Report from Helen Shiel and the Eco Team
Recently, and for the second year running, the Eco Team in Dundrum Methodist Church Dublin hosted an afternoon of environmental talks and demonstrations , to which all from far and near and were invited.
On offer was a wide range of topics *(please see below) with excellent facilitators ( some of whom were church members, others from the environmental sector). As most of the sessions were repeated over the afternoon, visitors had the opportunity to choose to attend two or three talks.
The Dundrum Climate Vigil and Eco-Congregation Ireland (“manned” by the recently appointed ECI Methodist representative, Maureen Rowan , whose husband, Frank Harvey, gave the talk on water conservation had information stands. Both Maureen and the Climate Vigil members were happy to engage with all who stopped by – or were en route to the wonderful display of homemade gift ideas created by Rosabelle Crampton, one of the Eco Team.
Christian Aid and WDR (World Development and Relief) audio -visual presentations on the climate crisis ran on a loop in the youth room , whilst the prayer room was a quiet reflective space for those who wished to take some prayerful time out.
Modest refreshments were served by our wonderful volunteers and altogether, as many of our visitors commented, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming.
We have to admit, however, that we were somewhat disappointed with the turnout. We had advertised widely (even did a half-hour interview on the Green Radio programme on local radio) and had compiled what we thought was an interesting programme of relevant topics with first rate facilitators, but the footfall we had anticipated hardly matched last year’s (and our parking attendants weren’t as busy as we had hoped!).
However, the quieter afternoon meant that the volunteers , who may not have chosen to attend the event, had the opportunity to participate and all said they had learned much from it. The evaluation forms we had given to visitors on arrival were similarly positive.
The debriefing meeting the following week allowed us to voice our disappointment and at the same time think of creative ways we could continue our eco witness in the wider community by doing something different next year. In the meantime we would get on with preparing an area in the church grounds for the micro forest which we are about to plant. We hope to bring you news of that in the near future!
*Talks and workshops on :-
Waste Management and the Circular Economy; What’s my Carbon Footprint? Water Conservation – why it matters, despite the rain; Home Composting; Gardening in Small Spaces ; Leftovers, Minimal Waste and the Airfryer; DIY/Home Repair; Energy Saving Tips .
A Note from Maureen Rowan – Methodist Representative to Eco Congregation Ireland
Dundrum Eco Open Event was a great experience for me as the new Methodist Representative to ECI. It was my first public occasion in the role. I had a shiny new banner, a collection of leaflets and a lot of apprehension about how best to contribute. From the first contact with Helen, I knew I would be among a very competent organisers. Dundrum Methodist Church is a long standing member of ECI, holding the Award since 2010 but with an Eco Committee in place since 2004.
The Team in their yellow tee shirts had thought of everything: key environmental issues covered, presentations repeated, social and prayer space provided. The rooms could have held more people than turned up but, those who did, went away informed and challenged.
Being new to my ECI role, I felt I should not ‘budge’ from my stand. Luckily, however, it was strategically located in the main hall and I was able to join in the excellent presentation from Codema – the City of Dublin Energy Management Agency.
I found the demonstration of Codema’s Home Energy Saving Kit fascinating. It is available to borrow, free of charge from libraries and contains five easy to use tools that show where home energy is going, what it’s costing how to make savings. Details are available here and at selected libraries https://www.codema.ie/think-energy-home-hub There was also practical guidance on how to reduce energy usage in the areas of heating and hot water, which, in the average Irish home account for 81% of energy usage. It was reassuring to hear that cooking, on average, accounts for only 2% of energy usage, so guilt about using the oven is misplaced.
At the other end of the hall there was a cookery demonstration on using the air fryer to reduce food waste. I could not resist the wonderful aromas and had to briefly abandon my stand for the delicious samples, including bread and butter pudding cooked in the air fryer – who knew!
Back at base, I was inspired by the dedicated Dundrum Climate Vigil team at the adjoining stand. They meet every Friday morning from 11am to 12 noon on Main Street and engage widely through direct discussion and through their comprehensive newsletter with updates on national and international environmental campaigns, legislation, demonstrations and publications.
On the other side of my stand was Rosabelle Crampton’s ingenious craftwork, recycling artistically and creating gifts that were truly from the heart.
I gained a lot from the day and very much appreciated the opportunity provided by Dundrum Methodist Church to share information about ECI. Since it was an open event, not everyone who called to the stand was a church member. Answering the question ‘What is ECI?’ focussed me more intensely on how important it is to be part of a vibrant network and to offer support for the challenges we face individually and collectively.
