Did you know one in three households in Ireland live in energy poverty. We chatted to Deirdre Duff from Friends of the Earth who are running campaigns to ramp up action to address energy poverty and other climate issues
- Friends of the Earth is an environmental community that works for a world where both people and nature can thrive and flourish. They care about climate justice and social justice, and their campaigns focus on demanding action on social and environmental justice issues through a lens of human dignity and respect for human rights.
- One of the key campaigns run by Friends of the Earth is on energy poverty. They are working towards getting people off their dependence on fossil fuels by retrofitting homes to be warm, cozy, and healthy without relying on fossil fuels. They advocate for support for those struggling with energy poverty and ensuring that social housing is built with high energy efficiency standards and renewable energy sources like solar panels and heat pumps.
- Friends of the Earth also engages in climate action campaigns, including efforts to ensure the implementation of measures outlined in the Climate Action Plan in Ireland. They encourage local climate action through campaigns like “x local campaign,” where people can connect and take action on climate issues in their areas. Additionally, they support young people’s involvement in climate action through the young Friends of the Earth group.
Three tips to get involved with Friends of the Earth
- Join their mailing list: Visit the Friends of the Earth website and sign up to receive updates on the campaigns, events and opportunities to get involved
- Participate in local campaigns: Friends of the Earth runs various local campaigns related to climate action, energy poverty, and other environmental issues. Check out friendsoftheearth.ie or @foeireland for information on campaigns happening in your area and join in.
- Attend online workshops and webinars: Friends of the Earth conducts online workshops and webinars on various topics related to environmental and social justice. Keep and eye on their events page for upcoming workshops that you can participate in.
For more check out https://www.friendsoftheearth.ie/
