Top of the morning to ya! St. Patrick's Day is only two days away and even though it's already a holiday known for the color green, you can make your celebration even greener.

- If you're going to use the day as an excuse to get snockered, at least do it in the spirit of tradition and drink a hearty Irish beer. Crannóg Ales makes a selection of Irish beer that is certified organic, unfiltered and unpasteurized. The B.C.-based company uses only natural ingredients including rice, corn and sugars and incorporates unique flavors by usng fruit and potatoes in their brews.

Make sure to explore some local breweries to see what they offer for traditional stouts.

- You'll need something to soak up the excess pints you're downing like water (again, only in the spirit of the Irish, right?). This easy Happy Irish Beer Bread ought to do the trick. The beer part of the title should be self-explanatory, however the reason it's also "happy" is because the recipe calls for a little less than a full 12 ounces of beer. Therefore you have to take a sip (that's a sip, not a guzzle) before adding it to the other ingredients.

- Consider leaving the car keys at home. Not only will you be practicing safe drinking practices, you'll do some good for the earth. Walk, take public transportation or split a cab with a group of friends going to the same pub as you.

- Use St. Patrick's Day as a good excuse to put some green on the kids' dinner plates. Pick up some organic or locally grown green beans, brussel sprouts or kiwis and explain the significance of the color - both in context of the day and the eco-friendliness.

- Pick up some Allegro coffee from Whole Foods Market and make a traditional Irish coffee by combining one-and-a-half ounces of Irish whiskey, one teaspoon of brown sugar and six ounces of hot coffee together and stirring to dissolve. Then float some cold heavy cream gently on top, but do not mix. Or just cheat and add some Bailey's Irish Cream to the coffee. Either way, you'll be feeling pretty good after one cup. This isn't recommended first thing in the morning if you have to go to work (unless you bring enough for everyone!).

» Crannóg Ales (Official Site)