Our community: Ceara Carney - Book of Leaves

'The list is endless'

Some people do, some people tell, while other people manage both. People like Ceara Carney, the person behind Book of Leaves, a podcast that interviews people in or from Ireland that are doing positive things for the planet. They could be living a zero waste lifestyle, have expertise on pollinators, or work for an environmental charity, “the list is endless!” she tells Circular.ie. 

Originally from Wexford, Ceara’s experience with animals and nature have shaped her modern attitude to our planet. It is with this premise that her podcasting endeavour began. 

“The whole idea is listeners can take a leaf out of the guest's book to add to their own way of eco-friendly living.”

And the audience does listen. Some people have reached out to say they have changed dietary choices on the back of listening to an episode, others shift their clothes purchasing habits. However, on occasion, the impact is far larger. 

Recently Ceara did a workshop with Gobnait from the Grassroots Guild on how to make a mini garden pond with a bucket. A few years prior, Ceara had put a post into a zero waste group, highlighting all of the buckets that Dunnes Stores throws away after their flowers are stocked in stores. At the workshop, Gobnait told the group that it was this post that inspired her to use the buckets for ponds. “It was a fabulous full circle moment,” says Ceara.

'So rewarding'

In the six years since the podcast was launched, Ceara’s aim of inspiring others has circled back in on herself, with her many guests gradually bringing her own life choices more in line with circular thinking. 

Most of our daily needs or wants are already in circulation, “so much so, we hardly need to buy anything that isn't food or toiletries new, right?” Now, Ceara borrows, swaps or thrifts her way to products or accessories she wants. “It's not been a perfect journey, but it's been so rewarding,” she says.  

Some of the things she has learned, that really stand out, include turning wine bottles into glasses, stained shirts into dresses, and even old wetsuits into accessories, “I’m looking at you, Lynn Haughton!”. 

“Seeing people get creative inspires me to give it a go with my own 'waste'. Because of them, I've turned what was once rubbish into shiny garden decor or bird feeders! Anytime I'm feeling a bit lost, people getting creative help me find the light again.

“I try to hijack any compliment someone gives me into a plug for circularity. As nearly everything I own is secondhand or upcycled or just really old, if it gets a compliment, I let them know where I got it. 

“This is most fun with my upcycled items like a pair of earrings I have from Dana Jewellery, made from old vinyl records. I hope this way, when they realise the item they were fondly looking at was once 'rubbish', a seed is planted for them to understand the circular way of living.”

In the next few months, Ceara’s focus is turning to short-form content. The podcast serves a purpose, but true reach, in her eyes, is through the virality of social media. Finding the time for this, though, might be a little tricky given Ceara’s full-time job outside of Book of Leaves.

“So perhaps acquiring some funding would also be great,” she adds.