Recycle and be merry:It has been estimated that in Dublin alone over Christmas, we will produce 100,000 tonnes of used packaging. That is equivalent to the weight of 1,600 elephants, and 30 per cent more than the usual amount of waste generated.
Repak, the packaging recycling group, has also calculated that if all the wrapping paper were to be laid out side by side, it would cover an area half the size of Leinster. And, if all the glass wine and beer bottles were laid out end to end, they claim, they would reach from Ireland to Sri Lanka, a distance of more than 9,000km.
All of these statistics are being used to encourage us all to prepare for a recycling binge this Christmas. To really do it right, most householders will need to set up mini-recycling areas in a garden shed or somewhere else out of the way of the festivities and use separate containers for plastics, paper and cardboard, and glass.
For those who have a green bin service, additional recyclable material can be left beside that bin on collection day, provided it is dry, bound securely and only contains materials that normally go in the green bin. The extra materials should not be put in a plastic bag and any large cardboard boxes must be cut into smaller pieces.
This year, local authorities will designate 90 recycling centres as Green Christmas centres and will accept packaging materials and other items such as batteries, old mobile phones, used electrical goods and textiles. Nearly all local authorities also offer designated drop-off sites for Christmas trees. In Dublin, for instance, there are six, and trees can be dropped off between December 27th and January 20th. See www.dublinwaste.ie for more details on Dublin city and county Christmas tree drop-off points.
Also, most householders will need to make at least one trip to their local bring centre after Christmas, so remember to check out exactly where it is before you go. Many local authorities now have opening times and local area maps to bring centres on their websites. Glass recycling bins are possibly the easiest ones to find as they are often sited near large supermarkets or at filling stations. Check www.repak.ie for county-by-county listings of bring centres, bring banks and larger recycling centres.
If your house is in a pilot area for brown bins - as, for example, parts of Fingal County Council are - you'll have a better chance than most people to recycle compostable material over Christmas. While some people have been proactive about putting compost bins in their garden, it remains the least developed of all recycling in this country. Next year, this is set to change, with plans afoot to introduce brown bins to more areas.
Organic resolutions for 2007
Organic gardening courses have been the most popular courses at the Organic Centre in Rossinver, Co Leitrim this year. And so, in 2007 the centre will offer three gardening courses in three different locations - at the centre itself and at venues in Co Clare and Co Wicklow. These courses, which are held one day per month, teach a year-long approach to gardening.
For programme details see www.theorganiccentre.ie tel: 071-9854338.