At a time of year for giving thanks, our planet will thank us for embracing sustainable green practices.

Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season of giving. As we get together over the next few weeks to show gratitude, there are many ways our environment and our planet will be thankful for sustainable ideas we can embrace.

In part one of this two part series, Wilton Go Green offers a few green steps you can take to make your Thanksgiving planet positive.

Make a menu plan
Limit your visits to the grocery store by creating a menu and grocery list in advance

Buy local and support farmers
Know where your food comes from and how long food has to travel to get to you

Choose reusable versus disposable
Dress your table with reusable place settings including dish-ware, cutlery and napkins
Ask guests to bring their own reusable food containers for leftovers or buy eco-friendly containers as parting gifts

Include more plant alternatives
Add more vegetables on your table which require less energy, land and water use than animal products

Utilize leftovers to limit food waste
Plan recipes for leftover foods
Take stock of your pantry and donate non-perishable items to your local food bank. In Wilton, visit the Comstock Community Center

Make this holiday season a time to lessen our impact on the environment and create green habits to build a healthy and sustainable future.