Monday, November 24, 2014

Seven tips for a green Thanksgiving

Americans throw away 25 percent more trash during the Thanksgiving to New Year's holiday period than any other time of year. The extra waste amounts to 25 million tons of garbage, or about 1 million extra tons per week! We've got a few tips to help cut down on the extra waste and some other green ideas. 



TAKE A REUSABLE BAG
Why not showcase that cute canvas bag and leave the plastic behind? Look in your pantry, closet, or car and grab that bag to tote to your event. 










TRADITIONAL OR COMPOSTABLE  PLATES
Cut down on waste to the landfill. In many communities, food soiled paper plates are not recyclable. Use traditional plates for your Thanksgiving day meal to reduce waste. If you live in an area that composts, try using eco-friendly paper plates and cutlery. If you do use traditional dishes, think about using green cleaning products.









CARPOOL TO THE FEAST 
Traveling to the feast? Pick up a cousin, niece or friend en route for a ride along. If someone has an electric car that doesn't emit pollution that's a great choice, too. The fewer cars we put on the road means less carbon pollution in the air we breathe. What about biking to your holiday event? You'll feel great after a little exercise.





DON'T OVERFILL YOUR PLATE 
The amount of food waste from Thanksgiving is quite astonishing. The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that Americans throw away 40 percent of their food every year. Send less food waste to the landfill. Think about how much you put on your plate. Your waistline will thank you too. 




POUR WATER WITH CARE
Rather than fill every glass at the table, set out a pitcher of water. Let guests pour as they need. You can also water your plants with water left in glasses.








EASY-TO-USE RECYCLE BINS
Make your recycle bins easy to use and clearly label them. Your guests can help you keep waste down.   






GUESTS BRING LEFTOVER CONTAINERS
When firming up your RSVPs, ask your guests to bring some containers for leftovers. You'll cut down on food waste by sharing the turkey and other goods. 












No comments: