FLUSH TIMES AT THE REGIONAL PARK
As can be imagined, there were many happy smiles and relieved bladders this week as the long-awaited replacement toilet arrived and was lifted into place at the Regional Park Ballincollig.
Fingers, and legs, were kept firmly crossed over the past number of months in the hope that this would finally become a reality.

 

MEN AT WORK
On Monday John and Tony began staking the 50 fruit trees that were planted prior to Christmas and since the New Year.

Adrian spent the morning at the allotment sorting and segregating the litter from the various litter picks throughout the week and Sunday. Afterwards he headed to the town centre where he emptied the Cig/Gum Bins.

Most of Tuesday was spent with him working in the polytunnel at the allotment. When this was done, he started clearing the leaves from the steps and path at Westgate. This work continued through Wednesday and into Thursday morning when he cleaned the leaves and debris from the steps on the road walkway from the rear of Westgate to Innishmore. The area is much safer for people to walk on now.
On Wednesday John was once again busy at Sunningdale, a project he had been working on for the past few days.

 

pics placing the “throne”  

 

 

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES FUND 2022
Cork City Council and Cork City Local Community Development Committee wishes to invite applications for the Community Enhancement Programme Community Activities Fund 2022 in Partnership with the Cork City Council Community Development Grants 2022, funded by Cork City Council and the Department of Rural and Community Development.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien TD gave a press release for the launch of the Community Activities Fund 2022.
For information on how to apply, and links to the application form, please go to www.corkcity.ie/community-funding.
The applications will open on Friday the 21st of January at 1pm.
The closing date for applications is Monday, 21st February 2022 at 5pm.”

 

 

pics our workers busy this week

 

 

SAVING OUR PLANET
Now that we as a people are being made more aware of the damage we have caused to our planet through the decades, we have to be mindful now more than ever of how each decision we make impacts the entire planet. Again we take a look at the damage we have caused to our planet and ways we can move forward.
THE POWER OF CHOICE
Everyday we make several choices from what to eat for meals to what to buy or what to watch on tv. The average adult makes approx. 35,000 remotely conscious decisions daily. Having these choices allows us the opportunity to make a huge impact on our own wellbeing, and that of the entire planet. 
The plastic straw for example. Before these were substituted for paper ones, several million were disposed of daily. Taking the decision to do away with these plastic straws has had an immediate impact on our planet.
We Choose How Our Future Will Look
We only have one planet and with an extremely short window for change we are in a critical time in our existence. Every single action we take is dictating the future of our planet and the livelihood of future generations to come. We have an amazing opportunity to take ownership for the kind of life we want for ourselves, our community and the world as a whole because of the power of choice. As a people we can all make improvements to be kinder to our planet, be more loving and compassionate to ourselves and others and in turn use the power of our daily choices to support our planet. Adding small changes to our everyday life, will make a huge impact on the health of our planet.
The health of our planet is each individuals’ personal responsibility. We must safeguard our planet for our children and future generations. Retailers and manufacturers are entirely profit driven, producing only what consumers continually choose to purchase. By collectively committing to patronizing planet conscious companies with our hard-earned money, we can shift the economy and directly heal our planet.
Make an Impact –
  • Slow down and enjoy the world around us. Connect with nature and the oneness of all. Use our intuition when making decisions. Do what is right for us, the planet and future generations to come.
  • We must make informed choices. Do our research and look at every angle before making important decisions. We have made too many decisions that have been detrimental to the health of our planet.
  • We must know the environmental impact of companies we support so we can make more informed decisions. Support businesses that are working for the greater good, for the betterment of our society and planet, for our future.
  • We need to continuously remind ourselves of the long-term goal, what the future impact of our decisions will be and operate with mindfulness.
  • Start one choice at a time. We took time to get ourselves into this mess so it will take time to get out of it and heal our planet.
  • The choices we and our community make, can make a huge impact to our planet so keep going and others will be educated and follow.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Today global human rights are still not granted to every human being. There are over 218 million child laborers worldwide with over 73 million of these working in hazardous environments. They are being robbed not only of their childhood but also of their basic human rights. Our planet cannot live in peace until every human is given their inherent rights. 
Rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status are defined as Human Rights. They include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more.
Although it is not the case for many places around the planet, everyone, without discrimination, is supposed to be entitled to these rights. The United Nations created a comprehensive body of human rights law, a universal and internationally protected code to which all nations can subscribe and all people aspire. But, is this working to protect all humans? 
Some Facts –
Today, there are estimated to be 20 to 40 million people internationally in modern slavery. The numbers could be higher as many of these situations are undocumented. 
Child soldiers are used by 40% of the world’s armed forces. 
Human Rights Watch has reported girl soldiers being impregnated by their commanders. In several scenarios, they are being made fight with their child strapped to their backs.
In regions like Darfur, where violent conflict and ethnic cleansing occur, millions of people are killed or displaced.
The conflict in Yemen, where approx. 22.2 million people required immediate assistance, was described by the United Nations as “the worst man-made humanitarian crisis of our time.” Over 8 million citizens were thought to be at risk of starvation.
War crimes or other violations of the “laws of war” were carried out in at least 18 countries.
Almost 75% of the world’s governments arbitrarily restrict freedom of expression.
Over 2,500 families migrating to the United States were forcibly separated at the border.
In America, roughly 32,000 children have been admitted to adult prisons. 
Tens of thousands of Syrian refugees were trapped in no man’s land when Jordan closed the border after a car bombing.
Changes we can make –
Knowing the issues and informing ourselves and others on what is happening globally can be the beginning of change. Out of sight out of mind is not a way to operate.
Spread awareness about global human rights. Local community groups can spread the word of local violations as well as spreading the world on global events.
Know about the companies you support. Are they paying fair wages, are their working conditions fair, do they support child labour?
Every country needs to do their part in stopping human rights violations.
Cultivate compassion for what others are going through in the world. We are the one human race.

 

BALLOONS
Balloons kill wildlife, pollute the earth and waste helium.
Balloons were first created in 1824 and have been used since then for all types of celebrations. But have we ever thought of the harmful effects they may have on the environment? Every year millions of balloons are released as part of celebrations and not only are they polluting the environment they are also harming wildlife. Every day balloons are found washed up on our beaches, in rivers and streams and on land. A single helium balloon can travel thousands of miles before falling to the ground as litter and “eco-friendly” balloons are every bit as toxic to the environment as regular balloons. Balloon litter is a serious concern for environmentalists. However, many animals, birds, sea turtles and whales have been killed because of mistaking balloon waste for food. When a balloon pops, it turns into a shredded piece of latex. This is commonly mistaken for jellyfish and other foods. Once eaten, it can get lodged in the animal’s digestive tract and cause starvation. Strings attached to balloons can become entangled in land and sea animals thus greatly reducing their mobility. Many countries now have balloon laws that restrict the release of balloons into the skies but these laws are quite unknown and so people are unaware that they actually exist.
Balloon Facts –
  • Falsely-marketed as “biodegradable”, latex balloons contain chemicals & can take years to break down.
  • According to a report in 2019 balloons are the single deadliest form of marine plastic for seabirds.
  • A report titled Ocean Conservancy Beach Debris Data shows 1000’s of balloons pulled from waterways and the coast.
  • Balloons have become the most common debris over the last 5 years on New England coastlines in the United States.
  • Helium is a non-renewable resource & experts warn it should be conserved for more important applications.
  • Several States in America have recently passed legislation restricting the release of balloons unless used in scientific experiments.
Steps we can take –
Stop purchasing balloons entirely.
Educate others on the harmful effects of balloons.
Choose more environmentally friendly alternatives to celebrating with balloons – choose giving flowers, planting trees or making paper banners/flags instead.