Every year, March 17^th has become a day where we all dress in green, put on green plastic beads and buttons and go to the pub to drink green beer. As exciting as this holiday is for some, it also brings with it a lot of waste. From plastic decorations to “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” t-shirts that are worn once and then discarded, there isn’t much green that goes with this holiday. This is why this year try to embrace being green year round, not just on St. Patrick’s Day.

Here are five Tips for how to have a truly green St. Patrick’s Day!

1. Get Outside

There isn’t anything greener than being outside in nature. It may not look so green yet with so much snow on the ground, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any benefits from taking a walk outside. Connecting with nature has proven to reduce stress, minimize depression, increase happiness, and overall increase one’s wellbeing and overall health. It is also a great way to learn more about the flora and fauna that are around you and appreciate the beauty of it all!

2. Eat Green

Eating green isn’t just about eating salads all day. It’s about eating sustainably, buying locally, reducing food waste, and reducing your carbon footprint. Eating green requires eating more fruits and vegetables, and reducing meat consumption, as well as buying free-range and organic meat products when available.

3. Use Green Transportation

If you are going out to celebrate, consider taking public transportation, carpooling with friends, or even walking! This will help you minimize, or even eliminate the carbon emissions incurred from transportation.

4. Say No to Plastics & Single-use items

Avoid buying plastic decorations such as green beads, glittered leprechaun top hats, plastic drinkware and plastic drink straws! Most of us will only use these decorations for one year and then throw them away. To avoid plastic waste, consider choosing decorations made from cloth, paper, metal, or glass, and keep reusing your decorations instead of throwing them out! Putting up more green plants into your home can also add a bit of St. Patrick’s Day magic and purify your home at the same time!

5. Choose Sustainable Beers

When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day, you really can’t avoid beer, particularly the green beer. This year, why not opt for an eco-friendly beer option, rather than the artificially dyed green beer you can see offered everywhere. A good option is to get your beer from a local brewery that uses natural ingredients. This in turn reduces the carbon footprint of your beer, so you can have a nice drink and feel like you are doing your part to help the environment. Choosing organic or eco-friendly beer also has much less of an impact on the environment than regular beer by producing less carbon emissions and using energy and water more efficiently in the brewing process.

Whether you try all these tips this year, or just one, hopefully these tips help you enjoy St. Patrick’s Day while making the day a little bit greener than usual!