November is often considered a time of gratitude for the things we have. We in America have ingrained this into our culture through one of our biggest national holidays - Thanksgiving.
At this time of gratitude, it's striking to see the ubiquity of our "throw away culture" in stores. According to Merriam Webster, "disposable" is an adjective meaning "designed to be used once or only a limited number of times and then thrown away". So much of what we consume is disposable, from packaging to quick serve or single-use items. It's hard to feel gratitude for something that we don't even want to keep around.
This holiday season, let's all pause to think about what we're actually buying, using, and gifting. What of it will be cherished? What of it will be thrown out? What if the package itself, the wrapping itself, was part of the gift, and not part of the garbage?
I, for one, would be thankful for less garbage.