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St. Patrick’s Day is one of those holidays where it doesn’t really seem to matter whether you are of true Irish decent or not. People from all across the globe love to join in the celebration when it comes to St. Patrick’s Day. Of course there are people who have their Irish traditions, handed down from generation to generation, while there are others who are fully content to go hopping from bar to bar in search of the greenest beer in town.

In order to give you a little head start on your holiday plans, and to instill a bit of the Irish spirit in you, here are a few green St. Patrick’s Day traditions:

1) Drinking green beer. Although Guinness beers are not commonly dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day, mostly because their dark color doesn’t allow the green dye to show through, Guinness does have a fairly “green” beer in that their Guinness Extra Stout – North America is vegan-friendly. That makes it a nice addition to one of your St. Patrick’s Day meals.

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2) Planting shamrocks. One of the more traditional symbols of St. Patrick’s Day is the shamrock. Legend has it that St. Patrick used to use the shamrock, also known as a clover, in illustrating The Holy Trinity. Today the Irish, and many others around the world, consider the shamrock (especially the four-leaf clover version) to be a symbol of good luck.

3) Eating your greens. Bacon (nowadays corned beef) and cabbage is a tasty Irish meal that is often served on St. Patrick’s Day. If you haven’t eaten it yourself, I’m sure you know of someone who has has eaten it. For those meat-lovers, it is a great way to combine meats with your greens and have a relatively well-balanced meal. For those of you who would rather have a vegetarian or vegan option, here are 10 Vegetarian and Vegan Dishes for St. Patrick’s Day.

4) Last but definitely NOT least, getting outdoors. People love an excuse to celebrate and if you’re going to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, regardless of whether or not you are Irish, what better place to do it than outdoors? The backyard, a local park, the beach, a campground, or another outdoor destination of your choice.

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Whatever you decide to do, I hope your day is filled with green from morning to night. Here’s to a happy and truly green St. Patrick’s Day!

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Valentine’s Day is typically one of the most romantic days of the year. People all across the globe take time out of their day to honor, cherish and shower those they love with flowers, candy, gifts and romantic gestures. The question is, how can you do all of that with a little eco-friendly twist? Well, here you go…10 eco-friendly Valentine’s Day tips that can help you through not only Valentine’s Day, but any other time you feel like treating those you love to something nice.

1. Name something, or plant something, on behalf of the one you love. If you don’t want to buy a physical gift to give your loved one on Valentine’s Day, how about naming something on their behalf. You can name a star after them, plant a tree in their name, adopt a wild animal, donate to a non-profit, or if you want something a little more out of the ordinary, you can name a cockroach after the one you love. (Image: Casey Fleser / Creative Commons)

2. Want to exchange gifts? Go vintage. Rather than spending money on a brand new watch, necklace or pair of earrings, try going a little more classic and find something at a vintage clothing or thrift store. There are so many options available and you might as well “recycle” people’s treasures and make them into new treasures of your own, don’t you think?

3. Give a long-lasting plant instead of cut flowers. If you are thinking of giving your loved one a bouquet of flowers, how about opting for a long-lasting plant instead. There are so many flowering plants you can choose from including mini roses, orchids, hibiscus, even herbs are a great option. The bonus? They will last a lot longer than cut flowers, so your loved one will be able to enjoy them day after day. (Image: Jennifer Feuchter / Creative Commons)

4. For all you chocolate lovers, go divine, Divine Chocolate that is. Chocolate is one of the primary gifts associated with Valentine’s Day, so if you want to stick with traditional, then opt for fair trade. Divine Chocolate is one of the leading fair trade brands, with companies in both the UK and the U.S.

5. Make a Valentine’s dinner from scratch. We all know how crowded restaurants are on holidays such as Valentine’s Day. Why not skip the crowds this year and have a romantic meal at home. Weather permitting, you could even go out and have a picnic lunch. TreeHugger’s Green Wine Guide has a variety of recipes to choose from if you are not quite sure what to make.

6. Relax at home with some sexy valentine cocktails. Again, there is no reason to go out when you can make some tasty drinks right in the comfort of your own home. It saves money, saves time, there is no need to drive anywhere (unless it is too far to walk to your local store for supplies) and you get to test out your bartending skills. (Image: Lori L. Stalteri / Creative Commons)

7. Indulge in a few at-home spa treatments. Whether you want to pamper yourself before your date, or you want to set up a romantic at-home spa for just the two of you, here are some spa treatments you will want to check out.

8. Write your special someone a poem. It’s a lot more personal than going out and buying a card and it will let them know how you truly feel about them. To top it off, you can use recycled paper or even a piece of fabric (one that may have a particular meaning to you or them).

9. Take a hike. Rather than spending the day indoors, why not plan an outdoor activity with your friends or loved one, such as going on a hike. Going on a walk or hike is a nice way to spend time with someone. You can walk, talk, enjoy the beauty of nature around you, and breathe in a little fresh air. (NOTE: If you like it, you can make it a regular occurrence.)

10. Go camping. Last but not least, if you and your loved one want to have a quiet, yet romantic weekend away from home, go camping. It’s a fun way to enjoy the great outdoors and get some alone time in the bargain. Try to find places nearby though, the less traveling you have to do, the better. (Image: Adam Campbell / Creative Commons)

Whatever you decide to do for Valentine’s Day the key is to show your loved one how much you care. So if you are looking to celebrate, while having as little environmental impact as possible, I hope one (or more) of these eco-friendly tips will be able to help you have a wonderful and happy Valentine’s Day.

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The big game is almost here and if you are any kind of football fan you’ve probably already figured out who you are watching the game with, where you are going to watch it, what you are eating and most importantly which team you want to win. With all of that figured out, I wanted to give you a few friendly tips to help lower your environmental footprint just a bit. Don’t worry, they are easy to do and won’t cramp your style. You game?

First of all, many people are planning on attending parties, get-togethers or gathering at a local bar/restaurant in order to watch the game. Needless to say, there is going to be a lot of food at most of these places. You will probably have your choice of tasty snacks, drinks and other foods.

Image via Netta S on Pinterest via Facebook.com

That being said, it is important not only to not eat too much, but to not waste food either. Take a look at some of these shocking facts about how much food we waste. My tip is to a) make less, b) send friends home with leftovers so they don’t go to waste, c) compost any other left over food, and d) recycle all bottles and cans.

If you are the host of a game day party, or if you are going to a “potluck” party, then here are some organic recipes that may help you out. I know we all have our favorite, go-to snacks, but there is no need to indulge in 100% fatty foods when you can add in some fresh, yummy, organic alternatives. Feast away!

Now, you may not be aware of this, but for the last 18 years the NFL has been taking steps to “green” the Super Bowl, and this year is no different. Green Mountain Energy Company is going to be the company supplying 15,000 megawatt hours of “renewable energy certificates” designed to help offset some of the electricity (and resultant greenhouse gas emissions) that will be used at seven of the primary NFL venues on game day.

If the NFL can do it, so can you. My first tip is to to carpool wherever you are going. Second, if you don’t have plans for the game, make them – 10 people in one room will use a lot less electricity than those same 10 people being in 10 different rooms watching the game. Third, if you’re planning a big get-together, you and your guests can choose whichever Green Mountain offset product best suits your needs and take steps to offset your environmental footprint for the entire day.

Ditch the disposables. Instead of going out and getting plastic forks, knives, spoons, plates and cups, my tip is to ask all your guests to bring their own. Trust me, it’s not that hard. Besides, if someone forgets, you can also have some reusable supplies on hand to help them out.

Well, that about covers it for now. If you have any other helpful tips, please feel free to drop a comment and share the wealth. For those of you who missed it, here was last year’s green facts and figures surrounding the Super Bowl. Here’s hoping you have a great and biofriendly weekend. Enjoy the game!

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Valentine’s Day will be upon us before you know it. Just a few short weeks ago, now is the time to start plotting and planning for a fantastically romantic Valentine’s Day. One of the nice thing about Valentine’s Day (as with most holidays), there is no reason you can’t incorporate biofriendly ideas into your plans. So many of the “usual” Valentine’s Day activities and ideas come with green or greener alternatives.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways you, and your loved one, can enjoy a wonderfully biofriendly Valentine’s Day:

1) Opt for a homemade meal: Making a meal for your loved one is not only a perfect way to show them how much you care, but it’s also healthier and usually has a smaller impact on the environment.

Image by Ned Raggett

You can do some shopping at your local farmer’s market to get fresh fruits and vegetables. Then either make one of their favorite dishes or try a new dish they might enjoy. Green Wine Guide has a lot of great information on organic wines and recipes that might be perfect for a romantic evening at home.

Here are a few more foods and delectable recipes that can also help get you in the mood.

2) Plan a little “alone time”: By this I simply mean, take some time for yourselves. These days people tend to be so busy with work, kids and all kinds of other activities, they don’t always take the time to just enjoy each other’s company.

Image by JLStricklin

Whether this means planning a date night or watching a romantic movie at home or simply making dinner together, the key is to use the time for just the two of you. Make it time you can spend together, talking, relaxing and taking a breather from the rest of the world for a few hours. Remember, it’s not only about food or a romantic evening. Of course whatever happens later is up to you.

3) Do a little DIY at-home spa: For even further relaxation, you and your loved one can enjoy a little at-home spa with some simple DIY spa recipes.

Image by George Chou

For the most part, all of the recipes listed can be done using all-natural and/or organic materials. Then after your homemade spa treatments, you can indulge by giving each other relaxing back rubs and/or foot massages. A great way to unwind together.

4) Give an Eco Valentine’s Day card: Instead of going to the grocery store and buying a $2, $3 or $4 card for your loved one, try something a little more biofriendly. Get them a plantable Valentine’s Day card. That’s right, get them a card with seeds embedded in the card itself. Often these types of cards are made on recycled paper and by having the seeds added directly into the paper, you get two gifts in one: a card and flowers.

If you’re up to it, you can even make plantable paper yourself. Just take a look at this DIY video:

For a few more tips, check out last year’s Valentine’s Day post on “6 Eco-Friendly Ideas for Valentine’s Day“. While some of the tips may be similar, good green ideas never go out of style. I hope you and your loved ones have a fantastic Valentine’s Day. If you have any especially biofriendly plans for Valentine’s Day, please share them. We always love hearing new ideas!

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Valentine’s Day is coming up in just under two weeks, but if you are anything like me, you haven’t quite had a chance to finalize your plans. Should you give flowers? Candy? Exchange cards? What about green or eco-friendly Valentine’s gifts? Well, there are many different ideas to choose from and many ways you could go, but let me give you a few of my favorite eco-friendly ideas for Valentine’s Day:

1) If you are going to go the traditional route e.g. chocolates or flowers, go for the organic variety. I highly recommend Equal Exchange when it comes to organic chocolate. They have chocolate bars (which are currently on sale until Feb 14th), organic dried berries and nuts, organic hot cocoa, organic chocolate and coffee gift bags, etc. You can even get free-shipping (UPS ground in the contingent U.S. only) if you enter the code: chocolatelove. Go for the chocolate/coffee gift bag….a great eco-tasty choice!

When it comes to flowers, California Organic Flowers is a nice choice as they have a wide variety of organic flowers, with many great options under $50. If you want to make your own living bouquet, take a look at this video from California Organic Flowers as they provide some helpful tips on doing your own arrangements.

2) Get away for the weekend. If you are one of those people who likes to get away for Valentine’s Day weekend, how about a trip to the new Aria™ Resort & Casino at the CityCenter in Las Vegas? The Aria is LEED® Gold Certified and features smoke-free walkways, floor to ceiling airflow (to help remove smoke from their casino), energy-efficient lighting, bicycle valets and much, much more. While you are there, don’t forget to relax and indulge in the Aria’s spa services including a heated-stone massage or unwind and breathe in the air from their infused salt room.

If you are looking for a tropical rainforest type get-away, one of the ones on the top of my to-do list is the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa in Australia. This eco-lodge is located in a 30-acre rainforest valley in Daintree National Park. Their guest rooms are ecologically-friendly treehouses and since they only have 15 of them, you’ll want to book early.

3) If you can’t take time away or would rather stay closer to home, you can do a day trip to a local eco-friendly or green spa. Spa Index has a list of eco-friendly spas you can choose from. (Hint: many of the spas on their list offer discounts for first-time customers.)

If a spa day at home is more your cup of tea, check out these at home spa tips and recipes. You can easily turn your Valentine’s Day into a spa day, without even leaving the comfort of home!

4) If you decide to stay in, make a meal for you and your significant other. What’s nice about making a meal at home is that you control what goes in your meal. You can include fresh or locally-grown fruits/vegetables, pick out a great organic or vegan wine and design your meal so it’s just right for you.

For example, you could start off with a tomato bisque soup,  make a simple grilled BLT panini or a Butternut Squash Enchilada for your main dish and end off with some chocolate-dipped strawberries. But, if you are hoping for romantic evening, you might want to add one or more of these aphrodisiacs into your meal.

5) For those of you with kids, a creative eco-friendly idea for Valentine’s Day is to get outdoors. It doesn’t cost much, it’s a nice way to get some fresh air and a wonderful way to get the kids (and family) to fall in love with nature again. If weather permits, you could pack a picnic lunch and enjoy a meal outdoors. If not, then maybe just a walk…look at the trees, do some bird-watching, maybe take some pictures or pick up some beautiful fallen leaves. Whatever you choose to do, reconnecting with nature is a wonderful thing to do on Valentine’s Day!

6) Make your own Valentine’s Day cards/gifts. Rather than going out and spending between $1.00-$5.00 on a Valentine’s Day card, just make one. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have something lying around that they can use to make a Valentine’s Day card. You can take that junk mail you got or an old magazine and cut it up to make a heart-shaped valentine. You can even use the fallen leaves you and your kids collected to make some creative leaf rubbings or press your leaves/flowers onto a votive cup to make a beautiful candle holder.

Well, those are some of my favorite eco-friendly ideas. What are your favorite eco-friendly ideas for Valentine’s Day? If you have a favorite gift, idea or site you think other readers should be aware of, please let me know. Enjoy your eco-friendly Valentine’s Day!