6 Tips for a Sustainable Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving marks the start of many gatherings over the holiday season. Here are a few tips to make your upcoming celebration a sustainable and environmentally friendly one:

1. Plan your menu. Make a shopping list of what you’ll need and in what quantities to avoid overbuying.
2. Avoid single-use items. Serve Thanksgiving dinner with reusable plates, cups, silverware, cloth napkins and utensils. Ask your guests to bring reusable containers to take leftovers home.
3. Save energy and water. Cook multiple items in the oven when they require the same temperature. Run your dishwasher on full loads or, if washing dishes by hand, close the faucet before rinsing.
4. No FOG down the drain. Fats, oils and grease (FOG) clog pipes when dumped down the drain. Remember: Can it, cool it and throw it away.
5. Love your leftovers. Leftovers are great for a post-Thanksgiving lunch or dinner. Spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the holiday weekend.
6. Compost food scraps. Toss food scraps or uneaten leftovers in the green organics cart. If you live in a multifamily building, bring food scraps to any of the 14 on-street composting bins across the County.

Download these tips as a PDF.

Buy Less, Borrow More

Only need to use an item once? Don’t buy it, borrow it from Arlington Public Library's Library of Things and help reduce your waste footprint! The collection includes tools for DIY projects, garden tools, games, and more to help you be more sustainable.

For larger projects, check out The Shop, the Library’s makerspace. The Shop offers tools and training on sewing techniques, 3D printing projects, and introductions to technology like the Silhouette Cameo Cutter and Glowforge Laser Cutter. They also host events like Fix Nearly Anything. Find more information about The Shop's events.