Today, September 25th, 2019, marks World Lung Day, a day for advocacy and action, and an opportunity for everyone to promote better lung health globally.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today launched its annual Air Quality report, on World Lung Day. The report shows that while air quality complied with the legal limits, the World Health Organization’s health-related guideline values were not being met.
Air quality impacts people’s health and there are an estimated 1,180 premature deaths here in Ireland, per year, due to air pollution. Levels of particulate matter (fine particles) in our air remains a growing concern.
Levels of this pollutant are particularly high during the winter months when people’s use of solid fuels, such as coal, peat and wood impacts negatively on air quality, especially in small towns and villages.
The EPA report notes that any movement along the spectrum of home heating choices and solid fuel choices towards cleaner modes will have a subsequent improvement on air quality.
In urban areas, transport related emissions of nitrogen dioxide are increasing, and it looks probable that Ireland will exceed the EU annual legal limit value for nitrogen dioxide in the near future.
In launching the report, ‘Air Quality in Ireland 2018’, Dr Micheál Lehane, Director of the EPA’s Office of Radiation Protection & Environmental Monitoring, has stated;
“We all expect that the air we breathe is clean, but we cannot take this for granted. Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health, so it is now time to tackle the two key issues that impact negatively on air quality in Ireland – transport emissions in large urban areas and emissions from burning of solid fuels. The choices we make affect the levels of pollution in the air we breathe. We need to decarbonise our public transport system and in general reduce our reliance on internal combustion vehicles. Moving to cleaner ways of heating our homes will also significantly improve air quality in our towns and cities.”
Dr Ciara McMahon, EPA Programme Manager has stated;
“The EPA’s air quality monitoring has shown that, while Ireland’s air quality complied with the EU legal standards in 2018, the levels of fine particles in the air we breathe did not meet the World Health Organization’s guideline values. Our monitoring also showed that in urban areas, the impact of traffic-related nitrogen dioxide pollution is increasing. These pollutants have a negative impact on people’s health and that is why we are continuing to install more monitoring stations across the country under the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme. This programme has now more than doubled the number of real-time monitoring stations providing air quality data across Ireland since 2017.”
The EU has introduced and implemented a range of legal instruments to improve air quality, these standards are still not in line with the tighter WHO air quality guidelines. The EPA has previously called for movement towards the adoption of these stricter guidelines, as legal and enforceable standards across Europe and in Ireland.
The Air Quality in Ireland 2018 report is available on the EPA website. The EPA continually monitors air quality across Ireland and provides the air quality index for health and real-time results online at www.airquality.epa.ie. Results are updated hourly on the website, and people can log on at any time to check whether the current air quality is good, fair or poor.
Ms Margaret Ryan(Asst. Librarian), Tipperary Co. Council Library Services, Nenagh is anxious to remind all residents of Co. Tipperary and in particular persons charged with responsibility, [i.e. Elected Municipal District Councillors, politicians and those who take on the task of accountability for our environment, e.g. members of the farming community & Tidy Towns groups etc.], of an event taking place on Thursday evening next, September 26th, 2019 in Nenagh Library.
As many of you are already aware, Nenagh Library is the Europe Direct Information Centre(EDIC) for the counties of Tipperary, Limerick, Cork and Kerry.
On Thursday next, September 26th, 2019, at 7:00pm, Nenagh Library will hold a Citizens Dialogue on ‘Climate Change & Sustainability’, as part of their 2019 ‘Programme of Events’.
The title of this talk will be ‘The Climate is Changing; How Can We?’, with keynote speakers on the night, Ms Cara Augustenborg, (Environmental scientist), and Mr Gerard Kiely, (Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland).
There will also be a panel discussion afterwards, with panellists Mr Paul Kenny(CEO Tipperary Energy Agency) and Mr Gregg Allen(Project Manager, Community Power, Templederry), which will be chaired by Mr Fran Curry of Tipp FM Radio.
As many people as possible are expected to support this event.
Science is quite clear in stating that, currently, the very future of today’s children and their future offspring’s remain at stake. Homes are being swallowed up by the ocean, with rising sea levels threatening entire island states and coastal regions. We are experiencing dangerous floods, droughts, heatwaves and other extreme weather events. We therefore cannot allow climate change to spiral totally out of control.
This talk is a major opportunity for people to find out what they can do to make a significant difference; to gain answers to questions; to learn educated facts on climate change, and more importantly to make their voices heard on what is undoubtedly the single greatest challenge of our generation.
Remember please: Thursday evening next, September 26th, 2019, at 7:00pm, Nenagh Library. We hope to see you there.
“You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words” – Greta Thunberg addresses United Nations Climate Action Summit.
According to MSN Lifestyle News, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s changed into a cornflower blue shirt dress, latter designed by Veronica Beard, with black Castañer espadrilles wedges (Latter, for the benefit of you great unwashed, are I understand a kind of woven wedge heeled sandal), while visiting in Cape Town, South Africa, this week.
On the same day, I exchanged my dirty blue jeans for a coal black trousers displaying razor sharp creases on both legs, same also showing distinctive Dunnes Stores, Thurles, labels. An unimpressed MSN Lifestyle News for some reason failed to notice my clothing change.
Not to worry, they also failed to notice that the simple, pink-red, cotton dress, worn so elegantly by the 16-year-old, Viking, teenager Ms Greta Thunberg, latter who opened the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit, convened by UN Secretary-General Mr Antonio Guterres.
“Nature is angry. And we fool ourselves if we think we can fool nature, because nature always strikes back, and around the world nature is striking back with fury,” Mr Guterres stated, having already warned governments ahead of this Summit that they would have to offer action plans, in order to qualify to speak at the 2019 Summit; latter aimed at boosting the already agreed 2015 Paris Global Warming Agreement.
“Out of the mouth of babes and suckling’s hast thou ordained strength” – Psalm 8 : Verse 2.
“We will be watching you”, was Ms Thunberg’s main message to the Climate Action Summit attendees. Some of our, so called, world leaders in attendance and to their inordinate shame, sniggered.
Undeterred, the Swedish environmental activist Ms Thunberg, with clear diction, continued to chastise world leaders in attendance; “This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean, yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you?” she retorted with emotional anger, “You are failing us” – “We will not forgive you”.
“How dare you?” she chastised, “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words”
Hopefully, the world has not heard the last of Ms Greta Thunberg, whom here on Thurles.Info we salute and fully support.
The picture shown hereunder is one of some 20 images taken just 20 meters south of Barry’s Bridge, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, this very evening.
This foamy effluent is being retained by the growth of slime, last removed conveniently to obviously affect voter’s opinions, prior to the last Local Town Council Elections.
This floating effluent remains in full view of visitors to the board-walk of The Source Theatre; visitors to Thurles Library and to those partaking of food at a local second floor popular restaurant. It is also being overlooked by the offices of would-be Fine Gael TD, Mrs Mary Newman Julian (or Mary 4 Tipperary).
Visitors, however, are remaining silent, having learned that attempts to correct such issues with Tipp. Co. Council, fall on deaf ears.
This evening, I have again forwarded an email to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), at the same time forwarding the same email to the nine members of the Templemore / Thurles Municipal District; namely seano.ryan@tipperarycoco.ie ; peter.ryan@tipperarycoco.ie; jim.ryan@tipperarycoco.ie; micheal.lowry@tipperarycoco.ie; seamus.hanafin@tipperarycoco.ie; noel.coonan@tipperarycoco.ie; michael.smith@tipperarycoco.ie; shane.lee@tipperarycoco.ie; eddie.moran@tipperarycoco.ie .
The email directed to Mr David O’ Connor (EPA), together with five (5) photographs (only one shown here above), simply reads:-
Dear Sir, Please find attached 5 pictures. Same indicate the current state of the River Suir today. Pictures were taken immediately in the vicinity of Barry’s Bridge, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
As is obvious, the return of the slime growth in the water is now holding back the unknown / unnamed effluent being allowed into the water.
Your personnel are supposedly the “Environmental Protection Agency”, please now do your job and protect this River.
I am unlikely to hear further from Tipp. Co. Council, who in the past have not taken kindly to my complaints, so I am forwarding pictures, taken today (19/9/2019), singly, because of property size, attached in 4 separate emails beginning here, as I am unsure of the capacity of your Mail Box.
This pollution scenario has gone on for the past 12 months and must now be dealt with, before the river level again rises.
You Sir will note: This email has been forwarded to the nine (9) recently elected Templemore / Thurles Municipal District councillors.
I remain Yours sincerely George Willoughby
Although it is not a Local Election year; perhaps it is time again for Thurles Chamber of Commerce to lead us on yet another S.O.S. protest march here on Liberty Square, Thurles; in order to bring about real change for the town.
The Tipperary Public Participation Network (PPN) is a collective representation of groups involved in community development, social inclusion and environment, here in Co. Tipperary.
Established in 2014, the PPN provides the community voice on Tipperary County Council committees. It also runs training courses for member groups and shares information about funding and activities.
Tipperary PPN is very excited to be part of the pilot community well-being project. We are currently running community meetings in each Municipal district.
What do we need for the well-being of the communities of Thurles, Templemore and Roscrea?
The immediate question being posed by Tipperary PPN is, “What do we need for the well-being of the communities of Thurles, Templemore and Roscrea areas?” Tipperary PPN want to hear from all the groups and organisations in this area. Developing a vision for community well-being, means thinking about what we have and what we need to assist in these areas, so that together we can strive for further magnitude and pre-eminence for all of us and for the many generations that will follow on after us. One aspect that everyone can agree on is that we would like our communities to be the very best they can be.
Tipperary PPN are delighted to be rolling out this new National Initiative on Community well being. “Our well being is affected by many things; the economy, the environment, services etc” explained Ms Avril Wilson PPN Co-ordinator, “and the well-being of the community affects everyone within it. We really want to hear from the groups and organisations on the ground and what is important to them”.
Groups will also be able to feed in online. All information gleaned will be coordinated and used to influence policy and guide the work of the PPN and its representatives in working towards in achieving the community goals.
Getting involved The community consultation meeting for this stated area will take place on Wednesday, September 25th 2019 in Borrisoleigh Parish Community Centre, Pallas Street, Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary [ E41 FF84 ] from 6:00pm.
If you would like to find out more, or your organisation operating in these community areas aforementioned would like to participate in the consultation on community well-being, please contact the PPN office on Tel: 0504 61014 or email us at coordinator@ppntipperary.ie.
To register to attend this event, please click here HEREto register.
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