If you've been spending most of the year trying to protect the earth and its natural resources, you might wonder how you can take that theme into your Thanksgiving Day festivities. The following four ideas will help you save money, save waste and help you to have a green Thanksgiving.

1. Shop locally and with reusable bags.
If you've made a habit of ordering a turkey from a company far away, or even shopping for conventional produce for your Thanksgiving dinner, it's time to make a change. Shop at the local farmer's market or ask if your supermarket carries locally grown food. Making food from what is available is what Thanksgiving used to be all about. Take advantage of your county's local harvest for your menu, and you'll be supporting the local economy. Be sure to use reusable bags for any of your shopping.

2. Set an eco-friendly table.
Thanksgiving dinner is a time when you're serving more people than you normally would. That means you'll need more dishes. The best option, to save on waste, would be to use regular dishes that will be washed after the meal. If you don't have enough place settings for your guests, ask a neighbor, a friend or one of your Thanksgiving guests to borrow some dishes. Or consider buying second hand dishes so that you can reuse what someone else has previously used. You can find second hand dishes at thrift stores or on eBay.

If you must use paper plates, napkins or cups, make sure that you use those made from recycled materials.

3. Decorate your table with reusable items.
If you want an eco-friendly centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table, you have a lot of different choices. Don't rely on disposable streamers, paper turkeys and other wasteful centerpieces. You can make or buy a lot of eco-friendly decorations that won't fill the landfill.

Your first choice is to make centerpiece out of the natural bounty that is around this time of year. Decorative gourds, multi-colored corn and small pumpkins can all be used to decorate the center of your tables. Once you're done with the items, you can add them to your composting pile.

Another option is to purchase Thanksgiving centerpieces that will last year after year. Craft stores and decorating stores have many options to choose from. Although these are a bit pricier than their paper counterparts, they are definitely less wasteful.

4. Leftovers.
Leftovers are a traditional part of any Thanksgiving feast, but they are only eco-friendly if they are used up! Make sure to reduce your amount of leftovers by making only old favorites and things that you know your guests will eat. Send all of your guests home with leftovers. If you still end up with too many leftovers, compost them before they start to mold.

Being eco-friendly year round is easy if you follow these Thanksgiving tips. They may take a while to get used to at first, but, with practice, you can create new traditions that are more friendly for the environment.