Being eco-aware is everyone’s job, so involve your family, friends, and neighbors too. Here are some tips for creating good eco-habits, while having a deliciously good time. 

Go local and orgo

Each ingredient in the average Turkey Day dinner travels 1500 miles to get to your table. Talk about an insane carbon footprint! Organic can get expensive but you don’t have to buy everything organic, just those foods that are loaded with pesticides, chemicals, additives and hormones. Check out our list here [3].

Skip the gobble gobble

Turkeys are often given hormones to speed up growth and antibiotics to resist disease, and pesticides are used to grow the grain fed to the animals. All these chemical pollute our groundwater and rivers, and aren’t too good for our bodies either. So how about holding off on the turkey this year? Vegetarian meals have a much smaller impact on the planet, and with so many veggie recipe options, you won’t even miss the big bird.

Ban paper and plastic

If every family in the U.S. bought one less package of paper plates a year, we could save almost half a million trees. Help out by using reusable plates, utensils and cups. If reusables don’t work for you, try cutlery made of 100% post-consumer waste recycled paper, sugarcane, or corn – and all are compostable, to boot. Don't forget to stock up on reusable containers for the mountain of leftovers.

Decorate with nature

You can create beautiful centerpieces with stuff from your own backyard. Think: pinecones, evergreen branches, etc. 

Remember the three R's

Keep the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra in mind even when the fiesta is over. Don't buy more than you need and shop with reusable bags. Give new life to things you used: like those spaghetti sauce jars can be used for leftovers, and don’t forget to return your natural décor pinecones back to nature.

Compost the scraps

You can compost anywhere these days. It’s simply allowing organic matter to decay and returning it to the soil instead of tossing it in the garbage.

Collect for others

Keep the cans of green beans, carrots, and other non-perishables that your family doesn't end up using. Encourage everyone to bring it to school so that you can donate the cans to those in need [4].

Stick to home base

Millions of Americans travel for Thanksgiving every year – creating a massive amount of air pollution. Consider choosing a central location for your family get together that’s close to all the revelers. Use public transportation if you can, or if you’re leaving town, travel by train or bus. If your destination is too far-flung, go for an airline with environmental policies in place. 

Skip Black Friday

The busiest shopping day of the year is a waste of gas! And do you really want to spend your day battling crowds when you could spend it relaxing with your fam? We didn't think so. Instead, choose to give back with #GivingTuesday [5].

Create a new tradition

Rescue a turkey from a thankless fate at the dinner table by providing one with a safe, loving home. Check out FarmSanctuary.org [6] for details.

Sources:

Tree Hugger [7]

Planet Green [8]

The Daily Green [9]

Best Green Home Tips [10]

About.com [11]