Give thanks to the Earth this year with an eco-friendly Thanksgiving

The holidays are a time to gather with family and spread appreciation and joy, but with a few simple swaps, you can make your holiday celebrations more ‘green’.

1. Shop local and in season

Including local and in season produce into your Thanksgiving menu reduces carbon by limiting the distance food has to travel from farm to plate. It also often provides a fresher taste, elevating your holiday meal. While most Ottawa farmer’s markets occur on Saturday, if you’re still looking to do some food shopping, check out the Lansdowne Outdoor Market or the York Street Market Sunday.

2. Be conscientious of your cooking

If you can prepare some of your food ahead of time, try cooking during off-peak electrical hours to reduce emissions intensity. Many items like masked potatoes, squash, gravy and other vegetables can be made ahead of time and heated up right before meal time.

3. Get creative with your leftovers

We all know that Thanksgiving spreads incorporate a lot of foods, which also means a lot of leftovers. Package leftovers in air-tight reusable containers to optimize freshness. Try using those leftovers to make new recipes like turkey soup with stuffing dumplings, turkey shepherd’s pie, or turkey tetrazzini.

4. Reuse your décor

Choose your decorations wisely so that they can be re-used year after year, or have little ones gather natural materials like fallen leaves that can be turned into handmade crafts. For pumpkins and gourds, instead of letting them rot, after the festivities, bake them down and use to make delicious treats.

5. Turn down the thermostat

With the oven on and lots of people in your home the temperature will naturally rise. Turn the thermostat down before guests arrive to avoid people getting too hot and to save on your energy bills.

6. Donate to your local food bank

As the cost of living continues to rise and more and more families are struggling to afford food, consider purchasing an extra non-perishable item such as a can of pumpkin or a box of stuffing mix and donate it to your local food bank to help spread the spirit of the holidays. Planet Fitness is running a food drive with the Ottawa Food Bank through until October 31. You can drop off items at three of their locations located at 1642 Merivale Rd. in Merivale, 2006 Mer Bleue Rd. in Orleans or 1821 Robertson Rd. in Bells Corners.