013: Owner/Managing Director of Greenheart, Elena Kinane
Our guest today is a very passionate organic farmer that started growing her produce in the UAE desert. Her produce can be tasted in some of the best restaurants in the UAE. She is also an advocate for a sustainable, healthy and clean living.
Crazy birds, without any further ado, I would like to welcome, Elena Kinane.
Episode Highlights
[01:11] How did your journey start.
[02:12] I started with very small ways on my balcony.
[02:25] So I kind of went back in time and said ok how do I do this and I taught myself really how to do this for myself and in this climate that we are in.
[03:03] So I was raised on buckets of spinach and kale, we had kale then already and it was a real winter hardy vegetable so well before it became fashionable.
[03:34] When people like to talk about cost I always like to point out that food cost today is on an average 80% cheaper in real terms than it was 100 years ago.
[03:57] Meat was really a luxury. People were’t eating meat every day, really items such as chicken were a treat you know or turkey it was reserved for Christmas. We did not have them on a regular basis.
[04:38] People nowadays want to spend very little on food and more money on luxury goods.
[04:46] The reason why organic food is more expensive is, is because it is grown in the way it ought to be grown. In nutritious soil, it is grown by hand without chemicals and that takes longer.
[05:06] If you buy a handmade handbag from really good leather you would expect that to be more expensive to some that you buy on the high street in a cheap shop and it is very similar but the handbag that you buy that is handmade will last you a lot longer than the cheap bag and that is how you have to see it. If you eat good food it is an investment in your health.
[06:05] What do you guys do differently?
[06:52] Each chemical has only been tested by itself, not how it works with others. So the toxicity levels increase when they are put together.
[07:24] What we do is we enrich our soil naturally with compost made on the farm.
[08:15] In nature you always have a mixture of different things growing together you never have just one item.
[08:52] A lot of people are overweight but they are depleted in nutrients because they eat a lot of food but there are no nutrients in any of the food that they are eating.
[09:49] I think that consumers should always ask questions.
[09:53] What makes Greenheart different?
[10:32] Every item that you see here is hand-picked. There is nothing here that I wouldn’t eat that I am selling.
[11:05] I am a big advocate on double checking everything because you can’t rely on people that tell you this is organic, it is good for you, but that it not the case.
[12:31] It is about being part of this movement, you know we need to move, we can not continue to stick our head in the sand and think it will be ok, because it will not. We all need to do our bit.
[13:25] I would really question producers of organic food that wrap everything that they produce in a plastic tray with plastic foil, let it sweat there for starters.
[14:20] We don’t have any food waste.
[15:15] Every farm use to collect their own seeds themselves, they kept a quarter of what they grew for the next season.
[18:01] We need to just go back a step sometimes in order to advance.
[19:09] What was one of your most important decisions that you have made around mama earth?
Final Five
1. What is one social media platform that you follow?
2. What is your hope for mama earth going forward?
I just hope that people will wake up. I hope that people will learn to prioritize and see really what is important because I think we have lost the vision of what is important and what isn’t important.
3. What advise can you give our crazy birds this week to help out mama earth?
Consumers are very powerful and we need to be aware of that and your decision, every decision that you makes count and inform yourself, be an informed consumer. Don’t believe what people tell you. Double check, cross-check.
4. What is one sustainability fact that you like to use in a room with people not yet on a sustainability journey?
I would like to ask them how they see things in 10, 15 years time. How are we progressing? Where do they want to be? Where do they want to be with their children? How will they feed themselves? How will they live? What air will they breathe? What animals will they see? This is something that I do quite regularly, where do you want to go with this? Because lets face it we are all happy to spend money on a house, car, holidays, all of that but we are not willing to see where we are going to go as a society and that is really important I think as we can still fix a lot of things if we turn around now, but if we wait until it is too late then we won’t be able to fix it anymore. So we need to wake up now and make the change.
5. Where can people find you?
Key Take Away
“ Consumers are very powerful and we need to be aware of that and your decision, every decision that you makes count and inform yourself, be an informed consumer. Don’t believe what people tell you. Double check, cross-check. ”
We often forget the power of our voices. If we always complain about produce being overpackaged and we complain about GMO and sugars in the food we purchase then we as individuals have the power to address this by voting with our money. We have the power not to purchase items that we feel strongly against and if we all start refusing to purchase and consume these items, the manufactures will have no choice but to make a positive change or find them in a situation where they would go out of business. Therefore do not compromise on what you believe in and rather support companies that share your philosophies as well and together fight for a more sustainable future.
About the author, Mariska
Hi, I’m Mariska – podcast host, artist, sustainability advocate and consultant, and storyteller driven by a deep passion for our planet. Sustainability isn’t just a topic I discuss; it’s a way of life I embody through my work, actions, and everyday choices.
My journey began several years ago when I started experimenting with trash as a medium in my artwork. What began as creative curiosity quickly turned into a deep dive into the environmental impact of waste. That curiosity expanded into a broader connection with nature—including a life-changing trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, where I found both clarity and purpose. It was there that I made the decision to leave the corporate world behind and commit fully to environmental work.
In 2018, I took that message public in the UAE by wearing every piece of trash I generated for 30 days. The result—65 kilograms of waste—sparked national conversations around sustainability and waste reduction. That bold experiment also became the catalyst for my podcast, Mama Earth Talk, where I’ve since connected with global thought leaders to explore sustainability and inspire meaningful action.
Over the years, I’ve collaborated with organizations such as Nespresso, Costa, and Dubai International Airport to implement practical and impactful environmental solutions. From optimizing waste management systems to leading awareness campaigns, I specialize in designing strategies that create real, lasting change.
My artwork—blending environmental advocacy with creative expression—has been collected by public figures including comedian Trevor Noah, environmentalist Adrian Grenier, entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, radio host Kris Fade, Grammy Award-winning DJ Black Coffee, and NBA player Mason Plumlee. Through public speaking, podcasting, and art, I aim to inspire individuals and organizations to rethink their relationship with the environment.
With over a decade of international experience in design and project management across Australia, South Africa, the UK, India, and the UAE, I bring a unique mix of creativity and strategic insight to sustainability challenges. My global perspective allows me to collaborate across cultures, drive innovation, and empower others to make a meaningful impact.
As a lifelong learner and passionate advocate, I focus on practical, holistic solutions to environmental challenges—guided by systems thinking and a deep commitment to action. I hold a BA in Design, a postgraduate degree in Environmental Science, and a Master’s in Sustainable Design.