Hydrogen cars are not only the future, they are here, now.  And when hydrogen cars become the norm we can finally; lessen our dependence upon oil achieve lower prices at the fuel pumps cut down on the greenhouse gases that produce global warming Not bad hey? The future of hydrogen cars is not just a flight of fancy.  There are already many hydrogen cars on the road.   California and Japan have many hydrogen cars being used as fleet vehicles now. Honda were the first to lease a commerical hydrogen car to a family in California. How Green? Well, unlike many… Read More »

Congratulations to last months winners of the eco fabulous book Drive Like a Woman, Shop Like a Man.  Below are the three favourite eco tips chosen by the GreenMe team.  We would also like to thank everyone who submitted a tip. To be in with a chance to win a copy of 101 tips which will not only help save you money but also the planet. Email us your top green tip Tip 1 submitted by Harry Toye, Co Meath Wash without Water – Polish without Pollution. Thinking of washing your car? Think for a moment about all the water you’re wasting: A standard garden… Read More »

I came accross the following year planner on the Roscommon Coco site.  It’s a great little reminder for what you need to be doing for your compost at certain times through out the year. SPRING: •    Empty the compost bin •    Spread finished compost on the lawn or garden •    Keep any fallen leaves or woody material to add to the compost bin over the summer SUMMER: •    Cover kitchen waste with leaves, peat moss or soil •    Poke or stir the compost regularly AUTUMN: •    Harvest the finished compost •    Empty the compost bin •    Set some leaves aside… Read More »

Problem:    Rotten odour is a sign that the heap is too wet or contains excessive green material. Solution:    Turn to mix in air and add more dry browns such as leaves or straw.  If this does not work may want to relocate pile to a well-drained site. Problem:    Composting process is too slow. Solution:    This could be that the moisture content is not right.When building your compost heap, remember to water every 6 – 12 inches. It should resemble a wrung out sponge. Also water when turning pile. Problem:    Amonian odour is a sign that there is excess moisture and… Read More »

PETA, who earlier this year went after Britney Spears’ plans to include live “circus” animals in her upcoming tour (she eventually backed down) is now angered that Michael Jackson is considering doing the same thing. Jackson has already sold out a 10-concert residency at London’s 02 Arena amids rumours he is to feature a variety of exotic creatures onstage during his comeback concerts. British newspaper the Daily Mirror reports Jackson is planning a nature theme for the concerts – with live creatures featuring heavily in the shows. A source tells the publication, “He hopes to make it the most spectacular… Read More »

The average Irish home is falling far short of the desired BER energy efficiency rating. Energy ratings are graded on a sliding scale: A1 is awarded to the most energy efficient homes, while G is given to the worst.  With most houses in Ireland scoring E1, the Home Energy Saving scheme, which provides grants for insulating homes is now available. The €50 million Energy Saving scheme is open to houses built before 2006 and will help homeowners save up to €700 a year Home improvement measures will include: MEASURE CATEGORY GRANT* Roof Roof Insulation €250 Wall Cavity wall insulation €400… Read More »

There is no better place to help students go green than at school. By letting students know what is going on in their local environment helps give them real reasons to adapt their lifestyle.  Below are some simple steps to going green at school which can be implemented by the school, students or parents.  Computer conscious Computers are being used more and more in classrooms.  So how can you increase your childs IT skills while being environmentally aware. • Switch off. Computers left on overnight or over lunch waste energy. Label computers to remind people to switch off. If they can’t… Read More »

Try and get your manager / boss to source fairtrade coffee for your office.  A good place to start is Ireland’s fairtrade website which publishes a list of wholesale suppliers.  Click here to get started. Link to this post!

Eamon Ryan, Energy Minister today announced plan that if successful will see 10% of all vehicles on our roads go electric!  To achieve this ambitious plan, the government have teamed up with car manufacturers Renault and Nissan. “Today’s initiative will transform our streets, will cut carbon emissions and change the face of transport in Ireland,” Minister Eamon Ryan said. Ryan said the government hoped to sign similar agreements with other auto manufacturers to ensure that around 230,000 electric vehicles are on Irish roads by 2020. Under today’s deal, Ireland will be one of the first countries in the world to… Read More »

Electric cars pre-dated the internal combustion engine, but the availability of cheap petrol and its flexibility as a transportable fuel, together with the invention of the starter motor saw the internal combustion engine emerge as the clear 20th century winner for road transport. The 21st is experiencing new pressures – security of fuel supply, global warming, and peak oil – that are forcing us to reevaluate our ideas. On April 15th, the RDS will be hosting a seminar which will review recent world-wide developments with electric vehicles as well as associated areas of battery technology and charging infrastructure. It will also look… Read More »

Everyone has their own ideas about the car’s place in the environment and a discussion on the subject could last indefinitely. I take the view that whereas now cars are a necessary evil with a limited future – renewable energy will eventually provide us all with affordable eco-friendly transport. In the meantime: Lose the Car … When thinking about designing the landscaping for your eco-site, if you really want to encourage earth-friendly behavior, one solution is don’t just build a sustainable structure but make it difficult for the people who use the structure to park cars there. This type of approach… Read More »

Never composted before? Well don’t worry you’re in good company. There are a lot of people out there that are green in heart but not in head.  The idea of recycling your waste and composting seems like an excellent idea in theory. But exactly how you go about setting up a good composting system, quite often seems complicated and frequently is put on the long finger as life gets in the way. In the following paragraphs GreenMe will attempt to make composting easy and rewarding. Why Compost? I recently read somewhere that by adding just one decent amount of compost… Read More »

Under the cover of darkness, with seed and trowel, gardeners are busy planting public spaces and barren plots of urban land green.  So what′s the motive behind the activities of these green revolutionaries? Well it’s a phenomenon called guerrilla gardening and it’s changing the way our cities look as volunteers work without permit or permission on private property to transform abandoned public spaces Link to this post!

Insurance companies are going green. After consumers drink their fair trade brew, purchase their eco gifts and stock up on environmentally friendly household products, they can now buy “green” insurance policies that cover the car, house and travel. Insurance providers are now offering  new policies that will pay to rebuild a home using greener materials after it’s destroyed by fire or other disasters and offer discounts if you take the advanced driver test which will help develop more economical driving practices. So far, only a handful of “green” insurance policies are available on the market but more and more companies… Read More »

 If you are about to take the exciting step into launching a green business or are considering converting an existing business to more eco friendly practices; you may have heard the term “triple bottom line”.So what does it mean? Sometimes referred to as “TBL”, triple bottom line simply stands for   People Planet Profit   Sounds like another fancy business jargon. But it’s actually a serious and increasingly recognised concept. Triple Bottom Line reporting is becoming an accepted way for businesses to demonstrate they have strategies for sustainable growth. The triple bottom line is a form of reporting the impact… Read More »

Tumble dryers are the most power hungry appliances in your home.  In fact, dryers account for at least 6% of the electricity used in the average household.  Is it any wonder that line-drying is coming back? In the US, line drying is quite often banned as an unsightly nuisance to neighbours.  This has lead to right-to-dry activists and blogging eco-moms  forming an alliance. Their cause?  To reduce energy consumption and to call upon sunlight rather than bleach to get those whites even whiter. Now I know you’re thinking we would be pushing it to rely on sunshine here in Ireland,… Read More »

The response to GreenMe’s appearance the Dragon’s Den last night has been overwhelming! We have already received hundreds of thoughtful and encouraging emails.  Most importantly — your vote of confidence has given us a resounding thumbs up.   It has confirmed that GreenMe is a relevant and important information point for people wanting to lead a greener lifestyle. Since arriving in the office this morning we have been offered advertising support, guest bloggers, cartoons, articles and investment!! GreenMe would like to thank you for this incredible support. You have invigorated us to work harder than ever to deliver a comprehensive and… Read More »

We’re not going to lie!  Appearing on RTE’s Dragons’ Den, was the most traumatic and terrifying of experience of our lives.  But that isn’t to say we wouldn’t do it all over again! The truth is we came away with the fire in our bellies to prove the famous five wrong!! Funding We didn’t appear on Dragons’ Den with the primary goal of getting funding (although obviously no one in their right mind turns down €100,000 and the contacts book of a successful entrepreneur).  GreenMe’s main reason to apply to Dragon’s Den in the first place was to get the… Read More »

Cork forests are endangered, but suprisingly if we choose wine with real corks instead of plastic and metal caps, we’ll ensure the preservation of these forests through the power of supply and demand.  Link to this post!

Whether it′s a one night business stop over, or a weekend getaway, make sure your accomodation has the same green habits as you do at home. Link to this post!