The Conservation Area
The Conservation Area is an important feature within Bord Bia Bloom, providing and empowering space where visitors can meet with leading conservationists and environmentalists and learn how we can all take action to improve the world around us. Featured at the Conservation Are will be: An Taisce - The National Trust for Ireland, CERTA, Crann - Trees for Ireland, Dublin Naturalists' Field Club, Federation of Irish Beekeepers' Associations, Irish Seed Savers Association, Irish Tree Explorers Network, Irish Wildlife Trust, Kildare Wildlife Rescue, National Biodiversity Data Centre, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Seal Rescue Ireland, Teagasc , The Office of Public Works and Tree Council of Ireland.
Event Schedule
Sustainable Living Stage
This year the Sustainable Living Stage will be sponsored by CERTA – official supplier of HVO to Bord Bia Bloom. The stage is an interactive platform where experts in conservation, biodiversity, wildlife protection, and sustainability will discuss how we can all play our part in combating climate change. Visitors will be given key take-aways which can make a difference to our natural environment and help protect our precious ecosystem. MC'd by Suzanne Campbell and Irish Food Writer and Bloggers, Caroline Hennessy and Aoife Carrigy over the 5 days, don't miss out on these engaging and thought-provoking events.
Event Schedule
Sustainable Living Stage Sponsor
The Sustainable Living Stage sponsor, Certa Ireland, highlights how visitors can reduce diesel carbon emissions by switching to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) low-carbon biofuel. Certa offers HVO at pumps in Liffey Valley, Dublin; Lee Tunnel, Cork; and Trim, County Meath and will introduce seven more sites around Dublin and the Midlands this year. A replacement for diesel with no modifications required, it is made from renewable food and plant waste matter that reduces your vehicles carbon emissions by up to 90%. Certa is also showcasing residential solar products that can help your home generate renewable electricity all year round.
Guide to your sustainable visit to Bord Bia Bloom
Bord Bia Bloom have been leading the way for over 10 years by not only creating a more sustainable event, but by also facilitating a platform for knowledge sharing. Be part of this journey by ensuring your visit to Bloom is as sustainable as possible!
- Use public transport & jump on one of our free shuttle buses from Parkgate Street powered by HVO
- On your bike – Use our free bike parks
- Bring your reusable cups and water bottles.
- Alternatively, you can borrow reusable cup from the 2GOCUP stations at each entrance for a deposit of €2. Simply return your cup as you leave to get your €2 back – or take your cup home and enjoy!
- Refill your water bottle and rinse you keep cup between uses at our hydration stations. (Reusable cups must be rinsed between uses before presentation to hot drinks vendors.)
- Enjoy a 20c discount on all hot drinks when presenting an appropriate reusable cup.
- Engage with our green team volunteers around the site who will assist you with correct waste segmentation and reduction.
- You can donate your plastic bottles and cans deposit to charity by simply placing them in one of the RE-TURN Collection Bins. Look out for the signs or ask one of our green team for more information.
- Visit and engage with the Sustainable Living Stage, to learn about actionable changes which you can implement into your own home, life and garden.
- Engage with the Conservation Area exhibitors who will be on hand to give advice and information on the work being done around the country to safeguard biodiversity and protect our living environment.
- Visit the Food Village, home to the Food Hall and Bloom Inn, where some of Ireland’s most sustainable food producers (all of whom are verified members of Bord Bia’s pioneering Origin Green sustainability programme or certified members of Bord Bia’s Sustainable Quality Assurance Schemes) showcase their products.
- Browse the Show Gardens – Not only are the Show Gardens the jewel in crown of Bord Bia Bloom, but protecting the environment and encouraging biodiversity are key messages that emerge within the designs each year, providing many ideas to help improve the sustainability of your own home and garden.
- Experience the delicious potential of surplus food by visiting the Foodcloud Kitchen which will use excess surplus ingredients to prepare a fantastic food offering for Bord Bia Bloom visitors.
Sustainability Initiatives at Bord Bia Bloom
Each year at Bloom, we strive to make the festival even more sustainable, in order to have as little an impact on the environment as possible. Below are some of the ongoing and new initiatives you’ll see at Bloom 2024!
| Existing Initiatives | New Initiatives |
|---|---|
| All Generators & Shuttle Buses Powered by HVO – 89% emissions reduction
Rehoming of Show Gardens / Plants Waste Segregation & recycling on site No single use plastics FoodCloud Partnership Regeneration of Toilet Waste Biodigester turning food into compost Promotion of Public Transport and Free Shuttle Buses Free Bike Parks Promotion of local sustainably produced food from members of the Origin Green / Bord Bia’s Sustainable Quality Assurance Schemes |
Creation of a Sustainability Working Group and a Bloom Sustainability Plan
Promotion of a guide to ‘Your Sustainable Visit to Bloom’ Show signage with sustainability messaging throughout the site. Re-turn Deposit Return Scheme – first event to pilot this programme Green Team of Volunteers Reusable Cup/ Bottle Promotion Cup Borrow Scheme with 2GoCup Hot Drinks Discount for Reusable Cups (less 20c) Coffee Grounds Collection for compost Biodigester being used by indoor caterers for their food waste. |