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myEARTH, a new digital hub for environmental knowledge and action, has officially launched in Northern Ireland. The website is designed to connect families and households to the organisations who are taking positive action for the environment – and crucially makes it easy for them to take part.

Developed by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, in collaboration with Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL), myEARTH connects and supports a growing network of local changemakers focused on environmental action. With early backing from these organisations, myEARTH is gaining traction as delivery partners across Northern Ireland begin to adopt the platform, including the National Trust, Ulster Wildlife, RSPB NI and The Weatherbies. Users can discover local events, activities, resources and opportunities from these, and many more, partners.

By creating an online community, myEARTH will help families discover local events and environmental activities, from beach cleans to wildlife watches, and encourage them to participate. Users will not only be able to find activities that suit their household – such as community litter-picks, tree planting, and recycling projects – they will be encouraged to use and collect digital Action Cards. Each card includes clear, step-by-step guidance, making it easy for anyone to get involved in a particular activity – and every activity makes a difference.

The launch of myEARTH is a significant step in raising the profile of environmental education whilst driving community action throughout Northern Ireland. It is also anticipated to accelerate digital transformation, and support the resilience of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector through innovative ways of working.

Rachael Thomas, Project Manager at myEARTH, said, “At its core, myEARTH simplifies environmental action by uniting the efforts of everyone on one easy-to-use platform. Our research told us that whilst there is a huge appetite for families and households to do their bit to tackle the climate emergency, there were barriers in place around sourcing and gathering the information required to take part. myEARTH uses tech to break down these barriers – ultimately, we are creating an online community of people and connecting them to local activities, events, and ideas to get them and their families involved and active in caring for nature, tackling climate change, and making a difference – right on their doorstep.

“From the very beginning, our goal has been to open the door to participation. Everyone is welcome, not just those already involved in environmental efforts. With the summer approaching, we’re calling on families and households to get online, get involved and get active so we can all help protect the planet together.”

Max Bryant CEO at Northern Ireland Environmental Link said, "As the networking and forum body for organisations interested in the natural and built environment, Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) strives to connect this network for a more valued, resilient, healthy environment. The delivery of myEARTH with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful extends our work through the website as a hub to highlight environmental efforts in NI to a wider audience via opportunities, action, resources and impact. We look forward to seeing the measure of this impact through the public interaction with myEARTH and our networks."

The myEARTH project is funded through a £488,557 grant from Dormant Assets NI, which is delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund.

Highlighting the importance of this initiative, Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund said, “I’m delighted to see the launch of the myEARTH platform. Dormant Assets funding in Northern Ireland aims to build the capacity, sustainability and resilience of the VCSE sector, and this project will contribute to that by providing much needed collaboration, resources and support to VCSE organisations to get involved in environmental activity and collectively track their impact.”

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) supported the concept development stage of myEARTH.

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said, “It is great to see this easy-to-use web resource to help communities, families and individuals identify and undertake actions to improve our environment across Northern Ireland - positive actions for biodiversity, air quality, recycling and so many more ideas. I applaud this collaborative effort between so many organisations to bring together access to all this information in one place to help friends, family, colleagues and groups to make a positive impact on our environment.”

To mark the launch of the platform, the myEARTH Summer ImpACT Competition challenges families to complete one of four eco-themed Action Cards for the chance to win a National Trust Family Membership, with entries closing on Sunday 31st August 2025. The competition is free to enter. T&Cs apply.

For more information visit www.myearth.org.uk

Most recent data from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) shows that 271,501 tonnes of waste was collected by Northern Ireland’s councils during the three-month period from April to June 2024, up on the 267,107 tonnes collected during the same period in 2023.

To put the problem into perspective, this volume of waste weighs about the same as 22,500 double decker buses.

To tackle the challenge at hand, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful has unveiled an education and awareness campaign - A Better Way. Funded by DAERA through the Carrier Bag Levy, the campaign encourages us to explore the ways we can by reduce, reuse or repair items to significantly decrease the amount of waste we create.

Minister Muir said , “The prevention of waste is the most favourable option and as such is at the top of the Waste Hierarchy. Waste prevention saves money through more efficient use of materials, reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change, and supports the principles of a circular economy. I am keen to see our resources moved as far up the waste hierarchy as possible and welcome the impact that this campaign will have on changing waste prevention behaviours across Northern Ireland."

86.8 per cent of the waste collected by Councils between April and June 2024 was generated by households, with 15.4 per cent of this having to be directed to landfill. Whilst this figure is lower than the 19.8 per cent of waste sent to landfill between April to June 2023, the data reveals that Northern Ireland has an ongoing challenge with the sheer volume of what ends up in our bins, and the strain that managing this waste puts on our environment.

Eric Randall, Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful said, “Our A Better Way campaign highlights that we have the chance to make small and simple changes in our daily lives to reduce what goes in the bin, and what is directed to landfill. At present, the amount we are throwing away is indicative of a very wasteful culture. We need to challenge our perceptions of what waste is. Let’s explore the ways in which we can reduce, reuse and repair to turn the tide on waste in 2025.”

As part of the campaign, an official A Better Way mark has been developed, which retailers and wider organisations such as vintage clothing shops, alteration specialists, appliance repairs and others committed to doing better, can display. Repair Café Belfast have already signed up to don the mark, demonstrating that many see the value in A Better Way.

Aoife McCrory, Waste & Pollution Solutions Coordinator at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, highlighted some of the solutions that A Better Way initiates.

She said, “It is better for the environment and our pockets to cherish what we already have. Why not invest in reusable coffee cups and water bottles, designed for long-term use, to reduce the need to buy disposable items? Similarly, rather than throwing food jars away, use them as storage containers. Borrow or rent from friends and neighbours to reduce the need to buy new. Use refill stations to cut down on packaging, opt to go paperless when it comes to banking, repair tears on clothing. The better ways exist – but we need to show greater commitment.”

For more information and guidance visit keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org

ENDS

For interview requests contact Navigator Blue:

Grainne Glenny | g.glenny@navigatorblue.com

Notes to Editors

Data referenced is from Northern Ireland Local Authority Collected Municipal Waste Management Statistics: Quarterly provisional estimates for April to June 2024. The report was published in October 2024.

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/daera/lac-municipal-waste-q1-2024-25-report.pdf