Going green for Thanksgiving may be easier than you think. (Sage/Creative Commons)

Thanksgiving is a time of huge consumption, and that doesn't just refer to the way you inhale your grandmother's sweet potato casserole. The traditional dinner means drastically higher usage of resources, and not only of food, but also increased purchases of plastic containers, increased electricity usage, and high gas consumption.

Thinking green during Thanksgiving dinner doesn't mean you have to suffer. It is, after all, a time to be grateful for our bounty. There are simple ways to show that you're not only thankful for all that you have, but that you also respect where it comes from.

10 Green Thanksgiving Tips

1. Choose organic booze. Grapes are some of the most pesticide-laden produce on the planet. Do the Earth a favor by buying organic wines this year. You'll get an extra bonus for your trouble: less hangover. Organic wines have much less of the headache-inducing sulfites (only naturally-occurring sulfites, none added like most conventional wines).

2. Decorate naturally. No need to spend cash on energy-sucking manufactured goods that will ultimately stuff a landfill. Collect pretty leaves, pine cones, dried seed pods, or any available outdoor foliage for a simple, attractive table centerpiece.

3. Go slow. Using a slow cooker for some of your cooking consumes far less electricity than other appliances, and gives you the added benefit of having a dish you don't have to keep your eye on. (Examiner has plenty of healthy slow cooker recipes, if you need suggestions. )

4. Save your containers. Wash and save those butter tubs and Cool Whip containers as you do your Thanksgiving cooking, and you'll have ready-to-go storage for sending home leftovers with the guests. You'll cut down on landfill as well as save money on expensive storage bowls that claim to be disposable.

5. Dine by candlelight. Between the dishwasher, the oven going all day long, and the game on the television, you're going to be consuming a lot of electricity. Save it where you can and add a sophisticated touch to your dinner by using half the lights and adding candles to your Thanksgiving table.

6. Send leftovers packing. Do you usually end up tossing some of the leftovers because there are more than you can eat? Instead of hoarding them for yourself, send them home with your guests (in the handy containers you've already saved.)

7. Use up that turkey. Most everyone uses up the most obviously usable parts of the turkey in the form of next-day turkey sandwiches, but far too few use the turkey for all it's worth. Instead of wasting those turkey parts, use the bones and odd pieces to make a rich broth you can use for hearty winter soups. Broth freezes easily, so you can have it on hand to use as you need it.

8. Keep track. Make note of how much you actually cooked and how much was leftover. Use your calculations next year to scale back your meal to a saner amount of food that you'll consume at dinnertime.

9. Give. Still have food after divvying up the leftovers? Whatever you do, don't throw it away. Make a plate for an elderly neighbor or shut-in, or call your church or community center to ask if they know a family who can use extra food.

10. Get outside. It's become a tradition to spend the holiday in front of the TV. Make a change for the better (for the environment and your body) by going on a family walk, or organize a game of football. You can team up by gender or generation, and start a new Thanksgiving ritual to remember for a lifetime.

Happy Thanksgiving from Your Healthy Food Examiner in Knoxville.

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