Sustainable living and shopping means acting in a way that cares for the environment. This includes choosing products that are good for the planet, as well as reducing waste and choosing local options. When you buy sustainably, you think about how the products were made and what will happen to them at the end of their useful life. By doing this, you support companies that do the right thing and you help make the planet healthier. We should all strive to make sure our actions are sustainable. Maybe you’re already taking small sustainability steps like recycling, or you’ve stopped using plastic bags, or you reuse your mug so you don’t continue to waste plastic cups. But maybe it’s time to go a step further and start living sustainably on a special occasion.
By thinking about a greener Thanksgiving, we can renew our tradition of honoring our loved ones and the Earth that cares for us. Here are some ideas for celebrating a more sustainable Thanksgiving in 2024:
- Buy local products: Start by buying your ingredients at local farms and farmers’ markets. This supports the local economy and reduces the carbon footprint generated by transporting food for long distances.
- Organic ingredients: If turkey is part of your celebration, you may be able to get organic turkey in Puerto Rico. These turkeys tend to be raised more naturally and don’t have the hormones or antibiotics that conventionally-raised turkeys sometimes have. Do the same with eggs, dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, and even fruits and vegetables.
- Recyclable utensils: Say goodbye to disposable plates and cutlery. Use ceramic plates or any material that can be reused. Not only will this add a special touch to your dinner, but it also helps to reduce the amount of trash.
- Take advantage of the leftovers: It’s normal to eat leftovers the next day, but if you have a lot of food left, consider distributing it to guests, storing it in the freezer, or using it for other recipes so it won’t go to waste.
- Takeout plates: If you plan to distribute the leftover food, ask each guest to bring their own container, so you can avoid using plastic bags or disposable containers.
- Compost the scraps: Vegetable peels and other organic material can be converted to compost instead of going in the trash. This compost can be a good fertilizer for your lawn and plants.
- Natural decorations: Use nature to decorate your table, such as leaves, branches, pumpkins, and pineapples. This creates a festive atmosphere without using decorations that are thrown away. If you already have decorations, reuse them each year instead of buying new ones.
- Shared transportation: If dinner is at your house or someone else’s, tell your friends to carpool. Not only will it relieve your street of cars from your guests and your neighbors’ guests, it also helps reduce pollution.
- Save energy: Not just because of how expensive it is, but also to help the planet. You can ask people to arrive later, when it is cooler, to avoid turning on the air conditioner. When cooking, you can also bake several dishes at once, and cover the pots while cooking so that everything cooks faster.
Celebrating a sustainable Thanksgiving is also a way to thank our planet for being a healthy place to live. By implementing these practices, not only do you care for the environment, but you also inspire others to follow your example. You’ll see that you’ll receive lots of praise for your commitment to a more responsible lifestyle.
