Blog Archive
Kids, we have your back #SchoolStrike4Climate
Posted on March 08, 2019 by Meaghan Carmody
This week, I felt a prickle of tears catch me off guard as I watched 14 and 15 year old climate leaders prepare what they were going to say to Ireland’s top politicians. It was the most inspiring meeting I’ve ever been too, and all I could think was, I hope by the time these young leaders are in power, it’s not too late to fix this.
“If you don’t act now, you are complicit.”
“You owe us a future.” “Please, listen to us.”
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange
Here Come the Sun - Power to the People
Posted on March 05, 2019 by Friends of the Earth
A new law to force electricity companies to pay small renewable energy generators for their power was debated in Leinster House this week.
It's hard to believe, it doesnt happen already, but small renewable energy generators in Ireland give their electricity to the grid for free if they can't use it all on site immediately.
Kate Ruddock was giving evidence at the Oireachtas Committee meeting along with Paul Kenny from Tipperary Energy Agency, Jim Gannon from SEAI and Michael Manley from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.
You can watch the debate online here,
or just Kate's speech here.
"We met Leo Varadkar at Electric Picnic a few years ago.
Permanent link | Comments (0) | Categories: energy
Friends of the Earth Europe Gatherings
Posted on March 03, 2019 by Claudia Tormey
In February we hosted colleagues & activists from Friends of the Earth Europe and Young Friends of the Earth (YFoE) Europe for ten days of meetings, trainings and networking in Cloughjordan Ecovillage.
We welcomed 30 colleagues from around Europe for the annual Friends of the Earth Fossil Free gathering where shared stories of struggles and success and made plans for the year ahead as we continue to campaign for a fossil free Europe.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • friends of the earth europe • fossil free • young friends of the earth •
Let's hit 20k on our plastic petition!
Posted on February 19, 2019 by Claudia Tormey
We've set the date for our next action to pressure supermarkets to #BreakFreeFromPlastic!
Let's reach 20,000 names on our petition by April 13th, when we will be presenting our petition to supermarkets all across the country.
Repak have argued against #ShopAndDrop saying that supermarkets pay a fee to Repak which pays for the recycling of packaging placed on the market. But the vast majority of plastic we're bringing home is not recyclable - it's going into our general waste bins destined for landfill or incineration.
It's time for supermarkets to ditch excess plastic packaging!
We want supermarkets to;
Permanent link | Categories:
Sick of Plastic Supermarket Audit
Posted on January 29, 2019 by Claudia Tormey
Sick of Plasitc are ramping up the pressure on Supermarkets, it’s time they took our demands seriously. The Sick of Plastic petition now has over 16,000 names, and we want to present it to every major Supermarket in as many towns across the country as we can.
But before we approach Supermarkets again, we want to gather some data on what progress, if any, has been made. We're going to name and shame supermarkets who are refusing to act on plastic, and praise those who are taking the lead.
Can you help us find out what supermarkets are doing to tackle plastic by completing this really quick survey?
Permanent link | Categories: waste • sick of plastic • plastic free july • break free from plastic • zero waste shopping • zero waste lifestyle • plastic free shopping • supermarket audit
Friends of the Earth Newsletter, January 2019
Posted on January 28, 2019 by Claudia Tormey
Welcome to our newsletter - catch up on what we've achieved over the past few months thanks to your support, time and donations. See what we're planning next and how you can be involved!
Friends of the Earth Campaigns
Community Energy & Solar Schools
Congratulations to St Munchin's College in Limerick, our first winners of the Solar Schools competition. A fantastic group of students ready to take on the energy transition in their school!
More winners will be announced very soon - watch this space! This exciting pilot project targeted a number of areas where community energy cooperatives are already in existence. The aim of the project is to support schools and communities to power themselves with free renewable electricity generated right from their roof.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • energy • waste
Beat the VAT increase on coffee. Plus a new series of Eco Eye starts tonight.
Posted on January 08, 2019 by Oisín Coghlan
Happy New Year.
I'm really optimistic we can make a breakthrough this year on climate action (see below for a preview of the possibilities).
But first, a quick life hack for coffee drinkers! It hasn't been such a good New Year for those of us who look forward to a take-away coffee at some stage during the day. The VAT increase in Budget 2019 has added 9 to 18 cent to the price of a coffee since January first.
Thankfully, there's an easy way to avoid paying the new higher price.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • energy • waste
Let’s make 2019 the year we choose a safer, healthier future.
Posted on January 01, 2019 by Oisín Coghlan
This is the full length version of an article for the Irish Independent
Politicians and the public are paying attention to climate change like never before. A number of factors coming together gives us the opportunity to make 2019 the year Ireland takes climate action seriously.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • energy
Friends of the Earth Keep Cup - Reduced Rate This Week!
Posted on December 11, 2018 by Claudia Tormey
Our limited edition Friends of the Earth Keep Cups have been hugely popular since we launched them as part of the Sick of Plastic Campaign this time last year.
To celebrate one year of the campaign we've decided to offer them at a reduced rate for one week only in the lead up to Christmas.
Until now we have been exclusively gifting our Keep Cups to new monthly donors and those who give €100 or more.
But for the next week only, if you donate €50 or more to Friends of the Earth you will receive one of our Keep Cups in time for filling your Christmas stockings!
Why have our reusable cups been so popular?
Permanent link | Categories: waste • sick of plastic campaign • waste reduction bill • reusable cup • stocking fillers • christmas presents • donate to friends of the earth •
It's happening. Are you in?
Posted on November 29, 2018 by Oisín Coghlan
Something is happening. And I think I know what it is.
The climate movement in Ireland is growing in passion and power.
Together, in the last three years, we've:
- Passed the historic Climate Action Act
- Passed a law to ban fracking
- Divested Irish universities from fossil fuels
- Got the Bill to divest the Irish sovereign wealth fund to the point where it will be law before Christmas
- Got the Bill to ban offshore oil and gas drilling to Committee Stage in the Oireachtas
All four of those Bills were initially opposed by Government and the civil service. But people power has tipped the balance towards progress.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange
