Thankful

Even though it’s been a crazy year, we have many things to be thankful for at Keep Virginia Beautiful.  We have a talented Board of Directors that continued to give their time and talent as we negotiate Zoom meetings and explore ways to continue our mission.  We have an entire network of Adopt-a-Highway permit holders who are out on the roads cleaning up litter, including plenty of PPE these days.  We have our state Affiliates to the north, south, east and west motivating their communities and accomplishing so many beautiful acts.  We are especially grateful for our donors, volunteers, event participants, and sponsors.  We are so very thankful for all of you!

And because we know how much you care about our mission, we want to share an important piece from Keep America Beautiful about responsible ways you can celebrate Thanksgiving Day:

Nearly 90,000 people across America have taken the Keep America Beautiful® #BeRecycled pledge and they are taking steps to make their Thanksgiving greener. Here are eco-friendly Thanksgiving tips to add sustainability to your holiday:

Go natural. Decorate with nature. Bring pine branches, pinecones, acorns, and colorful leaves into your home. It will add fragrant beauty to your table.  And after the holiday, these decorations can all be returned to nature.

Shop locally. Try shopping at a farmer’s market near you. Local foods require fewer greenhouse gases to get to you, and are usually grown on smaller farms using more sustainable practices.

Reuse like your grandma did.  Set the table with reusable dishes and cloth napkins.  If single-use is your choice, be sure to purchase disposable plates, cups, napkins, and utensils made from 100 percent recycled or compostable materials.

Reduce food waste. Tons of food will be scraped into the garbage this Thanksgiving. Start with smaller portions to reduce this waste.

Repurpose. One of the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner is the leftovers. Store in reusable containers with reusable lids, and try making a delicious stock for soups, chilis and stews with what is left of the turkey.

Recycle. The aluminum trays used for baking the turkey (if you use one) are recyclable. Cleaning these pans can be a bit of a chore, but it’s a big piece of aluminum worth recycling.

Give back to the community. Volunteer at a food bank or donate extra unused food to a shelter. If food banks are not allowing volunteers, grocery shop for a neighbor in need. Giving back to those around you is a powerful feeling.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!