WEAR GREEN, THINK GREEN, BE GREEN ON ST. PATTY'S DAY

March 6, 2013 (San Diego) — You don’t have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the “greenest” day of the year. This year, Waste Management of Southern California recommends green tips for making your St. Patty’s Day even greener.

“With St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching, now is the best time to start making green choices for an environmentally friendly holiday,” said Eloisa Orozco, Area Communications Manager for Waste Management of Southern California. “If each of us took a few small steps to reduce the waste we produce or increase the amount of materials we recycle during the holidays, we’d save a tremendous amount of material, energy and landfill space. There is no shortage of ways to cut down on wastefulness.”

The following are ways you can truly be green, both in celebration and in practice:

•Wear your green pride and avoid pinching your wallet.  Celebrate your green-conscious by opting to make your St. Patrick’s Day outfit from reusable or recycled materials.  You can also find your perfect green style by shopping at your local used clothing store. By shopping vintage, you will avoid waste by contributing to the re-use cycle of valuable materials while raising awareness about the positive impact that reusing can have on the environment.

•Don’t be a litter bug at the St. Patty’s Day parade. Many cities across the nation host St. Patrick’s Day parades and spend hours cleaning up. This year, clean up after yourself and if you see any recyclable items left behind, please put them in the proper receptacle.

•Wish friends and family luck by giving them a potted shamrock.  These plants flourish indoors and will help keep the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day alive all year long.

•Bike, walk or carpool to the party. Walking, biking, taking a bus or picking up friends along the way to your celebration are great ways to reduce energy and save green in your wallet too.

•Decorate your St. Patrick’s Day party with reusable decorations. Because this event occurs every year, consider purchasing reusable decorations, rather than those that are designed to be thrown away after one use.

•Try a new twist to your traditional corned beef and cabbage meal. Purchase locally grown and packaged beef, cabbage and potatoes when possible and compost all leftover cabbage and potato peels.