How to Make Thanksgiving Sustainable

Thanksgiving is coming up and while it is often a time of excess, it shouldn’t be a time of waste. Let’s focus on what you can do to make your Thanksgiving get-together greener.

1. Go Reusable — Avoid disposable plates, flatware, glasses, napkins and food packaging. By using your regular dishes and reusable storage containers you save money and garbage.
2. Encourage Recycling — You’ll probably be serving wine, beer and soda at your dinner. Leave out labeled baskets or cans so your guests can easily recycle their empty containers.
3. Buy Local & Organic — Try the farmers market first. Buy local and organic ingredients that conserve more gasoline and keep chemicals out of the ground.
4. Carpool Guests — If you’re guests are coming from the same area, cut down on traffic, pollution and drunk driving issues by organizing a carpool.
5. Be Energy Efficient — Your house will warm up with all that cooking and all those guests. Keep the heat off if unnecessary and crack a window rather than running the A/C if it gets too warm.

Photo credit: Flickr CC User dracobotanicus