Podcaster, presenter, and sustainability advocate Fionnuala Jay has teamed up with supermarket retailer Lidl to launch a new Green Fund that will award communities for their climate-focused efforts.
€100,000 has been offered up to support local projects that aim to tackle key environmental challenges across climate and biodiversity, circular economy and sustainable health and wellbeing living, for the benefit of towns and villages across Ireland.
"It's really good because, a lot of the time, I feel people aren't willing to put money on the table for anything to do with the environment or sustainability," says Fionnuala.
"I'm glad we're getting to a point where there is money being put on the table and it's going to the people doing the work on the ground level."
Charities, primary schools, secondary schools and community groups are encouraged to apply to the Green Fund which offers a top award of €25,000 to a lead project, with a further €75,000 allocated to multiple smaller projects.
As a sustainably-minded influencer, Fionnuala is particularly intrigued by projects that will support a circular economy. When it comes to clothes, she encourages her followers to shop their own wardrobes and revamp what they already have as much as possible.
"We're so used to things being so conveniant and so instant," she says, noing that community programmes could make a huge difference to individual behaviour.
"I'm all about anything that involves fashion so swap shops, upcycling workshops, seminars, waste programmes, repair cafés," she lists.
While the news surrounding climate change can often feel overwhelming, Fionnuala believes that the actions of individuals can have a huge impact on the environment, with systematic changes often being sparked by individual demand.
When it comes to renting clothes for special occasions, for example, there are plenty of options available - but only if you're straight sized.
The demand for plus sized clothing has put pressure on businesses to create options for an under-served market. While progress is slow - the fashion industry has favoured smaller body types for decades after all - things are changing.
"There's a great rental place in Kildare called Harper Dress Hire and they're excluively plus size," says Fionnuala. "There's a lot of systemic issues at play, all we can do is start the conversation and keep the conversation going."
Having recently completed a '30 days of secondhand outfits' challenge, the Cork woman says that resisting the urge to mindlessly shop is more manageable than you may think.
"It can seem very difficult and daunting and overwhelming," she acknowledges, "which is why my over-arching message has become: shop less. Try and set yourself a challenge; if you're shopping once a week, bring it down to twice a month."
Before clicking 'add to basket', the broadcaster suggests asking yourself a list of questions: what are you buying these items for? Where do you see yourself wearing them? How much are the items?
"It's about giving yourself that minute to interrogate your thought process," she adds. "We shop so aimlessly and so mindlessly because, respecfully, it's hard out here. There's no excess consumption under capitalism. Everything is kind of terrible and we look to shopping to make ourselves feel better."
The remedy, she suggests, is communicating with those around us: ask to borrow a dress from a friend, learn how to raise a hem from your neighbour, pass treasured items on to loved ones.
"There's such a reluctance to look to our community and share resources in a way that we did previously," she says.
As a bride-to-be, Fionnuala says she hopes to create a hen party and wedding that doesn't lead to an excess of waste.
"My hens are on strict instruction that the hen needs to be at least semi-sustainable," she explains. "I feel they [hen parties] can create such waste, so I'm trying to get people to keep that in mind when they're planning.
"There's some things with the wedding that I'm really trying to focus on reducing waste," she continues. "And one of my dresses is second-hand which I'm delighted about, and I can't wait to show everybody. It's from the 80s so it's true vintage."
A sustainable choice that doesn't skimp on style.
For more information on the Green Fund, visit greenfund.abettertomorrow-lidl.ie
