1 Mar, 2015 By Mary

National Tree Week 1 – 8 March 2015 ~ ‘ Do you love Trees?’

The theme for National Tree Week 2015 is ‘Do you love trees?’

The launch of National Tree Week being sponsored by ESB takes place in Castletown House in Co Kildare on 1st March where the Tree Council will be giving away over 2,000 trees and 15,000 during the week thanks to Coillte. National Tree Week is an annual week long fun festival about trees organised by The Tree Council of Ireland. In celebration of National Tree Week individuals, families, schools and local communities are encouraged to participate in and support events taking place around the country during the week.

By doing something as simple as planting a tree, everyone can play their part in making a difference to our efforts to live more sustainably, bringing about huge benefits, many of which will have long term impact in times of climate uncertainty.

Despite great advances in the past 100 years, Ireland remains one of the least wooded countries in Europe with only 11% of our land planted with trees compared to the European average of 40%. Ireland has agreed a target to increase our forest cover to 17% by 2035. This initiative will provide new jobs, build our forestry industry and help improve our environment.

On a global level, trees play a significant role in mitigating against climate change by soaking up carbon emissions and in the sustainable wood resource they provide. Trees also improve air quality, providing us with clean air to breathe, and reduce the effects of flash flooding and soil erosion. They give shade to make streets and buildings cooler in summer and improve the energy efficiency of buildings by providing shelter and reducing heat loss. Without trees, life on earth would be intolerable.

Get involved!

It’s easy to get involved as an individual or as a group. The Tree Council of Ireland invites you to organise one or more events for the week to celebrate trees. As well as tree planting ceremonies, the range of events can include forest and woodland walks, nature trails, workshops, woodturning displays, talks, tree hugging, tree climbing etc. – the choice is yours!

National Tree Week 2015 - Do you love trees? — Ferns Tidy Towns Group planting a copse of trees

What can you do to celebrate National Tree Week?

Check out the National Tree Week events programme and take part in an event near you.
Celebrate National Tree Week in your school by planting a tree or in the classroom by drawing pictures or making leaf prints or bark rubbings of trees, read or write poems or stories about trees, learn how to measure the height and spread of a tree, produce a class drama about trees.
Encourage your local residents association, tidy towns group, youth club, sports club or other local organisation to get their members involved in a tree planting or tree maintenance project (eg. clean-up a local woodland) in your area.
Volunteer in a local community tree-planting event. You’ll meet new people and make a difference in your community.
Organise a walk or trail to showcase and tell the stores of any large, unusual or historic trees in your community.
Commemorate an event of significance in your community by planting a tree and organise a community celebration or get together to mark the occasion.
Celebrate the week in a personal way by planting a tree yourself in your own garden.
Take some time to read a book about trees or find our more about their characteristics, their uses, folklore etc. Learn to identify trees in your neighbourhood.
Enjoy the outdoors. Visit a local forest or park or take a nature walk and enjoy observing and being in the company of trees.
Those in the business community could sponsor a community tree project.

Even the smallest garden can accommodate a tree!

Just because your garden is small, don’t think that you can’t have trees. One of the advantages of planting trees is that there is a species to fit every location, regardless of size. Many people with small gardens only have space for one tree so choosing the right one is important. When planting in small enclosed spaces, it is advisable to plant trees that have a small crown spread. Eventual height is an important factor too. Even small ornamental trees may, over time, reach a height of 6-7m or more. If you only have room for one tree ideally look for one with more than one feature or season of interest such as coloured bark or fruit or autumn colour following on from flowers.

Some Native Tree Species to consider for Small Gardens.

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) – Slow growing evergreen with shredding brown bark and dark green, leathery leaves. Clusters of pinkish white, pitcher-shaped flowers and red strawberry-like fruits are borne together in late autumn and winter. Height 5m.

Spindle (Euonymus europaeus) – Although inconspicuous for much of the year, this small tree is very showy in autumn and early winter when the leaves turn blazing scarlet and masses of rose-red capsules split open to reveal orange seeds. Height 4m.

Silver Birch (Betula pendula) – Distinctive silvery-white, peeling bark that becomes marked with black, rugged cracks as it gets older. In spring, yellow-brown male catkins appear and in late autumn the diamond-shaped, bright green foliage turns yellow before falling. Height 12m. Betula pendula ‘Youngii’ is a weeping form that develops a mushroom-headed habit with branches reaching to the ground.

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) – Choose the fastigiate form. Leaves turn deep, fiery red and yellow in autumn. Sprays of white flowers cover the tree in late spring, followed by bunches of red berries in autumn. Height 8m.

Yew (Taxas baccata) – Choose the columnar or fastigiate form. Slow growing coniferous tree forming a dense, compact column. Height 3m.

Recycling saves trees!

Trees are essential to our world and offer a wide range of benefits to our environment so for the week that’s in it we should also remember that recycling saves trees! Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water. This represents a 64% energy savings, a 58% water savings, and 60 pounds less of air pollution.

Wexford County Council National Tree Week Primary School Competition:

Wexford County Council have organised a competition for all primary schools in Co. Wexford to celebrate National Tree Week 2015 . The winning entry will win €200 worth of trees for their school and €100 for their own garden.

All you have to do is write a description of your favorite tree or planted area of trees in your garden, school or local area. Entries must not exceed 1 A4 page and it can include drawings or a photo of the tree if you like. Don’t forget to write on the back your name, school and contact details.

Send your entry to Cliona Connolly, Environment Section, County Hall, Carricklawn, Wexford.

Closing date for receipt of all entries is Friday 13^th March 2015.

What will you do to celebrate National Tree Week? Maybe you will attend one of the many events organised by the Tree Council of Ireland , help your local community group to plant some trees, plant a tree in your own garden or just go for a walk in the local woodland and admire the beauty of the many species of trees around you. Whatever you decide trees are essential and are a huge benefit to our environment.

30 Oct, 2014 By Mary

Going Wild at Regent’s Park Wildlife Garden

On a recent trip to London I decided to visit the world-famous Regent’s Park. There are several breathtaking gardens in Regent’s Park to enjoy. These include Queen Mary’s Garden, a glorious rose garden, St John’s Lodge Gardens, the Community Wildlife Garden and the beautiful tranquil Avenue Gardens. Lakes, wildflower gardens, secluded woodlands and meadows can also be seen. It is also home to London Zoo. This world renowned conservation centre has over 650 species of fauna from all over the world and is the world’s first scientific zoo. Being a nature enthusiast the garden that appealed to me most was the Wildlife garden.

Just a short walk from Baker Street tube, on the South West side of Regent’s Park you will find the Regent’s Park Wildlife Garden. The garden was constructed during 2006 and 2007 by the ‘Wild in the Parks’ team. It is a wildlife friendly community garden, designed, constructed and planted with help from local schools, community groups and volunteers. The garden aims to demonstrate how you can encourage and support wildlife in your own urban garden, even if it is only small, or if you don’t even have one.

The front garden planted with a selection of low growing plants was designed to show that if you have a car you can park it in front of your house without the need for a concrete drive. Front gardens are disappearing from urban areas at an alarming rate which means there are fewer places for wildlife to shelter and feed.

Tucked away in a nice sheltered corner of the garden surrounded by trees, hedging and wild flowers there is an insect hotel built out of recycled materials that was made by local school children. The insect hotel helps to increase the number of beneficial insects in the garden which in turn improves its biodiversity. Much of the garden is also left to grow wild to provide cover for birds and to encourage butterflies and bees.

The main aim of the Regent’s Park Wildlife Garden is to provide a safe and friendly environment for people to visit and wildlife to flourish. Their non-intrusive gardening policy avoids the use of chemicals wherever possible, to use native plants that need little water to avoid draining precious resources and enrichment that includes a pond and bog to further the biodiversity of the garden. Ponds play an important role in the biodiversity of any wildlife garden. They provide breeding space for dragonflies, frogs and toads and are source of water for birds and mammals. If you have space, think about creating your own.

Local school children have been particularly busy with the creation of artwork which has been incorporated into the garden’s information boards. The boards provide information on how to increase the species of wildlife in the garden. Planting shrubs with berries to feed the birds in the Winter and leaving dead wood and fallen leaves for hibernation are just some of the advice shown on the colourful information boards.

Another piece of artwork provides a central focus by the lake, an 8 meter long newt sculpture constructed from earth, turf and wild flower plugs and giving the impression that he has just crawled out of the water.

The wildlife garden also has an interesting interactive sound bench powered by a solar photovoltaic panel. Visitors can sit and listen to tales from the local community on how their parks are such special places. Over the years the amount of wildlife attracted to the garden continues to rise with finches, woodpeckers, long tail, blue and great tits all visiting with great regularity. Bird boxes, bat boxes and bird feeders are dotted throughout the garden to help encourage and increase wildlife visitors.

On the day of our visit the sun was shining through the autumnal leaves making this peaceful haven in the middle of London a delight to be in. Many of the plants were turning to seed and coming to the end of their flowering season. With the colder weather just around the corner the community volunteers were busy preparing for the Winter months ahead by ensuring to provide suitable hibernation habitat for the many species of mammals, invertebrates and beneficial insects to help enrich the local ecosystem, cleaning out and erecting new bird boxes, tidying parts of the pond and composting the garden waste.

The garden is open all year round to the public during daylight hours. This tranquil oasis in the heart of London is the perfect place to escape for a few minutes or hours and watch nature do it’s dazzling thing! Cycling enthusiasts will be happy to hear that there’s a bike docking station just beside the entrance to the wildlife garden. A great way to get around to explore and discover the delights that the 410 acre Regent’s Park has to offer.

14 Oct, 2014 By Mary

New Schemes Needed To Encourage Microgeneration in Ireland

The Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA) has called on the Government to introduce new schemes that would further encourage and incentivise the development of wind microgeneration in Ireland for farms, businesses and homes which the Association maintains could have significant benefits to farmers and rural communities.

Microgeneration is the production of energy on a small scale for farms, businesses or domestic homes. Typical microgeneration technologies include Wind Turbines, Solar Photovoltaic, Hydro Power and Combined Heat & Power (CHP) with equipment ratings below 11kW.

Microgeneration technologies - hydro, wind, solarpv — Microgeneration technologies – hydro, wind, solarpv

Caitriona Diviney, Chief Operations Officer of IWEA says that electricity costs rank among the main overheads for Irish farms, businesses and homes and that more wind microgeneration could help reduce costs, whilst allowing installers of microgeneration technologies to earn additional income by contributing the surplus electricity to the national grid.

She said “When compared to neighbouring countries such as the UK, the significant potential for wind microgeneration in Ireland still remains relatively untapped. Locally generated electricity can be yet another guaranteed Irish farm product, and can give farmers more control over their own electricity production.”

“We believe greater wind microgeneration can lead to more sustainable livelihoods and form part of the solution to reduce the overall carbon emissions of the industry.”

To encourage the development of wind microgeneration new schemes could be put in place to give farmers, small businesses and residential homes greater opportunity to invest in microgeneration.

“Some farmers and homeowners are already successfully availing of microgeneration and it is recognised as a long term investment however under current circumstances economic payback for a micro-scale wind turbine may not be achieved for more than ten years. In our pre-budget submission to the Government we have therefore, called for new schemes, akin to those in other countries, that could reduce the payback period, making this a much more attractive option for farmers but also for suitable small businesses and some residential homes.”
The Irish Wind Energy Association has launched a step-by-step guide aimed at helping farmers consider the options in availing of new microgeneration technology and is available for download on their website.

25 Sep, 2014 By Mary

Recently Appointed Steering Group to advise on Energy Policy Paper in Ireland

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White T.D., opened the next phase of the public consultation process as part of the development of a White Paper on Energy Policy.

Minister White announced that he will chair a Steering Group that will advise on the finalisation of the Energy Policy Paper. He confirmed that John Fitzgerald (ESRI), Brian Motherway (SEAI, and Helen Donoghue (IIEA) are pleased to participate on the Steering Group, together with three officials from the Department.

The launch event was held in Dublin and was attended by over 150 stakeholders. In welcoming the attendees, the Minister noted the timelines of the event, one day after the UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit in New York, attended by over 120 Heads of State and Government. The Minister also reviewed progress to date and set out the next steps towards the development of a definitive Energy Policy Paper for publication by September 2015. The event follows the launch of the public consultation process with the publication of the Energy Policy Green Paper in May by the Minister’s predecessor, Mr. Pat Rabbitte, TD, which has stirred an enthusiastic debate on energy policy in Ireland across a diverse range of stakeholders. The consultation resulted in over 1,200 responses being received by the July closing date. The significant response demonstrates the strong interest in choosing the optimal route for future energy policy.

Minister White said, “My Department has conducted an initial analysis of the valuable contributions made by interested parties. The key issues raised in relation to each of the areas set out in the Green Paper have been identified. This launch event today kicks off further engagement with stakeholders, as I had previously indicated in July. My officials will host several events with stakeholders on all of the priorities set out in the Green Paper, to ensure that all of the issues identified in the submissions are fully understood. We want to be sure that the assumptions on which the White Paper will be written are tested and accurate. As I said in July following the great interest shown in the development of a fit-for-purpose Energy Policy, there is an absolute necessity for the White Paper to set a balanced, robust and enabling framework for Ireland’s Energy transition. I want a dynamic and responsive evidence based framework that will allow all of us to steer the appropriate course as we seek to deal with sustainability, security and competitiveness challenges and opportunities.”

The Minister went on to say, “Energy Policy is first and foremost about people – we need to ensure a safe, sustainable, economic and cost-effective energy sector, no matter who the consumer is, be they householders, small start-up businesses, multi-nationals – or one of our younger citizens needing access to a warm comfortable room for play, study or rest. We must develop an energy policy that underpins the social recovery that is underway and that facilitates further economic development for the betterment of society as a whole. We must not lose sight of this main goal, because an energy policy developed with this main aim in mind will be sustainable in the long term.”

The consultation process now continues with further engagement at various stakeholder events between now and the end of the year. Drafting of the White Paper will follow in the first half of 2015 with a view to publication of a finalised White Paper by September. The new Energy Policy Framework will be timely in that it will be guided by Ireland’s input to the EU’s 2030 Framework for Climate and Energy policies and the preparations for the UN’s COP21 in Paris (the 21^st Conference of the Parties within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in November next year.

Source: http://www.dcenr.gov.ie

Read full press release

16 Sep, 2014 By Mary

Building an Insect Hotel for Winter Hibernation

An insect hotel improves a garden’s biodiversity and provides refuge for pollinators and pest controllers.

Insects might not look like particularly significant visitors to your garden, but they’re vital to keeping the ecosystem working. If you want to help them get through the hard times or give them somewhere to breed, provide them with their own place to stay. With the cooler weather fast approaching now is the time to consider providing suitable hibernation habitat for beneficial insects that pollinate trees and vegetable crops, and control pests. After all, you will need them when the frantic planting season begins next Spring and what better way to start the season than having your own little colony of insects to help you on the way.

Building an insect hotel for Winter hibernation — Hover flies one of our important pollinators

Our gardens are home to a wide range of insects and the average garden could hold over 2,000 different species of insect. By creating the right habitats we can increase the number of beneficial insects in our gardens. Pollinator habitats can attract domestic honeybees, bumblebees, solitary bees and other wild beneficial insect species. These beneficial species include many different wasps, beetles, lacewings, hoverflies, ladybirds and earwigs and prey upon the kinds of insects such as lice and mites that damage plants and hence aids pest control. By providing the correct habitat we can contribute to their conservation.

There is no standard design for an insect hotel. Just design with your available materials — preferably recycled and natural materials such as old pallets, clay pots, clay pipes, bricks, carpets etc. Insect hotels come in many shapes and sizes but to be effective they need to have many small holes and cavities that insects can crawl or fly into.

Many invertebrates like cool damp conditions, so you should build your insect hotel in semi shade, by a hedge or under a tree. Putting the insect hotel close to other wildlife features such as an overgrown hedge, a shrubbery or a pond will make it easier for small insects to find it. Remember, not all creatures like the shade especially solitary bees so make sure to place their part of the habitat facing the sun.

Build an Insect Hotel for Winter Hibernation — Herb garden and Insect hotel. Credit: capellagardenstradgard.blogspot.se

From my experience working with my local Tidy Towns group, the Green Schools Committee and talking to other groups the most common way to build an insect hotel is to use old pallets and fill the gaps with a variety of recycled materials to attract a large and varied number of creatures. No need to go more than five pallets high for the insect hotel with the bottom pallet upside down, this should create larger openings at the ends which can be used for a hedgehogs and frogs. If you only have room for something on a much smaller scale there are several ways you can use recycled materials and turn them into suitable habitats or there are a range of FSC certified insect hotels available at most garden centres.

A simple insect hotel can be made from a collection of hollow stems, twigs and cones packed into a plastic bottle with the end cut off. Several hotels could be placed in different positions around the garden such as on the ground amongst vegetation, next to a wall, fixed to a post placed in a hedge or hanging from a tree.

Another easy design is to take a bundle of bamboo canes or other twigs and tie them together with a piece of string. Hang up the bundle under the branch of a tree or to a railing and the insects will start to move in.

Use old pots, twigs, rolled up cardboard etc to create a simple but interesting looking insect hotel.

What types of habitiats are needed to conserve our pollinators and other insects.

Dead wood is an increasingly rare habitat because in recent times we have become excessive with neatness in our gardens, parks and amenity areas. It is essential for the larvae of wood-boring beetles such as the stag beetle because they feast on the decaying wood. Place at the base of your hotel so the logs stay nice and damp and mix with other decaying plant matter to attract centipedes (which devour slugs) and other woodland litter insects such as millipedes and woodlice (which will provide a welcome source of food for birds). This is also a great spot for garden spiders.It also supports many fungi, which help break down the woody material.

Holes for Solitary Bees: There are many different species of solitary bee and all are excellent pollinators. The female bee lays an egg on top of a mass of pollen at the end of a hollow tube, she then seals the entrance with a plug of mud. A long tube can hold several eggs. Hollow stems, bamboo canes or holes drilled in blocks of wood make great habitats for the solitary bees. When it comes to drilling holes in wood, take into consideration the fact that different bee species are drawn to different sizes of holes for shelter and egg-laying and remember to use wood that is preservative free. As mentioned above you can make a home for solitary bees by collecting hollow stemmed canes and placing them in plastic bottles or lengths of drain pipe. You can also build a wooden shelter similar to a bird box. Solitary bees like warmth, so place your habitat in a sunny spot.

Straw and hay: These provide many opportunities for invertebrates to burrow in and find safe hibernation sites.

Dry Leaves: Provides homes for a variety of invertebrates as it mimics the natural conditions found in forests.

Loose bark and decaying wood: Beetles, centipedes, spiders and woodlice all lurk beneath decaying wood and bark. Woodlice and millipedes help to break down woody plant material. They are an essential part of the garden recycling system.

Lacewing homes: Straw, dried grass or rolled up cardboard is just the material for a cosy lacewing habitat. While lacewings may be beautifully intricate to look at, they are truly the gardener’s best friend, devouring aphids and other pests such as scale insects, many types of caterpillar and mites. Place the straw or cardboard inside an old open-ended plastic bottle to prevent it turning soggy.

Ladybirds: Ladybirds and their larvae are fantastic at keeping aphids at bay. The adults hibernate over Winter and need dry sticks or leaves to keep warm and dry.

Bumblebees: Every Spring queen bumblebees search for a site to build a nest and found a new colony. An upturned flowerpot in a warm sheltered place would be an ideal habitiat to attract the queen bumblebee to your garden.

Bees, butterflies and some other insects sometimes find their way into your house to hibernate well away from the winter chill! This can mean they wake up when you put the heating on, so if you find one hiding in your house, try moving it to a cool, dark place to encourage it to go back to sleep until spring.

If you’re feeling creative and want to build a five star insect hotel take a look at these for some inspiration.

Remember simple things like leaving a pile of logs or stones in a corner of your garden or just leaving fallen leaves on the ground will provide natural habitats for insects, invertebrates and pollinators which in turn will help to enrich the local ecosystem and ensure your garden is as productive as it can be.

Have you built an insect hotel in your garden? Have you seen an increase of insects, pollinators etc since building it?

If you’d like to know more about why you should consider building a bug hotel Greensideup gives three great reasons why we need to build more bug hotels.

22 Jul, 2014 By Mary

Chooseday’s Choice ~ energy efficient or incandescent bulbs

By switching to more energy efficient light bulbs households can save energy, help the environment and reduce their energy bills. The EU phase-out of incandescent light bulbs began in 2009 when 100W bulbs stopped being sold, it was then the turn of the 75W light bulb and finally all remaining clear incandescent bulbs on the market, including 40W and 25W varieties were phased out in September 2012.

Incandescent light bulbs are incredibly wasteful as 90% of the electricity they use produces heat rather than light. The use of traditional light bulbs can account for as much as one-fifth of household electricity consumption. The electricity used over the lifetime of a single incandescent bulb costs 5 to 10 times the original purchase price of the bulb itself. The average home using all incandescent light bulbs spends up to €292 per year on light bulbs.

The average home with all incandescent light bulbs spends up to €292 per year on light bulbs. – See more at: http://blog.electricireland.ie/energy_efficient_lightbulbs/#sthash.5gm5S74u.dpuf

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) use 80% less electricity and last up to 10 times longer than ordinary light bulbs. The average home changing to all ‘A’ rated CFL’s could save up to €143.88 per year.

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) use up to 85% less electricity than the standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 12 times as long as the traditional incandescent light bulbs. They offer the advantages of CFLs — lower power consumption and longer lifetimes but without the downside of toxic mercury.

Although a little more costly than CFL’s you would make your money back in one year through energy savings. A standard 50W Halogen spot light would cost about € 10.57 per year in electricity charges. If replaced with a 7W LED spotlight it would have a comparable running cost of just € 1.37 per year. *This represents a saving of €9.20 in electricity costs alone per bulb in just 1 year.

This adds up to a substantial savings when you take into account the number of Halogen GU10 spot lights that are installed in kitchens, hallways and bathrooms of most homes today.

You Choose!

How many Halogen down lighters have you in installed in your home?

* based on an electricity cost of 19.31 cent per unit (kWh) and the light bulb switched on for 3 hours per day for 1 year.

8 Jul, 2014 By Mary

Chooseday’s Choice ~ Bottled or Tap Water?

Different kinds of plastic can degrade at different times and on average it takes 1,000 years for one plastic bottle to breakdown in a landfill. Most plastic bottles consist of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) which is made from petroleum and will never biodegrade. About 1.6 million barrels of oil are used every year to make the bottles. The bottled water is then transported long distances via lorries and energy is also used by on board refrigeration methods which makes it a very unsustainable choice.

Although polyethylene bottles don’t biodegrade, they do photodegrade. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight they become brittle and start to crack. Plastic bottles buried in a landfill rarely sees the light of day but in the ocean, which is where a lot of discarded plastic bottles end up it is a far different story. With the combination of warm ocean water and sunlight the plastic bottles can break down in as little as a year. Good news you might think but the plastic is broken down into small fragments which are toxic and sadly end up in the stomach of marine animals and birds. The fragments are also washed up and dispersed along our shoreline where we can come in contact with the toxins.

There is no noticeable difference between most bottled water and tap water, either in taste or quality, so it’s much more sustainable to get your water straight from the tap!

You Choose!

24 Jun, 2014 By Mary

Chooseday’s Choice! ~ What energy rating are your appliances?

Where does your energy go?

Under EU law domestic appliances including dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, fridges, freezers and ovens in Ireland must display an energy rating label when offered for sale. These labels are designed to help consumers make an informed decision about the energy consumption of domestic appliances. The labels are clear and concise, and provide useful information such as the appliances energy consumption (kWh) and noise level (dB). An important component of the energy label is the energy efficiency rating which is scaled from ‘A’ which is most energy efficient to ‘G’ which is the least energy efficient. It’s hoped that consumers will be more mindful of the potential energy consumption of appliances and choose a more energy efficient, environmentally friendly model.

You Choose!

In an attempt to keep up with advances in energy efficiency and the increased energy efficiency levels achieved in the design of certain electrical appliances by manufacturers the EU created the following new ratings A+, A++ and A+++ for domestic fridges, freezer and fridge freezers.

Labelling

The energy labels are separated into at least four categories:

The appliance’s details: according to each appliance, specific details, of the model and its materials
Energy class: rated from A+, A++, A+++, A to G which gives an idea of the appliance’s electrical consumption
Consumption, efficiency, capacity, etc.
Noise: the noise emitted by the specific appliance when in operation

Green Your Appliances or you will be shocked too 🙂

Did you know?

An ‘A’ rated appliance will use about 55% of the electricity of a similarly sized appliance with a ‘D’ rating. Always look for the energy label and purchase ‘A’ rated appliances where possible, they can save their replacement cost over their lifetime and benefit the environment. By purchasing an ‘A’ rated fridge instead of a ‘C’ rated one, each household could save €14 per annum or collectively €18m nationally, with CO2 savings of over 85,000 tonnes annually.

Remember: by buying energy efficient appliances you are not only reducing your energy bills and saving money you are also helping the environment. The next time a kitchen appliance needs replacing check out the energy ratings of each appliance (which should be clearly displayed on every product) and purchase the most energy efficient one that you can afford. The better the energy rating the more money you will save on your energy bills. If all your household appliances are A rated it is possible to save up to €100 on your yearly energy bill.

What energy rating are your kitchen appliances? When purchasing a new appliance does the energy rating make a difference to your final decision?

By purchasing an ‘A’ rated fridge instead of a ‘C’ rated one, each household could save €14 per annum or collectively €18m nationally, with CO₂ savings of over 85,000 tonnes annually.

– See more at: http://www.seai.ie/Schools/Post_Primary/Subjects/Home_Economics_JC/Appliances/#sthash.5z4UPxes.dpuf

By purchasing an ‘A’ rated fridge instead of a ‘C’ rated one, each household could save €14 per annum or collectively €18m nationally, with CO₂ savings of over 85,000 tonnes annually.

– See more at: http://www.seai.ie/Schools/Post_Primary/Subjects/Home_Economics_JC/Appliances/#sthash.5z4UPxes.dpuf

By purchasing an ‘A’ rated fridge instead of a ‘C’ rated one, each household could save €14 per annum or collectively €18m nationally, with CO₂ savings of over 85,000 tonnes annually.

– See more at: http://www.seai.ie/Schools/Post_Primary/Subjects/Home_Economics_JC/Appliances/#sthash.5z4UPxes.dpuf

By purchasing an ‘A’ rated fridge instead of a ‘C’ rated one, each household could save €14 per annum or collectively €18m nationally, with CO₂ savings of over 85,000 tonnes annually.

– See more at: http://www.seai.ie/Schools/Post_Primary/Subjects/Home_Economics_JC/Appliances/#sthash.5z4UPxes.dpuf

17 Jun, 2014 By Mary

Burning of waste ~ Not in my back yard!

The burning of waste is illegal and is subject to prosecution.

Burning of waste is not only a nuisance to neighbours; it can release many harmful chemicals into the air you breathe. Many people may think that they are doing the right thing in reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and saving money but they are both causing long term environmental pollution and interfering with the lives of others living in their area. Burning waste in your home or garden can damage your health, as well as that of your children and your neighbours. Such illegal practices lead to the release of toxic dioxins which are a real hazard for peoples’ health and the environment.

Burning of waste is illegal ~ Credit Dept. of Environmental Conservation

In September 2009, a law concerning waste disposal by burning came into force. These regulations make explicit the offence of disposal of waste by uncontrolled burning and prohibits such disposal within the curtilage of a dwelling. If reported, there is a hefty fine to be paid but the threat of this hasn’t stopped the back yard burning of waste which is still the norm in some households across the country. The term ‘backyard burning’ also refers to the burning of any waste in open fires, ranges and other solid fuel appliances or in the open. It includes the burning of green waste and also to the burning of waste on building sites.

Why is it still a common place sight around the country? – are people not aware of the risks to their health and the damage caused to the environment, is it to avoid paying for regular waste collection services, do they believe they are reducing waste or is it just too inconvenient to separate waste and reuse or recycle it? Years ago it was traditional to burn waste but today there is absolutely no excuse for it!

Stop before you strike that match!

Today, bleached paper, plastic packaging or plastic products, and printed materials with glues, plastic coatings and coloured inks make up a large portion of society’s waste. When these items are burned in low temperature fires like those that take place in a backyard burn barrel, very high levels of toxic chemicals and fine particulate matter are released with the smoke. Many of these toxins don’t readily break down, leading to accumulation and persistence in the environment.

What harm am I doing I hear you ask!

Backyard burning is far more harmful to our health than previously thought. The compounds in the smoke that comes from the burning can increase the risk of heart disease, aggravate respiratory ailments such as asthma and emphysema, and cause rashes, nausea, or headaches. Backyard burning also produces harmful quantities of dioxins, a group of highly toxic chemicals that settle on crops and in our waterways where they eventually wind up in our food and affect our health.

Burning of waste - not in my backyard — Photo Credit: chemicalfreelife.org

Sounds scary doesn’t it? Well it is! And you need to STOP!

Dioxins

Studies have shown that only small amounts of chlorinated materials in waste are required to support dioxin formation when burning waste. This means that even when materials containing high levels of chlorine, such as PVC, are removed from household waste, burning the waste still creates dioxins because nearly all household waste contains trace amounts of chlorine. Much of the dioxins created and released into the air through backyard burning settle on plants. These plants are, in turn, eaten by meat and dairy animals, which store the dioxins in their fatty tissue.

People are then exposed to dioxins primarily by eating the meat, fish, and dairy products, especially those high in fat. Backyard burning occurs most commonly in rural areas where dioxin emissions can more easily be deposited on animal feed crops and grazing lands. These dioxins then accumulate in the fats of dairy cows, beef, poultry, and pigs, making human consumption of these harmful chemicals is difficult to avoid.

Particle pollution

Microscopic particles with a diameter smaller than a human hair are released from back yard burning and pollute the air. Shutting the windows and doors of your home will not protect you from fine particle pollution because the particles are so small that they will infiltrate even the best quality double-paned windows and doors. These particles that are small enough to get into the lungs and can cause numerous health problems. Particles can aggravate respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis, and have been associated with heartbeat irregularities and heart attacks. People with heart or lung disease, the elderly, and children are at highest risk from exposure to particles.

Carbon Monoxide

Another major pollutant generated by backyard burning is carbon monoxide. At low levels of exposure to Carbon Monoxide, humans may experience a variety of neurological symptoms including headache, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas emitted from combustion processes. At extremely high levels Carbon Monoxide can cause death!

Ash

Backyard burning also produces ash residue, which can contain toxic metals such as mercury, lead, chromium, and arsenic. These metals can be toxic when ingested. When a person ingests hazardous amounts of lead, for example, he or she may experience high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, kidney damage, and brain damage. Unaware of the potential danger, some people scatter the ash in their gardens or bury it on their property. Garden vegetables can absorb and accumulate these metals, which can make them dangerous to eat. Children playing in the yard or garden can incidentally ingest soil containing these metals. Also, rain can wash the ash into groundwater and surface water, contaminating drinking water and food.

What are the alternatives I hear you ask?

Avoid making waste in the first place and you won’t have to worry about disposing of waste or recycling it later. Changing your habits is the key — think about ways you can reduce your waste when you shop, work and play. There’s a ton of ways for you to reduce waste, save yourself some time and money, and be good to the environment at the same time.

Photo Credit: Backyard Burning by Theodore W. Marcy,

Follow these simple steps and STOP BACK YARD BURNING TODAY!

DO NOT BURN WASTE.
Avoid over packaged products and choose packaging that can be recycled
Separate your waste and if you don’t have a recycle bin take recyclable waste to your nearest Civic Amenity Centres
Compost Organic Waste
Use only Properly Permitted and Regulated waste collectors and waste facilities.

Does back yard burning still take place in your locality? What steps do you take to reduce your waste both at home and in the workplace?

Some other great blog posts worth reading on this subject:

Should we be burning plastic – that’s the burning question?

A new breed of gangsters

9 Jun, 2014 By Mary

‘Life Lives on the Edge’ – conservation of biodiversity

Last year Wexford County Council introduced a pilot project ‘Life Lives on the Edge’ in four locations throughout the county to increase wildflowers along the National roads. The plan is to encourage an increased biodiversity of flora and fauna along our roadways. This is the first project of its kind in Ireland. The overall aim of the project is to enhance or rediscover the range of visible biodiversity that potentially exists along Wexford roads. The designated areas vary in length and their boundaries will be defined by signposts at either end of the vegetated strips. These signposts will be recognisable by the projects slogan “Life Lives on the Edge”, which aims to highlight the importance of road verges and hedgerows as crucial wildlife corridors for Wexford’s flora and fauna.

In recent times, excessive concern with neatness on roadsides has led to development of verge management specifications that are not compatible with conservation of biodiversity, weed control or cost-effective vegetation management. This project is concentrated on maintaining the roadside vegetation at the four pilot sites thereby achieving biodiversity goals without neglecting safety or infrastructural maintenance objectives. These areas have been initially cut once in February/March and again in September. This should encourage the establishment of native wildflower abundance on the edge of our roads.

Beautiful wildflowers destroyed with Herbicide use

It’s not just the severe cutting back of roadside verges and hedgegrows that’s not compatable with the conservation of biodiversity. The use of herbicides to kill weeds and vegetation on road verges is also a huge problem that needs to be addressed. It removes seed producing plants important for many species, and destroys cover and travel corridors for wildlife. Bees, our most important food pollinators are in decline, so too are butterflies, birds and many insects and this is due directly to the over use of herbicides and pesticides.

Ireland has a diverse and astounding collection of wildflowers some of which are sadly now in decline. Our obsession with tidy landscaped gardens, roadside verges and not allowing wildflowers to grow and our overuse of herbicides and pesticides are a contributing factor for our wildflower decline. This in turn has a knock on affect on our native bees which are now in decline partly due to the loss of habitat and this poses risks for agricultural crops that depend on bees for pollination.

Pollinator habitats can attract domestic honeybees, but also wild bees and other wild beneficial insect species. These beneficial species include many different wasps, beetles, predatory mites, and more. These beneficial insects prey upon the kinds of insects that damage crops, so keeping them around can help reduce pesticide applications.

So what can we do to help conserve our biodiversity and increase our pollinator habitat?

Extending the ‘Life Lives on the Edge’ project being piloted in Co. Wexford to all counties to help increase our pollinator habitats. One of the areas designated for this pilot scheme is quite near my home and since the pilot began there is a marked increase in wildflowers on that section of roadway.

Plant native wildflowers in our gardens or leave a strip of un-mown grass to encourage wildflowers. Most Tidy Towns groups are doing this to help increase our pollinator habitat.

Organic gardening can increase biodiversity. Over the last few years there has been an increase in the number of Community Gardens being set up and more and more homeowners are looking at growing their own. Successful organic gardens are diverse polycultures, supporting populations of pollinators, predators, and parasites that create a healthy and balanced garden community.

If there is a need to use weedkillers there are organic alternatives available on the market.

Aim toward the banning of harmful Glyphosate herbicides. The Dutch parliament are banning the sale of Glyphosate herbicides to private persons from the end of 2015. Why can’t we follow suit?

The selection of wildflowers in the photos were taken on a 1km stretch of road during the week. I’m sure if I had looked closer I would have spotted some more but these are the ones that caught my eye as I strolled along the road.

What are you doing to help conserve biodiversity and increase our pollinator habitats?

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Category Archives: Sustainable Living

What can you do to celebrate National Tree Week?

Even the smallest garden can accommodate a tree!

Some Native Tree Species to consider for Small Gardens.

Recycling saves trees!

Wexford County Council National Tree Week Primary School Competition:

You Choose!

You Choose!

Where does your energy go?

You Choose!

Labelling

Did you know?

The burning of waste is illegal and is subject to prosecution.

Stop before you strike that match!

What harm am I doing I hear you ask!

Sounds scary doesn’t it? Well it is! And you need to STOP!

What are the alternatives I hear you ask?

Follow these simple steps and STOP BACK YARD BURNING TODAY!