6 Reasons to head to Ireland’s first Zero Waste Festival this weekend
Ireland’s first ever Zero Waste Festival is coming to Inchicore, Dublin this Sunday 25th June! From 11am-6pm, zero wasters from all across Ireland will be descending on the CIE Hall – Inchicore Sports and Social Club to enjoy an action packed day of talks, workshops and activities for the whole family.
If you are interested in reducing your plastic footprint, ridding your household of excessive waste and living a more sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle, here are 6 reasons this festival is not to be missed.
1. Zero Waste Market Stalls
If you struggle to reduce the amount of plastic packaging you take home with you from the supermarket, this is the place to be. There is a huge range of vendors lined up offering everything from crafts, pre-loved toys, loose food, household cleaning products and cloth alternatives to disposable products such as bags, baby wipes and nappies. To see a full list of market vendors, click here.
2. Community Workshops
There will be educational workshops taking place throughout the day covering everything from easy vegan snack ideas to zero waste shopping hacks and DIY cleaning product tutorials. There will also be a wildflower identification walk and a ‘Beads from Seeds’ workshop for children. For a full timetable and description of workshops taking place throughout the day, click here.
3. Inspiring Films
There will be two free screenings taking place to keep you uplifted and inspired in your efforts towards zero waste.
1pm: A Quest for Meaning, directed by Nathanaël Coste & Marc de la Ménardière. ‘A Quest for Meaning’ tells the story of two childhood friends who travel around the world meeting some of the greatest thinkers of our time. Through the words of activists, biologists, philosophers, or guardians of ancestral traditions, Marc de la Ménardière and Nathanael Coste invite viewers along on their questioning of the world, and present us with alternatives that are already building the world of tomorrow.
4pm: The Clean Bin Project, directed by Grant Baldwin. In this multi-award winning festival favourite, partners Jen and Grant go head to head in a competition to see who can swear off consumerism and produce the least rubbish. Their light-hearted competition is set against a darker examination of the problem of waste in society.
4. Educational Talks and Q&A sessions
Hear from some of Ireland’s veteran zero wasters or those who have only recently begun living a zero waste lifestyle.
Green Party National Coordinator Elaine Butler will give a talk about campaigning for zero waste, covering policy decisions that have resulted in such an excess of waste, the changes needed to move us towards Zero Waste, and how each of us can lobby and campaign for this change.
Emma Gleeson, who has an MA in Fashion Sustainability, will give a talk entitled ‘The Devil Wears Primark – Fast Fashion and Waste in the Garment Industry’.
There will also be a Q&A session giving you the opportunity to ask questions to a panel of zero waste experts.
5. Supportive Meet-ups
Come together with other like-minded mothers for a Cuidiú breastfeeding meet-up, discuss ways to reduce your plastic footprint on time for Plastic-Free July, or find out about fermentation and living cultures at the Friendly Bacteria Meet-up. All meet-ups take place in the lounge and will be hosted by various members of the Zero Waste community.
6. Zero Waste Swap Shop
Clear out your wardrobes and give your pre-loved garments a new life at the Zero Waste Swap Shop. Bring along men’s, women’s and children’s clothes in a clean and wearable condition. Swap One for One, or make a donation. To help with you sustainable wardrobe there will also be an Alteration Station on site!
***Don’t forget!***
- CASH (there’s no ATM nearby)
- Smartphone, camera or pen & paper (to take notes – there are no leaflets or business cards)
- Bags and containers for refills,
- Clothes and toys for swap / donation,
- Your own mug and water bottle,
- A picnic or lunch box and utensils,
- Bring a spare to share!
Tickets for the Zero Waste Festival are €5 and are available at www.eventbrite.ie/e/zero-waste-festival-tickets
For a full festival breakdown, visit the Zero Waste Festival website at http://www.zerowastefestival.ie/[x_author title=”About the Author”]
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