12 minute read
Environment
Wexford Subaqua underwater cleanup.
This summer let’s enjoy and protect our coast
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Wexford Subaqua underwater cleanup.
Irish environmental charity Clean Coasts releases resources to help communities protect our coast
The Irish coast offers breathtaking views, beautiful beaches, epic cliffs, and more, and its unique beauty and character have been attracting visitors from all over the world. Furthermore, it provides its visitors with numerous opportunities to have fun, by taking part in water sports and coastal activities.
The Clean Coasts programme works with over 1,800 communities and over 37,000 volunteers nationwide to help protect and care for Ireland’s waterways, coastline, seas, ocean and marine life.
With the nice weather on the way, more people are expected to visit the beautiful coastal areas around the country, whether it is for sea swimming, water sports, or simply to enjoy the stunning landscape. With its ‘Enjoy and Protect’ campaign, Clean Coasts is asking people to enjoy and celebrate Ireland’s stunning coastline, beautiful beaches, epic cliffs and all outdoor areas, but also to protect these natural treasures for future generations to enjoy too, by making more sustainable choices, taking part in beach cleans or even do something as quick and simple as a #2minutebeachclean. This is an opportunity for beach users, outdoor enthusiasts and hundreds of other communities in Ireland to make a tangible difference for our marine environment and marine life while doing something they enjoy. Clean Coasts has released three guides containing tips and guidance on how to enjoy our coast while doing your bit to protect it. Two of these guides – Outdoor Living and A Day at the Beach – are available to download on its website and focus on activities such as camping, eating outdoors and spending a day discovering marine biodiversity. A third guide, a Community Guide, is available exclusively to registered Clean Coasts groups and includes guidance on organising beach cleans, building a network, attracting new volunteers and promoting their work. Another guide about outdoor photography will be launched at the end of the month, so Clean Coasts are inviting people to keep an eye on their social media channels and website. To find out more, visit: www.cleancoasts.org n
Wexford Co. Council achieves 40% energy reduction
Alexandra Hamilton, Senior Energy Engineer, 3CEA; Carolyne Godkin, Wexford County Council, Director of Services; and John Carley, 3CEA Chairman of the Board.
The County Councils of Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny working closely with 3 Counties Energy Agency (3CEA), have not only met but all exceeded the 33% energy reduction target set in the National Climate Action Plan.
3CEA is a not-for-profit energy agency –a partnership with the three County Councils, SMEs, communities, and citizens making their Energy Transition journey smoother.
“It is really making a difference. 3CEA technical support ensures that project opportunities are identified and acted upon promptly where practical. The 3 Counties Energy Agency worked with the Councils’ Energy Teams to deliver projects that will deliver ongoing, long-term sustained energy reduction in each case resulting in a cumulative saving of €19.97m,” says Paddy Phelan, CEO of 3CEA.
Wexford’s performance: energy needed to make 269 million cups of tea, or the amount of energy used by a typical family petrol car doing 43,000 laps of the Wexford county boundary, reducing CO2 emissions by 2,149 tonnes through avoided energy use, delivering a saving of 39.7%.
The spectrum of projects and initiatives implemented by Wexford County Council to achieve energy efficiency include the public lighting energy efficiency project whereby 91% of public lights across the county were replaced with more energy efficient LED bulbs. This gave a 65% reduction in energy use and 60% savings in operation and maintenance costs. Energy upgrades in Bunclody Fire Station, Gorey Library and the Council’s Machinery Yard all delivered substantial energy savings. The Council has also started transitioning their fleet to electric vehicles to further support the national policy and decarbonise local communities making them healthier and better places to live in. Carolyne Godkin, Director of Services, Wexford County Council, said, ‘We are strongly committed to continuing our journey to improve energy performance across all of our services. ISO50001 certification of our energy management system will help us deliver the target of 50% improvement in energy efficiency as set out in the National Climate Action Plan. The projects and initiatives implemented by the Council and our Energy Team to date has achieved energy efficiency of 39%; above average for all public bodies who are 34% more energy efficient than in 2009.’
Alex Hamilton, 3CEA Senior Engineer, said, “The Local Authorities are playing their part and have met their own 2020 targets, with projects planned to ensure they meet the more ambitious 2030 targets. We, that is society as a whole, need to change our behaviour and reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels. Everyone must play a part and 3CEA are here to offer independent advice to all who want to make a difference.” n
Living in Enniscorthy?
You are entitled to a brown bin from your provider.
If you are living in Enniscorthy, new food waste regulations mean you are entitled to get a brown bin if you request it from your waste disposal company, and you are required to separate your food waste from your black bin waste. If you don't have a brown bin, you can bring your food waste to Enniscorthy Recycling Centre. Learn more at:
Cllr Lisa McDonald admiring the great work done by Wexford Co. Council at Rathaspeck roundabout near Johnstown Castle.
Important and informative event
Learn How to Reduce your Household Waste, Recycling and Waste Prevention with Cliona Connolly at Wexford Library, May 10th at 11:00am. Cliona is the Environmental Awareness Officer with Wexford County Council. Booking is essential. https://wexfordcoco.libcal.com/event/3884883 Call 053 9196760 or email wexfordlib@wexfordcoco.ie n
Reserve a radon monitor at your library
Radon monitors are now available for all Wexford library members in the county to borrow. The monitors are available to borrow for a 4 week period, and come with instruction leaflets.
Above: Tractor ladies Catherine Cullen and Sinead Hammel watching the Over The Water Tractor Run at Ballymurn. Right: Waiting for the off – tractor men Patsy and Aaron Fitzgerald.
Over The Water Tractor Run officials: Margaret Scallan and Bridget Byrne. Below: Hop on board – young Dean Murphy on his tractor.
Over the Water Tracto Ballymurn 10th Ap
Tractor men p Martin Kearan,
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Above left: What’s all the fuss about as Paudie Grannell watches the tractor run. Above right: Young tractor enthusiast Molly Foley watches the tractor run from the comfort of her car.
planning their next tractor run: Paddy Buckley, John Redmond and John Rowe.
Above left: Eddie Murphy has seen many a tractor run in his day. Above right: Ruby O’Gorman and John Doyle at the run.
out at the Tractor Run – Paidi, Claire, Fia and Tony Murphy. bove: All set for the tractor run, Matt Doyle. he ready for the craic and the fun of the run is Paddy Kenny.
Managing farm safety
Minister Martin Heydon officially launched last month the Farmers4Safety – Managing Risk Together EIP AGRI Project and project website. EIP AGRI stands for The European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture Productivity and Sustainability. The Farm Safety EIP AGRI project adopts a ‘peer to peer’ mentoring approach that investigates farmer and farm familiy behaviours and attitudes towards farm safety, health and wellbeing and changes the norm around farm safety and emotional wellbeing so it becomes a normal and sustained part of farming culture in Ireland while making the sector safer for those who live, work and visit farms. By utilising a peer-to-peer mentoring approach it will effectively engage farmers on the ground and be the catalyst to change the social norms surrounding farm safety, health and wellbeing, and embed farm safety and emotional wellbeing within their daily routine on the farm.
Irish Rural Link (IRL, which includes Enniscorthy’s Billy Murphy as a board member) in partnership with the BRIDE (Biodiversity Regeneration in a Dairying Environment) project, the Duncannon Blue Flag Farming & Communities Scheme, the New Futures Farming Group, and the Health and Safety Authority are carrying out this piloted project in their catchment areas.
The majority of farm fatalities/injuries on farms are avoidable and this project will highlight the importance of farm safety, health and wellbeing on family farms. This Farm Safety EIP AGRI project indicates the importance of farmers looking after their own health and wellbeing and ensuring they are not risking their safety in carrying out jobs on the farm. Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Martin Heydon said: “Farmers and their families are the most powerful advocates we have for a change in culture around farm safety, health and wellbeing. Too often, familiarity can lead to farmers becoming accustomed to risks on their farms, risks our families and peers might spot including signs of issues around health and wellbeing. I am delighted my Department has been able to fund this project as I believe there is huge capacity for farmers to learn from one another to make their farms safer places and to improve their health and wellbeing. This Farm Safety EIP Agri Project is one of the eight projects piloting innovative approaches to farm health, safety and wellbeing focused on encouraging a bottom up approach to behaviour change among farmers in relation to farm safety.” Anyone wanting to find out more information about Farmers4Safety – Managing Risk Together EIP AGRI Project can check out their online social media –Twitter: https://twitter.com/Farmers4Safety Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Farmers4Safety/ and the website at www.farmers4safety.ie n
Rethink the Sink!
Wexford’s internationally renowned chef Kevin Dundon is encouraging the people of Wexford to ‘Rethink the Sink’.
Clean Coasts in partnership with Irish Water is partnering with Kevin Dundon to ask the people of Wexford to ‘Rethink the Sink’ and never pour fats, oils and greases (FOGs) down the sink. Instead, collect FOGs into a heat proof container (egg cartons, tins, jars etc), allow them to cool and empty into the bin.
Kevin Dundon along with other celebrity chefs and well known personalities from around Ireland are participating in this year’s ‘Think Before You Pour’ campaign including Gina Daly, Lilly Higgins, JP McMahon, Edward Hayden, Guy Sinnott and Mark Murphy as well as well-known food blogger, Niamh O’Sullivan. ‘Think Before You Pour’ is operated by Clean Coasts in partnership with Irish Water and appeals to the public not to pour FOGs down the kitchen sink, as a B&A survey reveals that approximately 4 out of 10 people admit to doing so. FOGs may seem like liquid when poured, but they cool and harden as they travel along the pipes and can cause blockages in our homes, businesses, the public sewer network and wastewater treatment plants and can even lead to overflows of sewage in our communities and pollution in rivers, on beaches and in the ocean. When FOGs combine with wipes and other sewage related litter such as hair and dental floss that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet, fatbergs can form. Irish Water clears hundreds of blockages including fatbergs from the wastewater network every week. Irish celebrity chef, television personality and author Kevin Dundon says: “I am delighted to be working with Clean Coasts and Irish Water on a great campaign to remind you to Think Before You Pour fats down the sink. As you all know, I love using fat while cooking, such as butter to baste a steak or some duck fat on crispy roast potatoes. But, once served, pouring the residue left on the baking trays and pans down the sink will only end up creating blockages and giant fatbergs.”
Speaking about the campaign, Sinead McCoy, Coastal Communities
Manager, Clean Coasts, said: “The prevention of blockages in our wastewater systems by fats, oils and greases is something everybody can engage in. Simply by being more conscious of our behaviour at the sink, and by making small changes, we can all have a positive impact on our natural environment. I would encourage and remind everyone to
‘Think Before You Pour.’” n
