Leggett heads to CultivateScientist, oil industry consultant and businessman Jeremy Leggett will give a public lecture, Connecting Climate Change to Peak Oil, on Tuesday at 7.30pm in Cultivate, 15-19 Essex Street West, Dublin 8.
Leggett is a prominent contributor to the climate and energy debate and author of The Carbon War, which has been described as the "best book yet on the politics of global warming". He is also director of the world's first private equity renewable energy fund and founder of Solarcentury, a renewable energy business. The talk will be the first in a series called Understanding and Taking Action on Climate Change. Meanwhile on Wednesday, a free day of films, new media, discussion and interactive sessions encourages 16- to 25-year-olds to take climate change issues back to their communities and colleges. More details on 01-6745773, www.cultivate.ie.
Stewart gets busy in RDS
Broadcaster and eco-architect Duncan Stewart will be busy at the Spring House and Garden Show next weekend in the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin. In an energy showcase arena called Eco-Smart, Stewart will lead seminars, workshops and Q&A sessions together with the Association of Irish Energy Agencies. The latter will be available to explain the new building energy ratings for newly built houses, apartments, terraced or semi-detached houses and bungalows. Other experts will be on hand to answer questions about energy-efficient products and practices. The Spring House and Garden Show is open from Friday to Monday, March 17th to 19th. See www.spring-house-gardens.com. Duncan Stewart leads a workshop on improving the energy efficiency of homes on March 31st in Cultivate.
West Cork hungry for change
Energy, Food and Tourism is the theme of a public forum on Tuesday at 7.30pm in Actons Hotel, Kinsale, Co Cork. The public will be invited to submit questions on themes including dwindling oil supplies, renewable energy options, eco-tourism and gearing agriculture towards creating quality food. The wind, wave and tidal resources in west Cork are well known, as is the quality of local food, but of greater concern are the changes that will be required in the light of climate change.
Panellists will include geologist Colin Campbell, food critic and writer John McKenna, ethanol expert Kevin Lynch and alternative energy consultant Quentin Gargan.
Exemption redemption
One of Ireland's leading renewable energy skills networks has welcomed the new exemptions from planning permission for domestic solar panels, heat pumps, wind turbines and wood pellet burners. Johnny Flynn, chairman of Renewable Energy Skills said, "I am confident that the installation of solar panels and other micro renewable technologies in Ireland will now increase as a result of the Minister for Environment's decision earlier this month." The Renewable Energy Skills Accel Project offers training to plumbing and heating contractors and related trades involved in the design, installation and maintenance of renewable energy heating systems.
See www.renewableenergy.ie.
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