By Aalok Bhatt, Millburn High School, New Jersey, USA
My name is Aalok Bhatt and I am an Eco Ambassador for the Environment in Action program in Millburn, NJ. As part of my duty to spread eco awareness in my community, this year, I hosted an eco-friendly Thanksgiving feast at my place. We decided to do away with the convenience of disposable plates and cutlery and used reusable plates, bowls, glasses and cutlery.
We asked our guests to not bring any desserts or gifts with plastic packaging. They decided to cooperate and brought plants and homemade appetizers for the party. Our Thanksgiving dinner generated virtually no waste this year, as compared to previous years. We ensured that all of the food we served had a minimal carbon footprint, for example the dessert we bought was packed in a cardboard box, as opposed to plastic. Small steps like these can help clean our planet and save our ecosystem. It only took our family a small amount of effort and commitment to take these steps, and our guests complied. If everyone takes steps like these, then we will curb our plastic waste significantly, and live on a clean and happy planet.
Please visit www.edforsd.org for more details on the eco-ambassador program.
The Center for Sustainable Development’s Education Team, in partnership with the SDSN’s Global Schools Program and Design for Change, began the Eco Ambassadors’ workshop to put into motion communal action to protect the environment. The initiative is driven by youth, children, and parent mentors, who identify and resolve an environmental issue of their choice. Participants presented at the 2019 ICSD.
Thanksgiving is US Federal Holiday.