Nov 17, 2008 5:56 pm US/Eastern
Go Green This Thanksgiving
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Looking ahead to Thanksgiving next week, a lot of us are in the process of nailing down the menu. And this year, more families are starting to add environmentally friendly traditions to their holiday.
Jennifer Taffart loves Thanksgiving. "Lots of people running around, lots of kids running around," she explains.
As hectic as it can get, she tries to be environmentally responsible at the holidays. "(You) can live your live everyday being green," said Taffart. "But if you make (the) traditions of your family green as well, I think it will stay with your children… You're passing it down to the next generation."
The first place to start is with the food you select. The average meal travels about 1,500 miles before it makes it to your table.
Buying local goods cuts down on the greenhouse gases caused by trucks, trains and other means of transportation.
And local flowers or leftover pumpkins make great centerpieces.
Even though they can be easy, try to skip disposable plates and cutlery. "In North America, over 40 billion utensils are thrown away, just in the landfill," explains Trevor Williams, editor of GreenMuze.com.
Williams says clean up can still be easy. In fact, today's dishwashers actually use less energy and water than hand washing.
When it comes to leftovers, make sure you use reusable containers and don't automatically throw the rest of the food away. Try putting them in a compost pile.
Taffart is grateful she's able to help the environment and still celebrate the holiday. "Every step we take to leave less of a footprint on the earth means our children will be able to enjoy it more."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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