Thanks in advance for going green this holiday

Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away and now is the perfect time to gear up for a green holiday. Try simple tips for a stress free, eco-friendly Thanksgiving holiday.

Traveling | Before Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving Day | After Thanksgiving

Holiday Travel

• Skip the stressful holiday travel and celebrate an eco-friendly Thanksgiving at home. Not only will you save money, you’ll also reduce harmful emissions that contribute to global warming.
  
  
• Make sure your car is in good working order and tires properly inflated if you must travel. You will use less fuel and lower your emissions.
  
  
• If possible, carpool to your destination with another family.
  If you fly, consider purchasing carbon credits to offset your portion of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by your flight.
  
  
• Try traveling at off-peak times. Avoid traffic by traveling before 9 a.m. or after noon. Not only will you save time, you’ll also save money by not wasting gas being stuck in traffic.

Before Thanksgiving

• 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.
  
  
• Buy locally grown fruits and veggies for Thanksgiving dishes.  Locally grown food tastes better and requires less fuel to reach store shelves. Locally grown food also contributes more to your local economy, supporting local farmers as well as local merchants.
  
  
• Use re-usable plates, cups, utensils, napkins and tablecloths. Paper supplies can be expensive and typically end up in a landfill.
  
  
• Choose recycled plastic, renewable bamboo or biodegradable varieties if you must use disposable plates and utensils.

Thanksgiving Day

• Cook less. It’s easy to go overboard on Thanksgiving dinner. Ask yourself what dishes you can cut out or do without. Donate any leftovers to a homeless shelter.
  
  
• Cook several items at the same time. Just make sure you leave enough room for the heat to circulate around casseroles and pies.
  
  
• Don't open the oven door to peek at what's cooking inside. Opening the oven door lowers the temperature inside, by as much as 25 degrees, which increases cooking time and wastes energy. Use the oven light instead.
  
  
• Turn off the heater. Body heat will keep your guests warm, with no cost to you.

After Thanksgiving

• Wash a full load in the dishwasher. For extra efficiency, don’t pre-rinse the dishes and opt to air dry the dishes instead of heat drying them.
  
  
• Recycle all paper, plastic, glass and aluminum containers.
  
  
• Start a compost bin with Thanksgiving fruit and vegetable leftovers. The compost will enrich soil in your garden next spring.
  
  
• Donate your turkey fat to be turned into biofuel. A quick internet search will tell you when and where you can drop off leftover fat.  DO  NOT  attempt to make your own biofuel.

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