Green Drinks 1st April - Energy Efficiency in the Public Sector

This month the Irish Wildlife Trust Dublin Branch heard Anna Heussaff from Dublin Friends of the Earth talking about the huge savings that could be made by making the public sector more energy efficient. Imagine saving at least €120 million a year in public spending without pay cuts, reductions in services or redundancies. Let’s also imagine saving over 2,000 GWh and 500 Kt of CO2 emissions equivalent at the same time, as part of Ireland’s contribution to stop climate change becoming a catastrophe.

Let’s say that all this can be done within two years. Sounds too good to be true? It’s actually government policy, but like many other policies, it’s short on urgent action.

Anna explored some examples of good practice in saving energy, and the results of research which highlights the widespread lack of action and energy wastage across the public sector. Many of the savings could be from simple things, like not leaving lights on all night, ensuring buildings are properly insulated and installing solar panels on buildings.

Deal Effect - a great new way to help the IWT!

Hello Irish Wildlife Trust supporter


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Thank you so much

Irish Wildlife Trust and the Deal Effect Team

4th March Green Drinks - invasion of the pitcher plants!

Pitcher Plants Invade Our Precious Peatlands!

The Irish Wildlife Trust Dublin Branch continue to bring you the very best of green issues with Green Drinks Dublin on the first Tuesday of every month! This month, we heard Louise Duignan, wildlife biologist, ecologist, and graduate of Trinity College Dublin speaking about her research on an invasive bug-eating pitcher plant that was introduced to Ireland from just a handful of seedlings in the early 1900's. Since then it has managed to spread throughout our delicate peatlands creating huge colonies of this beautiful but damaging plant. While it is beautiful, the pitcher plants from North America crowd out native flora, and even have an effect on the native fauna, by destroying sources of food and shelter.

The plants were originally placed in the bog in various parts of Ireland by commercial growers who wanted to grow them for garden centres and saw the bogs as a convenient source of 'vacant' wasteland, and later by individuals who wanted to 'improve' the bogs. Once established the plants are impossible to eradicate as they set thousands of tiny seeds that last for decades. This means that unfortunately there is no point in attempting to remove established colonies, but the focus must be on preventing them from spreading further.

Pretty but invasive

23rd February - Visit to National Museum

We were treated to a wonderful tour of the Treasury in the National Museum. Our tremendously knowledgeable tour guide, Dr Edel Bhreathnach, showed us the unique treasures of early medieval Ireland, discussing the development of Irish art from the Iron Age to the impact of the Vikings. She focussed on figures of animals that appear in the works on display and drew our attention to the remarkable skill with which they were executed. Of all the beautiful objects we examined, of course, the most outstanding were from the period of peak achievement: the Ardagh Chalice, the Derrynaflan Chalice and the Tara brooch. The feedback from all the participants was very positive.

Barbara 

Green Drinks - 4th February Pedagogy Plant

This month the Irish Wildlife Trust Dublin Branch at its Green Drinks Dublin event, came along to hear Adrian Bannon, author, entrepreneur, lawyer and founder of multiple initiatives such as the wonderful Pedagogy Plant, an initiative aiming to connect creative people, companies, industries and colleges all over the globe through collaborative tree planting. Inspired by the famous copper beech 'Autograph Tree' in Galway, a tree home to the signatures of many of Ireland's greatest artists, writers, thinkers and activists, Adrian aims to inspire us into positive movement and change.

The goals at Pedagogy Plant are 'TREEFOLD': Awareness, Creativity and Talent (A.C.T):

1. to encourage schools, community colleges, universities, CEO's of companies and other creative institutions in several countries to plant their own AUTOGRAPH / ALUMNI TREES (a single copper beech tree or other suitable tree ) that will house the 'autograph' signatures of those college achieving students' and employees' in 10, 20, 30, 40 and 100 years time.

2. to have citizens, friends, families, groups and pro-active communities , grass-roots developments to plant trees to celebrate their LOCAL creativity, milestones and successes and take PHOTOS / VIDEOS of the planting to send it to Pedagogy Plant on Facebook or via email.

3.apart from local creators to also have a national Pedagogy Plant Facebook Page for every country in the world.

As well as Ireland Pedagogy Plant have helped to create tree planting in Spain, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and India among other places. Truly a GLOBAL initiative!

December 3rd - Green Drinks Antarctic Adventure

This month the Irish Wildlife Trust Dublin Branch heard the wonderful Eimear Carlin come to talk to us about her adventures to the ends of the earth! Eimear was selected as the only Irish participant on the 2041 Antarctic Youth Ambassador Programme in 2013. The present Antarctic Treaty which states that Antarctica is to be used only for scientific and peaceful purposes expires in 2041, and the aim of the programme is to create an international coalition of youth defenders who will champion renewable energy as the path to saving the continent in the future.

In March she completed an expedition to Antarctica with representatives from major oil and gas companies, and 18 young future leaders from around the world. The aim of this expedition was to raise awareness about the Antarctic Treaty and the importance of protecting the continent for future generations. In June, Eimear also travelled extensively in the Canadian Arctic and saw first-hand the effects of climate change, and intensive destruction of natural resources on Indigenous populations and the natural environment in the North. 

17th November - birdwatching for beginners at Booterstown Marsh

The Dublin Branch of IWT went birdwatching for beginners at Booterstown Sanctuary on Sunday, 17 November. Once again we were fortunate to have Sean Hogan (Birdwatch Ireland) as our guide for this event which attracted some 20 IWT members. As ever, Sean had everything well prepared; with background information about the marsh and its history, handouts containing information about the species in residence and good advice about bird identification guides and the best binoculars to use. We were very lucky to spot many of the birds that Sean had highlighted in his handout. All in all a very enjoyable few hours with very positive feedback from those in attendance.

Barbara 

Eoin leads the way

Looking out over Booterstown Marsh

I wonder where the birdies are?

Sean gives us the benefit of his wisdom