Cutting costs, saving waste
Water that would fill up to 600 swimming pools, landfill waste that would fill 1,600 skips and energy that would light bulbs for more than 200 years were saved last year by hotels participating in the Green Hospitality Award scheme. Hotels which made the greatest improvements were recognised earlier this week, with top awards going to the Westport Woods Hotel in Co Mayo, the Radisson SAS Hotel Group, the Westin Hotel in Dublin, Clarion Hotels in Cork and at Dublin Airport, and the Carlton Atlantic Coast Hotel in Co Mayo. It is estimated that hotels could save more than €100 million per year by making environmental improvements, many of which are at low or no cost. See www.ghaward.ie and www.nwpp.ie.
Dublin city’s traffic plan
One in four workers in Dublin City Council’s Civic Offices at Wood Quay drives to work with no passengers. The other 1,500 workers travel to work by public transport, car-pooling, cycling or on foot. These figures were announced earlier this week as part of Dublin City Council’s new Workplace Travel Plan, which encourages staff and visitors to reduce car use. Launching the plan, Lord Mayor Eibhlin Byrne said: “Workplaces are the main contributor to rush-hour congestion and this is what places most strain on transport infrastructure.” See the DCC Workplace Travel Plan on www.dublincity.ie.
Public-transport protest
Fifteen environmental groups have come together to oppose the public-transport cuts announced this week. "Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus have begun a downward spiral that will make our car dependency worse. This is against every sustainable principle," the group says. "Ireland's transport emissions are the fastest growing source of our greenhouse gases. Savings could be made by deploying fleets more effectively and introducing interconnected ticket-vending machines." www.friendsoftheirishenvironment.org
ECOWEB
[ www.cyclist.ieOpens in new window ]
This is a recently launched website of seven cycling campaign groups from around Ireland. Check out views on how a strong cycling culture can be re-created in Ireland including a submission to the Department of Transport’s forthcoming Draft National Cycling Policy.
sthompson@irishtimes.com
