Skerries group praised for its climate actions, coming 7th in a nationwide climate competition.
Recently, we took part in the Climate Heroes event. Under the stewardship of committee member Miriam Sweeney, we came 7th out of 59 teams in total! Committee member Hans Zomer writes:
Along with volunteers from community groups in 17 counties across Ireland, the members of “Sustainable Skerries” teamed up to combat consumption and take small steps to change their lives, their communities and the world.
Our friendly neighbourhood volunteers took part in the nationwide “Climate Heroes” competition organised by the charity Global Action Plan.
The Skerries team was one of 11 teams from Fingal, who together logged over 16,000 climate smart micro actions, saving more than 15.5 tonnes of CO2 emissions – roughly as much CO₂e as is emitted by flying all the way around the world 1.6 times.
This result meant Fingal was the highest scoring County in the nation, for the second year in a row. Indeed, 5 of the top 7 teams in the country are from Fingal!
“Taking part in Climate Heroes made me more aware of the small practical changes I could make as an individual. When my small actions were added to the lifestyle changes that others were making, the resulting reduction in CO2 emissions were surprisingly significant,” said Máire Jones, one of the Sustainable Skerries team members.
On average, each Sustainable Skerries participant saved some 193 kg of CO2e emissions – well above the average for all the competition participants (which was 97.5 kg per person). If people continue this commitment for the full year, it would result in a saving of 5 tonnes of CO2e emissions – a big chunk out of the average annual per capita emissions in Ireland, which is 11,900 tonnes.
The Sustainable Skerries climate heroes selected actions from a menu of 40 activities, which had been assigned average emissions rates and were themed around transportation, food, shopping, and energy. Participants could see the consequences of their actions in real time, compare them against their teammates and other groups, and visualise how small actions taken collectively can pack a powerful punch.
Supported by funding from Irish Aid, the competition was accompanied by webinars that explored the global dimension of climate change and spotlighted the amazing local work of citizens across Ireland.
“Our Climate Heroes have reduced their carbon footprints significantly, and more importantly have built a sense of collective engagement, community and empowerment. Their enthusiasm and dedication underscores the vital role of individual and collective actions in addressing the climate crisis,” said Alex Whyatt, Global Citizenship Coordinator at Global Action Plan.
“In our webinars, we saw the amazing work that groups across the country are doing to make their communities more sustainable, inclusive and future-focused,” Whyatt concluded.
Reflecting on the broader impact of the challenge, Hans Zomer, CEO at Global Action Plan and himself a Skerries resident, expressed gratitude to all participants:
“The actions of the hundreds of people that took part in this unique challenge serve as an inspiration to us all. Sometimes global problems such as climate change can be overwhelming, but the people who took part in the the Climate Heroes showed that each and every one of us has the power to effect meaningful change.”
“As the world confronts the urgent imperative of climate action, volunteers like these Climate Heroes give us hope and show what can be achieved if we work together.”
In our series of blog posts about the 2023 Skerries Eco Festival, Sustainable Skerries committee member Evelyn Cottell sums up the first three of our nine wonderful Sunday Afternoon Talks . She writes:
The Eco Talks session took place on Sunday 3rd September, in The Little Theatre. In the nearby Old Schoolhouse, ECO Fair stalls were in full swing, facilitating a flow of people in and out of the two events, according to personal time and interest. Events aimed to inform on a wide range of topics including conservation of energy; marine; river and birdlife; biodiversity, waste reduction & management, the work of Skerries Tidy Towns and on promotion of active travel. The extent of local group initiatives and activities, which are establishing strong roots, were presented. This session also aimed to inspire residents to take further action to protect and enhance our town’s natural beauty and sustainability.
Nine speakers, including local and external experts, gave short presentations, followed by Q & A’s. Here are my summaries of the first three:
Branches of Hope: How planting trees can help turn the tide of the climate crisis- Sabine McKenna
Sustainable Skerries chair Sabine McKenna opened the session with a subject close to her heart: The Skerries Open Orchards Project.
Sabine traced the development of the Skerries Open Orchards Project (SkOOP), one of the many initiatives of Sustainable Skerries (SuSk), from its beginnings in November 2021, when money became available from ChangeX/Accenture.
Over 100 trees had been planted by spring of 2023, in a total of seven mini orchards (this number has risen to 150 trees in ten orchards since). These trees will provide free fruit to local residents and greenery to the open spaces in our town, and there are other benefits too. A newly planted tree will offer some extra pollination opportunities and absorb a small amount of carbon dioxide as well as rainwater that might otherwise have stayed on the surface. And as the trees grow, so do these positive effects.
Thanks to the SkOOP team and smaller groups of local residents in each area, the young trees are now thriving in Kelly’s Bay (near the bus stop), at the Ballast Pit pedestrian crossing, in Mourne View (x2), in Skerries Rock (The Lawn and The Vale), in Selskar Court, in St. Patricks Close, Ardgillan View, Downside, Townparks / Newtown Parks and Greenlawns. They are not just apple trees, but also pear, plum, damson and haze. Sabine stressed that this would not be possible without the local volunteers who guard and water and weed the trees, nor without the support from Fingal County Council.
The existing mini orchards encourage further use of green spaces and provide opportunities for residents, old and new, to meet and work together towards enhancing and protecting their natural environment. Sustainable Skerries are looking forward to hearing from people who are interested in setting up a mini orchard in their own area.
Would you like to help? Let us know at www.SustainableSkerries.com/orchards or write to sustskerries@gmail.com
- Skerries Open Orchards Project – Sabine McKenna ⬅ Click to open in new tab
‘Re-wiggling’ the Townparks Stream- Charlie Heasman (SuSk, & Skerries Mills Community Garden)
Second speaker of the afternoon was Charlie Heasman, best known for his local work on biodiversity, including conservation work on the rare Carder bee and establishing the Skerries wild meadows and the Skerries Mills Community garden. However, in keeping with the festival’s water theme, Charlie presented a fascinating talk on “‘Re-wiggling’ the Townparks Stream”.
Several aerial maps and photos were shown of 3 rivers- Broadmeadows (Dunshaughlin/Swords/Malahide); the Boyne (Kildare/Meath/Louth) and Skerries only stream- the Townparks Mill Stream (known locally as the Brook). Familiar with all 3 water courses, and having canoed the course of the Boyne with his wife Marion, he pointed out how few curves and bends there are on these rivers. Historically, many rivers here and in UK have been artificially straightened (Approx. 60% in UK– BBC2 documentary, The Lakes with Simon Reeve), in order to drain farmland as rapidly as possible after heavy rain. Unfortunately, this can have disastrous consequences for towns and villages downstream. These natural floodplains normally hold and release flood water slowly thus mitigating the flow; by speeding up water runoff during and after heavy rain the incidence of flash flooding further downriver is dramatically increased.
This has also come at a significant cost to the environment. In its natural state (subject to topography) a river will have fast and slow sections; pools and rapids; curves and eddies, all providing different habitats for different types of aquatic life. The Boyne was no exception before it was canalised, work starting in 1969. Salmon and trout in particular need fast, well oxygenated gravel beds on which to spawn; the “improvement” works destroyed these beds and today salmon and sea trout are no longer found in the upper reaches of the river above Trim.
Restoring rivers by ‘re-wiggling’ adds curves to slow down the flow, allows the river to deposit its sediment on the banks and reduces the risk of flooding downstream. ‘Re-wiggling ‘also creates a greater level of habitat diversity, making rivers more hospitable to more species. Adding vegetation, trees and natural flood management measures can all help increase biodiversity. So nature needs its randomness, and natural rivers are healthy rivers. An ecological study of the Townparks Mill stream area, commissioned by Fingal County Council and carried out by Coiscéim Consulting (Ecology and Hydromorphology Services), included as assessment of the suitability of re-wiggling the Brook. Their report is due in the near future.
- Update May 2024: Coiscéim Consulting have recently published their report “Skerries Town Parks Biodiversity Action Plan 2024-2026”
Pedal Power: Tips on Bike Repairs, Safety, and All-weather cycling- Michael McKenna (Skerries Cycling Initiative)
Michael McKenna gave a practical talk on “Pedal Power: Tips on Bike Repairs, Safety, and All-weather cycling”. This presentation nicely complimented the concurrent Bike Repair Workshop, at the Skerries Cycling Initiative (SCI) Bike Shed, behind the Old Schoolhouse.
The objectives of SCI are to (i) develop safer routes to schools, shops, train station and neighbouring towns and (ii) engage with Active Travel and Greenway projects. Michael’s presentation focussed on key practical aspects of cycling safely. These include the safe functioning of all parts of the bike itself (e.g. Saddle, brakes, lights, gears, chain, foot straps, wheels & tyres), using the bicycle “M” check model schematic (www.cycleright.ie). The next safety aspect is “BEING SEEN”- an arms distance from the road edge and in poor light, by wearing bright clothes and lights. And twinning “BEING SEEN” is “BE SEEING”, i.e. observe and anticipate when cycling, practise looking behind and using hand signals, without wobbling, and communicate clearly with other road users via hand signals and eye contact. Avoid blind zones by never moving up / staying on the inside of long vehicles when turning left. Carry a rain jacket and for longer journeys, a repair kit / spare tube / or contact number to call. And finally, wear a properly fitting bike helmet. Michael finished by briefing on the Community Bike Workshop, which he runs, to provide a local place to get help with any bike issues. Here tools are available to use freely and parts are accessible at reasonable costs or no cost at all! He encourages “learning by doing”- fixing brakes, punctures, chains, pedals, gears etc. A final, but much appreciated function of Bike Workshops is to re-home donated bikes.
Can you help or do you need help? Emails skerriescycling@gmail.com to become part of the Bike Shop WhatsApp group. Follow on FB skerriescyclinginitiative
- Update: Due to the impossibility of securing insurance cover for bicycle repair unless a qualified and insured bicycle mechanic is carrying out the repairs, SCI will not be in a position to run the workshop on a regular basis. SCI may however, be able to organise occasional workshops in partnership with a fulltime bike repair entity such as a bike shop or a social enterprise which have their own insurance cover.
- In the months after the Festival, SCI, with funding from Fingal County Council, engaged the Irish Centre for Cycling to provide a five lesson course for adult cyclists. The course was held during December 2023 and Jan 2024. We were delighted that several international protection applicants were able to successfully participate in the course.
- Pedal Power: Tips on Bike Repairs, Safety, and All-Weather Cycling. – Michael McKenna (Skerries Cycling Initiative ) ⬅ Click to open in new tab
Stay tuned to our blog as posts about more of those valuable talks will be published over the next while!
Sustainable Skerries and the Skerries Cycling Initiative are committees of the Skerries Community Association.
Join Marion and Charlie Heasman, who are the driving forces behind our Pollinator Action Plan, for the first Sustainable Skerries biodiversity walk of the year – this time in Hamilton Hill!
- Sun 19 May 2024, 4 pm
- Meet at the pedestrian lights, Skerries Educate Together N.S.
- Wear sensible shoes, bring rain gear if necessary!
Get your tickets on Eventbrite or join us on the day. We are asking for €5 per adult, if possible, to support our work. Thank you!
Charlie writes:
We are pleased to hold our first ever Bumblebee Walk on the Hamilton Hill Estate where we have a whole new area of pollinator habitat. Incorporated in the newly completed Multi Use Games Area is a large wildflower meadow which will flower for the first time this year.
Our recorders regularly spot the Large Carder Bee in the locality and it is hoped that the area will become a stronghold for this threatened species of Bumblebee along with all the other pollinators and become an extension of our existing biodiversity corridor..
Come along to find out more.
Planting for pollinators, planting apple trees, leaving the dandelions on our existing green spaces are all part of greening our town, but something else is happening underfoot … Hans Zomer draws our eyes to more concrete facts. He writes:
Did you know that there is also another quiet revolution happening in our town?
More and more people in Skerries are calling for “depaving” — rolling back the tendency to cover our gardens and streets with concrete or stones, and reclaiming paved surfaces for nature.
And their motive is not just aesthetics; it has also got to do with adjusting to our future of extreme weather events. After all, the impermeable surfaces that blanket our streets, gardens and footpaths – such as concrete, tarmac and stone slabs – contribute to flooding and biodiversity loss.
Rain that falls on covered surfaces runs off immediately, and risks overwhelming our drainage systems. In contrast, green spaces and natural gardens soak up the rainfall, reducing the amount of runoff and the resulting risk of flooding in our town.
But the benefits of depaving extend beyond flood resilience. Green spaces created through depaving projects provide sanctuaries for native flora and fauna, and capture the dust and pollutants that otherwise would have ended up in our watercourses.
What’s more, the scientific evidence that green spaces are better for our mental health than built up environments is mounting. Researchers have also found that green public spaces encourage people to walk rather than drive, meaning people take more exercise.
In short, the time has come to heed the call of “depaving”; to peel back the layers of concrete, and “pave the way” for a brighter, greener tomorrow for everyone.
Depaving in Pierce County, Washington. Image: Wikipedia, By STORM Outreach – https://www.flickr.com/photos/132714403@N02/46093120691/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=124717459
Sustainable Skerries made a submission to the draft Climate Action Plan (see below).
The acknowledgement stated: “All submissions will be reviewed by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, and may inform updates to the final version of this year’s Plan.”
Let’s hope it will make a difference! Here is our submission:
Sustainable Skerries, a committee of the Skerries Community Association, based in North County Dublin, welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft Climate Action Plan 2024 (‘CAP24’). It has many positive aspects, including increased focus on the role of local authorities and citizen engagement, and additional actions and key performance indicators compared with CAP23. Some suggestions to further strengthen CAP24 are set out below.
- The role of local authorities and tracking of their action plans
In October 2023 Sustainable Skerries responded (here) to the Fingal County Council Draft Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 (‘FCC’s draft plan’). In that context, it is positive that CAP24 recognises the key role of local authorities in addressing climate change and the need for training and capacity building for local authority staff and elected members (chapter 19).
On p.385 CAP24 states “local authorities will devise an approach for the annual implementation of actions, track progress through KPIs, and report on progress at local and national levels”. Sustainable Skerries felt that FCC’s draft climate action plan could be improved in that regard. For that reason, we suggest that at national level, a demand is added that all actions in the local authority climate action plans be linked to specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals. Multiple actions in the draft Fingal plan are currently too vague with no targets specified.
Actions in all local authority plans must thus also be weighted in their impact so that a report on the progress can reflect in a quantifiable manner how much mitigation, or what progress with adaptation, has been made. Additionally, it is meaningless to report that “20% of all actions have progressed” if any specific action only moves the needle a tiny bit. Indeed, there is no indication across the multitude of actions in Fingal’s draft plan as to what actions take priority or are considered most impactful, again emphasising the need to carry out an impact assessment for each action e.g., in terms of emissions or energy efficiency. Local authority action plans should be mandated to include prioritisation. This should also help with prioritisation and informing where budgets are spent. KPIs need appropriate target ranges set in advance. We call upon national agencies to support local authorities in developing meaningful KPIs. - The impact of data centre electricity demand on emissions
Several submissions to FCC’s draft plan, including from Sustainable Skerries, raised concerns about the contribution of data centres to emissions. We note that CAP24 mentions data centres explicitly only once (p.52), even though the SEAI’s National Energy Projections 2023 highlight that the achievement of the electricity sector’s carbon budget will be heavily influenced by datacentre demand. We request that section 12.4.1.3 of CAP24 on electricity demand management explicitly covers actions related to datacentre electricity demand. - Decarbonising the aviation sector
We note that Dublin Airport and the impact of air travel on greenhouse gas emissions are not mentioned at all in FCC’s draft plan, again this was raised in several submissions to FCC. We note that CAP24 recognises the importance of international co-operation, including EU regulations, in decarbonising the aviation sector. However, the only concrete measure that appears to be mentioned is the use of sustainable aviation fuels (p.281). However, there is still considerable uncertainty as to the emissions reduction impact from sustainable aviation fuels, as well as other challenges
related to sourcing them, therefore experts believe that other mitigation measures also need to be considered e.g., Sustainable Aviation Fuel: How Sustainable Is It Really? | IBA. This includes aviation demand management, on which CAP24 is silent, even though the DAA has requested permission for an increase in the passenger cap on Dublin airport, which appears incompatible with climate targets – Plans to expand Dublin Airport clash with global effort to slow climate change – Dublin Inquirer. We ask that the topic of decarbonisation of the aviation sector be more fully explored in CAP24, including consideration of additional actions such as the potential for demand management. - Community Engagement
Sustainable Skerries welcomes chapter 9 on Citizen Engagement and the expected outcome of “delivering the vision of climate action for Ireland through the shared values of fairness, collaboration and positive change” (p.99). Like FCC’s draft plan, CAP24 focuses actions in this area on communication and engagement. These are necessary but not sufficient for action, people also need to have the facilities/infrastructure to be empowered to affect change. We ask that this is more explicitly recognised in CAP24, and sufficient support provided to local authorities and to community groups to enable them to implement new facilities such as the provision/expansion of community repair and recycling spaces, to facilitate behavioural change.
It is important to recognise that high emitting sectors such as transport and agriculture, and the increased usage of data centres, are providing goods and services to consumers and households. Therefore significant change is required at the household and community level to achieve carbon budgets. It is positive that CAP24 recognises the need for further social and behavioural research to identify and address barriers to policy implementation (p.111). We suggest that more emphasis is placed on this aspect of CAP24, as without overcoming social barriers (such as concerns regarding financial costs and practical inconvenience or mistaken beliefs about climate change), the many technical solutions proposed are unlikely to be successful. Additionally, whilst the community climate action fund is welcome, community groups are usually time-constrained volunteers, who need practical as well as financial support to contribute to climate action, e.g., direct access to specialist
expertise in relevant areas or the possibility of using climate-action funds for paying for admin support .
Conclusion
Sustainable Skerries recognises the many positive aspects of CAP24 and acknowledges the considerable work that has gone into producing it. We hope that our comments are useful in improving it even further.
Committee Member Hans Zomer reminds us:
Spring is an important period for our buzzing buddies, the bees. Bees and other pollinators rely on a variety of flowers for food from March to October, especially in the spring, when they’re just waking up from their winter hibernation. And some of their favourite food comes from these beautiful yellow flowers, that many people consider weeds. Did you know that there are 98 species of bee in Ireland? And that only one of them, the honey bee, is not at risk? So, this spring, lend a helping hand, by doing something simple: let those dandelions bloom, and leave this yellow bee superfood bee!
Are you a member of a neighbourhood network? A WhatsApp group just for your road? A Facebook group for your estate? A residents’ association even? Yes? Great! And do you get messages via the Neighbourhoods Network? No? Then join the network! The Skerries Community Association, or rather, volunteers on their behalf, run a WhatsApp group with one rep from each group that joins up.
The Skerries Community Association (SCA) is facilitating this network of neighbourhood groups in order to bring together all the neighbourhood groups in Skerries. This helps the exchange of information and more.
If there is no group yet in your area, just start one! More details and a list of existing member groups of the Skerries Neighbourhoods Network on skerriesca.com/neighbour
And why is this important enough to be mentioned on the Sustainable Skerries blog?
Because this year, the SCA is challenging all neighbourhood groups to join the Climate Heroes challenge!
What is Climate Heroes? Climate Heroes is team-based climate challenge. Together with other members of your group, you will learn about and take simple actions on the drivers of climate change. Investigate and challenge the forces driving climate change. Compete to reduce carbon emission. Capture your actions using a simple yet powerful app. Best of all, this competition is fun, engaging, and habit-forming – and fully free to community groups and organisations in Ireland.
What’s involved?
- Register at this link before April 11th
- Join an orientation session to learn more about the platform and competition
- Attend optional workshops to frame climate actions through a global lens, and meet others committed to the cause
- Log climate friendly actions during the two week challenge, and encourage your team to do the same.
- Reflect, debrief, and pat yourself on the back!
What is the Skerries Challenge? The best of all the participating Skerries Neighbourhoods Network Climate Heroes groups will win a special prize, thanks to the Skerries Community Association:
Tea / coffee and cake for all team members (5-15) in a Skerries coffee shop of their choice! So find some neighbours, set up a neighbourhood group if necessary, and get started on climateheroes.ie ! Don’t forget to share on the Neighbourhoods Network WhatsApp group that you’re participating!
Would you like your garden to be more nature-friendly?
Are you wondering what plants to get, and how to manage them?
For many years now, Charlie and Marion Heasman have been central to making Skerries a more pollinator-friendly town. They are the driving forces behind the Biodiversity (Pollinator) Action Plan, giving the rare Large Carder Bee the best possible chance to thrive by creating wildflower meadows and pollinator corridors.
If you have seen the beautiful and flourishing community garden at Skerries Mills, then you have witnessed another of their areas of activity. And they are of course behind the annual Skerries Bee Festival.
Many local people have privately sought their advice in making their gardens more pollinator-friendly.
Charlie shared his insights with us in this illustrated afternoon talk, just in time for the gardening season.
Photographs of butterflies and bumble bees were taken during Charlie and Marion’s Skerries Eco Festival Pollinator Walk by Leo Carroll.
Couldn’t make it? Here is the video of his talk!
Those who joined Sustainable Skerries last Sunday for Leo Carroll’s talk on insects and biodiversity were in turn mesmerised, fascinated, at times a bit shocked and overall very happy that they had been able to come.
Leo certainly loves insects. He also knows his stuff and is really good at sharing his enthusiasm. Being a skilled macro-photographer (check out his work on Instagram!), as well as a highly engaging speaker, certainly helps. We couldn’t believe it was his first public talk!
If you’re now feeling a bit left out because you weren’t able to come yourself, or indeed if you were there and would like to see some of those slides again, and to hear Leo talk about them – well, then you’re in luck because we recorded the live audio and combined it with the slide show in this video:
A big thank-you to all who helped on the day with this event, to those who spread the word, and to those who came – and most of all of course to Leo: We are looking forward to more talks from you!
PS: We were very impressed with young Olivia’s drawing, inspired by Leo’s talk – which Leo then signed for her. Wow!
By Sabine McKenna and Hans Zomer. March 2024
This is the first in a series of articles written for Skerries News, showcasing individual projects driven by committees of the Skerries Community Association (SCA) and their work. Expect to read about issues as diverse as sensory gardens and cycling advocacy, town twinning and getting Skerries ready for the Tidy Towns adjudication season, neighbourhood groups, sustainable energy plans and all the fun and goings-on in our Community Centre.
In November 2021, a promising opportunity emerged for us in Skerries: funding to establish “open orchards” in our public spaces.
Initially, it might have been just a passing thought for some individuals – a notion of enhancing the town with more fruit trees. However, for us, members of Sustainable Skerries, it sparked a journey of community engagement and sustainable action.
With the support of ChangeX, an organisation dedicated to community-driven projects, we seized the opportunity to apply for funding to establish open orchards. Thanks to our connections with Fingal County Council, and our affiliation to the Skerries Community Association, we successfully secured funding and collaborated with the Parks Division to bring our vision to fruition. And regular readers of Skerries News will know that our local newspaper has reported on the project’s progress in detail!
In February and March of 2022, the first three mini open orchards – located at Kelly’s Bay, Mourne View, and near the pedestrian crossing at the Ballast Pit – were planted, marking the initial steps of our orchard project. While the trees are still small, the joy of harvesting the first few apples last autumn was a testament to our collective efforts.
Buoyed by the success and with continued support from Fingal County Council, we expanded our initiative in 2023, planting additional mini orchards in Selskar, Skerries Rock (The Vale and near Seacrest), St. Patrick’s Close and Greenlawns. And in 2024, we hope to extend three of our current mini orchards. The first new trees were planted on Saturday 2 March, and more will follow this weekend.
And the best thing is … we got to meet so many wonderful people. Nearly every other committee of the SCA was represented during our planting days (they are really good fun, even if you might get a bit cold at times – double socks are a must!)
Join us this Saturday, 9 March, in Ardgillan View (2pm), Townparks (3:30pm) and Downside (5pm).
And if getting your hands dirty isn’t really your thing, then you might like Leo Carroll’s “Friendly Neighbourhood Bug” talk in the Little Theatre, on 10 March, at 4 pm.
Sustainable Skerries 