Nobody knows the struggling state of the natural world better than today’s younger generations. Since the industrial revolution, the scale and intensity of human impact on the global climate has been increasing exponentially. But I am not here to go on and on about how we (and I mean a collective, species-level ‘we’) have messed up. No, in fact I am here to shed some light on how we can prepare the next generation of environmentalists to undo the deeds of our fossil-fuel loving predecessors.

What is Education for Sustainable Development?

Remember when the biggest lesson you learned in school was how to dodge a dodgeball? Well, times have changed. Today, schools are where the green magic begins. Teaching kids about sustainability isn’t just about recycling paper or turning off the lights (seriously though, turn off the lights!). It’s about creating little green-leaders who grow up to be, well… big green-leaders. This is where Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) comes in.

In s...

As the Climate Crisis deepens, the financial sector will play a key role.

Without the financial sector's support, it's becoming increasingly challenging to elevate global awareness about environmental issues. After all, money not only talks—it propels action.

Investment is crucial to projects and businesses that are committed to environmentally sustainable strategies and are pioneering innovative energy solutions. But what exactly is sustainable finance, and why is it so important?

What is Green Finance?

In layman’s terms, World Economic Forum defines green finance refers to any “ green finance is any structured financial activity – a product or service – that’s been created to ensure a better environmental outcome.” There's a growing demand for greater accountability, and green finance is stepping up to meet this need.

There has been a significant increase in the availability of green finance for businesses aiming to go greener. More importantly, both public and private investmen...

ESG has quickly become the latest buzz-acronym in sustainability circles—and let’s be honest, the corporate world loves a good acronym. But while ESG is gathering all the headlines, how many of us really know what hides behind a few letters? To put it simply, they stand for Environmental, Social, and Governance (which somehow makes it even more corporate and explains nothing) and yet pressures are mounting for companies to incorporate these principals So, let’s all just step back, take a deep breath, and read on because as the title suggests, we’ll be taking it from ESG to easy peasy ESGeezy.

What is E in ESG?

You can't spell easy without 'E', also can’t spell Environmental without at least two ‘E’s, but what does this mean besides a green logo and the occasional ‘save the whales’ campaign? The environmental component of ESG goes beyond minimizing negative impacts and ecolabels, it’s about pioneering positive change and diving deep into how companies interact with the natural world. ...

The way you communicate your green initiatives to your customers and stakeholders plays a huge part on spreading sustainability, and more importantly, in creating real impact and change of mindsets.

Take, for instance, my recent stay at a 4-star hotel. In the bathroom they had a little card telling me to “Help them save the planet by reusing my towel” – yet right beside it, there were six plastic mini toiletries and two individually wrapped plastic shower caps.

I felt cheated. The scenario smelled entirely like greenwashing.

And if there is anything more annoying to a green traveller than mini toiletries, it is greenwashing. Please don’t tell me reusing my towel will help you save the planet, when on the other hand you are polluting the environment with unnecessary single use plastics.

Greenwashing can alienate eco-conscious travellers more than any other faux pas in the hospitality industry. So, it’s critical not to undermine genuine green efforts with mixed messages.

3 Green Mar...

The other day, I encountered an advertisement for Mout Cider on television. The add simply highlighted three compelling aspects: a fully recyclable glass bottle, the cider’s vegan status, and the company’s partnership with World Wildlife Fund that protects endangered species. While lounging at home, this ad struck a chord and I thought to myself ‘ well that sounds like a nice cider’—not for its taste or the fruits used, but for its commitment to sustainability. These highlighted features instantly aligned with my values.

Aligning your business values with customer expectations

In today’s rapidly evolving society, consumers demand that companies adopt new mindsets towards environmental sustainability. This shift presents a significant opportunity for businesses willing to embrace change and actively promote their efforts towards climate change mitigation and planetary protection.

The impact of Mout Cider's ad was so profound that it compelled me to visit their website the next mornin...

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is a new piece of EU regulation that requires companies to audit and report on their Environmental, Social and Governmental (ESG) activities and initiatives.

CSRD applies to all businesses within the European Union, including subsidiaries of foreign companies located and doing business in Europe.

Having a thorough understanding of CSRD requirements and ESG topics generally will guarantee you a clear competitive advantage over your competitors.

The purpose of this article is to make CSRD accessible and explain, in plain language, what it means for your company in the months and years ahead.

We'll also attempt to answer some of the most common questions on this topic, including:

• What is CSRD and why does it matter?

• What are the direct business benefits of CSRD?

• Who will be affected by CSRD and what timeline is involved?

• What are the requirements of CSRD?

• What are the implications of CSRD for UK companies...

Are you interested in sustainable hospitality? Are you bored and looking for a blog to read? Do you enjoy a sassy tone while getting somewhat informed? Then read on, you’re in the right place!

Hospitality And Sustainability

As we approach World Nature Conservation Day, it’s worth discussing some of the ways in which the hospitality industry impacts the natural world. Hotels contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for about 1% of all global carbon emissions. Tourism and hospitality activities generate a lot of waste, as in 1-12 kg of waste per person per day kind of a lot. The industry also uses plenty of water and land, cause habitat destruction, contribute to all types of pollution…I think you get the picture. 

I’m not laying it all out to make anyone feel guilty, whether you work in the industry or are just a hospitality enthusiast, we all need to pay the bills and hopefully save up enough to travel to some beautiful places! The whole thing is a well-desig...

Have you ever wondered about Tetra Pak cartons? They are becoming more and more common on our shop shelves - just how green a solution are they?

The environmental downsides to plastic bottles are mostly well known: they are expensive to recycle, recycling rates are low, there are limited options for the use of recycled plastic material, and plastic litter can wreak havoc with the environment. So, any person or business who are environmentally conscious, of course, would try to reduce and eliminate their plastic use.

Because of these considerations there has been an increase in metal and cardboard being used for drinks and liquid containers.

The rise in popularity of cardboard cartons, however, which are really complex composites of plastic-lined cardboard and aluminium, is a deeply imperfect solution.

Reducing plastic waste is only part of the problem: if plastic is replaced by containers that are not easy to recycle either then the replacements may not lead to an environmentally s...

Back in 2012, while working as the Sales & Marketing Manager of Hotel Doolin in West Clare, my General Manager told me to form a "green team" and apply for Green Hospitality Ireland certification. 

Excuse me but...what?!

To say I was apprehensive at the start would be an absolute understatement! 

I had no idea where to even begin.

I attended workshops, seminars, and completed an endless number of courses as well as reading blogs about Green businesses. 

Within 2 years and with little to no investment, we managed to reduce our Energy by 30%, our Waste by 40% and our Water by 25%. 

My first thought was “WHY ISN’T EVERYONE DOING THIS?"

To me, greening your hotel or restaurant became not just “the nice thing” to do, it is instead “the smart” thing to do from a business perspective. 

My Light-bulb moment 

At this point of my career, everything shifted and changed for me forever.

The "Why isn’t everyone doing this?" began forming an idea in my head. 

What if I could teach other...

At Fifty Shades Greener sustainability is a priority in everything which we do.

In this spirit it was decided that as a team we would each test out different homemade DIY environmentally friendly cleaning recipes and share our experiences in a blog.

Giving our readers insight as to what solutions are just that and what one’s are best missed!

Why is it your interest to bother to make your own eco friendly cleaning products?

Better Air quality

Commercial cleaning products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are dangerous to our health causing eye, nose, and throat irritation as well as headaches, dizziness and memory loss!

Save your Money 

Making your own eco cleaning products is actually more affordable than using commercial brands. Many green products simply use ingredients such as white vinegar, baking soda, water and citrus.

Better for our planet

Toxic chemicals from cleaning products are flushed down the drain and enter our waterways. Using chemical free ...