Recent Posts
The Global Lunch box series of lunchtime talks and workshops began last Friday in Rothe House. The title of the first lunch box was “The Three E’s” and looked at the relationship between energy, the economy and the environment. It set the scene for all subsequent talks in that we looked at “The Big Picture” and where each lunch box fits.
As before the format of a lunch box is a power point presentation and/or short film or documentary clip followed by a discussion, usually in small groups. Nothing too intimidating, just a different way to spend a lunchtime learning about the global issues bearing down on us, hearing how local solutions play a vital part and meeting other like-minded individuals who share the same concerns and are looking for ways to act.
On top of this you get tea/coffee, a nice place to eat your sambo and free entry to the wonderful Rothe house gardens – what more can you ask for! The next lunchbox is “Carbon Handprints” this coming Friday the 27th March followed by “Story of Stuff” on 3rd April. After Easter we have “Back to the Land” on 24th April, “Show me the Money” on 1st May and finally “Where do we go from here?” on 8th May. Full details available here.
You can view the presentations from last Friday’s lunch box by clicking on the links below
The first orchard in the 400 fruit tree project was planted yesterday at the Gael Scoil. It was a great day, inspiring with a wonderful community spirit with a sense of something new afoot. The weather was kind and there was a big turnout from parents and friends to take part in the planting of 10 native and heritage varieties of apple trees from Irish Seed Savers with names such as “Irish Pitcher” and “Bloody Butcher”!
The start of the 400 Fruit Tree project in the Gael Scoil on March 4th
The "WEEEman" constructed from waste goods. Note the washing machine for a sense of scale!
Unless you fancy making a sculpture from your waste appliances like the “WEEEman” pictured here, this Saturday is an opportunity to dispose of them free of charge where they will (hopefully) be recycled into new goods.
The collection will take place this coming Saturday from 10am to 4pm in Callan, Mullinavat and Thomastown. The following items will be accepted: cookers, washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers, freezers, fridges, TVs, computers, toasters, irons, blenders, power tools, IT equipment, hairdryers, battery operated toys, fluorescent lighting, lighting fixtures, batteries, car and tractor batteries etc.
The locations are as follows: Thomastown – The Quay car park, Mullinavat – St. Beacons Church car park, Callan – Tube rollers site. Collections will take place in three other locations in the coming months. For further information download the councils poster here (4MB).
And in case your wondering, WEEE stands for “Waste electrical and electronic equipment”. A very unfortunate acronym if ever there was one.
Speaking recently about the economy Minister for finance Brian Lenihan said “You would want to be a cross between a prophet and a soothsayer and a clairvoyant to predict what will happen after 2011″. If only our leaders would stand back, take a systems approach to understanding the world and consider the importance of energy they would have a far better understanding of where we are headed. Continue Reading »
At the recent launch of our spring 2009 program we gave a short talk on peak oil, climate change, the limits to growth and how transition towns and future proof kilkenny fit in to this big picture.
I was sure I struck the right note between realism about the challenges we face and optimism about the opportunities they present, i.e. the line between doom-mongering and hippy-idealism. Afterwards, however, Paul McCarthy from Transition Town Clonmel sent me a few links to cheer me up so perhaps I did lean too heavy on the “doomer” side after all…
So here is the best of what he sent me plus one from the transition podcast. Enjoy.
Globalisation goes to far!
From the “Onion News Network” parents outsource day care for their children overseas.
The Wondermental guide to Transition!
Bordering on cynical, comedian Matt Harvey’s hilarious take on Transition Towns.