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NETTLE Urtica Dioica

· May 20, 2020

Nettle is a common plant found in untouched areas where the ground has been left to go wild and without chemical use. It may be considered a nuisance by some, due to its formidable sting afforded by its formic acid content(same found in ants!) and also because it is seen as an annoying weed.

This is far from the truth as Nettle is not only a great medicinal herb but also a nutritive plant.
The nutritive attributes are manifold as Nettle contains a very high content of Iron and Vitamin C in its leaves. So much so it can be used for iron deficiency anaemia and as a vegetable or tea to supplement our daily iron intake.

As well it contains an abundance of other minerals including Silica. Silica is a useful substance and adds strength to lungs and kidney tissue, as well as enhancing the strength and lustre of hair and nails. The arrival of Nettle in spring would have been very welcome by rural folk who knew the nutritive value of this plant. Furthermore they would have been aware of its blood cleansing properties and combined with dandelion leaf and cleavers would have used all to enliven the body and rid it of toxic accumulation, after the sluggish winter months.

Today herbalist uses Nettle on a daily basis for its valuable medicinal functions..

Stimulating the peripheral circulation.
For is diuretic effect in enhancing kidney function and ridding the body of toxins.
For its cleansing action particularly suited to skin conditions.
As a remedy for arthritis and painful joint disease, including gout.
For benign prostate enlargement.

In order to augment biodiversity in the garden, a patch of Nettle should be encouraged as it is an important food for butterflies, in particular, and other insects which in turn are a food source for bats. Herbs such as Nettle encourage and preserve the interdependence of the natural world for continuing survival of this rich source.

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Fire Cider..For immune support.

Posted by Jacqueline Kilbryde

· April 6, 2020

The present extraordinary time demands extraordinary measures to keep us safe and well. We need to have tools to help and support our immune system as much as possible,and there are recipes available that everyone can concoct for themselves.

One such is Fire cider, made from spices which we probably use daily. These are Garlic,Ginger Chili,and Horseradish.
If it is difficult to source horseradish it is ok to omit it. The spices all have anti-pathogenic properties and are used for viral and bacterial infections.

Get a large,clean,sterilised glass jar and layer the jar(as shown above) with finely sliced ginger root, garlic and chilis. Then pour in cider vinegar, enough to cover all the spices used. Put the lid on the jar and leave in a dark place for 2 weeks, shaking the jar daily.
After this time strain off the liquid. Measure the amount of liquid strained and add to it the same quantity of honey.
Honey is an essential addition as the mixture would be too fiery to take. Pour the prepared liquid plus honey in a clean glass bottle and this can be kept in the fridge. Take 5ml daily as a preventative and 5ml 3x daily in the presence of a respiratory infection.

There are many other herbs that can be taken for immune support at this time.
These include..

Thyme herb which has anti-viral properties and is a great respiratory support herb, calming coughing and wheezing and assisting expectoration and clearing phlegm. Thyme is easy to source as a fresh herb and can be made into a tea by chopping half and ounce and adding hot water..half litre..to it. Cover the container to stop the valuable therapeutic oils from escaping and let steep for at least a half hour. This is strained and the herb discarded and a cupful drunk 1-3x daily.

Another well know herb which offers immune support is Echinacea. This is commonly taken in Tiincture form as drops and can be bought from health food stores. Research has shown that Echinacea root stimulates the proliferation of white cells involved in the immune response. Dosage is 2.5 ml 1-3x daily, in water.

Elecampane is another wonderful herb to support the immune and respiratory system. It can be taken as a tincture in the same amounts as for Echinacea. Elecampane is commonly used by herbalists for respiratory and stomach infections.

There are many other herbs for immune support and two I use frequently are Astralagus root as well as False Ginseng. These two herbs have the added ability to help debility, weakness and improve energy.

Two excellent wild food sources that can be sourced presently are 3 cornered leek and wild garlic/ramsons. Both have a great affinity to the respiratory system like their family members, garlic and onion. The plants are edible and can be used in salads,sautéed with vegetables or made into a zesty pesto.

For any information on the herbs used in this article please contact
Jacqueline Kilbryde. Medical herbalist 0863369642

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Cleavers- An Emerging Green Herb

Posted by Jacqueline Kilbryde

· March 5, 2020

Even through howling/raging winds and torrential rain there is a little green herb pushing its way up and outwards to herald the spring!. It is a tough plant and has earned itself many common names, including Goosegrass, Sticky willie, and Bedstraw among others.

As the herb matures with the months of growth, it becomes gnarled and fibrous and when picked ,it can be rolled into a dense mat-like structure which earned it the name of Bedtraw. It was literally used to stuff mattresses in the past! Another name for the plant is Cleavers which it is commonly known by.

Its botanical name is Galium aparine…aparine comes from the greek ‘aparo’ meaning to lay hold,of to seize, and belongs to the family of plants Rubiaceae.(coffee belongs to this family) The seeds of Cleavers were once roasted and ground and used like coffee,with a less stimulating action!

This plant is as tenacious as it is tough as it clings to surfaces it comes into contact with affording many hours of fun for children who used to delight in playing with it. The aerial part of the plant is used edicinally which can be made into a decoction or infusion and drunk 2x daily.

The soft new tender plant is edible and may be cooked as greens. Clavers was one of the many treasured spring herbs to be savoured and used by rural folk in our not too distant past. Along with Dandelion leaf and Nettle leaf ,the trio offered not only nutrition but an internal ‘Spring clean, enlivening the organism and bringing it into the spring energy.

It is termed a depurative, a remedy which rids the body of toxin accumulation.And to this end it is used by herbalists today. Its main use is as a lymphatic cleanser and helps to clear and clean lymph nodes throughout the body, enhancing immune function by reducing the incidence of infection. It clears obstruction to the flow of lymph through the lymphatic system, relieving lymph node swelling, and reducing water retention and oedema.

Another significant action is its cleansing action for acne and hot skin conditions as it draws out impurities and cools hot inflammation. This is augmented by its diuretic action and an aid to kidney function. The coarse texture of the plant is due to high levels of silica which have a strengthening effect on hair and nails and on the organs such as lungs and kidneys which have lost tone and are weakened by recurrent disease.

Cleavers has earned itself a rightful place in the herbal materia media and graces the shelf, in the form of a tincture, in the herbalist dispensary.

Jacqueline Kylbride, Medical Herbalist

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Why Recycle when you can Reduce?

Posted by Sekeeta Crowley

· March 5, 2020

The Tipping Point

With so much in the news about the likelihood of reaching a tipping point for climate a change and biodiversity, it struck me that we are facing a different tipping point, this one in a more postive sense.

Led by Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough globally and Saoi O’Connor and Alicia O’Sullivan locally, people are waking up to the global catastrophe facing us and although some groups still haven’t ‘got’ it and governments, it seems, are still keen to greenwash actions, the general public have a growing awareness of what they can do on a smaller scale. All these smaller actions add up to a positive tipping point. We’ve not reached it yet, but it is approaching!

Look at the growing number of organisations…Extinction Rebellion, the Zero waste and Rewilding movement as some examples which if added on to the longer established organisations such as WWF, Friends of the Earth, Geenpeace show the spread of DIY action on a more local scale. There is a huge amount of scientific data, far more available in the public domain and now reported on more frequently, clearly showing the state we are in, so there is no excuse for non action. UCC have been getting awards for being a green university, and have been organising so many environmental events, it is a huge inspiration.

The Tidy Towns Movement has now gone way beyond begonias and litter picking. In our own community in Skibbereen and Baltimore Tidy Towns are actively involved in projects aimed at improving biodiversity. Look out for the public training sessions. Schools are joining the plastic free4schools, Rory Jackson has been leading transition year groups to categorise the waste they pick up on their beach forays. Others quietly pick rubbish off the streets and beaches.

Paula Marten has her Paula’s Positive Tips stand to take places to help people reduce their plastic use. Supermarkets are now selling some items which help the customer achieve this. There is Maggy’s, Soap box and others on the market, and Twig refill station in Clonakilty doing the same. So much is happening. Why not send us anything that has inspired you to action, or something you are doing already, which is helping us along the road to reach the positive tipping point?

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Cycle to school in Skibbereen!

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen

· March 2, 2020

Starting on Thursday 5th March children in Skibbereen will be able to cycle safely to school as part of the new Cycle Bus scheme.

Three schools are taking part- St Patrick’s Boys, Abestrewry National and the Skibbereen Gaelscoil. Any students who want to cycle safely to school can register with their school and join the convoy as it travels through the town, picking up cyclists on the way and delivering them to the three schools.

The convoy will run on Thursdays and be accompanied by adult volunteeers and a cycling Ban Garda. It is being organsied by Katie Mann of Cycle Sense.

Cycle Sense write “Soon children in Skibbereen will be able to go to school on their bike by joining a Cycle Bus (a group of cyclists supervised by marshals) This group will stop at various places around town and finish at the school… Watch this space!”

To find out more contact your school.

Why cycle to school?

In the Uk and Ireland many local authorities and cities are encouraging cycling for all generations. Broxap reports

With children spending more time behind screens than outside, cycling can be a healthy and fun way of encouraging children to enjoy the outdoors. People of all ages can enjoy cycling, but learning to ride from a young age will equip children with a skill for life. Cycling to school is a good starting point to get children out and about and on their bikes. Providing cycle parking at school will encourage more pupils to ride to school.

Benefits of Cycling To School

Encourages independence and builds confidence
Good for the environment
Reduces congestion – especially around school gates, making it safer
Provides an active start to the day, children will be more alert in lessons

Pictured are Katie of Cycle Sense and Brian of Sustainable Skibbereen and St Patrick’s BNS.

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Cycle Sense stakeholder Meeting 3rd December

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen

· December 2, 2019

Cycle Sense, a social enterprise focused on the promotion of cycling as a sustainable form of transportation and conducting cycle safety training for schools and organisations, is looking to initiate upcycling and waste reduction projects in Skibbereen.

As the climate crisis rages on, we feel it is important to take actions locally here in Skibbereen to help combat the climate challenge head on. Projects that focus on upcycling and waste prevention are especially impactful, as they address our current system of unsustainable consumption. They can also have significant economic and environmental benefits for our local community, as they reduce the amount of waste produced and collected in Skibbereen and can provide jobs & training opportunities and access to affordable, environmentally-friendly goods for our friends and neighbours.

Meeting

A meeting for potential stakeholders will take place in Skibbereen from 12.00 til 3.00pm on 3 December, 2019 at the Community & Family Resource Centre, North Street, Skibbereen, to discuss these opportunities.

We have partnered with the Rediscovery Centre, Ireland’s National Centre for the Circular Economy, to assist us in studying the feasibility and implementation of these projects. As part of this initial phase, we are conducting an information and exploration session with local stakeholders to look at opportunities, assess local needs and map out current & potential activities in Skibbereen.

Cycle Sense

cyclesense@gmail.com

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A 3-bay composting system for the Community Orchard

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen

· November 20, 2019

The volunteers at the community orchard have been busy building a 3-bay composting system for the gardens there. This system handles a lot of garden waste and is a good way to produce your own compost. Fresh cuttings and garden waste are added to the first bay and as they rot down they are turned and moved into the next bay until finally the rotted compost is ready in the last bay for use in the garden.

The community orchard plans to host a composting workshop over the winter at the orchard so keep an eye out for details.

3 bay composting at Skibbereen community orchard

Composting is good- info here from One Green Planet

1. Composting reduces landfill waste and incineration, and therefore emissions.

Modern waste management methods are environmental tragedies. Waste lies stagnant in landfill sites where the vital oxygen that is needed to facilitate the decaying process cannot reach it. Landfill material also releases greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change: methane gas escapes during the building process. Incineration leaves some toxic ash waste, and the burning process releases a vast amount of carbon dioxide into our precious atmosphere.

2. Composting reduces dependence on fossil fuels.

Most people buy compost for their own potting needs, however in the words of expert composter John Cossham, ‘Home compost is always superior.’ Commercial methods of composting require the use of oil-reliant machinery and a sped-up method of oxidising organic matter at a high heat to get it to break down quickly. No fungal decomposition is involved in this process. Through the slower and more traditional method of composting at home, there is more assurance that everything has been well-broken down by the fungi and bacteria.

3. Composting is good for the land.

Everything you compost at home becomes a thriving habitat and nutritious fodder for an entire population of bacteria, bugs, worms, fungi and creepy crawlies, and what they leave behind becomes nourishing fodder for you plants. The amount of methane emitted through a well-managed compost heap at home? ZERO.

Composting is nature’s way of recycling, found in ancient woodlands and other natural soils across the world. It uses a natural process that still occurs worldwide to produce rich degraded organic matter, also known as humus. This humus provides channels for air and moisture to get into the soil and other gases to get out, eg respiration gases from fungi and insects. Soils with organic matter in them allow mycorrhiza fungi to form a network between different plants in order to facilitate nutrient exchange, and perhaps even communication exchange — but that’s another topic altogether.

Composting is the active breakdown of foods and other materials through an organic process. The ‘waste’ matter becomes as rich as the nutrients you put into it, and compost made from a variety of ‘waste’ materials usually harbours vital micronutrients. You can test this theory by conducting the following experiment. Pot one plant into garden soil and another plant into garden soil mixed with compost. The outcome? The plant in the partial-compost will grow visibly larger than the purely soil-based one.

4. Composting Helps You to Embrace the Natural Cycle of Life and Decay.

Environmentalism is at times heavily focused on the idea of ‘waste,’ because it is such a key issue to the health of the planet. However, ‘waste’ is a human concept and also a human problem. In nature there is no waste, as every living thing serves a greater purpose than its own lifespan, and contributes to the growth of something else. It’s easy to forget this crucial fact, but when you delve into composting your own ‘waste’ you learn to appreciate the cycle of life which involves decay and new growth in equal measure, and you come to understand that everything has a place in the world.

5. You Can Compost Anything that has Lived or Grown Recently

San Francisco is a city that aims for its citizens to live within their means when it comes to ‘waste’ production. In addition to its high recycling rates, the city can also fine citizens found guilty of throwing food in the rubbish bin. This ordinance was introduced with the understanding that landfill-bound waste could be reduced by up to thirty per cent through instigating composting. However, this figure is dependent on the wide-spread idea – and myth – that many types of waste, including certain types of food, cannot be composted, which is simply not true. In fact, you can compost anything that has lived or grown recently. You can compost anything that hadn’t fossilised, as well as types of latex rubber such as marigold gloves, hot water bottles, and latex condoms. There is endless and conflicting advice regarding which materials should not be composted, but evidence behind the suggested reasons is only theory-based, unclear, or murky at best. Cooked foods are said to attract rats, however this can be avoided by digging the compost bin into the ground, ensuring that it has a well-fitted lid, and- if rats really are a problem- burying food waste under a thin layer of the compost that is already in the bin. Many items of decaying food apparently smell bad when they decay, however this can also be remedied, as compost that smells requires more dry materials, e.g. paper, card or twigs.

Composting requires very little work and resources and it has a huge positive impact on the environment. It creates excellent new resources, and in my experience it can encourage even the most stubborn anti-green individual to take part in making a difference. And that’s why it’s the greenest thing you can do for our planet.

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There will be no Plastics Factory in Skibbereen!

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen

· October 17, 2019

As the SOS campaign slogan said “There will be no Plastics Factory in Skibbereen”. That turns out not just to be an aspirational goal, but literally true. The brilliant news after a High Court review is that the application by RTP to build the factory has been quashed. With expenses awarded to the campaigners, and many legal arguments still to make, the application by RTP has stalled. The campaign has succeeded. So congratulations to the SOS team for their tireless campaiging, lobbying, researching and fundraising which have brought it to this point.

Even better, the case is now closed for the forseeable future because RTP have subsequently decided not to pursue an application to build a plastic factory in Skibbereen.

The only loose end is what to do with the Poundlick site, and what will happen to its industiral designation. So share the good news, but keep in touch with SOS for further news on that front.

The original judement as reported by SOS read

“In the High Court on 30^th July 2019, An Bord Pleanala consented to the Court granting an Order of Certiorari quashing the decision of the Bord dated 29^th November 2018 which had permitted the construction of a thermoplastic compounds production facility at Poundlick, Baltimore Road, Skibbereen, Co. Cork.

And it is ordered that the subject matter of the said decision be remitted to An Bord Pleanala to be decided in accordance with law.

As is normal in cases of this kind, the subject matter of the decision will be remitted by the High Court to the Bord for further consideration which may result in a request to Daly Products Limited for a Natura Impact Statement. We will be a copy party to communications between the Bord and Daly Products Limited and to any NIS and will have opportunity to challenge or object.

We are advised that it will take a year to 18 months for procedures between the Bord and Daly Products Limited to play out and that no development can be commenced in that period.

Unusually, Daly Products Limited has not engaged in any way in the current process.

An Bord Pleanala has agreed to pay our legal costs.”

RTP withdraws

Now the latest announcement is that RTP Company have withdrawn their planning application.

As reported by SOS “An Bord Pleanála sent notification on September 16th 2019 to our Chairperson Brendan McCarthy that RTP Company T/A Daly Products Ltd. have withdrawn their application for the plastic factory and that there is no ‘live’ planning application now. This case is now closed. The SOS campaign has been successful in ways they could never have imagined. This has been a brilliant example of ‘People Power’.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh!!!

Thank you everyone for your support!!!”

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Alicia O’Sullivan talks about climate action

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen

· October 17, 2019

Bev and Rob from Sustainable Skibbereen interview climate activist, campaigner and Skibbereen resident Alicia O’Sullivan. The interview explores Alicia’s many roles as Ambassador, climate change activist and rights campaigner. Praised by Senator John Kerry as a teenage activist alongside Greta Thunburg, Alicia talks about local and global issues, and the future.

From Our Ocean Wealth: “At an early age Alicia began volunteering and campaigning for change on many different issues. She joined Cork County Comhairle Na nÓg (i.e. youth council) in 2016 and has been part of a group successful in working on the reform of sexual education in Ireland.

In 2017 she began working with YMCA Ireland and with this organisation she began developing her digital media skills for advocacy and creativity.

In 2018 she won a mentorship with the ESB as ‘TechSpacer of the Year’ for her outstanding participation in digital creativity projects by using digital tools to achieve social change.

In 2019 she was titled Lions Club Youth Ambassador for Ireland and began developing ‘GenerationZ’ which is a project aimed at helping parents understand their children and to succour communication on a variety of issues like mental health and LGBT+ matters.

Alicia is one of millions of Climate Strikers around the world and is passionate about youth voice and engagement. She hopes to pursue law and politics after school”.

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Plastics Awareness Events in Skibbereen 12/9 & 21/9

Posted by Sustainable Skibbereen

· September 3, 2019

We are delighted to announce we have two events on Plastics Awareness coming up this month (September). These are the brainchildren of Kilcoe artist Sonia Caldwell. The first is designed to get people chatting over a cup of tea..what’s not to like? The second is a Plastics Awareness Day with lots to look at and talks to make you think and a chance to discuss the feasibility and options for reducing plastic use.

So to the first event:

As part of the Taste of West Cork Festival on Thursday 12th from 4pm to 6pm in the Riverside Cafe. This is entitled ‘Dear Granny what did we ever do without plastic’. It costs €5 for tea and scones and although it is based on the idea of a letter, it invites older people to come and talk with younger ones about times before plastic became mainstream.

“We would like to know all about grocery shopping in the good old days – before everything was wrapped in plastic! Look back at a time gone by, where reusing and repurposing was a way of life. We would like to hear the wonderful stories of the shops back then, the goods that were for sale (and how they were packaged) and the shop keepers who were wonderful characters in the social fabric of village and town life and look at new ways to marry the old ways with modern technology and enterprise to bring about a new plastic free future. In the spirit of the Folklore Commission of the 1930‘s we are inviting people to send a letter or note from an elderly relative or recording an anecdote or memory about how shopping for food was done in the old days, how we used to shop for food and what has changed in the type of food now purchased. Or if you are that elderly relative then send it yourself(!). Letters can be posted to Kilcoe Studios, Kilcoe, Skibbereen, Co Cork or e-mailed to zerowasteskibb@gmail.com before the 10th September”, but we would be more delighted if you could come with a younger or older person and join the chat!

Any letters and stories from the ‘Dear Granny’ session will then be exhibited during the Plastics Awareness Day:

Then on Saturday 21st September an event is booked in Abbeystrewry Hall Skibbereen (10am to 4pm) to help us learn a bit more about the most topical material at the moment for all the wrong reasons- Plastic.
A day of information, talks and discussion is planned, for which there is NO CHARGE: We are delighted that the Rev. John Ardis from Abbeystrewry Union of (Cof I) churches is so keen for us to use the Hall for this event.
Stalls: from schools (Rath NS, St Patrick’s NS, Skibbereen Community School and hopefully others) and local artists (Sonia Caldwell Paula Marten (‘feelgood positive changes’), Martha Cashman), Skibbereen Tidy Towns, Eco Congregations. We will have Fionn Ferrera’s award winning Science Project to look at, (although he can’t come himself), Maggie from the market’s refill station and others…..young climate activist Saoi O’ Connor may be dropping in too.
Talks and Discussions: on the problems and solutions of plastics in the home and garden with local business people ( Olive from Twigg, Alison Roberts who is well into reducing plastic use, Rory Jackson on his work with the transition year students clearing beaches, Deelish and other nursery people… I’m trying to get a CCC representative down to talk about recycling and to clarify what goes in which bin. If I can get enough help to do teas we will do that too!

We hope everyone who comes will find that cutting the use especially of the problematic single use plastics is possible with some thought and a little extra effort, with no adverse effect on quality of life! One small action taken by a lot of people morphs into a significant improvement to the health of the those living in third world countries trying to deal with the West’s so called recycling, our oceans and all that live there, fish stocks and the world and our own local environment.

So it’s a busy and exciting day and we’d like as many people as possible to come and join us.

If you would like to get involved with either event it is not too late, please get on touch with Sekeeta 0871516372 or zerowasteskibbereen@gmail.com. ‘Involved’ means anything from putting up a poster for us, showcasing what you do in your shop or business to try and reduce waste with a focus on ( single use) plastics, having a stand at the event, joining in the discussions, attending the events and bringing your friends or helping the night before setting up or on the day, so there are plenty of options!

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