For the year of 2024, the team here at Fifty Shades Greener have decided to focus our energy and efforts into spotlighting small, community driven sustainability projects from anywhere in the world that are operating on a grass roots level.

The world of sustainability itself can often be perceived as a minefield. From the enormity of the climate crisis, CSRD regulations and measuring carbon emissions, the efforts being made on the field by individuals or groups can often get overshadowed.

However, we always say at FSG, that small actions do count, especially when being carried out by many. This blog series will endeavor to highlight those people or communities who are driving REAL action.

We hope their stories inspire you, and more importantly that they spark hope.

Our seventh story features Emma Tuite Director of Sea Shepherd Ireland, the Irish group of this international marine protection organisation.

Established in 1977, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society...

For the year of 2024, the team here at Fifty Shades Greener have decided to focus our energy and efforts into spotlighting small, community driven sustainability projects from anywhere in the world that are operating on a grass roots level.

The world of sustainability itself can often be perceived as a minefield. From the enormity of the climate crisis, CSRD regulations and measuring carbon emissions, the efforts being made on the field by individuals or groups can often get overshadowed.

However, we always say at FSG, that small actions do count, especially when being carried out by many. This blog series will endeavor to highlight those people or communities who are driving REAL action.

We hope their stories inspire you, and more importantly that they spark hope.

Our second story of hope for 2024 looks at The Compost Kitchen, based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This company, was developed by Himkaar Singh, with the purpose of repairing South Africa's soil using compost...

When we think of luxury within hospitality, we think 5 star hotels and spas, Michelin star restaurants and extravagant comfort. Often, we don’t associate sustainability with this opulent experience.

However, incorporating practices into your operation that reduce the impact you are having environmentally and socially, does not mean an automatic compromise of the service that you provide your customers.

What does sustainable tourism look like to you? When defining this term, the UN World Tourism Organisation explains that it is:

“Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.”

A recent study from the accommodation platform giant AIRBNB and ‘think tank’ Economist Impact, on nearly 5,000 travelers from over 9 different countries, highlighted some revealing trends in relation to how people want to travel...

I am an advocate for taking personal responsibility when it comes to environmental sustainability. 

Every individual choice and action we take has consequences.

Take, for instance, our use of water. There is a perception that it is an abundant natural resource, however, it is limited. Of the 70% of our Earth that is covered in water, only 3% is actually fresh and drinkable. Of this 3% it is not that easy to get! 80% of it is actually frozen in the polar ice caps. So, what does this leave us with? A shocking 1% of fresh water available to us- globally.

As our world population and industries grow, there is a huge demand placed on our water resources. As of 2019, a total of 17 countries are now feeling the stress of water shortages. 

The World Data Institute (WRI) says that about one quarter of the world’s population, approximately 1.7 BILLION people - live in a place where farming, industry and cities use 80% of their available water supply every year.

This means...

At the end of May, our team organised an online event called ‘Generation Tomorrow’ for students in Co. Wicklow and in Nigeria.

The students presented their research and findings on two topics - food waste and water.

Of course we expected differences and this is what made it such a valuable and insightful project. Students in Ireland highlighted the growing concern of water scarcity as well as fantastic tips to help you conserve it. When water is mentioned in environmental terms, conservation springs to mind immediately. 

Some students from Nigeria however took a different angle that we hadn’t thought of before, but that is simple and true - that water is an absolute necessity to the human body.

Hydration is vital to our survival. Our brain alone comprises 60% of water and when we are without it, our concentration and mood levels plummet. Our stress and anxiety levels increase and it can contribute to debilitating “brain fog”.

According to the...

 A question a lot of us cannot help but ask ourselves – how do I compare to others?

It is no different when it comes to a business; in fact, the competition gets steeper.

As we work with more and more hospitality businesses to get them started on their Green Journey, this same question continues to get asked from our students:

How do my Green key performance indicators compare to other businesses?

Personally, I am delighted that people ask this question because it means that not only they have calculated their own Green KPIs, but also it demonstrates their desire to do better, to be in line with good practice standards and data.

Our advice at the Fifty Shades Greener office is always the same –

DO NOT COMPARE YOUR DATA TO ANYONE ELSE.

At least for the moment!

When you start your business’s Green Journey, there is no value in comparing your status to others. The only thing you need to do, is benchmark against yourself. This means you have one solitary goal, and...

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...

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...

 Hi guys!

I am back with the 50 Shades Greener thought of the week. Last Thursday I watched a documentary by Stacey Dooley on the Environmental impact of the fashion industry, and I was floored with the statistics!! I really had no idea that the clothing industry was so damaging, it actually is the second most polluting industry in the world, after Oil of course.

I learned that to make a pair of jeans, the industry uses over 21,000 litres of water, 21,000!!!! That is unbelievable. Straight away my mind raced to my wardrobe were I have 3 or 4 pairs of jeans that have not seen daylight in months. What a waste, I actually feel pretty guilty about it. Here I am preaching to the Hospitality industry about the things we can do to save water, while my wardrobe alone possibly contains millions of litres of water. So we live and learn, and now I have the awareness I needed, my shopping habits will change. Not that I am a great shopper to be honest, since I moved to the country years ago...

All of us living in the Western world, have never known any different but an unlimited amount of water coming out of our taps and showers. You could argue therefor, that it is not our fault, to think this natural resources is unlimited and can be used as we please.

I’ve sometimes walked into a public bathroom and a tap is open at full force while nobody is using it. I myself, used to brush my teeth in the past while leaving the tap open, or washed dirty dishes without using a stopper in the sink.

This is not a guilt trip for anyone, we only know what we have been given all our lives, we think that water will never stop coming, and therefore, conserving it is not necessary.

Changes are coming

In Ireland, households do not have to pay for water. This is very different in all other European countries. In fact, Ireland and Northern Ireland are the only jurisdictions in the EU without domestic water charges. (...