Environment - West Cork People

Waste Not, Want Not: Initiatives and the February Freezer Challenge

WCP Staff February, 2025

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 […]

Hares and horrible hunters

Dr Jeremy A. Dorman February, 2025

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 […]

Sandhoppers and plastic

Dr Jeremy A. Dorman January, 2025

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, […]

The importance of ventilation

Ruairi Kay January, 2025

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, […]

Environment

Waste Not, Want Not: Compost your way into 2025

WCP Staff January, 2025

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 […]

Spotting the elusive Black Redstart

WCP Staff January, 2025

This month branch committee member Karl Woods tells us about the Black Redstart ‘Phoenicurus ochruros’ (Irish name – ‘Earrdheargán dubh’), a lovely but scarce little bird that some people may not realise we get in Ireland. However there seems to be an increasing number of winter sightings and so now […]

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