Thinking Green for Thanksgiving

Next week will mark the annual Thanksgiving dinner everyone will celebrate.  Here are a few tips to have a healthy, happy eco-friendly holiday for kids and adults alike:

DON'T purchase plastic, disposable utensils, cups, or plates.  Yes, the dish load to wash will be a major job at the end of dinner, but consider it a great way to share family time and catch up.  Plastic cups can really build up at these dinner parties because people put them down, forget which cup is theirs, and grab another, increasing the wasted plastic.  You could tap into your creative energy and buy really inexpensive glasses that fit your occasion.  From margarita glasses, beer mugs, or wine glasses, you can decorate them with the name of each guest so not only will your guests know which glass is theirs, but they'll go home with a fun party favor.  If you must buy cups or any other item, purchase corn-starch plates, utensils, or glasses.  At least then, those will be able to be composted.

DO recycle.  Set up recycling bins or bags in set recycling areas at your party.  If you must use cans/bottles, set up recycling areas specifically near that area so your guests know where to dispose of these items.

DO replace paper invitations with online invites.  Paper invitations can look great but let's face it, they usually end up in the trash.  You can design your own sophisticated online Christmas invitations, Thanksgiving dinner invites, Hanukkah invitations, and really any invitations for all occasions using online sites such as Evite or MyPunchbowl Design Studio.

DO buy organic pumpkin pie from a local farmers' market.  Food from local farmers' market is often less expensive than the supermarket this time of year and you'll be supporting local farmers which is great for your local economy.  Compost all food waste.

DO consider planning a 'game' time after dinner.  Activities keep everyone, kids and adults alike, in one main room and reduces the energy waste and light pollution that may occur with everyone scattered throughout the house.  Consider it family bonding time.  Or, set the kids up with a movie in one room, while the adults talk in the next room.  This way at least only two rooms are being used instead of any extra ones.  If the family is scattered around the house, decorate the house with candles to cut back on using electricity.

DO decorate "green".  Bring your party to life by decorating with plants and flowers.  You don't need expensive bouquets to make a statement with flowers.  Get a bunch of small vases and put one or two flowers in each of them.  Then you can even hand them out as party favors when the guests leave.  

DO  use a linen tablecloth instead of a disposable plastic one.  It will look nicer and you can reuse it time and time again.

DON'T purchase store-bought turkeys.  Not only are they unhealthy and filled with several different chemicals to keep it "fresh" for Thanksgiving distribution, they are also inhumanely slaughtered.  The Broad Breasted White is the standard market turkey available in grocery stores.  They are often times raised in large barns in massive numbers and slaughtered at 3 to 4 months of age.  These turkeys grow so large, they often have heart failure and may actually break their own legs under their own weight and suffer in pain until slaughtered.  There are several farms however that raise Heritage turkeys, which are hardy, disease resistant, intelligent creatures.  They aren't ready for market until 6 to 7 months of age- and that extra time gives them a flavor like no other - a real, honest-to-goodness turkey flavor.  They are naturally moist and juicy- no brining, larding, or other culinary tricks are needed for superb results.  Most of the store-bought turkeys taste a bit salty.  Farms such as Blue Oak Ranch raise the turkeys in a more humane, naturalistic setting and also hand slaughter the turkeys, which reduces the amount of "stressed" chemicals and endorphins released in the turkey's body.  Most store-bought turkeys are delivered by truck, sometimes by long distances, and cause the turkeys to be extremely stressed, which release these chemicals into their body which then transfer into yours.  Find a farm like the one above in your area and support humanely raised and slaughtered turkeys!

Use these tips for your Thanksgiving dinner and you'll have a green Thanksgiving holiday in no time!