A gathering of gratitude shouldn’t come at the expense of the earth. That’s why we’ve put together a go-to Guide for a Green Thanksgiving to help you live colorfully and tread lightly this holiday season. So grab your reusable shopping bag (like our Market Triangle Bag), and your grocery list to make memories without leaving a mark.
Embrace a Sustainable Thanksgiving
At its essence, Thanksgiving is filled with excess. Traditional dishes to feed hoards of friends and family often end up as leftovers that go to waste. The USDA estimates nearly 35% of purchased turkey meat is wasted during Thanksgiving – with approximately 200 million pounds of turkey being tossed during the holiday. Between the travel emissions, single-use items, packaging waste, and energy consumption, “Turkey Day” isn’t great for the environment. Introducing: Sustainable Thanksgiving. Whether it's an intimate gathering of eco-conscious friends or a farm-to-table feast with family, Thanksgiving provides a perfect opportunity to embrace sustainable practices and create a memorable, eco-friendly celebration. Get inspired by our Kitchen Collection, featuring carefully curated sustainable products that enhance your lifestyle while minimizing your environmental impact. Let's make this Thanksgiving a truly sustainable and meaningful experience.
Intentional & Intimate
Cooking giant meals and hosting large gatherings can lead to increased energy consumption, which in turn can contribute to producing a higher carbon footprint. Intimate gatherings can be much more intentional by automatically reducing waste. Invite guests to come with their own containers, and consider stocking up on reusable Food Storage accessories. Eliminate paper goods and have easy-to-reach reusables on hand with an UNpaper® Caddy.
Waste-Free Recipes
When striving to waste not and want not, opt for recipes like a zero-waste vegetable broth. Made with vegetable scraps such as onion peels, carrot tops, and celery ends, zero-waste broth is made with water, garlic, and herbs for a flavorful base for soups, stuffings, and gravies. Clean up as you cook with soft, absorbent flannel fabric UNpaper® Towels. Pro tip: Save your seeds from vegetables, grains, herbs, and flowers for next year’s garden.
Sip Sustainably
Edible garnishes like citrus peels, fresh herbs, or berries are perfect for adding style to your holiday drinks while reducing waste. Whether selecting a local, organic winery for this season’s best barrel or mixing up a homemade mocktail, sip sustainably with reusable glassware, Stainless Steel or Bamboo Straws, and/or Glass Tumblers.
Put The Giving In Thanksgiving
Waste-Free 2023
In the words of Zero Waste Chef Anne-Marie Bonneau, “We may never reach the ZERO in Zero Waste, but that’s no reason to take ZERO action.” It’s not too late to pledge to be waste-free through the end of the year. Thanksgiving is an excellent opportunity to invite guests to explore an earth-friendly commitment, such as the Plastic Pollution Coalition’s Say ‘No’ To Single-Use Plastic Pledge.
Rethink Your Resolutions – Reduce & Reuse
Get a head start on your earth-friendly resolutions by: Buying in bulk; canning and preserving food; using low-tox or DIY cleaning products and glass bottles (check out our Spray Bottles & Covers); carrying utensils on-the-go (see our Linen Utensil Wrap); and being mindful of energy consumption throughout this celebratory season.
Bring One, Give One
Consider cooking for your local community kitchen or asking guests to donate to a drive for a good cause in your area. If you are having friends and family over this season, offer to be a collection site for used items or goods to help give back. Small, simple steps can make a big difference on the road to going green!
Celebrate with a Conscience
The holidays are a great place to start reducing your environmental impact by avoiding food waste, recycling and composting as much as possible, and joining forces with your best friends to find gratitude while going green. May your Thanksgiving this year keep your bellies full, your carbon footprint down, and your hearts warm for seasons to come.
