Human’s relationship with food is a theme that has haunted me for the past couple of years.

Why such a strong reaction do you ask? Primarily because I feel that our relationship with food and our current systems to produce it and feed the population are disconnected and broken, causing major degradation of the planet’s natural resources and ecosystems.

Only a few days ago I had the chance to watch the SeaSpiracy documentary on Netflix, which merely corroborated this frame of mind even further - we need to change our entire relationship with food.

When trying to reflect as to how our food systems started to become so unmanageable, one theme always comes to mind and that is our own relationship and respect for the food that we eat.

Do we have respect for the food that we eat?

Last month I travelled to Spain and during my trip I had a chance to visit a new fish & seafood shop near my mother’s house. The shop is beautiful, with endless counter displays of whole...

The Irish Times has published an article titled:

Food & Drink companies facing mandatory emission targets. 

The article starts by saying: 

“All major Irish food and drinks companies will in future have to commit to reducing carbon emissions if they are to be part of Origin Green – the national sustainability programme run by Bord Bia.”

This is not surprising at all, what is surprising to me is that these measures are not part of our real world right now.

The Paris agreement is a legally binding international treaty on Climate change adopted by 196 parties in 2015. All countries participating need to achieve Zero Carbon by 2050.

Implementation of the Paris Agreement requires economic and social transformation.

But how do we achieve social transformation?

Social transformation is not something that can be achieved in a couple of years. Our culture, politics, economy, the way we think and live, needs to be transformed in a way where...

Last month, we were delighted to officially launch our environmental education programme for secondary schools here in Ireland.

Since the launch, we have been lucky to engage with these students and create a space where we encourage them to ask us anything that may be causing anxiety in regards to Climate Change.

One student, asked a very important question in relation to plastic waste last week:

How can we make a difference when the big companies are the ones who create the products we buy?

I love these types of questions, and students don’t hold back thankfully with how they feel. We appreciate this honesty no end.

But, how do you answer the above question?

To be fair it is absolutely a valid point to make. Our current consumer society has been created by large corporations, they thrive by sending us into a frenzy of convenient consumerism of cheaper products, disposable items, etc.

Nowadays some people feel if they do not have a new dress or suit to wear at the next party...

In last week’s blog I spoke about personal accountability when it comes to Climate Change. 

Link to Blog; https://www.fiftyshadesgreener.ie/blog/climate-change-why-personal-responsibility-matters 

I also shared my own story of how I became empowered to start doing something about Climate Change myself, however small the action. I learned and still advocate for taking ownership of your own daily life and how you can lessen your impact on the environment, because small actions DO count.

Therefore this week I wanted to pick up from the conversation that started last week.

How do we influence people to feel the same empowerment? 

How do we make them see that there is something that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US can do? 

If you do not know what it is you can do, you will feel like it is an impossible task and so therefore you will not do anything about it. It becomes a problem for the “impossible box” and you feel demoralised, despair, powerless.

For...

Last week I saw the amazing Clover Hogan, a young climate activist from Australia give a TEDTalk 

The link to her talk is on this week's written blog on our website, I encourage you to watch it - it's fantastic!

 “Climate change is not your responsibility, because it is outside your control, but what is your responsibility, is the things inside your control.”

So what does Personal Responsibility for Climate means?

For me, it all comes down to the things I have been speaking about on my weekly blogs for the past 2 years.

You can choose to;

1. Continue to live your life as you are..

OR

2. Continue to live your life with an added commitment to reducing your impact on the planet.

Two clear choices and no wrong answer.

YOU are in charge of your life and what do you with it is completely up to you.

I would not chastise anyone for choosing Option 1, however know that I am choosing Option 2 because I want to look back on my life in 10 years time and know that I did...

What statement is more impactful to you?

1. If you turn off your tap while brushing your teeth you will save water.

1. By turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, you and your family could save 14,600 litres of water every year! Imagine if every other home did the same?

Behavioural change is one of the most difficult things to achieve, particularly when we are trying to change a lifetime habit. More often than not, the mistake that most of us are making - is to expect a change in behaviour just because we know it is the right thing to do, without explaining it to others.

When we teach young people about water conservation or energy management, we don’t just tell them what they should do, we demonstrate to them the environmental impact of this change in behaviour.

If I was a teenager, I know without a doubt, that the second statement would make me think twice the next time I am brushing my teeth.

Time and time again I see businesses or...

Prenote: I am not saying Recycling is a bad thing, but our current main stream systems of recycling have failed us.

In July 2019 The Guardian shared an article titled “Humans have made 8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic since 1950” If you missed it the link is at the end of this blog.

The Current Situation

The article stated that up until then we had no idea how much plastic we had created and now that we know, the picture is not pretty.  8.3 billion metric tonnes of plastic has been created from 1950 to 2015, that is a terrifying statistic. It is the equivalent to the weight of 1 Billion elephants!

However the worst element of this, is that only 30% of the plastic created is still in use. The rest has been disposed of in three ways: 79% is in our landfills and environment, 12% has been incinerated and only 9% has been recycled. Amongst all this dismal data, what really got me thinking, is that half of the amount of plastic...

Sustainability has so many definitions that it can often drive people to distraction…

What does it actually mean? How do I make my own business more sustainable? How do I know if I am successful at greening my business?

The answers are much simpler than people may think and I'll tell you why.

Here at the Fifty Shades Greener office, a ‘green’ or sustainable business is simply one that reduces its impact to the environment. Businesses affect the environment in 3 ways; through their use of energy, production of waste and consumption of water.

In order to run an environmentally friendly business, you first need to reduce your business’s utilities, and the best part of this journey is that not only will you reduce your business’s Carbon Footprint and impact to the environment - you will also SAVE MONEY off your utility bills.

It is a win/win situation for any business owner.

Yet 99% of the Hotel owners I meet on a weekly basis, do not have a handle on...

We are beyond thrilled to spring into February on a very positive note! 

In collaboration with KWETB Training Services (Kildare/Wicklow Education & Training Board of Ireland) we are presenting an online Environmental Education programme to secondary schools.

This pilot project allows us to bring the “Build your future Fifty Shades Greener” programme to secondary schools from Kildare and Wicklow counties of Ireland and  is completely funded by KWETB, so at absolutely no cost to the school.

We are seeking teachers that want to involve their class on this 'first of its kind' project.

This programme is taught through video based tutorials, practical lessons and action based learning in a fun and interactive way. It teaches the student how they can achieve a lower carbon footprint lifestyle, as well as reducing their household’s energy, waste & water costs. This vital knowledge can then be applied to their schools and even at...

How many plastic bottles of water or soft drinks do you purchase every month? Or every week or every year?!

There is a lot of talk about reducing plastic as it continues to end up in our oceans and rivers, but there isn’t too much talk about the possible harmful effects that plastic might have on our own health!

I do not want to scare anyone or become a “conspiracy theorist” but many scientists have investigated plastic and the harmful chemicals it can release in liquids and food, so I am only here to give you the facts and you can make your own decision....

A report from https://www.consumerreports.org/  states that researchers analysed 34 everyday plastic products made of eight types of plastic to see how common toxicity might be. 74% of the products they tested were toxic in some way. 

It is fair for us Joe Soaps to think that if plastic is being used to package our food and drink, that it must be safe, that if it was not safe, it would not be used!

...