Horizons

It's no waste of energyAre you interested in making your home one of the most energy-efficient in the country?

Are your neighbours like-minded? If so, why not get together and enter the Power of One Street Challenge, part of the Government's strategy to encourage householders and businesses to cut their carbon emissions. Five householders will be selected for the challenge. An energy survey will be carried out to determine what changes are needed most and each householder will have from January to June 2007 to make the changes. Householders who meet the challenges set for them will then receive energy-saving upgrades (energy-efficient appliances and heating controls) to their homes. The deadline for receipt of entries is December 6th. Public seminars on energy efficiency will be held in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Birr and Dundalk over the following weeks. See www.powerofonestreet.ie for full details.

Eyes on the fund

Representatives from heritage groups, environmental organisations and primary and secondary schools from 10 counties came together in Marlay House, Rathfarnham, Dublin, last week to receive awards in this year's Vodafone and Conservation Volunteers Ireland Nature Fund. Award-winning projects ranged from a school-based ecological footprint survey at Ballina National School, Co Tipperary, to a furniture recycling project in Ballymun, Dublin. Organic community gardens at Coláiste Iascaigh, Co Sligo, the Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co Leitrim, and Brigit's Celtic Garden, Roscahill, Co Galway also received funding. Thirteen projects were rewarded from a prize fund of more than €32,000, donated by Vodafone. The head of the judging panel, Mairéad McGuinness MEP, said: "Community groups and schools are increasingly more inventive and imaginative and can often achieve a lot with just a little help as these winning projects demonstrate." See www.cvi.ie for details of next year's nature fund.

Starting 'em young

Young environmentalists aged 12-18 must put the finishing touches to their ideas for the 2007 Young Environmentalists Awards this week. Run by Eco-Unesco since 1999, the programme raises awareness in secondary schools and youth groups about diverse issues relating to the environment. Groups need to register their intent to undertake a project before November 24th. For more details, visit www.ecounesco.ie or call 01-6625491.

No relief for coral reefs

Cold water coral reefs are areas of high biodiversity, with more than 800 animal species recorded in the seas around them. However, many are under threat from commercial fishing operations and the development activities of the offshore oil and gas industry. Dr Andy Wheeler from the department of geology, University College Cork, will give a public lecture on the state of cold water coral reefs on November 29th at 8pm in G8, Science Building, University College Cork, 021-4545317.

horizons@irish-times.ie

EcoWeb

www.renewableenergy.ie

Developed by the Renewable Energy Skills network, this site has information on renewable energy technologies including solar, geothermal and wood-burning stoves. The network is hosting a Renewable Energy Show from noon to 5pm today in the Conference Centre, Bunratty Shannon Shamrock Hotel, Co Clare.