HORIZONS

Green New Deal on the cards: The possibility of Ireland embracing a Green New Deal will be explored on Friday at 7

Green New Deal on the cards:The possibility of Ireland embracing a Green New Deal will be explored on Friday at 7.30pm by a panel of experts which includes Paul Allen, author of Zero Carbon Britain and director at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales.

The debate is part of this year’s Convergence Festival at Cultivate in Temple Bar, Dublin. Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Eamon Ryan (right) will launch the festival on Wednesday at 6pm in the same venue. This free event, entitled The Powering Up of Creativity, Community and Culture, will also publicise a new series of short films on the challenges we face to create a more sustainable society.Tel: 01-6745773; www.cultivate.ie

Time to think again Rethinking the City and Rethinking the Country are two events to be held in Dublin and Tipperary this month, also as part of the Convergence Festival. Themes including car dependency, city gardens, urban energy use and sustainable neighbourhoods will be debated by expert speakers in Cultivate, Temple Bar, Dublin, on Friday. The Tipperary Institute in Thurles will be the venue on Monday, April 27th, for a series of talks on creating and developing sustainable rural communities. Booking for both events at www.cultivate.ie

Going wild at the zoo

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Dublin Zoo is celebrating Irish wildlife today and tomorrow at its Native Species Weekend. The annual event offers the public a chance to meet the people behind many of Ireland’s wildlife organisations, who will be hosting interactive stands in a marquee on the lawn in the zoo. Opening hours: 9.30am-6pm each day. Admission: adults, €15; children over three, €10.50; children under three, free. www.dublinzoo.ie

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ECOWEB:

Check out this site for inspirational environmental news and views from around the world. Also worth a look is www.bethechange.org, a UK website which encourages local volunteerism in easy ways that help build better communities for everyone.

sthompson@irishtimes.com

Sylvia Thompson

Sylvia Thompson

Sylvia Thompson, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about health, heritage and the environment