5 Sustainability – Doing more with less
5 Sustainability – Doing more with less
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Being able to repeat a wortwhile activity is important but it's essential not to do something now that limits future generations from having the same opportunities.
The competition asks us to demonstrate how we are reducing our negative impact on the environment.
Our Goals
Our Goals
2019 to 2022/23
2019 to 2022/23
Expand each section to read more.
Competition Guide Notes:
Describe how your activities help to make your centre more sustainable and reduce your environmental impact. For example, consider how you use your resources (e.g. methods or materials you use), in your project work under one or more of the following key themes: sustainability, water, transport, waste, energy, and climate action. Describe awareness raising activities carried out across your community and detail any involvement with other Community Groups in this category.
Sustainability
Sustainability
- Encourage and promote schools and sports clubs to recycle out grown uniforms and kit.
2022 & 23
2022 & 23
Continue
2021
2021
Promote local clubs offering pre loved sports kit bring and buy ✔️
2020
2020
Masks4All create facemasks for Volunteers ✔️
2019
2019
Promote pre-loved school uniform Johnstown Facebook page ✔️
2. Promote the donation and collection of clothing for the homeless / families in need.
2. Promote the donation and collection of clothing for the homeless / families in need.
2023
2023
Continue
2022
2022
Assisted in the Johnstown Ukraine Appeal to collect hundreds of items of clothing. ✔️
Engage with SleepOut Cavan to donate clothes who directly supply the homeless and offer clothing for €5 to support their work.✔️
Engaged with The Ardboyne Hotel to be the recipient of any left/ abandoned clothing.✔️
2021
2021
Inner City Helping Homeless Charity closed Nov 2021 and we assisted relocating clothing to others.✔️
2020
2020
Continue, connect with large organisations/businesses to donate. ✔️
Engaged with The Newgrange Hotel to be the recipient of any left/ abandoned clothing.✔️
2019
2019
Connect with Inner City Helping Homeless and implement regular collections ✔️
3. Promote Grow Your Own
3. Promote Grow Your Own
2023
2023
Engage with local garden shop to promote GYO
2022
2022
Promoted growing sunflowers as part of the Johnstown Sunflower Trail, engaged 4 local schools to germinate 1,400 seeds.✔️
Distributed 60 compost bags together with organic fertiliser to 4 local schools, several residents groups, and Walterstown GFC✔️
Distributed 400 11ltr plastic pots amongst the community, all saved from landfill by a local gardening shop.✔️
2021
2021
Promote Sustainable Gardening workshop. ✔️
Promoted growing sunflowers as part of the Johnstown Sunflower Trail, engaged St Stephens NS to germinate the seeds.
2020
2020
Promote Meath County Council's Stop Food Waste initiative. ✔️
2019
2019
Introduce Chives, Thyme and strawberries to Bridge Planters and re-home in Athlumney Hall verge in autumn. ✔️
4. Long term planting beds
4. Long term planting beds
2023
2023
Identify more areas
2022
2022
Engage with 4 Estates who have entry signs on Metges Road without any planting.✔️
Funding received to continue proposal to host a pilot planting at the Athlumney Hall Bus Stop.✔️
Continued the perennial planting at St Martha's Bridge Display to allow us to extend the planting at Athlumney Hall Fruit and Herb Verge ✔️
2021
2021
Request funding from Meath Community Grant to introduce planting at bus stops ✔️
Continued the perennial planting at St Martha's Bridge Display to allow us to extend the planting at Athlumney Hall Fruit and Herb Verge ✔️
2020
2020
Implement a quick win project to draw attention to potential sites ✔️
2019
2019
Encourage the use of perennial plants, to limit biennials and avoid annuals. ✔️
Water
Water
- Promote the use of rain water harvesting
2022/23
2022/23
Re-survey households for rainwater harvesting and implement a bulk purchase.
Increase rainwater bank for public project areas.
Research and apply for grant to purchase another rainwater buggy. ✔️
2021
2021
Promote Rainwater Harvesting, utilise portable rainwater buggy. ✔️
Old Johnstown Village Community Group installed rainwater harvesting for planting areas. ✔️
2019
2019
Promote rainwater harvesting. ✔️
Utilise well water from Navan RFC for bridge flower planters. ✔️
Create portable rain butt buggy for bridge flower basket. ✔️
Survey potential demand for a bulk purchase for residents. ✔️
Harvested Water Bank created at 3 homes, total 1000ltr, to sustain the bridge flower planters. ✔️
2. All planting projects to incorporate water conservation principles.
2. All planting projects to incorporate water conservation principles.
2022 & 23
2022 & 23
Research planters for Johnstown Shopping Centre ✔️
Increase the use of alpine planting to reduce water requirements.
Increase the use of herbs that don't require as much water.✔️
Increase the use of mulch ✔️
Utilise water funnels for planting projects ✔️
2021
2021
More herbs and 'less thirsty' plants to be used in display. ✔️
Sunflower trail to use recycled plastic drinks bottles to water roots. ✔️
Spent compost to be collected and used as mulch. ✔️
2019
2019
Reduce 'water hungry' plants in St Martha's Bridge baskets, promote that they have water reservoirs. ✔️
3. Raise awareness of our community polluting the River Boyne through litter & chemicals.
3. Raise awareness of our community polluting the River Boyne through litter & chemicals.
2023
2023
Annual clean of St Martha's Bridge without chemicals ✔️
2022
2022
Implement a riverside clean up ✔️
St Martha's Bridge Clean without chemicals ✔️
2021
2021
Stop Weedkiller Use project ✔️
2020
2020
Advertise the riverside trail collections to draw attention of littering. ✔️
Transport
Transport
- Walking
2023
2023
Encourage School parents to form Walking Buses.
2022
2022
St Stephens gains Green School Transport Flag and encourages 'Walk On Wednesdays'.✔️
2021
2021
Promote local walking routes ✔️
St Stephens Green School Transport Flag implements an initiative to 'Walk On Wednesdays'. ✔️
2020
2020
Promote local walking routes ✔️
2019
2019
Promote local walking routes ✔️
Encourage School parents to form Walking Buses. ✔️
2. Cycle
2. Cycle
2023
2023
Encourage School parents to form Cycle Buses.
Engage new cycle shop in offering cycling proficiency lessons in People's Park / Schools.
2022
2022
Promote Bike Week (May) ✔️
Participate in Navan Cycling Initiative Bike Fest (May) ✔️
Cleaned the route in preparation for Family Cycle Event ✔️
2021
2021
Promote and participate in Navan Cycling Initiative Bike Fest (Nov) and Family Cycle Event ✔️
Engage with the new Johnstown cycle shop to promote local cycling ✔️
St Stephens gains covered cycle parking shelter.✔️
2020
2020
Promote NCI Cycle network map ✔️
2019
2019
Engage with Navan Cycling Initiative (NCI) to promote Family Cycle Event ✔️
Identify local cycle parking ✔️
3. Bus
3. Bus
2023
2023
Identify and promote private school bus operators to reduce number of cars used.
2022
2022
Bothar Sion gains another covered bus shelter.✔️
Johnstown bus stops become more accessible to the disabled. ✔️
2021
2021
Submit proposal to MCC to enhance appearance of bus stops ✔️
2020
2020
Promote new local bus routes ✔️
2019
2019
Request all bus stops have current timetables and clear route markings ✔️
4. Car
4. Car
2022 & 23
2022 & 23
Encourage School parents to carpool
Identify Electric Car Charge Points
Identify a local car dealer to promote all-electric vehicles.
2020
2020
Investigate potential for car emissions study with local school, NCI, and Meath County Council ✔️
2019
2019
Promote alternative options to car use for school students. ✔️
Waste
Waste
- Promote better public waste segregation and recycling bins.
2022 & 23
2022 & 23
Request segregated public bins at Johnstown Shopping Centre, 3 local schools.
Request recycling banks at Johnstown Shopping Centre Car Park
2021
2021
Join Council's Green Km Initiative. ✔️
2020
2020
Request public waste bins for all bus stops via Meath County Council ✔️
2019
2019
Maintain local recycling facilities guide map. ✔️
2. Raise awareness of reduced plastic use, packaging, and promote reuse.
2. Raise awareness of reduced plastic use, packaging, and promote reuse.
2022 & 23
2022 & 23
Promote segregation of litter
2021
2021
Promote recycling newspapers to create plant pots. ✔️
2020
2020
Raise awareness of items that can be recycled ✔️
2019
2019
Designate Johnstown as a Plastic Election Poster Free Zone, register with PosterFree.ie ✔️
3. Implement waste segregation for litter pickers
3. Implement waste segregation for litter pickers
2022 & 23
2022 & 23
Obtain more litter bag holders and encourage use.
Research and pilot mobile trolley for litter segregation.
2021
2021
Obtain more litter bag holders and encourage use. ✔️
2020
2020
Research and pilot litter bag holders to segregate waste. ✔️
2019
2019
Pilot segregating waste after litter pick ✔️
4. Promote, in association with local business, the use of reusable coffee and water bottles using campaigns such as Conscious Cups and refill.ie
4. Promote, in association with local business, the use of reusable coffee and water bottles using campaigns such as Conscious Cups and refill.ie
2023
2023
Target Navan Rugby Club, Johnstown Football Club, Navan Tennis Club, and the Local Schools.
Opportunity to produce branded reusable cups for Navan.
2022
2022
Engaged with Walterstown GFC to dissuade them from implementing branded compostable cups for their cafe in favour of a deposit and return scheme such as GoCup.ie. ✔️
Requested that Navan Rugby Club promote the use of reuseable cups and ban the use of single use plastic bottles on their grounds. ✔️
2021
2021
Walterstown GFC ban single use containers. ✔️
Promote Edible Coffee Cup ✔️
Promote 2 New vending machines offering reusable glass bottles for locally produced milk ✔️
2019
2019
Survey local take away outlets, promote conscious cup campaign and the use of reusable cups. ✔️
5. Implement a community composting facility
5. Implement a community composting facility
2023
2023
Engage Johnstown School Campus in the potential to host a grass and leaf composting area.
Engage the future 'Community Centre' for a community composting area
2022
2022
Engage Walterstown GFC
'Summer Meadows' and leaf collection proposal for composting on their grounds.
Continue the 'Stop Weedkiller Action Project' compost facility. ✔️
2021
2021
Engage Walterstown GFC with our 'Stop Weedkiller Action Project' by hosting a compost facility. ✔️
2020
2020
Identify composting opportunities to recycle public area material. ✔️
6. Encourage Dog Owners to be responsible.
6. Encourage Dog Owners to be responsible.
2022
2022
Meath County Council install pavement stamps to remind owners to be responsible.✔️
2021
2021
Notify Meath County Council of littering hot spots in the IDA ✔️
2020
2020
Promote responsible dog ownership ✔️
2019
2019
Installed 4 dog poo bag dispensers around Johnstown Peoples Park and dozens of street signs. ✔️
7. Upcycle / Re Use Projects
7. Upcycle / Re Use Projects
2023
2023
Seek out new opportunities
2022
2022
Both St Mary's Special School and Colaiste Na Mi Secondary school created art from collected plastic bottle tops.
Re use turf cut from verge cutting to repair ground damaged by weedkiller use ✔️
3 tonnes of soil donated from a resident used in the Athlumney Hall Verge.✔️
Saved from landfill by The Grow Shop and either distributed amongst the community or used in our planting:
120 bags of compost ✔️
bags of perlite ✔️
600 plastic 11ltr plant pots ✔️
A few tons of LECA mixed with coconut husk ✔️
Several ltrs of organic fertiliser.✔️
2021
2021
300 plastic drink bottles turned into funnels for plant watering ✔️
300 sheets of newspaper created sunflower plant pots ✔️
1 ton of soil donated from a resident was used in the JPP planting.✔️
2020
2020
C na Mi Secondary School Christmas tree upcycle project ✔️
Regular second-hand clothing collections for the homeless in connection with Inner City Helping Homeless Charity. ✔️
2019
2019
Relocate Bridge plants to develop a planting area. ✔️
Host regular second-hand clothing collections for the homeless in connection with Inner City Helping Homeless Charity. ✔️
8. Donate a plant / tree initiative
8. Donate a plant / tree initiative
2022 & 23
2022 & 23
Dozens of strawberry plants grown by a resident held from 2021 to plant in the Athlumney Hall Verge.✔️
2021
2021
Plants were donated by several garden retailers;
100+ geraniums used in the Bothar Sion Fence✔️
Dozens of annual bedding plants - given to volunteers.✔️
3 Tree's rehomed in the Boyne Estate ✔️
Two large 'spiky' plants donated from local resident now deter unwanted anti-social gatherings around the street sign in Athlumney Abbey ✔️
An appeal for spent compost resulted in enough collected to mulch around the 17 horse chestnut saplings on Bailis Downs Green. ✔️
Application made for MCC Tree planting initiative ✔️
Application made to the Wild About Navan Dispersed Urban Orchard project ✔️
2020
2020
17 Horse chestnut trees planted in Bailis Downs Estate ✔️
Energy
Energy
1. Lighting
1. Lighting
2022 & 23
2022 & 23
Investigate Street Lighting
2019
2019
Promote low energy LED bulbs. ✔️
2. Support the Johnstown Community Magazine www.JohnstownTimes.com with articles raising awareness of energy savings in the home.
2. Support the Johnstown Community Magazine www.JohnstownTimes.com with articles raising awareness of energy savings in the home.
2021
2021
2020
2020
2019
2019
4. Green Schools projects
4. Green Schools projects
2023
2023
Engage with our 2 local schools to promote/assist with their next Flag
2022
2022
Engaged with St Stephens NS to support their Transport Flag✔️
Engaged with St Marys Special School to support their Biodiversity Flag✔️
2021
2021
Re engage with schools to participate in scheme ✔️
5. Energy Grants
5. Energy Grants
2022 & 23
2022 & 23
Encourage home owners to make changes ✔️
2021
2021
Promote Government schemes and initiatives ✔️
Climate Change
Climate Change
- Attend Workshops, Join Local groups.
2022
2022
Tree week online webinars (March) ✔️
Biodiversity Week online webinars (May) ✔️
Solas Glan Fruit Tree Workshop (April) ✔️
2021
2021
Solas Glan Fruit Tree Workshop (Nov) ✔️
Meath CC Sustainable Gardening Course (Feb Mar) ✔️
Meath PPN Sustainable Development Goals workshop (March) ✔️
Meath PPN Climate Conversation (2th March) ✔️
Tidy Towns and links to the Sustainability Goals (March 10th) ✔️
2020
2020
Attended MCC Climate Change workshop 25th January Buvinda House, Navan ✔️
Attended Meath PPN Climate Academy workshop ✔️
2019
2019
Attended Tidy Towns Conference, Trim (29th Feb) ✔️
Attended BeeWise Build a bird box, bug hotel and the story of honey (Spring) ✔️
Attended the Dalgan Park Meath PPN Environmental Plenary for Climate Change and Biodiversity talks (May 11th). ✔️
2. Implement pollinator planting projects.
2. Implement pollinator planting projects.
2023
2023
Encourage Old Johnstown Community Group to implement similar displays and to stop using bedding plants.
Introduce 'advertising' box planters at Johnstown Shopping Centre
2022
2022
Implement summer meadows ✔️
Implement six-week cut lawn management ✔️
Sunflower Trail 2022: include homegrown seeds, Water funnels, harvested rainwater, harvest the seeds for food / feed the wild birds / eat, compost on completion and reuse the following year. ✔️
2021
2021
St Martha's Bridge planter displays: 80% pollinator friendly plants that can be re-homed in Athlumney Hall verge. Planters have water reservoir supplied by rainwater harvesting buggy ✔️
Sunflower Trail: homegrown seeds, Water funnels, harvested rainwater, newspaper pots, harvest seeds, compost on completion. ✔️
Cut public verges, collect weeds and compost. Utilise compost created the previous year. ✔️
Promote joining and recording actions on the National Pollinator Plan ✔️
2020
2020
Pilot Sunflower project ✔️
Pilot Stop Weedkiller use by cutting verges and collecting weeds for composting, reuse composted soil 12mths later. ✔️
2019
2019
St Marthas's Bridge planter displays: Incorporate 50% pollinator friendly plants that can be re-homed in Athlumney Hall verge, remainder to be composted, Planters have water reservoir supplied by rainwater harvesting buggy / Navan RFC well water. ✔️
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