A&L Goodbody and RenewableNI team up to mark Earth Day 2023

Taking place annually, Earth Day is widely recognised as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behaviour and create local, national and global policy changes.

The theme for this year’s Earth Day is sustainable fashion – referring to a clothing supply chain that is ecologically and socially responsible. It aims to reorient the industry and consumers away from the fast fashion model and toward sustainable practices in sourcing, production, distribution, marketing, and consumption.

ALG and RenewableNI – an official Earth Day partner – marked the occasion at a seminar held in ALG’s Belfast office by asking attendees to bring an item or items of clothing to swap or donate. ALG Partner, Mark Stockdale, said, “Tackling climate change is one of the key societal issues we believe our firm has the greatest ability to influence. We are doing this by reducing ALG’s environmental impact through how we run our business and the services we deliver. As part of this strategy, we were proud to partner with RenewableNI to support the ambitions of Earth Day 2023 to build a healthy economy, build an equitable future and build our ‘only home’.

“We were grateful to guests attending our offices from across the energy and renewables sector in Northern Ireland, and members of our 120-strong team at ALG in Belfast, who participated in our clothes swap initiative – helping to shine a light on the wide-ranging environmental benefits of swapping or donating clothes as an alternative to throwing them away.”

RenewableNI director Steven Agnew, explained, “Impacts of the climate emergency and biodiversity crises are already beginning to be felt in Northern Ireland, so it is vital that we work together to mitigate the worst impacts.

“Today’s seminar at ALG focused on the need to meet the Climate Bill target of 80 per cent renewable electricity by 2030 and the actions the industry is taking. But we also promoted the smaller steps that individuals can make. As an official partner of Earth Day 2023, we used our in-person event to give away wildflower seeds and to raise awareness of fast fashion. While switching to renewable electricity can help apparel companies reduce their carbon emissions, limiting the textiles going to landfill in Northern Ireland saves waste and energy required to make new clothing.”

Pictured are Niamh Collins, associate, ALG, Mark Stockdale, partner, ALG and Steven Agnew, director, Renewable NI

Date published: 19 April 2023.