Carbon dioxide tradingThe European Union scheme to reduce global warming by allowing companies to buy carbon credits from underpolluting companies got off to a shaky start at the beginning of its first year's trading. Some two million tons of carbon dioxide changed hands in the first two weeks of January, as traders rushed to sell their stocks.
This compared to a total of 10 million tons of trading in the two years prior to January 1st, known as the "grey market" period. A tonne of carbon dioxide exchanged for €6.88 down from €13 at the start of last year. Analysts say that few companies have bought credits so far because five countries in the EU - including Ireland - have yet to finalise their plans and so cannot tell companies how much they can pollute.
"We don't monitor the trading itself and although final limits on emissions for companies here won't be given out until February, companies have a reasonably strong expectation of what their limits will be so they could be trading," says Conor Barry, senior manager of the Emissions Trading Unit of the Environmental Protection Agency. Commenting on the concept of emissions trading, Aodhagan Roddy, researcher in climate change at NUI, Galway, adds, "I'd prefer to see companies here take a more principled response to reducing greenhouse gases by tackling their emissions rather than taking advantage of saving (i.e. lower pollutant levels) other countries have made."
See www.environ.ie for policies on emissions trading in Ireland.
Recycling bicycles
The Bicycle Recycle Project at the Sillogue recycling centre in Ballymun, Dublin, is a positive example of a voluntary run project which fosters the reuse and recycle principles. It shows children how to fix punctures and do other repairs to their bicycles rather than throwing them away. The project is part-funded by Vodafone and Conservation Volunteers Ireland Nature Fund, which is itself another praiseworthy recycling project.
Launched just over two years ago, the project has recycled more than 38,500 mobile phones, saving over nine tonnes of material from landfill. More than €60,000 has been donated to over 30 environmental projects in this time. Applications for the next round of Nature Funds must be submitted to Conservation Volunteers Ireland, Stewarts House, Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin 14, by February 3rd. Application forms are available on www.cvi.ie or 01-4952878.
Great houses of Wales
Welsh Country Houses is the theme of a lecture by Lindsay Evans on Wednesday, February 2nd, at 7.30 p.m. in the newly renovated Irish Architectural Archive building, 45 Merrion Square, Dublin. Evans will trace the development of country houses in Wales from castle buildings through Tudor innovations to the era of Great Country Houses designed by architects such as Samuel and James Wyatt and Thomas Hopper. Richard Wood will speak about St Fin Barre's Cathedral and Other Churches designed by Willaim Burges on Wednesday, February 9th, while Anna Moran will speak about Waterford Glass in the 19th Century on Wednesday, February 23rd. More details on all lectures from the Irish Georgian Society, 74 Merrion Square, Dublin 2. 01-6767053.