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Learning Outcomes

1.9 and 2.5

Learning Intentions

I will learn about consumer responsibilities

I will reflect on the impact of my shopping.

I will learn about the impact businesses have on the environment through the production of clothes.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

This video provides a great introduction to Fast Fashion - defining the problem and outlining the role of social and financial organisations in the industry.

Support resources: the question quadrant provides open and closed questions to support student discussion.

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Walk in My Shoes: Nike's Sweatshops (A Culture Jamming Documentary) | Bonettwork

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1. Using example of the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh as a stimulus .
YouTube clip on line by a photo journalist from The Times
2. Class discussion on what they see as a safe working environment e.g. PPE

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Rights & responsibilities of workers 2.4
Ethical  & sustainability 1.9

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Walk in My Shoes: Nike's Sweatshops (A Culture Jamming Documentary) | Bonettwork

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Learning outcomes:
1.1 - needs / wants
1.9 - consumer responsibilities
1.10 - globalisation
2.4 - employment rights

Learning Intentions
What is sustainability?
I will learn about the impact of consumer behaviour on consumption e.g. fast fashion and the human cost of cotton production.
I will reflection on my behaviour as a consumer e.g. repairing clothes, buying vintage items, reduce / reuse / recycle, researching where my clothing comes from etc.

How might you use this stimulus material in class?
Video shows the human impact as well as environmental impact of cotton production.
Ask questions to prompt discussion around our ethical responsibilities as consumers.
Encourage students to become more aware / reflect on where their clothing comes from etc.

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8 September 2015
Press release
As the annual cotton harvest in Uzbekistan started last week with renewed concerns that government sponsored system of forced labour will continue this year, Anti-Slavery International has released a two minute animated video explaining the issue.

The slavery system has been used grow and pick cotton for many years and that is a major source of income for a small elite of those in power.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including children, are forced out of their regular jobs and schools and sent to the cotton fields to toil for weeks in arduous and hazardous conditions, with cases of people dying in fields from extreme heat and accidents.

Farmers are forced to fulfil cotton growing quota, businesses of all sizes are forced to contribute financially to the harvest, and massive bribes are extorted from citizens by corrupt officials. Public services such as education and health care are severely affected during the harvest.

Those who refuse to participate face punishment, and activists trying to monitor the situation are routinely harassed and abused by the authorities.

Uzbek cotton ends up in global supply chains and high street shops all over the world in spite of many businesses pledging not to knowingly use Uzbek cotton. Many governments, including British, actively promote trade with Uzbekistan.

"If you think that forced labour in Uzbekistan doesn't affect you, think again. It is likely that whilst reading this you is wearing a piece of garment made with Uzbek cotton" said Klara Skrivankova, Anti-Slavery International's Europe Programme and Advocacy Co-ordinator.

"Slavery in Uzbekistan gets less international attention because human rights abuses in other parts of the world happen to be more spectacular and happen in countries with more established links to the Western world, such as India or Thailand.

"But what's happening in Uzbekistan deserves as much attention as the forced labour system has been sanctioned by the government. Last year hundreds of thousands of people were forced to toil in the fields and it is very likely that this will happen this year again. Forced labour is one of the atrocities committed by this extremely oppressive regime."

"Most importantly, Uzbek slavery affects all of us. Most of its cotton is exported to Bangladesh and China, which in turn are major producers of clothing for the rest of the world.

"We are all likely to be wearing Uzbek cotton and people have the right to know how it has been produced. That's why we made this video".

Note to editors:

Anti-Slavery International, oldest international human rights organisation in the world, works to end modern slavery in all its forms across the world. Anti-Slavery work in coalition with Cotton Campaign, working to end the system of forced labour in Uzbekistan's cotton industry. For more information and to arrange interviews please contact Anti-Slavery International Press Officer Jakub Sobik on 07789 936 383 or at j.sobik@antislavery.org.

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Forced labour powered cotton harvest starts - Anti-Slavery International

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8 September 2015 Press release As the annual cotton harvest in Uzbekistan started last week with renewed concerns that government sponsored system of forced labour will continue this year, Anti-Slavery International has released a two minute animated video explaining the issue. The slavery system has been used grow and pick cotton for many years and [...]

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Facts and Figures: Incorporates numeracy also..

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Introduction

Employees have a number of legal employment rights and protections in Ireland. Here we provide a summary of these rights and entitlements, which are governed by employment legislation.

Am I an employee?

An employee is a person engaged under a contract of service. If you have this type of contract, you are protected by the full range of employment legislation.

The term, contract for services, is generally used when an employer is engaging an independent contractor or self-employed person for a job. If you have this type of contract, you may not have the same rights as an employee under employment protection legislation. You can find more information about different types of employment, self-employment and contracts of employment.

Minimum wage

The national minimum wage for an adult employee is €10.20 per hour since 1 January 2021. Lower minimum hourly rates may apply if you are younger. For example, a person aged under 20 may get paid less than the national minimum wage. You can read more in Minimum rates of pay.

Some minimum rates of pay are set for particular industries or sectors in Employment Regulation Orders (EROs), Registered Employment Agreements and Sectoral Employment Orders. You can read more about Employment agreements and orders.

Maximum working week

In general, your maximum average working week cannot exceed 48 hours. This does not mean you can never work more than 48 hours in a week, but that your average weekly hours over a 4-month period should not exceed 48. There are some exceptions to this, which you can read about in our page on the working week.

Statement of terms and conditions

If you work for an employer for a regular wage or salary, you automatically have a contract of employment. You must be given a written statement of 5 core terms within 5 days of starting your job and you must be given the remaining terms of employment in writing within 2 months. Read more about what terms should be included in a contract of employment.

Statement of pay

You must be given a written statement of pay or a pay slip with every payment of wages. A pay slip will show your gross wage and details of all deductions. Your employer must have your permission to make deductions from your wages, unless these deductions are authorised by law (for example, PAYE, PRSI and USC).

Breaks during working hours

You are entitled to take breaks while you are at work and have rest periods between working days or nights. You are entitled to a daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours per 24-hour period and one period of 24 hours' rest per week, preceded by the 11-hour daily period - in other words, your usual 11-hour break followed by a whole day off.

In general, you are entitled to a 15 minute break when you have worked for 4 ½ hours. If you work more than 6 hours, you are entitled to a 30 minute break, which can include the first 15 minute break. Your employer does not have to pay you for these breaks and they are not considered working time.

Special rules apply to shop employees. If you work in a shop for more than 6 hours a day, including the period 11.30am to 2.30pm, you are entitled to a one-hour consecutive break, which must occur between 11.30am and 2.30pm. You can read more about rest periods and breaks.

Right to disconnect

As well your right to take adequate breaks, you also have a right to disconnect from work outside of normal working hours.

The code of practice on the right to disconnect is effective since 1 April 2021 and applies to all employees, including people working from home. It provides guidance on an employee's right to disengage from work outside normal working hours. While failure to follow the code is not an offence, it can be used as evidence in a case taken to the Labour Court or WRC under employment legislation.

Leave from work

Annual leave

Most employees are entitled to 4 weeks' paid annual leave per leave year. However, your contract of employment may give you more annual leave than the statutory entitlement. Your annual leave can be calculated in a number of different ways. To calculate annual leave, see our case study.

Public holidays

All full-time employees are entitled to 9 public holidays each year. To qualify for pay or a paid day off on a public holiday, part-time employees must work at least 40 hours in total during the 5 weeks ending on the day before the public holiday.

If you have to work on a public holiday, you are entitled to one of the following in exchange (as decided by your employer):

A paid day off on the public holiday

A paid day off within a month of the public holiday

An extra day's annual leave

An extra day's pay

If you work part-time and the public holiday falls on a day that you do not normally work, you are entitled to one-fifth of your normal weekly wage for the day.
Protective leave
You are entitled to certain statutory protective leave, such as maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, parents leave, adoptive leave, and carer's leave.

There are specific rules for each leave type of protective leave and you must comply with the required notice periods, as below.

Maternity leave: You are entitled to take 26 weeks maternity leave from work while you are having a baby. Your contract of employment will state if your employer will pay you when you are on maternity leave (this is not a requirement). You may be entitled to Maternity Benefit. You are also entitled to take up to 16 weeks of additional unpaid maternity leave, which is not covered byMaternity Benefit.

Paternity leave: New parents (usually the father or the partner of the mother, or in the case of adoption, the parent who is not taking adoptive leave) are entitled to 2 weeks' paternity leave from employment or self-employment following the birth or adoption of a child. Your contract of employment will state if your employer will pay you when you are on paternity leave (this is not a requirement). You may be eligible for social welfare paymentPaternity Benefit.

Parental leave: Since 1 September 2020 each parent is entitled to 26 weeks' unpaid parental leave. You must take parental leave before the child is 12 years of age, or 16 years of age if the child has a disability. In general, you must have been working for your employer for at least 12 months to be entitled toparental leave.

Parents leave: Each parent is entitled to 5 weeks' leave during the first two years of a child's life, or in the case of adoption, within two years of the placement of the child with the family. You may also qualify for a payment calledParent's Benefit during parent's leave.

Adoptive leave: One parent of the adoptive couple, or a parent adopting alone is entitled to 24 weeks' adoptive leave, beginning on the day the child is placed with them. Employers have no obligation to pay an employee for adoptive leave. You may be entitled to Adoptive Benefit. You are also entitled to take up to 16 weeks' additional unpaid adoptive leave, but this period is not covered byAdoptive Benefit.

Carer's leave: You are allowed to take unpaid leave to provide full-time care and attention for a person in need of care. The minimum statutory entitlement is 13 weeks and the maximum is 104 weeks. Generally, you need 12 months' continuous service with your employer to get carer's leave. If you have enough PRSI contributions, you may be eligible for Carer's Benefit. If you do not qualify forCarer's Benefit, you may qualify for a means-tested payment called Carer's Allowance.

Equal treatment in the workplace

You have the right to be treated equally regardless of gender, civil status, family status, sexual orientation, age, disability, race, religious belief or membership of the Traveller community. Discrimination on any of these 9 specific grounds during the recruitment process or in the workplace is unlawful. You can read more about equality in the workplace.

Safety in the workplace

Your employer is responsible, as far as is reasonably possible, for ensuring that you have a safe workplace. This includes protection from violence at work, harassment and bullying.

Privacy and data protection

You have enhanced privacy rights under data protection legislation (GDPR). Employers have certain obligations and responsibilities in relation to how they collect, use and protect your personal data. You can read more about data protection in the workplace. If your employer uses CCTV in the workplace or monitors your use of email, internet or the phone, you can find information about surveillance in the workplace.

Part-time employees, zero-hour contracts and employment permits

If you are working part-time, have a zero-hour contract, or are working on an employment permit, you have certain employment rights, see below.

Part-time employees

A part-time employee is someone who works fewer hours than a comparable full-time employee doing the same type of work. A part-time employee cannot be treated less favourably than a comparable full-time employee unless the less favourable treatment is justified on objective grounds, such as pension entitlements. You can read more in our document on the rights of part-time workers.

If you are in full-time employment, you do not have a statutory right to change to part-time employment or to other flexible working patterns. However, if you would prefer to work part-time, your employer should consider your request.

Zero-hour contracts

A zero-hours contract of employment is a type of employment contract where you are available for work but do not have specified hours of work. Zero-hours contracts are prohibited in most cases, but there are some exceptions to this rule.

Employment permits

Foreign nationals working legally in Ireland are entitled to the same range of statutory employment protections as Irish employees. To work in Ireland, most non-EEA nationals must have an employment permit.

Minimum notice periods

You have certain entitlements if you lose your job. These relate to notice periods and pay for annual leave that you have earned but have not taken.

If you are leaving your job, you must comply with the notice periods in your contract of employment. If your contract does not state a notice period, you must follow the terms of the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973-2005. The requirement will depend on how long you have been working for your employer.

Redundancy and dismissal

Redundancy generally arises where your job ceases to exist. Employees who are made redundant from their jobs have certain entitlements. To qualify for a statutory redundancy payment, you must have 2 years' continuous service and meet other criteria.

Dismissal occurs when you lose your job but the position remains open and could be filled by someone else. Reasons for dismissal can be fair or unfair. Normally, you must have at least 12 months' continuous service with your employer to bring a claim for unfair dismissal.

How to make a complaint

The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) deals with employment disputes in Ireland. You should make your complaint to the WRC within 6 months of the alleged incident. This time limit can be extended by a further 6 months if there was a reasonable cause for the delay.

Your complaints can be dealt with by mediation or adjudication. If both parties agree to mediation, a mediator will help you reach a mutually acceptable agreement. This method often prevents complaints from reaching the stage of a formal court hearing. With adjudication, there is a public hearing and an adjudication officer will make a formal judgment.

If you are unhappy with the WRC's decision, you can appeal it to the Labour Court. In general, appeals should be made within 42 days, but this can be extended if exceptional circumstances cause a delay.

To complain to the Workplace Relations Commission, use its online complaint form.

Further information

The Workplace Relations Commission has published a Document to Employment, Labour and Equality Law (pdf) and a booklet on Employment Law Explained (pdf).

You can get further information on employment protection legislation from the Workplace Relations Commission's Information and Customer Service.

Where to make a complaint

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Employees have a number of legal employment rights and protections in Ireland. Here we provide a summary of these rights and entitlements, which are governed by employment legislation. An employee is a person engaged under a contract of service. If you have this type of contract, you are protected by the full range of employment legislation.

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Use it to get students to reflect on their own consumption. Walking debate used. Can use as introduction to topc - its flexible

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Confronting High Street Shoppers with A Shocking Truth: Stacey Dooley Investigates

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Learning Outcomes
1.9 and 2.5

Learning Intentions
I will understand the importance of being an ethical consumer.
I will investigate practical ways of being an ethical consumer.
I will learn about the ethical and social responsibilities of a business in regard to packaging.

How might you use this stimulus material in class ?
This video outlines the level of unwanted packaging that consumers are bringing home with their shopping.
It is a great short introduction to this topic.

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Learning Outcome:
2.4 Distinguish between the rights and responsibilities of employer and employee from a
legal, social, environmental and ethical perspective

Learning Intentions:
-I will learn the rights and responsibilities of an Employee
-I will identify these from multiple perspectives: including social, environmental and ethical
-I will be able to research different websites and find this information

Students will use their research skills and discuss their findings after:

Inc60™ Employment Law in Ireland - Bing video

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Introduction

This document outlines some of the main pieces of employment legislation in Ireland. The text of the Acts and Statutory Instruments are also available on irishstatutebook.ie and oireachtas.ie.

Information about your job

Terms of Employment (Information) Acts 1994-2014: requires employers to provide employees with certain information about their employment, such as a contract of employment, a job description, rate of pay and hours of work.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018: gives you much more control over your personal data. It also imposes more obligations on companies who control and process your data. GDPR came into force across the EU on 25 May 2018.

Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018: bans zero-hour contracts in most situations and provides for minimum payments and banded hours. It also states that employers must provide employees with information on the 5 core terms of employment within 5 days of them starting work. It came into effect on 4 March 2019.

Young people

Protection of Young Persons (Employment) Act 1996: regulates the employment and working conditions of children and young people.

Terms and conditions of employment

National Minimum Wage Act 2000: provides for an enforceable national minimum wage.

Payment of Wages Act 1991: gives employees the right to a pay slip showing their gross wages and details of any deductions.

Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973-2005: set out the amount of notice you are entitled to prior to the termination of employment.

Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015: provides a framework for workers looking to improve their terms and conditions of employment, where collective bargaining is not recognised by their employer. It also provides a replacement system for Registered Employment Agreements (REAs), and a new type of order known as Sectoral Employment Orders (SEO).

Working hours, annual leave and holiday leave

Organisation of Working Time Act 1997: regulates a number of employment conditions including maximum working hours, night work, annual leave and public holiday leave.

Organisation of Working Time (Records) (Prescribed Form and Exemptions) Regulations 2001: require that employers keep records of the number of hours employees work on a daily and weekly basis, the amount of leave granted to employees in each week as annual leave or as public holidays and details of the payments in respect of this leave. Employers must also keep weekly records of employees starting and finishing times.

Statutory leave
Maternity leave
Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004: includes provisions relating to ante-natal classes, additional maternity leave, breastfeeding making significant improvements to the Maternity Protection Act 1994. The Maternity Protection Act 1994 covers matters such as maternity leave, the right to return to work after maternity leave, as well as health and safety during and immediately after pregnancy.
Paternity leave
The Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016: provides for statutory paternity leave of 2 weeks. This must be taken in the first 6 months following the birth or adoption of a child.
Adoptive leave
The Adoptive Leave Act 2005: amends the Adoptive Leave Act 1995 which provides for adoptive leave from employment principally by the adoptive mother and for her right to return to work following such leave.
Parental leave
The Parental Leave Acts 1998 -2019: provide for a period of unpaid parental leave for parents to care for their children and for a limited right to paid leave in circumstances of serious family illness (known as ' force majeure ').
Parent's leave
The Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019: provides for 2 weeks paid parent's leave for a child born or adopted on or after 1 November 2019. It aims to let working parents spend more time with their baby or adopted child during the first year.
Carer's leave
Carer's Leave Act 2001: provides for an employee's entitlement to avail of temporary unpaid carer's leave so they can care for someone who requires full-time care and attention.

Safety at work

Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (as amended): replaced the provisions of the Safety, Health and Welfare Act 1989. It consolidates and updates the existing health and safety law. Changes include the provision for higher fines for breaches of safety legislation

Equal treatment in the workplace
Discrimination
The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015: prohibits discrimination in a range of employment-related areas. The prohibited grounds of discrimination are gender, civil status, family status, age, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation and membership of the Traveller community. It also places an obligation on employers to prevent harassment in the workplace.

Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015: makes significant amendments to the Employment Equality Act 1998 in the areas of retirement and age discrimination, discrimination by religious, medical and educational institutions on religious grounds, and indirect discrimination.
Part-time employees
Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001: prevents discrimination against part-time workers. It aims to improve the quality of part-time work, to facilitate the development of part-time work on a voluntary basis and to contribute to the flexible organisation of working time that takes account of the needs of employers and workers. It guarantees that part-time workers are not treated less favourably than full-time workers.
Fixed term employees
Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) Act 2003: protects fixed-term employees by ensuring that they cannot be treated less favourably than comparable permanent workers and that employers cannot continually renew fixed term contracts. Under the Act, employees can only work on one or more fixed term contracts for a continuous period of four years. After this, the employee is considered to have a contract of indefinite duration (e.g. a permanent contract).
Agency workers
Protection of Employment (Temporary Agency Work) Act 2012: provides that all temporary agency workers must be treated equally (as if they had been directly recruited by the hirer) in respect of the duration of working time, rest periods, night work, annual leave, public holidays and pay.
Self-employment
The Code of Practice for Determining Employment or Self-employment Status of Individuals 2018: provides criteria which can be used to clarify whether a person is employed or self-employed.
Whistle-blowers
Protected Disclosures Act 2014: protects employees from penalisation if they make a disclosure about wrongdoing in the workplace.
Business take-overs and protection of employees
European Communities (Protection of Employees on Transfer of Undertakings) Regulations 2003: apply to any transfer of an undertaking, business or part of a business from one employer to another employer as a result of a legal transfer (including the assignment or forfeiture of a lease) or merger. Employees' rights and entitlements are protected during this transfer.

Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Act 2006: establishes minimum requirements for employees' right to information and consultation about the development of their employment's structure and activities during a transfer of undertakings. It applies to employers with at least 50 employees.
Redundancy
The Redundancy Payments Acts 1967-2014: provide for a minimum entitlement to a redundancy payment for employees who have a set period of service with the employer when made redundant. Not all employees are entitled to the statutory redundancy payment, even where a redundancy situation exists.

Protection of Employment (Exceptional Collective Redundancies and Related Matters) Act 2007: establishes a redundancy panel to consider certain proposed collective redundancies. The Act also removes the upper age limit for entitlement to redundancy payments.
Dismissal
Under the Unfair Dismissals Acts 1977-2015 circumstances in which unfair dismissal can occur are where your employer terminates your contract of employment, with or without notice or you terminate your contract of employment, with or without notice, due to the conduct of your employer. This is known as constructive dismissal.

You can get further information on the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 and the Equal Status Acts 2000-2015 from the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.
Work permits
Employment Permits Acts 2003-2014: provides for 9 different types of employment permits.

Employment Permits (Amendment) Regulations 2018: makes changes to the Highly Skilled Eligible Occupations List (HSEOL) and Ineligible Categories of Employment List (ICEL) and states that a copy of the signed contract of employment must be submitted with all new and renewal employment permit applications. You can read more on employment permits on the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation website.

Employment rights

Workplace Relations Act 2015: establishes the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) replacing the Labour Relations Commission, Rights Commissioner Service, Equality Tribunal, and National Employment Rights Authority.
Civil claims
The Mediation Act 2017: allows employees to use mediation for certain civil claims, for example, personal injuries actions. This legislation does not apply to employment disputes brought to the WRC, including disputes being dealt with by mediation officers of the WRC.

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This document outlines some of the main pieces of employment legislation in Ireland. The text of the Acts and Statutory Instruments are also available on irishstatutebook.ie and oireachtas.ie. Terms of Employment (Information) Acts 1994-2014: requires employers to provide employees with certain information about their employment, such as a contract of employment, a job description, rate of pay and hours of work.

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Learning outcomes

1.9 Debate the ethical and sustainability issues that arise from their consumption of goods and services and evaluate how they can contribute to sustainable development through consumer behaviour.

2.5 Investigate the positive and negative impacts on a community of an organisation from an economic, social and environmental perspective.

Learning Intentions

1. I will learn about my responsibilities as a consumer.

2. I will reflect on the impact of my shopping.

3. I will learn about how to make better/more sustainable choices while shopping

Stimulus material

Video helps students to understand the importance of reducing packaging as consumers.

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Sustainable packaging solutions need to come from packaging companies

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Learning Outcomes
1.10 Discuss and evaluate how globalisation and developments in technology impact on consumer choice and behaviour
2.2 Describe the skills and characteristics of being enterprising and appreciate the role of an entrepreneur in an organisation, in society and to the economy

Learning Intentions
I will learn about the role of the entrepreneur in developing solutions to sustainable energy challenges.
I will learn how developments in wind and solar energy impacts society
How might you use this stimulus material in class?
This video provides a great introduction to what Germany is doing to replace fossil fuels with cleaner energy - and demonstrates that enterprise and industry plays in proving clean solutions.

Support resources: the question quadrant provides open and closed questions to support student discussion.

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Germany aims to get 100% of energy from renewable sources by 2035

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Fast Fashion - Unfair wages and working conditions

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Fast Fashion - Unfair wages and working conditions

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https://youtu.be/GprVaAVPEI8
or https://youtu.be/xY614N8gEIY   (use selected clips to highlight issues)

Learning Outcomes

1.9 and 2.5

Learning Intentions

I will learn the concept of sustainability

I will reflect on what it means to be an ethical consumer

I will learn about the ethical and sustainability issues that arise from consumption of goods and services

I will explore ways I can contribute to sustainable development

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

Stacey Dooley Documentary:

Before documentary discussion:    - Where do our clothes come from? Are we conscious consumers?
- What is the problem with the cheap alternatives?

After documentary

-Where did Stacey go? And where did she stay? What was it like?

- What were the factory conditions like?
- What did you think after watching this? Will you change your shopping habits, explain?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA9XSgV9te0

Learning Outcomes
2.8 & 1.7
Learning Intentions
1.What are a consumers responsibilities in terms of buying products with unnecessary packaging.
2.Reflect on your own shopping habits when it comes to packaging.
3.Research and tell us about the new packaging trends.

Stimulus Material
The video above will start the conversation around packaging and help to give students a brief knowledge on the topic.
This will hopefully give them the confidence to research the topic in more detail and with more interest.

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7 Branded Products with Unique Eco-friendly Packaging

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Learning outcomes: 1.10, 2.2,
Learning Intentions: The student will learn about different sources of energy/ The student will be able to discuss and explain solar, wind, and hydro energy.

http://ireland2050.ie/past/renewable-energy/

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The story of renewable energy in Ireland Renewable energy in Ireland comes in many forms. The primary sources are wood, water, wind, wave and some

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L.O: 1.9 Debate the ethical and sustainability issues that arise from their consimption of goods and services and evaluate how they can contribute to sustainable development through consumer behaviour

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L.O: 1.9 Debate the ethical and sustainability issues that arise from their consimption of goods and services and evaluate how they can contribute to sustainable development through consumer behaviour

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Understand Goal 7: Affordable Clean Energy (Secondary)

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I use this to show how a company tries to action sustainability in production.
Some good graphics on it

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https://employmentrightsireland.com/podcast-2/

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Subscribe to the Employment Rights Ireland podcast and listen to the show when you are on the move-walking the dog, running, driving, riding your bicycle, canoeing, horseback riding.

You choose when you listen, and what to listen to.

Why listen to a podcast?

There is a number of huge advantages of listening to a podcast :

1. You can choose when you want to listen

2. You choose what you want to listen to

3. Unlike reading or watching videos, you can listen to a podcast when you are doing other things eg driving, walking, jogging, running, horseback riding, canoeing, cycling, working out at the gym etc.

How to listen to a podcast

Two ways to listen

There are two ways to listen:

1. On your phone/tablet device/iPad

2. On your computer.

Listening on your phone is probably the best, most efficient way because you can do other things at the same time, eg walk Fido.

If you have an iPhone, it is almost certain that you have the Podcasts app installed on your phone already. If you don't, just go to the App Store and download the podcasts app.

If you have an Android phone such as a HTC, Samsung Galaxy, etc. you can use the Stitcher app. Just go to the Google Play store and download the Stitcher app.

To listen on your computer, just go to the podcast you want to listen to and click the play button.

Once you have subscribed to a podcast your phone will be updated with the new episode every time one comes out.

Just click on one of the the images below.

Subscribe to RSS headline updates from:
Powered by FeedBurner

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Subscribe to the Employment Rights Ireland podcast and listen to the show when you are on the move-walking the dog, running, driving, riding your bicycle, canoeing, horseback riding. You choose when you listen, and what to listen to.

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Learning Outcomes

1.9 and 2.5

Learning Intentions
>  I will learn the concept of sustainability
> I will reflect on what it means to be an ethical consumer
> I will learn about the ethical and sustainability issues that arise from consumption of goods and services in terms of fast fashion and the impact of businesses on sustainability

How might you use this stimulus material in class?

Draw attention to their motto – ‘Our goal is for our products to become increasingly more sustainable’

What is join life?

Renewable energy – how is it used by Zara for this line of clothing?

Taking the lead in sustainable fashion….. – how is Zara taking the lead?

What sustainable materials are Zara using?

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Case study on Fyffes and watch the attached video.

Learning Outcomes
1.9

Learning Intentions
Know about ethical issues
Know about sustainable development and sustainability issues
Be able to contribute to sustainable development when consuming

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Fyffes:  Empowering communities with Fairtrade

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Learning Outcomes
1.1, 1.7, 2.5

Learning intentions:
I will learn about consumer responsibilities when shopping
I will investigate how businesses in hospitality sector can reduce food waste
I will develop ideas to reduce food waste in my home and in my school

Materials:
Video- exploring food waste - answer questions

Food Cloud

Too Good to Go food app for food waste

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Get our free Vudu app and watch your favorite movies and TV shows anytime, anywhere. Buy or rent from over 150,000 titles and watch the latest releases weeks before Blu-ray/DVD, Netflix, and Redbox.

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Sustainability - Electric Cars and EV Charging in Ireland

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Sustainability - Electric Cars and EV Charging in Ireland

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Learning Outcomes 1.1 3.11

Learning Intentions
I will learn about the Options of Charing my car at home or on my journey - time and costs
I will learning about the government policy on providing charging points

How might you use this stimulus material in class

Students to debate Home Charging - Costs and time of charging at home and on journey
Should the Government be doing more to provide a network of charging points across the country to encourage Electric Vehicles

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2.4 Distinguish between the rights and responsibilities of employer and employee from a legal, social, environmental and ethical perspective
Use case studies to support your lesson
Abercrombie and Fitch - treating an employee less favourably because of her disability
Key Words/Terminology sheet to accompany the article for students to identify/explain and apply them
Discrimination/EAT/Constructive Dismissal/Compensation/Reinstatement/Negotiation/Arbitration etc...

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Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch has been accused of "hiding" a sales assistant in a stockroom at a London outlet because her prosthetic arm didn't fit with its "look policy", a tribunal has heard.

Riam Dean, a 22-year-old law student from Greenford, west London, claims she was removed from the shop floor at the company's Savile Row branch when management became aware of her disability.

Dean, who was born without her left forearm and has worn a prosthetic limb since she was three months old, is suing for disability discrimination after she was left "personally diminished [and] humiliated" when she refused to remove her cardigan at work last summer.

"I had been bullied out of my job," she said. "It was the lowest point I had ever been in my life."

It is believed Dean is seeking around £25,000 in compensation for her experiences under what she described as A&F's "oppressive regime". Her legal team would not comment on the sum.

Dean claims that when she told A&F about her disability after getting the job, the firm agreed she could wear a white cardigan to cover the link between her prosthesis and her upper arm. But shortly afterwards, she was told she could not work on the shop floor unless she took off the cardigan as she was breaking the firm's "look policy". She told the tribunal that someone in the A&F head office suggested she stay in the stockroom "until the winter uniform arrives".

The "look policy" stipulates that all employees "represent Abercrombie & Fitch with natural, classic American style consistent with the company's brand" and "look great while exhibiting individuality". Workers must wear a "clean, natural, classic hairstyle" and have nails which extend "no more than a quarter inch beyond the tip of the finger".

Dean said today in her evidence: "A female A&F manager used the 'look policy' and the wearing of the cardigan as an excuse to hide me away in the stockroom.

"I knew then that I was being treated different and unfairly because of my disability. Her words pierced right through the armour of 20 years of building up personal confidence about me as a person, and that I am much more than a girl with only one arm ... "

Dean said the "look policy" was inconsistent: "Having visible tattoos breaks the 'look policy' and yet I've seen a worker with a tribal arm tattoo which is very noticeable and yet Abercrombie allowed him to work on the shop floor. Clearly their reasoning goes far deeper and I'm sure it's not the cardigan which breaks the look policy, it's the disabled label which does," she said.

She added: "I am born with a character trait I am unable to change, thus to be singled out for a minor aesthetic 'flaw' made me question my worth as a human being.

"Abercrombie taught me that beauty lies in perfection, but I would tell them that beauty lies in diversity, for I would rather live with my imperfection than to exude such ugliness in their blatant display of eugenics in policies and practices."

Her friend Genevieve Reed told the tribunal that Dean had changed since working at A&F, and had "started to question whether this was just the first of a series of obstacles she would come up against in her life due to her disability".

Medical evidence presented to the tribunal revealed Dean had undergone a psychiatric assessment to support an application for disability support funding several months before starting work at A&F last May. The psychiatrist described her as "socially isolated", with an anxiety disorder that reached "phobic levels" relating to a fear of travelling on public transport.

A&F's barrister, Akash Nawbatt, suggested that someone with such a phobia would not be able to work in a noisy shop, and suggested that she may have exaggerated her medical problems.

He also repeatedly accused Dean of exaggerating the effect her time at A&F had had on her, and suggested she had lied on the claim form she submitted to the tribunal.

Under questioning from the three tribunal judges, Dean admitted that an element of the original claim form was false. This stated that she had been repeatedly asked by A&F management to remove her prosthetic arm, but Dean said that this had not been the case, and implied it was a mistake.

The tribunal continues.

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Disabled student sues Abercrombie & Fitch for discrimination

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Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch has been accused of "hiding" a sales assistant in a stockroom at a London outlet because her prosthetic arm didn't fit with its "look policy", a tribunal has heard. Riam Dean, a 22-year-old law student from Greenford, west London, claims she was removed from the shop floor at the company's Savile Row branch when management became aware of her disability.

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Learning Outcomes: 1.9 & 3.6
Learning Intentions:
- I will learn the impact of our actions individually on the environment
- I will address the impacts of businesses actions on the environment
- We will consider government policy in reducing negative impacts of our actions on the environment

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Electricity accounted for 30% of business energy costs in 2018

go to full release

Purchases of electricity accounted for 30% of the total energy purchase costs by enterprises in 2018 (see Headline Table and Figure 1). Purchases of aviation transport fuels accounted for a further 25% followed by natural gas (21%) and road transport fuels (13%). Total energy costs rose from €7.9 billion in 2009 (the first year of this series) to €9.3 billion in 2013. They decreased to €7.8 billion in 2016 and then increased to €9.7 billion in 2018 (see Table 2C).

This release is based on the National Accounts residence principle. This means that energy used abroad by enterprises resident in Ireland is included e.g. flights between other countries by an Irish resident airline. Energy used in Ireland by foreign resident enterprises is not included. See Background Notes for more information.

The mix of energy products used by Irish enterprises in 2018 is given in Figure 1. In terms of kilotonnes of oil equivalent (ktoe), natural gas accounted for 33% of the total ktoe with aviation fuels accounting for a further 31%. Electricity comprised another 13% and solid fuels an additional 8% (see Table 2A).

In monetary terms, the proportion of total fuel purchase costs accounted for by each energy product in 2018 was quite different than the ktoe distribution (see Tables 2A and 2C). This difference is partly accounted for by electricity being used for final energy consumption whereas a substantial proportion of natural gas is used for intermediate consumption to make electricity (see Table 4A).

The Industry sector accounted for 48% of total non-domestic energy consumption in 2018 in terms of ktoe. The energy products used by industry have a lower relative cost than those used by the Services sector. Hence the proportion of purchase costs accounted for by the Industry sector was 37% in 2018 compared with 63% of fuel purchase costs being paid for by the Services sector. The total consumption by industry and services increased by 0.6% in quantity terms (ktoe) in 2018 and rose by 17% in cost terms (see Tables 1A and 1B).

The use of energy from renewables and from waste increased from 215 ktoe in 2009 to 397 ktoe in 2018 or by 85% over the nine years (see Table 2A).

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Electricity accounted for 30% of business energy costs in 2018 go to full release Purchases of electricity accounted for 30% of the total energy purchase costs by enterprises in 2018 (see Headline Table and Figure 1). Purchases of aviation transport fuels accounted for a further 25% followed by natural gas (21%) and road transport fuels (13%).

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Consumer choice leads to supporting unfair treatment of workers

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Consumer choice leads to supporting unfair treatment of workers

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LO
1.1 Needs/Wants and impact on society,  2.4 Rights and Responsibilities of employers/employees.
Learning intentions:
I will reflect on my shopping habits
I will explore the impact that my shopping choices may have on others
I will understand the responsibilities of employers to their workers
I will understand the rights of employees

Students will read the article and discuss. Giving opinions and debating the idea of it being everyone's responsibility to ensure the unfair treatment of employees is not supported.

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The fast fashion brand Boohoo is selling clothes made by Pakistani factory workers who say they face appalling conditions and earn as little as 29p an hour, an investigation by the Guardian has found.

In interviews in the industrial city of Faisalabad, workers at two factories claimed they were paid 10,000PKR (£47) a month, well below the legal monthly minimum wage for unskilled labour of 17,500PKR, while making clothes to be sold by Boohoo.

Documentary, video and photographic evidence also appears to support claims of potential safety issues, including motorbikes being parked indoors next to flammable materials. In the rush to produce clothes for the western market, insiders claimed workers would sometimes do 24-hour shifts.

One of more than a dozen workers interviewed said: "I know we are exploited and paid less than the legal minimum, but we can't do anything ... if I leave the job another person will be ready to replace me."

After the Guardian approached Boohoo about the findings, the company suspended a supplier, JD Fashion Ltd, and a factory, AH Fashion, from its supply chain while it investigated the claims.

Another factory, Madina Gloves, denied workers' claims that it had recently been making clothes for Boohoo. AH Fashion, which is closed for construction work, acknowledged it had fulfilled an order for the brand as recently as October.

Boohoo said a third-party audit at AH Fasion on 2 November had found the factory working with no problems. It later said its own auditors had paid a separate visit in response to the allegations and said the factory was a "building site". The auditors said they were told by the owner it had been closed throughout November for significant construction - a claim disputed by workers who said they were there more recently.

The Guardian was able to buy a £30 tracksuit on Boohoo's website this month that appeared to match fabrics and identifying labels seen in video footage filmed at AH Fashion. A week after Boohoo was alerted to allegations that the item was made by workers paid less than the minimum wage, it remained on sale.

A JD label on the tracksuit bought by the Guardian. Photograph: Christian Sinibaldi/The Guardian

The news comes months after Boohoo, one of Britain's best-known fast fashion brands, faced the damaging fallout from the discovery of poor conditions in factories in Leicester. Since then its share price has started to recover, and in September investors saw a 51% year-on-year surge in profits.

While the firm's code of conduct for suppliers sets out a list of minimum standards that must be met by manufacturers of its clothes anywhere in the world, workers in two factories based in the Samanabad area of Faisalabad allege that:

While some are paid the legal minimum wage, others say they earn far less and receive no receipt or payslip to record their income.

At Madina Gloves, which manufactures a range of clothes, workers are often ordered to work unreasonably long shifts without full overtime pay, stretching to 24 hours straight before major deadlines.

Accommodation provided by Madina Gloves is squalid and one worker said they went without running water there for days at a time.

Video footage seen by the Guardian appeared to show:

Potential fire risks at AH Fashion, including piles of fabric stacked up in walkways and near a boiler, and one clip showing motorbikes parked inside next to cardboard boxes. A visitor told the Guardian they saw similar issues at the factory three weeks ago.

AH Fashion workers at their stations with construction under way and scaffolding balanced on piles of bricks.

The factories, which each employ more than 100 people, denied any wrongdoing and said workers were paid in accordance with local laws. Madina Gloves said claims of low pay and mistreatment of workers were "totally wrong", while AH Fashion said workers were always paid and treated fairly.

A toilet provided by Madina Gloves.

JD Fashion, a Preston-based intermediary that has supplied Boohoo with items produced at AH Fashion, said its last order there was in October and there was no Boohoo order currently in place, while AH and Madina denied they were currently supplying Boohoo. JD Fashion has no connection to the retailer JD Sports.

Boohoo said it "will not tolerate any instance of mistreatment or underpayment of garment workers". It said it was unaware of its clothes being made at Madina Gloves, and that AH Fashion was not on its approved supplier list for JD for an order delivered to the UK on 11 December.

The £30 colour-block tracksuit bought by the Guardian from that consignment matched a design visible in one of the videos recorded at AH Fashion - and featured a distinctive "JD" label similar to one seen being sewn into an item in another clip.

Other videos and pictures taken at the two factories also appear to corroborate workers' claims that they have been making clothes for Boohoo recently, with the brand's labels and logos visible.

Auditing professionals, who asked to remain anonymous because of their position in the industry, watched the videos showing piled-up fabrics, motorbikes indoors and poles on bricks at AH Fashion, and said they considered the footage raised questions over fire risks and general safety.

One auditor who viewed the videos said they presented potential issues but not conclusive evidence of the level of risk. Another called them a possible "recipe for disaster", and added: "If I [was asked] to do an audit, I would refuse and ask [the] brand to pull goods out of the factory immediately ... I would run out of the factory if I saw this." AH said construction work and a lack of space were responsible.

Quick Guide
Company responses to Boohoo allegations in full

Company responses to Boohoo allegations in full
Boohoo: "In July, in light of concerns raised about the group's UK supply chain, the group commissioned an independent review of its UK supply chain. This review highlighted issues with unauthorised subcontracting in our supply chain and the group took immediate action by deploying additional third party auditing resource both in the UK and overseas to map and audit our supply chain, with the intention of publishing our UK supplier list by March 2021 and global supplier list by September 2021.

Following the very concerning claims made by the Guardian we immediately began an investigation. The early results of this investigation show that JD Fashion had not declared AH Fashion as a sub-contractor and that they were therefore not authorised or approved to be part of our supply chain. We have immediately suspended any dealings with JD Fashion whilst we investigate this further.

As part of our international compliance programme, independent compliance and auditing specialists, Bureau Veritas are on the ground in Faisalabad and we have instructed them to immediately investigate these claims and complete unannounced audits on both factories.

As we have previously stated, we will not tolerate any instance of mistreatment or underpayment of garment workers in our supply chain. Any supplier who does not treat their workers with the respect they deserve has no place in the Boohoo supply chain."

Boohoo also indicated it was unaware of its clothing being manufactured at Madina Gloves.

JD Fashion: In response to allegations that the company has been sourcing clothes from AH Fashion, which paid less than minimum wage, the managing director, Akhter Warraich, said in a phone interview that workers were "being paid as per the labour laws of the local country, Pakistan". In a later email he said that "currently there is no order" with AH Fashion because of a lack of demand and building work being done on the premises, with the last order having been placed in October.

Warraich added that JD representatives "visit the factory once a week" to check garment quality and to "interact with employees if there is any problem to resolve with management and for general safety".

He said the company relied on audits by the ethical trade membership organisation Sedex being conducted under Boohoo guidelines and that, like other factories, AH Fashion had been subject to that process. He concluded: "After this Leicester compliance issue, Boohoo has appointed Bureau Veritas CPS as third party for social audit and we have advised all suppliers to get audited."

AH Fashion: Responding on behalf of the company, Akbar Ali said: "All workers are paid according to the local labour laws [which mandate 17,500 PKR per month] and no one is on/below 10,000 PKR per month." He said some workers were on contract and "paid on the basis of daily output", and that these workers had agreed to a rate paid per garment completed.

Ali said video footage which experts said appeared to raise questions about fire safety risks, including piles of fabric heaped in walkways, reflected a "shortage of space" and that materials were usually kept out of the way. An expansion was under way to increase available space, he added. In response to a video appearing to show motorbikes parked inside, he said workers parked outside the factory.

Ali said he currently had a "lack of orders" from Boohoo and was working for other brands. He also reiterated that workers were treated fairly.

Madina Gloves: The chief executive, Saleem Shahzad, said it was "totally wrong" that anybody was paid less than the minimum wage of 17,500PKR per month and insisted all workers got a minimum of 18,000PKR. He said claims that workers were denied outstanding pay when they left the factory, and claims workers had been harassed, were "totally wrong". He also said it was not true that workers were living in squalid factory-owned accommodation, saying he provided no such accommodation.

He claimed not to have worked with boohooMAN for six months and had "no order" from Boohoo recently. Finally, he denied that women and men shared bathrooms, and noted: "I [always] try to improve our factory and employees' facilities".

Thank you for your feedback.

In July, Boohoo's stock market value fell by £1.5bn in two days over allegations that its Leicester suppliers forced workers to continue in cramped conditions during the first Covid lockdown and paid below minimum wage. The company accepted the recommendations of a report from Allison Levitt QC, which described its attitude to the plight of workers in the city as "inexcusable".

Speaking to MPs last week, its billionaire co-founder Mahmud Kamani acknowledged that Boohoo's model of continuous expansion came with risks, saying: "In a business like ours that's fast-growing globally, there will be things that are breaking, and all the time we are fixing them and making them better." He also warned he could take more business overseas, saying: "For us to move out of Leicester, it's very easy for us to take all our production offshore."

Mahmud Kamani at a fashion collection launch in Hollywood in 2018. Photograph: Jerritt Clark/Getty Images for Boohoo

Boohoo pointed to what it said was "immediate action" to remedy the issues found in Leicester and suggested it would take a similar approach in Faisalabad. "As part of our international compliance programme, AH Fashion received a SMETA [Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit]audit in November 2020, where no issues of this nature were found, so these allegations are extremely concerning," it said.

"Independent compliance and auditing specialists Bureau Veritas are on the ground in Faisalabad and we have instructed them to immediately investigate these claims ... Any supplier who does not treat their workers with the respect they deserve has no place in the Boohoo supply chain."

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Boohoo selling clothes made by Pakistani workers 'who earned 29p an hour'

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Guardian investigation finds claims of safety issues, with workers saying they sometimes work 24-hour shifts

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Learning Outcomes
- 1.7 and 1.9

Learning Intentions
- I will understand my responsibilities as a consumer
- I will understand what it means to be an ethical consumer
- I will reflect on the impact of my own shopping on the environment

Stimulus Material
- Video above to introduce the topic and a separate video after the discussion showing the impact of plastic packaging on the environment - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8MO_8Zfu3Q&ab_channel=InterestingEngineering

How the Material Will be Used in Class
- Introductory video showing students the evolution of packaging.
-Student research into companies and products that have improved packaging and moved to a more sustainable method of packaging.
- Discussion on personal choices that students make regarding products they buy and what way they are packaged.
- Second video about the impact of plastic on the environment and a class discussion afterwards.

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1.9
2.4
Students will identify rights and responsibilities of employers and employees from a legal social environmental and ethical perspective

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Learning Outcomes:

1.1   Review the personal resources available to them to realise their needs and wants and analyse the extent to which realising their needs and wants may impact on individuals and society

1.7 Distinguish between and appreciate their rights and responsibilities as consumers

Learning Intentions:

Differentiate between a need and want

To understand Consumer responsibilities

To discover the impact of products packaging on the environment.

Conor C

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Learning Intentions 1.1, 1.7, 2.5

Create a food budget outlining meals for the day/ week for personal and household. Compare this with the household budget to incorporate numeracy and evaluate the two budgets realizing remedies to food waste

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Learning Outcomes
1.9 Ethics and Sustainability of Consumption
3.1 Scarcity and Choice
Learning Intentions
1. I will become aware of the problem of food and prodcution waste
2. I will discover ways in which food and production waste can be reduce
Learning Experience
I will watch the documentary "The True Cost" and complete a reflection worksheet after.

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Learning outcomes:

1.9. 2.8 And 3.1

Learning Intentions:

1) I will be able to reflect on the impact of my consumer choices and understand the impact they have on thee environment and society
2) I will learn about the production of chocolate and the impact it has on members of society and the environment.
3) I will learn about a chocolate companies ‘Place’ and ‘product’part of the markets mix and identify areas of improvement

How to use the image:

Pick a chocolate bar and price it, 2 Euro for example. Have students work out how much 3% of that is to calculate how much farmers get per chocolate bar versus how much the retailer does. Open class discussion on this, possible are for walking debate.

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3.1 Explain how scarcity of economic resources results in individuals having to make choices; predict possible consequences of these choices.   Support resource: WRAP Valuing our clothes the cost of UK fashion.

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3.1 Explain how scarcity of economic resources results in individuals having to make choices; predict possible consequences of these choices.   Support resource: WRAP Valuing our clothes the cost of UK fashion.

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Learning intentions

Learning what we as individuals can do to reduce the negative impact of fast fashion.
Using stimulus material
Break class into groups, giving each group a section of report to focus on and summarise 5 key points in form of piccollage, powerpoint or poster.

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Learning Outcomes
3.6
Learning Intentions
I will learn about the United Nations Global Goals.
I will reflect on the Global Goals I have access in comparison with a child in a developing country.
See attached word document.

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Google - 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy by 2030

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Google - 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy by 2030

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Googles long term strategy; As the world’s largest annual corporate purchaser of renewable energy, Google has been a leader in deploying clean energy projects at scale. Now, as we enter our third decade of climate action, we’re targeting our most ambitious sustainability goal to date: we intend to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) – everywhere, at all times. And we aim to do it by 2030.

Learning Outcomes:

3.1

Learning Intentions:
-I will learn how organisations make decisions based on their impact on the environment
-I will learn the importance of sustainability in business
-I will learn about renewable energy and its importance to future business

Stimulus:

-videos & articles

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As the world's largest annual corporate purchaser of renewable energy, Google has been a leader in deploying clean energy projects at scale. Now, as we enter our third decade of climate action, we're targeting our most ambitious sustainability goal to date: we intend to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy - everywhere, at all times. And we plan to do it by 2030.

In 2020 - for the fourth consecutive year - Google matched 100 percent of its annual electricity consumption with purchases of renewable energy, bringing nearly 6 gigawatts of new renewable energy online. This achievement involves buying a surplus of renewable energy in regions where solar and wind power are abundant - such as places like the US Midwest - to address the lack of renewable energy in other places - such as Taiwan. Similarly, in some cases we buy additional solar energy during the day to compensate for our use of carbon-intensive energy at night. Our large-scale procurement of renewables has been effective at driving down the price of clean energy, encouraging widespread corporate decarbonization goals, and accelerating renewable projects worldwide. But it still leaves places and times where our operations rely on fossil fuels.

To tackle climate change, it's critical that companies do their part to stop carbon emissions; in other words, we have to go from "net-zero" to zero. That's why we're taking the next step to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy - ensuring that our electricity demand is met with clean energy every hour of every day, everywhere we operate.

Reaching our goal won't be easy, but climate change demands urgent action. By aiming for round-the-clock clean energy in all our data center operations and campuses, our goal is to prove that a carbon-free economy is possible - not just for Google, but for everyone.

For further resources and details on how we plan to achieve this goal, visit our clean energy microsite.

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24/7 Clean Energy - Data Centers - Google

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As the world's largest annual corporate purchaser of renewable energy, Google has been a leader in deploying clean energy projects at scale. Now, as we enter our third decade of climate action, we're targeting our most ambitious sustainability goal to date: we intend to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy - everywhere, at all times.

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Learning Outcomes
1.9 Debate the ethical and sustainability issues that arise from their consumption of goods
and services and evaluate how they can contribute to sustainable development
through consumer behaviour
2.5 Investigate the positive and negative impacts on a community of an organisation from
an economic, social and environmental perspective

Learning Intentions:
I will learn the impacts (Positive & negative) of packaging on my community, the business and the environment.
I will identify the costs and benefits associated with sustainable and non sustainable packaging.

Stimulus Material:
Article on how food packaging affects the environment with questions based on this and higher order questions based on the impacts on people and businesses also.
A cost benefit activity on the introduction of sustainable packaging into a business. A group activity where each group is a business faced with the decision of introducing sustainable packaging. They must feedback their decision and rationale to the class and discuss.

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With households fervently disinfecting groceries in a bid to fight the novel coronavirus (nCoV), the more distant threat of a rising climate seems almost like a nostalgic memory. The sheer amount of energy required for personal hygiene, let alone basic mental health, has de-prioritised the recycling process for millions of people around the globe.

The inconvenient truth, however, is that there is an undeniable link between an unbalanced eco-system and COVID-19. The simple fact of the matter is that our planet has been bordering on a tipping point for decades, and the virus marks a depressing milestone for humankind.

While the world waits with baited breath for an effective medical treatment, the virus has deeply affected humanity on a psychological level. A general sense of powerlessness prevails, yet it is more imperative than ever to think beyond current tragedies, with a long term vision of a healthy future.

Uncertainty and fear have infiltrated the minds of the population, with several bizarre conspiracy-rumours spreading like wildfire. Among these, is the false theory that COVID-19 is linked to the upcoming release of 5G technology. This totally unfound theory has resulted in the vandalism of over 100 mobile phone masts in the UK.

Even if the virus were somehow linked to being immune-compromised by 5G (which scientists have confirmed to be impossible) the majority of destroyed masts do not currently support 5G.This needless destruction of valuable resources illustrates the way in which panic has impacted the psychology of the public.

The pandemic has caused wide-scale impulsive wastefulness, yet the irony is that it is now more important than ever to preserve and prioritise the environment. Although at times the effort to make sacrifices for the eco-system may seem futile, there is no evidence to suggest that the end is nigh.

At any given moment, there is the possibility that a successful treatment will be discovered, enabling a cure for the virus before the creation of a vaccine. There is still hope for the future of the world, even in spite of the global recession. For this reason it is essential to keep the environment in mind, so that we do not lurch from one crisis to another.

While COVID-19 is known to spread in colder temperatures, the majority of viruses actually spread in warmer climates. With expert virologists warning that this will not be the last novel virus, it is in the interest of humanity to take every precaution against climate change.

The Disposal of Food Packaging Impacts the Environment in Many Ways

All food packaging has an impact on the environment, directly or indirectly, whether it is considered 'environmentally-friendly' or not. Factors such as natural resources (used for raw materials and to fuel the production and transportation of packaging) mean that even biodegradable products come with an ecological price tag.

Food packaging is directly responsible for a broad range of environmental issues, including overcrowded landfills, greenhouse gas emissions, and litter-pollution (both on land and in the ocean). The ecological concerns surrounding food packaging and its impact on planetary health, is largely centered on the manner in which it is disposed of.

While single-use plastic is the most notorious of all packaging products, even biodegradable or compostable packaging can have a harmful effect on the eco-system when disposed of incorrectly. However, on the whole, it is indeed single-use plastic that causes the greatest damage to the environment, and should therefore be avoided at all costs.

The Damaging Effects of Single-Use Plastic on the Environment

Of the 23 million tons of plastic packaging produced annually in Europe, forty percent of this (9 million tons) ends up in landfills, further compounding the existing space problems. Even worse is the fact that a shocking thirty-two percent (over 7 million tons) ends up polluting the land and the oceans.

In terms of the ocean, this volume could be achieved by dumping a plastic-filled garbage truck into the ocean every minute. If Europe continues along this trajectory it is estimated that by the year 2050, the number of dumped truckloads would increase to four per minute. This would equate to there being more plastic than fish in the ocean, which would permanently tip the balance of the environment over the edge.

At present, there are two large spinning 'plastic islands' located between the West Coast of North America and Japan. These two piles of debris have come to be known collectively as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) or alternatively, the Pacific Trash Vortex.

According to the National Geographic, "The seafloor beneath the Great Pacific Garbage Patch may also be an underwater trash heap. Oceanographers and ecologists recently discovered that about 70% of marine debris actually sinks to the bottom of the ocean." The patches are so large that they span approximately 1 million square miles, three times the size of France, and can be seen from outer space.

In addition to the GPGP causing an imbalance to the subatomic levels of the eco-system, when plastic packaging ends up in our ocean it frequently injures and kills marine life. The fatalities are caused mainly through sea creatures ingesting the plastic, but also through entanglement which causes drowning, suffocation, and starvation.

It is predicted that without a radical change to the amount of plastic ending up in the ocean, over 700 species of sea-life could go extinct in the coming years. The current data reflects that 267 types of animals have already been affected, most famous of which is the sea turtle.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, however, is only part of a much more serious plastic problem. While the extinction of any species could indeed tip the balance of the eco-system, one of the main issues of plastic pollution is the toxic residues that are leached into the natural environment.

The geological impact of global plastic production (which is currently 360 million tons per annum) is so profound that it has led a number of scientists to suggest that we have now entered what has been termed the 'Plastic Age.' This hypothesis predicts that future fossils will contain stratified layers of plastic particles.

The Incorrect Disposal of Biodegradable and Compostable Food Packaging

Biodegradable and compostable food packaging, which is defined as all packaging capable of decomposition, can also have a negative effect on the environment when disposed of incorrectly. The main issue with bio-plastics (such as PLA or Bio-PE) is that they require specialised conditions in order to biodegrade efficiently.

Even though bio plastics are made from organic materials, they will only efficiently biodegrade with specific temperatures and techniques designed to speed up the disintegration process. When these products end up in the oceans, they do not decompose for years and may kill any number of sea creatures in the same way as traditional plastic.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of industrial composting infrastructure, the majority of these bio-plastics end up either in the landfills, or polluting the natural environment. Regrettably, when biodegradable or compostable products find their way into the landfills, they end up causing even greater damage than single-use plastics.

The reason for this is that biodegradable food packaging is made from organic materials which emit methane when they decompose in landfill conditions that lack oxygen. Therefore all organic food packaging that finds its way into the landfills, emits greenhouse gas and contributes to the rising climate.

Yet another issue with the incorrect disposal of biodegradable or compostable food packaging is that it is often added to the recycling alongside the traditional materials. Due to the fact that compostable plastic and cardboard are similar in appearance to their original counterparts, there has been widespread confusion among consumers and well-intentioned recyclers. Unfortunately when organic food packaging is added to the recycling process, it contaminates the purity of the raw materials which results in large batches being sent to the landfills.

Eco-Friendly Solutions and the Future of Food Packaging

Food packaging itself is indispensable in terms of hygiene, ease of transportation and protection from accidental damage. While sustainable solutions such as home-grown vegetables, nude food, and a zero-waste lifestyle are among the most effective ways to preserve the environment, they are simultaneously the least convenient.

The majority of urban-dwelling citizens simply don't have the time (or land) to grow even basic vegetables in abundance. However, when visualising the future it is highly plausible that there will be a massive move towards urban farming and sophisticated bartering systems.

For now, the best bet is to employ 'precycling' which refers to preventative recycling. While recycling is an excellent secondary option, the process itself is limited in that it requires energetic resources.

Additionally, materials such as paper or cardboard can only be recycled between five and seven times, after which the material can no longer bind into a solid shape. However, it can be repurposed into compostable (or biodegradable) food packaging before this stage, making this material one of the most convenient eco-friendly options.

In future we will see a rise in industrial composting facilities, but for now even those residing in apartments can get by with a composting bag. Cardboard or paper food packaging can be composted regardless of whether it is labelled as 'compostable' or 'biodegradable.'

The key to successfully returning this material to the earth is to tear it up into strips and combine it with the correct ratio of green waste. There are a number of composting techniques that can be used from home, including composting bags, worm bins and the traditional compost heap.

The Bottom Line

Despite the overwhelmingly uncertain future, it is in the interest of future generations to continue striving towards a greener lifestyle. The coronavirus has spread its tentacles into the minds of billions, causing unprecedented psychological strain and widespread panic. At times like these, it is imperative to remain focussed on the best possible outcome.

Conspiracy theories are disempowering and misleading, adding insult to injury when desperation leads to destruction. Let us remain ever hopeful of a treatment while continuing to take all of the necessary precautions. It may seem like too much effort to disinfect and recycle every item, but unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures (and not the vandalism of mobile infrastructure).

COVID-19 has presented a silver-lining of opportunity to restore harmony to the eco-system. The impact of more than half the world currently under lockdown has significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions. It would be a shame to offset the only positive spinoff of COVID-19, by recklessly forgoing eco-friendly practices during the pandemic.

As the world adjusts to what has been ominously termed the 'new normal', let us not forget the link between the environment and potential future viruses. While COVID-19 can never be viewed as a good thing, it is at least worth noting that the virus has only a small percentage of total fatalities, in comparison to if it were seventy, eighty or a hundred percent of all cases.

In a sense, this unfortunate and tragic outbreak serves as an ecological warning which helps to heighten the sense of urgency in regards to greener living. Of all the civil liberties that have been swept from beneath our feet, the power of consumer culture is still available in every choice.

The choice to prioritise compostable or recyclable food packaging is up to each and every citizen, and offers an empowering opportunity to make a positive impact on the future of planet earth. The fight against COVID-19 (and the prevention of other viruses) reaches beyond social distancing, to merge with the forward-thinking mindset of consumers around the globe. Let us therefore keep in mind the value of every green choice, striving towards a healthy future, perhaps more utopian than ever before imagined.
Take me to the EcoToGo shop
References:

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How Does Food Packaging Affect The Environment | Eco To Go

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With households fervently disinfecting groceries in a bid to fight the novel coronavirus (nCoV), the more distant threat of a rising climate seems almost like a nostalgic memory. The sheer amount of energy required for personal hygiene, let alone basic mental health, has de-prioritised the recycling process for millions of people around the globe.

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Aer Lingus says Fórsa Shannon redunancy terms would cost €2.65m more

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Learning Outcomes 1.2 and 1.4
Topics of interest to the students and they can relate to the real world.
What are your rights as a worker
Aer Lingus article

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1.7 and 1.9

Learning outcomes
I will understand the role i play as a consumer
I will reflect on what it means to be an ethical consumer
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DRAGONS IN TEARS over kid’s clothing pitch 🐉🔥 Dragons’ Den - BBC

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Outline what fast fashion is
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9 Scary Facts About Fast Fashion - Infinite Blog by Style Theory

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We all love the option of having a brand new look everyday, and let’s be honest, not everyone likes to be seen in the same blue sequinned skirt for every event. In fact, fashion retailers worldwide know exactly what style-conscious consumers crave for: new, trendy clothes – as soon as they’re seen o…