How To Throw a Sustainable Thanksgiving What will you be thankful for this Thanksgiving?  Family, friends and health always seem to top the list.  Reducing your impact on the environment and educating others by example is definitely something to be thankful for!  Here are some great tips (I have gathered from various sites) to lessen your impact.  As you know, holiday time can create an abundance of waste and therefore a larger footprint.  Did you know that according to RecycleWorks,  “From Thanksgiving to New Years Day, household waste increases by more than 25%. Added food waste, shopping bags, packaging, wrapping paper, bows and ribbons – it all adds up to an additional 1 million tons a week to our landfills.”  If you have any other ideas that are not listed below, leave us a comment and share the knowledge! From Planet Green: Clean house Maybe you’re doing it, maybe you have help. Either way, using non-toxic cleaners can make your house sparkle without chemicals. Run out of sink or tub scrub? Mix up some baking soda and water (here’s a recipe we like). Wondering how to get your windows squeaky clean? Try vinegar and newspaper. These household staples really work-and you won’t run the risk of inciting a synthetic-fragrance induced allergy attack in your guests. EarthShare.org has great transportation tips: Holidays are the most traveled days of the year, and many of us find ourselves stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic when we’d rather be home and having second helpings of the feast. Whether you’re just heading to a friend’s house for dessert or traveling across the country to see your family, here are a few ideas to help you save money and travel efficiently. About.com :  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle To make your Thanksgiving celebration as eco-friendly as possible, start with the three Rs of conservation: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Reduce the amount of waste you produce by buying only as much as you need and choosing products that come in packaging that can be recycled. Carry reusable bags when you do your shopping, and use cloth napkins that can be washed and used again. Recycle paper, and all plastic, glass and aluminum containers. If you don’t already have a compost bin, use your Thanksgiving fruit and vegetable trimmings to start one. The compost will enrich the soil in your garden next spring.   The Big Green Purse: Turn down the heat. If all your holiday cooking doesn’t heat up your house, your guests will. Turn your thermostat down 3-5 degrees – no one will notice the difference. Earth 911 : When shopping for your Thanksgiving meal, keep two words in mind: organic and local. These keywords will guarantee a fresher, more nutritious meal. If you buy local, not only can you enjoy fresh food, but you will also support your local economy. Check for farmers’ markets, family farms, community-supported agriculture programs and U-Pick options in your area for the freshest produce, eggs, dairy and grass-fed meat. Also, consider buying organic wines to be more eco-conscious without sacrificing quality or taste.   UC San Diego Sustainability Solutions Institute: Stuff the fake stuffing, use bread instead! Stuffing may not have been served at the first Thanksgiving but it has certainly become an American favorite during the holiday season. These days, boxed stuffing seems to look more like cardboard than food. With tons of packaging, preservatives and additives, skipping the boxed stuffing is a great way to cool down your feast. Stuffing is a creative way to use up leftovers like vegetables and fruits from your fridge, and will be especially flavorful made with a loaf of bread from the local bakery.   Suite101.com Donate leftover food to a shelter or a food bank; call before your party to arrange pickup or delivery. Ask if they could also use your leftover decorations, gift boxes or bags, or recycled wrapping paper. Or, give leftover food to your party guests.   Looking for a few sites to find just the right recipes?  Here are some of my personal favorites that will permit you to celebrate your local farmers and allow you to celebrate the glory of real good food! NutritiousFamily The Daily Green Vegan.com  There are so many more ideas available so that you can throw a sustainable Thanksgiving feast.  We’d love to hear from you and how about sharing your favorite local produce recipe? Tags: about.com, carbon footprint, cardboard boxes, change, changes, climate change, donate, earth, earth 911, earth promise, earth share, earthkeepers, earthpromise, eco-friendly, energy, environment, environmental, environmental footprint, environmental issues, global, global warming, global water crisis, green, green challenge, green changes, green future, green living, green practice, green practices, green revolution, green tips, local produce, nutritious family, organic, planet green, recipes, recycle, recycle works, reduce, reuse, sustainable, thanks, thanksgiving, thanksgiving ideas, thanksgiving recipes, the big green purse, waste

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