Environment
What Thanksgiving Costs the Climate Where You Live
How much CO2 did it take to cook a turkey dinner in your state?
Say you’re preparing to dig into a Thanksgiving feast of turkey, stuffing, green beans, and pie—how much greenhouse gas was released to make this sumptuous spread?
The answer depends on where you live, according to researchers at Carnegie Mellon University who’ve investigated the carbon footprint of a roasted 16-pound turkey, green-bean casserole, apple-and-sausage stuffing, and pumpkin pie. In states that rely on fossil fuels for energy, they say this dinner can produce more than 75 pounds of carbon dioxide; states leaning on renewables can see a footprint below 10 pounds.