Cyclists celebrate tunnel:The Dublin Cycling Campaign (DCC) held a party this week to celebrate the opening of the Dublin Port Tunnel.
David Maher of DCC said: "The tunnel has the potential to transform the city by finally freeing the city centre streets of many of the Heavy Goods Vehicles [ HGV] which have dominated the capital for many years. Unrestricted HGV access has brought an appalling level of death and danger to the streets of Dublin, accounting for almost 80 per cent of cyclist deaths over the past 10 years." Meanwhile, Green Party TD Ciaran Cuffe also hopes our city streets will be made safer by the opening of the Port Tunnel. However, he remains concerned that many trucks don't have Cyclops mirrors, which make cyclists more visible from large vehicles making left-hand turns. While an EU directive makes such mirrors mandatory for new trucks from January 2007, Cuffe is calling on the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, to ensure that all existing trucks have them retro-fitted. Lower speed limits on city and suburban streets and clear cycle paths would also making cycling in Dublin city safer. Dublin Port Tunnel will open to 9,000 trucks on December 20.
A blueprint for forests
Members of the public have until January 31st, 2007 to make submissions on the National Forest Standard for Ireland. Currently in its third draft, the process is being managed by the Irish Forest Certification Initiative (IFCI), and the aim is to "create a blueprint for sustainable forest management in the future". How our forests are managed, in terms of what species are planted, maintained and felled, is becoming an area of interest and importance from an aesthetic, recreational and ecological perspective.
Submissions can be made through www.irishforestcertification.com or by e-mailing ifci@irishforestcertification.com
Give a tree to Eritrea
A new joint tree-planting scheme in Ireland and Eritrea offers people a chance to give an environmentally sound Christmas gift. The Trees for Life scheme is co-ordinated by Vita (formerly the Refugee Trust International) as part of its Sustainable Livelihoods strategy. For €100, you can have a numbered and registered oak tree planted in Marlay Park in Rathfarnham, Dublin (with giver and recipient's name) and 35 Moringa trees planted in Eritrea. The Moringa tree is described as the world's most useful tree in that different parts of it can be used for food, fuel and medicine. For more information, call 1850 308090 or see www.vita.ie
A good report
The Musgrave Group won this year's award for best Sustainability Report in the annual competition run by international accountancy body ACCA. Irish Life & Permanent and O2 also received commendations for the quality of their reports. The awards are held to encourage transparency in company reporting and praise organizations which disclose full environmental, social or sustainability information. See www.corporateregister.com for an international directory of corporate sustainability, environment and social reports.
EcoWeb
www.greenbox.ie
Check out a range of ecological places to escape to this Christmas, including the Gyreum, a purpose-built 100ft (30.4m) ring fort near Castlebaldwin,
Co Sligo.