Thanksgiving is this Thursday and will kick off a full-fledged luxurious holiday season. For those Americans who have forgotten, Thanksgiving is meant for giving thanks and being grateful. Thanksgiving should not be a prodigal holiday of gluttonous proportions but the world isn’t perfect yet, so this year change it up. Like President-elect Barack Obama says, "yes we can!" This Thanksgiving can still be lavish and chic but by taking action to change a few things, your gratitude will be tangible. Host a "green" Thanksgiving holiday and you can feel good about helping your country rather than helping destroy it.

First things, first, go local! If you don’t know what this means, no offense, but that’s really pathetic. Find locally grown foods and find out what foods are in season around you. Locally grown is fresher and healthier sans the preservation checimcals for transport. If you live in the south use fresh pecans or peaches for pie and make more sweet potatoes. If you’re in the northeast use more seasonal vegetables like beets, broccoli and Brussels sprouts and local apples. When it comes to the Turkey, look for the words organic, free-range and locally grown. Organic, free-range, local Turkey’s have not been caged in horrendous, maggot infested conditions. If you don’t give a crap about PETA then thats your prerogative but think of your family’s health at least. That regular stuffed Turkey on your table was, just a few days before, rolling around in it’s own feces while being injected with cancer-causing hormones, mmm eat up!

Next forego plastic and paper to reduce excess waste. Yes, it means more dishes but you can break out the good china, flaunt the expensive stuff. If you don’t have fancy china then get some. Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus department stores have gorgeous chinaware collections. You might have more to wash but you have a dishwasher so pack it full and run it as little as possible. Plus, most of you have chefs, maids and or catering companies doing the dirty work.

Go green with your drinks and buy locally fermented booze. If you can’t get locally made wine or beer, then the next best thing is to buy organic alcohol. Limit the bottled water and use tap water. No, tap water won’t kill you and it looks more elegant in a glass pitcher with fresh fruit.

Then be really thankful and in exchange for the air you breathe every second of everyday, go out back and plant a tree or two. The winter season is one of the best times to plant trees or shrubs, it’s an activity the kids will love, a good lesson to teach and you can feel better about helping to reduce your carbon footprint. Face it, pollution will continue unless we all play part and do our part. It’s not about preaching, just don’t be stupid this Thanksgiving, do the next right thing and make it greener.