Considering wearing green for the upcoming holiday? That’s nice and festive, but there are other ways to be green on St. Patrick’s Day. Why not view today as an opportunity to jump-start some new habits that will make the planet even greener, alongside your outfit? Embrace all of what green can be with these tips!

Go Green on St. Patrick’s Day

Food Ideas

Include green smoothies in your routine. Only 12 percent of Americans actually eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables every day. Fresh, dark, leafy greens are bursting with essential nutrients and are much easier on the planet than the expensive, highly packaged supplement powders some companies try to convince us we need. So as an easy way to go green on St. Patrick’s Day, throw some into your morning smoothie for a colorful and nutritional breakfast boost!

Start an herb garden. Nothing is fresher and greener than a fragrant herb garden. Nowadays, there are kits for every kind of living situation, so it’s easy to grow your own in your kitchen, on your balcony, or in your backyard. Using fresh herbs puts a new, flavorful spin on our favorite dishes and allows us to feel more culinarily connected to our food.

Store your produce the right way. Americans throw billions of pounds of food away every year. Cutting down on food waste in the home can be simple if we’re willing to re-learn how to properly store our fresh fruits and veggies. It’s also helpful to start a list of what’s in the fridge (posted right on the fridge) in order of what’s going to go bad first — this way those foods can be incorporated into veggies before they hit the landfill.

Home Ideas

Ditch artificial cleaners for natural ones. The color green may remind you of the chemical dyes in some popular household cleaners. These options aren’t great for the household or the planet. Instead, try out replacing some of your cleaning staples with more natural versions.

Decorate with house plants. Even those without green thumbs can keep hardy plants alive. Not only do they add gorgeous pops of color, but they can help purify the air in your home, as well. If you want to go super-green, you can also use your own homemade compost to nourish them!

Freshen your space with natural scents. Homemade potpourri isn’t just for grannies — it can serve as an aromatic and environmentally friendly “scentual” experience. Also, the rise in essential oil popularity has made diffusers more affordable (and certainly a better choice over chemical-laden aerosol deodorizers).

Other Ideas

Green up your transportation. Get a carpool gang together one day out of the week. Walk to the store when you can. Plan a vacation that doesn’t involve long, international plane rides. Join a biking club so the idea of cycling in traffic is less scary and you and your bike can become better buds.

Give some of your green to eco-friendly organizations. Identify a local (or non-local!) org that is making a difference. Whether you are passionate about preserving the safety of our oceans, providing nutritional food to those without access, or caring for rescue animals who need a sanctuary, there are countless groups who would greatly appreciate the support of a few extra bucks per month so they can keep on changing the world. And don’t forget that when you shop at TomatoInk.com, you help OneTreePlanted plant more trees around the world.

Get outside more often. When we’re surrounded by the beauty of nature, we tend to appreciate it more and consider our role in maintaining its splendor. Commit to being outdoors on a regular basis to connect with the planet. Not only will you discover inspiration, fresh air, and memorable moments along the way, but you will find even more reason to live in an environmentally friendly way as possible.

How are you celebrating St. Paddy’s Day? Are you going to be more green on St. Patrick’s Day? Let us know in the comments below.

Katie Medlock is a writer, mental health counselor, and educator on a quest to make the world a better place. Her writing has appeared on Headspace, Inhabitat, Care2, Ravishly, and Chic Vegan. On her days off, you will find her cooking, catching up on nerdy podcasts, blogging at The Offbeat Herbivore (https://offbeatherbivore.com), or lounging with her partner and rescue dachshund.