Did you know that Ireland currently recycles 33% of all plastics? This figure is higher than most EU countries, but still has a way to go to meet the 2030 EU target of 55% which is why Repak is encouraging the public to join 'Team Green'.
The not-for-profit organisation has a social mission to make Ireland a primary leader in Europe of packaging recycling by 2025 in a circular economy; recycle 50% of all plastic packaging placed on the market by 2025; achieve the 80% recycling target for all packaging by 2030 (10% ahead of the EU target).
To do this, they have assembled a team of Irish recyclers to help encourage households across the nation to find Ireland's newest Repak Team Green Leaders. We are asking the public to increase packaging recycling in Ireland.
"I'm delighted to be back for my second year with Team Green," says Anna Geary. "I come from a sports background and a team environment where it's about everybody working together for a common goal so, for me, it was brilliant to be part of such a great team."
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The former camogie player and Dancing with the Stars contestant joins Paul and Gary O'Donovan, Paul McGrath, Roz Purcell and Bobby Kerr in the environmental initiative.
"It's lovely to be a part of the same message with different people from different backgrounds because, ultimately, whether we like it or not, recycling affects everybody," she continued. "It doesn't matter where you live or what your job is, we all have the one environment to share."
This year, with everyone at home more than ever due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Anna and the team are hoping to encourage best practice recycling habits at home.
"There are so many things we can't control right now and things we can't have any impact on but this is something we can do," Anna explains. "It's about learning good recycling habits and the tag line makes it easy: Clean, Dry, and Loose. So, you can't shove everything into an empty cereal box, you have to wash your containers to make sure there's no contamination on it, etc."
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According to Repak, all the evidence shows that recycling rates are up and contamination levels are going down since the start of Covid. This means that Irish people are making more of an effort to recycle, however, it never hurts to brush up on the rules in order to keep the Emerald Isle as green as possible.
"We were supposed to go on honeymoon this summer and we had to cancel it but we were so lucky to live in this brilliant country and that this was our alternative," says Anna.
"We got the chance to go off the track and go to places we had never been to. We went to Roscommon, Fermanagh, and Lahinch as well as a city break in Kilkenny. There are so many brilliant places that Ireland has to offer."
"Nobody knows what's around the corner," she continued. "The reality is, people are spending a lot more time at home so it's about coming up with ways to make where ever you're living the best it can be."
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Speaking about life at home, we had to take the opportunity to ask Anna about her upcoming wedding anniversary to her husband, Kevin Sexton. The couple wed in a beautiful ceremony at Killeagh Church last October and have had a fairly unprecedented first year of marriage thanks to Covid.
"We have spent more time with each other in the last six months than we probably ever did in our previous five years together," she laughed.
"It's just about adjusting to the new norm; Kev works in an office but I'm self-employed so I was used to being around home a bit more but I was also coming and going as I pleased. Suddenly, you're sharing the one space and you have to get to know each other's nuances and learn what buttons to press, what buttons not to press and knowing when to give each other space."
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"We are very grateful that we got our first home last year and got married last year. During the time where we were disappointed about not going away on our honeymoon, I was clinging to the fact that we were so lucky to have gotten married when we did and to have gotten our house because so many people are in unfortunate positions where mortgages are on hold and weddings are postponed."
"It's about being grateful for the little things. Everyone is affected in different ways so it's about being grateful for your lot. My mam used to say to me: If you and everyone else threw your problems into the middle of a circle, you wouldn't be long taking yours back."
For more information on Repak's Team Green initiative and competition, visit www.repak.ie/teamgreen.
