Use the Thanksgiving holiday season to try new things, especially when it comes to living green. Taking sustainable steps to help the environment is the perfect way for giving thanks for the planet.
Use our five tips to make your Thanksgiving holidays part of living sustainably.
1. Take energy efficiency seriously
Since there’s a reprieve from the sweltering heat, and juggling summer vacations are a thing of the past, try tackling a home-improvement project to boost your home’s efficiency.
The blog 4 Key Fall and Winter Energy-Saving Tips for the Home has seasonal suggestions for a more energy-efficient home. Don’t worry—it’s all do-it-yourself type of projects. No handyman needed.
Energy efficiency and conservation go hand in hand, so check out our Conserve Collection for great eco-products that save natural resources. Find products designed for water conservation, energy efficiency or solar power when you sign up for a 100% pollution-free electricity plan.
2. Try clean transportation
Consider pedaling to your pigskin parties. Whether you’re into college or professional football, try bicycling to your buddy’s house to watch the game.
Since bicycles don’t need fuel or toxic oils, they’re an emissions-free mode of transportation. And this makes the environment very happy.
If you must drive (maybe you’d have to take a freeway to your friend’s house), consider offsetting your vehicle’s driving emissions with the Green Mountain Driver program (in Texas only). You’ll need to be a Green Mountain Energy customer to take advantage of this eco-benefit, so start deciding what clean electricity plan works best for you.
3. Eco-friendly camping, have a crack at it
The first Thanksgiving was a celebration of what nature provided during the harvest. Reconnect with the holiday’s meaning by venturing into the wilderness and getting in touch with Mother Nature. It’s is a good way to appreciate what our planet has to offer.
4. Give organic a go
Feast day has arrived—it’s Thanksgiving! Before you gobble, gobble up three slices of pie, be sure to get your turkey from a local farmer’s market. You’ll lesson your carbon footprint and support a more sustainable source (than the grocery store).
Opt for organic foods to help cut pollution and CO2 emissions required for food transportation. You’ll also cut out harmful pesticide residue.
Don’t forget to minimize waste by using your compost pile, sending leftovers home with guests (but don’t reach for Styrofoam or plastic wrap; reusable or glass containers are better for the environment) and donating unused canned and dried foods to local food banks. You’ll help cut down on methane gas emissions in landfills.
For more ways to avoid food waste in your home on Turkey Day and any other day of the year, read the blog Stop Food Waste in Your Home.
5. Leave an eco-legacy
During the season of thanks, take action to show the planet you care. You’ll be an eco-example to those around you—like your kiddos, our future generation—about doing your part to protect the planet.
Enjoy evening walks outside (see if they know why the leaves change color), ask them for help with energy-efficient projects around the house (see #1 above) and set up a composting bin together. It’ll be a good repository for all those Turkey Day scraps that pile up when cooking the big feast.
Now that you know how to green up your Thanksgiving holidays, make a year-round commitment with clean electricity from Green Mountain Energy. Find a 100% wind or solar electricity plan that works for you. It’s the perfect way to give thanks for the planet every day of the year.
