On Saturday, September 21, an event is planned in Skibbereen to help us learn a bit more about the most topical material at the moment for all the wrong reasons – plastic. A day of information and talks is currently being planned with more information to follow nearer the time. In the run-up the organisers are seeking West Cork People readers’ help in gathering stories to display at the event.
Sonia Caldwell explains, “We would like to know all about grocery shopping in the good old days – before everything was wrapped in plastic! We want to look back to a time gone by, when reusing and repurposing was a way of life. We would like to hear your stories of shops back then – the goods that were for sale and how they were packaged – and the shopkeepers who were such wonderful characters and intrinsic to the social fabric of village and town life.
“We want to look at methods of marrying the old ways with modern technology and enterprise to bring about a new plastic-free future.
“In the spirit of the Folklore Commission of the 1930s, we are inviting people to send us a letter, note or audio recording from an elderly relative with their anecdotes and memories of how shopping for food was done in the past; how we used to shop for food and what has changed in the type of food we now buy. If you are that ‘elderly relative’ then send it yourself!”
Letters can be posted to Kilcoe Studios, Kilcoe, Skibbereen, Co Cork or emailed to zerowasteskibb@gmail.com before September 10. These letters will be exhibited during the plastics awareness event and will also form part of the launch event of A Taste of West Cork food festival on Thursday September 12 in the Riverside Restaurant in Skibbereen.
To see what other activities are planned follow facebook: Sustainable Skibbereen.
