8 Sustainable, Earth-Friendly Holiday Ideas

With Thanksgiving celebrations in the making and Christmas feasts just around the corner, we'd like to spread the word on just how easy it is to combine sustainable, earth-friendliness with holiday cheer. From organic turkeys to green utensils, why don't you consider incorporating a greener outlook regarding this year's festivities. 1) Organic Cooking Ingredients Whether you're baking a pie with Farmer’s Market Organic pumpkin filling or using Wholly Wholesome’s Organic Whole Wheat pie shells, organic cooking ingredients provide an array of healthier dietary choices. If you like cooking from scratch, don't forget to choose organic, locally grown fruits and vegetables to create your sweet treat masterpieces and side dishes. 2) Set the Mood with Recycled Goods Recycled goods not only provide interesting pieces of décor at the dining table, but also encourage unique conversation amongst family and friends. At VivaTerra, this Birds on Branch Tealight Holder uses recycled metal with inviting leaf and stem features. Another eye-catcher is the carved wooden work of art (shown) called the Root of the Earth Wine Caddy. 3) Freshen Up with Flowers The sweet scent of fresh organic flowers adds color and delight to a holiday get-together with eco-bouquets and elaborate centerpieces. A few choices in fresh flower delivery include EcoFlora (in Toronto) or the popular Organic Bouquet, which offers Autumn Sunset Lilies, Autumn Grains Wreaths, and the Santa's Rose Bouquet. 4) Organic Wines and Liquors From the certified biodynamic wines of Frey Vineyards to the green beers of New Belgium Brewing, it's easy to serve organic and eco-friendly alcoholic beverages during the holidays. Choose wines with real cork stoppers over plastic versions, as trees are not lost in the manufacturing of cork. No need to stock up on bottled water, whose plastic containers wreak havoc in landfills. Invest in a decent water filter and freshen the taste with fresh lemons. 5) Green Utensils Each year, nearly 100 billion plastic, paper and Styrofoam plates and cups are disposed of in the United States – sending petroleum-based plastics, hazardous foam or chlorine-bleached paper to harm the environment. Don't become part of the problem – use green utensils. Some options include biodegradable, compostable spoons, forks and knives made out of corn, rice, sugarcane, and even potatoes. For example, ultra green goods offer tree-free sugarcane paper products that biodegrade or compost in 60-90 days, and cornstarch cups and utensils that biodegrade or compost in 150 days. Other green utensil companies include:

• Nature Friendly Products – Made from proprietary biodegradable resin.
• Biocorp – Manufactures cellulose fiber/limestone products
• VEGWARE US Inc. – Responsible for Plastarch (PSM), a thermoplastic resin made from natural starch.

6) Organic Tablecloth Dress your table in striking organic table linens. At Rawganique, choose from their organic linen and organic hemp collection that offers an array of colors, including Russett Orange, Olive, Indigo, and Ivory. Made in Europe from organic European hemp or linen, there are 18 different sizes to consider – all with matching table accessories, such as runners, place mats, napkins, and tea towels. 7) Bamboo Bowls and Plates When serving your infamous stuffing or jellied cranberry sauce, embrace the beauty and natural allure or bamboo bowls and plates – crafted from sustainable materials. With a range of colors and styles, you're sure to find items to match your personal style and home décor. 8) Pass on the Plastic Wrap After you've devoured your Thanksgiving meal, it's time to wrap your leftovers with care. The majority of plastic wraps on the market contain PVC – notorious for clogging landfills and threatening the environment. Use reusable leftover containers to keep food safe or reach for the aluminum foil, which unbeknownst to many – is completely recyclable! Image Credits: VivaTerra, ultra green, Wholly Wholesome, Amazon.com

Thanksgiving 2009: an Eco-conscious Affair

Today marks one week before America celebrates Thanksgiving. This historically based holiday is regarded as a joyous time to gather family, enjoy turkey, and eat in excess. While food is a large part of the Thanksgiving experience, for the luxurious, eco-conscious host or guest at a Thanksgiving affair this year, food is not the only way to green your Thanksgiving. Electricity Late November is often a cold time of year. While you certainly want all of your Thanksgiving guests to be comfortable, keep in mind that baking and other kitchen activities will warm up your house whether you adjust the thermostat or not. Planning ahead and turning down or off the heat while cooking is a great way to save electricity while still staying warm. When guests arrive, if you have a fireplace, you can save electricity and add ambience by starting a fire. Candlelight is also always a great way to create a luxurious lighting situation while saving on electric lights. These electricity saving ideas are ways to impress guests with your attractive atmosphere without appearing as if anything is being sacrificed. If anyone asks, however, as an eco-conscious host, you can stand behind keeping your electric bill and carbon footprint down. Centralize While at this point you might already have plans, potentially involving travel, for where to spend next Thursday, being with your friends and family is a great time to discuss future plans. Maybe next year you can plan to meet in a more centralized location. Or think about the travel involved in getting somewhere to celebrate Thanksgiving just weeks before you might be traveling there again to bring in the New Year. While most employers will give you at least a 4-day weekend, just because you have the time off does not necessarily mean you should spend that time traveling. Staying at home and inviting friend and neighbors to celebrate Thanksgiving is a great way to be eco-conscious. Additionally, you could spend your long weekend catching up with old projects and getting ready for winter. One important weatherizing activity is going around and feeling windows for potential drafts. You then can plug those gaps and make your home more heat-efficient. Planet Green has helpful details on how to do this. Waste When planning your feast this year, think about the waste involved. Avoiding paper or plastic cups or plates is a first step in keeping down your waste levels. Silver wear and napkins are also a great way to add sophistication as well as to conserve your party’s contribution to your local landfill. Another way to cut down on waste is to encourage people to be mindful about their serving sizes while still eating their hearts out. While you may think you can eat a half-pound of turkey in one sitting, if you take small pieces at a time, you will avoid leaving extra on your plate once you are full. If everyone can try to have a clean plate at the end of the meal, the amount of waste you collect will be close to nothing and the uneaten food can become leftovers. Another great thing to do with uneaten food, especially if you have much more than you could ever eat, is to donate it to a local shelter. Making a few calls before hand can inform you of how you should prepare the food to be donated. Another option for cutting down waste is to prepare tupperware to be given to your guests with the food they most enjoyed. Try collecting plastic take-out containers from now until Thanksgiving, giving them a good wash, and then you will have a wonderful gift which will help ensure that the bounty prepared for your family and friends will not go to waste. I hope these ideas will help you think about some of the easy ways you can make your Thanksgiving an eco-conscious and wonderful affair. Image credit: The Daily Green, Local Win, Community Action KY, Steve Neuman

Vegetarians, Vegans and Thanksgiving

When faced for the first time with the prospect of preparing Thanksgiving dinner as a vegan or vegetarian (or for vegan or vegetarian guests), many people feel slightly overwhelmed. After all, preparing a regular Thanksgiving dinner is daunting enough - or so conventional wisdom would have you believe. When you think about it a bit more, however, this problem is almost as odd as the common question, "What do vegetarians eat, anyway?" Considering that Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrating the (vegetarian) harvest, the question of which Thanksgiving foods are inappropriate is actually much easier to consider. The answer, of course, is Turkey, and anything with Turkey in it. While most vegetarians or vegans would be very happy with a traditional selection of vegetable "side" dishes, there are some entree options you should consider. The ubiquitous Tofurkey may sound a little funny, but it's actually quite delicious if you or your guests enjoy meat substitutes. If you're looking for a slightly more elegant solution, this pumpkin stuffed with wild rice sounds unique, seasonal and appetizing. When it comes to side dishes, most standards can be suitable for both vegans and vegetarians, provided that they are not prepared with turkey broth or baked in the turkey (or, in the case of vegans, prepared with milk, cream, butter, cheese, eggs, or honey). When you shop for your dinner, make sure to pick up some soy milk and creamer (or oat milk if you are concerned about soy), vegetable broth or vegetarian "chicken" broth, and non-hydrogenated soy margarine such as Earth Balance. You can easily substitute these ingredients into most recipes with little change in flavor. On the other hand, if you prefer to stick with whole ingredients, just use a good olive oil instead of butter to dip bread, enrich mashed potatoes, and top vegetable dishes. When it comes to dessert, most choices are suitable for vegetarians. For vegans, consider an apple pie prepared with oil or soy margarine instead of butter, or try a tofu pumpkin pie if you're feeling adventurous. Of course, vegetarians and vegans all have their own standards and preferences, so for the last word in meal planning, check with your own family and guests. (Creative Commons photo by Alice Popkorn)