Grow It Yourself (GIY), a social enterprise that promotes sustainability, has made all of its online food-growing courses available for free to help people combat the cost-of-living crisis.
In an announcement, founder of GIY and GROW HQ in Co. Waterford Mick Kelly, said the decision was also made “in a bid to ensure that actions to tackle climate change remain top of the agenda”.
A number of courses for various skill levels are available including the ‘Ultimate Starter Course’, the ‘How Food Grows Course’ and the ‘Grow for the Planet’ course.
Heading into the festive season, Kelly also shared a number of practical tips for enjoying a more ecologically conscious Christmas.
He advised people to purchase a live Christmas tree if they are planning to put one up. This is the more sustainable option as live trees are a renewable resource and are replanted on tree farms when cut down, which contributes to air quality and natural ecosystems, according to Kelly.
“You could also opt for a potted tree for indoors and then enjoy a ‘nature restoration’ activity with the family after Christmas as you plant it outside again and decorate it with seed balls, peanut butter and seed trays,” he said.
“This can be a fun activity for the kids and an important food source for the birds during the long, cold days of winter.”
Buying less, or buying only what you know you will use, is also a key way to stay sustainable this year Kelly said.
“Waste is one of the biggest areas where we can make a difference. Christmas can be a time of abundance. Most likely you will purchase more than you need and items will go off, so it’s best to avoid buying in bulk unnecessarily,” he added.
When you are buying groceries, try to load up on seasonal, Irish vegetables as well, said Kelly. By doing this, people will be supporting local growers and saving some money on expensive cuts of meat.
Finally, Kelly called on people to consider making a New Year’s resolution to look out for the planet in 2023.
“Spring will be here before you know it. It’s the perfect opportunity to put some seeds in a stocking or a book to an aspiring grower in the family.
“Hopefully, more households will be inspired to grow more of their own veggies by learning on our free online courses and we will see more people eating their own homegrown produce,” he said.