Go Green on St. Patty's Day!

You know, St. Patty's day ain't all about the beer...ok maybe for some it is but why not go "Eco" on your friends this day for green and really go green? I propose that each and everyone of you reading this blog figure a way to make St. Patrick's day about giving back to our environment and feel good about yourself. You know, this is actually a good alternative to waking up on the 18th with a tremendous headache!
Here are a few simple ways to go green this March 17th:

1. Plant a tree... Did you know that planting a tree can not only reduce sound and produce oxygen, but it also cleans the air, reduces wind and increases property values?

2. Host a St. Patty's day party in the dark... Use candles instead of watts to supply the light to your next party. Not only is this a mood setter, it's a trend setter. Tell your friends that this is THE next thing and 'everyone' is doing it! As a party favor send everyone home with a compact fluorescent light bulb. Remind your friends that if every household replaced one bulb in their home with an energy efficient bulb such as an Energy Star light bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year. Holy Moses people. That is so easy to do if we all ban together!

3. Consume less and buy eco-friendly products. Try for one day to abstain from purchasing unnecessary products and if you must, choose products that are good for our Mother Earth such as organic foods and environmentally friendly household and outdoor products. It's easy to do. The labels will tell you so...

4. When shopping, BYOB... Not what you are thinking... remember, we are moving away from the traditional St. Patty's day pastime... I am talking about Bringing Your Own Bag! Did you know that big chains like IKEA are currently in discussions on ways to implement a program that will charge the consumer for the use of a plastic bag??? I love this..Way to go IKEA!!! Don't be mad at them! They are taking charge and making a difference. They are educating consumers and trying to contribute. It's really all we can ask of big name chains. The more they try, the more people are aware of how our consumption effects the environment.

5. Try mass transit for a day! Come on, look at it as an adventure! St Patrick's day lands on a Saturday this year, so why not use the old muscles and ride your bike everywhere you go that day... Even if it is to the local pub...

These are just a few ways to get you started on going green this St. Patrick's Day. There are plenty more. Try googling "Going Green" and see what you come up with. Tree Hugger is one of my favorite sites dedicated to being eco friendly. The writers are enormously educated in this field and the site offers lots of ideas, articles and links to others who are just as passionate about the cause.