If you are thank ful and you know it.. say "I am".. if you are thank ful and you know it..

Hi Ya'll! It' s been awhile but the blogger in me is back and ready to write. I hope you enjoy what you read. Happy Thanksgiving by the way and know that I am very thankful to know you and yourz. Speaking of the U.S. Thanksgving date next week.. here are some handy dandy greeny tips I have come acrossed and thought to share with you..
(Taken from my daily green e-digest)

Thanksgiving is one of the easiest holidays to green up. With the focus on giving thanks rather than gifts, we honor not only our family and friends but Nature's bounty, too.

1. Simplify the day.
   Celebrate being with those you love. Don't overdo the cooking — and savor whatever you make. Linger over dessert, play games, watch football or a favorite movie, take a walk. Revive special traditions from the past and create new ones you can turn to next Thanksgiving, and the holiday after that.

2. Decorate with boughs and berries.
   There's no need to buy fancy Thanksgiving decorations. Head out to your yard with a pair of shears and find tree branches, bush stems loaded with berries, flowers whose seed heads have dried on the stem and flowering grasses to fill tall vases, hollowed-out pumpkins and autumnal baskets.

3. Let there be light.
   Illuminate your table with candles of varying heights and widths. Use votives in small glasses or carved sugar pumpkins.

4. Serve locally grown food.
   Even in colder, northern climates, farmers' markets are still selling locally grown greens, potatoes, apples, pears, spices, breads and cheeses. You'll find lots of good recipes for salads, side dishes and vegetarian entrées here, as well as heritage turkeys.

5. Offer organic beverages.
   From apple cider to organic wine and organic beers, you have plenty of organic drinks to choose from.

6. Eat all the food you make.
   Send guests home with leftovers in glass jars rather than wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil. Freeze leftovers in easily reheatable portions.

7. Use reusables.
   Serve your meal on cloth tablecloths and napkins, accompanied by "real" silverware and plates. Worried about cleaning up after a large crowd? Let everyone pitch in — that's half the fun!

8. Simmer cinnamon.
   Roasting vegetables and baking pies should infuse your home with delicious holiday aromas. For even more fragrant smells, simmer a few sticks of cinnamon and a few cloves of allspice on the stove. Dab a few drops of pine oil or other favorite fragrance on stones or pinecones that are part of your centerpiece.

9. Turn down the heat.
   If all your holiday cooking doesn't heat up your house, your guests will. Turn your thermostat down 3-5 degrees — no one will notice the difference.

10. Recycle and compost.
    Keep a bin handy for glass, plastic and paper trash you can recycle rather than toss. Add vegetable scraps from cooking and dinner to your compost pile (meat and bones will need to be thrown away

Not enough info, ha, here is a bit more I found..since this holiday revolves around spending time in the kitchen..
KITCHEN (taken from my handy dandy webmail from American Rivers Assoc)

Defrosting Frozen Foods
Do not use running water to defrost frozen foods. Instead, place items in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.

Dishwasher
Use a dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand if possible. Scrape dirty dishes rather than rinsing them before placing them in the dishwasher, and only run full loads. Also, consider upgrading to a newer more efficient dishwasher. Look for the yellow "Energy Star" label when comparing new models (source).

Use environmentally friendly dishwashing cleaners, and check the label to make sure that the cleaners are phosphate-free.

Washing Dishes by Hand
Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water instead of letting the water run while washing.

Consider soaking hard-to-clean pots and pans overnight instead of letting the water run while scrubbing them clean.

Rinsing produce
Place a pan in the sink to collect water while rinsing produce, and reuse it to water house plants (source).

Drinking water
Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the water run until it is cool.

Designate a drinking glass that can be reused throughout the day to cut down on dish loads.

Faucets and leaks
Check faucets for leaks, and always fix leaks immediately. A leaky faucet that drips at a rate of one drop per second can waste up to 2,700 gallons a year (source).

Install low flow aerators on your faucets.

Cleaning the Kitchen
Choose an environmentally friendly all-purpose cleaner instead of buying many different specific cleaners.

Never throw chemicals down the drain because they can eventually contaminate our drinking water and the water in neighborhood ponds, streams, lakes and rivers. Dispose of chemicals responsibly by bringing them to your local hazardous waste site. Contact your local city/county to find out where these sites are located.

Composting
Garbage disposals require a lot of water to operate, and they can add up to 50% of the solid waste in our sewer lines. Start a compost pile with food scraps, and help limit the amount of solids in our sewer lines and landfills. Use this rich soil to fertilize your garden (source).

Too much info? Nah.. it's all good. Just like YOU are. Have a happy one and know you and yourz are being thought of and loved. Best, Laura with boys in tow, Paul, Goldie & Happy Dog