Packing up is troubleThe over-packaging and the lack of sustainable packaging on many food items and consumer goods is a neglected environmental issue in this country.
An innovative seminar for manufacturers, retailers and waste management officers aims to tackle this issue on Tuesday, June 5th in the Ambassador Hotel, Military Hill, Cork.
The seminar, which has been organised by the Cork Environmental Forum (CEF), will showcase sustainable material options and inform participants about eco-packaging initiatives in Europe. Speakers will talk about recycled aluminium foil, recycled greaseproof paper sandwich bags, cornstarch food containers, biodegradable drinks bottles and recycled plastic milk bottles.
CEF is also running a competition to find the most environmentally friendly packaged product in Ireland and June 5th is the closing date for entry. To find out more about the seminar or the competition, tel: 028-37884 or see www.cef.ie.
Young environmentalistsCongratulations to pupils from St Catherine's College, Co Armagh, who won the junior category of this year's Eco-Unesco Young Environmentalist Awards for their recycled lighting and Christmas tree project. Congratulations also to the students of St Mary's Knockbeg College, Carlow, who won the senior award for planting trees, shrubs and wildflower seeds on a wasteland area along the River Barrow to attract local wildlife. There were 15 awards made at a ceremony in the Mansion House, Dublin last Monday.
"We've had such a magnificent array of projects this year dealing with real environmental concerns of climate change, biodiversity loss, water and waste issues," said Elaine Nevin, director of Eco-Unesco. "It's time we took our young people's concerns seriously."
See www.ecounesco.ie for full details of the winners.
Old houses, new centuryThe fifth annual Historic Houses of Ireland conference takes place on June 14th and 15th at NUI Maynooth, Co Kildare. Speakers will include Kevin Baird, the chief executive of the Irish Heritage Trust; Nick Sheaff, director of the Irish Georgian Society; and Michael Starrett, chief executive of the Heritage Council. Country house owners will discuss the problems they face in sustaining Irish country houses in the 21st century. Speakers from England, Russia and Germany will look at how owners of country houses fare there.
The closing date to register for the conference is June 1st. Tel: 01-7086959 or e-mail terence.a.dooley@nuim.ie.
A call to eco armsDeep Green is the title of a talk about the ecological crisis and the call for personal creative action tomorrow at 2pm in Mountshannon Hall, Mountshannon, Co Clare.
The event, which will be chaired by Br Anthony from Glenstal Abbey, is part of the East Clare Arts Festival/ Iniscealtra Festival of Arts. The theme of the festival this year is Our Fragile Earth/Ár nDomhan Leochaileach. For full details, tel: 087-2686764 or see www.iniscealtra-artsfestival.org.