Thanksgiving, with its emphasis on gratitude and spending the day at home, may seem like a naturally easy day to be “green.” However, the tendency towards excess can offset a little of that sustainable behavior! This Turkey Day, we’re here to help with our Top 5 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving.
Our Top 5 Tips For An Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving
1. Be Picky About Produce (And Everything Else!)
When you’re stocking up on ingredients for your feast, try to support farmers by shopping for local, organic produce at your local farmer’s market. Not only is organic food super nutrient-dense (and delicious), but organic farming practices improve the health of our agricultural land. Organic items are expensive, so if you are prioritizing, definitely spring for an organic, free-range turkey, as, among other reasons, it could lower your exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria! For the most bang for your buck, check out the EWG’s Guide To Pesticides In Produce, and figure out which produce varieties to purchase organic or if they’re safe to snag the conventional option. Not cooking? Seek out local or organic wine to bring as a host/hostess gift. Whatever you’re shopping for, don’t forget your reusable shopping bags, like these BeeGreen Bags that come in a rainbow of colors!
2. Reuse!
One of the biggest steps towards an eco-friendly Thanksgiving is to simply use your reusable cookware, dinnerware and cloth napkins like these, or these beautiful, colorful linen napkins from Marley’s Monsters. If you’re hosting a crowd and need some flexibility, try to source compostable disposable options that are made of materials like bamboo or recycled paper.
3. Scent Your Home Safely
Scented candles have to go for a lot of reasons, which we expound on in detail here, including that they are considered an indoor pollutant by the EPA. but if you must, go with an eco-friendly option like those made with waxes that do not contain paraffin, like these coconut wax candles, or 100% beeswax candles. Even better, try scenting your home naturally by boiling water with spices, or even cooking up a mulled cider for your guests to enjoy!
4. Limit The Leftovers
We know, we know…part of the fun is making that delicious Thanksgiving leftover sandwich the next day. An eco-friendly Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you’re losing them entirely, just limit them! With all the options for desserts, appetizers and everything in between, it can be a little much, especially when you consider that 30-40% of food in our country is wasted. Yikes. Plus, your guests will thank you when they actually have room for pumpkin pie!
5. Take Your Shoes Off
It’s sad, but true: we’re exposed to some very un-friendly toxins in our own homes. It might feel awkward at first, but asking guests to leave their footwear by the door is more and more common, which is a great thing, because shoes track in all kinds of hazardous toxins. It also reduces the mess, which helps avoid using harsh carpet and furniture cleaners, which are loaded with chemicals that are harmful to humans and our aquatic life.
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Here at Force of Nature, we are so thankful to be a part of our customers homes, on Thanksgiving and every other day of the year. It’s why we’re always thinking of ways to help our customers reduce toxin exposure to their families, and to our environment. And it’s why we created our revolutionary cleaning system, Force of Nature, to help you keep your home clean and disinfected in a family-friendly way. Happy (Eco-Friendly) Thanksgiving, friends!
