Most of this electronics will be thrown away within three years due to new technologies and planned obsolescence. The average life of a computer has decreased significantly from six to two years, and the average life cycle of today's cell phones is only 9 to 18 months. As a result, up to 50 million tons of electronic waste are produced annually, most of it from First World countries, whose strict recycling laws make safe disposal expensive and tedious. As a result, much of it is exported to third world countries such as China, India, Pakistan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Africa, which are not subject to strict regulations. This export is illegal under the Basel Convention, according to which "hazardous waste must be disposed of in the country of origin". What it does to the environment: Chemicals in e-waste can be mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, and chromium. These compounds can be very persistent in the environment and are absorbed by plants through the soil and by humans through food, water, air, dust, skin contact, and ingestion. What it can do to people: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), low levels of lead, mercury and cadmium can cause neurological damage, cancer, lung, kidney, thyroid and liver diseases, and cause behavioral and learning difficulties in children. What can be done: Governments around the world must stop exporting their e-waste to these third world countries and instead try to improve their own waste methods. Governments should feel responsible for managing their own e-waste recycling programs so that businesses can explore this path in a cheaper and more sustainable way, rather than simply shifting the duty to countries that need money.

It'll eliminate the stigma behind mental health and set up a system where every worker has the skills to know if someone isn't feeling okay. They'll know who to send that person too and know what to say in a situation where a person is vulnerable.

The more their views are normalised, the more people will view them as normal. With cases on the rise, we simply can't afford this right now. Public health advice isn't up for debate, and it certainly shouldn't be challenged for ratings and entertainment.

In N.Ireland Africans, Black Minority Ethnic people do not have a voice within policy making bodies and institutions. The reason for this is Systemic Institutional Racism and Career Gatekeepers. Some of these Individuals & Organisations claim to represent Africans, Migrants, Refugees and Asylum seekers whilst on the other hand calling for 'BLM6JuneActivists" to be prosecuted.

Our beautiful daughter Eve spent 23 hours at UHL hospital was sent home and died hours later

There is a global movement toward the decriminalisation and legalisation of cannabis, supported by extensive research and real world trials. Evidence demonstrates that legalisation can be accomplished in a manner that improves overall societal health and wellbeing, whilst generating substantial tax revenue for schools, hospitals, and other social services.

Alexandr Lukashenko, “Europe’s Last Dictator”, has been ruling Belarus with an iron grip for 26 years, suppressing democracy and smashing any dissent. But it’s possible his hold on power may finally come to an end. On August 9, Lukashenko proclaimed another landslide electoral victory despite clear signs that the election was rigged. But this time it was too much for the people of Belarus! Thousands of people marched on the streets of Minsk and other cities to challenge the result. These brave defenders of democracy were met by riot police, and dozens of protesters were beaten and injured over the past two weeks. More than 6,000 people have been arrested. [1] What happened this summer in Belarus cannot be called elections: main opponents are either imprisoned, or barred from registration. [2] Lukashenko's opponent in the elections, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, was forced to leave the country and is now in exile in the EU, in Lithuania. [3] Tsikhanouskaya’s campaign was run on the promise to establish fair and free elections within 6 months. [4] What matters now is the EU’s response. The EU has already signalled that it will issue sanctions against President Lukashenko and the ruling elite, but this is not enough. [5] The EU can stand up to Lukashenko by refusing to recognise him as the President and support free and fair elections as soon as possible. The EU needs to provide all the necessary support to guarantee new elections, including by recognising the opposition leader, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, as a necessary counterpart in any diplomatic or international talks over the future of Belarus and its people. Together, let’s tell EU leaders to stand with the people of Belarus and call for free and fair elections in Belarus. References: [1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/12/belarus-protesters-and-police-clash-for-third-night-as-eu-threatens-sanctions [2] https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/opinion/what-is-happening-in-belarus-cannot-be-called-elections/ [3] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/10/belarus-opposition-candidate-rejects-election-result-protests-svetlana-tikhanovskaya-lukashenko [4] https://www.euronews.com/2020/08/04/belarus-presidential-election-rising-opposition-star-svetlana-tikhanovskaya-speaks-to-euro [5] https://www.dw.com/en/belarus-eu-sanctions/a-54564440

Don't let the government stop us from having a say in how forestry is developed in Ireland! Sign the petition objecting to the undemocratic Draft Agriculture Appeals (Amendment) Bill 2020 The Irish forestry industry has been ignoring requirements under EU law for Environmental Impact Assessments before forestry can be planted or felled for many years . This was successfully challenged in court in 2018 by environmentalist Peter Sweetman, but now, instead of dealing with the issues that were exposed and hiring enough ecologists to carry out these assessments, the government wants to prevent people from intervening on behalf of the environment. A new Draft Agriculture Appeals Bill , quietly published at the beginning of August, is an attempt to block public participation in the conservation of public forests and stifle the forestry appeals process. Its proposals severely restrict who can appeal and will make it prohibitively expensive to do so. This Bill contravenes the EU Aarhus Convention which allows for and encourages public participation in decision-making on the environment. Serious concerns about this bill have been raised by Ireland’s leading environmental coalition, the Environmental Pillar, made up of 28 groups/NGOs that seek to protect and promote nature and wildlife. Ireland has only 11% of forest cover as against a European average of over 40%. Government targets for forestry planting have been repeatedly missed and are unambitious as it is, shockingly so in view of the looming climate and biodiversity crisis. The impact of the ruling has been to slow down the industry severely but this is because the government has not done its part to address matters. The public consultation for the Draft Bill closes this Friday 28th August. Sign the petition to tell Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity PIppa Hackett to reconsider this Bill, remove the undemocratic and prohibitive legislative changes it proposes to the appeals process and formulate a new Forestry Programme for Ireland. You can also email your objections to [email protected] by 5pm this Friday, 28th August.

On 19 August, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan attended an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner along with 81 other people in what was a flagrant breach of Covid-19 public health guidelines. Even before the government announced new measures curtailing the numbers at social events this week, the maximum number of people allowed at indoor social events was 50. Brett's decision to ignore public health guidelines is unacceptable. In attending this event, he has displayed utter contempt for ordinary people who have done their utmost to abide by guidelines and stop the spread of Covid-19. Despite the resignations of Minister Dara Calleary and Senator Jerry Buttimer this week, Brett has merely resigned his membership of Fine Gael and has brazenly refused to step down from his position as Kilkenny Councillor and Leas Cathaoirleach. Speaking to Kilkenny Now, Brett has said: " I have no thoughts on my position in the Council that doesn't come into question. There are a lot of people much higher up the pecking order than me who were there as well as me and none of them is resigning from anything so why should I??" His arrogance is a slap in the face to health workers at the front lines and to all those who have lost loved ones to this pandemic. His actions have also undermined the public health effort at a crucial time. https://kilkennynow.ie/im-staying-putt-kilkenny-councils-vice-chair-not-standing-down-despite-attendance-at-galway-golf-dinner/

This extensive wetland area is a haven for biodiversity, a feeding ground for endangered hen harriers and a unique habitat to significant species of flora and fauna. The marsh plays a vital role in natural flood prevention and as an increasingly important carbon sink. This site, like hundreds of others across the country, has lingered on the list of proposed Natural Heritage Areas since it was first published on a non-statutory basis in 1995. Due to the lack of statutory protection the Marsh has suffered significant damage in recent times due to inappropriate land use. This damage will continue to occur - to the detriment of this important habitat - unless the necessary protection is put in place. We call on the Dept of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to take the necessary steps to ensure that the full designation of Garrylucas Marsh as a Natural Heritage Area by the National Parks and Wildlife Service proceeds immediately.

In Ireland our individual ecological footprint is approximately 5.2 Global Hectares per Capita (ghc) but the Planet’s actual capacity is only 1.8 ghc: we are living as if there are almost three Planet Earths. This way of life is not only contributing to mass extinction, pandemics and extreme economic inequalities, it means that, in all likelihood, our country will be uninhabitable for our grandchildren. A One Planet Development scheme would give people the option of moving out of the city and into the countryside to pioneer a way of life that goes some way towards bringing the human-nature relationship back into balance. It would allow people to build small low-impact dwellings, to establish community and to work with the land in a regenerative way to bring systemic change to our food systems.

On 19 August, EU Commissioner Phil Hogan attended an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner along with 81 other people in what was a flagrant breach of Covid-19 public health guidelines. Even before the government announced new measures curtailing the numbers at social events this week, the maximum number of people allowed at indoor social events was 50. Not only this, but it has been reported that Hogan has been spending some of his time at a residence in County Kildare. For the past two weeks, Kildare residents have been asked not to leave the county because of increased restrictions there. Hogan's decision to ignore public health guidelines is unacceptable. In attending this event, he has displayed utter contempt for ordinary people who have done their utmost to abide by guidelines and stop the spread of Covid-19. Hogan's disdain for working people and the poor has been on show before. In 2014 he threatened those who would not or could not pay water charges, saying their water pressure would be "turned down to a trickle". More recently, he has been at the forefront of the push to implement the Mercosur deal, which will undermine small and medium farmers' livelihoods and pave the way for further destruction of the Amazon rainforest. Yet despite the resignations of Dara Calleary and Jerry Buttimer this week, Hogan has thus far brazenly refused to step down. His arrogance is a slap in the face to health workers at the front lines and to all those who have lost loved ones to this pandemic. His actions have also undermined the public health effort at a crucial time. Hogan represents the worst of a rotten political elite that believe there is one rule for them and another for ordinary people. He must resign immediately and apologise for his actions.