10 Tips For A Sustainable Thanksgiving

[Hissyspit]

http://www.alternet.org/environment/108637/10_tips_for_a_sustainable_thanksgiving

10 Tips for a Sustainable Thanksgiving

By Sarah Newman, Takepart. Posted November 26, 2008.

Thanksgiving is second in a slew of holidays at this time of year that have become one extended caloric nightmare. Marketers have successfully driven consumers to celebrate these holidays in an atmosphere of frenzied food consumption, often from everyday pre-packaged products festooned with special holiday cheer. However, you can say no to the pre-packaged cheer and have a hearty, sustainable meal. Below are 10 tips to a healthier, humane, sustainable, "low carb(on)" and labor friendly Thanksgiving from some fantastic organizations, some of whom we're working with for the Social Action campaign for our film, Food, Inc.

1. Buy produce from your local farmers market. Rather than eating grapes from Mexico, apples from Argentina or potatoes from China, purchase as much of your holiday produce from a local farmer! takepart with the Eat Well Guide to find one near you.

2. Buy organic produce whenever possible. Organic produce is safer, tastes better than conventional produce and is readily available at farmers markets and supermarkets nationwide. Also, look for organic wines, beverages and condiments.

3. Support a farm worker. Thousands of migrant workers labor in dangerous, brutal conditions for little pay to bring food to our table every day. takepart to help to improve the lives of farm workers and their families through the United Farm Workers.

4.Adopt-a-turkey! Yes, you read this correctly. Millions of turkeys are raised in inhumane, industrial settings. takepart in Farm Sanctuary's program to rescue turkeys and you can enjoy a holiday free from animal cruelty.

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[cobalt1999]

1. Skip the turkey?

:rofl:

I stopped reading after that.

[rosesaylavee]

2. Thanks for this post

I think if more of us only bought from US farms, that would be a good start. So much of our produce is shipped here from other countries that have NO safequards in place for the workers who harvest them... and few if any checks on what kind of poison they can spray on the crops.

Both our dwindling family-owned farms and migrant worker program here is seriously troubled - don't mistake this as a misunderstanding of how the farms are increasingly bought up by corporations with less than stellar farming practices and the migrants employed by both small and large farms can be mistreated. BUT, I would prefer to see my money going to a local CSA farmer family or if not that, to a US farm product.

I know that this is probably way down on the list of to-dos with this administration but am hopeful that our food supply issues are rethought in the next four years.

If I were cooking the dinner this week, I would have gone with the organic turkey from a local farm. However, my sister is doing the deed and her family prefers the store-bought brand. And I know better than to inspect the label and start this discussion over dinner. :P

[cali]

3. this article should be called ten tips for a sustainable thanksgiving

for the monied classes.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

5. Farmers markets are much cheaper than supermarkets

The asian produce store by me also gets lots of local stuff and is much cheaper than the supermarket.

Also, how is not spending money on plates that you just throw out, drinking tap water, EXERCISING, etc something only "monied clases" can afford?

I certainly don't have money, and I think that's a good list.

[cali]

6. I live in northern vt. asian supermarkets? lol

farmer's markets? tons in the summer. Not so much the rest of the year. Love my local co-op but it's incredibly expensive- even as a working member. I'm hardly an isolated case.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

7. The co-ops here are also inexpensive compared to the supermarket

Same for the CSA.

The list still isn't just for "monied classes."

[cali]

8. I'm sorry, but you're out of touch

This country still isn't all about cities and suburbs. This is a list for those with the luxury to even thinkk about such things. That's not a lot of the people in my neck of the woods.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

9. I'm aware that there are rural areas of the country

I live pretty damn close to rural areas. There are inexpensive places to get produce in rural areas around here, and NJ has a higher cost of living than VT.

BTW, last time I checked tap water isn't a luxury in the United States.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Interesting list

I'm helping in the community Thanksgiving feast. My dishes will be made from the green beans organically raised by my doctor and organic pumpkin. The turkey was raised by one of my neighbors. Knowing who my neighbors are, the majority of the food will be made of home grown organic stuff or from supplies purchased at the local natural foods co-op.

[ColbertWatcher]

10. Kick and rec for the great find! n/t