Environment groups unite to form new network
By Aideen O’Flaherty
A NUMBER of environmental groups in South Dublin County came together on Thursday in St Maelruain’s Community Hall in Tallaght to form the South Dublin Environmental Network.
Representatives from Dodder Valley Litter Mugs, Dodder Action, the Crumlin Clean-Up group, Clondalkin Tidy Towns, Friends of the Camac, The Four Districts Woodland Group, the South Dublin County Public Participation Network and the Irish Environmental Network were in attendance.
A number of environmental groups at the meeting
Explaining the purpose of the network, Christine Barretto, founder of the Dodder Valley Litter Mugs and a member of Dodder Action, told The Echo: “Our aim is to connect, communicate and collaborate on environmental issues throughout South Dublin.
“We will support all environmentally focused events, and we plan to raise awareness of environmental issues, such as climate change, through green events and potentially through education.
“We also want to provide a voice for environmentally focused community groups through the environmental pillar of the Public Participation Network.”
Going forward, the groups are planning to work in collaboration with each other in order to develop the South Dublin Environmental Network.
Ms Barretto added: “An example of collaboration is attending others clean-up efforts, and sharing planned events on social media platforms to try and increase the amount of volunteers – especially in terms of community participation – in order for the efforts to be sustainable.”
Anyone who is interested in participating in the network can go along to the group’s next meeting on Thursday, January 23, in St Maelruain’s on Tallaght’s Main Street at 7.30pm, and you can keep up to date with the group by following the South Dublin Environmental Network on Twitter and Facebook.
