The Climate Ambassador Podcast

Daithí is joined by Áine May Hughes from Native Events to discuss sustainability in festivals and events and bust some myths around where the biggest impacts really lie. We learn all about how Native Events are working to lower emissions, reduce waste, and make events more circular through their consultancy, event production and eco event hire. Áine walks us through the key impact areas, underscoring transport and food & beverage as being overlooked for their impact as opposed to energy or waste and we gain insight into how Native Events tackles the challenges of each impact area in a way which caters to the specific needs of each event, from its size to its audience, to its location. We uncover the truth on the reusable versus single-use plastic cup debate as well as finding out if biodegradable serveware is as sustainable as we think. Whilst Native Events works with local authorities to offer sustainability guidelines, Áine describes events like festivals as being ‘like their own little townships’ and explains how commitment and action from both attendees and organisers is required to create an effective shift in attitude and behaviour. Whether you’re attending this summer’s biggest music festival or organising a small community event Áine’s advice is sure to leave you with the knowledge and inspiration to make a change!

Thanks very much to Emma Sheridan for support with research, design and promotion.

Links

1. Native Events: https://www.nativeevents.ie/

2. Sustainability at Shambala Festival: https://www.shambalafestival.org/sustainability/

3. Killarney Coffee Cup Project: https://killarney.ie/killarney-coffee-cup-project/

4. Laois County Council Green Your Festival Kit: https://laois.ie/climate-action/community-climate-action/green-your-festival

5. MIT Climate Machine analysis of 80,000 live shows across the US and UK: https://climatemachine.mit.edu/

6. Sustainability at Coldplay Music of the Spheres World Tour: https://sustainability.coldplay.com/section/power/

7. Fáilte Ireland Sustainable Festivals Guidelines 2023: https://www.failteireland.ie/FailteIreland/media/WebsiteStructure/Documents/Product_Development/Festivals_Events/failte-ireland-sustainable-festivals-guidelines-2023.pdf

8. Guide to Plastic Free Festivals & Events: https://mywaste.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Guide-to-Plastic-Free-Festivals-Events-April-2024.pdf

To kick off season 6 Daithí is joined by ornithologist and wildlife sound recordist Seán Ronayne, otherwise known as ‘Nature Boy’. Seán is an award-winning author for his memoir ‘Nature Boy’ and is well known for his mission to record the calls of every regularly occurring species of bird in Ireland, as captured in the RTÉ documentary ‘Birdsong’.

Seán reflects on his lifelong affinity with wildlife recounting how his relationship with nature played a pivotal role in his youth both providing him with a calming safe space as well as positioning himself as different from his peers at school.

We gain insight into how Seán adapted to lockdown measures during the pandemic by bringing nature to him through his recordings and how he feels his autism diagnosis is linked to his work. We also explore how bird habitats and species are affected by climate change and human interference and how the work done by people like Seán can be effective in reaching people and inspiring conversation about climate change.  

Thanks very much to Emma Sheridan for support with research, design and promotion.

Join Daithí as he speaks to the inspiring Seán McCabe, the world's first Climate Justice Officer in a football club. Seán talks us through the work being done in Bohemians Football Club in Phibsborough, Dublin, where community and climate justice is being put right at the heart of things.  With impacts of the climate crisis and transition being felt unequally across communities, the Climate CoOp at Bohemians has set out to address the issues faced by their own members, playing to their strength as a tight knit and inclusive community. Seán talks us through the different projects at Bohemians, such as their 'Library of Things', and supporting people serving prison time in Mountjoy to upskill in bike maintenance, as well as some of their aims for the future. His words of advice – dream big!         Thanks very much to Sorcha O'Carolan Murphy for support with research, design and promotion.

 

Links:

1. The Spark https://www.thespark.coop/     

2. Bohemians Football Club Website: https://bohemians.ie/home/    

3. UN Sport for Climate Action: https://unfccc.int/climate-action/sectoral-engagement/sports-for-climate-action    

4. Mary Robinson Climate Justice Foundation: https://www.mrfcj.org/    

5. Think tank for Action on Social Change (TASC): https://www.tasc.ie/     

6. Qatar World Cup Controversy: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/nov/19/qatar-working-conditions-world-cup-guardian-reporting      

7. Friends of the Earth - 'Still Left out in the Cold' Report: https://www.friendsoftheearth.ie/warm-homes-for-all/resources        

8. Scope 1, 2 and 3 Emissions explained: https://www.grantthornton.ie/insights/factsheets/sustainability-scope-1-2-and-3-emissions/      

9. Seán and Leo from Bohs F.C. on The Book of Leaves Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-sport-clubs-can-take-climate-action-bohemian-football/id1460583049?i=1000638902017

Daithí is joined by not one, but two special guests this week! Climate Ambassador Alumni Claire Romito and Alex Reilly share their experiences of being in the programme and the changes that it brought about in their lives. Though Alex comes from a background in television production, and Claire is a primary school teacher and entrepreneur, they share a lot of the same sentiments and thoughts around community climate action, offering up many wise words for current Climate Ambassadors and general listeners alike. From career pivots to tackling climate anxiety and the power of finding your own strengths and community, this episode takes an honest look at the imperfect, yet inspiring nature of individual climate action journeys and the ripple effects they have on our wider communities.

Thanks very much to Sorcha O'Carolan Murphy for support with research, design and promotion.

 

 

Links:

Thanks its vintage – Alex’s Fashion Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/thanks_its_vintage/    

Teachingplans.ie – Claire’s website of teaching resources: https://teachingplans.ie/   

Albert Certification for sustainable film and TV production: https://wearealbert.org/

1% for planet: 1% for the Planet | Accelerating Environmental Giving

Patagonia makes Earth its only shareholder: https://eu.patagonia.com/ie/en/ownership/?srsltid=AfmBOoq3dmBx_G4RbdxP1xdnNjlqMZHa--hjuobEgfMOkyBrzwaq6DZ0   

Friends of the earth: https://www.friendsoftheearth.ie/     

Virgin Media Sustainability: https://sustainablemedia.ie/case-studies/sustainability-in-programming-how-one-sustainability-project-in-virgin-media-tv-created-a-ripple-effect/

In this episode, Daithí is joined by Karol Balfe, CEO of ActionAid Ireland and Mahesh Badal, the Senior Program and Business Development Manager for ActionAid Nepal. Our two guests talk to us through the realities of climate change in the Global South, highlighting the disproportionate burden placed on the Global South, both in terms of the local effects of climate change and the mitigation of those effects. With ActionAid’s recent report ‘The Hidden Truth – Ireland's Role in the Global Fossil Fuel Industry’ showing that Ireland is ranked the 14th highest global investor in fossil fuels, Karol explains how we got here and how we can get ourselves out. A fascinating episode that really highlights the complexities of Fossil Fuel Finance, and the difficulties faced by the Global South in accessing funding for transition to green economies and becoming more resilient to climate impacts.       

Thanks very much to Sorcha O'Carolan Murphy for support with research, design and promotion.

 

Links:

1. Action aid Ireland: ActionAid Ireland | Charity Organizations in Ireland

2. Action Aid Nepal: ActionAid Nepal

3. Action Aid 2025 ‘Hidden Truth’ Report - https://actionaid.ie/the-hidden-truth/  

4. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):  https://unfccc.int/   

5. UNFCC Funds - https://unfccc.int/topics/introduction-to-climate-finance  

6. 2021 United Nations Environment Program report - https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2021

7. Global North Is Responsible for 92% of Excess Emissions - Eos

8. Ireland divests public money from the Irish Strategic Investment Fund from Fossil Fuels: Fossil Fuel Divestment Act 2018