How to Host a Zero-Waste Thanksgiving
This Thanksgiving, host a zero-waste celebration to show your gratitude for the one thing we all have in common: Our home planet.
Hosting Thanksgiving can be stressful. From meal prep and table settings, to leftovers and decor, it’s easy to choose convenient options over sustainable ones.
While planning this years celebration, follow these five tips to host a zero-waste Thanksgiving.
Visit a Farmer’s Market
Take pride in knowing exactly how and where your ingredients were grown, and give your guests a taste of the seasonal produce sourced right in your community.
Shopping at local farmers markets helps support independent growers and promotes a circular economy. Food purchased from farmers also has a much smaller carbon footprint than those shipped into supermarkets and is usually package-free. Not to mention it’s the freshest in town!
Use Natural Decor
Skip on store-bought, single-use decorations and venture outdoors to find your Thanksgiving decor.
From pine cones and acorns, to baby squash and colourful leaves, these elements make great rustic centrepieces. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about the waste this decor produces because it can go straight back into your yard (where it’ll break down and provide nutrients to the soil). Plastic-free has never looked so good.
Refuse Single Use
Paper and plastic plates and utensils may seem more convenient, but the truth is they wreak havoc on the environment. Rather than add to the growing landfill and ocean pollution, use your own plates to serve guests.
If you don’t have enough tableware on hand, visit a nearby thrift store, or ask guests to bring their own. It may seem like an odd request, but your commitment to a zero-waste Thanksgiving will be a great talking point. For an extra special touch, choose washable cloth napkins – these really fit the holiday vibe!
Compost Food Waste
This Thanksgiving, show your respect for the planet by taking a few extra seconds to separate any food scraps from landfill trash. Since food that’s tossed in the trash and sent to a landfill creates methane – a toxic greenhouse gas – instead commit to composting it. If you don’t have a compost, ask your guests if they’re equipped, or better yet, start your own today. You can use the soil produced from food waste in your gardens, or donate it to community projects or farms.
Share Leftovers
Encourage guests to bring their own Tupperware containers or glass jars with lids so they can take home leftover food without creating unnecessary waste. Encouraging reusable food storage containers will eliminate the need for plastic cling wrap and foil, and takes the pressure off hunting down your containers after the event.
Sharing leftovers with your guests can also help ensure no food goes to waste.
These five tips will help you host a zero-waste Thanksgiving so you can celebrate what’s important, without the impact. Interested in living sustainably everyday? Check out our blog for some quick ways to get started.