When you think of the phrase “St. Patrick’s Day party,” you probably think of grilling some burgers and adding green food coloring to your favorite beverage. These can certainly be awesome ways to celebrate, but if you really want to throw a fun party without adding to the planet’s plastic waste problem, be sure to check out some of the suggestions below.
Wear a Greener Green
Wearing green is a tradition for St. Patrick’s Day – especially if you don’t want to get pinched. Finding a cute or funny t-shirt to celebrate the occasion is common, but this year, why not try to find a greener green option, instead? There are numerous sustainable clothing companies out there creating fabrics made from hemp, bamboo, and other materials. If this isn’t an option for you, consider thrifting your St. Patrick’s Day outfit this year, instead. Thrifting is affordable, fun, and good for the planet, after all.
Enjoy a Green Beverage
Tradition usually calls for adding green food coloring to beer, juice, and other beverages that will be enjoyed on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s certainly fun and festive, but this year, why not challenge yourself to purchase beverages that are green in every way? If you’re planning a trip to the pub, don’t order individual beverages in bottles or cans; instead, ask for what’s on tap. If you’re celebrating at home, don’t purchase cases of individual servings. Rather, reserve a keg or half-keg. You could even make your own beverages and serve them in reusable cups or glasses.
Use Green Transportation
If you are traveling this St. Patrick’s Day, take some time to think about the impact that your car has on the environment, and commit yourself to utilizing alternative modes of transportation whenever possible. For example, you might opt to take the city bus rather than your own car to go shopping, or you might decide to carpool with friends if you are going to the pub. If you’re lucky enough to live in a city with bike lanes, dust off your bicycle and get some exercise while you protect the environment.
Clean Up with Green Products
Once the fun is over and it’s time to clean up, you might be surprised to learn just how bad some of your favorite cleaning products are for the environment. Your big-name laundry detergent contains harmful chemicals and comes in plastic containers that are virtually impossible to recycle, and even the plastic toothbrush you use before bed to cleanse the night’s food and drink from your teeth will sit in a landfill for hundreds or even thousands of years. Commit yourself to making a simple swap, such as replacing your plastic toothbrush with a bamboo one, instead. Then, a little later, make another swap, and then another. Over time, you can drastically reduce your plastic consumption and you won’t even notice the difference.
St. Patrick’s Day is a day of fun and celebration for many, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate in ways that are good for the environment. It’s possible to make the greenest holiday of them all truly green – and that’s something you can all feel good about.
