Ireland bans Fracking
This is one of the great success stories of 2017. The following text is from Rob Doyle, a member of the Love Leitrim group:
“Love Leitrim was formed in late 2011 with the purpose of preserving and promoting the quality of life in our part of the world. At that time the biggest threat to this region was UGEE (unconventional gas exploration and extraction); the process commonly known as fracking. Love Leitrim has spent the last 6 years working to prevent this irresponsible development. Love Leitrim’s vision for the region is outlined below.
Vision Statement
Love Leitrim is an ad hoc community group governed by this constitution and was formed to promote all the positive aspects of our beautiful unique county and its contribution to the national wealth and heritage. Love Leitrim supports long-term sustainable, economic development and the creation of employment, but not at the expense of existing jobs in tourism and farming or the welfare of future generations. Leitrim is a vibrant creative inclusive and diverse community. It is a leader in renewable energy, with a sustainable local economy and is a model of good practice for Ireland and beyond that can be expanded further to contribute to the nation’s well-being. The environment in Leitrim is sustainable and safe, with a beautiful and unspoilt landscape, clean water air and soil and protected flora and fauna. Leitrim is also an ideal place to raise a family. Love Leitrim will seek to promote and develop environmentally friendly projects, the importance of recycling, sustainable, and renewable clean green energy, and its vibrant and artistic community. Love Leitrim will do everything in its power to oppose what we see as the single biggest threat to all of these at this present time which is the possible dangers resulting from hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
In 2017 all our efforts were successful as Love Leitrim welcomed the passing of the legislative ban on fracking as it completed the final stage in the Seanad on Wednesday June 28th and was signed into law by President Micheal D. Higgins
On welcoming the move Love Leitrim’s spokesperson Eddie Mitchell acknowledged that the community campaign had won by informing themselves about the issue, lobbying local and national representatives and by promoting the positive aspects of Leitrim and Ireland.
He added “As a small community it was a fight for its life. We have a right to live in a safe place. People didn’t have a choice but to get involved, this is our home, where our families are from, where our people are buried and these fields are the place where our children play.”
Love Leitrim could see at an early stage that this was a national and international issue not a local one.
Mitchell added “seeing the plight of communities in Canada and Australia acted as a warning for us, they showed us that you could stand up and make a change and be successful like communities in New York. We couldn’t afford to lose everything that was dear to us just like we saw others losing what was important to them.
Describing the thinking behind the successful strategy behind the Love Leitrim campaign Mitchell said “We did it by engaging the community, through participation and empowerment. We are proud of where we are from. We are proud of Leitrim and Ireland. We wanted to reflect what Leitrim was about, farmers, fishermen, artists, professionals, parents and about sustainability. This is about Ireland. We knew we wouldn’t win unless we brought everyone along. We understood that we had to convince everyone. We knew that we had to be non-political. We had to win over hearts and minds.”
Living in Leitrim?
People wanted – to live in North Leitrim
What a great initiative in my neighbouring village – Kiltyclogher – which they still refer to as a town – with just 233 people.
Kiltyclogher is beautiful, quiet and safe place. Like many other rural villages it has suffered from emigration and also as a border town it suffered during the troubles.
But now there is a vibrant community in the town – I was there at this year’s summer festival where the amazing “Love Leitrim” group served the most delicious full Irish breakfast – free of charge.
Kiltyclogher needs another family or two to keep their local school open – the invitation is there – the people are wonderful and welcoming – maybe someone needs a change from the hustle and bustle of city life? By the way the school has 6 Green Flags!
Take a trip to Leitrim and explore – it’s also very close to the Organic Centre in Rossinver.
How Gardens Affect Our Health
The following article is a beautiful reminder of how gardening can keep us healthy and sane. It is written by Maria Cannon (www.hobbyjr.org) who reaped amazing benefits from it.
“A beautiful garden can do wonders for your yard and are a joy to look at. If you grow your own garden, you feel a sense of pride as you watch your garden transform and bloom. Vegetable and herb gardens have the added benefit of providing food. But gardens are more than something pretty to look at that sometimes produce food. Taking gardening up as a hobby also benefits your health in a multitude of ways.
As someone who has suffered from depression most of my life, it was a wonder to find gardening as a means to cope. I found that gardening helped me feel more relaxed and I was able to focus on the task at hand, rather than feeling my brain go haywire worrying and ruminating. Gardening helps me let go and be in the moment.
Health Benefits
Gardening is used as a tool to help people cope with issues such as anxiety and depression, as well as physical health conditions like heart disease and post-surgery recovery. The process is called horticultural therapy, and the therapists combine psychology, ecology, and botany to help their patients. Patients report “a renewed desire to live, decreased anxiety, and improved self-worth.” One New York medical center uses a therapy garden to help patients regain mobility after surgery or a stroke.
Gardens can also benefit those with eating disorders, dementia, and chronic stress. In fact, some researchers believe that gardening may help some people suffering from chronic stress more than traditional cognitive behavioral therapy. While patients simply enjoy therapy gardens without tending to them, a home garden is more demanding. However, it still provides the same benefits and can be a sanctuary from a busy life.
Gardening is also a great way to exercise. The amount of exercise you get depends on you personally. Someone who’s more fit can do more heavy-duty work, like hauling soil and shoveling, while someone with less capability may only be able to pull weeds and water plants. Both provide their own benefits. The opportunity to learn a new skill with gardening also improves cognitive functioning. Be sure to spend some time in your garden beyond tending to it, so you can really enjoy and admire your hard work.
Since I started gardening several years ago, my bouts of depression have become minimal, my blood pressure has normalized, and I have lost 10 pounds. I attribute all of these positives to spending time outside digging in the dirt and creating my own flower sanctuary.”
Which are the most sustainable countries?
I was really surprised to see this list – France is the most sustainable country in the world!
1. France
2. Japan
3. Canada
This rating is based on following parameters:
Food loss and waste
Sustainable Agriculture
Nutritional Challenges
You can read more on the following website:
http://foodsustainability.eiu.com/country-ranking/
Happy Gardening
Klaus Laitenberger |
