What do St. Patrick’s Day and Chariot have in common? Whether it be with green beer or green energy — if you are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year, embrace the opportunity to keep it sustainable, and more importantly, GREEN! Here are six tips and tricks for an earth-friendly St. Patrick’s Day. 

1. Say No to Plastic Straws

With restaurants implementing the no straw rule, you can too! Many people don’t recycle their straws, and therefore they widely contribute to the plastic that ends up in our oceans, which is super harmful to the environment. Additionally, marine life is heavily affected by the excess of waste in the ocean and many sea animals are dying from it. However, if you find yourself wanting to grab a straw, there are many alternatives that are available on the market! 

Some of our favorite ones are stainless steel straws, glass straws, biodegradable paper straws, and bamboo straws. Eliminating plastic straws in your everyday life can help prevent excess waste in the oceans and save the turtles! 

2. BYOP (Bring Your Own Plate)

If you’re throwing a party this St. Patrick’s Day, besides BYOB, also make it BYOP — or bring your own plate! While not a revolutionary idea, bringing your own plate to the party could massively cut down on waste from plastic plates and utensils. No one will need a single-use plate, so there’s no need to buy plastic ones, and chances are that you can just use your own silverware vs. the plastic stuff. 

Besides plates and utensils, there are a host of other ways your assortment of party cutlery and drinkware can be eco-friendly. If you’re throwing a huge party where single-use items are necessary, look for biodegradable options to help cut down on the waste vs. the plastic kind. 

Time to get your eco-friendly St. Patty’s Day on!

3. Occupy the Kids with Eco-Friendly Arts & Crafts Projects

Need a way to keep the kids busy this St. Patrick’s Day? Projects using recycled goods are the way to go! By using old newspapers, cardboard, and whatever else you have lying around, you can have a full-on eco-friendly arts and craft session without using new, virgin plastic or paper products! 

And what’s more green than a tree? Plant a tree with your kiddos to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! It’s almost spring, and many of the home improvement stores will be chock-full of new saplings ready to take on new growth this year and for many to come. Oh, and did we forget to mention that this will offset your carbon footprint

Check out Pinterest for some more St. Patrick’s Day inspiration. 

4. Throw a Meatless St. Patrick’s Day Party

Today, there are so many alternatives to meat that we couldn’t even name them on our fingers. While Saint Patrick’s Day is known for its green, green, green, the main dishes for the party include meat-heavy options like beef stew and corned beef. However, these meaty dishes have a greater environmental toll than their meat-free counterparts. 

There are plenty of “meaty” vegetables that can be easily used as a substitute. Eggplants, cauliflower, and portobello mushrooms are a great way to “beef” up your dishes this St. Patrick’s Day. Plus, there are all kinds of meat substitutes like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods that are so close to the real ones you can’t even tell. 

A quick Google search can help provide a more delicious, meat-free Irish- and St. Patrick’s Day-inspired meals that will help keep both your guests and the environment happy!

5. Be thrifty

“Fashion production makes up 10% of humanity’s carbon emissions, dries up water sources, and pollutes rivers and streams. What’s more, 85% of all textiles go to the dump each year.” – Business Insider 

In 2017 alone, landfills received 11.2 million tons of textile waste, and the number has only gone up. Instead of buying brand new clothes that you will probably only wear one day out the year, stop by your local Goodwill or second-hand shop to thrift some green clothes to help reduce the worldwide waste!

This way, you’re saving the earth while also saving some coin! 

6. Travel Hacks

When you head to the local pub to celebrate St. Patrick’s day this year, consider more eco-friendly options of transportation than riding individually or taking an Uber for one! If you’re going in a pack, try carpooling. Just make sure to vote on a designated driver! 

Other eco-friendly options include walking or taking public transportation. And bonus— leaving the car at home means that you can avoid the temptation to drive after having a few drinks at the end of the night! We want you to not only have a sustainable green celebration but a SAFE one, as well!

Make your St. Paddy’s day celebration eco-friendly this year. Have a happy St. Patrick’s Day! 


Sources:

  1. https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-fashion-environmental-impact-pollution-emissions-waste-water-2019-10
  2. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data

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