Michael MacDonald is a revolutionary waiting for a rising, an activist with a plan of action, a man looking to pull apart the fabric of industry and rebuild it with a view to doing things better and cleaner and greener.
His ambition - to save the world.
Michael is a charming sight, always in a bustle, always carrying information to give to others he meets along the way, always thinking.
The difference between Michael and others is that Michael is not just a thinker, he is a do-er.
He has patented inventions that produce organically certified fertiliser from bone meal, he has created his own range of health food, and got himself an Irish liqueur made from sea plant ready for a world market.
This week Michael and his business Greenplan were recognised by the Green Awards in two categories: the Green Entrepreneur Award and the Green Product Award, Fertilan.
Fertilan in the Green Product Award category was invented by Michael with a philosophy that ‘natural science is best’. It is a made from meat and bone meal and is a wholly Irish organic fertiliser and soil conditioner.
“This is a safe product made with traditional values, that will produce healthy crops and the produce grown in it will have a better shelf life.
“It is also good for the soil. Over worked clay is restored and humus re-established which assists the soil nutrient uptake and water stability in times of low rainfall. The Fertilan itself gives a slow release of nutrients to the plants and is a non-pollutant source so it is protecting the environment,” explains Michael.
Michael is up for the Green Entrepreneur award and that is for all the wonderful products and inventions he has created to try and make the world vibrant and sustainable.
His website alone lists half a dozen products including Fertilan, Algen Capsules, a herbal natural diet supplement for humans, and Sinn - a low calorie liqueur made from sea plants.
“Sinn is the next big thing for my company in 2014. It is compliant with all my green standards and we use sea plant extracts, herbal extracts, yeast and organic sugar. Everything I do, I do with a green greater vision. The Green Awards are great and will help things ‘grow naturally’ by drawing attention to Fertilan and the work Greenplan does.”
“Michael is one of those unique people. A real entrepreneur backed up with a fine intelligence and the drive to bring things into being. The chamber wishes Michael the best of luck in the Green Awards and we hope to see Sinn on the shelves of local supermarkets soon,” said Pat Whelan, Mullingar Chamber president.
Now entering its sixth year, the Green Awards aim to celebrate excellence in sustainability and to encourage green best practice amongst Ireland's organisations and individuals.
