In itself, a green Thanksgiving meal is not very different from any other green meal: only the ingredients change a bit. You should of course serve organic and local food as much as possible, and keep the packaging to a minimum while grocery shopping to reduce waste. But we have 5 less thought-of, practical ideas to help make your Thanksgiving just a little greener. 

1.  Opt For Eco-Friendly Tableware

One easy, green investment is to buy a 100% organic cotton (or hemp or bamboo) tablecloth with matching napkins. You can find them at nice department stores such as Macy's or Crate and Barrel. Also, Thanksgiving should be the occasion to take your nice china out of the cupboard. (Have a couple of people help you wash the dishes afterward). However, depending on the size of your event, disposable plates and utensils might be unavoidable, but do stay away from Styrofoam and plastic plates. If possible, purchase compostable ones, available at stores such as Whole Foods.

 2. Drink Organically 

When we think organic, we usually think of food (fruits, vegetables, meat, dairies) or light refreshments (juices, tea, coffee), but wine is an increasingly popular addition to the organic family. Organic wine contains no pesticides and less sulfites, if any, which could mean no headache the following morning for some people. To be called organic, a wine must be made with grapes grown without the use of pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides, or herbicides - all of which are harmful to the environment. Click here to find out more about organic wines.

3. Decorate Eco-consciously

It is very tempting to purchase the inexpensive and attractive Thanksgiving decorations that flood stores throughout the country, but do resist. Made of plastic and unknown chemicals for the most part, they are not only bad for the environment but also harmful to your health (such as scented candles or wreaths loaded with artificial fragrances). Go au naturel instead: freshly cut rinds of oranges, and mandarins added to a plate of nuts and cranberries will not only be esthetically pleasing but also refreshing, entirely biodegradable, and original.

4. Talk Green

Thanksgiving is different from other holidays in one major way: extended family members who haven’t seen one another in perhaps a year get to spend a few hours together… and butt heads over political and environmental issues. If you have taken a few steps on the green path, some relatives might look at you funny. The Sierra Club has conveniently and humorously put together a Holiday Survival Guide to arm budding and experienced environmentalists with answers to likely questions and predictable dinner-table arguments. Download it on your laptop so you can read it while waiting at the airport or sitting in the car. The more we discuss and communicate about green issues, the greater the chances to protect our environment, and our health.

5. Green Storage

You may not have the time to cook the perfect organic, locally grown Thanksgiving meal served in a Martha Stewart-like decorated home by Thursday. But you can make a difference when it comes to leftovers. A Thanksgiving meal can generate an amazing amount of foil and plastic wrap to store the leftovers, both poor environmental choices. Invest into glass dishes with fitting lids like Pyrex storing bowls. They are more expensive than plastic-made ones like Glad or even Tupperware, but they will last forever and will never retain any food smell.   

Happy Green Thanksgiving from JustLiveGreener!