Recycling, Staying Green and The Interesting Green Schools Programme In 2019 With Gráinne Ryan

What is your background?

I hate to admit it but as a young teenager I thought being green and recycling was a waste of my time, I remember thinking my dad was so strange for cycling to work in all weather and I certainly didn’t appreciate our natural environment, but with a scout and venture leader for parents, the example was always there growing up and it must have rubbed off on me!

I ended up in the environmental education arena in a somewhat roundabout way. Starting with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science (UCD) and then a Master’s in Environmental Policy (UCD), specialising in climate change, my initial plan was to advise the government. After a short but memorable stint in Phnom Pehn (Cambodia) in 2013, working as a Postgraduate Intern with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, who was advising the opposition party at the time, I realised that the politics involved in policy analysis was not for me.

I needed something that made me feel good, allowed me to take immediate action and see visible results. I found it frustrating to see how watered down an ambitious environmental and social policy could be by the time it got to the table and to see maybe one or two recommendations be put in place out of 20 or 30.

When I returned home I was unemployed for a few months and then landed my dream internship, through the now-defunct JobBridge scheme, as the Environmental Education Intern with Global Action Plan Ireland which is based in Ballymun. Under the mentorship of one incredible woman, Dr Sophie Nicol, I learned everything there is to know about the value of informal education, programme planning and development, fostering care and more importantly a responsibility for your environment and community.

Sophie’s enthusiasm and the drive were infectious and I have a lot to thank her for in those early years of my career. After six months I was offered a paid position as Environmental Programme Officer and began working on the SFI programme Discover Primary Science and Maths, the HSBC programme Water Explorer and found time to write my first resource for teachers ‘Action on Global Citizenship’.

What are you doing now?

Two years ago I made the move to An Taisce’s Environmental Education Unit (EEU) and became the Climate Action Officer for Green-Schools and the brand new Climate Ambassador programme. My role involves teacher training, resource development and school engagement through Green-Schools, as well as community and second/third level engagement through the Climate Ambassador programme.

I coordinate Climate Action Week each year (which is running from October 14^th-20^th this year – put it in your diary!), wrote the popular Climate Action Teacher Resource and have recently launched our first online summer course for primary teachers. Our main aim is to empower primary teachers to confidently explore climate change as part of the curriculum and encourage climate action in school communities.

Why did you get involved with this area?

In college, there were two main areas I really enjoyed exploring, climate change and equality/development. When I discovered climate justice and researched the embedded equality issues within climate change, that was it, I had found what made me get up in the morning. Having a job you love, in an industry that you really care about is one of the most rewarding experiences.

It’s entirely solutions focused which means the knowledge base is constantly growing, the technology is always improving and, I might be a bit biased, but the people are just wonderful. It mightn’t be the most glamorous salary but I absolutely never dread going to work and think I have a very healthy work-life balance.

Do you see the glass as half full or empty?

Definitely half full. The power of the people is extraordinary and students and adults alike have unequivocally put climate change on the agenda from the bottom right up to the top level resulting in the Dáil declaring a climate and biodiversity emergency last month. We just need every level to follow-through with climate action. Most people are concerned about climate change and want to do something, the desire to make sustainable choices is clear, we just need industry and infrastructure to catch up with the will of the people.

I have a lot of climate hope for Ireland and we’re perfectly positioned to follow Scotland’s lead in terms of renewable energy potential. I see a vision for Dublin with safe, segregated cycle lanes like Amsterdam, with soft green barriers of native trees and hedgerows protecting pedestrians and cyclists from an excellent public transport network (one can hope) and with new car free zones like Vienna covering most of the city centre. I might sound like I’m speaking with rose-tinted glasses, but the sky is literally the limit as to where we go with this as a nation, and if we really want to be a leader in terms of mitigating against climate change.

What is the Green-Schools Programme?

Green-Schools is part of an international Eco-Schools programme run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and there are 67 countries and over 51,000 schools involved worldwide. In Ireland, the EEU is the National Operator and 95% of Irish schools are currently registered for Green-Schools – we are proud to say our schools have the highest success rates worldwide. 3,362 Irish schools have been awarded at least one Green Flag. I

t’s based on the Environmental Management System the business sector uses and schools must follow seven steps requiring whole school action and self-evaluation through an iterative two-year cycle. The 34 Local Authorities of Ireland help to implement the programme and we are also supported by various government departments and some industry sponsors.

How do you stay motivated in the environmental arena?

I am constantly inspired and motivated by the youth I encounter through work, they keep me at the top of my game and push me to do more, walk the talk and listen to them. Outside of work I love when my family and friends come to me asking how they can make small changes, what they can do about climate change, that makes me so happy and it’s happening more and more frequently. I feel recharged when I’m out walking my dog or hiking or cycling with my partner, or eating incredible plant-based food, or cooking in general. Those are the wonderful things that keep me going and help me to stay motivated.

How can people get involved?

Sign up to the Climate Ambassador newsletter here and keep an eye out for when applications open in September. Stick Climate Action Week in your diary and contact your local school, college or workplace about organising an event from 14^th-20^th October! Choose a climate action and follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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