Go Green for St. Patrick’s Day
Living a more sustainable lifestyle can start with a few simple swaps. You can celebrate holidays in style without stopping first at the novelty store. And St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect holiday to start, or continue, your eco-friendly habits.
Skip the glitter, green hairspray, disposable plastic green tablecloths, and face paints! Opt instead for a t-shirt, hat, or fun socks that you’ve used in the past, or find them at a thrift shop. No one will know — they’ll think you’re smart if they do happen to notice!
Eat your greens! Generally, growing vegetable crops use less energy, water, land, and have lower greenhouse gas emissions than what is needed for cattle and other meats. Cabbage, potatoes, and leafy greens keep the Irish theme strong. Here are some plant-based recipes for inspiration.
Upcycle a green glass bottle as a vase with some fresh daffodils to give to a friend, or cheer up your desk or dinner table. A potted shamrock also lends a nod to the Irish theme and will stick around to be enjoyed much longer than a plastic pop-up leprechaun.
Skip the plastic cups at your celebration! You may have an authentic glass beer stein tucked away from when you were best man at a friend’s wedding, or you can pick them up at a local thrift shop to keep the green theme going.
Show your green thumb! March is a great time to shop online catalogues for the upcoming gardening season. It’s also a good time in the central and southern regions of Virginia to plant potatoes. You can get “seed potatoes” locally at your Feed Store, and a dozen potatoes such as Red Fingerling or Yukon Gold will give you a dozen potato plants with very little effort.
The Irish have a reputation for being thrifty, and these ideas will also save you money — surely the best way to celebrate the popular green holiday!