Five Ways to Keep the Planet from Going to Waste this Thanksgiving
When it comes to celebrating holidays, Americans have a reputation for excess. Whether it’s ornate decorations, over the top gifts, or elaborate feasts that all but guarantee early afternoon naps, there’s no part of a holiday celebration that we can’t make bigger, bolder, or louder. But our penchant for excess doesn’t leave the planet feeling particularly festive — and there’s no better example of the impact of our excesses than that of the most quintessentially American holiday staple: the Thanksgiving table.
Throughout the year, Americans waste food at an alarming rate, with over 60 million tonnes of food getting tossed each year in the United States. That means we’re throwing away roughly $165 billion worth of food each year — with $293 million of that being gobbled up at Thanksgiving alone.
So, let’s talk turkey. What can we do to reduce the carbon emissions associated with food waste, especially around holidays like Thanksgiving where the idea of excess consumption is often as welcomed as the idea of that second slice of pie?
It’s not about skipping the holiday or giving up any family traditions — there are some simple ways that you can still enjoy those amazing holiday meals in ways that minimize food waste and reduce their impact on the planet. So this year, before you gather to give thanks with your loved ones, spend some time thinking about how you can gather better.
Here’s how.
Plan for portions
The easiest way to avoid food waste is, quite simply, to not waste food. Close to 40% of all food in America is wasted each year, and holiday celebrations are major contributors to the problem. Every Thanksgiving, the amount of turkey wasted each year generates a carbon footprint equal to 800,000 cars driving from Los Angeles to Florida. This year, ensure that both your guests and the planet are happy and healthy at the end of Thanksgiving dinner — with a little planning, preparation, and pre-meal coordination you can make sure you and your guests are preparing a perfect amount of food and minimizing your collective food waste. Not great with math? Check out this “Guest-imator” from our friends at the NRDC for an easy way to perfect your portions plan.
Show leftovers some love
Aside from maybe that post-meal nap, nothing says Thanksgiving like leftovers. Ensure that you’ve not only got plans for what’s left (Soup! Enchiladas! Sandwiches!) but that you’re ready to share the remaining bounty with your guests. Stock up on (or use your existing) environmentally friendly storage containers and provide your partygoers with some readymade meals that’ll have them enjoying your holiday meal long after the last dish has been washed. Don’t feel like sending your best glass containers all over town? Borrow a move from our pals at Thistle and provide some sustainable or recyclable containers for your guests’ traveling convenience.
Don’t forget to veg out
When it comes to fighting climate change, the best answer to the question “White meat, or dark meat?” is “Veggies, please!” But we get it: turning away from turkey on Thanksgiving is a bridge too far for most folks. If you just can’t live without the poultry this year, at least make sure your bird has been sustainably and locally raised — and then work on ensuring your side dishes have more of a flora than a fauna focus. According to Project Drawdown, reducing our food waste by 50% and focusing on a plant-based diet could help us avoid up to 26.2 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The freezer’s your friend
Your grandma was right — if it can be cooked, it can be frozen. If for some reason you’re still surrounded by leftovers after all your careful planning, just take a page from her book and make liberal use of your freezer. Make stock with the scraps, or just pack that extra food up tight and prepare to savor some comforting Thanksgiving flavor when winter rolls around.
Offsets
In spite of all these tips, we realize that making your Thanksgiving gathering completely carbon-neutral is going to be tough to do without some help. Even with careful planning and calculated grocery store runs, you likely won’t be able to reduce it all on your own. But you can do your best, and you can offset the rest.
That’s where we come in — by supporting one of Cool Effect’s carbon emissions fighting projects, you can make your Thanksgiving meal one that you, and the planet, will feel extra thankful for this year.
