Nearly zero energy house
This house, situated in Kilkilleen, Skibbereen, makes use of solar panels (photovaltics) and heat pumps, which distribute heat around the house rather than using more traditional furnaces or fire places, to power the house. As a result it is a certified "passive house", meaning its energy usage is far lower than the average building.
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Trinity College has come up with an excellent way to settle the Barrys vs Lyons debate
Healthy Trinity is a health initiative in Trinity College Dublin – as part of their mission, they’ve designated smoke-free zones on campus.
These areas have ‘Ballot Bins’ to A) encourage people to bin their butts and B) get the opinions on the hot topics of the day Today, however, they’ve stoked the flames on the biggest debate of all: Barrys vs Lyons. |
Solar panels surpass coal-fired electricity in previously ‘unthinkable’ feat
Solar panels generated more electricity than coal in the past six months in a historic year for getting energy from the sun in the UK, according to a new analysis.
Research by the Carbon Brief website found that solar generated nearly 7,000 gigawatt hours of electricity between April and September, about 10 per cent more than the 6,300GwH produced by coal during the same period.
The figures represent a dramatic turnaround in the UK’s electricity supplies.
The first ever day when solar produced more than coal was only on 9 April – when there was no coal-fired electricity for the first time since 1882. But then May became the first ever month when this happened.
Read the entire article here
Research by the Carbon Brief website found that solar generated nearly 7,000 gigawatt hours of electricity between April and September, about 10 per cent more than the 6,300GwH produced by coal during the same period.
The figures represent a dramatic turnaround in the UK’s electricity supplies.
The first ever day when solar produced more than coal was only on 9 April – when there was no coal-fired electricity for the first time since 1882. But then May became the first ever month when this happened.
Read the entire article here
Knotweed Problem
A €5.5m fund has been provided to combat the growing problem of Japanese knotweed, a plant that can cause untold damage to homes and roads within days.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland has greenlit the funds in an attempt to eradicate the invasive plant from the country’s national road network. Cork senator Tim Lombard said it was a “huge step in the right direction” to provide funds to fight such an insidious plant. Japanese knotweed is listed by the World Conservation Union as one of the worst invasive species on earth because its root system and strong growth can damage concrete foundations, buildings, flood defences, roads, paving, retaining walls and architectural archaeological sites. It is now classified as one of the top 100 worst invasive species worldwide because of its serious impact on biological diversity, impact on human activity and its capacity to invade new environments. It is most prominent on roadsides, waste ground and in wetland habitats where it out-competes native species and forms dense thickets. It is now very well established along river banks, roadsides and on waste grounds throughout the county. |
France bans plastic cups and dishes
France will become the first country in the world to ban all plastic cups and dishes in 2020.
A new law was passed last month to make all dishware biodegradable and made of biological materials.
This ban follows on from their ban on plastic bags last year. The aim is to significantly reduce the energy used and the waste produced by the plastic industry, to reach European environmental targets.
Ireland can easily copy France with such a ban. Ireland led the world when it introduced the plastic bag levy in 2002.
These measures had an immediate effect on plastic bags consumption and resulted in a decrease of 90% of the number of plastic bags used in the country. Given that 1.2 billion plastic bags were being used each year before 2002.
Reusable bags have largely replaced disposable plastic bags today. The effect on consumer behaviour was fast, with a decrease from 328 bags per capita to 21 bags per capita in the first few months after introducing the levy. After this success, the government decided in 2007 to increase the latter from 15c to 22c per bag. This decision strongly encouraged consumers to bring their own bags when going shopping.
This measure is one of the most important in the Irish environmental policy. Despite the success of the policy Irish governments have failed to take the initiative to reduce waste and embrace the polluter pays principle.
Plastic litter pollution is considerable and European countries aim to reduce it so as to reach their sustainable goals for 2020. Some opponents of the law denounce the financial struggle for families who regularly use plastic dishes. In addition, it makes no sense if consumers believe that packaging left in nature will be easily bio-degradable.
A new law was passed last month to make all dishware biodegradable and made of biological materials.
This ban follows on from their ban on plastic bags last year. The aim is to significantly reduce the energy used and the waste produced by the plastic industry, to reach European environmental targets.
Ireland can easily copy France with such a ban. Ireland led the world when it introduced the plastic bag levy in 2002.
These measures had an immediate effect on plastic bags consumption and resulted in a decrease of 90% of the number of plastic bags used in the country. Given that 1.2 billion plastic bags were being used each year before 2002.
Reusable bags have largely replaced disposable plastic bags today. The effect on consumer behaviour was fast, with a decrease from 328 bags per capita to 21 bags per capita in the first few months after introducing the levy. After this success, the government decided in 2007 to increase the latter from 15c to 22c per bag. This decision strongly encouraged consumers to bring their own bags when going shopping.
This measure is one of the most important in the Irish environmental policy. Despite the success of the policy Irish governments have failed to take the initiative to reduce waste and embrace the polluter pays principle.
Plastic litter pollution is considerable and European countries aim to reduce it so as to reach their sustainable goals for 2020. Some opponents of the law denounce the financial struggle for families who regularly use plastic dishes. In addition, it makes no sense if consumers believe that packaging left in nature will be easily bio-degradable.
Paris climate change deal
The Paris climate change deal – hailed as a landmark step in the fight against global warming – is to be ratified by the European Union in a move that will bring the international treaty into force.
EU ministers approved the ratification at an extraordinary meeting of the Environment Council.
The agreement, already ratified by the US and China, the world’s biggest polluters, becomes binding after at least 55 countries who are responsible for 55 per cent of total emissions formally sign up.
Ratification by the EU, which is responsible for 12 per cent of global emissions, would take it over the threshold, allowing the treaty to come into force before the end of this year, some four years earlier than planned.
Concern has been growing over the pace of climate change, with a group of leading climatologists warning this week that the planet could hit 2C of warming – the level at which it is thought the effects will become dangerous – by 2050 or even sooner.
|You can read the full article here
EU ministers approved the ratification at an extraordinary meeting of the Environment Council.
The agreement, already ratified by the US and China, the world’s biggest polluters, becomes binding after at least 55 countries who are responsible for 55 per cent of total emissions formally sign up.
Ratification by the EU, which is responsible for 12 per cent of global emissions, would take it over the threshold, allowing the treaty to come into force before the end of this year, some four years earlier than planned.
Concern has been growing over the pace of climate change, with a group of leading climatologists warning this week that the planet could hit 2C of warming – the level at which it is thought the effects will become dangerous – by 2050 or even sooner.
|You can read the full article here