The series begins with a special episode on the effects of nature on our well-being both mentally and physically before uncovering some interesting connections between the effects of nature and green space on society itself. Presented by Dr Lara Dungan. In episode 2 Anja Murray tackles an issue that is close to the heart of every Irish person; the plight of the Curlew. having gone from over 5,000 breeding pairs to 122 in a generation, Ireland’s favourite bird and its haunting call are on the brink of extinction. Anja travels the country to find out whats caused this collapse and what of anything can be done at this stage to save this wonderful animal. Episode 3: He’s back. Duncan Stewart takes on Ireland’s waste problem, speaking to industry leaders, communities and individuals doing their best to end waste in Ireland and help move toward a circular economy. In episode four, Anja returns with a beautiful episode that looks at Ireland water catchments through the eyes of communities who are adopting their local rivers to educate and protect this valuable resource for generations to come. In ‘Climate Change & me’ Host Dr. Lara Dungan explores the reality of climate change in Ireland, and what the future will hold for the people, flora, and fauna of our beautiful isle. She speaks with homeowners who have had their coastal residences ruined by erosion, Irish citizens who have been effected by coastal flooding, and experts who outline the bigger picture of climate change in Ireland, and further afield. In ‘Seaweed Matters’ sees host Anja Murray discover the amazing variety and ecology of seaweed around Irish coasts while exploring the risks of seaweed harvesting rights being taken from communities and handed over to big companies. The winter of 2015-2016 was the wettest in recorded Irish history. Vast areas of the country were underwater, in some cases for months. Join host Lara Dungan as she learns about her own carbon footprint, and how to minimise its impact. She travels to eco-friendly community Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary, and Freiburg in Germany, one of the most sustainable cities in the world, to see what lessons about energy, heat, agriculture and transport can be brought back to Ireland. Duncan Stewart looks at the need to upgrade Ireland’s building stock, for more comfortable and less expensive homes and to diminish Ireland’s carbon emissions. He explores new passive house developments, the deep retrofit process, and the challenges Ireland faces in this endeavour. In the final episode of this season on Eco Eye, Dr Lara Dungan explores Ocean Energy and what it means for Ireland’s future. Starting in the new ‘Lir’ test centre in Cork, Lara investigates the latest in Ocean Energy technology and the innovators behind it.
This episode of Eco Eye looks at the increasing threat from flooding to our homes and livelihoods and investigates the various solutions available. We travel to Yorkshire in the UK to see an innovative soft engineering solution to their flooding problem and ask whether that could provide the answer for some of Ireland smaller rivers
Moving up the west coast, Lara discovers the vast wealth of energy sitting just off our shores and how we could be on the brink of revolutionising our energy production.
