco-snobbery sucks! My goal is to help newbies learn the most important steps toward living green — individually and collectively. Personally, I strive to have as little impact as possible on Planet Earth while I’m here.
