During this pandemic, many of our green areas have been allowed to grow wild, with no council mowing ongoing. Which is great! Green areas have been allowed to flourish with flowers growing through them. Widespread population declines of bees and other pollinators from habitat loss are a growing concern. However, spontaneous flowers like dandelions and clover can provide pollen and nectar sources throughout the growing season....... Therefore, please don't mow, don't spray, let them grow!

Plans have been submitted to Donegal County Council (March 2021) for an asphalt plant to be developed in Gortnaskea, Burnfoot, Co.Donegal. The development will take place behind a large quarry at the foot of the Scalp Mountain. It will be a seven days a week operation producing up to 100,000 tonnes per year. Asphalt plants mix sand and gravel with crude oil derivatives to make asphalt to pave roads, carparks etc. They have a huge impact from both an environment and a public health perspective. They release harmful chemicals into the air during production including arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde and cadmium. Exposure to these toxins can cause cancer, central nervous system issues, respiratory problems and skin irritations. Animal studies have shown that Polycylic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH's) effect reproduction, cause birth defects, and cause damage the the immune system. We want Donegal County Council to take notice of these grave concerns and to refuse planning permission for this development. Please sign to support and protect our community's environment and health, and to show that public health is more important that private wealth.

We need our city centre to become a comfortable, attractive and sustainable place to shop and do business. Citizens and visitors should come first and the congestion caused by cars should be removed. We have seen pedestrianisation work in small and large towns and cities in Ireland and all the evidence shows the people of Kilkenny want this and that it will improve footfall and business in our beautiful city.

The Phoenix Park is a destination - not a shortcut! The past weeks have shown just how important the park is - and how much better it is without heavy car traffic. It's calmer, quieter, safer and cleaner. Fewer cars have meant more people. We want to see an end to motorised through traffic. This would still allow motor access to park facilities and institutions, but would end the use of the park as a road to get from one side to the other. This could be achieved easily with bollards or rule changes, while ensuring that people can still access the park - regardless of age or ability. It's time to make the park for the people who want to use it - not just those looking for a shortcut! This measure could be trialled throughout to the end of summer, at least until schools reopen. This petition is supported by Dublin Green Party representatives including (among others!) Neasa Hourigan TD, Cllr. Darcy Lonergan, Cllr. Janet Horner, Cllr. Michael Pidgeon, Cllr. Claire Byrne, Cllr. Hazel Chu, Cllr. Donna Cooney, Cllr. Lawrence Hemmings, Cllr. Carolyn Moore, Cllr. Caroline Conroy, Ciarán Cuffe MEP Patrick Costello TD

During this pandemic, many of our green areas have been allowed to grow wild, with no council mowing ongoing. Which is great! Green areas have been allowed to flourish with flowers growing through them. Widespread population declines of bees and other pollinators from habitat loss are a growing concern. However, spontaneous flowers like dandelions and clover can provide pollen and nectar sources throughout the growing season....... Therefore, please don't mow, don't spray, let them grow!

During this pandemic, many of our green areas have been allowed to grow wild, with no council mowing ongoing. Green areas have been allowed to flourish, so that we have yellows, purples, blues, whites, as well as lush green grass. When council workers are allowed to return, we want to keep wild the areas that don't require mowing (e.g. grass verges, fields in which only the edges are walked).

This is of critical importance right now due to the declining number of insect species in this country as a result of poor practices by many people who simply are unaware of the adverse effects of their behaviour. Healthy biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. In Ireland biodiversity is essential for many reasons including the below: • Soils formation and protection • Nutrient storage and recycling • Pollution breakdown and absorption • Contribution to climate stability • Maintenance of ecosystems • Food • Medicinal resources • Wood products • Ornamental plants • Diversity in genes and species • Social benefits, such as research, education, recreation, cultural values and tourism

These recent weeks of the COVID-19 period have shown us what life could be like. Cars no longer dominate our streets and roads. Children and adults alike are cycling and walking - without fearing for their personal safety. Young boys and girls are venturing onto roads where they have never cycled before. This will not continue unless something changes. Streets are for people. Properly designed segregated cycle ways, and adequate footpaths all will allow space for social distancing. But one day COVID-19 will be gone. The cars will remain - we must make space for people. We want Wexford County Council to revisit their 2013 draft Cycling Network Plan, and we want Wexford County Council to reallocate road space to walking and cycling in Wexford. Research published by Sports Ireland on the 30th April 2020 shows an additional 500,000 regular walkers, 450,000 runners and 220,000 cyclists. These numbers show a huge increase in people using public space to move around and exercise. See links to WexBUG for more info

The garden's aim is to produce local food and teach gardening techniques. Empowering people to produce their own food is especially important during this time of financial, societal and climate upheaval. The community garden will be totally run by volunteers, and consistently monitored by a committee. Benefits of Community Gardens Health Community gardens increase the public access to affordable, fresh, healthy food (1). People who participate in community gardens, on average, increase their fruit consumption by 10% (1) and areas with community gardens have less obesity (3). The act of gardening is a form of exercise and so participation in community gardens promotes physical activity (1,3). Urban agriculture is also linked to reductions in stress and positive mental health especially for those suffering from mental health problems (3). Community gardens generally promote public health and improve quality of life (1) Community Community gardens promote connection with the earth and with other people (7). Working with each other and sharing resources and time builds social relationships and stronger communities. Participation in community gardens is linked with increased voter registration, civic responsibility, and reduced rates of crime (3). Compared to other communal green spaces community gardens are small scale, low cost and highly used. Community garden areas of public parks see more visits than any other part of the park (2). Resilient Food System and Sustainability Urban agriculture increases food accessibility and local food security (3,1). This is of great significance to food insecure households (3). According to Safefood.eu, one in ten households in Ireland in 2018 suffered from food poverty (8). People who grow their own food, or are a part of a community garden save money by supplementing the food they buy (3). In Seattle growers were able to supplement their produce by 30-40% (3). Many urban agriculture projects produce more than they can consume and donate the excess food to community members and food banks (3). Increasing urban agriculture increases the resilience and sustainability of the city’s food system and reduces reliance on imported produce (3). This is especially relevant in the wake of the coronavirus. Local food is generally considered to be more sustainable because of the carbon cost associated with travel. Education Community gardens can be a great platform for skill shares and events like gardening workshops, and gardening tutoring, taste-testing events or discussion events (1). In one study 20% of students that started gardening in the community garden began gardening at home (1). Community gardens can be used by local schools. This is greatly beneficial for children as gardening helps develop fine motor skills and teaches them about patience, science and where their food comes from (2). Community gardens can host a variety of workshops and help people develop tangible agricultural and organisational skills (3). References 1.Community Gardens: Lessons Learned From California Healthy Cities and Communities | Joan Twiss, MA, Joy Dickinson, BS, CHES, Shirley Duma, MA, Tanya Kleinman, BA, Heather Paulsen, MS, and Liz Rilveria, MPA 2. Community Gardening By Katherine L. Adam NCAT Agriculture Specialist Published January 2011, 3.The Intersection of Planning, Urban Agriculture, and Food Justice: A Review of the Literature Megan Horst, Nathan McClintock & Lesli Hoey 4. Multifunctional Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Land Use Planning in the United States Sarah Taylor Lovell 5.Alma Anne Clavin (2011) Realising ecological sustainability in community gardens: a capability approach, Local Environment, 16:10, 945-962, DOI: 10.1080/13549839.2011.627320 6.The motivations and experiences of community garden participants in Edinburgh, Scotland David McVey, Robert Nash & Paul Stansbie 7.It takes a garden: Cultivating citizen-subjects in organized garden projects Mary BethPudup 8. https://www.safefood.eu/News/2019/New-research-reveals-households-on-low-incomes-need-to-spend-up-to-1-3-of-take-home-income-to-afford.aspx

Bonar's Quarries are seeking permission for 25 years to open an old quarry that has already adversely affected the lives of residents of this heritage town under planning number 1952015. It has gone unnoticed by most of the community during the COVID-19 pandemic but those who remember the building damage, noise pollution, air pollution and misery caused when this quarry was last operated will not want it to return. Unbelievably, the proposal is within just 800 metres of some 23 homes, a secondary school, businesses, multiple farms and within 1 km of Raphoe, a heritage town with a population of over 1000 people and with huge historical and cultural significance. Raphoe is also home to three other schools, a cathedral, a chapel, churches, numerous businesses including a livestock mart, a tourism attraction in Oakfield Park, forestry and many farms. We oppose the noise, dust, vehicular traffic, the safety record of the applicant, water pollution, vibration, the location and the release of any poisonous landfill leachate into aquifers, and second the views of the 18 page objection already lodged. There are many more suitable locations for a quarry but this one, on the edge of our town, simply must not go ahead. Therefore we need as many people as possible to CLICK BELOW TO BACK THIS PETITION and oppose living beside a functioning quarry in Raphoe for the next 25 years.

While the emissions of conventional cars are terrible for the environment and human health, electric vehicles are anything but clean – their production requires an enormous input of energy and raw materials. About 1,800 kilograms of metals and other materials are used in a mid-range electric car such as the Chevrolet Bolt, which marketed in Europe as the Vauxhall/Opel Ampera-e. The European automotive industry imports almost 100% of these materials – and a significant share of them come from mines in tropical countries and rainforest areas. Lithium-ion batteries, the heart of electric vehicles, are no exception here. The Chevrolet Volt battery pack, for example, weighs 440 kg, which is 10,000 times the weight of a smartphone battery (44 gr). Besides lithium, manganese and graphite, they contain about 10 kg of cobalt and 30 kg of nickel. In the case of nickel mining, Indonesia and the Philippines are at the forefront of global production. Two-thirds of the world's cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cobalt, copper and nickel are mined along an 800-kilometer belt in the rainforest in the south of the country – under catastrophic working conditions, at starvation wages, and by tens of thousands of child laborers. In the case of iron for steelmaking, Brazil is a leading supplier of the automotive industry. The country is also in first place for copper, followed by Peru and Chile. The mines of international corporations are thus eating into the rainforests to satisfy the resource hunger of the manufacturers of “clean” electric vehicles. Simply clogging the roads with millions of EVs is not the answer to our present problems. Tell the EU that we need a fundamental rethink of policies related to raw materials and transport to put them on an environmentally friendly foundation.

This is a major challenge to the health well being of all our communities. It is crucial to stop the spread of the infection. It is recognizing the right of all to health and life.