Sustainability Tip of the Week
A simple wish for a better tomorrow
Stuff the Turkey, Not The Trash
Holiday season panic? We all experience it. How much food do I buy? Is this turkey big enough? Are you sure we have enough food? Where am I going to put all of these leftovers? Who is going to eat all of these leftovers?!
Millions of pounds of leftover food is thrown away every year. What if there was a way to plan more accordingly and load off some of those leftovers?
To reduce wasted food this holiday season:
Plan ahead — Have an accurate head count to plan portions accordingly. Use Save the Food’s Guestimator calculator, a tool to help estimate how much food you will need based on your head count.
Cook with imperfections — Purchase imperfect produce to use in cooked dishes, such as bruised apples for apple pie.
Share — Encourage guests to bring a reusable container to take leftovers home.
Creative Leftovers — Enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers days after by creating new dishes like turkey soup or hot turkey sandwiches. Discover new recipes from Save the Food or Love Food Hate Waste websites.
Freeze — Be realistic about the leftovers you can eat, and freeze the extra that won’t last in the refrigerator.
Be grateful, not wasteful this holiday season, and help us reduce wasted food in New York State.
Swamped with “Stuff”? Celebrate Buy Nothing Day
Researchers have noted that Americans generate 25 million extra tons of garbage between Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s 25 percent more than the rest of the year! Pledge to make this holiday season cleaner and greener by taking some simple steps to give more, consume less, reduce waste and lessen your carbon footprint.
Do you ever look at your “stuff” and think about where it all comes from? From our clothing to cooking utensils, cell-phones, and shoes — all of our “stuff” comes from natural resources, and making all that stuff requires a lot of energy. Making one cotton shirt requires enough water for one person to drink for 2.5 years. Today, we’re consuming more resources than ever before in history. Is it time to start rethinking our stuff?
Celebrate Buy Nothing Day on Nov. 29 ( aka Black Friday), 2019 instead of rushing to the stores by doing one of the following:
- Buy nothing. Participate by not participating.
- OptOutside. Instead of staring at a screen or fighting through malls, get outside for some fresh air
- Call a friend. Take the day to try a new activity with a friend.
- Volunteer. Find a local charitable organization or non-profit and donate your time.
- Host a clothing swap or exchange. Exchange coats or clothing with friends, family or at a larger community event.
Faculty, staff and students, please keep sending your sustainable ideas to j.coons@hvcc.edu.
Published: Mon, 25 Nov 2019 13:00:08 +0000 by j.coons