For some, planning for Thanksgiving dinner, a holiday centered around the feast, while trying to adopt a more climate-friendly way of living can be challenging.
But there are some ways to make it a low-waste and enjoyable holiday.
“I think the main issue with Thanksgiving is food waste,” said Alexia Redman, owner of The Earth Pantry in downtown Augusta. “When I was growing up, Thanksgiving meant the fancy dishes came out. So if you’re someone that uses single-use (items) because you don’t want to deal with the cleanup, that’s something to consider.”
Single-use items are products meant to be disposed of after one use. They can include paper plates, paper napkins, plastic straws, plastic water bottles, etc.
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“I think that the easiest way to avoid single-use waste on Thanksgiving is just using those reusable items in your home,” said Redman. “There’s not a better holiday to do that.”
Redman said holiday clean up doesn’t have to be a solo chore.
“You don’t have to feel like you’re doing all the work,” she said. “Just have everyone load their plate into the dishwasher when they’re done. Everyone’s going to try and help anyway.
“Another way to avoid the extra clean up is to leave everything in the pots in the kitchen. Then people can serve themselves in the kitchen and go sit down. You will still have the pots to clean, but you would have had those to clean anyway.”
Alexia Redman, owner of The Earth Pantry in Augusta offers an array of items including dry goods like rice, seasoning, coffee and tea. The store also carries cleaning and body products. The Pantry is offering a few Thanksgiving dinner options this holiday season.
The Earth Pantry, a grocery store at 1026 Broad St., offers an array of items to include dry goods like rice, seasoning, coffee and tea. The store also carries cleaning and body products.
For Thanksgiving-like fare, the store offers an American stuffing brand called Olivia’s, pumpkin pie spice and other seasonings, said Redman. “We also have two different kinds of cranberry sauce, made with minimal ingredients.”
“We have local pecans, if you want to make a pecan pie,” she said. “We’re preparing to bake vegan and dairy free apple pies.”
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Putting a limit on food waste
Redman said reducing food waste is really important and should be considered during the holidays.
“Just because it’s a fancy day doesn’t mean you should buy a bunch of food you can’t eat,” she said.
For those who do go overboard with food offerings, be sure to have a leftovers plan.
“There are a lot of ways to get creative with your leftovers,” said Redman. “Making turkey sandwiches is an option. Finding out where you can donate it is an option. There are hungry people in Augusta.”
Buy local, keep scraps
Owner of Uprooted Vegan Jennifer Kraus prepares Cuban black bean bowls in OPP Kitchen on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. Kraus uses ingredients from other menu items to make to-go boxes, reducing waste with her restaurant.
Jenn Kraus, owner of Uprooted Vegan Cuisine on Fury’s Ferry Road in Martinez, said buying local produce is key to reducing your carbon footprint.
“Consider buying local as much as possible,” she said. “Buying local in season produce helps the farmers who were just hit really hard by the hurricane. Doing so reduces emissions (and) you’re helping out your local economy.”
Kraus said after dinner, hold off on tossing out those scraps.
“You can make great broths out of scraps,” said Kraus. “There are plenty of local farmers that use scraps to supplement their animal feed, as long as it’s not treated like painted or bleached pumpkins. Your pumpkin décor can be given to local farms. It can be used as enrichment for chickens. Instead of composting it directly you can also feed the farm animals.”
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Kraus said composting is an alternative option for leftovers.
“It’s still very prevalent for backyard gardeners to compost,” said Kraus. “I’m sure everybody knows somebody who is composting. It’s an excellent, rich source of feed for your gardens, flower beds and brand new trees that we will plant after the storm. It’s super rich with nutrients. Why not use what we have instead of throwing it away?”
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Funding Partners.
Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at [email protected] or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Here are a few Thanksgiving tips for a more climate friendly holiday
