Oceans of Plastic
It is a place many of us love to be on a sunny day, or on our holidays – by the sea. Looking out on that beautiful, vast horizon I normally find my problems become minute, but how often does it enter our minds that it is being overwhelmed with plastic pollution? I fear this problem is very much “out of sight, out of mind”.Â
It is estimated that 10 million tonnes of litter enter the world’s oceans each year. Plastic makes up 80% of this “marine litter” (IUCN, 2018). Think about that figure for a moment, 10 million tonnes of waste equates to more than 1 garbage truck load of rubbish, entering the ocean every minute. That is staggering.
Beach clean ups are great initiatives, bringing communities together, creating awareness and keeping local coastal areas clean. But it is not enough. they are not a solution to this problem, it is like putting a band aid on to a broken leg.
“It is estimated that 70% of marine litter is on the seabed, 15% is floating in the water column and 15% is wha...
Make America Great Again
Make America Great Again has been one of the taglines used by President Donald Trump since 2016. For me, the connotation of this tagline is to make America great at the expense of other nations, economies and even species.
It is no secret that Trump’s presidency is based on a ruthless ideology of capitalism over anything else, but one of the most dangerous aspects of his presidency is the lifted protections for at-risk animals as part of his aggressive rollback of environmental rules.
Biodiversity in the world is at its worst state in human history, 1 million land and marine species across the globe are threatened with extinction.
In a now “usual” spectacle of ignorance, the Trump administration has lifted protections for America’s animals and opened up a huge amount of federal land for oil and gas drilling, coal mining and other industrial activities.
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The dirty secret of hospitality, single use plastics
Recently, I spent some time in my beloved Spain, in the city of Bilbao in particular. During my stay I was delighted to see the hotel I had booked did not offer single use toiletries, Yipee! I was thrilled.
I know for most people this might be a silly thing to get excited about, but when you work in the world of Environmentalism, and you see the figures I see in a weekly basis, regarding discarded mini toiletries, this is a big thing.
Single use plastics in hotels are a much bigger issue than most people think. To a customer, opening a mini bottle of shampoo, or an individually wrapped ketchup sachet, or a mini jam at their breakfast seems like a very small thing. It is just one item, isn’t it? What harm can it do?
An issue much bigger than we think
According to STR Global (American based company that tracks global data), there are nearly 200,000 hotels in the world. This number does not include guest houses, B&B’s or hostels so the real number is much larger. Let’s say every hot...
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Who We Are: Fifty Shades Greener
Sustainability with a side of sass!
At Fifty Shades Greener, we’re not your typical sustainability crowd. Here, green isn’t just a color; it’s a lifestyle, and we live it with a bit of cheek and a lot of heart. Our team, a quirky blend of lifelong greenies, seasoned educators, and fresh innovators, believes that every little bit helps and that education is the cornerstone of sustainable change. Born from a simple idea in a hotel’s green team meeting, we've grown into a vibrant community passionate about turning the hospitality world a shade greener. We think greenwashing is as outdated as last season's fashion and are here to ensure sustainability is as authentic as it is actionable. From the early days in Doolin to the bustling workshops of today, our journey has been about making sustainability accessible, understandable, and, dare we say, fun. We don't just throw jargon around; we break it down with practical advice and real-world actions that everyone, from hotel managers to cafe owners, can take. So, whether you’re looking to start your green journey or you're trying to make your business a beacon of sustainability, we’ve got the know-how and the can-do attitude to help you make it happen. And while we’re serious about what we do, we believe a little humor goes a long way. After all, if you can’t have a laugh while saving the planet, when can you? Join us as we continue to write our story, one green step at a time. Here’s to making sustainability not just a necessity, but a norm. Ready to add a little green to your scene? Dive in—the water’s fine, and it’s getting greener by the minute!
