MAYO PPN SPOTLIGHTS GROUPS ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE & BIODIVERSITY!

Mayo Public Participation Network (Mayo PPN) in collaboration with The Climate Action Office in Mayo County Council will highlight the work of community groups around Mayo to help keep our planet Green. The Spotlight is on seven Mayo PPN Community Groups and how they have addressed climate change and biodiversity in their communities.

It gives examples on how Community Groups can make Mayo a leader in tackling Climate Change and biodiversity.

A series of short videos will be released on social media, on mayoppn.ie and mayo.ie daily over the week 10th –16th March and will showcase community groups working together to address coastal erosion, biodiversity loss, food waste, energy reduction, transport emissions and other climate and biodiversity issues.

 Videos include:

Carol Loftus talks about the Mulranny Green Plan and the Food Drop Box initiative where visitors to Mulranny are encouraged to drop unused non-perishable into the Food Drop Box.  Click here for Mulranny  

Balla community talked about the community development association, parks, woodland walks and the biodiversity and wildflower garden. The communities spoke about the ongoing developments in Balla and how the Balla community is doing its best to be a sustainable energy and environmentally friendly community.  Click here for Balla

River Moy Trust, Foxford. Raymond and Jennifer with the River Moy Trust discuss how the trust was formed and the important work that it is completing within the River Moy catchment.  Click here for River Moy Trust

Sustainable Energy Community, Tourmakeady.  Michael Hegarty talk us through the sustainable energy community buildings. They have a master plan on how to make Tourmakeady one of the most energy efficient communities in Ireland. Inspired by the sustainable energy committee ten per cent of housing stock in Tourmakeady have retrofitted their homes. Click here for Tourmakeady

Murrisk local Niall Kelly talks about concerns for Bertra Beach and Dunes. He discusses its erosion due to climate change & storm damage. Niall is part of the local action group Bertra Connected (@bertraconnected) who are working with NUI Galway (@ilikedunes), Mayo Co Co, and the NPWS to find ways we can keep Bertra from disintegrating completely. Click here for Murrisk/Bertra

We see how the Bangor Erris Parish Hall was refurbished. The aims were to provide an inviting hub for the benefit of the community and reduce the buildings’ carbon footprint and energy.  Click here for Bangor Erris

We hear about Ballina, a town with a strong green ambition and how two Transition Year students from St Mary’s Secondary School talk about their Ballina Community Clean Up module and how it links with Ballina Green Town and the Beelieve in Ballina initiative, the spirit of volunteerism and the benefits of being environmentally aware for a more sustainable community and a better world.  Click here for Ballina Green Town

Acting Chief Executive Peter Duggan, Mayo County Council said “Mayo Community groups are doing excellent work to help protect our environment.  I am delighted that Mayo PPN is availing of the opportunity under “Mayo Goes Green” to showcase examples of the work that is being carried out and effort being made by volunteers of these community groups throughout the county in the run up to St. Patrick Day. Mayo County Council will continue to help and support community groups and the wider community to address the climate and biodiversity challenge and assist local community groups in undertaking projects which contribute to the overall protection of the Environment. We look forward to launching a community action grant scheme in the coming months, which will fund some of these projects.” Click here for Peter Duggan’s video

Duncan Stewart Environmentalist, Architect & TV Personality speaks about the wonderful work being done in County Mayo by PPN Community Groups which were recently highlighted by Mayo Public Participation Network (Mayo PPN).

Commenting on the video series Stewart praised the county on its tremendous work and believes “it would be very useful for other community groups in the country to have a look at these videos to get some ideas on what projects they could embark on”. Click here for Duncan Stewart Video