101 episodes

An Irish podcast where I interview business owners, activists and other everyday people, to learn how they contribute to living sustainably. By educating ourselves, we can then take a leaf from their book to add to our own way of eco-friendly living!
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Book of Leaves Ceara Carney

    • Society & Culture
    • 5.0 • 33 Ratings

An Irish podcast where I interview business owners, activists and other everyday people, to learn how they contribute to living sustainably. By educating ourselves, we can then take a leaf from their book to add to our own way of eco-friendly living!
Get bonus content on Patreon
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Leaving the 'High Life' for the Bigger Picture - Tom Butler

    Leaving the 'High Life' for the Bigger Picture - Tom Butler

    Tom Butler, together with his wife Pam, run an organisation called Astræa, through which they inspire people to think, act, and live in harmony with the planet and each other. They grow food on a small organic farm, host classes, sell books and much more. At their root, they are two people using their time on the planet to create positive change. It was a pleasure to chat to Tom and learn of his fascinating story. My mind was whirring with inspiration through this chat, I'm sure yours will too! You can find their website here or stay up to date with them on Instagram @BreatheThinkFlow.
    [05:50] Tom introduces himself and his story / leaving the high life.
    [17:50] Moving to Carlow
    [20:10] Knowing your ancestors
    [25:40] Astræa
    [31:50] Feast Upon The Earth timescape book & exhibition.
    [47:20] The meaning of ‘Breathe, think, flow’
    Books mentioned:
    The Serpent and the Goddess
    Feast Upon The Earth
    Humankind
    From What Is to What If
    Donate to UNICEF
    As always, don't forget to follow Book of Leaves on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, leave us a review, and share with a friend x
    Patreon / Buy Me A Coffee
    Get bonus content on Patreon
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 58 min
    How Sport Clubs can take Climate Action - Bohemian Football Club

    How Sport Clubs can take Climate Action - Bohemian Football Club

    Bohemian Football Club (BFC) is the first football club in the world to set up a climate action committee and they’ve been doing a stellar job of it. I interviewed two of the people on the team, Sean McCabe and Leo McConnell to get the inside scoop on how they’ve been working. You can follow them on Instagram as @bfcdublin_clico or Facebook.
    [05:05] Sean & Leo introduce themselves
    [10:10] When and why did BFC incorporate climate action
    [12:00] What does that climate action look like
    [14:15] Why BFC doesn’t focus on carbon emissions generated on match days
    [19:00] The impact on fans’ mindsets they’ve had so far
    [20:20] Tips for other sports clubs and club members on incorporating climate action
    [21:50] What help they need to grow their community spaces
    [27:10] Other tips for people to take on to live more kindly to the planet
    [32:00] Imagining the future 
    Donate to UNICEF
    As always, don't forget to follow Book of Leaves on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, leave us a review, and share with a friend x
    Patreon / Buy Me A Coffee
    Get bonus content on Patreon
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 36 min
    Navigating & Solving this Planetary War - Naomi Ní Shíocháin

    Navigating & Solving this Planetary War - Naomi Ní Shíocháin

    **Note from March 1st 2024 - we recorded this interview in November 2023. If you are wondering why Naomi doesn't refer to what's happening in Gaza as a g3noc!de, it's because things hadn't escalated as far as they have today. She now refers to it as a "Level 9 Extermination risk gen0cide". Language is important. Thank you for listening and please keep up the fight for a ceasefire.**
    "We are at war. The line is drawn between the people and the polluters."
    Naomi Ní Shíocháin is a sustainability scientist whose main area of research is the 'Planetary Polycrisis' that exist, from climate to health to war. Facing this every day in her home life as well as work life, she has built a resilience that many of us lack - and rightly so because humans are not meant to experience the current ongoing tragedies. In this chat, Naomi shares some tools that has helped her own resilience, as well as giving is an aural hug. Naomi can be followed on LinkedIn, and Instagram @naominishiochain.
    Trigger warning: Suicide mentioned in the time stamp below.

    [04:30] Interview begins with an introduction from Naomi.[09:05] Naomi recounts getting caught in the Californian fires in 2018.[12:35] TW. The personal war we experience admits this planetary polycrisis. TW.[26:05] What brings Naomi joy.[30:30] Why we talk about ending war when we talk about having climate justice[40:30] What can we as individuals can do to help[45:25] How war affects emissions and biodiversity[55:05] Imagining the future
    "The depth of the truth we speak is the depth of the solutions that we can find to all of this"
    The New Climate War by Prof. Michael Mann
    Bright New World by Cindy Forde
    Donate to UNICEF
    As always, don't forget to follow Book of Leaves on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, leave us a review, and share with a friend x
    Get bonus content on Patreon
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 1 hr 10 min
    Finding the Wonder in Nature - Anja Murray

    Finding the Wonder in Nature - Anja Murray

    It was such an honour to chat to Anja Murray who many of you may know from being the presenter of Eco Eye. She also is a writer (Wild Embrace & a weekly column with the Irish Examiner), a radio show host (Naturefile with RTE Lyfric FM) on top of having worked in policy in the NGO sector for many years. You can follow her on Instagram @miseanja & X @miseanja. I hope you enjoy taking a leaf out of her book and find the wonder in nature.

    [02:40] Anja begins by introducing herself[04:15] What motivated Anja to get active[07:40] What working in policy & advocacy is like[14:45] Why decision makers are so reluctant and how can we change that[18:10] How Anja began working in broadcasting[23:45] Why she wrote her book and the importance of connecting to the wonder of nature[35:10] Three legged stool metaphor: action, knowledge, wonder[38:45] Tips for spending time in nature[52:15] Imagining the future
    Also mentioned:
    Eco Eye
    Naturefile
    Wild Embrace
    Birdsong identifying app - Merlin
    Donate to UNICEF
    As always, don't forget to follow Book of Leaves on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, leave us a review, and share with a friend x

    Get bonus content on Patreon
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 56 min
    Shop In A Salvage Yard - Harry Maharaj

    Shop In A Salvage Yard - Harry Maharaj

    I've heard of skip diving and second hand shopping, but salvage yards were not something I knew even existed in Ireland until Harry got in touch about the work he does. Euro Salve has been running for 25 years, based in Kilkenny. A wonderland of treasures, high quality timber, garden furniture, you name it! Giving these items a new lease of life and diverting them from landfill is a lovely way to live more kindly on the planet. Follow Euro Salve on Instagram @kilkennyarchitecturalsalvage, TikTok @kilkennyarchsalvage, Pinterest or Facebook.
    [03:05] Harry introduces himself
    [06:45] What is a salvage yard?
    [09:55] The impacts of the fast furniture industry
    [15:30]Difference between vintage stores and a salvage yard
    [19:05] How people can sell items to Euro Salve
    [31:25] Visiting the yard – opening times and walking up
    [24:10] Interesting & strange items that have passed through
    Donate to UNICEF
    (National Tour Ceara is doing: click here! )
    As always, don't forget to follow Book of Leaves on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, leave us a review, and share with a friend x

    Get bonus content on Patreon
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 34 min
    Preventing Mining & Sink Holes in Monaghan - Sophia McConnon

    Preventing Mining & Sink Holes in Monaghan - Sophia McConnon

    Sophia McConnon is a youth activist I saw speaking at a climate conference over the summer. She was raising awareness of the detrimental effects mining has had on her community, which began with a large sinkhole that destroyed the local GAA playing field, community centre, and 3 surrounding fields. New mines are constantly being explored across the country, but Sophia and the rest of Magheracloone Against Mining are trying to keep communities and our environments safe. Support them on 'X' @MiningAgainst and Instagram @magheracloone_against_mining or Facebook.
    [05:25] Sophia introduces herself
    [06:35] The sinkhole
    [12:40] What the relationship between the community and the mining group is like
    [18:05] What are their aims and what’s been happening since they started as well as advice for other groups
    [21:05] What non locals can do to help the Magheracloone community
    [23:15] How landowners can prevent mining under their land
    [24:55] Was this the main inspiration for Sophia to become and activist or did she have a relationship to the environment before?
    [29:05] Tips for older activists when interacting with youth activists, & mental health
    [35:55] Imagining the future
    CAIM – Communities against the injustices of mining
    Drumgossatt/Knocknacran Residents Group Facebook
    Donate to UNICEF
    (National Tour Ceara is doing: click here! )
    As always, don't forget to follow Book of Leaves on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, leave us a review, and share with a friend x

    Get bonus content on Patreon
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 39 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
33 Ratings

33 Ratings

laura joan k ,

A podcast to change the world

I love this podcast, Cearas latest episode with Zac on civil disobedience is the best introduction I’ve heard on why peaceful protest is soooo important for tackling the climate crisis - so accesible and lovely to listen to - thank you Ceara!

BeccaLouiseF ,

Green Goddess!

Such an informative and vibrant look into an eco friendly lifestyle, ceara makes it all seem so easy! A go to for anyone looking to make a change, no matter how small!

AoifeRyan93 ,

Eye opening

Amazing to hear down to earth conversations about topics that seriously concern us and our world.

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