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How to Go Green This St. Patrick's Day

14th February 2020

 

This March 17th, our beautiful Emerald Isle will turn a little greener as we celebrate the annual Saint Patrick’s Day. 

 

But how did this Irish holiday get its green tint? 

 

March 17th honours the death of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who is known for bringing Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century. Since the 18th century, people around the globe have been celebrating Paddy’s Day with feasts, parades, parties and a whole lot of green. 

 

However, the original colour associated with Saint Patrick was actually blue. It wasn’t until the Irish Rebellion, when Irish soldiers wore green in solidarity, that the celebration took this new colour in stride. After all, what better colour than green to represent a country known for its rolling hills and lucky shamrocks? 

 

This year, we’re taking the green of St. Patrick’s Day to the next level. Going green in 2020 means reducing, reusing and recycling in order to save the planet. With that in mind, here are a few ways to make your workplace a little more green this March: 

 

Go Paperless

 
 

In a world gone digital, this may be the easiest way to go green this month. 

 

Not only are digital copies of your usual paperwork better for the environment, but they also help you stay more organized and be more productive in your work space. 

 

Here are a few ways to go paperless in March:

 

  • Instead of using sticky notes, set digital reminders and alerts on your Google Calendar, which can sync up to both your phone and your computer. 
  • Instead of printing out meeting notes or project requirements for everyone on your team, use a digital collaboration tool such as Google Docs, which allows online documents to be shared with as many people as you want.
  • Instead of using physical contracts and forms, set up an e-signature software and start finalising things digitally.
  • Instead of using posters and leaflets to market a new promotion or change, start spreading important information with email and social media campaigns. 

 

 

Save Your Energy

 
 

While our transition to all things digital can be immensely helpful when going green, electronic devices consume huge amounts of energy. 

 

Switching to energy-efficient alternatives or habits helps you massively reduce your carbon footprint. This will decrease power plant emissions, and save you on your electricity bill this month, as well. 

 

Make your workplace more energy-efficient this March by:

 

  • Unplugging your devices when they are not in use. Just being connected to a socket -- even if it is not turned on -- consumes valuable energy. 
  • Swapping your floor’s traditional light bulbs for LEDs, which use up to 85% less energy. As an added bonus, these light bulbs also last ten times longer! 
  • Reminding everyone to turn off lights when they leave a room. Capitalise on any sunlight during the day, and then only turn on the lights in rooms that are being used.  
  • Setting the thermostat a little lower during the winter and a little higher in the summer. Your employees probably won’t even notice the change. 

 

 

Ditch Your Car Commute

 

 

CO2 and gas emissions have long been recognised as causes of climate change. What’s more, fuel is getting more and more expensive every day. 

 

By making an effort to drive less, you can reduce your spending, avoid the stress of traffic and save the world all at the same time! 

 

Instead of taking your car to work this month, try:

 

  • Using public transportation. 
  • Cycling or using an electric scooter. 
  • Carpooling with coworkers or friends. 
  • Walking to your daily lunch spot.
  • Allowing employees to work from home when possible.

 

 

Build An Arsenal of Plastic Alternatives

 

 

Every year, a whopping eight million tons of plastic waste ends up in the ocean. That’s not even counting the plastic that is overflowing our landfills. 

 

This month, show your company’s dedication to going green with a plastic-free promotional campaign. Give your clients, customers and employees a Paddy’s Day goody bag that includes:

 

  • A canvas tote bag. Perfect for daily commutes, business trips, lunch runs and so much more, this type of bag is more useful, and trendier, than a wasteful plastic bag. 
  • A stainless steel water bottle. The new BYOB stands for Bring Your Own Bottle, as single-use water bottles are one of the main causes of plastic waste. 
  • Reusable bamboo cutlery and reusable metal straws. These may have spiked in popularity this past year, but they are a trend that isn’t going anywhere soon. 
  • A travel mug. We all need our daily coffee, but that shouldn’t mean daily coffee cups thrown in the rubbish. This mug can be used at coffee shops, on commutes or at desks.
  • A desk herb garden. Many grocery stores still sell produce wrapped in single-use plastic, so this is a great way to avoid the waste.  

 

Once your clients and employees have gone green for St. Patrick’s Day, encourage them to share how they are using their new eco-friendly products on social media. This is a great marketing strategy for you, and also a great way to encourage others to get on the green wagon.

 

 

Check out all of the promotional products we mentioned here, as well as our wider range of green products, at https://www.inspirepromotionalproducts.ie/products/33-recycled-and-eco-products.