Horizons

A heritage and habitat roundup

Learning about living

The role of education – both formal and informal – in promoting sustainable development is the theme of a seminar on Thursday in Dublin Castle. Comhar Sustainable Development Council, set up 10 years ago as the national consultation body on sustainable development, is organising the free event, which aims to gather views on how the public can learn about sustainable living. Speakers include Ann Finlayson of the UK Sustainable Development Commission; Duncan Stewart, architect and broadcaster; Frank McDonald, environment editor of The Irish Times; and Paul Cunningham, environment correspondent with RTÉ. Booking is essential on comharsdc.ie/events.

Green infrastructure

The significant reduction in building and planning provides us with an opportunity to re-prioritise how we plan our infrastructure, says Dr Ken Whelan, chairman of the Biodiversity Forum. “Rather than just thinking roads, pipelines and buildings, our notion of infrastructure should encompass green infrastructure,” he said at the forum’s conference in Dublin this month.

According to Dr Whelan, this includes our coastline, flood plains, hedgerows and parklands. Incorporating green infrastructure into planning and design is good for the environment, our health and our economy – as it creates more attractive living and working spaces.

The nature of psychology

People who are more connected with nature have a better lifestyle and are more satisfied with their lives, according to new research presented at the Psychological Society of Ireland conference earlier this month. Dr Raegan Murphy from the department of applied psychology at University College Cork researched lifestyle aspects from whether people can see the weather from their offices to whether they shop at farmers’ markets and go to local parks. She concluded that those who integrate nature into their everyday lives had a better sense of personal wellbeing.

Other research has shown that nature provides us with a “soft fascination”, which gives us respite from directed concentration required for work.

ECOWEB

osi.ie

Check out the education section on the Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) website for details of a competition for primary-school children on mapping and geography. Launched as part of the 185th anniversary of the OSI, the competition has junior and senior categories. Closing date for entries is December 11th.