Smoky Coal Ban & 7th EAP

Consultation calls

Review and Public Consultation of the Smoky Coal Ban Regulations

Closing Date: Thursday, 17th May 2012

On 12 April 2012 Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan T.D., announced a review and public consultation of the 'smoky coal ban' regulations. The purpose of the consultation exercise is to inform and assist a review of the smoky coal ban regulations to ensure that they remain fit for purpose in safeguarding air quality by limiting harmful emissions of air pollutants arising from the use of residential fuels.

EU Commission wants your views on priority objectives for the environment

Closing Date: 1st June, 2012

The Commission has launched a public consultation to gather views on the 7th EU Environmental Action Programme (7th EAP), which will set out priority objectives to be pursued up until 2020. The consultation remains open until 1 June. European Commissioner for Environment Janez Potočnik said: "The EU is home to some of the most ambitious environmental rules to be found anywhere in the world.

 

 

 

From Crisis to Resilience: rethinking Ireland's economic future

Schumacher Ireland Summer School

From crisis to resilience: rethinking Ireland's economic future

exploring the transition to a sustainable society on the island of Ireland

 Immerse yourself in Schumacher College's unique brand of transformative learning.

 Learn alongside four teachers who are international leaders in their fields.

 Examine fundamental questions about the nature of the economic crisis and explore how we can make the transition to a low-carbon, high well-being and resilient society.

 

11th-15th June 2012

Camphill Community Glencraig, Holywood, Co Down

Bursaries available. For further information go to www.schumacherireland

 

 

The Grid Project

 

A major new Electricity Project called the Grid Link Project has been launched on behalf of EirGrid.

 

This project is a proposed upgrade of the electricity grid in the south and east of Ireland through the development of a new 400 kV power line linking Leinster and Munster.

 

There will be a public Open Information Day in Midleton on 2^nd May 2012 @ 8.00pm in Midleton Park Hotel.

 

Also, the EirGrid Midleton Information Centre will be open every Monday from 12 noon to 6pm @ Oikoseen House, Castleredmond (on the Bailick road), Midleton.

 

For more information, please contact:

 

T: 1890422122

E: gridlink@eirgrid.com

A: The Grid Link Project Manager, EirGrid, P.O. Box 12213, Glenageary, Co Dublin.

W: www.eirgridprojects.com/gridlink

 

 

 

SWAN Research Project: The Common Agricultural Policy: Interactions with the Water Framework Directive and implications for the status of Ireland's waters.

SWAN Research Project:  The Common Agricultural Policy: Interactions with the Water Framework Directive and implications for the status of Ireland’s waters.

 

The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN)[1] requires a researcher or research team for a desk-based analysis of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the impacts and interaction of this on the status of Ireland’s inland waters, coastal waters, groundwaters and wetlands.  This should include:

·        An analysis of the key features of the CAP which drive agricultural practises posing a threat to the ecological status of Ireland’s waters and wetlands and to the achievement of Water Framework Directive (WFD) objectives;

·        A critical analysis of provisions in the Commission Proposal for CAP reform and an assessment of what, if any, the benefits of this are for the aquatic and wetland environment;

·        Recommendations for measures/amendments to the Commission proposal for CAP reform, under both Pillars, which would optimise the potential of the CAP to support WFD compliance and protection of aquatic resources.

This analysis of CAP should be supported by international case studies and best practise and carried out in the context of, and with regard to, current environmental and agriculture policy and legislation in Ireland, including the requirements of the WFD; current status of Nitrates Directive implementation and the potential implications of Food Harvest 2020 production targets for the aquatic environment.

 

An important element of the analysis will be consultation with a number of key decision-makers and relevant stakeholders.

 

The project output will be two reports: A technical report on the findings of the review with academic and other references (including an executive summary) and a summary report for policy/decision-makers.

 

A more detailed tender brief is available on request from info@swanireland.ie

 

The project deadline is August 15^th 2012; however earlier delivery will be viewed favourably.  Proposals should be submitted by email to Sinead O’Brien, Coordinator, Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) at sobrien@swanireland.ie by Thursday May 10^th 2012. 

 

[1] The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) is an umbrella network of 25 of Ireland’s leading environmental NGOs, national and regional, working to protect Ireland’s aquatic resources through active engagement in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and other water-related policy & legislation.

 

 

 

Sinead O'Brien

COORDINATOR

Sustainable Water Network (SWAN)

9 Upper Mount Street

Dublin 2

01 6425583

sobrien@swanireland.ie

 

 

 

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[1] The Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) is an umbrella network of 25 of Ireland’s leading environmental NGOs, national and regional, working to protect Ireland’s aquatic resources through active engagement in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and other water-related policy & legislation.

Putting a Value on Nature - the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Please find following details of this talk which will take place at the IIEA offices at 8 North Great Georges Street in Dublin.

 

About this Event http://www.iiea.com/events/putting-a-value-on-nature--the-economics-of-ecosystems-and-biodiversity

03 May 2012 @ 12:45

About the Speech:

Pavan Sukhdev argues that if we accounted for the true value of nature and the services it provides to society, such as freshwater, forests, food, clean air and medicine, we would stop wasting it. The loss of natural capital is estimated to cost over $2 trillion annually, according to the groundbreaking  Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study led by Dr. Sukhdev. In his address, Dr. Sukhdev will outline his vision for how to end the economic invisibility of nature and will make the economic case for environmental conservation.

About the Speaker:

Pavan Sukhdev has been described as “nature’s banker” and is a global thought leader on the green economy. A speaker at Davos in 2010 and 2011, he chairs the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Councilon Biodiversity. He is the Lead Author of the G8+5 commissioned report on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Head of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Green Economy Initiativeand author of its Green Economy Report. He is the co-founder of GIST advisory, an environmental consulting firm. A career banker, on sabbatical from Deutsche Bank, Dr. Sukhdev currently holds the McCluskey Fellowship at Yale.

This address is the fourth event in the 2012 ESB Lecture Series.

 

 

 

Kind regards

 

Michael Ewing

Coordinator

The Environmental Pillar

 

 

 

Heritage Talk & Walk Ballincollig Park Sat. 21st April & May Day Customs

For those of you who are interested there is a heritage event taking place this coming Saturday, 21^st, in the Regional Park, Ballincollig. The event takes in a talk and walk in the Park, identifying trees, plants and their uses for food and medicine (talk by Nikki Darrell). The meeting point is the car park at the Western End of the Regional Park and the duration of the event is from 14:30 to 16:00. It would be great if many of you could attend.

 

I also thought I would mention about the National Museum of Ireland (Country Life Division) and the survey they are undertaking in tandem with the Linenhall Arts Centre. The Survey is entitled “May On Our Doorstep” which is a celebration of May Day Customs in Ireland  see link http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14235850/May%20on%20Our%20Doorstep%20information.pdf - traditionally to celebrate the coming of the summer, i.e. may bushes, may flowers, may poles and may bonfires, etc. If you have any photographs; memories you would like to share; or if you indeed still celebrate May Day, please see the attached and make sure to visit the Our Irish Heritage Website.

It would be great if you could circulate this email to any other interested persons/groups.

 

Thanking you,

 

Le meas,

 

Conor

 

 

Conor Nelligan

S/ Heritage Officer

Cork County Council

 

 

 

 

Earth Day Sunday 22nd April 2012

EARTH DAY 22^ND APRIL 2012 – MOBILISE THE EARTH

 

This year, the theme for Earth Day is Mobilize the Earth. The 42nd Anniversary of Earth Day will bring together an unprecedented amount of individuals and organizations alike to celebrate the environment. The ‘Mobilize the Earth’ campaign aims to simply say that the Earth won’t wait. In the midst of the global recession, it seems that environmental issues have been put on the back burner; however, these problems will not subside simply because we ignore them. This campaign calls for people across the planet to unite and speak with one voice. The time has come for our leaders to put us on the path to sustainability and address our economic future by backing the green economic seriously.

 

Earth Day Network will also continue to achieve the goal of registering A Billion Acts of Green® before the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro (Rio+20) in June 2012. A Billion Acts of Green® aims to mobilize one billion acts of environmental service around the world, calling all individuals to commit an act that helps reduce carbon emissions and promotes sustainability. The act can be a simple gesture, such as washing laundry in cold water, or immense, like picking up a million pounds of trash. For more information click on this link http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14235850/Earth%20Day%202012.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

 

GIY - Growing Food for Beginners and Old hands Sunday 15th April

Grow-It-Yourself (GIY) are hosting an afternoon of talks around Growing food for Beginners and Old Hands. The talks will be led by Kitty Scully from RTE's 'How to create a Garden'. The event takes place on Sunday, 15^th April from 2pm at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Little Island. GIY is a national charity with the vision for a healthier, more connected and more sustainable world where people grow their own food. The organisation brings people together in community groups and online to inspire and empower them to grow vegetables. The main talk on the day will be entitled 'Grow your way to 5-a-day' and Kitty Scully will be explaining here how easy and rewarding it is to get started. She will also demonstrate Seed Sowing and later in the afternoon she will be taking questions from the audience in an Ask the Expert session. In addition, Peter Dowdall will talk on Pests, Diseases and Remedies and Local Projects will be introduced. Tickets for the event at €5 pp are available on the door or beforehand from the GIY Website. For more information view www.giyireland.com or call 051 302 191.

Best Wishes,

Carmen Cronin
GIY Regional Champion/ Munster
087 611 75 38

 

 

An Taisce Spring Clean Month events in Midleton

Midleton Tidy Towns is organising a coordinated National Spring Clean week for 5 days in the week of Monday 23 to Friday 27 April next.

A concerted effort will be made to clean up the entire Owenacurra Estuary from the Pontoon Walk behind Aldi; from the Dwyers Road side to the Ballyannan Wood shoreline
and across to the Bailick Road shoreline.

Both CBS Transition Year Students and St Mary's girls will be helping to clean up litter and debris on each day from 9.30am for 2 hours. The meeting point each day is at the Public Park (Seven Hills) on the Bailick Road.

Adult volunteers are needed to supervise the school groups each day and we are appealing to local residents to come and help. Please bring suitable all weather clothing and wellingons or boots. Gloves, vests and bags will be provided.

The Owenacurra River and Bailick estuary are part of the larger Cork Harbour complex which is an internationally renowned wintering area for many waders and wildfowl as well as a Special Protected Area (SPA). It also encopasses several Special Areas of Conservation (SAC).  

Local An Taisce representatives will also be on hand to assist us with this project.

School groups and other volunteers of all ages are welcome to come and help.

Nick Becker
Secretary - Midleton Tidy Towns Association
16 Chestnut Drive
Midleton
Co. Cork
Ireland
Tel +353 (0)85 774 2400
email nickbecker39@gmail.com

 

 

West Cork Garden - Kickstarter Appeal

 

Please take a moment to look at the Kickstarter Project which involves Peter Little of Hortisculptures whom CEF has commissioned for the past two years to create the Environmental Award sculptural pieces.

 

“We are one of the twenty gardens selected for the 20th anniversary of the Chaumont sur Loire International Art and Garden Festival in France. This year the theme of the event is 'Gardens of Delight, Gardens of Delirium'. The Festival features only 20 installations chosen from hundreds of applicants. For us, the opportunity to participate in a prestigious international event like this is not only invaluable but one of the few opportunities we have to fully explore the integration of sculpture and garden if you haven’t seen the site before it’s a donation based website to help artists launch projects, where you receive something in return!”

 

An interesting aspect is the engagement of this project with CLEVEL an organisation which combines the best ethical carbon offsets with exciting ways to engage people and communicate.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1985498782/mag-mell-creating-an-irish-paradise?ref=live

www.Hortisculptures.com

 

 

 

Family Walks from Lee Valley Walking

Lee Valley Walking will launch its family walks programme on Saturday April 7^th (Easter Saturday) with a walk to St Gobnait's Shrine in Ballyvourney via St Gobnait's Wood.

 

Each walk will have a focus of interest including local stories and folklore, archaeology, nature, the landscape etc.

 

The story of St Gobnait is a fascinating and families will hear how she came to be in Ballyvourney, her freindship with bees and the archaeological excavation of the site in the 1950s.

 

St Gobnait's Wood is springing to life now with wood anemones the harbingers of spring in flower. The birds are also active and in full voice.

 

Initially Lee Valley Walking will run one walk each month on Saturdays from April to August. Additional walks will be provided subject to demand.

 

The walks are of two hours duration starting at 10.30am and finishing at 12.30 and cost €20 per family for up to two adults and three children.

 

Walks are suitable for children of school-going age.

 

Lee Valley Walking has been providing guided walks in the Lee Valley, West Cork and Kerry since 1999. A walks Sunday programme is run year-round. Wednesday evening walks are held from May to August. Monday morning walks very suitable for those who haven't done hill-walking before are run from April (16^th) to June in a series of ten walks.

 

For more details see www.leevalleywalking.com or phone Catherine on 026 45642, phone or text 087 2231225.

 

 

 

 

 

CEF Green Drinks April & May 2012

GREEN DRINKS

 

THE ARCH BAR, DUNMANWAY

 

TUESDAY 10^TH APRIL @ 8PM

 

including

 

AN INTRODUCTION TO ESTABLISHING

A NEW CURRENCY

 

Phoebe Bright will introduce her work

with FEASTA on developing a new currency.

 

THE LV BAR, McCURTAIN ST., CORK

 

THURSDAY 10^TH MAY @ 6.30PM

 

 

Green drinks is a get together to allow people with an interest in sustainability and the environment to chat in an informal way.

We look forward to seeing you there.