March 17 is Saint Patrick’s Day, during which we celebrate the colour green, shamrocks and Irish beer.

Despite the day’s green theme, the food and drink we consumer during these celebrations generate a lot of environmentally unfriendly waste! Our taste buds may be happy, but the planet pays the price…

Here are some things you can do to make Saint Patrick’s Day truly green!

• Producing beer, the second most consumed drink worldwide, generates a lot of waste. To reduce your environmental footprint during these celebrations, support local breweries!
• You can also show your environmental awareness by choosing beer sold in brown bottles. Brown bottles are the greener option, as they can be reused 12 to 17 times. Additionally, you will be supporting thousands of Quebec workers.
• Lastly, consider returning reusable bottles and cans to stores.
• If you don’t want to return reusable bottles and cans to a point of purchase, you can put them out in a bag on recycling day for garbage pickers to collect. Just install a La Consigne J’accroche hook outside your home. This is a way for you to interact with and support pickers, who perform a valuable service in society.
• Shamrock is another name for white clover. Did you know that you can plant clover to prevent the spread of ragweed? Clover flowers are also attractive to various pollinators and honey made from these flowers is very rich in vitamin K. Clover honey is recommended for athletes or persons suffering from fatigue, as it promotes sound sleep.
  Start planting – in your own garden or in your neighbourhood!