Make this year’s Thanksgiving more meaningful by making your celebration more healthful, environmentally friendly and authentic. If you plan ahead and keep things simple, this more sustainable type of Thanksgiving doesn’t have to involve more work or expense, so it can satisfy your appetite, your spirit and your conscience. This could be the first year of a new tradition for your family.

1) Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

• Reduce the amount of waste your produce by buying only as much as you need and choosing products that come in packaging that can be recycled.

• Carry reusable bags when you do your shopping, and use cloth napkins that can be washed and used again. A set of four organic cotton napkins might set you back $20, but you won’t have to buy attractive paper napkins for the rest of the holidays…or the coming years.

• Recycle paper and plastic, glass and aluminum containers. If you don’t already have a compost bin, use your Thanksgiving fruit and vegetable trimmings to start one. The compost will enrich the soil in your garden next spring.

2) Buy and eat locally grown food

Buying only locally grown food is one good way to have an eco-friendly Thanksgiving. Locally grown food is good for your table, your health and the environment. Locally grown food tastes better than food that has to be grown and packaged for maximum shelf life, and it requires less fuel to reach store shelves. Locally grown food also contributes more to your local economy, supporting local farmers as well as local merchants.

3) Make your Meal Organic

Using only organic food for your feast is another good eco-friendly Thanksgiving strategy. Organic fruits, vegetables and grains are grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers; organic meat is produced without antibiotics and artificial hormones. The result is food that is better for your health and good for the environment. Organic farming also produces higher yields, increases soil fertility, prevents erosion, and is more cost-effective for farmers.

4) Celebrate at Home

Thanksgiving weekend is one of heaviest for highway travel. This year, why not reduce global warming and improve air quality by lowering your auto or plane emissions at the same time that you lower your family’s stress level? Skip the stressful holiday travel and celebrate an eco-friendly Thanksgiving at home.

5) Travel Smart

If you must go over the river and through the woods, there are still ways to have an eco-friendly Thanksgiving. If you drive, use less fuel and lower your emissions by making sure your car is in good working order and your tires are properly inflated. If possible, carpool to reduce the number of cars on the road and lower the greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to air pollution and global warming.

If you do fly, consider purchasing carbon credits to offset your portion of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by your flight. A typical long-haul flight produces nearly four tons of carbon dioxide.

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