Fingal Eco Week 2010
As part of our role in highlighting national and local environmental issues, Fingal County Council Environmental Awareness Team held our first FINGAL ECO WEEK from 8TH to 13th March 2010
Fingal Eco Week was informative, interactive, interesting and fun for all participants. Events kicked off with an Environmental Expo on FINGAL ECO DAY, Monday 8th March, in Blanchardstown Library, where Fingal Eco Week was officially launched by the Mayor of Fingal, Councillor Ciaran Byrne. Exhibitions and displays included the very popular Smoothie Bike, the European Recycling Platform, Fingal County Council Environmental Awareness Team and An Taisce’s Green Homes. A selection of the displays were left in place in the library throughout the week and Monday’s Expo Day was followed up by a mini Expo Day on Thursday 11th March, with a number of displays and talks in Blanchardstown library.
Throughout the week, we hosted many interesting and exciting environmental events. Many Fingal schools came on board by taking part in Environmental Workshops or hosting Walk or Cycle to School Days. Fingal Eco Week coincided with National Tree Week and schools also took part in this under the theme ’Twenty Ten – Plant Again’. We also held Awards Ceremonies on Tuesday 9th and Friday 12th March for the winners of our schools Anti-Litter and Anti-Graffiti Poster competitions. Well done to all successful entrants.
In addition to a range of school events, we hosted a number of environmental seminars throughout the week, such as a Home Composting and Organic Gardening workshop by Grow it Yourself Ireland and presentations by Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment (VOICE) on the 10:10 Climate Change Campaign and by An Taisce on the Green Communities Programme.
On Saturday 13th March, ERP, the European Recycling Platform, collected all unwanted WEEE (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment) from the Balbriggan area. It was a great opportunity for householders to recycle any unwanted electrical items. The collection was free of charge and open to all householders. WEEE is accepted free of charge from householders throughout the year at our Recycling Centres at the Estuary in Swords and in Coolmine. Both centres are open weekly from Wednesday to Saturday, 9am to 4pm.
While a number of the events were for an invited audience, many more were open to the public and we were delighted to see so many Fingal residents taking part. Following the success of Eco Week in 2010 we are already looking forward to and making plans for Fingal Eco Week 2011! . Fingal Eco Week was a great success and comprised a series of events which focussed attention on the environmental issues that face everyone living and working in the Fingal area. Events were designed to raise environmental awareness and encourage Fingal residents to change their environmental behaviour in order to impact less upon the environment. It’s all about having a positive impact!