Top 'o the mornin' to you all! Since it's
Saint Paddy's Day and I'm not
Irish, I figured that I'd look at the "
green" a different way today.
Environmentally, I'm not the greenest guy. I grew up in the convenience generation and threw away my share of foam cups, batteries, printers and plastic bottles. I am trying to be a better person now; both by cutting down the waste I produce and dealing with my waste in a responsible manner. But sometimes it's hard to know what's an Earth-friendly practice. As they say, the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. What's a laddie to do?
Here are 4 green things you can do to minimize your impact today for Saint Patrick's Day:
- Unplug - After you finish reading this blog post, log off your accounts and turn off your computer. I you can't do that, at least try to minimize your computer usage. And unplug everything you're not using (like your toaster and TV). Most appliances are draining power from the grid even if they are not being used.
- Walk - Many of us will have somewhere to go today, Irish or not. Instead of consuming that expensive petrol, why not walk if weather permits? Not only will that be good for the environment, but it will be good for you as well. Or, if you live in an area that has bus service, take a group ride? It will mean one less car on the road for the day.
- Use a non-disposable/reusable drinking vessel - When you are going out to drink your green beer/coffee/Jamba Juice, how about not using the foam or paper and bring your own mug/stein/pitcher? Yeah, I know - the cup was already made. But by using your own cup, you can slow down the consumption of the disposables.
- Eat a local restaurant - Let's face it; unless you're a great cook, preparing corn beef and cabbage is not that easy and can be cost-prohibitive for some. Why not take advantage of dining at a local restaurant and doing the group-eat thing? You help support the local economy and cut down the potential waste of cooking for yourself.
Have a great green Saint Patrick's Day!
