Green Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: Food. Family. Football. What a great holiday. You can make it even greater by adding some eco-friendly steps into your holiday routine. Just by changing a few habits, you can help reduce your carbon footprint. It doesn’t cost more to be eco-friendly either, it actually may save you money. So here are a few easy and effective tips to make your Thanksgiving greener:

1. Shop with reusable shopping bags. This is a simple way to reduce your waste. Reusable shopping bags are cheap; in fact, many companies give them away free as promotional items. (That’s how I got mine!) And they’re so colorful and fun! What’s not to love?

2. Use green cleaning products to clean your home. If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, try using green cleaning products to make your home spick-and-span. They are available in almost any grocery store, and they don’t contain harsh chemicals. Even your in-laws will be impressed!

3. Shop local. Farmers’ markets are a great place to shop for Thanksgiving produce. The food is locally grown and organic. Best of all, farmers’ markets are close to where you live. St. Louis is a Mecca for farmers” markets. Check out this directory to find one near you: http://agebb.missouri.edu/fmktdir/view.asp?region=5

4. Serve local libations. Luckily, St. Louis is also a Mecca for craft breweries. Try serving craft brews instead of the national macro-brews. They will impress even the toughest beer connoisseur. (But don’t forget to recycle the bottles and cans.) Find a craft brew near you: http://stlhops.com/st-louis-beer-guide/

5. Use real dishes. Sure, disposable plates and silverware are convenient, but they put a strain on the environment. Real dishes will give your Thanksgiving dinner a classier feel and will help cut down on waste.

The earth thanks you! Happy Thanksgiving!

By Lauren O”Brien

If you have some ideas for making the holidays greener, share them with me in the comments section below.