Cork Sky Friendly Campaign in conjunction with Castlelyons & Bridebrige Tidy Town’s are hosting an event as part of Ireland’s Space Week which takes place nationwide in parallel with World Space Week from 4^th – 10^th October.

The event will be held on Friday 6^th October 2017 at a local farm Castlelyons Co. Cork at 7.00pm until 8.30pm approx.

The event will include a workshop which is designed to raise awareness and engage members of the public in the GLOBE at Night citizen-science campaign. The workshop will inform participants on how to measure their night sky brightness and report their observations to a website from a computer or smart phone. Light pollution threatens not only our “right to starlight”, but can affect energy consumption, wildlife and health. Members of Cork Astronomy club will be on hand for some interactive observing of the night sky and to hone your skills to recognize some of the stars and galaxies. As well as the workshop and interactive observing of the night sky there will be short inputs on the effects of light pollution on our ability to observe the night sky and on the health of wildlife and humans.

Cork Sky Friendly Campaign is a collaboration of organisations interested in raising awareness of the adverse effects of excessive artificial light and protecting the night skies over Cork city and county. They include Blackrock castle Observatory, Cork Astronomy Club, Cork Environmental Forum, Cork Nature Network, Cork Climate Action and Bere Islands Projects Group

Space Week, now in its second year, is designed to encourage people to explore our incredible Universe and raise public awareness of the benefits, challenges, and inspiration of space exploration and Earth observation.   This year’s theme ‘Our Planet, Our Space, Our Time’ and events series will explore how, as 21^st century citizens under one sky, we can use the power of critical thinking and STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) to shape our understanding of life on Earth and our place in Space.  Participants will enjoy stargazing, astronomy talks, workshops, mobile planetarium shows, rocket launches, fun space experiments, they will hear about space careers and they will learn about the Life of an Astronaut. Or discover the Universe from your own home using the fun space activities on spaceweek.ie. Schools are encouraged to Book a Space Speaker for the Classroom and take advantage of a wide range of experts who will share their stories on video throughout Space Week.

Space Week runs from October 4th-10th, 2017.  See www.spaceweek.ie for the full programme of events.  Discover Your Universe!  #SpaceWeek17 www.spaceweek.ie

Globe at Night

The Globe at Night program is an international citizen-science campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure their night sky brightness and submit their observations from a computer or smart phone. Light pollution threatens not only our “right to starlight”, but can affect energy consumption, wildlife and health. More than 100,000 measurements have been contributed from people in 115 countries during the campaigns each winter/spring over the last 9 years, making Globe at Night the most successful light pollution awareness campaign to date!

For information and resources, visit us at www.globeatnight.org.

To report measurements, visit  www.globeatnight.org/webapp/. Happy star-hunting!

URBAN OCTOBER – CELEBRATING CORK CITY CENTRE’S PUBLIC SPACES

This October the public is invited to look at Cork City Centre through fresh eyes – to see its advantages and attractions, to celebrate what it already has to offer, and to imagine how it could be improved.

Urban October in Cork is a programme of free events celebrating the City Centre, and will include tours and talks, performances, workshops, and a whole lot more, aimed at all ages.

The event will showcase how well designed and managed public spaces have a positive impact on people who live or work in the city.

A thriving city centre is essential for Cork’s economic prosperity and also plays an essential role in its social and cultural identity.  During October the public will discover how Cork’s City Centre is being revitalised and can explore creatively how it could be further enhanced.

CEF is involved in a number of Urban October events including Wildlife Walks, a Halloween Decoration Workshop, the EcCoWell/ Core Seminar “Towards a Sustainable City” and the initiatives under ReUse Month.

Darragh Murphy will lead a number of walks to reveal and celebrate the plants and animals that inhabit the city walls, water quays and green spaces. Walks on Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th October at 2pm, 3pm & 4pm both days. Limited to 8 per walk, book at 083 1468064 or

bernadette@cef.ie Meet at the Gate Cinema. 

Halloween Willow & ReUse Workshops  at St. Peter’s Exhibition Centre, North Main Street Sat 29th

Workshop at 10.30am Ages 4 -7 (spaces) 

Workshop at 1pm 7+ 

Creative workshops to make jam jar and willow lanterns and other spooky Halloween decorations from waste items, facilitated by Jessica Mason. Bookings contact 083 1468064 or bernadette@cef.ie

There are a number of Christmas Decoration Workshops taking place in the next few weeks as follows:

Children Workshop         Lifetime Lab, Saturday 28th November 11am -1pm & 2pm -4pm

Childrens Workshop       Future Forests, Saturday 5th December  Flexible Drop in 1pm -4pm

Adult Workshop              Dunmanway Community Garden, Monday 30th November 10.30am -12.30pm –  natural craft workshop with willow and foilage

Booking is essential as numbers limited, email bernadette@cef.ie or call 083 1468064

Cork Environmental Forum is to run a number of Global Action Plan courses with funding secured from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Places are limited so please book – see details and contacts following.

Two GAP Greener Living programmes for householders will take place:

Bantry

Innishannon

The third course is aimed at accommodation providers will take place in Kinsale from the 27^th January 2015.

Our Annual Christmas Upcycling decoration workshops, faciliatated by Jessica Mason and some assistants, recently took place in Ballingeary, Turners Cross and Cloughduv. The workshops which are all about making decorations from waste materials proved very popular. In Ballingeary both children and adults get involved with creating all sorts of wonderful seasonal decorations using paper, cards, old light bulbs, CDs/DVDs,  fabric and willow.

The workshops are a creative hive of activity but there is a serious message as it is the time of year when we consume huge amounts of precious resources. Maybe you too can get inspiration from these pictures of the wonderful creations.

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We are all only too aware of the debate regarding water at the present moment, but that aside, water is a precious commodity, and we should strive to make better use of it.

On next Thursday November 13th there will be an opportunity to educate yourself and your family in water conservation. Aspects dealt with include an overview in relation to water supply and why it needs to be conserved.  There will be practical information and discussion on leaks, flow and tanks, use of equipment such as dishwashers, showers and washing machines.  How choosing different products can reduce consumption, water harvesting and its uses etc.  Some practical examples of easy adaptors will be available to view such as aerated showerheads and tap insets.  The aim is to make the information session as interactive and engaging as possible.

Pictures from the Workshop

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Irish Wildlife Trust Cork – Invasive Species Workshop

This event is being organised by the Irish Wildlife Trust (Cork branch) and the IRD Duhallow LIFE project. The event will include a field visit to demonstrate the Himalayan Balsam removal work in the River Allow catchment and the invasive spread of Japanese Knotweed along the roadside and its threats to watercourses.