A few quick tips to help you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day without plastic

Green pride is strong on St. Paddy’s Day and lots of people go out of their way to make sure everything they consume is green. The only problem is that this introduces lots of unnecessary single-use plastic into the waste stream, or worse, the environment. So we’ve pulled together a few quick tips to help you cut down on plastics while keeping the tradition of wearing the green alive. 

• Reuse your favorite decorations and accessories. If you have to buy new items this year, choose sustainable options that you can use and reuse every year or ones that can be recycled or composted.

• Skip the pre-made, plastic-wrapped snack platters and make your own on reusable dishes instead.

• Butter your green bagel with a reusable knife and eat all your meals with reusable utensils. 

• Sip your Smithwick’s straight from the bottle, pour your Guiness in a pint glass, or set up the pong table with reusable cups instead of plastic.

• Bring a reusable water bottle to make sure you stay hydrated.

• If you prefer other drinks to beer, either skip the straw or bring a reusable straw along with you.

• Store all of that delicious leftover corned beef and cabbage in reusable storage bags and containers.

• Avoid fast fashion and wear green clothes you already own. If you do buy something new, make sure it’s something you can wear all year and glam up for St. Paddy’s Day; always try to choose fabric made from natural fibers like organic cotton.

• If you go out shopping for party supplies, make sure you bring your items home in a reusable shopping bag.

More ways to get involved

Plastic pollution is a complex issue and there is no one single action that’s going to change the tide. Ending this global crisis will require lots of small actions from lots of people every single day. 

Every time you shop 4ocean, you’re investing in the future of our planet by funding the removal of trash that’s already polluting our oceans, rivers, and coastlines, while supporting the research, innovation, technology, advocacy, and education initiatives we invest in to help prevent more plastic from entering our oceans. 

There are lots of ways to get involved in the clean ocean movement. Just remember that small acts add up, which means every piece of single-use plastic you refuse, every bad habit you change, and every pound you pull makes a difference not just on St. Patrick’s Day, but every day of the year.