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!

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.

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

 

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.

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.

 

 

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 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!

 

WEST CORK SLOW FOOD AWAKES

@

RICHY’S Bar and Bistro, Clonakilty.

on

Thursday 8th December 7.30pm

West Cork Slow Food is holding it’s “re-emergence from slumber” event

for this year’s TERRA MADRE Day in celebration of all things Slow from the region.

Richy (http://www.richysbarandbistro.com/   ) will provide us with a 5 course tasting menu featuring local artisan producers,

foragers and craft butchers products, pairing with the local Drombeg Premium Irish Spirit

and Nohoval’s Stonewell Cider.

Clonakilty has just been made Ireland’s first CittaSlow.

Come and learn more about CittaSlow during the evening.

€40 for non members

€35 for members

drinks and gratuities extra.

Booking essential (€20 deposit) directly to Richy’s

info@richysbarandbistro.com

or telephone 023 8821852.

Quote “Slow Night” in the subject.

Thanks to the Clon. Chamber of Commerce, our strong, vibrant and forward looking community plus Town Council and Sustainable Clonakilty support, we are now a Cittaslow town!  Read all about it here

 

 

Fernhill Hotel

8pm, Tuesday 6th December

Putting the care back into Christmas……..care of family, friends, community and the environment.

Join us, and our sister organisation ‘Grow It Yourself”,  and have fun sharing ideas for making a low cost, Sustainable, Cittaslow, Christmas.

Loads of simple ideas for things to make and do to ensure you have a wonderful celebration without breaking the budget.

Format of the meeting:

20 minutes introduction. Circulate around tables gathering ideas, socialising with friends en route.  

Swapping regifting items and Christmas decorations, buying raffle tickets.  

Refreshments to purchase from main bar.

Gift and Decoration Swap Guidelines:

No plastic items, unless they are Christmas ornaments.

No electrical or battery operated things.

The organisers retain the right to refuse to take any item for exchange if they deem it unsuitable, and it must be removed by the bringer.

Coffee, tea & Christmas mince pies available for purchase as you socialise after the meeting.

If you have a skill you’d like to share on the night, or have a question please phone Alison on 883 5241.

Click here if you don’t understand the word Cittaslow .

Now that the clocks have gone back the days seem very short and dark comes quickly,even if the weather is good there is very little gardening time.  I have always felt that we need more light now not less! It maybe that there is less to do, but gardeners can always find something.  Today being fine and dry I put in a row of Aquadulce broad beans. The seeds are quite expensive and I am hoping they will do well through the winter and wondering how many commercial frozen broad beans I could buy for the price?  Of course I think they would not be as nutritious or give me pleasure, the “feel good factor”.  Same as knitting for my grandchildren: for the price of wool I could probably buy four cardigans made by overworked and underpaid women in a distant country. Is a garment knitted with love more valuable? Is a vegetable grown with pleasure in my own garden somehow better?  Of course I think they are, or I would not knit or garden, but I find there are dilemmas.

In my local super market there are green Beans from Kenya, Sugar snap peas from Peru and baby Corn from India, all countries where people are hungry— and think of the food miles. What is going on here? I have heard people say that we are giving employment to developing countries indeed I was sent an article last week from Time magazine called “Africa Blossoms” exploring small farmers becoming business men. I quote from it “We sold our land for a few cents and now we are laborers on it. It has been a disaster” We have taken the land to grow for us, and as we import flowers and vegetables we are importing their fertility and water and as new land is being cultivated, decreasing the area where Africa still supports its indigenous flora and fauna.  Could labourers wages ever compensate?  Perhaps in the dilemma of what vegetables and fruit to buy we should consider lovely fresh cabbages, cauliflowers, celery, parsnips and carrots and apples grown in Ireland?  Which also brings me back to our own gardens. Food from there being  fresh, full of vitamins and  “feel good factor” with no food miles. Now is the time to be planning, going through our seed boxes, reading, deciding what to grow, using one of our most important garden tools, our brains!

 

The event kicked off with a great Friday night out at Shanley’s Music Bar where an enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the rousing music of Acapellabella, Steven Housden, Gavin Moore, Les Clague and his brilliant daughter, Eve, on the Saxophone, Fionnuala Harkin plus Derek, a Shanley’s regular on piano.  Justin Grounds also contributed his versatile musical talents, as well as acting as a very personable and humorous compere for the gig.  Raffle tickets sold well and winners seemed pleased with their prizes of garden goods courtesy of the Clonakilty Garden Centre or Energy Monitors donated by Airtricity. Our big thanks to Justin and all the hard-working musicians who donated their time and gave us all a marvellous night’s entertainment, as well as the superb organisation of the event by Allison Roberts.

On Saturday the Energy Fair was held in the great hall at the Waterfront thanks to the generosity of Bob & Maria Hilliard of Hillback Developments.  This is the second time that this venue has been made available to the group. Lighting for the venue was provided by West Cork Electrical.  The following people/organisations were exhibiting their products and answering questions:

Exhibitors

Kevin Brophy, Radiator heat boosters:http://www.radbooster.com/

Donagh O’Loghlin, Ecoplumber: www.eco-plumb.ie

Tom Crowley, Crowley Carbon: www.crowleycarbon.com

Liam Deasy, Future Generation Solar:  www.ghsolarireland.com

Xavier Dubuisson, Solar without Frontiers: www.solarwithoutfrontiers.com/

West Cork Building Supplies:

Clogheen Industrial Estate , Clonakilty, Co Cork

Tel:
 023 883 4249

Fax:
023 883 4239

John Murphy, Renewable Heating Systems: www.johncmurphy.ie

Tim O’Donovan, Tim O’Donovan Construction Ltd,  Email: timotei@eircom.net

Housewrap: www.housewrap.biz

Francis Thoma, Cellulose insulation: http://ecocel.ie/

John O’Leary, Building Energy Surveyor: email:  johnoleary@hotmail.com

Refreshments by:

Shane Kelleher, “The Barista Boy”: shane.kelleher@gmail.com

Heather Shorten, Cakes: Phone 086 322 5041

 

Children’s Competition Winners

Bird Feeder

While there were only two entrants for the “birdfeeder made from recycled materials”, we were thrilled at the highly imaginative and attractive entries. It was very difficult to choose a winner.

Mollie Walsh, won First Prize for her “pretend tree” bird feeder made from scraps of broken outdoor furniture and the like, plus natural greenery.  The “tree” usually lives  in her new, currently tree-less garden.  What a great idea to provide some cover for the hungry birds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oisin O’Sullivan, Kilbree was second for his innovative and artistic birdfeeder and bird bath made from a disused tricycle, hurley, umbrella and small laundry detergent bags for nuts etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recycled/up-cycled clothing

 

 

This competition was won with an old T-shirt being updated with bows made from scraps of fashionable lace into a very attractive new design that is right on trend with its black and white theme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raffle prize winners at Energy Fair

F O’Donovan x 2

X Dubuisson

D McCarthy

T Crowley x 2

D Simmons

C O’Suilleabhain

Congratulations to all winners!

The Sunday ‘Tweed’ cycle ride to Inchydoney and back was enjoyed by a good crowd of  people.  the best tweed outfits were won by the Horan family.  The gorgeous photograph was taken by Cionnaith O’Suilleabhain.

 

 

 

And finally a big thank you to our sponsors,

all those who came to our events or helped at them

and participated in the great community spirit and enjoyable atmosphere at them all!

Airtricty Energy Meters

If you would like to borrow an Airtricty energy meter for a month to monitor your own energy expenditure, please contact Alison Wickham at sustainableclon@gmail.com

Hi everyone

Suddenly everything is very busy for us.

1. Sustainable Clonakilty is now an official founding member of the SEAI Sustainable Energy Communities Network.  See here to read the brochure.

2. We are now working on strategic and business plans to continue our work towards achieving the Clonergy 2020 goal:

To enable the transition of Clonakilty and the surrounding areas to energy neutrality through renewable energy, in order to support a sustainable economy and quality of life for the community.

If you’d like to join us in the planning process please contact me by email.

3. The Annual Energy Fest and related activities will take place between Thursday November 10^th and Sunday November 13 based mainly from the Waterfront (by the Whale Tail) on the Bypass.

There will be a repetition of last year’s highly successful and enjoyable fund raising gig at Shanley’s on the night of Friday 11^th. See here

On Saturday 12^th from 2-6pm the Energy Fair will take place in the same venue as last year: the Waterfront hall right by the Whale tail on the bypass. We will have a large variety of local suppliers of sustainable products and services to make your homes more comfortable during the cold winter weather to come. In addition there will be a vast body of knowledge and skill for you to consult with.

Competitions for the school age kids for the best item, bird feeder or article of clothing made from recycled goods, as well as for the best safely ride-able bike, decorated with recycled materials, all to be judged on Saturday at the Energy Fair with cash prizes.

For creative recycling inspiration see:

http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/howtodecoratebikebicyclescraftskids.html

http://becauseshestartedknitting.blogspot.com/2010/08/diy-knotted-double-layered-scarf-from.html

http://greenkidcrafts.com/craftideas/?cat=9

http://www.recyclethis.co.uk/20110428/fab-recycled-projects-bird-feeders-storage-bags-pot-racks-more

http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Backyard-Projects

On Sunday 13^th November we will be having a marshalled bike ride to Inchydoney and back.  You can dress up in tweeds for the fun of it, ride your decorated bike from the previous day’s competition if you are accompanied by an adult, or just come as you are. See here:

We also hope to arrange some site visits of special interest to business people looking for inspiration into energy saving on a large scale by learning though others experience on Thursday or Friday.  Please contact me if you would like to show off your own business energy saving scheme to visitors.

4. Volunteers are required please to help us out with numerous activities from the Energy Fair to marshalling the bike ride.  If you can spare us a few hours we’d be very grateful.  Please let me know by email.

Kind regards

Alison Wickham

Email: sustainableclon@gmail.com

 

The public events for October and November are the Energy Festival which takes place during 10th to 13th of November, focusing on the Waterfront building (by the Whale Tail).

A schedule of events for the festival, which promises enjoyment for the whole family, is here .  There will be fun, entertainment and above all INFORMATION and a chance to interact with local suppliers of all kinds of energy efficiency and generation, plus sustainability, products.

In particular keep the dates Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th November free.

 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP OUT (and we do need you),

OR WISH TO TAKE PART IN THIS EVENT PLEASE CONTACT ALISON AT:

sustainableclon@gmail.com

 

Key Points from AGM Sustclon Ltd, 21/9/2011 Board membership.  As per the company rules one third of directors must stand down each year, but may make themselves available for re-election. Mark Holland decided to stand down and was not available for re-election. Mark was thanked for his efforts over many years as a founder member of Sustainable Clonakilty and past Chairperson. The other director standing down to make the one third was Alison Wickham, who was available for re-election, and was returned. Frank McCarthy, a local businessman, nominated by Ray Lucy and seconded by Marian Cadogan, was elected unanimously to the Board of Sustclon Ltd. Financial membership. Discussion resulted in the fees being changed to either €5.00 p.a. or €10.00p.a. with the amount to be decided by the individual member.  Financial membership for 2012 can be taken up until it closes on 31 May 2012, and is valid until immediately after the September 2012 AGM.  Only those with valid membership can vote in an AGM. It is important for the group that we have as many financial members as possible as it is often used as a guide to the level of community support we have when seeking funding. Volunteers Volunteers are very important to us too – all our working groups need more helpers.  The advantages of becoming a Sustclon Ltd volunteer are increased community integration, learning new skills, meeting new people, personal satisfaction and having fun.  Apply at sustainableclon@gmail.com. In particular the Events & Promotion Group, who organise the meetings, speakers, etc., the Food Group (community gardens, Cook Local cookbook) etc. need more help, and it would be useful to have some people who can help out on an as needed basis with any of the following: helping at events, meeting minutes and/or facilitation, strategic planning and fund raising which requires research, application writing and seeking sponsorship etc.  There is much less activity required in the summer holidays than over the rest of the year. If you can help on this basis please get in touch. Events planned for the next 12 months include: Development and progress of the strategic plan focused on energy saving and renewable energy supplies Another Energy Festival week of 10-13 November on a smaller scale than last year but with the usual Energy Fair, Movie night, fabulous gig at Shanley’s and other activities.  Contact us if you would like to help or exhibit in the Energy Fair at the Waterfront Building on Saturday 12 November. Progressing the Cook Local Cookbook on the website Local transport initiatives Going out to community groups to talk about our mission.  If you would like us to talk to your group contact Alison atsustainableclon@gmail.com Sourcing funding. Major points made when the floor was open to the membership were: As a group we need to ensure everyone in the community understands the potential personal impact of the vulnerability of our energy supply currently, and the benefits of having more money in the local community when we are more energy efficient and independent. The Renewable Energy Report findings need to be brought down to a personal level so the figures are more real and meaningful and people understand the costs and benefits of our plans on a personal level.  Perhaps a student or other interested person could help by sketching out how different aspects of life in Clonakilty would look in 2020 when we realise our mission? The Sustainable Clonakilty Community Gardens Awards will be held at 2.30pm on 22 October in the Methodist Hall and all are welcome. Clonakilty Civil Defence group support required Mayor, John Loughnan thanked the group for all the work done to date, which has made a great impact on the town’s awareness of sustainability issues. He also asked for support from members of the group for Clonakilty’s new initiative to set up a Civil Defence Group to help out in times of civic emergency. Interested people should register at the Town Hall. —————————–——————————- Update from GAA Pilot Project The tender of works has been completed a little later than expected and Patrick O Brien Plumbing & Heating, and Grainger Energy Solutions have been appointed as the heating and insulation contractors respectively.  Both these contractors are now making contact with participants and assessing work. The GAA hope to have a meeting in November where quotations will be returned to customers.