Ellington

Thanksgiving's my favorite holiday by far; loads of food and family, without any of those pesky gifts to concern yourself with. Better yet, if you're a guest, all you've got to do is show up and stuff your gut! If, however, you do find yourself in the position of host or hostess for the big bird day, please take a few minutes to reflect on ways you might lessen the eco burden. This Thanksgiving, put a little less strain on mother earth, and give more thanks to her instead!

Let's start with the centerpiece of the whole holiday: the bird. You can easily get an organic turkey these days. Just remember to be a savvy shopper, and never buy a turkey simply because it touts itself as "free range" or "all natural". To be completely safe, you should look for a certified organic bird, such as one by Oregon Tilth, etc. Vegetarians, you're in luck! No guilt induced thoughts about the industrialized farm your bird may have come from; you can simply satisfy your hunger with one of the numerous low-impact plant based side dish options. Better yet, why not invite a group of eco-minded friends to your place this year for an [alt] turkey day? Ask everyone to bring their favorite meat free dish, and you provide the veggie main course!

Decoration should be simple and sustainable. Forget those expensive floral arrangements which are inherently a burden on the land. Think seasonally! Look toward nature and decorate your space and table with things you can easily gather from your own back yard or a walk through the park: fall leaves, acorns, pine cones, etc. Buy whole nuts and fruit from the market [be sure they're organic!] and create an edible arrangement that's not only eye pleasing but also satiating to your guests. I always have a bowl of nuts [with cracker and pick] and clementines to keep people busy while they gather in the kitchen. Pomegranates and other citrus fruit make for striking modernist arrangements as well. Don't forget, if you're going to burn candles, choose soy or 100% organic beeswax over paraffin.

As far as the rest of the table goes, try your best to keep it as green as possible. This is the time to pull out all of that inherited china and silver, or at the very least use your everyday ceramic ware. But please, do not paper plate or plastic cup it. Not only is this a tacky turnoff, but a big waste. All those plates, cups and plastic forks are just destined for a landfill. If you simply must us disposable dinnerware, then at least purchase compostable items or bamboo.

Don't forget the leftovers! Everyone will want a little of those. Instead of sending them home on said paper plates with tin foil, use mismatched bowls, plates and cups found for pennies at your local thrift store to package takeaways. An inverted saucer or plate set on top of a bowl and secured with a rubber band is an eye catching and sustainable alternative.

See? Being green [on Thanksgiving] is easy!