Recycling in the office: The concept of the "binless office" is slowly gaining momentum here. The catchy phrase is really a misnomer in that there are bins, but at a recycling point rather than at your desk.
The idea is that all your recyclable materials (almost everything in an office from paper to plastic to ink cartridges, batteries and some lunch leftovers) are placed in a desk tray throughout the day and then taken to the recycling point where they are separated into bins specific for each waste stream. Keith McCormack, head of marketing for waste management group Greenstar, estimates that companies can reduce their general waste by 20 per cent a year by following such procedures. A survey by employers group IBEC found that waste is one of the rising costs facing Irish businesses, now accounting for 1.1 per cent of annual turnover for some companies. The Government is making some attempt to help companies get their act together through the countrywide waste management seminars. See www.raceagainstwaste for more details.
New books on Horizon
Two new books of interest to local historians have arrived in the Horizons pigeonhole this week. The first, The Lighthouses of Ireland by Richard M Taylor (Collins Press, €14.95) tells the largely unexplored history of lighthouses on or off the coast of Ireland. Taylor, a lighthouse technician for 44 years, visited and worked on all 86 lighthouses. Throughout the book, he smoothly mixes personal anecdotes with technical and historical detail. The second book is Phoenix Park - a history and guidebook by Brendan Nolan (The Liffey Press €18.95). In it, Nolan explores the monuments and memorials, the Big Houses and Dublin Zoo. He also offers readers a selection of self-guided trails through the park.
Environmental award
Congratulations to Niamh Power, the engineering postgraduate student at Cork Institute of Technology, who won this year's student environmental research award at the Institute of Technology in Sligo earlier this week. Power's presentation described the potential for methane-enriched biogas as a transport fuel in Ireland. Other award-winners described processes to prevent concrete corrosion in silage pits, the potential for biomass energy production in Ireland and technological aids to anaerobic digestion (ie when bacteria break down waste in an oxygen free environment). More details from Tom Higgins, lecturer in water engineering at IT Sligo. Tel 071-9155217 email Higgins.tom@itsligo.ie.
On keeping bees
The ancient craft of bee-keeping and producing honey will be explained at a one-day course in Ballymaloe Cookery School, Shanagarry, Co Cork on April 22nd. The course will be given by Michael Woulfe and Michael O'Callaghan of the Irish BeeKeepers Association. Participants will learn the techniques involved from starting a hive to harvesting honey and making beeswax products. On May 8th, organic gardener and botanist, Rupert Hugh-Jones will demonstrate how to grow a range of organic vegetables, fruit and herbs. Cost €155 for each course. Contact 021-4646785. See also www.cookingisfun.ie.