An Eco-Friendly-Thanksgiving
Reduce The Carbon-Footprint of Thanksgiving

This lowers the carbon footprint, cuts down onexpenses, and probably relieves alot of stresses too.

Most holiday celebrations and special events can be improved uponwith this idea in mind, and a green-thanksgiving is relatively simple.

Putting on an environmentally friendly party can be done with a bit of imagination and determination.


Decide if you are travelling or staying home.

Of course staying home will save tremendously on gas emissions, and cost of the trip. If you must travel, train travel is recommended when reducing carbon footprints.

If you travel any other way, purchase carbon offsets to make up for your emissions produced.


Eco-Friendly-Thanksgiving Celebration Decorations

If you like to decorate outdoors in an autumn theme, then many of your autumn decorations like straw-men, gourds, pumpkins, certain types of plants like mums, and sunflowers are already in place and lend themselves quite well to the Thanksgiving-holiday.

Natural decorations like red, orange, and yellow autumn leaves, pre-or post-halloween decorations serve as a relevant back-drop.

Leaves can be made into garlands, or surround a candle with them as decoration against glass. Pinecones are used as name-tag holders on a table; they can also be scented with cinnamon for a lovely scent through-out your home.

Corn in a glass vase can be used as an anchor to hold tall branches of autumn leaves as a bold, yet simple decoration.

Pumpkins can be hollowed out for candles, or stuffed with an oasis from a craft shop and filled with fresh flowers.

You can bring anything inside to make center-pieces, decorate your thanksgiving-table, or place them just inside your door. The great thing is, they are mostly all compostable or recyclable in one way or another and will not end up in the trash.

Menu and Shopping

Most importantly, do share your meal, and I'm sure for this holiday, you traditionally do already.

Ask everyone to bring something. They will be more than happy to contribute. Discuss this well in advance, to avoid people bringing duplicates of one thing, and not enough of something else.

Stick to the list of groceries on your list, and resist the urge to impulse buy. Try to not buy more than you will need considering how many guests you are serving. You are sure though to have turkey left from the meal.

Don't waste it or throw it out! Check out these great Leftover Turkey Recipes when turkey is ALWAYS better the next day anyway.

If you have never cooked a turkey before, are a beginner cook and slightly intimidated, this is the time to learn how to cook a turkey . Check out my dressing and gravy instructions too.


When it comes to your menu, you could opt for a fully vegetarian dinner like many people prefer nowadays as a truly eco-friendly-thanksgiving dinner.

Free-range or no turkey at all are options as well. Many people are dead set against cooking a turkey. On the other hand, it is one of those traditions that are very hard to break.

If you do cook a turkey, make sure you are educated about where it has come from, and how it was raised. This may help you to decide about which kind of turkey is the best to buy. The Free Range Turkey unfortunately in some situations, does not always enjoy a happy carefree lifestyle.

Are you a soup lover? Nothing like homemade soups, and with your leftovers, choose a Turkey Soup Recipe to try here. They are pretty good! Stretching your leftovers as much as possible makes for a very eco-friendly-thanksgiving, and greatly reduces your thanksgiving-carbon-footprint.


Cook as much as you can from scratch to avoid buying packaged or boxed items. It will take a bit longer, but it does cut carbon footprints, and will probably taste alot better anyway.


Using What You Already Have

As with any party that requires serving food, resist the urge to buydisposable plates, and napkins. It is money spent unnecessarily, andcan get expensive. These items will have to be disposed of too, don't forget. If you must buy disposable, at least buy paper, and no plastic plates. This is a great way to have a green-thanksgiving.

Don't use styrofoam cups, or canned drinks.

Rather, take a good look around your kitchen cupboards. Look for yourbrightest serving bowls, and platters. Try to picture them against a white or red or green tablecloth. Picture a center-piece that features a vase of sunflowers, some white candles, a few autumn leavesstrewn here and there.

Look at vases you have tucked away in a china cabinet. We all have those, don't we? Look at them carefully. What comes to mind when youthink in terms of flowers you may still have around?

Accessories in any color look classy against white. Be on the look-out for linen napkins as well. It won't cost you much to add them to a load of laundry.

Probably the easiest way to produce an eco-friendly-thanksgiving decoration, is to just use what nature has to offer.


General Reminders for your eco-friendly-thanksgiving

Keep in mind to do the following:
• Try to choose simple yet traditional recipes

• Buy local organics if possible and support local businesses

• Stick to natural sugars or sweeteners and berries

• Serve a higher percentage of fruits for an appetizer plate

• If you serve wine, make it organic

Don't waste a thing. Send your guests home with leftovers they will be sure to use up themselves if you won't. Give them a re-useable container,(they will appreciate it) and be sure to use these yourself instead of plastics and wraps you will throw out.


Give Something Back

Start a new tradition in your family. Go out and plant a tree with your children. Raise awareness with your children and in your neighbourhood about what you are doing to enhance and add some importance to your eco-friendly-thanksgiving celebration. Maybe the idea will catch on with others, and new traditions will start elsewhere.

Be sure to visit Free Thanksgiving Flyers and Lots More. Here you will find free flyers, games, activities and much for your Thanksgiving Family Entertainment.

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