On this St. Patrick’s Day let’s take a look at the state of Ireland’s environmental issues–as in many countries, it’s a mixed bag. According to their Environmental Protection Agency, litter still remains an issue despite the nationwide ban on plastic bags. Air pollution, particularly in Dublin, and effective waste management are critical issues for the country. While over 75% of their streams and lakes possess clean water, their groundwater contamination from farm animals has significantly increased. More businesses have instituted recycling programs, but individual households are not recycling at the same rate. Wild, wide open spaces still abound throughout the island and are protected and treasured by the Irish.
Ireland’s economy, once a Green Giant, is in a sudden slump. Housing developments stand empty–construction sites are stilled by work-stop orders. While this puts a temporal halt to urban sprawl, Ireland still does not have a comprehensive land use or land management plan in place. Unemployment is on the rise and the last thing people want to invest in is more public transportation to address the greenhouse gas/climate change issue. The enormous growth in their economy brought about all the usual pollutants–more people driving cars, greater use of natural resources in manufacturing, increased spending on consumer goods. Ireland’s good agricultural practices and localized economies have kept Ireland “greener” than most developed nations, America included, but greater attention to waste management and land use is definitely needed.
The one bright spot in Ireland’s future might be biofuels–according to Discovery, Ireland’s abundant seaweed species might provide a viable “green” fuel source. Since their governing agencies have identified greenhouse gasses as a primary concern, cheap and accessible seaweed biofuels has great potential to help the Irish kick the petroleum habit.
Click here to see one of a series of posters aimed at school children to address Ireland’s litter problem. Ireland has excelled in developing government websites explaining the issues and offering resources and answers to their environmental problems.
It sounds like Ireland is working to address some issues and, like so many other countries, has areas that need improvement.