10 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for many. It's a time to eat, indulge and spend uninterrupted time with family. It's also a time for reflection. A time to think about what we're thankful for and a time to think about how the choices we make impact our families and the planet.

Although every day provides an opportunity for reflection and change, Thanksgiving stands out as the perfect day to kick off a few new habits that will effect the longevity of our planet. If each of us revamped our consumption and waste habits by slightly adjusting what's already in place, the overall impact could be huge.

Here are a few tips for the Thanksgiving holiday that will reduce our carbon footprint and help keep the planet healthy for generations to come.

1. Shop Local

Shop locally this Thanksgiving and lend your support to the little local business rather than the big box stores. Go for holiday supplies that don't need to travel far to get to your Thanksgiving table.

2. Buy Organic

Organic food typically requires 30-50 percent less energy during production than its conventional counterpart. Make the shift this Thanksgiving to a table with more organic food choices. Knowing that your food isn't sprayed with pesticides, chemicals or GMOs is enough reason to incorporate organic foods into your menu.

3. Turn the Heat Down

Watch your home heat up on its own as your Thanksgiving guests arrive and as the oven is turned on to warm the food. Rather than opening windows to cool off the space, remember to set the thermostat a few degrees lower before the celebration begins.

4. Don't Use Disposables

Make the switch to reusable napkins, skip the paper towels and pull out the good dishes this Thanksgiving. It's a bit more effort at the end of the evening, but it's worth it. Each person in the United States uses 749 pounds (340kg) of paper every year. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, the pulp and paper industry may contribute to more global and local environmental problems than any other industry in the world. The industry is the third largest industrial emitter of global warming pollution.

5. Reduce the Amount You Buy

Reducing is the first of the 3 Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. When planning your Thanksgiving celebration, try making some slight alterations to your shopping list. Give some extra thought as to whether or not you truly need those items on your list and reduce the amount of food and decorations if possible.

6. Compost Table Scraps

Did you know that a typical household throws away an estimated 474 pounds of food waste each year? That means about 1.5 lbs. per person a day in the United States. Food scraps generated by all households in the U.S. could be piled on a football field more than five miles (26,400 feet) high. Compost those vegetable scraps and watch your garden thrive.

7. Fill Your Dishwasher Before Running

Fill your dishwasher to capacity before running a cycle. You'll end up saving water, energy and detergent.

8. Green Your Turkey

A Cornell study shows it takes 14 units of fossil fuel to produce a serving of turkey. If you're planning to have turkey, try to make it a little greener by purchasing it from a local market or farm. If the turkey is traveling a long distance to get to your table, that's adding to your carbon footprint. Best option -- skip the turkey!

9. Clean with Non-Toxic Cleaners

Make the switch to non-toxic cleaning products. When making the switch to green cleaning products, replace products you're currently using as they run out with a safer version. Take the time to research safer, non-toxic products and then make the switch.

10. Stay Local

According to USA Today, it's predicted that 24.6 million passengers will fly on U.S. airlines domestically and internationally between November 21 and December 2 this year. That's a 1.5 percent increase from last year, or 31,000 more passengers on average a day. For many of us, traveling is a long-standing tradition and needed to visit with our family. Use this handy calculator from The Nature Conservancy to help you calculate the amount of carbon you emit and offer ways of offsetting those emissions.

If your plan is to drive, make sure your tires are fully inflated and your car has been properly serviced. This will help reduce your carbon emissions and improve your gas mileage.

[via Huffington Post | photo Benjamin Chun]

Red, White and GREEN - 7 Tips to an Earth-Friendly Independence Day

The Fourth of July is a great time to get some sun, have a little fun and forget about the daily grind as we celebrate our nation's birthday. But just because it's an excuse to party hardy, we shouldn't forget that keeping things green and protecting our environment over the holiday is just as important as making the perfect apple pie or lighting up the barbecue. With this in mind, here are seven ways you can add a little bit of green to your patriotic party and still have plenty of fun - read on!

Tip 1: Ditch the Plastics

Disposable plates/utensils/cups may be convenient for you, but not Mama Earth. You could have a ‘bring your own plate/cup’ theme where the most unusual/fun, different categories of plates could win a prize. You could even have a dish/cup swap. You start with one, but go home with something completely different. If you must, reach for biodegradable plates, try these bamboo products by Bambu when you’re out shopping for your soirée this week.

Tip 2: Buy Local and Organic Food

Who wants to worry about pesticides on this day of patriotism? We recommend steering clear of foods produced on factory farms — instead look for locally-grown and/or organic produce and meats for you grill. Buying locally is a great way to better educate yourself on what you’re putting into your mouth and it supports your local economy. And if you’re looking to reduce your environmental impact even further by going all-veggie, there are some delish animal-free selections out there, including the classic veggie burger and tofu-pups. These tasty vegetarian dishes avoid the pitfalls of industrial meat production, which contributes to much of the world’s water use, emissions, land use and oil consumption.

Tip 3: Grill Green

With over 60 million barbecues lighting up this Fourth of July, choosing the right grill and grilling accessories can do a lot to help the earth breathe easier. There are a variety of sustainably produced charcoal briquettes out there – including Wicked Good Charcoal, which is made from industrial scrap wood. Propane is also another good option as it produces close to half the emissions of generic charcoals. If you’re looking to save space in your backyard, try out Black+Blum’s Hot-Pot BBQ, which is cleverly disguised as a planter!

Tip 4: Make Your Own Healthy Sweet Treats

Did someone say POPSICLES? Sure store-bought cakes and pie are an age-old favorite, but they’re also laden with refined sugars and fat. So say poo poo the pie and whip up some fabulous popsicles instead! Homemade ice pops are the perfect way to cool down and to satiate a sweet tooth. You can prep and stock up on the pops in the freezer the day before your party, or for those on the go try a cooler filled with these frozen treats. One nifty design that caught our eye recently is the Zoku Quick Pop, which whips up popsicles in just under 7 minutes!

Tip 5: Switch on the Solar Light

If you plan on partying into the night, a great way to add some ambiance without impacting your electricity bill is with solar lamps and lanterns. Just set them out in the sun for the day and when dusk falls, voila – you’ve got yourself the perfect setting for an impromptu dance party or a romantic Independence night with your loved one.

Tip 6: Go for Green Fireworks

It’s hardly a Fourth of July without fireworks. Fireworks however don’t fare well when it comes to their green cred, but thankfully there are some companies out these putting out some alternatives that sparkle just as bright! Some sweet options we’ve seen include perchlorate-free fireworks and Chris Burton’s Sky Orbs. These colorful lamps can be lit to light up the night, but are also made from biodegradable and environmentally safe materials.

Tip 7: Pick up your waste and RECYCLE!

After this Fourth of July there are bound to be plenty of stray cans, bottles, streamers, plates, and forks littering streets and parks. Do yourself, your community, and the environment a favor by picking up all the leftover traces of your party and properly dispose of them, recycling all that you can. It’s an obvious tip, but it doesn’t hurt repeating.

[via Inhabitat]

Eight Glorious Gluten-Free Cosmetic Companies

If you have Celiac Disease, food allergies or just want to eliminate gluten from your life, you’ve got to check out these gluten free cosmetics brands! Cutting out gluten from your diet might have seemed like a no-brainer but there are some pretty good reasons to use gluten free cosmetics also. Some people report not getting 100% relief just by going gluten-free in their diet and it is possible to ingest gluten from some of the cosmetic products we use. Luckily there are cosmetics companies who make quality gluten free cosmetics and are aware of the risks of gluten.

1. Ecco Bella Products

The first gluten free cosmetics company I want to mention is Ecco Bella. This beauty brand creates quality, gluten-free makeup, skin care, hair care and fragrances. They also have a variety of vegan products as well as cruelty-free, non-comedogenic and paraben-free products.

2. Bare Minerals

If you’re a fan of mineral makeup, you’ve likely heard of Bare Minerals or Bare Escentuals makeup. While most of their products are gluten-free, they have a disclaimer on their website stating that they cannot promise that each ingredient in their products was processed in a gluten-free environment. Check out their website FAQ page for a list of products that are free of oat, rye, wheat and barley here: bareescentuals.com.

3. Afterglow Cosmetics

Afterglow is the first certified gluten-free makeup line by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization. You can find tons of gluten-free beauty products on their website and if you sign up for their newsletter, you can get 10% off your first order! Some favorites include organic blush, lip gloss and mascara!

4. Zuzu Luxe

Zuzu Luxe is another fab gluten-free makeup company who specializes in creating luxury cosmetics inspired by European spas. Their products are vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, corn-free and their ingredients are all natural. Take a look at some of their beauty products like dual powder foundation or mineral bronzer, which all come in eco-friendly packaging!

5. Joelle Cosmetics

Joelle Cosmetics, which is also known as My Mineral Glitters, considers themselves the celiac friendly alternative for natural beauty and the largest gluten-free makeup and skin care solutions store! Browse their online store for tons of options in makeup, skin care and hair care. They’re also creating more gluten-free products for the baby!

6. Intuitive Color

Intuitive Color’s goal is to create quality beauty products formulated with natural, cosmetic-grade ingredients that are safer than traditional, and mineral makeup that doesn’t feel heavy or cakey on your skin. They currently only make foundation that is applied in three steps with three different products to smooth, color and set.

7. Monave Mineral Makeup

Monave makes gluten-free, cruelty-free, 95% vegan and organic makeup that is made of only the highest quality mineral makeup. Choose from a variety of gluten-free lipsticks, concealers, eye shadows and skin care products. Monave prides themselves on creating superior cosmetics that suit women of all ages, complexions and lifestyles!

8. Red Apple Lipstick

Judging from the name Red Apple Lipstick, one would assume that this company only creates lipstick, right? They do make a great lipstick but they also make lip balm, lip liner, lip exfoliator, lipstick and eye shadows. This gluten-free makeup company has a 100% money back guarantee and will even discount their prices if you send in your old makeup!

Now that you’ve been introduced to some amazing gluten-free cosmetics companies, will you try them out? Some people might say that going gluten-free with your makeup isn’t necessary, but if you’re very sensitive to gluten, it can’t hurt and it could help improve the condition of your skin!

What’s your favorite gluten-free makeup brand or product?

[via All Women Stalk]

Eco-Friendly Cinco de Mayo Festivities

Eco-friendly isn’t usually the first word that pops into your mind when you think ‘Cinco De Mayo,’ but it can be this year. With a few simple swaps you could be throwing an incredible eco-friendly Cinco De Mayo celebration. It doesn’t take a lot of effort, but it will make a big impact.

Potluck, Barbecue or Fiesta?

First, consider throwing a potluck or barbecue. Potlucks are more environmentally friendly as everyone is bringing something they made in a reusable container, therefore creating very little waste. Barbecues are also friendly on the environment for their low use of energy, if the correct fuel is used. Lump charcoal, propane, or an electric or solar grill are all better choices than charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid. Plus, cooking outside rather than in the kitchen helps to prevent your house from heating up and requiring the air conditioner to be run. Or, instead of cooking, bring home entrees for your fiesta from a restaurant. This is easily made eco-friendly if you bring your own containers, or use foil pans that can be recycled after use.

The Food

After deciding what kind of celebration you’ll be having, it’s time to purchase the food. Visit a farmers market first, for locally grown fresh produce and then head to the grocery store. Remember to bring your own bags, and select locally grown and/or organic items whenever possible.

You can also take your celebration one step further, and make it meatless. Whether you have a potluck, barbecue, or traditional fiesta, all can be made environmentally friendly by excluding meat. Meat not only has a much higher carbon footprint than vegetables, but also requires a lot more water to produce. And with so many delicious meat-free alternatives, its absence will hardly be missed. Serve options such as veggie fajitas, grilled veggie burritos, grilled pizza, cold pasta and potato salads, fruit salad, veggie burgers, bean and cheese dip, cheese enchiladas or tamales, nachos, etc.

When it comes to drinking, ask your guests to avoid stuffing anything, like a slice of fruit or used napkin, inside their bottle or can. This makes the bottle or can unable to be recycled, as it requires too much effort to extract whatever has been put inside. Also ask guests to put their recyclables in specially marked trashcans to be recycled later.

Decor and Aupplies

But before that, you’ll need to actually invite your guests. One of the easiest ways to do that, and go green for Cinco De Mayo, is to invite guests via Evite, rather than posting paper invites through the mail.

Purchasing and making eco-friendly party supplies is just as easy. Use real or compostable plates, cups, and utensils instead of plastic ones. Also select cloth table cloths and napkins, or those made of recycled materials.

Rather than purchasing a pinata, why not try making one out of paper bags (which can be recycled when the party is over)? Or make a colorful banner out of felt or cloth to decorate the space with. Also consider decorating with items like maracas and sombreros, or using brightly colored table cloths, cups and plates.

Lastly, encourage your guests to carpool to the celebration and, especially if alcohol is served, to share a cab home. With a few simple swaps, you can have a colorful and delicious eco-friendly Cinco De Mayo celebration this Saturday. Just remember to recycle and pick up any trash left behind. Happy Cinco De Mayo!

[via Examiner]

20 Eco-Friendly Easter Egg Ideas

No plastic Easter eggs! Make that your mantra, and you’ve just banned quite a bit of the toxicity of Easter. Besides, you don’t need plastic Easter eggs, not when there are both beautiful, vegan alternatives to plastic eggs, and beautiful, creative, unusual ways to decorate traditional, edible Easter eggs.

Want something to fill with candy? This list has it. Want something extra fun and unusual to do with yet another carton of hard-boiled eggs? This list has it.

Vegan Easter Egg Alternatives

• Egg carton Easter eggs. Bum a few cardboard egg cartons from a friend, and turn them into Easter eggs of your own.
• Embroidery floss Easter eggs. These eggs made from embroidery floss or yarn are delicate, but quite beautiful.
• Felt Easter eggs. Using Eco-fi felt (which is made from recycled plastic soda bottles), you can sew your own Easter egg stuffies. Decorate them with buttons and ribbons instead of dye.
• Papier mâché eggs. These papier mâché Easter eggs are a favorite of mine; the kids can paint them, they’ll last forever, and they hold treats!
• Pine cone Easter eggs. Painted pine cones make great Easter eggs. 
• Rock Easter eggs. Rocks are just as fun to paint as eggs. 
• Upcycled book page eggs. Pages torn from broken books are transformed into three-dimensional eggs. 
• Wooden eggs. Wooden eggs are fairly easy to source, and you can do so much with them–paint them, color on them with Sharpies, decoupage them, glue on buttons or photos. Your imagination is the limit.

Other Easter Egg Alternatives

• Felted wool Easter eggs. When my kids were too young to decorate Easter eggs, these Mama-made felted wool Easter eggs were just the thing–big, soft, and colorful! 
• Felted wool sweater Easter eggs. Sew Easter egg stuffies from prettily patterned wool sweaters. Here’s how to felt wool sweaters.
• Hollow chocolate Easter eggs. Use the embroidery floss technique above, but substitute melted chocolate–yum!

Natural Easter Egg Decorating

• Blown-out eggs. Decorate them however you’d like when you’re finished; blown-out eggs will keep beautifully indefinitely.
• Earth Paint Easter egg dye. Natural Earth Paint makes an Easter egg dye kit that uses the same natural ingredients that you’d use to make your own Easter egg dyes, but in a quick and easy kit form. 
• Homemade natural dyes experiment. What color would the spices in your pantry turn an egg? Now’s the time to find out! 
• Plant silhouettes. These dyed eggs show the delicate silhouettes of leaves, stems and flowers. 
• Ruby eggs. Why dye the eggshell, when you can dye the egg itself? These hard-boiled eggs are dyed in beet juice, so they turn out beautiful and fun, but with no unwanted synthetic chemical coloring. If you use natural food coloring, you can dye your peeled eggs in even more colors. And if you’re still hankering for even more egg dyeing fun, check out Green Living Ideas for more natural egg dyeing tutorials. 
• Vegetable-dyed Easter eggs. There’s nothing but wholesome, food-based pigment in this dye. Secret tip: to get a beautiful crimson color even more vibrant than food coloring could yield, use yellow onion skins.

Upcycled Easter Egg Decorating

• Melted crayon Easter eggs. Use up your broken crayons to decorate eggs with a marbling effect.
• Silk tie Easter eggs. Use those tacky silk ties to make beautifully patterned Easter eggs.
• Tie-dyed Easter eggs. If you’ve got some junky old fabric scraps that you don’t want to use for anything, then use them to make these tie-dyed Easter eggs; fabric is the key ingredient to create that tie-dyed look on the eggs, but you don’t want to use your nice swatches, obviously.

[via EcoWatch]

10 Green Ideas For Earth Day

Got big plans for Earth Day? It's right around the corner, April 22, but feel free to celebrate all week long with these 10 great ideas for teaching kids about Earth Day and what they can do to help take care of our planet.

1. Serve up eco-snacks. Mix up some trail mix (with raisins, sunflowers, peanuts, almonds, chocolate chips) assemble one of these cute flower-power veggie trays, or whip up a batch of these yummy Earth Day bars. Celebrating the global nature of the ingredients (raisins from California, chocolate from Africa, coconut from the Philippines) is a cute idea, but it's still a good idea to look for locally sourced ingredients whenever possible!

2. Make a nature craft. Try your hand at one of these cute nature craft ideas, or get creative and come up with your own eco-masterpieces. 

3. Host an Earth Day 5K (or 1K). This may seem like a big endeavor for Earth Day, but don't let it scare you. Even if you don't decide to do a big community-wide event, you can still challenge your friends and neighbors to a run or walk in honor of Earth Day. It's the perfect way to get out and enjoy the planet and the day.

4. Take a walk. If an organized walk or run is too intimidating, you can still get outdoors for a walk around the block or local park with your own family. Check out these tips for exploring the outdoors with your kids.

5. Pick up a great green read. "The Lorax," "The Omnivore's Dilemma," "Seeds of Change," "The Giving Tree," "An Inconvenient Truth." There are so many great green reads to choose from. Check out MNN's book posts to find an old favorite or a new one to read in honor of Earth Day.

6. Plant a garden. Grab the kids, a shovel, and some seeds and hit the dirt with your family. Whether you plant one tomato plant in a pot or a large garden of fruits and veggies, gardening with your kids wil teach them about the cycles of nature and the beauty of growing your own food.

7. Watch an eco-flick. Snuggle up on the sofa with your kids and your favorite brand of organic popcorn to watch one of these family friendly eco-movies. In the mood for a sobering documentary? Try a classic like Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" or a newer film like "Lunch Line," "Waiting For Superman," "The Cove" or "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead."

8. Host an eco-swap. What better way to get rid of your old stuff than to give it to friends who will find another use for it? Gather up your friends and neighbors for a good old community swap where everybody brings a bag or two of stuff (clothes, toys, you name it,) and then goes home with a bag or two of newish items in exchange.

9. Recycle. Recycling is a great way for kids to get involved in taking care of the planet. Talk to your kids about the items that wind up in the recycling bin and how they can be recycled into new products. Or you can also check out some of the recycling opportunities available from groups like TerraCycle where you can earn money for your school or community organization by collecting items like candy wrappers or juice pouches so that they can be remade into cool new stuff.

10. Bring it home. Earth Day is the perfect day to talk to your kids about the green steps you take around the house to protect the planet and how they can help. Turning off lights and faucets, recycling, keeping the heat and air down low, and cleaning green are great ways to teach your kids about your family's impact on the planet, and the steps that you can all take to minimize it.

[via Mother Nature Network]

7 Ways to Revel in an Eco-Friendly Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras will be in full swing this week, and while it may be a traditional festival of excess, that doesn't mean it has to be wasteful. There are a lot of simple ways you can enjoy the Carnival and keep your eco-friendly wits about you. Hit the jump for our top 7 ideas!

Recycle your Beads

Mardi Gras ‘throws,’ the trinkets thrown by Krewe members from floats to parade goers, have a pretty rich history. Modern throws however, are largely made up of cheap plastic strings of beads, which end up littering the streets or thrown into trash cans. Some groups have started recycling these beads, such as Arc of Greater New Orleans, who follow parades with their “Catch and Release” float. The group encourages parade-goers to throw their beads back. Arc then sorts and resells the beads to Mardi Gras Krewes, reducing cost for the Krewes and wastage for everyone. The money Arc earns from sales goes directly back to their non-profit work. If you find yourself catching beads in a city where it’s not so easy to recycle, you can always try your hand at recycling them into colorful art work.

Regift Collectable Throws

In amongst the masses of plastic beads, you might be lucky enough to snag some more collectable throws. Traditional glass beads, commemorative doubloons, customized beads, decorated coconuts and all manner of flashing LED toys are just some of the items you might catch — and no, you really don’t need to remove your clothing to get them. If the trinkets aren’t your thing, there’s almost certainly a kid around too short to catch the throws, pass them along to those who’ll enjoy them and they’ll be far less likely to wind up in landfill.

Bring a Reusable Cup

If you’re celebrating Mardi Gras in a City with more liberal open container laws, such as New Orleans, bring your reusable cup. Chances are you’ll patronize more than one bar on your Mardi Gras travels, and while commemorative plastic cups are a treasured throw from various Mardi Gras Krewes, you certainly don’t need to collect (and throw out) a different cup from each bar you visit.

Bring a Reusable Water Bottle

It’s pretty important to stay hydrated through Mardi Gras Festivities, but waiting in line to buy bottles of water is neither environmentally friendly or a fun use of your parade time. Bring a reusable water bottle with you and you’ll be free to focus on the party, plus you’ll be surprised how many establishments provide Cambros of water for you to fill up your container with. It’s free, and often the line is much shorter than the one for more adult beverages.

Make your Own Costume

This is a bit of a Mardi Gras no-brainer. While it’s perfectly possible to pick up feathered masquerade headgear around a lot of parades, Mardi Gras is the perfect opportunity to channel your creative side and make a bright, fabulous festive outfit of your own. Dig through your own closet for any big-mistake purchases, embarrassing 80s relics or unwanted hand-me-downs and go to town. Check out thrift stores for gaudy colors and feather boas. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can turn your old newspapers into Mardi Gras masks. There are no rules to Mardi Gras costuming, so run wild and reuse.

Ride a Bike!

With any Mardi Gras celebration comes large crowds, and very often a certain amount of festive drinking. Bring your bike instead of your car, and not only will you find it easier and safer to get around, you’ll also avoid guzzling gas in traffic jams. If costume making got your creative juices flowing, you can even think about decorating your bike! If you’re joining Mardi Gras on vacation, look around for bicycle rental, and perhaps consider taking a bike tour while you’re there.

Support or Join a Green Krewe (Or Start One of Your Own)

This one’s a little more ambitious and takes a little more planning than other items on this list. Eco-aware Mardi Gras Krewes are beginning to pop up, and they have a lot of ground to cover. Aside from from the proliferation of plastic throws, Mardi Gras floats are often largely made of paper mache and crepe paper, and pulled by tractors or trucks. In New Orleans Krewe of Kolossus made their floats from recycled trash and other salvaged materials, while new-comer Verdi Gras make their beads from newspaper and salvaged wood in an effort to create a greener Mardi Gras less dependent on imported plastic goods. Chattanooga’s smaller Mardi Gras celebrations come complete with pedal-powered floats. In most cases, anyone can join a Mardi Gras Krewe, though membership dues vary wildly. There’s huge room for growth in the push for a green Mardi Gras, so if you can, jump in and support those who are working towards a greener Carnival!

[via Inhabitat]

Have an Eco Green Super Bowl 2014 Party

Planning your Super Bowl 2014 party does not mean you need to give up on your organic lifestyle. Here are some easy ways to plan your party and make it enjoyable for both you and your guests.

Keep food choices local to cut down on packaging and transportation emissions from shipping long distances. Check out local farmers markets for great tasting, fresh seasonal fruits and veggies that you can turn into appetizers, soups and more. This helps support the local farming community and local economy as well.

Keep it waste free by using reusable plates, napkins, silverware and cups. Stay away from the idea that everything including paper goods need to be football themed to make it a great party. This will help keep disposables ending up in the landfill.

Encourage guests to bring reusable food containers so they can bring home leftovers, or lend them some of your containers.

Try to avoid serving beverages that come in cans. If you do serve beverages in cans, clearly mark an area that guests can put their empties for recycling. Look for nearby breweries and wineries to keep it local and consider making a pitcher or two of sangria.

When you head out shopping for your party, remember your reusable shopping bags and plan your trips to avoid wasting gas.

Serving locally brewed beer is a tasty option for your Super Bowl 2014 party!

Seasonal fruits and veggies can be found at your local farmers markets.

Don't waste food, send extras home with guests. Better yet, tell each guest to bring their own to-go containers for leftovers.

Nix the idea that you need to have matching football themed disposable paper goods. Have friends bring their own dish, mix-and-match what you already have.

Homemade pizza is sure to be a hit with your guests and it's a great way to use up remaining veggies in your fridge.

[via Examiner]