The Gaultheria or Checkerberry as it is sometimes called is an evergreen, frost tolerant shrub, which is low growing and spreads to about one metre. It flowers from July to August, and the seeds ripen from October to December. The flowers are hermaphrodite (they have both male and female organs). The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor places. It can grow in full shade or semi-shade and requires dry or moist soil. It can tolerate drought, making it an ideal plant for those awkward spots in the garden or in containers. The plant comes into its own though with other properties that we may not be so familiar with. The fruit can be eaten raw and it has a very strong spicy taste of germolene, (a bit like a hospital waiting room). It improves after a frost. The fruit hangs onto the plant until spring if they are not eaten by birds. The berries can also be used in pies, or made into jams. A very agreeable tea is made from the fresh leaves. A stronger tea can be made by first fermenting the bright red leaves. It is also used to flavour beer, sweets, chewing gum amongst other thing.
MEDICINAL USES
Checkerberry leaves were widely used by the native North American Indians in the treatment of aches and pains and to help breathing whilst hunting or carrying heavy loads. An essential oil (known as 'oil of wintergreen') is obtained from the leaves and contains methyl salicylate, (which is closely related to aspirin and is an effective anti-inflammatory). The plant, especially in the form of the essential oil, is most useful when applied externally in the treatment of acute cases of rheumatism, sciatica. The oil is sometimes used in the treatment of cellulitis, a bacterial infection that causes the skin to become inflamed.
Caution is advised, especially if the oil is used internally, since essential oil is toxic in excess, causing liver and kidney damage. Seek professional advice before you try. The essential oil is used as food flavouring, and in perfumery and toothpastes. So there you have it, this plant has everything, it is a great ground cover and it can also treat your ailments and flavour your ale! Again though a word of caution - make sure you have the right plant and you are sure you are not allergic to aspirin.
Horticultural.
Saturday 31 March 2007
WORKING ORGANICALLY
Photo:Organically grown ornamental onion seed head.Ian
I get a bit confused when you talk about working organically in the garden. Could you make my life a bit easier by compiling a list that I can work to as a rough guide please. Thank you.
Sam, Carndonagh.
10 STEPS TO WORKING ORGANICALLY
Here is a Top Ten list to be going on with.
Manage the whole garden organically - not just the fruit and vegetables
Make the garden 'wildlife friendly', encouraging natural creatures to control pests.
Learn to distinguish pests from predators
Play to your garden's strengths, capitalising on its particular characteristics
Make soil care a priority
Make compost and leaf mould to feed the soil
Reuse and recycle, to cut down the use of finite resources and reduce disposal problems
Use organically grown seeds as far as possible
Consider the environmental implications when choosing materials for hard landscaping, fencing, soil improvement and so forth
Collect rain water, and reduce the need for watering by improving the soil and growing appropriate plants
Make local sources your first choice
Stop using slug pellets!
Control weeds without herbicides
Avoid the use of preservative treated wood ·
Say 'NO' to genetically modified varieties
Horticultural.
HEDGE BOTTOM
Photo: Nasturtium can brighten up the area underneath old leylandii hedges.
Ian
I have a leylandii hedge around my garden (it was here when I moved in). I keep it under control but over the years the bottom of it had gone bare. It looks unsightly and I was wondering whether it would grow back at all. If not, what could I plant underneath it to tidy it up? Thanks G.B. by e-mail
Reply.
Once a leylandii goes bald there isn’t much you can do to start any regrowth. Like humans though we can cover up those bald patches with a bit of careful planning. If the hedge is large and you have the room, planting Escallonia underneath looks very good and if they are kept watered over the first few years they will establish very well. Leylandii are very thirsty hedges so lots of water will be needed to ensure that they take well If the hedge is north facing, and completely in the shade, or even south facing so completely dry, then do not despair. There is still a plant that could survive such conditions. Try the scented sweet box (Sarcococca confusa). This plant will tolerate the driest dullest place in the garden. The Sarcococca confusa has glossy, dark evergreen leaves with clusters of highly fragrant, creamy-white flowers in winter. There is also the Sarcococca humilis, which is a dwarf, clump-forming shrub with dark green, glossy leaves. In winter, fragrant, pink-tinged white flowers are produced. After flowering, both varieties bear attractive blue-black, non-edible fruits. The height, when established is anything up to up to 60cm. And the plant quickly establishes a great ground cover. Throw on a few nasturtium seeds too for a bit of summer colour
Horticultural.
COOLING TOWERS
WET WET WETTER
There has been a lot of flooding over the last few weeks. I was hearing from people who were in Derry the other week who witnessed the flooding first hand. I was also over in England last week and they too have had their fair share of water. My mothers village was under water last year, not because of rain but because someone (allegedly) forgot to close the sluices on the local reservoir. The people concerned were hosting a party for Dianna Ross and got distracted. The excess water was diverted away from the village back in the 16th century but over time the water has managed to find its original course, which goes straight down the high street underneath everyone’s house foundations. This makes me realise that there is little point in fighting nature, as she will invariably always come out on top.
There are problems that planners encounter as towns and cities grow over the years. Problems such as the size of the storm drains and the fact that in towns and cities there are so few areas for water to soak away that the water just builds up on the surface. Car parking is a big problem in these areas so front gardens have been concreted to accommodate them, which makes it even more difficult to get rid of a heavy shower of rain. There are all sorts of long-term problems that serious flooding can cause. In nature floods bring vital minerals down the hills onto the pasture ground. The unsavoury reality in towns and cities is that the floodwater is usually mixed with raw sewage and that can have a very unpalatable effect on your vegetable plot. Trees and shrubs may suffer too if the roots are under water for longer than a week they are usually severely checked back or even die. If anyone has been affected by flooding they shouldn’t be in too much of a rush to get out into the garden as walking on the wet soil can cause severe compaction of the ground and nothing will grow in it. Shrubs and trees that look dead could always pick up the following year too.
A LOAD OF HOT AIR
We don’t see them around here but cooling towers are a familiar sight in some countries. The purpose of these towers is to cool down the water in the power station after the fuel is burned and steam comes out of the top. There is a nuclear power plant in Dumfries (Scotland!) that is changing to become a wood burning electricity plant in an effort to transform these aging reactors. When it is set up it will generate enough power for 200,000 homes. The plant is going to burn willow, which has been especially grown for the purpose. This idea comes about as there is growing concern as to whether wind farms can bring countries up to the European standard of green energy production over the next few years. Although burning the wood will produce carbon monoxide, the willow plantations that are created to supply the power plant would more than absorb the greenhouse gas. If this one is a success then six more BNFL nuclear plants could undergo similar transformations.
A LOAD OF COLD AIR
We are all familiar with the bouncy castles that adorn front gardens when the kids have a birthday party. A few years ago I was in a town where there was a giant version of an inflatable. The inflatable structure was about as big as two tennis courts and instead of jumping up and down on it you put on a coloured cape and went inside (the cape was supposed to change colour in different rooms and mesmerise people!). The effect when you are inside one of these things is quite stunning as the natural light filters through it are intensified so the whole space glows with a rainbow of colour. The designer, Alan Parkinson has now made a structure even bigger than before and he has called it the ixilum, which is part of a tour called Luminarium. The inflatable is about the size of a football pitch and 26 feet high. You walk into the entrance, take in the colours and curves and hopefully come out again before whole thing is deflated and shipped over to another country. According to reports the inflatable is causing a great deal of interest with all ages.
Update: Last year there was a tragic accident where the inflatable structure was thrown into the air killing the people inside. I have not of heard the inflatable being used again
Environmental.
LOCAL FOOD
Photo: Bottle bank in BuncranaThere is a lot to be said for locally produced goods. Take hay fever cures for example. One of the most effective preventions to this irritation is to have a regular supply of local honey to eat. The fact that bees have collected the pollen from flowers around Inishowen helps the body build up immunity to the allergy in the same way that vaccinations work. Eating locally grown vegetables grown in soil made from composting of home waste is also great for the environment (food not having to travel vast distances) as well as for us -healthy soil means healthy food! The idea is simple and places like the country markets keep the tradition of local trading alive and well. The introduction of products from around the world has largely done away with neighbourhood trading though as we tend to all shop in the supermarkets for the bargains, regardless of where they have been produced. In the same way we buy clothes. Most of the companies here have either closed down or moved to a country with cheaper labour costs. We import an immense amount of goods every year and although Ireland does have a small export trade, a vast amount of our export goods is actually the waste from our everyday lives as consumers. Ireland as a nation exports nearly 1 million tonnes of waste a year. A staggering 800,000 tonnes of this “Green Waste” goes to China, where labour and environmental laws are not as stringent as most European countries.
It is a real eye opener for people who take their cans, bottles and newspapers to the recycling centres around Inishowen to learn that their empty dog food tin ends up in a field in China. The worrying thing about this problem is that the Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t know where all the rubbish goes either, as they can’t keep track of the stuff. Waste is sold on the open market in exactly the same way that any other product is. If someone is out to make a quick Euro, then, just like in any other industry, silly things can happen. One waste broker was quoted to say “Sending the waste over to the other side of the world is favourable to burying it at home.” Comments such as these tend to leave a bitter taste in the mouths of environmentalists as it just moves the problem to the other side of the world and uses a lot of fossil fuel in the process.
Workers in China are reportedly sorting and burning toxic substances out in the open air with no protective clothing. Workers are underpaid and operating in very dangerous conditions. Precious metals such as lead and mercury, which is known as “e-waste” are melted down on open fires and the toxins run directly into the rivers. Chinese environmental authorities have found that more than 70% of the water in five of their seven major river systems is unsuitable for human contact. Plastics are big business as well. More than 3000 tonnes of agricultural film and even more food containers are melted down for recycling, which usually means that the melted down plastic has to be moved from China back to Europe for re processing into other products. The fuel to do this far outweighs the benefits to the environment.
Some of the statistics are enough to make you just give up the recycling habit. There is hope though as companies get more competent. In some countries the collection of waste is in place long before the actual recycling is established. A city in England asked everyone to separate all of the plastic, paper and tins for the bin men to collect. For years the public watched as a lorry collected the different products and threw them all into the same container for disposal in landfills. The council eventually established a network of recycling companies, but it took time. Now markets are in place the products are collected separately, (hopefully it isn’t all going to China). Ireland is just beginning to get to grips with the idea of selling waste as a product. Hopefully the recycling companies will be ethical and sell it closer to home to be processed. We might see recycling companies set up closer to home if they can compete with manufacturing costs. In the meantime we can carry on buying less packaging and composting our green waste in the back garden.
SINUS PROBLEMS
Ian : I have a blocked nose a lot of the time of the time. Someone suggested horseradish as a remedy, how should I take it?
Reply: You can dig up the roots of horseradish plants at any time. These roots can then be ground up to make a powerful sauce that will clear your nose in no time. A word of warning though, the sap is really strong so wear protective gloves and don’t get the liquid anywhere near your eyes. The fumes alone will get your eyes streaming. Here is a recipe to get you started. Don’t give it to anyone who has ulcers or digestive problems!
Traditional horseradish sauce
2 tablespoons full of finely grated horseradish root.
1 tablespoon full of white wine vinegar.
½ teaspoon of mustard.
¼ pint of cream
2 teaspoons full of extra fine sugar (or to taste)
salt and pepper (also to taste)
Mix all of the ingredients, apart from the cream together Whip the cream into a frenzy and then fold into the mixture. Chill to serve.
Horseradish is a bit like chilli peppers. Start by using a small amount and then you can build up slowly. It also goes nicely with roast beef.
Houshold,horticulture,environmental.
Reply: You can dig up the roots of horseradish plants at any time. These roots can then be ground up to make a powerful sauce that will clear your nose in no time. A word of warning though, the sap is really strong so wear protective gloves and don’t get the liquid anywhere near your eyes. The fumes alone will get your eyes streaming. Here is a recipe to get you started. Don’t give it to anyone who has ulcers or digestive problems!
Traditional horseradish sauce
2 tablespoons full of finely grated horseradish root.
1 tablespoon full of white wine vinegar.
½ teaspoon of mustard.
¼ pint of cream
2 teaspoons full of extra fine sugar (or to taste)
salt and pepper (also to taste)
Mix all of the ingredients, apart from the cream together Whip the cream into a frenzy and then fold into the mixture. Chill to serve.
Horseradish is a bit like chilli peppers. Start by using a small amount and then you can build up slowly. It also goes nicely with roast beef.
Houshold,horticulture,environmental.
TRAVEL SICKNESS
Dear Ian: My family and I enjoy day trips out at the weekends. The experience is being spoiled by both my wife and youngest child being affected by travel sickness. Is there anything natural that we can do to try to eliminate the problem? Regards George by E-mail
Reply:
Motion sickness comes about because your eyes perceive one type of movement whilst your brain is processing another. The phenomenon can affect anyone regardless of the mode of transport being used. A car, bus, boat aeroplane, roundabout or even a swing can bring on nausea and dizziness.
HERBAL REMEDIES FOR MOTION SICKNESS
If you are anxious when travelling then herbs such as passion flower, kava-kava or valerian can be taken to calm you down. Here are a couple of others you could take. Consult the staff at the health shop though if you have any doubts about using them.
Ginger. This root acts as a strong wind dispeller and also settles the stomach. You can take capsules or a tincture, up to three times a day. Take it a few hours before you travel for the best results.
Peppermint: This is one of the most common and oldest remedies for calming the stomach. Tincture can be taken along on trips and drunk with a drop of water. Caution: don’t drink undiluted peppermint essential oil, it could irritate. Use peppermint with caution if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Fennel: Fennel seeds have been held in high regard for generations as gentle digestive aids. If you don’t fancy chewing on 20 seeds then the health shop will have some capsules you can take.
HAPPY TRAVELLERS
There are also some other things you could do to reduce the risk of feeling travel sick.
Avoid alcohol, both before and during the trip. It can upset the stomach and also the driver when they have to pull over every ten miles for you to go to the toilet.
If you are on a boat then try to stay as close the centre of the vessel as you can. Go to the upper deck if there is one. If the sea is rough, try to imagine you are on a fair ground ride and go with the ups and downs (I works for me anyway!)
Sit on a cushion so you can see through the windscreen of the vehicle. It helps if you can see the world go by.
Don’t sit in a seat that faces backwards. Trains have these seats and they can make even the most seasoned traveller nauseous.
Wear headphones and listen to soothing music.
Don’t take nutritional supplements on an empty stomach. The same goes for a lot of prescription drugs, they can cause nausea.
Avoid reading or other activities that force you to look down.
Try an acupressure wristband; these can work on some people.
Avoid heavy meals with a high fat content; don’t travel on an empty stomach either.
Keep your area well ventilated. If the cabin is too hot or stuffy this can aggravate the feeling of nausea.
Reply:
Motion sickness comes about because your eyes perceive one type of movement whilst your brain is processing another. The phenomenon can affect anyone regardless of the mode of transport being used. A car, bus, boat aeroplane, roundabout or even a swing can bring on nausea and dizziness.
HERBAL REMEDIES FOR MOTION SICKNESS
If you are anxious when travelling then herbs such as passion flower, kava-kava or valerian can be taken to calm you down. Here are a couple of others you could take. Consult the staff at the health shop though if you have any doubts about using them.
Ginger. This root acts as a strong wind dispeller and also settles the stomach. You can take capsules or a tincture, up to three times a day. Take it a few hours before you travel for the best results.
Peppermint: This is one of the most common and oldest remedies for calming the stomach. Tincture can be taken along on trips and drunk with a drop of water. Caution: don’t drink undiluted peppermint essential oil, it could irritate. Use peppermint with caution if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Fennel: Fennel seeds have been held in high regard for generations as gentle digestive aids. If you don’t fancy chewing on 20 seeds then the health shop will have some capsules you can take.
HAPPY TRAVELLERS
There are also some other things you could do to reduce the risk of feeling travel sick.
Avoid alcohol, both before and during the trip. It can upset the stomach and also the driver when they have to pull over every ten miles for you to go to the toilet.
If you are on a boat then try to stay as close the centre of the vessel as you can. Go to the upper deck if there is one. If the sea is rough, try to imagine you are on a fair ground ride and go with the ups and downs (I works for me anyway!)
Sit on a cushion so you can see through the windscreen of the vehicle. It helps if you can see the world go by.
Don’t sit in a seat that faces backwards. Trains have these seats and they can make even the most seasoned traveller nauseous.
Wear headphones and listen to soothing music.
Don’t take nutritional supplements on an empty stomach. The same goes for a lot of prescription drugs, they can cause nausea.
Avoid reading or other activities that force you to look down.
Try an acupressure wristband; these can work on some people.
Avoid heavy meals with a high fat content; don’t travel on an empty stomach either.
Keep your area well ventilated. If the cabin is too hot or stuffy this can aggravate the feeling of nausea.
Household,environmental.
Friday 30 March 2007
LETS TRADING SYSTEM
(Click on the title to go to the sustainable.ie site)
A few years ago we lived just outside Westport in County Mayo. We got involved with a large group of people that were in a trading system that goes by the name of LETS (Local Exchange Trading Schemes) These trading systems work mainly by bartering and the modern system came about in the 1930’s economic depression in Canada. Even though people had no work or money, they could still have goods and services from other people. A separate currency from the one usually in circulation is used; in Mayo we used the “Reek”, after the name for Croagh Patrick. The Reek was the equivalent of a Punt at the time. There are other currencies around Irelands twenty or so LETS groups that are in operation. Some of the other names for the currencies are Sods, Acorns, Skills and Cuids.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
An example of how the system works is this: If I needed to have my house painted I would pay someone a certain amount of reeks an hour to do it. In return I could tend someone’s garden and charge an hourly rate all without any “real” money changing hands. The different jobs command varying amounts of payment and the totals are recorded by means of cheques written out to people. If we had any Reeks in surplus by the end of the year we held auctions where products could be bought such as cars, caravans, tools and services. There was a weekly market stall in the town where fresh produce and plants were sold as well as books, home baking, jewellery and other small items. The system isn’t linked to the normal currency of the country so it didn’t matter what the economy was doing. If there were people with any skills from building to baking, and from dog walking to making curtains, then the community thrived. In Westport people had houses built by this method and there was even a doctor on call, as well as other highly skilled people. The system also has great potential as a social function and also the ability to offer and receive services without having to worry about money.
BANKS DON’T LIKE THE LETS SYSTEM
A Canadian called Michael Linton coined the phrase for the modern LETS method of trading but it probably goes back centuries. There has been a group set up in Inishowen a few years ago but to my knowledge it hasn’t been working for a while now. I think the reason for this is because we live in a rural area where this sort of trading has been a way of life without the formalities of inventing a separate currency; people do favours for one another anyway. In areas that haven’t got this infrastructure the LETS system proves to be very effective. So effective in fact that in Germany and Canada they were so successful in alleviating poverty and cutting unemployment that eventually the banks and politicians managed to get the trading law changed against using LETS (people don’t need to get loans out and they don’t pay tax to the government! In fact it works better if people are in debt as they are more motivated to trade!) Even now it is very difficult to operate a non-commercial community exchange system like LETS in some parts of these countries. There is a very informative web site from the sustainable Ireland group (www.sustainable.ie) that goes into greater detail on the subject and history if you are interested.
Environmental.
DELIGHTED RESIDENTS IN FAHAN
Photo: Fahan marina
Hello Clean and Green
(2005) Last weeks Inish Times headline about planning permission being denied to build five houses on the beach at Fahan raised my spirits no end. When people get together to put forward objections about inconsiderate and environmentally damaging developments they can get positive results. The work of The Fahan Community Association will hopefully send a message to developers and planners that we here in Inishowen are fed up of our heritage being plundered for short-term financial gain. The Donegal Development Plan is in place to prevent such developments from eating away access to areas of beauty and also to protect the inhabitants of the area from being swamped by inappropriate developments. I would like to applaud the Fahan Community Association in their sterling work so far. The Association are well aware that they need to be very vigilant though over the coming months. No one likes to be told that they can’t do something and when money and egos are involved, feelings run high. I really hope that the Swilly Yacht Club members are honourable and accept the decision of the County Council Planners.
Yours trulyC. P.
Environmental.
GREENCASTLE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP
Photo: The back of Greencastle pierWe hear a lot these days about vandalism. For example windows of local businesses were broken over St Patricks day and the school in Glengad was broken into and vandalised a short while ago. When we hear of these acts we often shake our heads and think what is the world coming to. Vandalism shows a lack of respect for other people, for the community, for the environment. Young vandals get a lot of negative publicity but another type of vandalism that perhaps influences us all and doesn’t set a good example of respect for the younger generation is permanent environmental vandalism.
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE
One form of environmental vandalism can be caused by groups of young people who gather on parks and street corners at the weekend usually to drink. The outcome can be broken bottles, vandalised trees, broken benches and graffiti (not to mention the days lost due to hangovers). I’m not saying this isn’t a serious problem; it is. But as annoying and time-consuming as it may be, rubbish from these unfortunate gatherings can be picked up, graffiti can be rubbed out and we can always plant another tree. The problem is temporary and with environmental awareness being taught in schools, the problem could improve in time. I would like to move on to a more permanent form of vandalism.
HERITAGE SITES
The very active and progressive Moville and Greencastle environmental group held a meeting last week. I went along to listen to Joe Gallagher who was the guest speaker for the evening. Joe is the Heritage Officer for Donegal. The aims of the Heritage Officers around the country are to raise awareness of heritage matters, and to provide advice and propose policy on our natural, built and cultural heritage. This will help the well being and sustainability of communities. Hopefully with Joe’s help there will be more awareness to the value of our land and historical buildings. Inishowen is steeped in history and if steps aren’t taken to preserve our national treasures the results will be permanent and devastating for all communities in Inishowen. The resulting vandalism from inappropriate development and unsympathetic planning can’t be painted over or put into a dustbin liner bag; it would be here for the long term! If we as a community are seen not to care about the environment then why should the young folk? Let me give you a few examples to reinforce the problem. There is talk of an apartment building going up in Greencastle. Plans are for the building to go directly in front of the castle, which is the focal point of the town. Another development that is attracting a lot of negative attention is the removal of a large house on the main road in Moville. The house has a long and interesting history and would attract many visitors if renovated, but value is seen only in the large garden, the house unfortunately, is dispensable. This is because the land can accommodate a new housing estate. These are just two examples of thoughtless planning. There are many more around the peninsula and the country come to think of it. I don’t have to tell you this though; all you have to do is look out of your window!
OVERSEAS VISITOR
I was out for walk recently with a woman from in Canada. She was shocked at the amount of damage the peninsula is enduring by development. She also was very surprised at the small amount of opposition from residents in the affected areas. Green space where she lives in Canada is scarce, as development has swallowed up the land. She even has to pay to use the beaches as they are all under private ownership! Sometimes people coming to the peninsula put a fresh perspective on the area and they can see things clearer than we can. As Joni Mitchell sang in 1970 “ Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”……. Hopefully with the work of environmental groups, that sentiment will never apply to Inishowen!
CONTACT
If you have any questions or concerns regarding aspects of our natural, built or cultural heritage, Joe Gallagher can be contacted at the County Council Heritage Office, Donegal County Council in Lifford on (074) 917 2576 or by e-mail: heritage@donegalcoco.ie
Environmental.
ENERGY SAVING MOTORING
Here at Clean and Green we have been having a brainstorming session to come up with 10 ways to save energy when using cars. We have come up with some suggestions and also we found that out of these ideas we found a list of ten irritations, mainly due to inconsiderate drivers. We think that they are worth a mention before the energy saving tips, be honest and give yourself a slap on the wrist for every one that you are guilty of doing!
TOP TEN IRRITATIONS
Throwing litter from the car (this was mentioned in an article in the paper last week, this is done to keep the car clean apparently!)
Eating. We witnessed someone driving at ten miles an hour in first gear last week because they were eating an ice cream and couldn’t change gear.
Parking in disabled parking areas when you don’t have the relevant badge.
Stopping the car in the middle of the road on busy streets, or car parks, instead of finding a parking space or stopping for a “natter”. Forcing a queue to build up behind you.
Driving too close to the car in front and driving aggressively.
Using mobile phones when in motion.
Failing to indicate out of laziness. Or because of number 2 or number 6 mentioned earlier.
Pulling out in front of people forcing them to slow down or even stop.
Lighting up cigarettes.
Throwing lit cigarettes out of the car, especially when there is a cyclist or motorcyclist behind you, or dry gorse at the roadside.
TOP TEN TIPS FOR DRIVERS.
Drive less. Simply put, cars burn fossil fuel, lots of it. Cutting out all unnecessary trips will benefit the planet. The car is the most polluting form of transport we use. Try to arrange car sharing when going to work and use public transport if possible. If you have short trips to make try cycling or even that thing you do with your legs.
Don’t be idle. Turn off your engine when you are stationary for more than a few minutes. Keeping your feet warm while you wait for the children to come out of school or waiting for your partner to come out of the shop will add to air pollution. Switch off, this will save you fuel too.
Check your tyres. Poorly inflated tyres can result in up to a 10 percent fuel loss. Contact your local tyre company if you have old tyres that need recycling.
Check for leaks. Check for leaks in the engine. Millions of gallons of oil and antifreeze drip each year from cars onto the roads, car parks and pavements. All this eventually ends up in rivers, lakes and the sea.
Keep the car in tune. Getting the car tuned can add a 5 percent increase in fuel economy. Leaks can be detected early as well.
Change oil frequently. Changing the oil regularly will give better mileage and a cleaner burning engine. Ask your motor shop about synthetic oil that’s available.
Recycle used oil. If you have oil from an oil change, don’t put it into the waterways or “behind the garage” take it to the recycling centre at the Carndonagh council site. They have the facilities to recycle the oil. And they can advise for large quantities to be collected for a small fee from a recycling company
Drive smoothly. Accelerating and breaking gently can improve your fuel consumption. It also makes it more comfortable for passengers.
Recycle old cars. Take the old cars to the recycling scrap yards.
New or used? When you are looking to replace your old car, remember that buying a second hand one reduces the need for another car to be produced. If you do buy new then look at the amount of recycled components that make up the car. The dealer will be happy to tell you. There are cars that are dual fuel such as the Toyota Prius, (available in September) which combines petrol with electric drive, giving 62 mpg. Another one that caught our attention was a Volkswagen golf that is lubricated and run on rapeseed oil.
Environmental.
TOP TEN IRRITATIONS
Throwing litter from the car (this was mentioned in an article in the paper last week, this is done to keep the car clean apparently!)
Eating. We witnessed someone driving at ten miles an hour in first gear last week because they were eating an ice cream and couldn’t change gear.
Parking in disabled parking areas when you don’t have the relevant badge.
Stopping the car in the middle of the road on busy streets, or car parks, instead of finding a parking space or stopping for a “natter”. Forcing a queue to build up behind you.
Driving too close to the car in front and driving aggressively.
Using mobile phones when in motion.
Failing to indicate out of laziness. Or because of number 2 or number 6 mentioned earlier.
Pulling out in front of people forcing them to slow down or even stop.
Lighting up cigarettes.
Throwing lit cigarettes out of the car, especially when there is a cyclist or motorcyclist behind you, or dry gorse at the roadside.
TOP TEN TIPS FOR DRIVERS.
Drive less. Simply put, cars burn fossil fuel, lots of it. Cutting out all unnecessary trips will benefit the planet. The car is the most polluting form of transport we use. Try to arrange car sharing when going to work and use public transport if possible. If you have short trips to make try cycling or even that thing you do with your legs.
Don’t be idle. Turn off your engine when you are stationary for more than a few minutes. Keeping your feet warm while you wait for the children to come out of school or waiting for your partner to come out of the shop will add to air pollution. Switch off, this will save you fuel too.
Check your tyres. Poorly inflated tyres can result in up to a 10 percent fuel loss. Contact your local tyre company if you have old tyres that need recycling.
Check for leaks. Check for leaks in the engine. Millions of gallons of oil and antifreeze drip each year from cars onto the roads, car parks and pavements. All this eventually ends up in rivers, lakes and the sea.
Keep the car in tune. Getting the car tuned can add a 5 percent increase in fuel economy. Leaks can be detected early as well.
Change oil frequently. Changing the oil regularly will give better mileage and a cleaner burning engine. Ask your motor shop about synthetic oil that’s available.
Recycle used oil. If you have oil from an oil change, don’t put it into the waterways or “behind the garage” take it to the recycling centre at the Carndonagh council site. They have the facilities to recycle the oil. And they can advise for large quantities to be collected for a small fee from a recycling company
Drive smoothly. Accelerating and breaking gently can improve your fuel consumption. It also makes it more comfortable for passengers.
Recycle old cars. Take the old cars to the recycling scrap yards.
New or used? When you are looking to replace your old car, remember that buying a second hand one reduces the need for another car to be produced. If you do buy new then look at the amount of recycled components that make up the car. The dealer will be happy to tell you. There are cars that are dual fuel such as the Toyota Prius, (available in September) which combines petrol with electric drive, giving 62 mpg. Another one that caught our attention was a Volkswagen golf that is lubricated and run on rapeseed oil.
Environmental.
LONELY HEARTS CLUB BANNED
Fancy meeting new people and not found how to do it on Myspace yet? Well don’t despair. The classifieds of newspapers are still full of willing participants who would love to find their perfect match. The only problem is that some folk don’t seem to make a good impression. Gauge for yourself whether you would reply to any of these!
'I've divorced better men than you. And worn more expensive shoes than these. So don't think placing this ad is the biggest comedown I've ever had to make. Sensitive F, 34.'
'List your ten favourite albums... I just want to know if there's anything worth keeping when we finally break up. Practical, forward thinking man, 35.'
'Employed in publishing? Me too. Stay the hell away.
Man on the inside seeks woman on the outside who likes milling around hospitals guessing the illnesses of out-patients. 30-35. Leeds.'
'I like my women the way I like my kebab. Found by surprise after a drunken night out and covered in too much tahini. Before long I'll have discarded you on the pavement of life, but until then you're the perfect complement to a perfect evening. Man, 32, rarely produces winning metaphors.'
'My ideal woman is a man. Sorry, mother.'
'Your buying me dinner doesn't mean I'll have sex with you. I probably will have sex with you, though. Honesty not an issue with opportunistic male, 38.'
'Not everyone appearing in this column is a deranged cross-dressing sociopath. Let me know if you find one and I'll strangle him with my bra. Man, 56.'
'Are you Kate Bush? Write to obsessive man (36). Note, people who aren't Kate Bush need not respond.'
'Stroganoff. Boysenberry. Frangipani. Words with their origins in people's names. If your name has produced its own entry in the OED then I'll make love to you. If it hasn't, I probably will anyway, but I'll only want you for your body. Man of too few distractions, 32.'
'Ploughing the loneliest furrow. Nineteen personal ads and counting. Only one reply. It was my mother telling me not to forget the bread on my way home from B&Q. Man, 51.'
'Mature gentleman, 62, aged well, noble grey looks, fit and active, sound mind and unfazed by the fickle demands of modern society seeks...damn it, I have to pee again.'
'Romance is dead. So is my mother. Man, 42, inherited wealth.'
Environmental.
'I've divorced better men than you. And worn more expensive shoes than these. So don't think placing this ad is the biggest comedown I've ever had to make. Sensitive F, 34.'
'List your ten favourite albums... I just want to know if there's anything worth keeping when we finally break up. Practical, forward thinking man, 35.'
'Employed in publishing? Me too. Stay the hell away.
Man on the inside seeks woman on the outside who likes milling around hospitals guessing the illnesses of out-patients. 30-35. Leeds.'
'I like my women the way I like my kebab. Found by surprise after a drunken night out and covered in too much tahini. Before long I'll have discarded you on the pavement of life, but until then you're the perfect complement to a perfect evening. Man, 32, rarely produces winning metaphors.'
'My ideal woman is a man. Sorry, mother.'
'Your buying me dinner doesn't mean I'll have sex with you. I probably will have sex with you, though. Honesty not an issue with opportunistic male, 38.'
'Not everyone appearing in this column is a deranged cross-dressing sociopath. Let me know if you find one and I'll strangle him with my bra. Man, 56.'
'Are you Kate Bush? Write to obsessive man (36). Note, people who aren't Kate Bush need not respond.'
'Stroganoff. Boysenberry. Frangipani. Words with their origins in people's names. If your name has produced its own entry in the OED then I'll make love to you. If it hasn't, I probably will anyway, but I'll only want you for your body. Man of too few distractions, 32.'
'Ploughing the loneliest furrow. Nineteen personal ads and counting. Only one reply. It was my mother telling me not to forget the bread on my way home from B&Q. Man, 51.'
'Mature gentleman, 62, aged well, noble grey looks, fit and active, sound mind and unfazed by the fickle demands of modern society seeks...damn it, I have to pee again.'
'Romance is dead. So is my mother. Man, 42, inherited wealth.'
Environmental.
VACUUM
I spent a day of my life sorting out my vacuum cleaner this week. Our old faithful Vax wet and dry machine was turning out to be a two-person affair. Julie pushed the cleaning head along the carpet whilst I stood behind holding the cable in just the right position so the electricity could flow.
In my wisdom I thought it time to venture out to buy a new model. After traipsing the shops for an eternity I settled on a large supermarket brand 1600-watt bagless cyclonic model that was being offered for sale at a reasonable price. I didn’t make the decision based purely on the price though. I checked that there was little to drop off it and that the cable retracted like the box said it would, all of the usual things we do when making a decision to part with our money. 1600 watts sounded decent as well so I expected it to suck up the carpets when it was switched on after I got it home. Suck up the carpets it did, all for about ten seconds.
After that the bagless wonder just clogged up as the tiniest bit of fluff was blocking up the mountain of filters it had to get past. After running it for two minutes the suction had all but gone and the overheating light came on. Why put an overheating light on anyway? All it does is remind you that the design is rubbish and you wasted your money buying the thing. I decided to do the right thing and pulled out the old faithful Vax cutting off six feet of cable. I have spent 2 euro on a new filter and it’s as good as new. It won’t stop the landfills from filling up though because the new vacuum is destined to go there when I take it back to the shop, no one in their right mind would want to keep it, it’s rubbish.
If the Vax packs up for good I will do a bit of market research first. The internet is a great resource for this. I checked for people’s comments about the 1600 bagless cyclonic wonder and surprise surprise most of the comments were similar to mine. I also found that the space aged design of Dyson isn’t going down too well either with a lot of people complaining that they are too fiddly and expensive to run. Top of the list for customer satisfaction though is the Henry vacuum. These are widely used in business premises and customers love the smiley face on the front. I think I will put one on the front of my revamped Vax. Now where did I leave my marker pen?
In my wisdom I thought it time to venture out to buy a new model. After traipsing the shops for an eternity I settled on a large supermarket brand 1600-watt bagless cyclonic model that was being offered for sale at a reasonable price. I didn’t make the decision based purely on the price though. I checked that there was little to drop off it and that the cable retracted like the box said it would, all of the usual things we do when making a decision to part with our money. 1600 watts sounded decent as well so I expected it to suck up the carpets when it was switched on after I got it home. Suck up the carpets it did, all for about ten seconds.
After that the bagless wonder just clogged up as the tiniest bit of fluff was blocking up the mountain of filters it had to get past. After running it for two minutes the suction had all but gone and the overheating light came on. Why put an overheating light on anyway? All it does is remind you that the design is rubbish and you wasted your money buying the thing. I decided to do the right thing and pulled out the old faithful Vax cutting off six feet of cable. I have spent 2 euro on a new filter and it’s as good as new. It won’t stop the landfills from filling up though because the new vacuum is destined to go there when I take it back to the shop, no one in their right mind would want to keep it, it’s rubbish.
If the Vax packs up for good I will do a bit of market research first. The internet is a great resource for this. I checked for people’s comments about the 1600 bagless cyclonic wonder and surprise surprise most of the comments were similar to mine. I also found that the space aged design of Dyson isn’t going down too well either with a lot of people complaining that they are too fiddly and expensive to run. Top of the list for customer satisfaction though is the Henry vacuum. These are widely used in business premises and customers love the smiley face on the front. I think I will put one on the front of my revamped Vax. Now where did I leave my marker pen?
Household,Environmental.
Thursday 29 March 2007
FEEL-GOOD CHOCOLATE
Most adverts for supermarkets at the moment tell us that their tins of chocolates are cheaper than anyone elses. If you are feeling adventurous this year how about going for something that little bit different instead. How would you like to try a milk chocolate bar flavoured with lavender from Provence that smells like soap? The bar is called Tranquility and if that tempts you then what about a kick from curry, a jolt of cumin or a crunch from sesame. Traditional chocolate is making room this year for bars containing coriander, curry, cumin, lavender, lime, green tea, black sesame, soy butter, chilli and balsamic vinegar. Sounds yummie doesn’t it?
Consumer tastes have become more sophisticated, leading to an explosion of small companies that specialise in hand-crafted, high-quality chocolate. That has helped boost the industry beyond the mass-produced chocolate bars many people grew up with.
Consumers’ interest in dark chocolate has intensified after research showing it contains healthful ingredients like antioxidants. Research (funded by the chocolate manufacturers’ no doubt) has found that dark chocolate, like red wine, is rich in antioxidants, which they say benefits the heart by dilating blood vessels and improving blood flow. This health fact is not lost on chocolate marketers, who have introduced all manner of “good for you” confections. Cocoa beans do have antioxidant compounds called flavanols, and a growing pile of scientific research suggests they do do good things to blood vessels. Despite the enthusiasm, flavanols are missing from much of the chocolate on shop shelves today. Flavanols make chocolate and cocoa taste bitter, and confectioners have spent years trying to perfect ways to remove the pungent flavour. Most chocolate, in fact, isn’t flavanol-rich, which totally cancels out the health claims. The manufacturers don’t really say how harmful excess sugar can be to the same arteries in the body either.
ICE CREAM GETS A MAKEOVER
It was high-end chocolatiers who first experimented with spices like chilli and cardamom. Newtree, a Belgian company sells chocolate bars infused with fruit and plant essences that promise well-being. One shop offers a tasty salt, pretzel and lime pie-flavoured chocolate bar to visitors and is experimenting with black pepper.
Manufacturers are coming out with bars that contain ingredients said to be healthy, including dried blueberries, almonds, sunflower seeds, green tea and soy nut butter. The underlying product on sale here is still cocoa and sugar but with a new twist. Ice cream makers are going down the same road too ginger, green tea, adzuki bean, pink pepper, chilli and nutmeg are proving to be popular. On the other hand flavours such as sea slugs, whale meat, fireflies, snake, octopus, crab and shrimp have been popular with a few enthusiasts but for some reason seem to be falling out of favour with the public!
Environmental.
Consumer tastes have become more sophisticated, leading to an explosion of small companies that specialise in hand-crafted, high-quality chocolate. That has helped boost the industry beyond the mass-produced chocolate bars many people grew up with.
Consumers’ interest in dark chocolate has intensified after research showing it contains healthful ingredients like antioxidants. Research (funded by the chocolate manufacturers’ no doubt) has found that dark chocolate, like red wine, is rich in antioxidants, which they say benefits the heart by dilating blood vessels and improving blood flow. This health fact is not lost on chocolate marketers, who have introduced all manner of “good for you” confections. Cocoa beans do have antioxidant compounds called flavanols, and a growing pile of scientific research suggests they do do good things to blood vessels. Despite the enthusiasm, flavanols are missing from much of the chocolate on shop shelves today. Flavanols make chocolate and cocoa taste bitter, and confectioners have spent years trying to perfect ways to remove the pungent flavour. Most chocolate, in fact, isn’t flavanol-rich, which totally cancels out the health claims. The manufacturers don’t really say how harmful excess sugar can be to the same arteries in the body either.
ICE CREAM GETS A MAKEOVER
It was high-end chocolatiers who first experimented with spices like chilli and cardamom. Newtree, a Belgian company sells chocolate bars infused with fruit and plant essences that promise well-being. One shop offers a tasty salt, pretzel and lime pie-flavoured chocolate bar to visitors and is experimenting with black pepper.
Manufacturers are coming out with bars that contain ingredients said to be healthy, including dried blueberries, almonds, sunflower seeds, green tea and soy nut butter. The underlying product on sale here is still cocoa and sugar but with a new twist. Ice cream makers are going down the same road too ginger, green tea, adzuki bean, pink pepper, chilli and nutmeg are proving to be popular. On the other hand flavours such as sea slugs, whale meat, fireflies, snake, octopus, crab and shrimp have been popular with a few enthusiasts but for some reason seem to be falling out of favour with the public!
Environmental.
BUNCRANA PIER
SILT PROBLEM
Question :
Recently there was news that 1.6 million euro was being allocated to the ferry slipway and associated dredging at the pier in Buncrana. There was considerable work done last year at great expense, with a massive stone wall being constructed to house the dredged silt, which took away a proportion of the beach at Lisfannon. Does this mean that the work last year failed and if so does this mean that any impact assessment carried out was inaccurate and is someone accountable for the apparent error? Thanks HT by e-mail
I have passed this particular question over to Padraig MacLaughlan the mayor of Buncrana for an informed answer.
Answer
This response is my personal view. I am only aware of the chance of possible funding for a breakwater on the black rock side of the pier and associated dredging. Clearly, the analysis that just dredging the existing pier would solve the problem of silting was flawed. Local fishermen have argued that the Inch causeway, a man made structure, causes a counter tide to run back across the white strand. This is to a large extent, responsible for the silting. This advice was ignored by the consultants and the County Council. The stone wall was necessitated by the new Department of Marine environmental regulations pertaining to obtaining a dredging licence. It is no longer possible to dump dredged material out to sea. It must be suction dredged back to land. Hence the requirement for the stone wall to contain the dredged material. It is now argued by the consultants that a breakwater will solve the problem of silting at the pier and that this will facilitate the lifeboat. I remain to be convinced, looking at the track record of these particular consultants around the county. However, if it facilitates the safe passage of the lifeboat and to a lesser extent, the ferry, then I will adopt a wait and see approach to the issue.
Update: The area where the silt was dredged and put onto the beach has now grown. The whole area has now turned into more holes for the golf course. There are other articles in the blog that relate to the issue.
Environmental.
BUNCRANA RELIEF ROADS
Photo: A plan of the relief road near the Cockhill road
BUNCRANA RELIEF ROADS
This week I want to talk about a development plan for Buncrana. I’m probably the last to find out about the proposed relief roads that are planned for the town, (or Area Of Special Interest as the council call it.) Plans for the Buncrana relief roads have been drawn up for years now. I see that the inner relief road is going to be built within a pavements distance of our estate; this will meet the outer road just past the bottom of my garden. If the road were to be built today I would no doubt be one of the first to use it. A few years ago I was living in an area where Asda decided to put a mega-super-duper-market and car park, slap bang in the middle of a residential area. There were loads of complaints and demonstrations but the development went ahead anyway. After a week the supermarket was full of the very people (me included) who protested about the eyesore, happily filling up their trollies with cheap food and shrugging their shoulders saying “Well we tried”. The same fate will no doubt befall a new road network if anyone opposes it.
Just think though, I will be able to jump into my car, bypass Buncrana totally and get to wherever it is I’m going to at least three minutes faster than I can now. But what are these valuable three minutes costing me, well there’s noise pollution with lorries flying past the house 24 hours a day, lack of privacy, dirt and dust and air pollution. The planned inner relief road also cuts through a couple of quiet housing estates, even before it gets to me. These estates will literally be chopped in two. What a great place for the kids to play!
The plans for the roads are just a bit out of date. The outer relief road is too close to our ever-expanding town and development is passing the proposed route already, which would split the town in two. It’s a short-term fix. Geographically it looks difficult to find a perfect route for a relief road to go. But the Buncrana outer relief road on the map looks as though it is following the designated path because, well, it wouldn’t go anywhere else! That’s not a reason for planning a route where a road should go.
I know a lot of people are welcoming such a development as roads do play an important part in the infrastructure of the county, which will lead to more investments and get the kids to school faster etc. etc. Maybe any allocated money would be better used to (really) improve the roads we already have. Some more funding could be invested in an efficient public transport system. We do love our cars and it would take a very efficient service to prize us out of our machines though (I haven’t been on a bus for years)! This might do away with the need for car parks in the town. The Area Of Special Interest where the road was to go could become a massive park and there could be one of the main gates at the bottom of my garden so I can take my dog for long walks in the evening…
We like to think we set an example to our young. What sort of an example is it vandalising hundreds of acres of beautiful land and dividing whole communities by building ineffective road networks? But hey, with the new road I’ll have an extra three minutes to do things in the day, six if you count the return trip! What would I do with all that spare time?!…
Environmental.
LETS GET FIZZICAL
TOO MUCH IN THE TROLLEY
Talking of throwing things out we have been told that we are not very good at buying the right amount of food to feed our families. This new report tells us that we buy too many groceries every week. On average each family in Ireland throw out at least 400 kg of food a year. The reasons for this are many fold. Pandering to advertising is a common explanation. Then there is the fact that a lot of processed food is so cheap that you can afford to just throw it in the bin when you have had enough. Most products now have sell by dates on them, which causes people to chuck things out to be on the safe side. Even cracking open an egg is pretty safe now; they can’t hide in the rack for six months before you try to use the rancid remains in an omelette. These have sell by dated stamped on them too.
LETS GET FIZZY
I have mentioned before about the corrosive effects of fizzy drinks. It can be used to get the tarnish off all sorts of metals and the New York police use it in crime scenes to clean up. Now there has been a report recently published claiming that excessive intake of these sugary tipples is having an undesirable effect on the waist size of the population. Again the masses are being dragged through the coals and having their wrists slapped for not realising that every time they crack open and drink a can of coke they are ingesting thirteen teaspoons full of sugar (heaped ones too I’ll bet). A test was carried out by a load of school kids and the findings were at best predictable. The paper found that the children who chose fizzy drinks were more likely to put on weight. The difference with this test was that some of the kids were actually educated by the teachers that its not good to have excessive amounts of sweet drinks and were informed about alternatives such as natural fruit juice and that funny clear stuff that comes out of the taps. The children that chose the latter faired a lot better on the weighing scales.
The drinks are not much good for your bones either.
It doesn’t end there either. Yet another separate report claims that if you drink too many fizzy drinks you may weaken your bones and increase the risk of bone disease. A Danish research team claim that the drinks deplete the calcium stores in the body. Drinks are made fizzy by adding carbon dioxide. This also increases the acidity. This acid can enter the bloodstream where the body tries to neutralize it with calcium, the alkaline mineral that helps to build bones. In just ten days the test showed that if a person has a high intake of cola drink and a low calcium diet then there is a significant loss of bone and a decrease in bone building. It doesn’t get much better when you look at the drinks with the artificial sweeteners in either. Too much of that and you will find yourself sat on the loo for the best part of the day. Carbonated water in bottles didn’t fare much better either it’s the same price as a can but you don’t get the sugar rush! Stick to getting water out of the tap. Inishowen has one of the best fresh water supplies in Ireland (So a water board executive told me recently). …… And fresh water must be good for you, as after all lions drink it!
Environmental.
TOP SHOE TIPS
Lets have a look into the wonderful, wacky world of top tips for shoes. I had a woman enthusiastically tell me that she doesn’t need many pairs of shoes. The reason for this is that she buys pots of tester emulsion paints from the DIY stores and paints her shoes to suit her mood. Now I don’t know too much about the idea of putting water based paint on leather but I hope that she stays out of puddles!
SHOES
If your shoes are too tight and they need stretching a bit then there is a very effective way to fix this. We have suggested filling the shoes with potato peelings but if this fails there is another method. Fill some watertight resealable bags with water and place them firmly into the shoes. Put the shoes into the freezer and leave them for a day or two. As the water freezes this will expand the leather increasing the shoe so they are more comfortable
CRAICON.COM
Photo: Greencastle ferry.If you fancy catching up on the goings on in Moville and the surrounding areas then go to the Craicon.com site (Click on the title for a link) There are some interesting comments about the state of the local newspapers.
Environmental.
STICK INSECTS
Last year my son received four stick insects for Christmas. For those of you unfamiliar with these cute creatures, they used to be on display in most classrooms when I want to school, albeit in a tank. They served two purposes as far as I can see. Firstly they made children less afraid of creepy crawlies as the teachers made the kids hold them. Secondly, they gave people like me something to look at when the teacher’s words were going right over my head. Not many schools will take them in now as they might escape and wreak havoc with the cleaning staff. Anyway, the stick insects arrived at our house along with a custom built container made from perforated plastic to house them in.
Stick insects are hermaphrodite so they do not need a male or female to produce eggs. And produce eggs they did, each insect has the capacity to lay around 300 of them. I couldn’t bear to see any of them thrown out with the compost so over the six months they were laying I carefully collected them up and put them in a container. I didn’t really think of the consequences though I must admit. We are now the proud carers of at least one hundred of the sticky things and the numbers have been growing steadily for a few months now as at least three are born every day. We have had to make alternative arrangements for many of them. Big glass jars and goldfish tanks are all being used to keep them happy. We have had a bit of trouble with them escaping though. You cannot put your shoes on without one hanging off the shoelace. We have them on all of the houseplants, on the washing up scaling the walls and even in the car clutched to the windscreen. We tried to feed them to our pet gecko but he won’t touch them. The reason for this is that the stick insects diet apart from our houseplants is either brambles or privet. We feed ours privet and this shrub is very poisonous to most creatures so the gecko isn’t having any of it.
YOU TOO COULD HAVE THESE INSECTS AS PETS
Stick insects do make great pets though and are very easy to look after. If you don’t keep the eggs and replenish the stocks the remaining insects live up to one year under normal conditions. I hope that I haven’t put you off them because we are offering you the chance of acquiring some of these creatures for your own house or school. At a specialist growers the insects are sold at about five euro each. We are offering them to you at no cost whatsoever! (How am I doing with the sales pitch?) All you need to do is to look after them responsibly.
LOOKING AFTER YOUR STICK INSECT
Tank. A fish tank will do, the taller the better though as they like to climb.
A lid for the tank. Very important if you don’t want them all over the house. If there isn’t a lid then you can make one out of a pair of old tights.
A constant supply of brambles or privet. We are lucky around here as there is loads of it. (One supplier in England are charging €8 for a carrier bag of privet hedge cuttings) it’s a pity we can’t get away with that!
Water sprayer. The insects like a drop of water every day in the form of a spray.
Care. The other requirement of course is to care for the creatures and tend to them for a couple of minutes every day.
Environmental.
DOGGY DOO
We had a lot of reaction about dogs over the week. Especially about dogs fouling children’s play areas and loose dogs chasing cars. As promised in last weeks article I have tracked down the dog wardens who are based in Letterkenny. There are two wardens and they have the job of covering the whole of Donegal. They also represent the I.S.P.C.A. who do a great job in tackling the poor treatment that some unfortunate animals have to suffer.
The wardens were in Buncrana just a week ago after a call from worried residents who were witnessing vicious dogs on the shorefront. The wardens eventually managed to capture the animals and the dogs were taken to the shelter in Letterkenny.
VISITING TIME
The dog wardens will be visiting Inishowen over the next few weeks. They are attempting to not only track down careless owners who let their dogs out on the streets to become nuisances, but will also be tracking down the owners of dogs without licences.
Here is a rundown of the charges:
Failure to hold an up to date licence for the dog- 30 euro. (The cost of a licence is about 13 euro and they are obtained from the post office.)
If your dog has no collar with a nametag then you could be fined 30 euro.
Not keeping a dog under control, which includes being allowed to run free and fouling the pavement or children’s play areas- 60 euro.
These are on the spot fines, which the wardens are able to issue and you will have 21 days to pay them. Failure to do this could end you up in court.
The wardens will be travelling around and picking up dogs that are roaming the streets too. The dogs will be taken to the shelter where they will be held between 5 to 7 days. If you don’t contact them within that time, the dogs will be put down.
BE RESPONSIBLE
Lets give the wardens nothing to do when they come to Inishowen.
As responsible dog owners, lets all follow some simple rules:
Keep your dog within the confines of your own garden.
Take your dog for a walk every day.
If the dog makes a mess in a public place, pick it up by using a plastic bag. (The Eurostretch shop in Buncrana are selling poopa- scoopa’s for under 2 euro if you wanted to use on of those)
Keep your dog on a lead when near roads, livestock and children.
Get a dog licence.
Get a collar and name tag for the dog.
TELEPHONE NUMBER
Most of us that are dog owners do try to keep our pets from being a nuisance, as we are aware that unsupervised dogs can be very unsafe. We’ve all seen how dangerous a pack of dogs can be. If your dog is proven to be involved in a vicious attack on either animals or people or the cause of a traffic accident you could find yourself either fined a considerable amount of money of even imprisoned.
If you have any complaints about dogs here is the telephone number for the Dog Shelter in Letterkenny ….074 9125159Leave a message and they will get back to you about the problem.
Environmental.
The wardens were in Buncrana just a week ago after a call from worried residents who were witnessing vicious dogs on the shorefront. The wardens eventually managed to capture the animals and the dogs were taken to the shelter in Letterkenny.
VISITING TIME
The dog wardens will be visiting Inishowen over the next few weeks. They are attempting to not only track down careless owners who let their dogs out on the streets to become nuisances, but will also be tracking down the owners of dogs without licences.
Here is a rundown of the charges:
Failure to hold an up to date licence for the dog- 30 euro. (The cost of a licence is about 13 euro and they are obtained from the post office.)
If your dog has no collar with a nametag then you could be fined 30 euro.
Not keeping a dog under control, which includes being allowed to run free and fouling the pavement or children’s play areas- 60 euro.
These are on the spot fines, which the wardens are able to issue and you will have 21 days to pay them. Failure to do this could end you up in court.
The wardens will be travelling around and picking up dogs that are roaming the streets too. The dogs will be taken to the shelter where they will be held between 5 to 7 days. If you don’t contact them within that time, the dogs will be put down.
BE RESPONSIBLE
Lets give the wardens nothing to do when they come to Inishowen.
As responsible dog owners, lets all follow some simple rules:
Keep your dog within the confines of your own garden.
Take your dog for a walk every day.
If the dog makes a mess in a public place, pick it up by using a plastic bag. (The Eurostretch shop in Buncrana are selling poopa- scoopa’s for under 2 euro if you wanted to use on of those)
Keep your dog on a lead when near roads, livestock and children.
Get a dog licence.
Get a collar and name tag for the dog.
TELEPHONE NUMBER
Most of us that are dog owners do try to keep our pets from being a nuisance, as we are aware that unsupervised dogs can be very unsafe. We’ve all seen how dangerous a pack of dogs can be. If your dog is proven to be involved in a vicious attack on either animals or people or the cause of a traffic accident you could find yourself either fined a considerable amount of money of even imprisoned.
If you have any complaints about dogs here is the telephone number for the Dog Shelter in Letterkenny ….074 9125159Leave a message and they will get back to you about the problem.
Environmental.
INCINERATOR FOR DONEGAL
Yet again there is news about the lack of recycling facilities in Donegal. The subject of incinerators has reared it’s ugly head again too, so if you are opposed to this form of waste treatment, start showing your disapproval by reducing your waste. If there is a reduction in waste then maybe we can avoid a giant cooker on our doorstep. The machine from America that converts anything with carbon in it into oil would be a sounder investment for the area. At least we would have a saleable product at the end of it. The process is much cleaner than an incinerator as well. Talking of reducing waste I came across a great recycling tool this week that fits onto the hydraulics of a JCB. It’s called a BF 90.3 and it’s a mobile crushing machine that reduces gravel and rock into hardcore that can be used for the foundations in building. With the increasing cost of dumping such rubbish a machine such as this will soon pay for itself. Hopefully we will see them in the local hire shops soon. I’m getting a brochure in the post this week so I will let you know more at a later date.
Environmental.
Environmental.
A REST FROM THE COMPUTER
Hello
I use the computer a lot and find that I suffer from headaches; can you suggest one of your Clean and Green remedies please? Thanks G.N.
Reply
This is a common problem with people who look at screens for any length of time. If you see colour around black and white images it’s time for you to have a rest. Remember to blink often as staring like you do at the screen can make you forget. Every ten minutes, look away from the screen at something at least 6 metres away. Every hour, do eye exercises by repeatedly changing your focus. If you don’t have a window then keep your head still and move your eyes to each corner of the room. Reading from books can have the same effect, so if you read a lot carry on with the exercises.
Environmental.
I use the computer a lot and find that I suffer from headaches; can you suggest one of your Clean and Green remedies please? Thanks G.N.
Reply
This is a common problem with people who look at screens for any length of time. If you see colour around black and white images it’s time for you to have a rest. Remember to blink often as staring like you do at the screen can make you forget. Every ten minutes, look away from the screen at something at least 6 metres away. Every hour, do eye exercises by repeatedly changing your focus. If you don’t have a window then keep your head still and move your eyes to each corner of the room. Reading from books can have the same effect, so if you read a lot carry on with the exercises.
Environmental.
GECKO AND THE OIL CRISIS
One of my lads decided to spend some of his money on a new pet this week. We are now the proud owners of a six-inch long reptile called a Leopard Gecko. The pet is happily living in a heated tank in the bedroom but does get taken out quite often to show visitors to the house. The Gecko was even taken to school in an old mayonnaise jar to show my lads classmates. Reptiles, like all pets need feeding regularly and the Gecko’s favourite food is live crickets. I managed to buy a pack of about twenty of the noisy creatures from a pet shop in Letterkenny. They were reasonably priced at four euro for the critters, but the Gecko is getting through them at a fair rate and eventually it will eat about three a day. I have thought of a brilliant solution to the cost implication, we are going to breed them ourselves! Crickets eat anything and if you get enough of them they will make a great natural recycling centre for the kitchen waste. All that is needed is a secure box and some moss peat and we are away. They breed very quickly and apparently are very difficult to keep contained so we might have a few escapees, there has already been one that managed to jump out of the box and into the kitchen. We don’t want anymore getting away. Being woken up by a cricket climbing up your bedclothes and tickling your ear or climbing into your nostril sounds bad, but we have had worse. There was a time Ronnie saved about thirty snails in a biscuit tin in the front room. After the lid was left off one night they all escaped around the house and turned up months later in the strangest of places!
The oil crisis is hitting everyone’s pocket at the moment. Like it or not our lives are woven around the use of this natural resource. We have been aware for years now that this resource has a very short life span (about thirty years to go before it will be too expensive to extract it from the earth) Because of this we have been finding alternatives such as wind power, wave power, solar power and bio mass systems. As time goes on the message is slowly getting through to governments to act on these new initiatives. This is well and good but there is still the problem of our grocery bill going up because of upward spiralling transport costs to get the goods from around the world onto our supermarket shelves. Petrol and diesel is at an all time high and transport companies are protesting against high fuel taxes. Because of this, there is no better time to think about growing your own produce and buying food from local suppliers. There is something very satisfying when you know the history of the food on your table and knowing that it is full of goodness from your own area. Get planting your seeds now, even if it’s a few radishes or lettuce in a pot.
The oil crisis is hitting everyone’s pocket at the moment. Like it or not our lives are woven around the use of this natural resource. We have been aware for years now that this resource has a very short life span (about thirty years to go before it will be too expensive to extract it from the earth) Because of this we have been finding alternatives such as wind power, wave power, solar power and bio mass systems. As time goes on the message is slowly getting through to governments to act on these new initiatives. This is well and good but there is still the problem of our grocery bill going up because of upward spiralling transport costs to get the goods from around the world onto our supermarket shelves. Petrol and diesel is at an all time high and transport companies are protesting against high fuel taxes. Because of this, there is no better time to think about growing your own produce and buying food from local suppliers. There is something very satisfying when you know the history of the food on your table and knowing that it is full of goodness from your own area. Get planting your seeds now, even if it’s a few radishes or lettuce in a pot.
Environmental.
Wednesday 28 March 2007
PURE DRINK OR PURE HYPE?
After a strong storm, some years ago, we lost all of our services for the house. The phone, electricity and water were out of action for two weeks. The thing that we missed the most was that the water stopped coming out of the taps. We were in a very lucky position to have a well a short distance away.
This situation did make me realise how much a good quality water supply is taken for granted. In some cities it is claimed that the drinking water has been in direct circulation through humans and the sewage treatment plants about forty times. Water has probably been passed through living things millions of times, which makes it the worlds most recycled product!
The drinking water around Inishowen is mostly excellent and we can enjoy drinking it straight from the tap. Why then has bottled water become so popular around here? Ten years ago if I suggested that I was going to buy a bottle of water you would think I was a pint short of a gallon. I think one reason for the popularity of the bottles is that manufacturers have convinced people that the water has beneficial properties beyond the water that comes out of the tap. Another clever bit of marketing is that bottled water has been made into an image thing. Like designer clothes and footwear it is now cool to have a certain type of bottle as an accessory.
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE
There are nearly 700 different types of bottled water. A staggering 40% of these companies filter their water straight from the tap. I lived near a brewery in England that stopped producing beer and concentrated on bottling water by simply tapping into the mains supply. At the time I thought this was strange, but it is common practice. One of the biggest drinks companies in the world has started selling their own water on a global scale. They source the water locally, depending on the country that they are in. The English supply is tapped from the mains in Sidcup, Kent. (They don’t tell you that on the bottle!) There are no reports of an increase in health properties in the water. Some companies add traces of minerals (so it can be called mineral water) but that makes little or no difference to the benefits of the product.
RUNDOWN OF THE COST
There is very little value, cost wise, in any bottled drink, but even less so in water. It costs 0.03cent to fill a bottle that costs €1, that’s not a bad mark up. The biggest cost for the manufacturer is the bottle, top and label. Millions of the empty bottles will end up as landfill every year as most bottles are consumed on the move and end up in a bin.
ALTERNATIVES
Think ahead when you go out anywhere and take a bottle of tap water with you. There are home filtration systems you can buy if you don’t trust your water supply. Simple jugs with a filter are readily available and there are more advanced devices, which fit straight onto the taps.
If you feel that there is chlorine in the water and the smell puts you off there is a solution. Fill up a jug and put it in the fridge. After a few hours the chlorine gas will have disappeared.
Some people boil the water and leave it to cool; this could destroy harmful bacteria if it was present.
Thankfully we are not totally gullible. A journalist tried to sell bottles of fresh mountain air as an experiment. He priced it at one euro and spent the day trying to convince members of the public to buy it as a pick me up. There was only one taker, a schoolboy who managed to get two bottles for10 cent! There’s hope for us yet.
Environmental.
This situation did make me realise how much a good quality water supply is taken for granted. In some cities it is claimed that the drinking water has been in direct circulation through humans and the sewage treatment plants about forty times. Water has probably been passed through living things millions of times, which makes it the worlds most recycled product!
The drinking water around Inishowen is mostly excellent and we can enjoy drinking it straight from the tap. Why then has bottled water become so popular around here? Ten years ago if I suggested that I was going to buy a bottle of water you would think I was a pint short of a gallon. I think one reason for the popularity of the bottles is that manufacturers have convinced people that the water has beneficial properties beyond the water that comes out of the tap. Another clever bit of marketing is that bottled water has been made into an image thing. Like designer clothes and footwear it is now cool to have a certain type of bottle as an accessory.
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE
There are nearly 700 different types of bottled water. A staggering 40% of these companies filter their water straight from the tap. I lived near a brewery in England that stopped producing beer and concentrated on bottling water by simply tapping into the mains supply. At the time I thought this was strange, but it is common practice. One of the biggest drinks companies in the world has started selling their own water on a global scale. They source the water locally, depending on the country that they are in. The English supply is tapped from the mains in Sidcup, Kent. (They don’t tell you that on the bottle!) There are no reports of an increase in health properties in the water. Some companies add traces of minerals (so it can be called mineral water) but that makes little or no difference to the benefits of the product.
RUNDOWN OF THE COST
There is very little value, cost wise, in any bottled drink, but even less so in water. It costs 0.03cent to fill a bottle that costs €1, that’s not a bad mark up. The biggest cost for the manufacturer is the bottle, top and label. Millions of the empty bottles will end up as landfill every year as most bottles are consumed on the move and end up in a bin.
ALTERNATIVES
Think ahead when you go out anywhere and take a bottle of tap water with you. There are home filtration systems you can buy if you don’t trust your water supply. Simple jugs with a filter are readily available and there are more advanced devices, which fit straight onto the taps.
If you feel that there is chlorine in the water and the smell puts you off there is a solution. Fill up a jug and put it in the fridge. After a few hours the chlorine gas will have disappeared.
Some people boil the water and leave it to cool; this could destroy harmful bacteria if it was present.
Thankfully we are not totally gullible. A journalist tried to sell bottles of fresh mountain air as an experiment. He priced it at one euro and spent the day trying to convince members of the public to buy it as a pick me up. There was only one taker, a schoolboy who managed to get two bottles for10 cent! There’s hope for us yet.
Environmental.
SPRING JOBS TO DO
Photo: It is getting a bit late for the removal of large limbs.Complete major pruning or removal of trees and shrubs before birds begin to nest. It is getting too late in the season for the removal of the larger limbs.
Finish any other pruning of evergreens, including hard pruning of holly and yew hedges
Privet hedges that weren't pruned in autumn can be done now. If very hard pruning is needed, do just one side and the other side next year, so as not to stress the plants. Then mulch around the hedge with some well-rotted compost to boost the growth
Plant runner beans in 3in pots of general-purpose compost under glass, for planting out next month.
Leeks can be sown in short rows or in pots, for planting out in rows later on.
Plant onion sets, 6in apart, and pushed into the soil until just the tip shows.
Finish any other pruning of evergreens, including hard pruning of holly and yew hedges
Privet hedges that weren't pruned in autumn can be done now. If very hard pruning is needed, do just one side and the other side next year, so as not to stress the plants. Then mulch around the hedge with some well-rotted compost to boost the growth
Plant runner beans in 3in pots of general-purpose compost under glass, for planting out next month.
Leeks can be sown in short rows or in pots, for planting out in rows later on.
Plant onion sets, 6in apart, and pushed into the soil until just the tip shows.
Horticultural.
NEW ONLINE INISHOWEN NEWS SERVICE
Check out the new website covering Inishowen news.
www.InishowenNews.com
(Click on the title for a link)
www.InishowenNews.com
(Click on the title for a link)
SEDUMS-STONECROP
We took advantage of the lovely weather last week and went to Glenveagh National Park to enjoy the fabulous gardens there. The information centre has a wonderful roof covering which has been planted to blend perfectly into the countryside. The plants have been chosen well to complement the local flora, and from a distance the place is practically invisible. Included are plants which have obviously self seeded, like gorse, which adds to the naturalised effect. These sorts of roofs have to be well reinforced, as the weight of them is considerable once the soil and plants are put on. The weight increases too when it is wet. With good reinforcement, there is no reason why we cannot all have green roofs on our houses and the peninsula would be a more attractive place because of it although Inishowen might see a jump in their goat population in order to keep these roofs looking neat and tidy!! The council offices in Letterkenny are leading this natural roof revolution with their roof made from the alpine plant called Sedum.
SEDUMS-STONECROP.
Sedums are remarkably resilient plants and will survive most conditions except total waterlogging. I had one growing in a hole in a building brick for years. It survived although it was always on the small size.
There are lots of different sedums and if you were to cover the roof with them it would be wise to mix different types. This will hedge your bets if disease or adverse weather strikes, as some will be more tolerant of conditions than others.
SEDUMS-STONECROP.
Sedums are remarkably resilient plants and will survive most conditions except total waterlogging. I had one growing in a hole in a building brick for years. It survived although it was always on the small size.
There are lots of different sedums and if you were to cover the roof with them it would be wise to mix different types. This will hedge your bets if disease or adverse weather strikes, as some will be more tolerant of conditions than others.
To cover a roof you will need hundreds of plants. The recommended amount of plants is around 25 per metre squared. If you were to buy them from a garden centre you would be looking at the roof costing more than the rest of the house. There is a company in England that will sell you mats of sedums already grown and ready to put into place. These mats can cost about €40 per square metre. They are also very useful for dry slopes. The mats will give a thick covering to protect against weed infestation. The cost is high unless you grow them yourself. Sedums are really easy to propagate. The leaves of the plant come off easily and if they are put onto soil or compost they will root in no time at all. This method of propagation mirrors what happens to the plant in nature as animals knock the leaves off when they walk past them. . They also grow from seed but this is a far slower method of propagation
Horticultural.
FAIRY RING
Q. I have a ring of toadstools on my lawn, how do I get rid of it? Thanks CT Malin.
A. A fairy ring is a fungal growth of toadstools on the lawn which grows wider and wider each year. There are three types of fairy rings. The first has only a ring of toadstools and the grass isn't in any way damaged or changed. In the second type the grass at the outer edge of the ring is a very dark green. The third type is the most persistent, with two dark green rings of grass either side of the toadstool ring with the space between them bare and riddled with moss.
Treatment Make sure there is no decaying matter under the lawn, old pieces of wood, which the fungus lives off. With the second type of ring, the single darker green ring can be disguised by feeding the rest of the lawn with a high-nitrogen food so that the whole lawn becomes a dark lush green and the ring doesn't stand out. The third ring is very difficult to get rid of and there is no chemical cure. The only real answer is to remove all the earth to a depth of 30cm (12in) and to 30cm (12in) beyond the ring. Fill the hole with clean topsoil and then re-turf. Be careful not to spill any of the excavated soil onto the garden or the spores may contaminate a new area.
Horticultural.
A. A fairy ring is a fungal growth of toadstools on the lawn which grows wider and wider each year. There are three types of fairy rings. The first has only a ring of toadstools and the grass isn't in any way damaged or changed. In the second type the grass at the outer edge of the ring is a very dark green. The third type is the most persistent, with two dark green rings of grass either side of the toadstool ring with the space between them bare and riddled with moss.
Treatment Make sure there is no decaying matter under the lawn, old pieces of wood, which the fungus lives off. With the second type of ring, the single darker green ring can be disguised by feeding the rest of the lawn with a high-nitrogen food so that the whole lawn becomes a dark lush green and the ring doesn't stand out. The third ring is very difficult to get rid of and there is no chemical cure. The only real answer is to remove all the earth to a depth of 30cm (12in) and to 30cm (12in) beyond the ring. Fill the hole with clean topsoil and then re-turf. Be careful not to spill any of the excavated soil onto the garden or the spores may contaminate a new area.
Horticultural.
MAKE YOUR OWN SPRING PLANTFOOD
Photo: Get steeping that manure!Now that spring has sprung we are starting to see lots of new growth everywhere. Most of your plants will benefit by a bit of food at some stage of their development. What better way to satisfy their needs than to make your own feed for them to enjoy.
MAKE YOUR OWN PLANT FOOD
You can make your own liquid plant feed for free using a range of materials including grass clippings, stinging nettles, various manures and comfrey. This not only saves money but it is environmentally friendly too. Although the resulting feed cannot be targeted to produce particular types of growth like the specifically formulated manufactured liquid feeds and fertilisers, they will promote plant growth and increase flowering and crop yields. They are ideal for giving a boost to hungry crops such as tomatoes and to pep-up flowering displays of summer bedding in containers and borders during mid-summer. You don't need a lot of fancy equipment to make your own feed – a couple of large buckets and a sieve would be sufficient for small amounts. You could invest in a bucket with a tight fitting lid. I made comfrey juice last year in an open drum and you could smell the rotting leaves a mile away! For small amounts of feed an old brewing bucket is ideal, but for larger volumes use a water butt. Always wear waterproof gloves when handling manures and concentrates, as the liquid can be a bit hard on your skin.
Nettle and grass liquid feed
Lay nettles on the lawn and run over them with a lawnmower fitted with a grass collector to chop them up. There is no need to measure the quantities really accurately but as a guide add about 1kg of finely chopped leaf/grass clippings to a large 10-litre (2 gallons) bucket filled with water. Leave to soak for about a fortnight, then strain and dilute one-part feed to five parts water. For large amounts, add approximately 18kg of chopped leaf/grass clippings to a 37-litre waterbutt, or 25kg to a 50-litre waterbutt. Dilute to make the feed by adding one-part concentrate to five-parts water before use.
Steeped farmyard manure.
Fill a sack or pair of old tights with dried manure from the field or use well-rotted farmyard manure. Use half a bucket of manure (5 litres/1 gallon) for a 50-litre waterbutt. Tie the sack to a bamboo cane and suspend in the water. Steep the manure for a few days until the water is a light brown colour. Use without diluting on mature plants but add an equal amount of water for younger specimens
Comfrey liquid feed
Fill a brewing bucket with comfrey leaves and let them decompose. You will need several kg of leaves to produce a meaningful amount of feed concentrate. This should be no problem as comfrey growth is prolific. When a dark brown liquid collects at the bottom of the bucket, draw off into a separate container. Dilute to make the feed by adding one-part concentrate to ten-parts water before use.
Worm compost bin feed
If you have a wormery then drain off the liquid at the bottom and use as an effective plant food. I have found this particularly effective on houseplants. (There is very little odour from it!)
Horticultural.
JOBS TO DO IN LATE SPRING
Photo: brighten up your garden ornaments.Deadhead winter flowering pansies and primroses. Keep a few seed heads intact though to increase your stock later in the year.
Your garden ornaments will be looking a bit sad at the moment after being outside all year. Give them a scrub to brighten them up.
Check your greenhouse plants for aphids. As the weather warms up, they will begin to breed on soft shoots and under leaves. Ventilate greenhouses well on sunny days or the temperature will soar. Clean all greenhouse window and cold-frame glass to ensure seedlings receive maximum light. Also, of course, windows indoors where plants are being grown. Start over-wintered geraniums (pelargoniums) back into growth, potting on into fresh compost and watering well. Prune back over-leggy stems. Apply liquid feed every 10-14 days and take cuttings from the new shoots when they are around 3in long.
Water African violets from the bottom; avoid getting any water on the leaves. Dust the leaves with a small, soft brush.
Take cuttings from new shoots on fuchsias and potted-up dahlias. These cuttings root very easily and will flower this year.
Watch out for mice taking beans and sweet peas in greenhouses. I lost all of mine one year and it’s very irritating.
Horticultural.
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