Sustainability Tips: Getting Green on Saint Patrick's Day!

No matter how you celebrate Saint Patrick's Day, whether drinking green beer, wearing a "Kiss Me I'm Irish" button, or attending a parade, we could all stand to be a little more green.

By "green" we mean making sustainable choices every day, and being kind to this beautiful planet on which we live.

Facts About Plastics

Did you know that plastics often end up in our oceans? Yes, even the plastic put in the recycling bin often ends up floating with the fishes. Sea life ends up trapped in plastic rings and containers, sometimes even growing around them. Since plastics look like food to fish, they ingest it - and in turn we ingest the plastic that fish consumed.

Yes, we eat plastic. Some plastic stays within the bodies of the fish we eat, and since it cant be fully digested, it goes into our bodies where it also cannot be digested. It's a vicious cycle! In Europe alone, people ingested around 11,000 tiny pieces of plastic through their seafood in 2015. Yuck!

The problem is getting worse. If we don't change our ways, by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic than fish. Even though awareness has increased around the devastating effects of plastics in these ecosystems, we have increased production from 300 million water bottles in 2006 to 480 billion in 2016.

Get Green with Your Choices

Big changes need to be made through elected politicians, advocacy, and policies, however there are plenty of simple choices you can make to lessen the amount of plastics that are circulated on the earth. 

Tips for Being Green this St Patrick's Day

• Always bring a reusable water bottle.
  Disposable water bottles are a huge culprit in the plastic that ends up in our oceans. We love our thermal water bottles, as they are double-walled keep liquids nice and cold. Forgot your reusable water bottle? Ask for tap water in a glass or mug instead.
• Get a filter for your sink at home.
  Although it's a larger investment, this purchase will save you the money you used to spend on filtered bottled water. It will also make a huge impact on reducing your plastic waste.
• Reduce, reuse, then recycle.
  There is a reason why it is in this order - we should first reduce how much plastic we use, then reuse it whenever possible, then recycle it as a last resort. A great way to reuse True Citrus spice bottles is to buy spices in the bulk section of your grocery store and fill them back up.
• Bring your own container.
  If you often order take-out food or items from the deli, ask them to put items in your own reusable container. Not only will it save you from using plastic or styrofoam (don't even get us started on the horrors of styrofoam), it'll save your bag if there are any leaks.
• Skip plastic bags.
  Many states have banned the use of plastic bags in stores, and for good reason. Bring a reusable bag with you, and leave a few in your car so that you don't have to think about it. If you do forget your bag, opt for paper over plastic.

By working together, raising awareness, and making small changes everyday, we can make positive changes for sustaining life on our planet.

Stay green, and Happy St Patrick's Day!