We were all sold the idea of the global marketplace offering us more choice. Yet the irony is that as countries operate in the global marketplace, it becomes more difficult to source a diversity of products in local markets.
Take a simple example such as apples. The Irish Seedsavers' Association found 140 different varieties of Irish apples over the past 10 years, yet we find ourselves buying New Zealand apples in our supermarkets.
Events such as the Apple Day at the Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co Leitrim, tomorrow (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) aim to encourage people to grow native Irish apples with suggestions on how to choose apples for organic growing, how to propagate your own apples and make your own fruit juices. A representative from the Irish Seedsavers' Association in Capparoe, Scariff, Co Clare (tel: 061-921866, e-mail: issa@esatclear.ie) will speak about its orchards, and visitors can also tour the orchard and nurseries at the Organic Centre. Admission £3 (children free). Tel: 072-54338.
If you think the world economy is on a downward spiral, then keep your eyes peeled for a forthcoming book, The Lean Economy - from global havoc to local civility by English economist and academic David Fleming. The book's main argument is that the market economy will collapse if it fails to generate enough economic growth to prevent rising unemployment. Fleming believes such a collapse is inevitable and imminent.
This, he believes, will encourage people to become more self-sufficient rather than buying every available service from the marketplace. Keen to find out more? If so, go along to a lecture entitled "A Vision of Civility for a World in Trouble" by David Fleming in Dublin or Cork next week.
The Dublin lecture, which is the third annual lecture of Feasta (the Dublin-based Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability), takes place on Tuesday at 7.30 p.m. in the Walton Lecture Theatre, Arts Block, Trinity College Dublin (admission £5/£3). Tel: 01-4912773
The Cork lecture, which is co-ordinated by the Cork Environmental Forum and the UCC Earthwatch Society, is on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the Geography Lecture Theatre, University College Cork (admission free). Tel: 028-37884.
The Irish Women's Environmental Network (IWEN) will have environmental information stands in various shopping centres in Dublin over the next two weeks. These stands offer a great opportunity to get practical advice on reducing waste and packaging, composting (with lists of DIY stores and builders' providers that stock compost bins), recycling and energy management in the home. The stands are in D·n Laoghaire Shopping Centre on Thursday, November 1st; outside Superquinn in Swords on Friday, November 2nd; and in Palmerstown Shopping Centre on Friday, November 9th.
A good start on the environmental front is to take your own plastic or cotton bags to the supermarket when doing shopping. Contact IWEN on 01-8732660 or at Carmichael House, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7.
To celebrate the opening of the new exhibition on medieval Ireland at the National Museum in Kildare Street, Dublin, there is a series of free events for children. Tomorrow from 2 p.m.to 4 p.m., children aged six and upwards can find out about the skills of archery and the secrets of medieval cooks. They can also visit a monastic scriptorium where a monk will explain how to write on wax and paper.
On Saturday, November 3rd, at 10.30 a.m. and 2 p.m., children aged between seven and 12 can join in two-hour workshops based on a medieval theme.
On Sunday, November 4th, from 2.30 p.m., Anthony O'Brien will display the skills of a medieval potter. Science Week at the National Museum runs from November 11th to 18th. Tel: 01-6777444.