HORIZONS

In what is a clever marketing ploy, the mobile phone company, O2 is sponsoring a free gig in Dublin's Phoenix Park tomorrow from noon to 8 p.m. And, apart from the entertainment value of 30 Irish and international acts - including Ronan Keating, Samantha Mumba and Picturehouse - the sponsors have enlisted the help of environmental company Future Forests to make the gig a "carbon neutral" event.

Essentially, this means that a "carbon footprint" is taken on the day and the amount of greenhouse gases produced by electricity needed to power the show and energy used to transport the artists to and from the venue will be calculated. This will then be offset or balanced out by planting up to 3,000 trees in designated forests in Ireland.

"O2 in the Park will be the first ever Carbon Neutral event staged in Ireland. We are anxious to limit as far as possible the long term environmental impact of hosting the gig," says Mark Lee, head of sponsorship with O2. Events such as the BRIT Awards, MTV Europe and Fuji Rock have already incorporated such environmental measures into their concerts. Future Forests is an international environmental business which has worked with the UN, the World Economic Bank, Hilton hotels and the RAC. The planting partners of Future Forests include Community Forests and The Wildlife Trust. See www.futureforests.com

Increasing anxiety about the safety and quality of so much of our food lies behind the current revival of interest in growing vegetables, according to organic gardener and author, Joy Larkcom. "Seed companies are reporting higher sales of vegetable seeds than for many years, in some cases outstripping the sale of flower seeds," says Larkcom, who is a guest speaker at the the Garden Open Day at the Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co Leitrim, tomorrow.

Larkcom's best-selling books include The Salad Garden and Grow Your Own Vegetables. A new sculpture trail developed in conjunction with the Sculpture Centre, Manorhamilton, Co Leitrim, will also be launched. The garden open day runs from 11 a.m to 5 p.m. Admission €4. Tel: 072- 54338. See also www.theorganiccentre.ie

Watching bats has become an increasingly popular activity in Ireland and this week a variety of events are taking place around the country.

On Thursday evening, a group of bat watchers will set off from the Upper Lake car park in Glendalough, Co Wicklow. Contact Dúchas at the Wicklow Mountains National Park on 0404 45424 for details. A talk and slideshow on bat conservation also takes place on Thursday at 8 p.m in the Education Centre, Knockreer House, Killarney National Park, Killarney, Co Kerry. This event will be followed by an evening of bat watching. Tel: 064-35960 for more details.

And finally, in Dublin, the Bat Conservation Group is setting off on a bat walk along the Dodder river, leaving the car park outside the Dropping Well pub, Milltown, at 8.30 p.m. on Saturday. Contact the Bat Conservation Group for more details on e-mail: batline@eircom.net

Would you know a gannet, little egret or chough if you saw one? Did you know that the flowering plant, fuschia is known in Kerry as Deora Dé or God's Tears? Those holidaying on the Dingle peninsula, Co Kerry, keen to increase their knowledge of their natural surroundings now have a resident on-call guide. David O'Kelly, a long-time member of the Dublin Naturalist Field Club has moved to Co Kerry and now offers walks and talks on the wildlife, landscape and social history of the area.

"I give a no-nonsense run down on plants and birds. I provide binoculars, magnifying lenses, butterfly nets and guidebooks with hands-on experience in plant identification and bird-watching," says O'Kelly, who admits that the season has been poor this year. O'Kelly is in the process of building the Dingle Nature Lodge/Áras na Nadur which he hopes will be ready by next year. Telephone 066-9150791 for more details.

Finally, a reminder for would-be whale watchers that the second annual Whale Watch Day takes place in nine venues around the Irish coastline tomorrow from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The venues are the Old Head, Kinsale, Co Cork; Clogher Head, Co Kerry; Loop Head, Co Clare; Downpatrick Head, Co Mayo; Ramore Head and Portmuck, Co Antrim (from 10 a.m.); Howth Head, Co Dublin; Bray Head and Hook Head, Co Wexford. See www.iwdg.ie for full details.