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May 18, 2012
Professional Certificate in Strategic Environmental Planning and Sustainability
Schumacher Ireland Summer School 11th -15 June, additional bursaries available
We now have a new tranche of bursaries available reducing the cost of this course by up to 70%. Details here: http://www.schumacherireland.org/book.html
John Woods
Schumacher Ireland Summer School | www.schumacherireland.org
Visiting Research Associate | School of Law | Queen’s University Belfast
3 Bangor Road | Holywood | Co Down | N Ireland | BT18 0NT
Office: +44(0)28 9042 6513 | Mobile: +44(0)7712 843 213
john@ballykeel.plus.com | j.m.woods@qub.ac.uk
Poster at: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14235850/From%20Crisis%20to%20Resilience%20flier.pdf
Celebrate Biodiversity Day 22nd May 2012
Tuesday 22nd May: International Day for Biological Diversity, this year the theme is on Marine Biodiversity. The ocean covers 71 % of the surface area of the globe, and constitutes over 90 % of the habitable space on the planet, “From space, the planet is blue. From space, the planet is the territory. Not of humans, but of the whale.” Heathcote Williams, Whale Nation.
The ocean world is in all our daily lives. Our seas provide us with food (15% of the dietary intake of animal protein) substances derived from seaweeds stabilise and thicken creams, sauces, and pastes, are mixed into paint and used to make paper and even in skin lotion and toothpaste. Many marine plants and animals also contain a multitude of substances already being used, or identified as being of potential use, in medicines. Most importantly of all, tiny marine plants called phytoplankton produce energy, like plants on land, through photosynthesis. As a result of that photosynthesis, they release oxygen. In fact, phytoplankton release half of all oxygen in the atmosphere. Without life in the ocean, there would be no life on Earth. See the report “One Ocean, Many Worlds of Life” http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14235850/Research%2C%20Publications%20%26%20Info/One%20Ocean%20Many%20Worlds%20of%20Life.pdf
CEF in partnership with the Caha Centre is running a Childrens Workshop, however, Marine Biodiversity Day 2012 is an opportunity for any group or individual to celebrate and highlight the rich tapestry of the nearby sea and shore environment. Cork is a coastal county so why not visit your own local shoreline, take a trip on the sea or if diving is your thing explore the depths. If you would like to run an event and advertise through our website we would be happy to promote it for you.
Nationally the following Seminar takes place in Dublin and for further information check out the website and the report “One Ocean, Many Worlds of Life”.
Marine Biodiversity Seminar: Protecting marine life for future generations
&
Launch of the Marine Institute’s Ground fish Survey Atlas
World Biodiversity Day: Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Jointly organised
by the Marine Institute and the Marine Group of the Environmental Pillar
and kindly hosted by the EC representation in Ireland in the European Union House, 18 Dawson St, Dublin 2
9.00-1pm
To register please complete the attached form and forward to:
Justin Byrne, Administrator, Irish Environmental Network by 15 May.
Email: Justin@ien.ie (Tel: 01 878 0116).
Glengarriff BioBlitz 18th/19th May - National Biodiversity Data Centre
Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve
Date: 18 May 12 - 19 May 2012
Time: 5 p.m. Friday to 5 p.m. Saturday
Location: Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve
On May 18th/19th, Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve will be one of four venues in Ireland taking part in BioBlitz, which is an annual event organised by the National Biodiversity Data Centre to celebrate the rich natural heriatge of Ireland. This is the first time Glengarriff was chosen to take part and it's also the first year a site in Northern Ireland is participating. The aim of the event is for scientists and ecologists to come together and record as many species as possible in 24 hours (from 5pm Friday to 5pm
Saturday).
Glengarriff has a great array of experts lined up to cover areas as diverse as moths, lichens, fish, mammals and woodland plants. However, there will also be events for the public to demonstrate how scientists and ecologists go about finding and identifying wildlife.
There will be events such as a Bat Walk with the Cork Bat Group (9pm Friday 18th), Dawn Chrous with BirdWatch West Cork (4:30am
Saturday 19th), Nature Walk with NPWS (11am Saturday 19th) and Tracks and Bugs with 'Streamscapes' (2pm Saturday).
Keep an eye on the BioBlitz Facebook page and the BioBlitz website: http://bioblitz.biodiversityireland.ie/glengariff-nature-reserve/
For more information you can also contact the Conservation Ranger in Glengarriff Woods,
Clare Heardman clare.heardman@ahg.gov.ie
Ocean to City Festival - Family coastal cycle & picnic Sat 2nd June
As part of this year's festival, a family-friendly coastal cycle & picnic will take place on race-day, Saturday 2nd June, 2012 gathering at Cork city hall from 9:30am and heading to Passage West & Monkstown with two 'pick-up' points along the route.
The motivation behind this is to highlight the beautiful Cork harbour area & cycle route, to promote cycling and to support the rowers taking part in An Rás Mór.
For more information & route map see http://www.oceantocity.com/en/event/events/coastal-cycle.html.
The cycle is being organised in conjunction with the Cork Cycling Festival (http://www.corkcyclingfestival.com).
This year's festival also includes An Rás Mór, Blackrock Youth Race & Festival, Photography Competition, Harbour Cruises, Angling Day, Navy Tours, Dragon Boat-Currach-Kayak try outs, Triskel Movies, Cork Harbour School and Cllr Kieran McCarthy's Build a Model Boat competition.... For more info & full programme, see www.oceantocity.com
If you wish to be removed from this distribution list, please contact me.
Feel free to distribute and add to your website, blog, facebook etc. All support appreciated.
Kind regards & thanks,
Diarmuid Mulcahy
Ocean to City - An Rás Mór
c/o Meitheal Mara,
Crosses Green,
Cork, Ireland.
T) 00 353 21 4847673
M) 00 353 86 2046357
web: www.oceantocity.com
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/0ceantocity
Twitter: Oceantocity
May 14, 2012
Claiming Our Future Events
Register now for the Reinventing our Democracy event on May 26 in Croke Park. The event is filling up, so don't miss this opportunity to make your mark.
This debate is urgent as the economic crisis deepens the fault lines in our already flawed democracy. Claiming our Future needs your participation to develop our agenda for change and to identify how best to advocate for this change. In order to support your participation on the day, we have prepared materials that cover some of the topics to be discussed. Find out more by visiting our website, or visit our YouTube channel by clicking on the link below. We will be putting up more materials in the period leading up to the event, so do stay linked. We welcome any responses or comments on these materials.
Building a Resilient Community and Economy in Kerry.
Transition Kerry and Claiming Our Future invite you to a gathering in the Carlton Hotel, Tralee on Saturday, May 12—from 10am to 3.30pm. While the deliberations will focus primarily on Kerry, the discussion will address challenges that face many communities in Ireland. Over the course of the day, we hope to develop an agenda for action that makes enhancing resilience a priority in both policy and practice. All welcome—register here:
Regards
Claiming Our Future
Ombudspersons for Future Generations
Ombudspersons for Future Generations
Finding a solution to the short-term interests and ongoing unsustainable practices driving our societies and economies is a recurring issue. Few innovative ideas have emerged, fewer are being fully implemented and, as a consequence, we are exceeding planetary boundaries, threatening the security and wellbeing of those around us and those who follow us.
There is a way of challenging mainstream politics from within, guaranteeing that sustainable development and long-term thinking are part of decisions in all areas from the start. Appointing a legal representative, an Ombudsperson for Future Generations that actively speaks up in the name of future generations can help bring the necessary checks and balances to our political systems.
The Problems:
· Sustainable development and other issues relevant to the future of the people and of our planet are left until the end of decision-making processes, if taken into account at all. Even in the sustainable development debate, economic issues tend to dominate.
· Many promises are made, yet too often they are put aside because of current economic or employment worries, with the false perception that there are no connections between issues and the unfounded assumption that sustainable politics is having a negative impact on the latter.
· We still know very little about whether or not our politicians are really thinking about all the important areas that affect the decision, and what long term consequences they may have in people’s lives.
Over the last 64 years, since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed in 1948, all human rights, the civil and political as well economic, social and cultural rights have come to be accepted and have evolved into a commonly shared standard to measure the performance of our political institutions. Yet present institutions currently fail to respect and honor the rights of future generations, or even consider the needs of those who are yet to come.
A Solution is the creation of Ombudspersons for Future Generations:
1. Independent office outside of government
Much like an inspector or auditor that cannot make new rules but can ensure that those making the rules are keeping to their promises, the Ombudsperson monitors government policy to assess the likely impact on future generations. Independence means that the Ombudsperson can take the long-term view and is not influenced by short-term political and economic interests or market driven solutions.
2. Direct Access
The office is an important tool that provides us as citizens with direct access to the heart of decision making, hugely improving the legitimacy of governments.
3. Transparent and Informative
The office would keep all reports and functions open to the public.
This June, a United Nations conference will take place in Rio de Janeiro, 20 years after the first 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Rio + 20 will be the biggest world gathering on the topic of sustainability ever, and we are all looking for real decisions to be made there. Rather than more soft promises pushing responsibility another 20 years into the future, we need to see some concrete and immediate institutional decisions to be taken. Ombudspersons for Future Generations is a concrete proposal that has already shown results in Hungary, Wales , New Zealand and other countries where it has been introduced.
Ombudsperson for Future Generations is a fundamental step towards effective, meaningful, and democratic change.
Be part of that change! By signing the petition, tell your country’s leaders we need a future generation defender.
Sign the petition now to demand a planet defender for your country!
Once signed, you will be joining a list of signatories from all over the world, all eager for positive change. Before Heads of State arrive in Rio on the 20 June, we will be sending this petition to them, along with your signature. Please watch this space for an update on the final number of signatories and the complete list of Heads of State we write to.
http://www.righttothefuture.org/RFPeticaoEN
European Sustainability Camp @ The Hollies, Enniskeane
Places are still available on a European Sustainability Camp at The Hollies Centre near Enniskeane.
Irish residents aged 18 to 25 years can apply to The Hollies Centre for Practical Sustainability to spend a week with young people from Spain and Portugal between 13 - 20 June 2012. They will get hands-on experience with organic gardening, building houses and baking ovens with natural materials as well as learning about conflict resolution and other life skills.
We are still looking for a number of participants for this youth exchange which is part funded by the European Commission under their Youth in Action programme. All tutors of The Hollies are involved with this camp by teaching skills that are designed to help dealing with the challenges of our times: economic downturn, climate change and the need for a more environmentally friendly and healthy way of life. The group of around 30 young people will also experience living in community and learning from each other in a multi-cultural setting.
This unique camp will take place between the 13th and the 20th June at The Hollies Centre near Enniskeane, Co.Cork and comes with an opportunity for a return visit to the Eco-Village Lakabe in the Spanish Pyrennees between 27 October - 4 November and a visit to the Portuguese Transition Town project Aldeia das Amoreiras around Easter 2013.
More information is available at http://theholliesonline.com
Cost: € 150.
For booking a place e-mail to info@theholliesonline.com.
Best wishes,
Thomas Riedmuller
May 11, 2012
Irish Rail - Community Support Initiative
The Journey's on Us - New Community Support Initiative: apply for free group travel for community/voluntary groups
30 April 2012
Iarnród Éireann has launched a new community initiative to support organisations and groups in the voluntary, community, sporting and charity sector.
The initiative, entitled "The Journey's On Us", will provide up to €200,000 worth of group travel to organisations in the sector who apply for the scheme in 2012.
Under the initiative, 100 groups of up to 50 people per group will receive a free return group travel journey from Iarnród Éireann, across any of the company's services. The travel facilities will be ideal in particular for organisations bringing a group to a special event, or as part of a specific support to the members of the group which requires travel.
Further information and terms and conditions are available at www.irishrail.ie/journeys
Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Dick Fearn said of the initiative "the role of the railway is to connect communities. Through this exciting new initiative, we will help those who do most to bring communities together, and we anticipate to a strong response from groups in this sector from around the country. We want to hear of the excellent work being done, and how this new initiative can help that work."
The initiative is also being supported by The Mooney Show on RTÉ Radio 1.
May 9, 2012
Gunpowder Trail Walk & Notice re Heritage Week
Walk the Gunpowder Trail, Ballincollig on 19th May at 2pm – see link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14235850/WALK%20THE%20GUNPOWDER%20TRAIL%20%20with%20Jenny%20Webb%2019th%20May%202012.pdf
Heritage Week will run from 18th August to 26th August this year and as in previous years, Cork County Council are planning to develop a County Leaflet to promote local county events for Heritage Week.
This will be distributed in the county through the library network, public offices of the local authority, tourist offices and, with your support, more locally through your own networks. If you are interested in having your event(s) promoted on this leaflet, please fill in the enclosed Heritage Week Registration Form – County Programme and return to the Heritage Unit, Cork County Council, Floor 3, County Hall, Cork by 22nd June 2012. Alternatively you can e-mail your information to conor.nelligan@corkcoco.ie . If you have any further queries you can contact Conor Nelligan on 021 4285905.
May 8, 2012
Cork Cycling Campaign - Appeal for volunteers for Cycle Count 10th May 7.30am - 9.30am
Cycle Count this Thursday 10th May 2012. 7.30 -9.30am
Would you be able to help us with the cycle count on Thursday morning? Or do you know anyone else who might be willing to help? Please contact Adam D'Arcy, Cork Cycling Campaign at corkcyclingcampaign@yahoo.ie
or check us out on facebook www.corkcyclingcampaign.com
Part of www.cyclist.ie
Nash's Boreen Summer Evening Walks
Please find attached the invite at http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14235850/The%20Nashs%20Boreen%20Walks%20invite%202012.pdf to an upcoming launch of summer walking on Nashs Boreen on May 9th. For further information contact:
Joanne McNamara
Community Health Worker (Farranree)
Health Service Executive - South
North Lee Community Work Department
Old Library
St Mary Road
Cork
T: 0867872265