Horizons

When the Tiger is gone: After the Boom: How Energy Efficiency Will Save the Irish Economy from Recession, is the provocative title of a presentation by Amárach Consulting chief executive, Gerard O'Neill, on Thursday next.

Other speakers at the Low Energy, Low Impact, High Profit seminar include Jay Stuart, director of Delap and Waller EcoCo sustainable building consultants, and Tom Dunne, head of the school of real estate and construction economics at Dublin Institute of Technology.

The seminar is part of the new emphasis on renewable technologies at Plan Expo, the construction industry trade fair which runs from November 9th to 11th in the RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion, Ballsbridge, Dublin. See www.plan-expo.com

Mass at the Gaiety

Dutch architect Winy Mass will give the annual Loving Architecture lecture in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, on Thursday, November 9th at 6pm. Winy Mass and his firm, MVRDV, have received international acclaim for projects in the Netherlands, Japan and Germany.

Tickets to the lecture are free but must be booked and collected in advance by calling 01-6771717. See www.architecturefoundation.ie for information about other events in Design Week.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday at 7.30pm Barry O'Reilly will give an illustrated lecture on Ireland's vernacular architecture, from holy wells to watermills, at 45 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. Tickets: €10/€5.

National Organic Week

There is no such thing as an organic consumer, according to an article in the free issue of Organic Matters magazine published to coincide with National Organic Week. Instead, there are consumers who eat a lot of organic food and some who even try (and fail) to eat 100 per cent organic food.

According to research, health has overtaken environment as the strongest motivator for choosing organic produce. Animal welfare issues and the origin of the food (in the context of food miles debate) are other reasons why people choose organic. Research has also found that fresh fruit and vegetables are often the first organic foods to be purchased, with the lack of pesticides as the main reason for choosing them.

The special free issue of Organic Matters offers a fantastic overview of the sector with articles on organic meat processing, biodynamic farming, organic horticultural enterprises and the organic box system.

A few other public events to look out for during National Organic Week include: An t-Ionad Glas, the Organic College in Dromcollogher, Co Limerick, will hold an information evening on converting to organic farming on Thursday, November 9th at 8pm. Contact 063-83604 and www.organiccollege.com.

The Burren Smokehouse is hosting free tastings of its organic salmon in its Gourmet Shop in Lisdoonvarna all week. Inagh Farmhouse Cheese will have an open day on Thursday, November 9th, from 11am-3pm. Contact 065-6836633.

And finally, Carnaun National School in Atenry, Co Galway, will give guided public tours of its organic garden and school heritage trail during the week. Contact 091-844668.