dlr Environmental Awareness September Newsletter

dlr Environmental Awareness September Newsletter

September 2021

Environmental Awareness Newsletter

Upcoming Environmental Dates

• Household Hazardous Waste Collection Da y - 11 th of September 2021

• Dublin Community Clean-up - 11 th to 19 th of September 2021

• Dublin Climate Action Week - 13 th to 19 th of September 2021

• National Bike Week – 12 th to 18 th September 2021

Contact Environmental Awareness - [email protected]

Martha Casserly - Environmental Awareness Officer Niamh Moran - Assistant Environmental Awareness (Schools) Officer

Environmental Awareness Newsletter

September 2021

Tidy Districts 2021

Thank you to the forty-one residents’ associations, tidy towns and tidy district groups who took part in this year’s non-competitive version of Tidy Districts.

This 2021 process offered resident groups an opportunity to speak with and obtain advice from a judge of the previous Tidy District competition. Tidy District reports are currently being issued and prize funding will be paid to each entrant group by mid-September. It is hoped that this consultation and prize funding will assist with your planning for next year’s competition.

On behalf of the Council, I would like to thank all the wonderful volunteers who devote personal time to improve local environmental quality. I’ve witnessed first-hand the positive changes you have created in your community. Each and every local environmental action makes a difference.

We are planning for the return of competition in 2022 with it’s usual focus on litter, planting, sustainability, biodiversity, re-use and climate. The application form will be available in February 2022.

Environmental Awareness Newsletter

September 2021

Free Waste Collection Days

Do you have any half-empty paint cans lurking at the back of your shed? Are you planning a clear-out? The annual hazardous waste collection day return this September. On Saturday 11th September 2021, households are invited to bring their hazardous waste to the old Ferry Terminal at Dún Laoghaire Harbour.

Please see the advert on the following page for further details. If you have any queries please email [email protected].

Environmental Awareness Newsletter

September 2021

Household Recycling Bin

All plastic packaging waste can now be placed in Irish household recycling bin. This includes all soft plastics, hard and rigid plastic. Soft plastics including plastic wrap on products, plastic labels, plastic packaging pillows, bubble wrap, wrappers, crisp packets and plastic carrier bags are now accepted in the household recycling bin provided they are clean, dry and loose.

For more information, please visit MyWaste.ie.

Clean, Dry & Loose

Environmental Awareness Newsletter

September 2021

Dublin Climate Action Week

Dublin Climate Action Week 2021 is a one-week programme of events running from the 13th - 19th September 2021, which aims to inspire, share knowledge and highlight best practice on climate action, as we work towards creating a healthier, more sustainable Dublin. The four Dublin Local Authorities, the Dublin Climate Action Regional Office (CARO) and Dublin’s Energy Agency Codema have come together to organise a great programme of online and physical events to showcase climate action, progress, demonstrate the leadership role of the four Dublin Local Authorities and inspire action. This inaugural event will host over 70 free events. Although the events are open to everyone, places are limited. Please visit www.dublinclimateactionweek.ie to view the full programme and register. Some of the dlr organised events are featured on the next page. There is something for everyone!

Click to view video!

Click on an image below to register!

Dublin Climate Action Week Events

Dublin Community Clean-up

Residents, volunteers and communities are invited to join Dublin’s largest anti - litter movement and make a positive impact this September, during Dublin’s inaugural Climate Action Week, from the 11 th to the 19 th of September Dublin Community Clean-up is a collaborative event from community groups, the four Dublin Local Authorities, Clean Coasts, An Taisce, Local Authority Waters Programme, Dublin City Canals and Dodder Action. This event encourages volunteers, agencies and communities to work together to make a concerted effort to address litter and environmental degradation. Through collaboration, we can tackle the issue of litter in local areas and continue to keep Dublin beautiful. This September let’s get the whole community involved take a stand against those who litter our communities.

Take part by registering on www.dublincommunitycleanup.ie and joining the social media conversation by tagging #DublinCommunityClean-up.

Free equipment is available from dlr. Please visit www.dlrcoco.ie here for more information about equipment and litter bags.

Special thanks to An Cathaoirleach, Dún Laoghaire Tidy Towns and Junior Dún Laoghaire Tidy Towns for launching the event! Image 1: An Cathaoirleach Cllr Lettie McCarthy , Richard Curtain (Clean Coasts), Mary O’Keeffe, Brian Flynn and junior members of Dún Laoghaire Tidy Towns. Image 2: Sisters Tess and Anna from Junior Dún Laoghaire Tidy Towns

Seeking Citizen Scientists!

Clean Air Together (Dublin) is a collaborative citizen science project aimed at measuring levels of the traffic pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) across Dublin. The project is currently seeking 1,000 Dublin citizens to help measure air pollution in their local area.

If you are interested in helping to measure local air quality, please visit the project website ( www.cleanairtogether.ie)

The project is open to everyone. Once registered and selected, you will receive a pack in the post containing a small tube. Your pack will also include simple instructions for installing the tube outside your home or business and how to register it online. As one of the 1,000 participants, you will install your tube on Friday 8th October and leave it in place for four weeks. The tube will measure the levels of nitrogen dioxide - without you even knowing that it is there. After the four weeks, you will post the tube back to the EPA free of charge. Your tube will be sent for analysis and you will get a copy of your results once it has been analysed.

Please visit www.cleanairtogether.ie for more information.

Environmental Awareness Newsletter

September 2021

Host a private webinar for your group

Would you like to increase environmental awareness about food waste in your local area?

We have free community workshops available on;

Composting at Home, Guide to Success This introductory workshop with Craig Benton focuses on how to create your own ‘black gold’ at home! With time for interaction, question and answers. The Stop Food Waste Challenge This workshop aims to provide information and advice on reducing food waste at home. For more information on the Stop Food Waste programme please visit here (www.stopfoodwaste.ie)

Both workshops will be delivered online (over Zoom) and will be funded by dlr.

If your community group, resident association, tidy town or tidy district group would like to get involved and host your own workshop, please email [email protected].

Environmental Awareness Newsletter

September 2021

Upcycle Challenge 2021 - Open For Entries!

The National Upcycle Challenge invites participants to use their imagination to create something new from old, unwanted or discarded materials. A total of € 6,000 worth of prizes are available across eight categories including; • Best in Eastern/Midlands Region; • Best Men’s Shed or Community Group; • Best School; • Best Professional; • The EPA Special Prize; • The Public Choice Award. For more information on the competition, and to submit an application, log on to MyWaste.ie .

Closing Date: 15 th October 2021

The closing date is the 15 th of October.

For ideas, visit the Rediscovery Centre website here. They have created a number of free online video guides about upcycling.

Environmental Awareness Newsletter

September 2021

Contactless Coffee

RepairMyStuff.ie

Many coffee shops in dlr, and nationwide, have introduced ‘contactless coffee’ as a way to safely serve customers in their own reusable cup during Covid 19.

Purchasing a new laptop or washing machine when an old one breaks is not always necessary. Repair can be a cheaper alternative. It is also a more environmentally friendly option.

www.RepairMyStuff.ie is a directory of local repair professionals operating in your area.

The Conscious Cup Campaign has created a useful map showing coffee shops currently offering this contactless coffee service for reusable cups. If your local coffee shop would like to join the free map, please ask them to visit www.consciouscup.ie

It is free for all repair enterprises to register.

This independent website was created by local authorities, in conjunction with the EPA.

Environmental Awareness Newsletter

September 2021

Relove Fashion

Picker Pals

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown have partnered with Picker Pals again this year to provide workshops to primary schools in dlr working on reducing litter and waste in their school.

The Relove Fashion Competition for secondary schools will be returning in September. Relove Fashion encourages students to take a deeper look at how their clothing is made. The competition explores creative reuse options such as upcycling, repairs, alterations and mending. Students use their design and repair skills to make their own fashion statement. Further information please visit the new Relove Fashion website www.relovefashion.ie

Picker Pals is an environmental education programme for primary schools. Through stories, songs and an educational picker pack, Picker Pals provides children and their families with an opportunity to engage in a variety of environmental actions, particularly litter picking. The programme is operated by VOICE Ireland. If you know, or work within, a primary school that may be interested in this programme, please ask the school to email [email protected].