For the final episode of this series of Climate Allies, we are joined by Taz Kelleher and Geraldine Carton, founders of The Useless Project. Since initially joining forces over their mutual interest in sustainable fashion, the duo have gone on to build a movement around sustainability and climate action. Whether its through their social media platform, online webinars or events, Taz and Geraldine have made sustainability accessible, interesting, and most importantly fun, to a whole new generation of people throughout Ireland and beyond.

In this episode, Taz and Geraldine share their own sustainability journeys, their efforts to make the climate movement more inclusive and accessible, how they avoid burnout, and how they have learnt to let go of sustainability guilt.  

The Useless Project (formerly Sustainable Fashion Dublin) was started with the goal of creating a positive and energetic collective to bring people together as they move towards more sustainable lifestyles.  They run events including webinars, swap shops and flea markets and provide a wide range of resources across their social media and website, everything from DIY upcycling videos and sewing tutorials, to batch-cooking recipes, climate justice deep-dives and a directory of sustainable brands.

You can follow The Useless Project  on Instagram,  or contact them through their website or at [email protected]. 

We are entering a new era for sustainable business. Gone are the days of fluffy Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and incremental efforts. But what does this mean for businesses, and what is it going to take for companies to thrive in our new low carbon future?

For this episode, Ali is joined by Solitaire Townsend, Co-founder of Futerra, a leading change agency focused on sustainability.  Solitaire has been a passionate change-maker for over 30 years and believes that making the world a better place is a damn good business plan. She has advised governments, charities and brands including Google, IKEA and the United Nations on imagining a better future, and making it happen. 

In this wide ranging chat, Ali and Solitaire discuss the the growing influence employees are having in driving change, the rising importance of climate as a board issue, the emergence of new business models such as BCorps, the huge opportunities that await progressive companies, and the need for companies to look beyond their supply chains to have real impact, a concept Solitaire defines as Scope X. 

Solitaire was named ‘Ethical Entrepreneur of the Year’ in 2008 and more recently was Chair of the UK Green Energy Scheme, a member of the United Nations Sustainable Lifestyles Taskforce, and a London Leader for Sustainability. She has also published a book The Happy Hero - How To Change Your Life By Changing The World .

You can follow Solitaire on Twitter.

Some links to find out more about what was discussed in this episode include:

What's Your Lifeboat? Why You Need A Sustainability Backup Business,  Solitaire Townsend (Forbes)

We Urgently Need ‘Scope X’ Business Leadership For Climate, Solitaire Townsend (Forbes)

UN Climate Change Conference (COP26)
 
B Corp

Futerra's Client Disclosure Project

Purpose Disruptors

Clean Creatives

Lovebug Pet Food 

We are at the beginning of a really exciting energy transition in Ireland, with huge ambition to shift away from our dependency on fossil fuels, towards renewable energy sources. But what is the role of local communities in the move to renewable energy, and how can we make sure that communities are both involved in the transition, but also that they benefit from this shift. 

For this episode, Ali is joined by Sarah Fogarty from Community Power, Ireland’s first community owned electricity supplier. Following the development of Ireland’s first community-owned wind farm, Templederry Wind Farm in Co Tipperary, Community Power are now working with communities across Ireland to develop more renewable energy projects that directly owned by local people and communities. 

Sarah shares her experiences of the Templederry Wind Farm project, how the appetite from communities to get involved in renewable energy is rapidly growing, and how more communities can go about getting involved. 

You can follow Community Power on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.




Some links to find out more about what was discussed in this episode include:

Community Power Website

Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS)

Templederry Windfarm

Microgeneration Support Scheme

Smart Meters

We know that if we are going to shift to a more sustainable future, we need more innovation, and more sustainable businesses.  

For this episode, Ali is joined by Pat Kane, founder of Reuzi, to chat about her sustainable entrepreneur journey. Pat decided to launch Reuzi, a minimal waste living store, to enable and empower people with the information and tools they need to live more sustainably. 

Pat shares her journey of setting up Reuzi, from the beginnings in her sitting room to the huge success the company has become today.  She shares her insights into the importance of building a community around her business and supporting her customers as they explore sustainable alternatives. Pat also discusses how she selects her suppliers, why we need to bring other businesses into the climate conversation, and the growing opportunity there is for more sustainable businesses to be developed in Ireland. 

Before starting her entrepreneurial journey, Pat held various executive positions in the corporate world.  Today, as well as running Reuzi, Pat is also a frequent sustainable living speaker and columnist. You can follow Pat on Instagram at @Reuzi.ie or @IamPatKane.


Some links to find out more about what was discussed in this episode include:

Reuzi

Ellen MacArthur Circular Economy Courses

Simon Sinek Ted Talk - How great leaders inspire action

Following the success of Climate Case Ireland in 2020, the landmark case brought against the Irish government for its failures to adequately address the Climate Emergency, there has been a growing interest in the role the law can play in driving climate action.

For this episode, Ali is joined by Dr. Andrew Jackson, Associate Professor and Lecturer of Law at UCD, to discuss how the law is playing a vital role in holding countries and companies to account on climate action, what it was like to be part of Climate Case Ireland, and how we are likely to see climate litigation grow and develop in the coming years. 

Andrew is an environmental and planning lawyer, and has previously worked for international law firms in London and Paris; for the UK government's in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra); and with NGOs Friends of the Irish Environment and An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland. Andrew has played a leading role in publishing literature on climate and biodiversity issues and was also one of driving forces behind Climate Case Ireland.

You can follow Andrew on Twitter.

Some links to find out more about what was discussed in this episode include:

Climate Case Ireland

The Urgenda Climate Case against the Dutch Government

The Belgian Climate Case

Portuguese Climate Case

Sabin Centre for Climate Change Law

We Can't Tackle Climate Change Without You (Mary Annaïse Heglar) 

We know consumerism is a huge driver of climate change. Our growing demand for more stuff means we are putting increasing pressure on our natural systems, taking more and more raw materials from the earth, at a time when its never been more important to leave them be. And we know our growing addiction to consuming more stuff, is leading to the creation of increasing levels of waste. But surely if we just create more sustainable stuff, then we have no need to worry? Unfortunately, its not that simple. 

To dig deeper into the issue of consumption, and our relationship with stuff, Ali is joined by Emma Gleeson. Emma is a writer and an expert on sustainable consumerism and ethical fashion, and has recently released her first book, called Stuff Happens! published by Penguin Ireland. 

Emma holds a Masters in Fashion History from the London College of Fashion where her research focused on the psychological affects of fast fashion on young female consumers. She is passionate about spreading the message of buying less and buying better, yes for the health of the planet, but also for own mental health and for the protection of those around the world whose human rights are under threat due to our consumption practices.  

Emma shares what's she's learnt about our relationship with consumption, why we need to rebalance the responsibility for sustainability away from individuals, her views on greenwashing, and her vision for what comes next.

Emma can be found on Instagram @stuffhappenemma

Some links to find out more about what was discussed in this episode include:

Emma's Book - Stuff Happens!

No Logo - Naomi Klein

Clean Clothes Campaign

For the first episode of Series 2 of Climate Allies, we explore the vitally important topic that is climate justice. While we are starting to hear a lot about emission reduction targets, and new technologies, what maybe we haven’t been hearing or talking about enough is climate justice. 

To discuss what is climate justice and why it is so important, Ali is joined by Seán McCabe. Seán is the Executive Manager of the TASC Climate Justice Centre. His work at TASC focuses on developing evidence based, people-centred and community-led climate action strategies as well as advocating for rights-based responses to the climate crisis in multilateral processes. In addition to his work in TASC, he is also Climate Justice Officer at Bohemian Football Club.

Prior to joining TASC, Seán worked as a Policy Officer with the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice for five years where he worked on developing and implementing the Foundation's strategy for engagement in the negotiation of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as leading projects on intergenerational equity, ESG and the provision of renewable energy services through social protection mechanisms.

Seán previously worked in the private sector, as a catastrophe risk analyst with Renaissance Reinsurance. He has also worked in community development in Kolkata, India and with the Environmental Protection Agency in Sierra Leone where he supported capacity building in Geographic Information Systems. Seán holds a B.Sc in Applied Physics from Dublin City University and a M.Sc. in Development Practice awarded by Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin.  

Seán shares his own journey in working in this space, why climate justice must be at the centre of the climate transition, why we need courage now more than ever, and what Climate Justice has to do with League of Ireland Football Clubs. 

Some links to find out more about what was discussed in this episode include:

TASC (Think-tank for Action on Social Change)

The People’s Transition: Community-led Development for Climate Justice (FEPS-TASC)

Economic Resilience in Sustainable Communities: Innovative Approaches in Public Spending to Maximise Local Benefits (NESC)

Seán’s TEDx Talk - Inequality and Climate Breakdown

When it comes to talking about climate change, consumption is still the elephant in the room. But what role do social media influencers play in our consumption patterns and the wider climate crisis, and is this changing?

For this episode of Climate Allies, Ali is joined by social media influencers, Jo Linehan and Fionnuala Moran, to discuss how the lines between activism and influencing are becoming more blurred, the need to call out greenwashing, and how to stay informed when things are changing so fast. 

Fionnuala Moran is an Entertainment Reporter with EVOKE and columnist with The Mail on Sunday. An avid radio presenter and DJ, she enjoys her own shows on RTÉ PULSE and Christmas FM on the weekends, as well as doing Galway Bay FM showbiz bulletin The Daily Dish on weekdays. Having gone vegan as a New Year’s resolution in 2018 and quit fashion for her 2019 resolution. In 2020 she started DCU’s MSc in Climate Change: Media, Policy and Society part time to further her knowledge of the subject. Fionnuala recently moved into her first home and is now on a mission to revamp the secondhand home to make it as energy efficient as possible. You can follow Fionnuala at @fionnualamoran.

Jo Linehan is a former stylist whose work has been featured in IMAGE Magazine, IMAGE Daily, CARA Magazine, Weirs Magazine, U Magazine, The Independent and CULT magazine. She writes travel and contributes weekly to The Irish Times Weekend Magazine, writes fashion and features for the Brown Thomas Magazine, and has contributed to Forbes Travel.  She is the co-founder of GAFF, a digital platform for pre-loved furniture. She is also the producer and host of The Futurist, a podcast highlighting the most exciting sustainable lifestyle businesses in Ireland. You can follow Jo at @jo.the.futurist or on jolinehan.com. 

Some links to find out more about what was discussed in this episode include:

·        The True Cost Movie

·        Green Giants By Freya Williams 

·        Stuff Happens by Emma Gleeson

Ireland, like many countries, is gearing up to undertake an ambitious climate transition in the coming years and decades. One of the key enablers of this change will be our Local Authorities, and the vital role they will play in both climate adaptation and mitigation. 

For this episode of Climate Allies, Ali is joined by Robert Burns, Director of Service with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLR). We hear about the wide reach and responsibilities of the local authority when it comes to climate action, the experience of taking a climate first approach, and the valuable role trials have played in recent active mobility projects. We also explore the many co-benefits of climate action, the need to bring diverse groups and skillsets together, and the potential we now have to revitalise our local towns and villages.  

Robert Burns is a Director of Service and part of the senior management team within Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, with responsibility for the management and delivery of infrastructure and climate action-related projects and has overall management responsibility for large-scale infrastructure projects. He has led on the Council’s response to Covid-19 with mobility interventions and adaptation of the public realm, including village upgrade projects in Blackrock, Dundrum, Dalkey and Glasthule, involving the removal of traffic lanes, enhanced public space and installation of cycling facilities. Robert was also the project manager for the new Coastal Mobility Route, which is a 2-way, 4.5 km cycle route, between Blackrock and Sandycove, which was built within a 3-month period and has received an Engineers Ireland award and national and international attention for both its quality and speed of construction, featuring in documentaries on the BBC and ITV.  He has a wide interest in the field of transportation, mobility and climate action, being one of the leads on the development of an EV Charging Infrastructure strategy for the Dublin region.  Robert has a breadth of knowledge and experience across transportation, civil and environmental engineering, with experience in the private, semi-state and public sectors.

Some links to find out more about what was discussed in this episode include:

CODEMA – Dublin’s Energy Agency

dlr Coastal Mobility Route

CSO - Social Impact of COVID-19 Survey November 2020 Well-being and Lifestyle under Level 5 Restrictions

RTÉ - What is a '15-minute city' - and do you live in one?

The Barcelona Superblocks Project

Scotland’s Town Centre First Approach

UCD Centre for Irish Towns

When we think about industry’s role in climate change, we tend to think of the big emitters, the fossil fuel industry, fast fashion companies, aviation. However, the reality is that every industry plays a role in climate, whether directly or indirectly, and one of the industries starting to get a lot of attention in this context is the creative industry. 

For this episode of Climate Allies, Ali is joined by Laura Costello, a Senior Strategist and 'Planet' lead at THINKHOUSE, The Youth Marketing Company. We hear about ‘The Great Reset’ campaign, an initiative working to reshape the advertising and marketing industry to tackle climate change, how the industry can be an important ally and agitator for change, and why we need to move climate conversations from wordiness to wonderful. 

Laura is the THINKHOUSE lead on purpose and sustainability-driven projects, working with the likes of RTÉ on Climate, MyWaste.ie, Tony's Chocolonely, The Rediscovery Centre and TogetherForYes (Repeal). She advises brands and organisations in multiple sectors on how to embrace purposeful action and to deliver it in a way that inspires positive cultural shifts. She is part of the team leading ‘The Great Reset’ campaign in Ireland and recently co-authored The Great Reset White Paper - outlining the opportunities the Covid-19 moment has created to reshape the industry to serve people and planet. 

Some links to find out more about what was discussed in this episode include:

Purpose Disruptors

The Great Reset Campaign

When Creatives Turn Destructive: Image-Makers and the Climate Crisis, Bill McKibben, The New Yorker

Ad Net Zero Campaign  

Environmental Impact Assessment of Household Consumption (Ivanova et al., 2015)