Green Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, so why not show the Earth some gratitude this year? Prepare an eco-friendly feast that even Mother Nature would be proud of. Here are some small things you can do to make a difference.

Bring Your Own Bag
Shop for the holidays with a reusable fabric bag. You’ll help reduce millions of plastic bags that make their way to landfills, waterways, and oceans each year.

Turn Down The Heat
With all the heat produced from cooking a giant feast, your house will be warmer than usual. Turn down the thermostat at least two degrees.

Let’s Talk Turkey
The big meal is over, so what will you do with all the leftover turkey? Don’t let it go to waste. Using the extra meat, make a delicious soup you can gobble down for several days.

Be Green By Giving
Help those who need it this holiday. If you have any extra food items or canned goods, take them to a soup kitchen.

Buy Locally
Produce travels and average of 1,500 miles before reaching your home.
Look for ingredients at a nearby farmers’ market to avoid harmful
emissions created by transporting food from far away.

Avoid Wasting Food
The number of garbage trucks Americans fill each year would stretch to
the moon. Create natural fertilizer by composting vegetable scraps.

Ditch The Paper Napkins
Use cloth napkins this year. Cloth napkins can be washed and reused, which saves trees.

Make Green Decorations
Make your own festive holiday table decorations. Create a colorful
centerpiece using fruit and vegetables that you can eat later.

By Allie Benjamin
Photograph by Daniel Dempster Photography/Alamy