Saint Patrick’s Day likely comes to mind when someone says “green holiday,” but it may be that Thanksgiving is your best opportunity to celebrate sustainably.
When you’re planning your holiday, remember the transportation nightmares that travelers will encounter and encourage your guests to utilize public transportation whenever possible. Try to choose a host location that is convenient for as many of your guests as possible and organize carpools to keep carbon emitters off crowded highways.
When it comes to the menu, remember that the first Thanksgiving was a collaborative celebration between Native Americans and the Pilgrims who shared a bountiful local harvest. (The Wampanoag Indians and the Pilgrims shared what historians consider the only harmonious relationship between indigenous American peoples and British settlers.) Stick with the tradition and patronize local markets. (If you can get away with it, eliminate the meat and celebrate the holiday with a vegetarian feast.)
Once you’ve gathered your harvest, it’s time to make use of the kitchen which is likely buried somewhere under take-out menus. While peeling, stirring, and mashing, consider how cooking reduces waste by keeping packaging from frozen and single-serving meals out of landfills. Also consider the nutritional value of fresh and local versus far away and frozen. And while you’re in the kitchen, dust off Grandma’s china and set the table with real dishes, silverware, and glasses instead of paper or plastic.
If you’re playing host, decorate naturally with corn stocks, pumpkins, and gourds that can be composted or eaten after the celebration. Use seasonal spices (fresh and locally grown), dried berries, and cinnamon sticks for potpourri. If you’re not playing host, but bringing a gift, consider wine or cider from a local vineyard or orchard. Your gift will be used and reused as a vase or container.
And, of course, don’t forget to offer up some thanks for family, friends, and each part of the agricultural model from planter to picker who made your green holiday possible.
