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Plastic is everywhere and at the rate we discard it, some experts predict, that by 2050, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish. It is estimated that about 8 million tonnnes of plastic ends up in our oceans each year. Once there, it is difficult to get rid of, because plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose.
Plastic waste is a major environmental challenge and one of the biggest plastic problems concerns single use plastic. Items like plastic straws, cups, cutlery, food wrapping and bottles account for at least half of the plastic dumped each year. We use these items once, sometimes for a matter of minutes, and they end up polluting the planet for hundreds of years. Instead of using plastic items once and then dumping them, we can try these simple but powerful alternatives.
Get a Refillable Water Bottle.
In Thurles, we are blessed with a clean and healthy drinking water supply, so why not opt for tap water instead of bottled water? If a person buys a bottle of water ever day, that’s 365 plastic bottles a year. Imagine that sight in your back garden? By simply buying a refillable bottle, not only will you be saving the planet, but you’ll also save yourself a lot of money.
Get a Coffee KeepCup.
We all enjoy a takeaway coffee but although the cups are often made from paper, the lids are typically made from plastic. Thankfully, coffee shops, including our own local Costa and Deja Brew, sell KeepCups. KeepCups are reusable hot drink cups. Once purchased, you bring your KeepCup to your coffee shop every time you fancy a coffee and they will fill that instead of a single use cup.
Bring You Own Container.
Just like the reusable KeepCup in coffee shops, it is becoming increasingly popular for customers to bring their own containers to shops. Many eco-conscious consumers bring their own container to a shop, deli or butcher. Instead of having their produce put in a plastic bag, they ask that their food items be put in their own reusable containers.
Dump the Plastic Wrap.
Each year we wrap food in millions of metres of plastic wrap. Instead of reaching for cling film, why not keep your food covered in a reusable container. Glass containers are best because they cut down on plastic production. It is also generally accepted that heating food in plastic containers is not good for your health, because of the potential for chemicals to be released into foods from plastic when heated.
Many of us too depend on cling film to wrap our sandwiches, but there is a healthier and more environmentally friendly alternative. Made by ‘The Paper Lunch Bag Co. Ashbury, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary’, Lón an Lae, [translated “The days Lunch”], are paper sandwich bags perfectly sized for school or work sandwich snacks. They are available to buy in local Thurles grocery shops in packs of 50.
Opt for Food in the Nude.
No, we are not suggesting that you walk around Thurles naked eating an apple, God forbid! No, ‘Food in the Nude’ is a movement that started in New Zealand and aims to stop the practice of buying fruits, vegetables and other products wrapped in plastic where possible. So, for example, instead of selling carrots on a polystyrene tray wrapped in cling film, shops sell loose carrots. The practice has proven extremely successful in New Zealand. It has not only reduced plastic use, but it has proven to be more economical for consumers and reduced food waste, because customers buy what they actually need, rather than being forced into buying a big bag of something that they won’t use in its entirety. We are very fortunate here in Thurles that our local grocery shops sell loose fruit and vegetables, so ditch the plastic wrapped options when you can.
These are just some of the ways that you can help to reduce plastic waste. Remember, the smallest changes can have a powerful impact. Single use plastic remains a huge international scourge. The problem is so serious that the EU have even developed a directive on single use plastic. For more information on single use plastic and it’s fate under new EU plans click HERE.
12 new cases of killer Covid-19 virus confirmed in Co. Tipperary in past 24 hours.
The Department of Health this evening has confirmed that there has been 8 further deaths caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; leaving the overall death toll, here in the Republic of Ireland, remaining at 4,921.
There have been 393 new additional virus cases reported here within the Irish Republic. This leaves the current total number of confirmed cases, since conception, at 251,474.
In Northern Ireland, 102 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the past 24 hours, with no further deaths reported.
Seven confirmed cases of the Covid-19 variant which was first detected in India have now been reported in Northern Ireland, their Department of Health has confirmed.
Partners of pregnant women should now be allowed attend the 20-week scan and be also present at the birth of the baby, the HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Colm Henry has stated; as neo-natal and maternity units are now much safer places than they were in January, at the height of the third wave of the pandemic.
Of the cases confirmed today in the Irish Republic; 175 are in Dublin, 42 in Cork, 34 in Kildare, 26 in Donegal, 15 in Meath, with the remaining 103 cases located across 20 other counties.
Of the cases confirmed today, 79% were under the age of 45 years.
There have been 237 Covid-19 cases confirmed in Co. Tipperary within the last 14 days and 12 new cases confirmed in the same area, within the last 24 hours. There have been 5,914 virus cases confirmed here in Co. Tipperary, since the pandemic began, same figure relevant up to and including May 4th, 2021.
There are 131 people with Covid-19 remaining in hospital today, and of that number 36 are in ICU’s, according to Ireland’s COVID-19 Data Hub.
Some 1,201,373 first doses of Covid-19 vaccines have now been administered here in Ireland up to May 4th, with 454,493 persons having received their second dose.
Canada has now approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children aged over 12 years thus becoming the first country to do so.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan continues to warn that the virus is still very active in the community and still remains a risk, particularly to people who have not yet been vaccinated.
The total worldwide number of virus cases identified up to 5:00pm this evening, now stands at well over 155.33 million confirmed, with global deaths at well over 3.24 million.
Please Do Continue To Behave Responsibly.
A Garda spokesperson has confirmed that Gardaí have arrested and charged a 50 year old male, in relation to breaches of the Public Health Act 1947. The arrest took place yesterday.
Back in November 2020, Gardaí were alerted to a large house party in progress, in the Cappawhite village area of west Co. Tipperary.
When Garda officers arrived they found upwards of 100 people packed into the property identified and notified by a number of complainants; the former were found dancing with music blaring.
Following further investigations, Gardaí have now arrested the man whom they have identified as the promoter of the event, and detained him at Tipperary Town, Garda station. He has since been charged to appear before Tipperary District Court, latter sitting at Nenagh, on June 2nd, 2021.
It should be noted that a court appearance for organising a house party currently, could result in a €2,500 fine, together with a six months jail sentence.
To date Gardaí have issued some 20,250 fines for various offences associated with Covid-19 lock-down regulations.
16 new cases of killer Covid-19 virus confirmed in Co. Tipperary in past 24 hours.
The Department of Health this evening has confirmed that there has been 7 further deaths caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; leaving the overall death toll, here in the Republic of Ireland, remaining at 4,915.
There have been 418 new additional virus cases reported here within the Irish Republic. This leaves the current total number of confirmed cases, since conception, at 251,087.
In Northern Ireland, 99 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the past 24 hours, with no further deaths reported.
Of the cases confirmed today; 167 are in Dublin, 39 in Cork, 32 in Donegal, 29 in Kildare, 22 in Meath, with the remaining 129 cases located across 20 other counties.
Of the cases confirmed today, 73% were under the age of 45 years.
There have been 259 Covid-19 cases confirmed in Co. Tipperary within the last 14 days and 16 new cases confirmed in the same area, within the last 24 hours. There have been 5,898 virus cases confirmed here in Co. Tipperary, since the pandemic began, same figure relevant up to and including May 3rd, 2021.
There are 137 people with Covid-19 remaining in hospital today, and of that number 37 are in ICU’s, according to Ireland’s COVID-19 Data Hub.
Some 1,174,292 first doses of Covid-19 vaccines have now been administered here in Ireland up to May 3rd, with 447,578 persons having received their second dose.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan warned that the virus is still very active in the community and same remains a risk, particularly to people who have not yet been vaccinated.
The total worldwide number of virus cases identified up to 5:00pm this evening, now stands at well over 154.51 million confirmed, with global deaths at well over 3.23 million.
Please Do Continue To Behave Responsibly.
17 new cases of killer Covid-19 virus confirmed in Co. Tipperary in past 24 hours.
The Department of Health this evening has confirmed that there has been 2 further deaths caused by the Covid-19 pandemic; leaving the overall death toll, here in the Republic of Ireland, remaining at 4,908.
There have been 383 new additional virus cases reported here within the Irish Republic. This leaves the current total number of confirmed cases, since conception, at 250,672. There have been 5,881 virus cases confirmed here in Co. Tipperary, since the pandemic began, same figure relevant up to and including May 2nd, 2021.
In Northern Ireland, 83 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in the past 24 hours, with no further deaths reported.
Of the cases confirmed today, 79% were under the age of 45 years.
There have been 267 Covid-19 cases confirmed in Co. Tipperary within the last 14 days and 17 new cases confirmed in the same area, within the last 24 hours.
There are 144 people with Covid-19 remaining in hospital today, and of that number, 41 are in ICU’s, according to Ireland’s COVID-19 Data Hub.
Some 1,159,083 first doses of Covid-19 vaccines have now been administered here in Ireland up to April 30th, with 445,561 persons having received their second dose.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tony Holohan warned that the virus is still very active in the community and same remains a risk, particularly to people who have not yet been vaccinated.
Registration for Covid-19 vaccinations for people aged in their 50s is open from today. Those aged 59 are the first to be invited to register on the Health Service Executive’s online portal which can be viewed from HERE.
The total worldwide number of virus cases identified up to 5:00pm this evening, now stands at well over 153.67 million confirmed, with global deaths at well over 3.21million.
Please Do Continue To Behave Responsibly.
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