Blog Archive
Solar Schools 2020 and the winners are
Posted on March 13, 2020 by Friends of the Earth
Voting and judging for Solar Schools 2020 is now complete. The winners were judged by an independent judging panel following the results of an online public vote.
Schools were tasked with coming up with an idea for a local climate action project. And as expected, students in Ireland have fantastic ideas. The winners will now complete their climate action project, and will get solar pv panels designed and installed at their school.
We are very grateful for financial support for this project from the following organisations. It would not be possible without them.
The winners for Solar Schools 2020 are:
Primary Schools
Winners
Guardian Angels, Blackrock, Co Dublin
St Brigids National School Grange, Co Carlow
Scoil Naomh Brid, Co Donegal
Mercy Moyderwell, Tralees, Co Kerry
Permanent link | Categories: solarschools
Energy Democracy and Community Power
Posted on March 10, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
This event, due to happen in Nenagh, has now moved *online.
The date and time remain the same: Tuesday March 24th at 7pm
*Those who register will receive an email with a link to join a Zoom webinar, with instructions on how to join. We still have a limited number of places for the webinar so registration is on a first come first served basis.
How can we build energy democracy in our communities so that everyone has access to community power?
Permanent link | Categories: energy
Spring Sunrise Sea Swim
Posted on March 06, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
Don't you just love a challenge!
Join our next seasonal gathering on Saturday March 21st at Seapoint in Dublin for sunrise at 6.15am.
This event is free, register at the link to connect with other sunrise sea swimmers!
We began our seasonal sea swims last June, on the summer solstice - and in two weeks time we'll be on our fourth - coming full circle.
Spending time in nature is good for our mental and physical health. And swimming in cold water also builds resilience! At first, the cold water can be a shock - but enduring challenges like this on a regular basis makes us stronger. Each time it gets easier.
Permanent link | Categories:
Shop And Drop Drogheda - Guest Blog
Posted on March 05, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
Brid Ni Chionaola is a member of the Drogheda Sick of Plastic local group, who formed in October 2019 and have been active in pressuring their local supermarkets to Break Free From Plastic.
Be inspired, find your local group (or start one) and join the campaign for the next day of action April 25th!
Permanent link | Categories: waste
Growing Together, Time to Get Involved!
Posted on February 27, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
The Growing Together project has been working with a group of youth agri-activists (which includes farmers, horticulturists, students, policy geeks, rural and urban youth from Ireland and beyond) to raise awareness and share skills on regenerative agriculture in Ireland and Europe.
Permanent link | Categories: foodandfarming
One Future - Just the Beginning
Posted on February 26, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
In the run up to the recent General Election, Friends of the Earth supporters pulled together, and reached out, like never before.
Thanks to our strong, and growing community, we raised more money more quickly than we ever have before, putting €25,000 into the pot for climate work during the election.
That fund allowed us to work with our partners in the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition to create the One Future Campaign for Faster and Fairer Climate Action, which included not only long-time allies but more recent ones like the National Women’s Coucil and the Union of Students in Ireland. This became the broadest civil society push for more political and government climate action than ever before.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange
Building Our Power
Posted on February 26, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
In late 2019, we wrapped up our Climate Campaigners Capacity Building Programme, which was funded by the Wheel’s Training Links.
This project allowed us to forge new connections and strengthen existing ones with groups all across Ireland as well channel funds into grassroots activist groups to enable them to build capacity and reach more people.
Over 18 months, the programme delivered 53 trainings - reaching almost 1,000 people face-to-face. Trainings included Climate Communications, Cultural Awareness & Anti-discrimination, Non-Violent Direct Action, Intersectionality, Active Hope, Group Facilitation, Tools for Decentralised Organising, Creative Actions, Climate Justice and Extractivism - to name just a few. Click here to see a list of the trainings delivered.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange
Financing Climate Chaos
Posted on February 26, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
Fossil fuel subsidies in Ireland: Financing Climate Chaos
What are fossil fuel subsidies? Why do they matter?
Friends of the Earth are part of a European project called Citizens for Financial Justice that seeks to inform and empower citizens to make the global financial system work better for everyone. Last year, we commissioned research on the financing of fossil fuels in Ireland and Europe. Producer subsidies work to cut the costs and risks associated with bringing new natural gas reserves into production, and they threaten to derail the holistic social and ecological transformation that is needed.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • energy
Event: "Is it all about the money?" Tackling climate change in a financialised planet
Posted on February 25, 2020 by Meaghan Carmody
We live in a financial system that does not compensate for the environmental and social damage it causes.Impoverished countries continue to face the worst of the impacts of climate chaos, and have the least resources to deal with it. Attempts by the UN’s climate conferences (COPs) to address this incredibly unjust power imbalance - such as compensation for “loss and damage” - continue to disappoint. Next Tuesday March 3rd, Friends of the Earth will host a discussion with Financial Justice Ireland this topic, in the Teacher’s Club, Parnell Square, Dublin.
Permanent link | Categories:
Solar Schools - For the Love of Solar
Posted on February 24, 2020 by Friends of the Earth
Voting is now live for the Friends of the Earth Solar Schools 2020 competition!!
Our 'For the love of solar' competition is deisgned to help schools all over Ireland to go solar. With thanks to our generous funders, next week we willl be announcing at least 8 schools as winners of solar panels, 4 primary and 4 secondary schools. But really, we think every school should be a solar school. In fact we think every school, community building, sports club and local authority should go solar, to generate clean renewbale energy right from their rooftops.
Permanent link | Categories: solarschools
