Graphic Courtesy of United Methodist Creation Justice Movement
November 2025
’Tis the Season… For overconsumption.
Thanksgiving is for many the overeating feast that kicks off holiday buying and more overeating.
Here are some tips for making your choices ones of “Giving Thanks.”
Reverse the words, “thanks giving,” to reshape your observance. Develop a gratitude list. As you make an entry, give thanks to God for that blessing in your life. Regularly reread your record of God’s bounty and find peace in it despite all the disruptions swirling around you.
Creation Justice ident
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are part of our culture of relentless advertising and overconsumption, which fills our landfills. Be thoughtful about what you buy and from whom. Discern wants versus needs. Look for environmentally focused companies with ethical practices. Consider packaging, durability, and sustainability in the products you choose.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving celebrations, starting with a sustainability mindset: reusable dinnerware, cloth napkins, less meat/more plant-based foods, a plan to use leftovers, a kitchen set up to maximize composting and minimize trashing, even washable rags for cleanup instead of killing trees for paper towels. Earth will be thankful you did.
Put your money to work for justice. When you buy organic, you guarantee more farmers can grow healthy, safe food. When you buy fair trade, you provide living wages and fight poverty. When you bank with a community bank or credit union, you are investing locally and likely not funding fossil fuel projects. Choose justice.
In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus tells the parable of the widow and the unjust judge. The judge “who neither feared God nor had respect for people,” finally relented because of the widow’s persistence in asking for justice. She didn’t give up, and neither should we! Keep bringing injustice to planet and people to the attention of the powers that be. Write letters, sign petitions, make calls, speak up, stand up, step up.
The average American family uses 500 plastic snack bags annually, which are non-degradable and may contain BPA. To cut waste and keep plastics out of food and the environment, choose eco-friendly alternatives, including reusable silicone bags, paper sacks, bamboo boxes, and glass containers.
Microplastics are lurking in your closet. Clothes made of polyester, acrylic, nylon or other synthetics or synthetic blends shed microplastics when washed. Avoid adding to the problem by washing fewer times, handwashing, or using the gentle cycle. Purchase already washed items from thrift stores or new ones made from natural materials. Read the labels before you buy.
Your recycling—if it’s in a plastic bag—won’t be recycled. The bag will be pulled off the line and trashed because there is no time to open and empty it, and plastic bags cannot be allowed to go through because they tangle up the equipment and cause shutdowns. Learn and follow the rules for your local recycling facility. Give thanks for those who work there.
Investigate Oral Care Free Recycling Program for options for disposing of used or empty toothpaste tubes and caps, toothbrushes, toothpaste cartons, toothbrush outer packaging, and floss containers. Consider creating a drive or drop off site through your congregation.
Are you regularly in a queue to pick up a child or grandchild from school? Fluctuating temperatures can entice you to turn on the engine one day to run the air conditioner and the next to crank up some heat. Emissions from idling cars, however, send particulates into the air, which research has shown affects the cognitive performance of children. Keep the engine off while you wait.
Yes, One Person Can Make a Difference!
Individual actions that I have taken to help prevent climate change include driving a hybrid plug-in, installing a heat pump water heater, insulating my home, putting solar panels on my garage, and eating less meat. I am also trying to be more environmentally conscious in my purchases and am exploring fossil-free investments for my retirement funds. – Catherine Houle, a member of Williamsville United Methodist Church, Williamsville, NY.
As a reader of the Tips, do you have a Tip to share from your own experience? Send your idea to tips.creationjustice@gmail.com.