We have 30 Recycling Ambassadors running workshops all across the country, we're lucky to have some really creative and passionate people on our team. We wanted to share some of their inspirational stories with you.

Angela Nagle, originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, first heard of VOICE Ireland on Eco Eye a number of years back, and decided to get involved with our projects. Angela ran a Baby Market as part of Zero Waste Cashel's events during October ReUse Month 2016 as well as hosting a Food Rescue in her local community hall.

"I joined the Southern Region Recycling Ambassador team to be part of one of the first government funded grassroots efforts towards waste reduction in Ireland.  Since running the Recycling Ambassador workshops, I’ve gotten to meet Tidy-Towns and Zero Waste groups, EH&S managers in large companies like dePuy and Apple, and even carried my demo rubbish kit of plastic wrappers and milk cartons through the shoe department of Brown Thomas to do a breakfast workshop with the entire staff before the morning opening.

After telling others about the workshops, several teacher friends have asked me to speak to their classes about recycling and waste prevention, which I’ve done on behalf of the Cork Environmental Forum, another environmental non-profit group that I’m involved in. Giving interested people the tools and understanding to help reduce their waste is so satisfying. This is part of the reason I started my business, The Baby Market n in 2011.

The Baby Market gives parents a lower cost and lower waste alternative to buying new baby goods.  We run events in 7 towns and cities across Ireland in which parents can buy and sell pre-loved baby, children and maternity goods. This year The Baby Market was awarded a Cork City Council Waste Prevention grant, which will be used to sponsor a ‘Towards a Zero Waste Home’ stall, featuring and supplementing the sales of low waste businesses at our events, and the Recycling Ambassador Programme stall will be part of this event on 20th May.

"As a family we have enjoyed working towards being close to zero waste where we can. Our waste reduction efforts for Plastic Free July in 2016, were featured in an Irish Examiner article that year.

I’m currently organising a Plenary Session on home waste prevention for the Cork Environmental Forum for September which will be open to the public. I have also recently set up a Grow it Yourself (GIY) group in our local village along with a few local people who actually know how to garden!  This summer, I’ll be starting a PhD at UCC researching Wind Turbine Blade Reuse.

Angela has taken the opportunity to fuse her work with the Recycling Ambassadors with her Baby Market connecting and inspiring people to become more environmentally aware.

If you'd like one of our enthusiastic recycling and environmental experts to host a free workshop for your community or workplace get in touch with us today!