The world’s first transatlantic cable, which sent its first telegram 166 years ago, started in Valentia Island off the coast of Co Kerry. Now subsea cables carry 99 per cent of the world’s internet traffic. Today’s cables enable the transmission of light along fibreoptic strands within the cable, enabling an ever-increasing […]
Environment
This month we’d like you to join us on a mission. Winter has always been what we humans have pickled and preserved for. We freeze, we dry and we can. These are all great ways to save food but, as our lives have modernised, so have our shopping options. We […]
Most people associate hares with March; think of the expression “mad as a March hare” and the hare in ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’. So this is a bit early, but because of what I have seen and heard recently, I couldn’t wait another month. The madness, by the way, refers […]
In 2024, I collected 51.74 kilograms of litter from the cove at the end of our lane. That is more than in 2022 and 2023, but a little less than in 2021. Fishing gear such as ropes and hard plastic floats were the heaviest items, but plastic bottle pieces were, […]
Following on from the last two instalments on insulation, this month I’m going to talk about ventilation. Ventilation is an important part of any retrofit but I find it is often overlooked and misunderstood. Hopefully, I can help dispel it here! A key part of any retrofit is reducing drafts, […]
Since January is the month for resolutions and fresh starts, maybe 2025 is the year to start composting in your garden or with your community group! According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), food waste makes up about 30 per cent of the total waste generated in Irish households. The […]