A new festival in Galway is encouraging people to take simple measures that can help assist the environment and bring about beneficial changes.
The Galway Climate Festival is part of a City Council initiative to achieve decarbonisation targets and boost the circular economy.
It is all happening to drive the implementation of the city's recently agreed Climate Action Plan.
The plan envisages a 51% reduction in Galway’s greenhouse gas emissions over the next six years, with the broader aim of bringing about full decarbonisation by 2050.
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The local authority said individual and community participation is essential, if these goals are to be met.
It hopes this weekend’s festival will inspire people to double down on the actions they can take in this regard.
Events are centred around the relatively straightforward things that can be done by people of all ages.
A sewing workshop at the city’s museum involved tuition in the skills needed to repair worn or damaged items of clothing.
Eimear Greaney, who oversaw this event, said that the tasks are within reach of everybody, once they have been given the basics and could significantly extend the lifespan of all kinds of clobber.
Participants were given instructions on how to sew a button, hemming and darning.
Elsewhere, a feast of local produce was on offer for 150 diners who gathered at the former Connacht Tribune Printworks.
The event, run in conjunction with the Hinterland Social Enterprise, involved produce grown or sourced entirely from Galway city and county to create a range of dishes.
Fergal Anderson, a farmer involved in the initiative, said that reducing the distance food is transported, as well as ensuring its provenance and quality, was an effective way to achieve a range of positive outcomes.
Alongside reducing emissions and supporting local farmers, it meant that people could enjoy seasonal produce and food with a high nutritional value.
The festival also features a range of panel discussions and workshops, during which the scale of the challenge facing the planet will be considered in the context of the support available to local communities.
The City Council’s Climate Action Officer, Tiarnan McCusker, said he is in no doubt that the ambitious targets set for Galway can be achieved.
He is hopeful that by emphasising the positive changes that can be brought about, on both an individual and wider level, people will be motivated to play a part in helping the collective effort.
The festival will conclude tomorrow.
