10 ways you can make an impact
1 Stop using pesticides on your lawn. Slugs and snails are an important food source for birds such as thrushes and blackbirds.
2 Get a bird box or a bird table for your garden or balcony.
3 Create a wildlife area in your garden to attract butterflies and provide cover for frogs, mammals and insects.
4 Never pour fats, oils, grease or household hazardous materials down the drain, sink or toilet.
5 Buy a compost bin and make your own compost or buy peat-free compost for your garden.
6 Care for your septic tank - de-sludge at least once a year, to ensure that it is operating correctly and that waste is not seeping into the groundwater or nearby rivers and streams.
7 Plant a native Irish broadleaf tree. If you do not have a garden, sponsor a native tree through the Tree Council of Ireland or the Native Woodland Trust.
8 Get involved in tree planting locally during National Tree Week in March.
9 Buy fruit, vegetables and other fresh food in season, and where possible, locally produced to reduce pollution caused by transporting food over long distances.
10 Beware when purchasing souvenirs with fur or feathers when abroad. Many of these are products whose trade is regulated and permits are required to bring them home.
Source: Department of the Environment