A Word About Recycling

With Thanksgiving coming soon, the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) gave a number of suggestions for saving in their weekly bulletin.

It started with “Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is a leading holiday for food waste and trash, higher energy usage, and other negative impacts on our local environment.” (Not really what we want in being good stewards for all the things we can be Thankful to the Good Lord for giving us.)

They then give a number of suggestions to help prevent food waste, help keep things out of the landfill, and save energy. And while doing so, they encourage you to always follow proper social distancing and wearing of the mask. (Great idea, with the holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years upon us, forecasts are for the number of virus cases to significantly increase… and we definitely don’t need that!)

To help prevent food waste, they recommend doing the following (many of which are probably just common sense):

1. Prepare only as much food as would normally be eaten. Because more main course items and side dishes are normally offered for the festive occasion, it doesn’t mean you have to have enough of each for it to be a meal in itself.

2. Use smaller dinner plates. It will reduce the tendency to heap food on the plate. If they person does have enough on it the initial time, they can always go back for seconds.

3. Be sure to properly store what leftovers remain to insure they can be eaten at a later date.

4. Instead of scraping the uneaten food off a person’s plate into the disposal or trash can, consider composting it.

To help save energy:

1. If traveling to another location (Grandma’s home?), make sure your tires are properly inflated and the vehicle is maintained in good condition.

2. Instead of going great distances this year, consider staying more local.

3. When shopping for your food items, consider obtaining needed things from several stores in just one trip.

4. Use natural decorations instead of buying one-use items. Leaves, pine cones, etc. can work or you can always ask the kids to come up with something. Pumpkins and gourds can also be used for décor and then composted.

5. Using washable, reusable dishware helps prevent excess waste (however, the cleanup crew after the meal may now appreciate although one can watch football or visit even while washing dishes).

Although these suggestions by TCEQ were for the Thanksgiving holiday, they should also apply for Christmas, New Years, or any family gathering.

Personal comment: And even with the very restricted church services due to the virus, don’t be afraid to Thank the Person Above for all we have received. Including asking for Him to help protect and be with those whose military service or other duties prevent them from being with us at this time.

Till next week, do have a good one…