November 11, 2024

A Historical Reflection + Unsustainable Habits of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is generally a beloved holiday in the United States, cherished for its traditions of feasting, family gatherings, and expressing gratitude. It’s a day many look forward to as a chance to reunite with loved ones, share home-cooked meals, and reflect on the blessings of the past year. However, beneath this image of warmth and celebration lies a history that is more complex and troubling. The origins of Thanksgiving are deeply rooted in colonialism—a legacy that involves the oppression of Indigenous people. This history is often overlooked, leaving the holiday's true beginnings sanitized in mainstream narratives. Over time, Thanksgiving has also evolved into a day of harmful overconsumption, as excessive feasting and the subsequent Black Friday shopping frenzy fuel waste and environmental impact. Let's reflect on all of it....

A Brief History of Thanksgiving

The story of Thanksgiving is often traced back to 1621, when Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts, held a feast to celebrate a successful harvest, inviting members of the Wampanoag tribe to join them. While the event is commonly remembered as a moment of peace and cooperation, this view overlooks the harsh realities of colonialism. The arrival of European settlers was marked by the violence of colonization: Pilgrims and other settlers not only disrupted Native American societies but often engaged in acts of aggression, including murder and exploitation. The spread of European diseases decimated Indigenous populations, and over time, settlers systematically took over Indigenous lands, displacing and oppressing the very people who had initially helped them survive.

Colonial expansion and the doctrine of Manifest Destiny continued this violent legacy for centuries, with Native Americans suffering from forced relocations, broken treaties, and the ongoing erosion of their cultures and livelihoods. This darker side of Thanksgiving's origins serves as a reminder of the cost Native Americans bore under colonialism, a cost that is often hidden in the sanitized story of Pilgrim-Indian cooperation.

By the time Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, during the Civil War, the focus had shifted away from the interactions with Native Americans to a general day of gratitude for Americans. Lincoln’s proclamation encouraged unity and reflection amidst a time of division and hardship.

Today, the meaning of Thanksgiving has shifted even further. While many still see it as a time to gather with loved ones and express gratitude, it has also become emblematic of indulgence and consumption, driven by consumer culture and often leading to significant waste. As we reflect on this holiday, it’s crucial to acknowledge its origins and the complex history it represents, recognizing both gratitude and the need for a broader understanding of our past.

The Unsustainable Habits of Modern Thanksgiving

Food Waste: An estimated 305 million pounds of food are wasted from Thanksgiving dinner alone (University of Minnesota's Sustainability program). Leftovers pile up, and much of the uneaten food is discarded after the holiday. Food waste is a critical issue because it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions as discarded food decomposes in landfills. Additionally, the resources used to produce wasted food—water, energy, land, and labor—are squandered, with agriculture being a major consumer of freshwater and contributor of deforestation. This waste also highlights issues of food insecurity; while millions in the U.S. lack sufficient nutrition, vast amounts of food is discarded annually, underscoring a culture of overconsumption that overlooks both resource value and societal needs.
Overconsumption of Meat: Turkey takes center stage at most Thanksgiving meals, yet the environmental and ethical costs of mass turkey production are often overlooked. Factory farming of turkeys demands significant water and land resources and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, worsening our environmental footprint. Beyond the environmental impact, factory farming also raises issues of animal cruelty. Turkeys raised in these facilities are often subjected to overcrowded, stressful conditions and harsh treatments to maximize production. This focus on a meat-heavy meal not only supports an industry with questionable animal welfare practices but also overshadows more sustainable, plant-based options that could reduce both environmental harm and animal suffering.
Excessive Packaging: Thanksgiving also contributes to unsustainable packaging practices. Processed foods, which are increasingly part of the holiday menu, come in plastic, aluminum, and other non-recyclable materials. The rush to prepare large meals often leads to the purchase of convenience foods, disposable dishes and cutlery, disposable baking sheets, and more only further contributing to the pollution problem caused by excessive food packaging.
Black Friday: Perhaps the most unsustainable habit associated with Thanksgiving is Black Friday, the day after the holiday, which has become synonymous with overconsumption. The pressure to buy and consume, often driven by aggressive sales tactics and flash sales, leads to an unsustainable level of demand for goods, many of which are manufactured in ways that harm the environment and the people that make them. This buying frenzy clashes with the values of gratitude and mindfulness that Thanksgiving is meant to embody, instead echoing the colonial mindset of consumption and exploitation.

Returning to a Sustainable Thanksgiving

To honor the original intent of Thanksgiving—a time to celebrate abundance and express gratitude, while acknowledging its complex and dark history rooted in colonialism—we can shift the way we celebrate. Here are a few ideas to make the holiday more sustainable and be mindful of its origins:

Acknowledge Indigenous History: Start with a land acknowledgment and share the true history of Thanksgiving, recognizing Indigenous resilience and the impacts of colonialism.
Volunteer or Give Back: Spend part of Thanksgiving or the day after giving back to your community. Volunteering at a local shelter, food bank, or charity can help refocus the holiday on compassion and support for others. Donate to Indigenous organizations nearest to you.
Plan for Less: Instead of preparing more food than can reasonably be eaten, focus on portion control and using leftovers creatively. This simple change can significantly reduce food waste.
Embrace Plant-Based Options: Incorporate more plant-based dishes into the menu, such as seasonal vegetables, grains, and plant-based proteins, to lower the environmental impact of your meal while still keeping it festive and delicious.
Minimize Packaging: Choose fresh, locally sourced ingredients rather than processed foods. Shopping at farmers’ markets or bulk stores helps reduce packaging waste that often accompanies large holiday meals. In-season, local foods always taste better too.
Opt for Reusable Dinnerware: Avoid single-use plastics by using reusable dinnerware and cutlery that can be washed and reused each year. Thrift an extra set to use when entertaining. It's a little more effort, but goes a long way to reduce waste.
Rethink Black Friday: Rather than joining the consumer frenzy, consider alternatives like enjoying nature, volunteering, or spending time with family without the pressure to shop. And if you must take advantage of some deals, shop small, sustainable brands that reflect your values.

By making these shifts, we can create a Thanksgiving that respects both the environment and the holiday's full historical context.

Conclusion

While Thanksgiving still holds meaningful traditions for many, it’s also an opportunity to reflect on the complicated history behind it and reconsider how we celebrate. Acknowledging the full story—including the impact of colonialism and the ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous communities—can help reshape the holiday into a time of respectful reflection, gratitude, and awareness. Instead of focusing solely on abundance, perhaps we can find new ways to honor the holiday by embracing sustainable practices, supporting Indigenous causes, and remembering the full history that Thanksgiving represents.