As a young accountant working for a renewable energy company, Fiona Smiddy thought that she was very eco-minded.
“But I wasn’t actually conscious of how my day-to-day (lifestyle) impacted the environment,” says the 29-year-old farmer’s daughter from Cork, who now runs Green Outlook, an online shop offering sustainably sourced, natural and plastic-free products from Ireland and Europe.
While now living in Kildare, Fiona spent much of her childhood with her grandparents, Michael and Mary Smiddy, on their drystock farm in Glanmire, which is now owned by her parents, Tony and Cynthia, and managed with the help of her brother, Kevin.
She recently came across her sixth class journal, where she had written that one day, she wanted to run her own business.
After farmer’s daughter and accountant Fiona Smiddy was made redundant, a change of lifestyle inspired a new – and greener – direction. \ Claire Nash
Doing what? That was the question. So after school, she studied commerce and French at UCC, before joining the KPMG graduate programme, qualifying as a chartered accountant in 2015, before moving on to a renewable energy company as their senior accountant.
But while Fiona was conscious of issues like climate change, on reflection, she feels she was not very aware of the impact of her daily lifestyle choices, such as buying “fast fashion”, eating processed foods or accumulating plastic bottles of “lotions and potions” in her bathroom.
Change of direction
In June 2018, however, Fiona was made redundant after the company closed down. Deciding to take some time out to travel and consider her options, Fiona was in Australia when she first came across what are known as “bulk and refill stores” – basically, shops where you can buy everything from pasta and rice to shampoo using your own reusable containers. Around the same time, she also read a book called Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson, which had a profound impact on her.
Water bottle €19, reusable coffee cup €22.50 and unscreen €13 from Green Outlook
Returning to Ireland full of enthusiasm, Fiona’s initial plan was to set up a similar shop to what she had seen in Australia, but after realising the costs involved for a “bricks and mortar” operation, decided to go online instead.
While doing her research, however, she had a stroke of luck when she came across a company called Green Outlook, which was owned by a couple who were moving abroad. They offered to sell Fiona their remaining stock and to hand over the website and a regular market slot that they had in Castletown House in Celbridge. 
Kitchen sponges €13, body soap €7, wooden soap tray €14, bamboo toothbrush €4, bees wrap large pack €20, facial scrubbies €9.50, organic cotton tampons €5.70, safety razor €26 and sunscreen €19 from Green Outlook
“It was a great leg up,” says Fiona, though she still estimates that she invested around €10,000 from her savings in taking over the business and expanding the range. She also completed a “Start Your Own Business” course with the LEO office in Kildare, and was able to avail of the short-term enterprise allowance for the initial set-up phase.
Product range
Re-launched in May, Green Outlook offers a range of sustainable body care, oral care, skin care and household goods, with almost 50% of stock from Irish suppliers.
For example, instead of buying a plastic bottle of shampoo, you can buy a solid shampoo “bar” (like a soap bar) made in Dublin from Three Hills Soap Company, which comes in a refillable tin at €12 and lasts approximately 50 washes. Or rather than using disposable face wipes or cotton wool pads that end up in the bin, you can try reusable bamboo makeup remover pads made in Dublin by Justine Le Guil, priced at €12.50 for a set of six. 
Facial serum €38, vegan wraps €20, reusable coffee cup €21, menstrual cup €24, toothpaste €8.50, wooden soap tray €14, kitchen sponges €13 and shampoo €12 from Green Outlook
Other Irish-made products include solid conditioner (€6.50), solid deodorant cream (€8), facial soap (€8), reusable kitchen sponges (€13) and scourers (€15.50), beeswax reusable sandwich/food wraps (€11) and even cotton sanitary liners that can be machine-washed and re-used (€7.50).
Products sourced further afield, meanwhile, but in the same ethos, range from bamboo toothbrushes (€4) and safety razors (€26) to stainless steel drinking straws (€4), reusable coffee cups (from €21) and wooden washing-up brushes (€5).
Fiona packages all of her online orders in reused cardboard and wrapping paper/magazines, though will be changing to sustainably sourced cardboard boxes as orders get busier. She also does “pop ups” at local markets and corporate days for companies, and will be selling starter sets and gift boxes in time for the Christmas market. 
Toothpaste €8.50, tooth floss €6.50, kids and adults' bamboo toothbrushes €4 from Green Outlook
For people who want to start taking small steps in terms of reducing their plastic use and in turn, environmental impact, Fiona believes that the “number one” product is a reusable water bottle, followed by a reusable coffee cup.
However, she also uses her business – in particular, her social media platform – to share tips on “greener” living in general or to talk about issues that matter to her. Indeed, after the Mercosur deal was announced, she used her Instagram stories to give her followers a tour of her family farm to show the high standards of food production in Ireland.
“They (the cattle) get the best of grass, they are so well looked after. The standard of quality, of planning and regulations built around the Irish farming industry are so high,” she says, adding that while she has cut back on her own meat consumption in recent years, she is not an advocate for veganism, instead favouring a balanced approach to diet with an emphasis on locally produced food over imported alternatives, and paying a fair price for a quality product when she does eat meat.
“It’s just like finding that balance where we are promoting and supporting our Irish farmers,” she concludes.
Visit www.greenoutlook.ie
As a young accountant working for a renewable energy company, Fiona Smiddy thought that she was very eco-minded.
“But I wasn’t actually conscious of how my day-to-day (lifestyle) impacted the environment,” says the 29-year-old farmer’s daughter from Cork, who now runs Green Outlook, an online shop offering sustainably sourced, natural and plastic-free products from Ireland and Europe.
While now living in Kildare, Fiona spent much of her childhood with her grandparents, Michael and Mary Smiddy, on their drystock farm in Glanmire, which is now owned by her parents, Tony and Cynthia, and managed with the help of her brother, Kevin.
She recently came across her sixth class journal, where she had written that one day, she wanted to run her own business.
After farmer’s daughter and accountant Fiona Smiddy was made redundant, a change of lifestyle inspired a new – and greener – direction. \ Claire Nash
Doing what? That was the question. So after school, she studied commerce and French at UCC, before joining the KPMG graduate programme, qualifying as a chartered accountant in 2015, before moving on to a renewable energy company as their senior accountant.
But while Fiona was conscious of issues like climate change, on reflection, she feels she was not very aware of the impact of her daily lifestyle choices, such as buying “fast fashion”, eating processed foods or accumulating plastic bottles of “lotions and potions” in her bathroom.
Change of direction
In June 2018, however, Fiona was made redundant after the company closed down. Deciding to take some time out to travel and consider her options, Fiona was in Australia when she first came across what are known as “bulk and refill stores” – basically, shops where you can buy everything from pasta and rice to shampoo using your own reusable containers. Around the same time, she also read a book called Zero Waste Home by Bea Johnson, which had a profound impact on her.
Water bottle €19, reusable coffee cup €22.50 and unscreen €13 from Green Outlook
Returning to Ireland full of enthusiasm, Fiona’s initial plan was to set up a similar shop to what she had seen in Australia, but after realising the costs involved for a “bricks and mortar” operation, decided to go online instead.
While doing her research, however, she had a stroke of luck when she came across a company called Green Outlook, which was owned by a couple who were moving abroad. They offered to sell Fiona their remaining stock and to hand over the website and a regular market slot that they had in Castletown House in Celbridge.
Kitchen sponges €13, body soap €7, wooden soap tray €14, bamboo toothbrush €4, bees wrap large pack €20, facial scrubbies €9.50, organic cotton tampons €5.70, safety razor €26 and sunscreen €19 from Green Outlook
“It was a great leg up,” says Fiona, though she still estimates that she invested around €10,000 from her savings in taking over the business and expanding the range. She also completed a “Start Your Own Business” course with the LEO office in Kildare, and was able to avail of the short-term enterprise allowance for the initial set-up phase.
Product range
Re-launched in May, Green Outlook offers a range of sustainable body care, oral care, skin care and household goods, with almost 50% of stock from Irish suppliers.
For example, instead of buying a plastic bottle of shampoo, you can buy a solid shampoo “bar” (like a soap bar) made in Dublin from Three Hills Soap Company, which comes in a refillable tin at €12 and lasts approximately 50 washes. Or rather than using disposable face wipes or cotton wool pads that end up in the bin, you can try reusable bamboo makeup remover pads made in Dublin by Justine Le Guil, priced at €12.50 for a set of six.
Facial serum €38, vegan wraps €20, reusable coffee cup €21, menstrual cup €24, toothpaste €8.50, wooden soap tray €14, kitchen sponges €13 and shampoo €12 from Green Outlook
Other Irish-made products include solid conditioner (€6.50), solid deodorant cream (€8), facial soap (€8), reusable kitchen sponges (€13) and scourers (€15.50), beeswax reusable sandwich/food wraps (€11) and even cotton sanitary liners that can be machine-washed and re-used (€7.50).
Products sourced further afield, meanwhile, but in the same ethos, range from bamboo toothbrushes (€4) and safety razors (€26) to stainless steel drinking straws (€4), reusable coffee cups (from €21) and wooden washing-up brushes (€5).
Fiona packages all of her online orders in reused cardboard and wrapping paper/magazines, though will be changing to sustainably sourced cardboard boxes as orders get busier. She also does “pop ups” at local markets and corporate days for companies, and will be selling starter sets and gift boxes in time for the Christmas market.
Toothpaste €8.50, tooth floss €6.50, kids and adults' bamboo toothbrushes €4 from Green Outlook
For people who want to start taking small steps in terms of reducing their plastic use and in turn, environmental impact, Fiona believes that the “number one” product is a reusable water bottle, followed by a reusable coffee cup.
However, she also uses her business – in particular, her social media platform – to share tips on “greener” living in general or to talk about issues that matter to her. Indeed, after the Mercosur deal was announced, she used her Instagram stories to give her followers a tour of her family farm to show the high standards of food production in Ireland.
“They (the cattle) get the best of grass, they are so well looked after. The standard of quality, of planning and regulations built around the Irish farming industry are so high,” she says, adding that while she has cut back on her own meat consumption in recent years, she is not an advocate for veganism, instead favouring a balanced approach to diet with an emphasis on locally produced food over imported alternatives, and paying a fair price for a quality product when she does eat meat.
“It’s just like finding that balance where we are promoting and supporting our Irish farmers,” she concludes.
Visit www.greenoutlook.ie
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