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!