Coffee, Oysters, and Climate Action: A Morning with David Lawlor

Posted in Blog on Jan 03, 2025.

Author: Cordula Scherer

In mid-November 2024, I had the pleasure of meeting David Lawlor, a coffee trader with a mission that goes far beyond his professional domain. David is channelling some of the profits from his coffee business into an inspiring environmental initiative: restoring native oyster grounds in the Dublin Bay Biosphere through his project, ©Green Ocean Coffee.

David’s passion was evident from the moment he walked into the Trinity Centre for Environmental Humanities at Trinity College Dublin. Bright and early, he enthusiastically shared his vision for reintroducing the native oyster (Ostrea edulis) to the bay of our capital city.

The Green Ocean Project: Reviving a Forgotten Heritage

David launched the ©Green Ocean Coffee “oyster gardens” in November 2023 and has been tirelessly working to re-establish native oyster reefs in Dublin Bay ever since. This will take a lot of effort and time and he is in it for the long-haul. The project uses specialised marine boxes suspended 1-2 meters below floating walkways in harbours and marinas around Dublin Bay. Each box houses ten mature oysters, allowing them to grow, spawn, and filter-feed in optimal conditions over the next 10 years or so.

At first glance, the cages might remind you of the plastic covers on 1980s TVs, but their design is anything but retro. David explained how these purpose-built structures ensure sufficient water flow, enabling the oysters to thrive.

Currently, 120 of these boxes are deployed all around the bay, housing wild Irish oysters sourced from Tralee Bay. The ultimate goal? To restore Dublin Bay’s historical oyster reefs—natural habitats that once defined the region but disappeared due to overharvesting, pollution, and disease.

Oysters: Nature’s Climate Warriors

Our discussion highlighted just how critical oysters are to coastal ecosystems. These filter feeders improve water clarity by consuming algae, phytoplankton, and nutrients. The resulting cleaner water allows sunlight to reach the seafloor, enabling the growth of seagrass and seaweed—powerful carbon sinks that absorb CO₂ up to 35 times faster than rainforests.

This ripple effect of restoration doesn’t stop there. Seagrass meadows provide nurseries for juvenile fish, boost biodiversity, and act as natural wave barriers, reducing coastal erosion and protecting against storm surges.

As David shared his vision, it was clear that ©Green Ocean Coffee is about more than coffee or oysters—it’s a nature-based solution to climate change, rooted in Dublin Bay’s unique cultural and ecological history.

A Coastal Tale of Revival

Until the early 1800s, Dublin Bay was home to abundant oyster reefs, particularly around Clontarf and the area that has become Bull Island. These reefs were so plentiful that oysters were sold as the first “fast food” on Dublin’s streets from the 1850s. However, overexploitation, pollution, and the disease Bonamia ostreae led to their decline, and the native oyster vanished from the bay despite efforts to replenish them from wild oyster banks in the Arklow region.

David and his team are determined to bring them back. Over the next 10-20 years, as the oysters grow and spawn, their larvae will settle on hard surfaces like rocks and harbour walls, forming clumps that develop into reefs. These reefs will stabilise the seafloor and help protect our coastline from the impacts of rising seas and stronger storms.

Partnering for the Future

David and I could have talked for hours, but his next meeting was calling, and my own work awaited. As I reflected on our conversation, I was struck by the importance of initiatives like Green Ocean Coffee. David’s dedication to reconnecting Dubliners with their coastal heritage and restoring vital ecosystems is nothing short of inspiring.

I’m delighted to share that David is now a societal partner of our UNESCO Bridges Project: Coastal TALES. Together, we’ll give a joint talk at the Howth Sailing Club in spring 2025, sharing tales and knowledge about the history and importance of native oysters in Dublin Bay. This collaboration is just the beginning. David’s work is a testament to the power of local action, and his story reminds us all to engage with and protect our beautiful coastal environment.

As Dubliners, nearly 40% of us live within 5 km of the coast. This proximity offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible difference. With efforts like Green Ocean Coffee, we can ensure a healthier, more resilient coastline for generations to come.

David Lawlor’s passion is contagious, his work essential, and his vision an inspiration. Let’s hope it spawn (couldn’t resist the pun) many more stories of coastal revival in the years ahead.

Picture captions:

Picture 1: Oyster Gardens Volunteers in 2024, Dublin Bay. Photo taken by © Terry McDonagh


Picture 2: Oysters as Ireland’s “Fast Food” in the 1900s; here: Carlingford, Co. Louth 1934. Source: The Photographic Collection, C050.15.00009, photographer Maurice Curtin © National Folklore Collection, UCD. 


Picture 3: South East Ireland from Dublin to Wexford showing the oyster banks in the western Irish Sea. Reference: Map of Ireland, by Isaak Tirion, Amsterdam 1754

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