Castlewellan's green livingGreen Living Experience is promising a sensory feast of sustainable living at its weekend event on August 25th and 26th in Castlewellan, Co Down. Building on the local tradition of the old Green Living Fair, this event offers music, fun, adventure and learning, all aimed at helping participants to become "fantastically sustainable".
Set in Castlewellan Forest Park, there will be eight action-packed zones including a food village with local produce, and a body and soul zone for massage.
The organisers guarantee that the weekend's activities will make the planet a better place to be. Adults £5 (€7.37) per day; two day ticket £8 (€11.79); under-12s are free. For further details see www.greenlivingexperience.com.
Stop climate chaos
The next big date on the climate change negotiations calendar is just four months away when world leaders meet in Bali, Indonesia. Internationally, citizens are organising to have synchronised demonstrations around the globe on Saturday December 7th to demand radical action on climate change.
A public meeting is being held in Dublin today to discuss the importance of the Bali meeting, and to plan for Ireland's part in the global day of action. It takes place at Enfo, St Andrews Street, Dublin 2, at 11am. See www.globalclimatecampaign.org and www.stopclimatechaos.ie.
When the sun attacked earth
In September, 1859, our planet was battered by a blob of superheated gas, spat out during the most violent solar flare in recorded history. The 1859 solar flare was the most widely observed astronomical event in history, but until this year it was largely forgotten. Interest in the event has been revived because 2007 is the International Heliophysical Year, with teams of astronomers across the world co-operating in the study of the sun.
A new book about the 1859 event, entitled The Sun Kings: The Unexpected Tragedy of Richard Carrington and the Tale of How Modern Astronomy Began, has just been published by science writer Dr Stuart Clarke.
He is on a lecture tour of Cork, Galway and Dublin next week. For details see visit www.astronomy.ie or call 01-8470777.
Tipp's top bog
Redwood Castle, Lorrha, near the Shannon in north Co Tipperary, was once home to the bardic Mac Egan family who were expert in Brehon law. Now fully restored after 300 years in ruin, the castle is open to the public from 2-6pm seven days a week until the end of August.
Tomorrow week, a special day is being held from 11am to 3.30pm based on Redwood Bog and its history, heritage, ecology, and impact on local settlement. A qualified Heritage Officer will lead a tour of the bog in the morning. The afternoon will be spent in the castle. Adults €15 Children €7. Families €30.
For further information see www.redwoodcastleireland.com.
EcoWeb
www.theconvergingworld.org
A social justice initiative that is now networking between the energy-rich and energy-poor countries to reduce carbon production. Already a community in England has funded a wind turbine in Tamil Nadu, India.
Sylvia Thompson is on leave