Sustainable Clonakilty Energy Week

Clonakilty, West Cork

Sustainable Clonakilty was the overall winner of the Comhar SDC Sustainable Development Award, which is a special award under TidyTowns. The award recognises communities that are putting Sustainable Development principles into practice.

Sustainable Clonakilty is a community group with a mission to lessen its contribution to climate change and dependence on diminishing resources, principally oil, and to prepare to deal with these very real threats to the future. Clonakilty, West Cork

Its Guiding Principles are to:
• Reduce wasteful use of scarce resources.
• Reduce use of polluting substances.
• Reduce negative impact on nature.
• Meet human needs fairly and efficiently.

Sustainable Clonakilty was formed in December 2006. It is a voluntary group that is registered as a company limited by guarantee and has charitable status. The group works with other local organisations, such as TidyTowns, Clonakilty Town Council, the Chamber of Tourism, the community at large and the local business community. The work of Sustainable Clonakilty and the town’s other voluntary organisations help foster community spirit and provide a vehicle for people to learn sustainable skills. Open discussion forums allow people to participate in decision making about how the town should respond to the challenges of the future.

Sustainable Clonakilty is made up of three working groups. The Events and Promotions group organises monthly meetings on diverse subjects, from domestic renewable energy heating systems to composting, attracting experts from all over Ireland. It also organises promotions, such as a St. Patrick’s Day float. They also organise a Green Energy Fair, where local providers of household renewable energy systems can showcase their products.

The Local Food Production group formed to promote food growing through allotments, community gardens, community supported agriculture and back-garden growing.

The Energy working group is known as Clonergy 2020. It aims to make Clonakilty and the surrounding area self sufficient in renewable energy in order to support a sustainable economy and quality of life for the community.

Clonakilty Energy Week

The inaugural Clonakilty Energy Week organised by Sustainable Clonakilty took place from the 18th to the 24th of October 2010. The week’s primary objective was to raise awareness on four main themes:
• Energy use and how it can be reduced
• How to generate energy both on an individual and community level
• Food and its role in the use of energy
• The work of Sustainable Clonakilty and its value as a resource.

The aim was to involve all age groups including schools, existing area clubs, groups and associations in fun and informative activities including energy seminars and specialist speakers over the course of the week.

The Sustainable Clonakilty Renewable Energy Study was launched during the Energy Week. Consultant Xavier Dubission had worked for around 6 months researching the quantities, types and sources of all energy usage in the Clonakilty and district area. In his detailed report, Xavier went on to show how Clonakilty could easily replace 100% of this by designing and building facilities where they would produce all their own energy needs.

Over 400 children from the local primary schools attended workshops on sustainable energy and climate change, provided by SEAI. Throughout the week, energy providers were at the Waterfront to offer advice to citizens on how to reduce their energy and their bills. “50 Mile Meals” were available on the menus of a dozen restaurants and cafés, to show how the community can support local producers, and keep money local.

 

Duncan Stewart of “Eco Eye” programme spent a whole day recording local sustainable initiatives, and addressed a crowd on the opening night, followed by a thought provoking film at the cinema – “The Vanishing of the Bees”. An Taisce reps were on hand to talk about the “Green Homes” programme. There was an interesting talk on “Sustainable Building” methods by Thomas Riedmuller from “The Hollies Centre” near Enniskeane.

Friday morning saw Sustainable Clonakilty members, along with the two local Mayors, gather to see off the Walking Bus of St. Joseph’s Girls National School.

A conference was held on Friday in Darrara College. There were speakers from the Cloughjordan ecovillage in north Tipperary, the Callan Nexus Project in Kilkenny, SEAI on Bioenergy Options, the Templederry Community Wind Farm and from U.C.C. who gave a talk on “Biogas from Grass”. That evening there was a Pedal Power demonstration and great local music.

On Saturday, people were able to avail of free advice and consult with local renewable energy providers and suppliers/installers. The annual Community Garden Awards were also presented.

The Energy Week concluded on Sunday with glorious weather just right for the 60 or so people that took part in a relaxed cycle from town to Inchydoney and back.