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Sustainability Advocate Shares 5 Productive Ways to Make 2024 Thanksgiving Celebrations Eco-Friendly

With these simple cooking and decoration hacks, this year's Thanksgiving celebrations can become a 'zero waste' endeavor.
UPDATED NOV 19, 2024
An individual sits at the dinner table filled with Thanksgiving delicacies. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | The Good Brigade)
An individual sits at the dinner table filled with Thanksgiving delicacies. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | The Good Brigade)

Thanksgiving subtly ushers in the holiday season every year, urging everyone to count their blessings and cherish Mother Nature's gifts. However, the holiday cheers often culminate in concerning impacts on the environment. In the face of worsening climate change and resource exploitation, ‘Go Green or Go Home’ is a logic to abide by for the upcoming Thanksgiving. So, the idea of an eco-friendly Thanksgiving might be a way to give back a fraction of what is taken from nature. Canadian sustainability advocate Sarah Robertson-Barnes has some effective ideas to make your Thanksgiving gala eco-friendly and sustainable, as per The Optimist Daily.

Less is more

Picture of a Thanksgiving feast - stock photo
A wholesome Thanksgiving feast is kept ready on the dining table. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | ChristopherBernard)

Meals are the heart of any celebration. Cooking a turkey has been one of the most important Thanksgiving traditions for centuries, especially because of the bird’s abundance during the first celebrations, per CNBC. “Be deliberate about what you’re putting on your menu, right down to the last potato,” Robertson-Barnes suggests. Even though it is believed that turkeys are an ethical choice to feed bigger unions on occasion, it is important to plan carefully to avoid food wastage while making sure everyone is well fed. Appropriate planning of the menu shall allow the guests to cherish the limited food and make conscious choices about their meals. 


Sustainable decor

Autumn Dining Table Decor - Getty Images/stock photo (Credit: ChristopherBernard)
Autumn Dining Table Decor (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | ChristopherBernard)

Decorations are an essential part of Thanksgiving. Hosts often go out of their way to impress their guests with over-the-top decorations and expensive artifacts. However, for an occasion meant for gratitude and fulfillment, extravagance should be the least of one’s worries. Robertson-Barnes vouches for decorations using natural elements like gourds, pumpkins, dried corn, and pine cones. Creativity with natural table decorations and eco-friendly products and reusing items from previous celebrations could be a leap towards sustainability on Thanksgiving


Turkey alternatives

Turkey, stuffing, and cranberry dishes on the table. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Maren Caruso)
Turkey, stuffing, and cranberry dishes on the table. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Maren Caruso)

Toning down on carbon emissions by switching to plant-based meals is the way to go. Around 46 million turkeys are consumed on Thanksgiving, according to the USDA. In addition, an estimate of the CO2 emissions of a 20-pound turkey was revealed as 64 pounds. Our sustainability advocate suggests going for locally purchased turkeys or investing in organic, ethically bred birds. It not only brings about a chemical-free diet but also ensures animal welfare. Sustainable options may include organically bred turkeys, which are a bit pricey and heirloom, or heritage turkeys raised in outdoor habitats that are comparatively cost-effective. 

Manage leftovers ethically

Studio shot of turkey leg with potatoes. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Tetra Images)
Studio shot of turkey leg with potatoes. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Tetra Images)

With important celebrations comes the anticipated problem of leftovers. After a day of celebrating abundance, households struggle to accommodate heaps of leftovers. Robertson-Barnes says that creativity in dealing with leftovers can make Thanksgiving both fun and eco-friendly. Getting our family members to reinvent new dinner recipes using leftover turkey, ham, or other dishes can be effective.

Efficient Storage

Vegetables and leftover meals are stored in the freezer. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Bravissimos)
Vegetables and leftover meals are stored in the freezer. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Bravissimos)

When it comes to "zero waste" Thanksgiving, the freezer plays a crucial role. Our sustainability advocate advises us to make the most of our freezers to store leftover vegetable parts for broth-making and leftover Thanksgiving food for on-the-go dinners later. This not only avoids waste but also saves us from substantial spending and unnecessary grocery runs. Just a simple change can go a long way in making this holiday season an environment-friendly one. After all, we can honor our commitment to protecting nature while also not compromising on our celebrations.

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