Do Better This Thanksgiving: Reduce Food Waste for a Greener Celebration
As the season of gratitude starts, we encourage you to reflect on your Thanksgiving traditions and the significant impact you can make to reduce food waste this holiday and beyond.
According to a recent report from ReFED, Americans are projected to waste nearly 312 million pounds of food this Thanksgiving alone - the estimated equivalent of 710k metric tons of CO2e, which is like driving your car 73,109 times around the Earth’s equator. #Wasteful!
We can do better! Let’s make this holiday of abundance one of conscious sustainability as well.
Diane Kress of Wayne State University points out that of all the days, Thanksgiving and its traditions rank the highest for generating excess food waste (the Super Bowl follows closely as the second-highest contributor to food waste).
Follow the below simple suggestions to reduce food waste and feel good about your limiting your impact on GHG emissions.
Solutions to A Sustainable Thanksgiving Food Waste
Be both aware and strategic when planning your celebration, whether a small family dinner or a big blowout.
By organizing carefully we can both stop wasteful practices and create a circle of using resources that lasts:
Plan Mindfully: Do you need that extra pie or will it end up in the trash? Tailor your meal for the number of guests, ensuring that every dish serves a purpose. This intentional approach prevents overbuying and leads to more precise portions, minimizing leftovers and subsequent waste.
Get Creative: Utilize AND repurpose leftovers. Leftovers are inevitable and delicious, but their ultimate destiny doesn't have to be the trash bin. Consider in advance how to repurpose Thanksgiving remnants in different scenarios.
At home, turn turkey into sandwiches, incorporate vegetables into soups, or cook up a festive leftover casserole. Make up to-go packages in reusable containers for your guests.
At restaurants, universities, and other institutions, develop post-Thanksgiving menus that showcase inventive dishes, turning excess food into culinary delights.
If leftovers meet health safety standards, donate them to a local organization like a food bank.
Compost: Set yourself up for a future of 80-90% LESS food waste at the source. For larger institutions like universities, municipalities, and restaurants, consider embracing on-site composting solutions. These innovative technologies not only divert food waste from landfills but can also produce nutrient-rich pre-compost or soil conditioner locally. By implementing such solutions, institutions contribute to a circular economy, minimizing the environmental impact of excess food waste. The Table2Ground Grounder™ transforms your food waste into compost in a 24-hour cycle. If at home, adopt a counter system or bring it to a local center that accepts it.
Engage Your Community: A shared commitment to sustainability starts at the community level. Get local people on board to shift behavior. It can start with simple sorting. Foster cooperation between local businesses, institutions, and residents. Organize community-wide initiatives to reduce holiday food waste, such as local cooking classes focused on mindful planning and creative leftovers utilization. By creating a network of support for sustainable practices, communities can collectively contribute to a greener holiday season.
These practical tips and solutions empower individuals and institutions to navigate the challenges of Thanksgiving with intentionality. Together, we collectively pave the way for a more sustainable and enjoyable holiday season, where our celebrations align with kindness to both our loved ones and the planet.
Our traditional celebrations contribute significantly to this pressing issue. This excess waste has environmental, economic, and social consequences that call for a collective effort to find sustainable solutions.