Self Sustained Thanksgiving

Creating a Self Sustained Thanksgiving

A green Thanksgiving is an easy goal to achieve with just a little pre-planning. Learning how to achieve the best Thanksgiving with as little impact on the environment is the key to a green Thanksgiving.  There are several ways to accomplish this feat and the following tips are only a few of hundreds of possibilities to have a perfectly green Thanksgiving with the family.

A Green Turkey?  
Providing a turkey or ham that is raised nearby for a green Thanksgiving may not be easy in some cities or states.  The best technique is to search through your local markets and ask your grocer's for locally raised turkey. If you plan ahead you may be able to find something closer then you thought to your neighborhood. 

Packaging Awareness Less Packaging the Better For Green Thanksgiving

When purchasing for Thanksgiving, look for food items and other amenities with the least packaging. Whether it is eggs that are in simple trays purchased from the actual farm or vegetables purchased from the local farmers market. Put plenty of thought into what will be purchased for Thanksgiving and have a plan. The less gas used when rounding up the meal the better.

Silver ware Over Plastic Ware & Use Greenworks Dish Washing Liquid

Many suggestions regarding a green Thanksgiving suggest using biodegradable plastic ware. It makes more sense to use environmentally friendly dish washing materials than to purchase plastic ware (biodegradable or not) which is wrapped in a plastic bag. Silverware is already in the kitchen and can be cleaned with no impact on the environment when using biodegradable products such as Green Works.

Use Brita Filtered Water Pitchers or other Filtered Water Instead of Bottled Water
Many of us do not serve bottled water for the Thanksgiving meal but there may be bottled water in the house.
Make sure to only use filtered water and eliminate any trace of bottled water to create a green Thanksgiving.  Use glasses and water pitchers before and after as well as during the meal itself. 

Encourage Family Members to Carpool

Encouraging family members to carpool will help out in two areas. The Uncle that likes to tip back a few during the Holidays will have a ride home and everyone can carpool using less fossil fuels. A win-win situation for all family members involved will contribute to a green Thanksgiving.

Plan Thanksgiving Six Months Ahead by Growing Veggies in the Backyard

Planting a home garden timed to produce the second or third week of November is a plan for the those with the greenest of thumbs. If the plan goes awry before the day of the green Thanksgiving, it is always possible to fall back on the local farmers market.

Pumpkins are hardy and can grow through November as well as radishes, onions and carrots. Use the kids to go out and pick the fresh garden vegetables. This will involve them in the process of having a green Thanksgiving and maybe they will actually eat their vegetables.

sources:urbanext.illinois.edu

Happy Thanksgiving everyone :)