Case studies: Local Home Renovation Do’s & Don’ts 

 O’Donovan’s Hotel, Clonakilty

Thursday 10^th May 2012

at 8.00pm

Friendly discussion format – learn from local experiences in insulation, heating, renewables etc.  Ask questions, share your views.

All Very Welcome!

Raffles for Energy Meters and Radbooster kit.

A very positive meeting last night was held on the Jungle City project , where the placing of 24 life size sculptures of jungle animals around Clonakilty for a period of at least five years, was discussed.  The sculpture exhibition will be free to view and the purchase of the sculptures by Sustainable Clonakilty will result in funds going to Elephant Family to complete Asian wildlife corridors that were begun with Clonakilty’s sponsorship in 2008.   This attraction will result in bringing tourists, and families in particular, to the town to boost visitor numbers as well as helping people see the link between the loss of animal habitat, and local actions they can take themselves to protect it (no donations necessary).

Earth Hour

We support Earth Hour and remind you all to turn off all non-essential lighting at 8.30 pm for 60 minutes on Saturday 31^st March.

From WWF about Earth Hour:

What’s all the buzz about?

There’s only one day to go until WWF’s Earth Hour on 31st March, 8.30pm and we want everyone to know about it, so help us make some noise!

Like WWF’s Earth Hour UK on Facebook and become part of a huge community of people who all care about our brilliant world. You’ll be able to keep up to date with the latest news and discover interesting photos, facts and stories – it’s also a chance to let us know your thoughts and have your say. 

Let’s get Earth Hour trending! If you’re not already, then follow us on Twitter and tweet your support using #earthhour.

And why not take up an ‘I Will If You Will’ challenge (or create a dare if you’re brave enough)? It’s all about a simple promise and a challenge. Ask yourself, what are you willing to do to convince others to take action for the planet?

And finally, check out our YouTube playlist – there’s lots to watch from our ‘good for you, good for the planet’ celebrity chef recipes to our spectacular Earth Hour films. You may even spot our panda doing a spot of break dancing – don’t ask!

We invite you to share your own commitment to Earth Hour on our Sustainable Clonakilty Facebook Site too.

Sustainable Clonakilty Next Public Meeting

You are reminded of the next Sustainable Clonakilty public meeting at 8pm sharp on Wednesday April 4^th at O’Donovan’s Hotel.  Click here for details.

Catch up on our activities, take part in discussion and get to know like-minded people. There will be an opportunity to sign up as a financial member there at €5 or €10 according to your choice.  All are very welcome.

Site Visit

Members of Sustainable Clonakilty are invited to an April weekend daytime time visit to the gardens and renewable energy systems of the Liao family at Dunworley. Please send an email to sustainableclon@gmail.com if you are interested in attending.  There is no charge, but you will need to bring some lunch to share.

Fit 4 Life

Sustainable Clonakilty supports any activity that leads to increased physical activity hopefully resulting in less oil consumption due to more walking etc.  Fit 4 Life is holding a meeting at the same time and date as our next meeting, but we promise to update you with details on how you can join in the Fit for Life Campaign, if you will be at our meeting instead.  For more details please call 086 608 2569.

Congratulations to Dr Paul Sikora

Dr Paul Sikora (middle)

It was announced on March 29^th at the RDS Dublin that local man, Paul Sikora, had won the SEAI 2012 Sustainable Energy Innovation Award with his clever system that saves otherwise wasted natural gas and converts it to electricity. You can read all about it by clicking here.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of Sustainable Clonakilty will be held at:

8pm sharp on Wednesday 4^th April at

O’Donovan’s Hotel, Pearse St, Clonakilty.

Sustainable Clonakilty President, Jennifer Sleeman will facilitate a discussion workshop on the subject of Celebrating and Adapting to Change.

Please come along to give your views and engage in discussion on how Sustainable Clonakilty can help our community keep pace with the changes we all face.

Barryroe Oil Field

Our Chair Peter Madden has pointed out that the new Barryroe Oil Field has the potential to supply just 2% of our national requirements, so it is no time to get complacent.

Barryroe production compared to national requirements (as estimated for 2009).

Something Very Positive to View

“The grid of tomorrow is no grid. And energy — clean, efficient energy — will one day be free.” This amazing story from Justin Hall-Tipping nanotechnology entrepreneur, was hosted by the highly thought of TED forum in July 2011:

http://www.ted.com/talks/justin_hall_tipping_freeing_energy_from_the_grid.html?quote=1124

Grow It Yourself : GIY Ireland

Sustainable Clonakilty’s Food Group has now disbanded and keen gardeners are invited to attend the lively local GIY group instead.

Contact Kerrie Liao,

Tel: 087 7631 889 (This is her correct contact number.)

Email: giyclonakilty@gmail.com

Their usual meetings on every second Monday of the month will be on different dates in April, due Easter, so check it out with Kerrie first.

Read GIY Ireland’s monthly vegetable gardening calendar here:

Innocent and GIY Sow & Grow Schools campaign. GIY are trying to recruit 15,000 budding new GIY’ers in primary schools by sending out free Sow & Grow kits and lesson plans for the teachers.  Schools will compete for €2,500 worth of prizes and a chance for the whole class to come to Bloom in the Phoenix Park and meet celebrity chef Donal Skehan.  To register for your free kit, visit www.giyireland.com/sowandgrow.

Operation GIY Nation –  GIY are trying to get parents and kids growing together.  We know growing your own can seem daunting, but we’re going to make it really easy for you.  Each month from April to September we’re publishing a really simple growing project that you can do with your kids – from growing salads to herbs, spuds to garlic – we will have you GIYing in no time!  We’re looking for 6 ‘pioneer’ families to lead the way, blog about their experiences and compete for a €1,000 GIY prize.  This project is proudly supported by AIB.

Check GIY out by clicking here.

Clonakilty Favour Exchange

Check out this local website for a great way to share your skills, foster community spirit community, make friends, and save money in the process: http://www.clonfavour.com/ 

Earth Hour Kinsale

On March 31st, 2012 Transition Town Kinsale are going to mark Earth Hour by coming together in St Multose Church for an ‘acoustic’ & candle lit’ concert. Transition Town Kinsale appreciates the support Canon Williams has given to this event, which is being held in the very atmospheric surroundings of this 800 year old church.

Emma Kate Tobia, Acapellabella, Ceoltoirí Cionn tSáile, MacTíre, Julie Love and

Students from Sarah Callanan School of Dance will be performing. TT Kinsale  will be highlighting climate justice with testimonials from around the globe and asking everyone to go ‘Beyond the Hour’.

TT Kinsale looks forward to another opportunity to show their commitment to change as part of a global interconnected community. They want to be part of these inspiring stories which are truly going Beyond the Hour with sustainable steps, big and small, towards a better planet.

http://transitiontownkinsale.org/projects/power-down/198-earth-hour-2012.html

Friends of the Earth are looking for an Intern based in Dublin 2.5 days per week.

We are looking for a new person to join our team to support and co-ordinate our Young Friends of the Earth Network. Young Friends of the Earth is a network of young activists taking action for environmental justice.

This position would suit a motivated individual with experience of environmental or student organising. For more details see the job description.

This is an unpaid internship. The intern will be based in our office in Dublin for two and a half days a week. It is an opportunity to get experience in the office of a national environmental NGO. This internship is part of Friends of the Earth’s annual Ciaran King Internship Programme.

To apply please send your CV along with a cover letter explaining why you think you would be a good fit for the role to youngfoe@foe.ie by 5pm on the 28th of March.

The next meeting of Sustainable Clonakilty will be held at:

8pm sharp on Wednesday 4^th April at

O’Donovan’s Hotel, Pearse St, Clonakilty.

Sustainable Clonakilty President, Jennifer Sleeman will facilitate a discussion and workshop on the subject of:

Celebrating and Adapting to Rapid Change in our world.

Please come along to give your views and engage in discussion on how Sustainable Clonakilty can help our community keep pace with the changes we all face.  There will also be an update on Sustainable Clonakilty activities and a chance to meet with like-minded people.

Clonakilty Favour Exchange

Greetings everyone,

It may look as if Sustainable Clonakilty has gone to sleep since the end of 2011 but that is not at all true. While the secretary/web site administrator has been out of the country, the rest of the team has been involved in loads of committee work and over the next few months expects to be unveiling some new projects that will enhance life in this beautiful area.  Now that Clonakilty has Cittaslow status with its heavy emphasis on the environment and the good life in the slow lane, Sustainable Clonakilty expects to be much more involved in joint projects with the Clonakilty Town Council, Tidy Towns and the Chamber of Commerce too.

It is also wonderful to learn of new ideas, like the Clonakilty Favour Exchange, an updated LETS type project will be brought into operation very  soon.  The CFE people are outside of the umbrella of Sustainable Clonakilty but are working very hard to bring about something that is clearly very complementary to the Sustclon ethos. The scheme allows people to help each other on an exchange of time basis, where no money changes hands, all the while fostering increased community spirit and a sense of belonging.  It will be a huge help as well to challenged family incomes in these tough economic times.

St Patricks Day Parade

Sustainable Clon would like to have a presence in the St Patrick’s Day Parade this year.  Would you like to be involved in a team for this creative and fun activity?  Unfortunately our current committee members have no spare capacity to help, so it won’t happen without you.  Do you have spare time to be involved in putting a display together, or materials that could be used? Or would you like to become more closely involved with our work in general?  If so please contact Secretary, Alison Wickham 023 883 5241 or at sustainableclon@gmail.com.  Your reward will be a warm welcome, fun, and you may learn some new skills too.

Airtricity Energy Meters

Sustainable Clonakilty have some energy meters, kindly donated by Airtricity, that can be lent out to financial members for a month at a time so that you can monitor your electricity consumption and target reductions to keep costs down.  It doesn’t matter which electricity supplier you use, you can still avail of them and they take only minutes to install with no electrician needed. Please contact  Secretary, Alison Wickham 023 883 5241 or at sustainableclon@gmail.com if you would like to borrow one.

Cook Local Recipes

Don’t forget this website has a selection of tasty foods you can make at home from locally produced ingredients on our Cook Local pages.  The latest is a Kiwi old time family favourite, Bacon & Egg Pie.

Bacon & Egg Pie

It is great served with hot vegetables for dinner, or a salad for lunch, and even better cold at a picnic. Easy, peasy to make too.  Click here and scroll down the page for the recipe.

Have you some new favourite recipes you’d like to share? Submit them by email to sustainableclon@gmail.com.  A photo would be nice too.

New Members

If you enjoy our website and support Sustclon’s work, please sign up as a member, if you haven’t already done so.   Membership is €10 per annum, but if that is a bit of a stretch for you a fiver will do.  Your support is needed in order to further the work.  Submit your fee along with name and address to Sustclon Ltd, 11 Redwood Park, Clonakilty or online deposit it to:  Sustclon Ltd, AIB bank, National Sort Code 93-60-57, Account number 07483-180.  Label the deposit with your name and the word ‘sub’. If more than fifty people sign up in the next four weeks we will put all names into a draw for  a box of Radboosters and an Energy Meter.

And, if you feel moved to spontaneously make a larger donation, the Sustclon Ltd Board would be delighted!

Speakers

If you are a member of a group who would like someone to come along and speak about the work of Sustainable Clonakilty please contact Sustclon Ltd Secretary, Alison Wickham 023 883 5241 or at sustainableclon@gmail.com.

Enjoy the delights of spring!

Click here for an inspirational story.

Ideas for Xmas 2011 that show you care ……

for your family and friends, the environment and the sustainability of our community, our country and the earth.

Have a more sustainable, affordable Christmas!

" Winter Sky" an art installation made by the children from Clonakilty Lodge on display at our meeting on 6 Dec.

Some ideas from our meeting on December 6, 2011

For Christmas baking recipes click here.

For instructions on how to make inexpensive non-baked gifts and decorations click here.

Communicate

Email or Skype your greetings to save paper and postage.  Promote your community as a great place to visit.  This brings more money in to the town and helps everyone.

Don’t forget the non-computer users, make homemade cards (that fit standard size envelopes) from family drawings or photos.

Host pot luck parties where everyone brings a dish to share, or brings a bottle and a plate of nibbles for drinks functions.

Organise neighbourhood get togethers or meitheals to tidy up the street for Christmas.

Cook

Make:Cookies, shortbread, fudge, jam, cakes, muffins, small Christmas cakes, Christmas puddings, gingerbread house, gingerbread Christmas decorations, or gather together a selection of gourmet ingredients (vanilla pods, saffron, cinnamon sticks, spices etc.).  Share recipes and give packaged dry ingredients to make them – use a photo of the finished product as a gift card.

Mollie Walsh with the beautiful gingerbread house she helped make with Kerrie, Liam, Riley and Willow Liao for the children of the Clonakilty Lodge.

Gifts to Buy: wooden spoons, spatulas, muffin/cupcake cases, cook books, jar keys, mini whisks, casserole dishes, small bowls to fill with homemade sweets or cookies, notebooks to hand write in your favourite recipes (or make a website or blog of them).

Recycle: jam or other pretty jars, small containers you have no use for, use things you’d like to regift  as containers home baking, homemade fudge etc.

Sew

Make: Wheat packs, hot water bottle covers, pot holders, serviettes, table runners, clothes, cushion covers, appliance covers, lavendar bags, up-cycled clothing, retro aprons, shopping bags, bunting from fabric scraps.  Find ideas and free patterns on the Internet .

Gifts to buy: Mending kit (of scissors, measuring tape, pins, needles , selection of threads, shirt buttons),  patterns,  a basic sewing machine for mending and upcycling, a length of fabric for clothes or decorating.

Recycle: Old jeans, linen tea towels, buttons, old towels, face cloths, old-fashioned lace hankies and doilies, scraps of fabric, men’s ties, lace, ribbon, raffia, garden twine.

Up-cycle:old fabrics/clothes into new clothes, shoe bags, lavender bags, laundry bags, scarves, jewellery made from fabric wrapped beads, bunting

Alternative Christmas tree, sewn and baked gifts and decorations.

Knit/Crochet

Make: Hats, beanies, scarves, dolls & teddies, scarves & sweaters for dolls & teddies, peggy square blankets, tea cozies, hot water bottle covers, throws, shrugs, sweaters, Christmas decorations, a promise to teach a child to knit

Gifts to buy: Knitting needles and yarn and a simple pattern, bag or basket to hold knitting, stitch holder, needle gauge,tape measure, row counter.

Recycle: Unpick handknits, wash yarn, rewind and reknit, make pom poms, boil old sweaters to felt them and remake them into bags, hats slippers

Garden

Make: Christmas a wreath from last year’s base, Christmas tree from a bare branch, bird feeder from new wood or recycled things, rooted cuttings of perennial plants, a pot of planted tulips, a planter box, hedgehog shelter, insect home, bird nesting box, frog house.

Buy: Trowel, hoe, spade, fork, secateurs, hedge clippers, indoor plant, fruit or nut tree, garden books, seeds, herb plants, bulbs, potted spring flowers, poinsettia, poly-tunnel

Recycle: Gather seeds in summer time, package and label for gifting. Use seed-heads to decorate gifts e.g. lupin, honesty, rose hips, pine cones. Wind flexible cuttings of leafless twigs into wreath bases. Make excess produce into jams, jellies and chutneys in pretty recycled jars.

Green willow wreath making at the 6th December meeting

Decorate

Make: decorations from: candles, paper, fabric, beads, dried plants and flowers, ivy, holly, mistletoe, red berries, your own pot pourri from: dried orange skins, cloves, emptied out mulled wine ‘tea’ bags, nutmegs, cinnamon bark etc.

Buy: big rolls of plain brown or coloured poster paper to make inexpensive gift wrap, a live potted Christmas tree to grow on for the next few years,

Recycle: Christmas wreath, gift wrap, newspaper (people living overseas love this, especially if things of interest to them are on the pages), Christmas cards, Christmas tree, bits of ribbon, lace, pretty bottles jars and  caps, turn paper shopping bags inside out and use as gift wrap, party hats etc., use the knotted rope type handles for craft projects or napkin rings.

Value added gifts in new economic times

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” 
Mother Teresa

Teach all members of your family to be self sufficient by giving your time to provide skills and tools: gardening, cooking for themselves and others, mending clothing, sewing on buttons, chopping firewood, managing money, managing their health, starting a fire with kindling instead of fire-lighters, laundry, ironing, housekeeping, self confidence, planning and organizing, car maintenance, how to unplug a blocked drain, cleaning shoes and boots etc.

Tools for the workshop/garden shed

Basic screw driver, assorted screws, nails, tap washers etc., picture hooks and tack hammer, saws, hammers, chisels, spade, rake, “how to” books, car wash and cloths, tyre black, polish, chamois leather, power tools, books on pruning anything to help with DIY

Cooking tools:

Wooden spoons, muffin and other baking trays & tins, rotary beater, whisk, electric hand mixer, microwave, good quality cooking knives

Favourite family recipes, written in a notebook, in your own handwriting, for a young person. Or photocopy ones in their grandmother’s writing and stick them in too.

Art tools: paper, coloured paper, light card, scissors, crayons, coloured pencils, paints and brushes, PVA glue, hot glue gun, stapler, hole punch, scissors that cut fancy edges, glitter glue

“How to” books – sewing, cooking, knitting, crochet, art and crafts, wood working, drawing, origami, dressmaking, home maintenance.

Gifts of Promises: Decorate a home made card saying you will babysit, make a cake or teach someone how to: garden, valet the family car, do housework, cook a meal

Any kind of books.

“Do give books  for Christmas. They’re never fattening, seldom sinful, and permanently personal.” – Lenore Hershey

Gifts for all children

Garden tools and seeds, cooking ingredients and apron, cupcake cases and trays, cooling racks, recipes, art paper and paints, PVA glue, patch work fabric pieces, hand sewing kit, simple embroidery kits, simple manicure kit made up by you, potted plant or herb garden, bowl of planted up spring bulbs or herbs, books, modern warm clothing, bird nesting box, bird feeder, fruit or nut tree to nurture

Your time:  

Promise to teach how to bake a cake/cupcakes/ muffins/cookies etc.

Promise to teach how to valet the car, as a potential pocket money earner.

Promise to teach a gown-up card game like bridge, chess

Promise a family outing to Millstreet Park, Fota Zoo, the woods, the beach, etc.

Promise to teach a child to sew with the machine, crochet, cross stitch, make something with wood, up-cycle something old into something new

Promise lessons in music, dance, art, martial arts, gym, tennis

Family games – Trivial Pursuit, Connect 4, Jenga, cards, table tennis bats & net for dining table, balls, boules/petanque

A family magazine subscription: National Geographic

Gifts for the elderly and people who already have everything

Make: Hand knits,some premade dishes for the freezer, cookies or cake, a photo book of family photos, wheat pack, some luxury foods, a written record of their life story,

Buy: Smoke alarms, low energy light bulbs, carbon monoxide alarms, cashmere or merino clothing, books of recipes for one or two,, heated towel rail, down comforter or duvet, down pillow, woollen or angora throw, rainproof hat, shopping trundler, 6 months firewood, invitation to Christmas dinner, tickets to visit you, easy roll suitcase or carry-on bag, a holiday with you, a manicure or pedicure, lighter to manage garden tools, seeds, garden books, potted plant or herbs, fingerless gloves and the regular kind, garden gloves made of cotton with rubber on the palm side, Gore-Tex boots or raincoats, non slip boots for cold weather, anything warm and cosy to wear, new smaller pots & casserole dishes if living alone, an hour’s housekeeping a week, a monthly haircut and style, leggings, a subscrition to Sky TV or a magazine, A One for All voucher and a promise to take them shopping, long handled tongs for picking things up from the floor, long handled shoe horn, foot stool, take them to a Christmas concert or show.

Recycle: Your time together

Shop Local

We have great shops in Clonakilty.

Here are a selection of gifts from under €15 from Sustainable Clonakilty supporters:

Click on images to enlarge.

Gifts under €15 from Michelle Mitton

Gifts under €15 from Hosfords Garden Centre (excluding barrow)

If you can’t shop local , shop Irish made.

Shop wisely – Buy only what you will use, make a list, and buy ‘specials’.

“Waste not, want not!”  Old saying

Gifts under €15 from Quirky Kitchen Ltd

Gifts for the whole family

It is estimated that 23 million euros per annum is spent on energy every year in the Clonakilty district.  If we can save energy and spend the money saved locally instead, it would be a huge boost to our local economy.

House insulation, a log burner instead of the open fire, a new condensing boiler, solar panels, a woodshed, a garden  shed, a water butt, chains for the car

A load of firewood to chop up and stack

A water filter and stainless steel water bottles to save buying bottled water

An  LED TV – the lowest energy kind

LED Christmas lights – ditto

“A” Energy rated appliances

LED lighting to replace higher energy lighting

A BER report

A thermal heat image photo

Radiator thermostats

Radboosters

An energy monitor

 Happy Christmas everyone!