A community owned energy cooperative representing the 3 Aran Islands. Lifetime membership is open to everyone who lives on the Islands for a fee of just €100. The cooperative is non-profit with all of the benefits going back into the community. The co-op shows how ordinary citizens can have big impacts on their community – but set things up right on a firm base.
County:
Galway
Aran Islands’ Energy Co-operative (Case Study)
We are a community owned energy cooperative representing the 3 Aran Islands. Lifetime membership is open to everyone who lives on the Islands for a fee of just €100. The cooperative is non-profit with all of the benefits going back into the community. The co-op shows how ordinary citizens can have big impacts on their community – but set things up right on a firm base.
Westside Community Organic Garden: Growing Together for Sustainability (Case Study)
In the heart of Galway’s Westside, a city community turned land that was not being used into a growing centre for biodiversity sustainability, and connections between people. Set up in 2011, this project which is led by volunteer gives locals the power to grow local food. It helps people in the community work together and improve how we look after the land. It’s more than just a garden—it’s a living space where people come together to look after both the land and each other.
Creative Climate Action: Art and Sustainability in Westside (Case Study)
Westside Resource Centre’s community-led projects bring creativity and climate action together to engage residents in meaningful ways. Projects like “Painting the Planet” and “The Air We Share” use art and science to make sustainability understandable, start conversations about environmental issues, and strengthen community connections. Read the full case study to learn more about this work and what they are able to do.
Home Coffee Maker Sustainability
I’ve started cleaning my coffee pods and recycling them at a Nespresso drop-off point.I felt guilty using my Nespresso machine – I knew that I wouldn’t be able to wittingly continue as I was. I researched recycling methods and found that Nespresso would take their used pods and ethically dispose of them.




