Michelle McKeown

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#Michelle McKeown

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Cavendish bananas dominate international supermarket trade and are propagated as clones. Their consistency suits growers, shipping companies and shoppers. Unfortunately, it also suits pathogens. Picture: iStock</p>

outdoors

Growing problem: Why our food needs a bigger gene pool

Genetic diversity works alongside biosecurity, good agronomy and fair access to food. Our ambition should be a food system with more options when trouble arrives

<p>Daubenton’s bats skim low over water, hunting insects around rivers and canals. Picture: iStock</p>

outdoors

Simply misunderstood: We're in the dark on our many bat species

<p>Autumn is time to turn back time. </p>

outdoors

Whose bright idea was it that the clocks should go backwards?

coconut crab

outdoors

Enduring mystery: Giant crabs the latest lead in hunt for Amelia Earhart

Forest fire

outdoors

Learning from the past: Australia’s wildfire crisis was shaped by colonialism

Hedgehog, Scientific name: Erinaceus Europaeus. Wild, native, European hedgehog at dusk, foraging on a fallen log in wet, Autu

outdoors

The usual suspects: Small, spiky and surprisingly mysterious

Moving with the times: Is there room for a greener commute?

Moving with the times: Is there room for a greener commute?

As we build more housing, proximity to public transport is not the key influence when it comes to trying to reduce car dependence. It's the supply of public transport services in terms of frequency, reliability, and capacity that matters most

Fri, 25 Sep, 2026

Turf block piles, industrial peat extraction on a raised bog landscape, nature destruction in the Venner Moor, Lower Saxony, Ger

Ireland’s peatland paradox: Restoring bogs while commercial extraction continues

The taxpayer is helping fund rehabilitation to undo decades of drainage on one set of bogs, while environmental authorities are simultaneously having to pursue unauthorised commercial extraction on others

Fri, 18 Sep, 2026

Croagh Patrick

Michelle McKeown: Stronger source-to-sea approach needed to protect our oceans

Our relationship with the ocean does not begin at the beach. It begins in upland bogs, farm drains, city streets, groundwater and small streams. And what happens on land can have very real consequences at sea

Thu, 10 Sep, 2026

Bouquet of flowers in vase

Best buds: Just how green is your wedding bouquet?

Weddings are never an exercise in environmental perfection. But there are a few simple choices we can make that can lessen the environmental footprint of our big day without lessening the beauty of the occasion.

Sat, 05 Sep, 2026

Sargassum seaweed in Mayan Riviera and Cancun beach on Caribbean,

Too much of a good thing: Why sargassum has become such a problem

Offshore sargassum is extremely valuable as nurseries and refuges, providing shelter and food for fish, crabs, seabirds and young sea turtles, Near shore, however, excessive quantities can lower oxygen levels, block light and smother seagrass, corals and other marine life

Fri, 28 Aug, 2026

A real buzzkill: Ecological change and the potential threat from mosquitoes

A real buzzkill: Ecological change and the potential threat from mosquitoes

Mosquito-borne disease is not a major public-health problem here. But a new Irish review suggests we should not assume that will always remain the case

Fri, 21 Aug, 2026

Dollars Yen Pounds Euros Financial Washout

Paradise lost: Tourist taxes and the price of visiting beautiful places

There is a strong argument that tourists should contribute towards maintaining the places they enjoy. Properly designed taxes can raise substantial sums for conservation, infrastructure and public services. But revenue raised is not an environmental outcome and its what happens afterwards is real the problem

Sat, 15 Aug, 2026

Cracked dried earth texture background, close up. Dry, erosion, ecology problem concept.

Under pressure: Dry conditions are changing the ground beneath us

Drought does not simply make soil dry. It changes how soil is structured, how it functions and how well it recovers, and Ireland is by no means immune to its effects

Thu, 23 Jul, 2026

Georgian doors in Dublin

Michelle McKeown: In a heatwave, trees are more than just a pleasant extra

During hot weather, trees function as pieces of living infrastructure where they cool streets, shade buildings, and make towns and cities more comfortable. They are, essentially, natural air conditioners

Mon, 20 Jul, 2026

Helicopter dumping water on a wildfire

Burning issue: What Europe’s wildfires can teach Ireland

Ireland is unlikely to experience the vast pine forest fires associated with southern Europe. But we are far from immune. Every year, fires affect upland heath, gorse, forestry and peatlands, particularly during prolonged dry spells

Fri, 10 Jul, 2026

Newlyweds cutting wedding cake

Small wedding decisions that can cut waste, without cutting the joy

No wedding is perfectly sustainable. Weddings involve travel, food, flowers, clothes, music and celebration. And yet small, sensible choices around the day can make the celebration not only beautiful, but a little more thoughtful too

Sat, 04 Jul, 2026

Woman is using eye mask in bed while electric fan is blowing on the foreground

Awake to the consequences: How climate change is affecting our sleep

There are many traditional reasons for a bad night’s sleep from a snoring partner to a neighbour's car alarm at 3am. But science suggests we may now add another culprit to the list: climate change

Fri, 26 Jun, 2026

Making homemade deodorant stick with all natural ingredients concept. Antiperspirant on minimal background with lot of copy spac

Pit stop: The science behind smelling better with less plastic

Refillable deodorants have elbowed their way into bathroom cabinets and promise fresher pits while resulting in less single-use plastic. They are a small gesture we can all make to help tackle the bigger packaging problem around bathroom products

Sun, 21 Jun, 2026

Skellig Island Puffin, County Kerry, Ireland

Nature Cams: Reconnecting us with the wild, or just another screen?

The strongest case for nature cams is access, as not everyone can visit a wetland, island, woodland or cliff edge. But there are limits. Watching nature is not the same as being in nature

Fri, 12 Jun, 2026

Beautiful Landscape depicting Strange Weather Phenomenon due to Climate Change, comprising dramatic dark grey Nimbus clouds alon

El Niño: World on watch as tropical Pacific warming

Scientists are watching events and weather forecast models closely as the final strength and the precise impacts of El Niño will only become clearer as the Pacific ocean and atmosphere continue to evolve

Sat, 06 Jun, 2026

A close up of a male Common House Mosquito on a Fennel flowers (Culex pipiens)

Hot topic: The ecological winners of the mini May heatwave

When Ireland gets unusually warm, nature pays attention. A burst of warmth in late May can change behaviour, accelerate life cycles and create ecological winners. Not every species dislikes heat. Some quietly thrive

Thu, 28 May, 2026

Builder On Site Putting Waste Into Rubbish Skip

Round the houses: Building more and wasting less should not be competing ambitions

Ireland urgently needs homes and increasing supply remains a national priority. The challenge, however, is not whether Ireland should build. It must. The challenge is whether future construction can become genuinely circular

Sat, 23 May, 2026

Summer: young adults watering plants on a rooftop community garden

Couple goals: Can economic growth finally go green?

Researchers have found that many urban economies are continuing to grow while fossil-fuel pollution declines, meaning some cities are beginning to 'consciously uncouple' economic growth from fossil-fuel dependence

Sat, 16 May, 2026

Opening hours: Why some plants open by day and close at night

Opening hours: Why some plants open by day and close at night

Plants are constantly sensing, responding, and adapting to the world around them. They track time, detect light, react to temperature, and coordinate with insects in ways that are surprisingly sophisticated

Sat, 09 May, 2026

Michelle McKeown: Peatlands and why scientists around the world agreed on 50 urgent questions

Michelle McKeown: Peatlands and why scientists around the world agreed on 50 urgent questions

Peatlands may not be glamorous landscapes. They are muddy, waterlogged and often difficult to access. But they are among the most important ecosystems on Earth for tackling climate change

Fri, 01 May, 2026

rain is falling in a puddle in the garden

Michelle McKeown: The smell of rain and the science behind it

This smell of rain is a real physical thing that can be explained by science. In Ireland, where rain is a regular feature of daily life, this phenomenon is easy to overlook. But it is worth pausing to notice next time it rains

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Paradisical tropical beaches, islands and islets on Vanua Levu island near Savusavu, the hidden paradise of Fiji, Fiji, South Pa

Michelle McKeown: An island in the Pacific built from ancient waste

At first glance, this small island in Fiji looks like many others in the South Pacific. But beneath the surface, it tells a very different story

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Underwater coral bleaching of critically endangered species Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis)

Hot topic: The impacts of El Niño in a warmer world

El Niño years tend to push global temperatures higher, not because they cause climate change, but because they amplify it

Fri, 03 Apr, 2026

Young tabby domestic cat hunting in the green grass at summer

Paws for thought: Cats might just be the purr-fect predator

Cats are not just companions; they are, ecologically speaking, small but highly effective predators and we need to take their impact seriously

Fri, 27 Mar, 2026

Uluru Road Sign

What’s in a place name? Lots of human fingerprints as it happens

Place names on maps are not fixed truths. They are human decisions, shaped by language, power and, quite often, misunderstanding

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

Close-up image of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) perched on seaside black, hard plastic dumpster refuse bin, scavenging fish a

Same species, different city: Is nature losing its local accent?

Human activity is reshuffling biodiversity globally, allowing a relatively small group of adaptable species to spread widely, while more specialised species decline

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Winter weather Feb 16th 2026

Ireland’s seasonal identity crisis — what is it and how can we adjust?

It’s March. The daffodils are out, the evenings are getting longer, and winter is officially over. Or is it ...?

Fri, 06 Mar, 2026

Nesting woodpecker

The percussion of the great spotted woodpecker — a forgotten sound after such a long absence

The woodpecker’s place in Ireland isn’t a closed chapter with a neat conclusion. It’s an unfinished story

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Crabs on the road traffic sign - Christmas Island

A monopoly win isn't always good — what happens when one species takes over

Snake Island, Christmas Island, and Ireland's Saltee Islands, all show what happens when ecological balance tips and a single organism becomes just a little too successful

Fri, 13 Feb, 2026

Why are Irish communities seeing more flooding and several 'one-in-100-year' floods?

Why are Irish communities seeing more flooding and several 'one-in-100-year' floods?

A one-in-100-year flood does not mean a flood that happens once a century. It means a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. Two such floods can occur in back-to-back years, or several can occur in a single decade

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Sinkhole Swallows a Car in Florida

An unsettling natural hazard: Here's everything you need to know about sinkholes

Sinkholes are surprisingly selective. They require the right rock, the right water chemistry, the right underground space and just enough time...

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

Written on the walls: what lichens tell us about our environment

Written on the walls: what lichens tell us about our environment

Lichens have no roots, no waxy leaves and no way to filter what they absorb. Everything they take in comes directly from the atmosphere so they are extraordinarily sensitive to air quality. For more than a century, scientists have used lichens to track pollution

Fri, 23 Jan, 2026

Mountain stream flows through granite boulders in Glenmacnass valley, County Wicklow, Ireland

The invisible carbon in Ireland’s waters

Dissolved organic carbon may be one of the most underestimated pressures on Irish waters. About 20% of our land area is covered by peat and peaty soils, which are among the most carbon-rich ecosystems on Earth. That makes Ireland uniquely vulnerable to large losses of carbon from land to water

Fri, 16 Jan, 2026

Cold enough to remember

Cold enough to remember

Ireland has lived through colder climates than this, and what stands out in hindsight is not collapse, but continuity. During the Little Ice Age (from roughly the 14th century to the mid-19th century) people adapted to altered seasons and unreliable weather without knowing they were living through a climatic shift

Fri, 09 Jan, 2026

Lense

Ireland’s 2025 environmental review — and a look ahead to 2026

Ireland did not experience a single defining climate disaster in 2025... climate change in Ireland now operates less as a headline-grabbing event and more as a persistent context

Fri, 02 Jan, 2026

Mayo Cheeseburger Feast

Saving the planet, one label at a time

We've had a series of earnest discussions and proposals, including within the European Parliament, about whether plant-based foods should be allowed to use words like 'burger' or 'sausage'

Fri, 26 Dec, 2025

robin bird

Christmas pre-tinsel: when plants — and robins — ran the show

Strip Christmas of its baubles, batteries and Amazon deliveries, and what you’re left with is, at heart, a festival of plants. Trees dragged indoors. Mistletoe hung from the ceiling. Berries admired but (wisely) not eaten.

Fri, 19 Dec, 2025

Curious hedgehog in the grass

A pest or a prince — is it all down to postcodes?

The conservation–invasion paradox is when a species is endangered where it evolved but causes havoc where humans introduced it. So why can't we just bring unwanted animals to where they're wanted?

Fri, 12 Dec, 2025

Michelle McKeown: The weather tug-of-war that shapes our winters

Michelle McKeown: The weather tug-of-war that shapes our winters

Understanding the North Atlantic Oscillation won’t stop Irish winters being chaotic, but it helps explain why they sometimes fall into familiar rhythms. And it reminds us that, while climate change is gradually reshaping global systems, natural variability still has plenty to say

Fri, 05 Dec, 2025

16,000 years’ worth of stories to uncover from sediment in a West Cork lake

16,000 years’ worth of stories to uncover from sediment in a West Cork lake

In search of Ireland's ancient past by recovering and examining sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA)

Fri, 28 Nov, 2025

Why early-warning systems matter more than ever

Why early-warning systems matter more than ever

Long before sensors and satellites, people used whatever tools they had to read the world around them. In fact, the earliest warning systems were rooted in observation, culture and instinct — but sensors, algorithms and automated texts are now being employed in places such as Midleton in Cork

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

Tractor spreading artificial fertilizers in field

Phosphate: the world’s most under-appreciated resource

Ireland, like most of Europe, has no significant phosphate rock reserves. Every kilogram of phosphorus used on Irish farms is imported, primarily as processed fertiliser derived from mined rock abroad. That dependence makes Ireland (and the EU) strategically vulnerable

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

a willow casket - contemporary style

Michelle McKeown: The greenest ways to go when you go

When it comes to carbon footprints, the old-fashioned burial isn’t exactly green. Traditional burials involve embalming chemicals (usually formaldehyde) and hardwood coffins — but there are more eco-friendly options now available

Sat, 08 Nov, 2025

Flat Lay of Shattered Pumpkins After the Exciting Pumpkin Drop Event

Ireland’s frightening Halloween habit is a curse that can be broken by sustainable choices

Nature’s décor is unbeatable: fallen leaves, pinecones, bare branches, and candlelight (ideally in a glass jar rather than a plastic skull). They’re biodegradable, beautiful, and cost nothing

Wed, 29 Oct, 2025