A glimpse of nature, by SYLVIA THOMPSON
Oceans of rubbish
Over one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die each year as a result of plastic rubbish and discarded fish nets. World Oceans Day on Monday is an international opportunity to highlight the growing problem of marine debris. The Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS), together with staff from Google, will do a beach clean on Monday at Blackrock and King’s beach in Balbriggan, Co Dublin. The ISS will also host an evening of talks and slideshows on Monday at 7pm in the Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co Dublin. See irishsealsanctuary.ie
Gorgeous Georgian practices
The Irish Georgian Society’s annual Traditional Building Skills in Action Exhibition goes ahead next weekend in Strokestown Park, Co Roscommon. With the aim of encouraging owners of historic buildings to follow best practice in restoration, the event includes free demonstrations of traditional stone-wall building, wood carving, timber-sash window restoration, traditional ironwork, decorative plasterwork and more. Running alongside the demonstrations will be a two-day seminar on conservation. The society also welcomes the recent Government announcement of €12.5 million funding for conservation and protection of privately owned and public heritage buildings. See igs.ie for more.
Sandymount’s global assault
Stop Climate Chaos’s dramatic choreographed campaigning events on Dublin’s Sandymount Strand have been attracting attention since they started two years ago. The coalition of non-governmental environmental groups plans to form a giant human hourglass next Saturday at noon to send the message that time is running out to stop climate change. With just six months to the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen, the group hopes the demonstration will remind politicians and the public of the importance of cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Head to Sandymount Strand just before noon next Saturday to watch or join in the display. See stopclimatechaos.ie
sthompson@irishtimes.com
Ecoweb
theoceanproject.org
Although celebrated for years, World Oceans Day on Monday has only been official sanctioned by the United Nations this year. Check out this site for ways to get involved in campaigning to clean up the seas and oceans of the world