Tips for an Environmentally Friendly Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving dinner is a time to enjoy plenty of delicious food with the company of family and friends. This Thanksgiving think about the environmental impact the dinner you prepare has, and lessen that impact as much as is possible. Thanksgiving is a celebration of the bounty provided us by God through nature. Keeping the ecological order as close to natural as possible will help to preserve this bounty for generations to come. These suggestions will help you to make a few little changes, that when done by many people, can do a lot for nature. Forward this article to friends and help to make a bigger impact!

Recipes

Select recipes that have the lowest energy and resource input as possible. Things to consider include shipping distance from point of production, water consumption and the amount and type of food required to raise an animal. A turkey takes less energy and resources to produce than does a cow, so turkey is a good meat choice. When you stuff that turkey, try to resist the urge to fill it with a stuffing that includes another type of meat. Use a mix of vegetables, nuts, breads and seasonings instead.

Reusable Shopping Bags

If you have not done so already, purchase some reusable shopping bags to carry all of your groceries home. This will reduce the number of plastic bags that accumulate underneath your sink, and keep them out of landfills and from blowing around as litter. If you carry raw meat packaging that leaks, be sure to wash your reusable grocery bags to prevent any potential health risks.

Buy Local and Natural

When it comes to food, try to purchase groceries that are locally produced. You might be able to find a locally raised and processed turkey at a local butcher shop. It might be a little more difficult to find locally grown vegetables at this time of year, but try to purchase the vegetables that traveled the least distance from the store. This is also true of wine. Essentially, if you live to the east of the Mississippi River, buy wine from France. If you live to the west, buy wines from California. Additionally, buying non-GMO (genetically modified organism) food will help to maintain sufficient biodiversity, thus increasing ecological resilience.

Buy Recycled and Recyclable

Use unbleached napkins made from recycled paper. This will help nature in two ways. First, buying recycled napkins limits the number of new trees cut to produce napkins. Second, buying unbleached napkins reduce the amount of chemicals that have to be disposed of. These chemicals have the potential to leak into the environment, and disrupt the health of the ecosystem. You should also try to select packaged foods with the highest amount of recycled paper. Considering whether packaging is recyclable after you consume the product should be another factor.

Hopefully these tips will help to make your Thanksgiving a little greener!