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Many of us are looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday this month, to gather with family and friends around the dinner table and celebrate the bounty of the earth. This year, give thanks to family, friends and future generations by introducing a new tradition of environmentally responsible practices.
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- Plan Ahead
Portion Control Your Feast - Use the Thanksgiving shopping calculator to ensure that you're buying the appropriate amount of food. By entering the amount of guests (turkey-lovers and vegetarians) along with a few more variables, the sheet gives you a better sense of how much food is needed for the big dinner and the week's leftovers.
- Local Foods
Buy Local Foods - The closer the food source means less fuel was used for the food to get to your dinner table. Keeping the food close to home is good for the environment and for supporting local agriculture.
Farmer's Markets:
- Historic Park at the Irvine Ranch
13042 Old Myford Road, Irvine
Every Tuesday:9 AM - 1 PM (rain or shine)
- Irvine Center on the corner of Bridge and Campus (across from UCI)
Every Saturday: 8 a.m. - Noon (rain or shine)
Local Farms:
- Minimize Plastic and Paper Waste
Bring a Reusable Bag - One bag probably won't hold all the ingredients for your feast, so make sure you are prepared. Reusable bags are becoming a staple of our lifestyle; most grocery stores including Vons, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Ralphs and Albertsons sell inexpensive cloth totes as alternatives to plastic and paper bags.
Slim Your (Packaging) Waste - Find the items with the least amount of packaging and try to buy packaging that is environmentally friendly with recycled and/or recyclable materials.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Recycle as much as possible Paper, plastic, glass and aluminum containers are all eligible. For a complete list of what's recyclable visit the Recycling page of this web site.
Reuse your leftovers Save bones to make flavorful stock and keep necks and giblets for gravy. Visit Real Simple and the Food Network for creative ideas for leftovers.
Reduce waste by composting If you don't already have a compost bin, use your Thanksgiving fruit and vegetable trimmings to start one. The compost will enrich the soil in your garden next spring. Visit the Zero Waste section of this website for steps on how to start a compost bin.
- Travel Lightly
Consider staying close to home and inviting relatives, friends, and neighbors to dinner, rather than spending your budget on high-emissions travel to faraway places.
- Plant a Tree
Winter season is a good time to plant trees and shrubs so take this time to plant a tree and keep the green growing. You can purchase your own tree at any local garden center or work with a non-profit. Treepeople is an organization that trains and supports communities to plant and care for trees
- Eco-friendly Decor
Make your own decorations by using as many natural and recycled materials as possible. Visit the following sites for instructions on how to create a: pinecone turkey, a pinecone wreath or a pinecone centerpiece.
- Organic Turkeys
Purchase a turkey that is of a free range or heritage variety. Most of the turkeys sold in stores today are raised in unnatural and confined conditions while being given a diet of grains and supplements as opposed to the grubs and grasses they should be eating.
Locations Near You:
- Whole Foods
14945 Holt Avenue
Tustin, CA 92782
(714) 731-3400
*Sells free-range turkeys as well as organic fruit & veggies.
- Mother's Market & Kitchen
2963 Michaelson Dr.
(949) 752-6667
*Sells free-range & heritage turkeys as well as organic fruit & veggies.
- Bristol Farms
810 Avocado Ave
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 760-6514
*Sells free-range & heritage turkeys as well as organic fruit & veggies.
- Order Online:
Willie Bird Turkeys
- Why Organic?
Organic fruits, vegetables and grains are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers; organic meat is produced without antibiotics and artificial hormones. The result is food that is better for your health and the health of the environment. Organic farming also produces higher yields, increases soil fertility, prevents erosion, and is more cost-effective for farmers. For more information on the benefit of eating organic and heritage turkeys, click here.
- According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Americans, on average, increase their garbage amount by 25% between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, kicks off the holiday season and is the busiest shopping day of the entire year
- In reaction to this celebratory consumption, consumerism and traffic jams, Adbusters Media Foundation asks all of us to participate in Buy Nothing Day. The name implies not buying anything at all for 24 hours, but it is really about starting (or reconfirming) a life-long commitment to efficient consumption and producing less waste. Founded by Vancouver artist Ted Dave 14 years ago, Buy Nothing Day is a global phenomenon and a great opportunity to reevaluate your relationship to the things you already own and the things that you are planning to buy.
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