Seven ideas to keep your Thanksgiving eco-friendly

Thanksgiving: Americans’ favorite holiday, a time to come together with family and friends for a delicious meal, and to express gratitude. Unfortunately, it can become a wasteful time.

Studies show that Americans produce 25% more waste between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. A big part of that is food waste, which ends up in landfills, releasing methane gas and contributing to climate change. Here are a few ideas to help keep your holiday sustainable and eco-friendly!

Cut down on food waste by planning ahead.

While everyone loves Thanksgiving leftovers, too much extra food usually results in some of it being tossed in the trash. You can reduce food waste with a little advance planning. Coordinate with your guests ahead of time so you know what everyone will bring (and ask them to bring reusable containers for leftovers!).

Shop local!

Shopping locally is eco-friendly because the less distance food travels to reach you, the less its environmental impact.

Shop at the farmers market for locally grown ingredients which don’t have to travel far, are super fresh and full of nutrients.

Making food from scratch, rather than buying packaged items, is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. When you go shopping, remember to bring reusable totes and skip the plastic produce bags!

Recycle and compost.

Your Thanksgiving feast doesn’t have to produce a lot of waste. Use reusable containers for leftovers, use cloth napkins rather than paper ones, and have a recycling bin handy. Tip: The aluminum tray that many of us use for baking the turkey is recyclable!

Thanksgiving is a great opportunity for composting food that is free from animal proteins. Composting is a sustainable way to reduce food waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden.

Include more plant-based options.

It’s no secret that meat production contributes to climate change. Even if turkey is the main event at your meal, you could reduce your carbon footprint by incorporating other plant-based dishes.

Try swapping olive oil for butter or use vegetable broth instead of chicken.

Or just ask your vegetarian or vegan guests to bring a few delicious plant-based surprises!

Set a festive mood with natural decorations!

You can create a warm, festive atmosphere in your home without purchasing seasonal decorations, which are often made from plastic and end up in landfills.

Instead, use natural items to create a cozy, autumn look for your table centerpiece — try colorful leaves, pumpkins, gourds, dried corn husks, apples, acorns, pinecones and pine branches.

You’ll save money by not splurging on decorations and be able to return everything to nature afterwards.

Travel more sustainably.

Millions of Americans travel for Thanksgiving — If you’re one of them, consider how to reduce your carbon footprint. Can you take a bus or train instead of flying or driving? If traveling for the holidays is too stressful or expensive, maybe skip it and plan to travel every other year.

Remember what you’re grateful for and pay it forward.

Helping others and giving back to your community is a great way to honor the spirit of Thanksgiving. You can donate to a local food bank, volunteer to help prepare food boxes for distribution, or serve meals. Think about your neighbors– maybe you could grocery shop for elderly community members who aren’t physically able (or just invite them over to join your feast!).

Volunteer work pairs well with Thanksgiving because it’s been part of our history and culture since day one. And what’s a more beautiful way to celebrate Thanksgiving than that?

Giving Tuesday is the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and it’s a great day to become a volunteer!

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