Celebrate with a “Green” Thanksgiving!

As we give thanks this Thanksgiving, why not make it a “green” one?  Try the ideas below.

Image by Ilrena Flickr.com

• For your holiday dinner, support local farmers who grow organic produce. The average food travels 1500 miles from farm to plate, consuming large quantities of fossil fuels and generating major CO2 emissions. Local food by contrast is usually transported 100 – 200 miles, has fewer pesticides and can be picked when ripe.  It is obviously fresher and better.  Farm stands and supermarkets have an abundance of local winter squash, carrots, potatoes, greens, herbs, apples, and pumpkin. Don’t forget to bring your reusable shopping bags.

• Try a locally grown, free range organic turkey available at local farms and Whole Foods.  Fresh turkeys are unbelievably moist and delicious and not treated with antibiotics and growth hormones.  You won’t believe the difference.  For the vegetarians at your table, try a Tofurkey (available from Trader Joe’s).  It come with its own vegetarian gravy and is really good!  If possible, use organic cranberries for your cranberry sauce – cranberries are a heavily sprayed crop.

• Add freshly baked local artisan bread and rolls.

• Consider serving organic wine along with your meal. Organic wine is made from certified organically grown grapes, meaning grown without pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers. Conventionally grown grapes are one of the most heavily sprayed crops, and the chemical residues can end up in the wine.  Organically grown grapes are better for the soil, the plant and the wine drinker.

• China, silver and cloth napkins are obviously better for the environment than paper plates and plastic utensils.  They look better too!  If you are expecting a big crowd and need to opt for disposable, get the biodegradable and compostable plates and utensils.

• After the big feast, don’t forget to recycle cans, cartons, plastics and bottles and compost leftover kitchen waste.

With your healthy and “green” holiday feast, you won’t feel so badly about overindulging!  Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

ORGANIC SPIRITS FOR THE NEW YEAR!

The benefits of organic foods are well recognized.  Now organic beer, wine and some liquors are available!  Organic wine is made from certified organically grown grapes, or grown without pesticides, herbicides and chemicals fertilizers. Conventionally grown grapes are one of the most heavily sprayed crops, and the chemical residues can end up in the wine.  Organically grown grapes are better for the soil, the plant and the wine drinker.

French organic wines consistently rate among the top ten best wines of regions where they are represented, possibly because they have more natural resistance to poor weather or pestilence and therefore tend to perform better in poor vintages than non-organic ones. Additionally, many organic vineyards hand pick their grapes, which allows only the ripest and healthiest bunches to be picked with the minimum amount of stress/damage to the vine, fruit or soil.

Organic beer is made with at least 95 percent organic ingredients. The barley and hops are grown without the use of chemicals and pesticides.   Anheuser-Busch produces two organic beers called Wild Hop lager and Stone Mill pale ale under the label Green Valley Brewing Co.  Peaks Organic Beer from Maine is another good one and it’s local!

For your New Year’s celebration, give organic spirits a try!  Most liquor stores carry some selections.  Imbibe healthfully and responsibly!