Are you doing anything special (or eco-friendly) for Thanksgiving?

Just hanging with the in-laws on Thanksgiving and my side of the family on Saturday.  Watching football of course :-)  Nothing particularly special or green.  Will try to finish painting the house if the weather permits.

I'm thankful that it's a 4 day weekend!  And really, I'm thankful that Obama won the election.

I have a huge family, in fact if everyone was together I think it is about 40ish...that's just my Mom's family.  But not everyone will make it so it will be closer to about 30.  With that many people, things can get a little non-eco-friendly.  Something I never thought about before, but my Gran is old school eco-friendly.  She is of that generation "waste not want not."  She always uses cloth napkins and real dishes (even when she uses plastic cups, she washes them).  I think a lot of people these days are going the easy route and using disposable, ((don't get me started on those Dixie commercials!!!)).  Anyways, I think that with a large group, we do pretty well keeping the waste down.  If you use a good dishwasher and high efficiency washing machine, I think it makes a difference to wash everything instead of throw it all away.  (Although there is a company here called Napco, they sell cups made of corn that are compatible-those might be a good idea too.)

Oh, now I'm all excited! Turkey, rice and gravy, green beans, cranberries, homemade rolls, sweet tea, pumpkin pie...oh crap, now I'm drooling!

Hand turkey love! <3

I also have a really big family (62 on my Mom's side), and sadly, they are all about the paper plates and plastic cutlery.  My mom used to wash and reuse the plastic cutlery, but I think they now replace it each time.  At least there is usually a trash can devoted to recycling pop cans. 

This year however, Thanksgiving is doubling as a wedding reception for my uncle who was married in Portland over Labor Day weekend.  That will mean real dishes!

After Thanksgiving, we'll be driving to Sioux Falls (carpooling with my parents and sister) to spend time with my other grandma, an aunt, uncle, and maybe one of my cousins and his girlfriend.  Since it's a much smaller group, that always uses real dishes too.

I'm doing the oh so UN-eco-friendly move and flying down to Dallas, TX to be with my family...I will admit, I have difficulty reconciling my desire for a small carbon footprint with the need to see those who I love most. I rock some RECs, but that's obviously not as good as not flying in the first place... Anyway, being more sustainable doesn't mean having to feel guilty for every mis-step :)

My family is a blast and my mom is one of the most amazing cooks on the planet. We have WhirlyBall planned for one night (I assure you that link is worth a click) and a Texas Hold 'Em night with our whole neighborhood another. Not to mention unlimited smoked turkey sandwiches with all the leftovers...can't wait.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I am very thankful for my family - it is kinda big, but it makes for great fun.  Family, to me, is life.  They are there for you.  They love you unconditionally.  They miss you when your not there...  I am thankful my older brother - who re-enlisted in the USMC (rank - Major) after being out 10 years, is home safe from Iraq.  I am thankful his son is also home safe from his tour in Iraq (USMC as well).  That nephew is getting married as well - a little controversial, but we love and support them non-the-less.  We will meet her at Christmas time and are looking forward to it.  She's from a smaller, kinda scattered family - so she is in for a big welcome that might be a little overwhelming - LOL!!! 

We always use real dishes and silverware for the 30 or so at my Mom's for dinner.  She has the dishes and acutal silver-silverware, even cloth napkins until recently - she may have them again this year, but probably paper.  Wine glasses real... not sure about the smaller kids cups, maybe plastic.

Food - there is organic only if i bring it.   We had a talk about turkey the other day when I was over... sort of planting the seed of trying to get at least a free-range bird.  I'm not cooking it, so I have limited input.  If the turkey is smaller (more natural), then we probably would need to cook two birds.  My sister-in-law shocked me and showed up with organic soup during the conversation as well.  Soooo - maybe my influence is working :-) 

 Fortunately, I will celebrate the holiday with my brothers in Mountain View.  Unfortunately, my electric vehicle will not make it over the hill from Santa Cruz which will admittedly change my carbon footprint a little by using a so-called everyday car.  Becoming a family tradition for me, and hopefully I will see an electric car or two- make my day complete!