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Our congratulations to Marleen & Mike who received Biodiversity Garden of Special Merit Awards in the Corrin Hill Biodiversity Garden Awards 2008: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Energy Inventory
The first step in
Clonakilty’s journey to a sustainable energy supply is to find out how much energy
the town is currently using.
At the begining
of 2009 we will be making an energy inventory and encourage all Clonakilty town
residents and businesses to retain their energy bills (electricity, heating oil,
coal, wood pellets, firewood, peat, gas etc.) as these will help us calculate our energy needs. Records for a full 12 months would be
the most useful, but whatever you have can add to our information.
Next we must all avoid wasting energy wherever we can. We will be organising meetings where you can learn about making your home or business a more efficient energy user. Our last speaker was Joe Jolley, from the Renewable Energy Information Office, which is part of Sustainable Energy Ireland and is located in Building 1, West Cork Technology Park, Clonakilty. Joe welcomes visitors with enquiries. Phone first to check his availabilty on 023 886 3394.
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If you are concerned about how we will all cope with climate change and oil running out, join our local group!
Sustainable Clonakilty usually meets on the first Thursday of each month at 8.30 pm, June, July, and September (no meeting in August) and 8 pm, October to May. Generally our meetings are held in O’Donovan’s Hotel, but for special guest speakers or larger gatherings we meet at the Quality Hotel. We advertise our meetings on our website, in shop windows, the library and Southern Star newspaper as well as directly mailing members who have provided us with an email address.
All our meetings are open to all and everybody is very welcome whether you just pop in occasionally, or come every time. There is no commitment required, although we do appreciate it if people sign up as financial members. We are a friendly group from all walks of life in the greater Clonakilty area, who like to exchange ideas and help each other reduce our carbon footprint. We have no religious or political affiliations.
Our Guiding Principles are:
Reduce wasteful use of scarce resources
Reduce use of polluting substances
Reduce impact on nature
Meet human needs fairly and efficiently.
We have run information evenings on subjects like:
- Growing your own vegetables
- Composting
- Geothermal and solar energy
- Father Sean McDonagh, noted Irish environmentalist
- Bob Hilliard, local property developer
- Joy Larkcom, vegetable gardening expert and author
We encourage everyone to have a voice and frequently our meetings break into small groups to facilitate this.
We have active subcommittees working on things like:
- Safe pedestrian and cycle access to Inchydoney Beach
- Clonakilty becoming self-sufficient in renewable energy by 2020.
Occasionally we make very enjoyable site visits to places like:
- The Hollies, a sustainable community involved in education
- Pairc a Tobair, an Earth Learning Community
- Member's gardens.
No need to tell us you are coming – just turn up, we’ll be very happy to see you!
Or, if you’d prefer to confirm (if it is summer we may be out on a field trip) contact:
Jennifer Sleeman, Chairperson
Phone: 023 883 4637, Email: jsleeman@eircom.net
or
Alison Wickham, Secretary
Phone: 023 883 5241, Email: sustainableclon@gmail.com
