Home » About

SUSTAIN's plan for the future

Mission Statement

SUSTAIN supports both the awareness & implementation of practical and sustainable solutions in response to the twin challenges of Climate Change & Peak Oil.  Additionally SUSTAIN undertakes to encourage the adoption of a sustainable development agenda within the West Cork community which will demonstrate a commitment to maintaining and practising sustainable principles in all aspects of our lives.

West Cork has a unique resource of people with personal knowledge and practical experience in renewable energy systems, sustainable agriculture and farming practice, maintaining bio diverse environments, organic horticulture, green building techniques and many more valuable skills. It is the intention of SUSTAIN to make this knowledge and experience available to as broad a section of the community as possible through its work.

It is likely there will be some significant changes over the next ten years, on a local, national and international level. Attitudes toward energy consumption, environmental conservation, food production, economic development, and many other key issues that relate to the question of how to guarantee a sustainable way of life and future will need to be addressed.

SUSTAIN believes that seeking local practical solutions to the environmental & energy crisis through community cohesion and co-operation together with a national plan for low impact living will support & encourage the development of sustainable economic growth and a vibrant community into the future.

SUSTAIN puts an emphasis on practical solutions to practical problems.

Aims and Objectives

The key concerns within the community that will be highlighted by SUSTAIN through their various events and projects are:

  • Energy consumption, fuel alternatives & related technology
  • Production & supply of locally grown quality food & other goods
  • Low cost “green building” with renewable energy sources
  • Viable ethical commercial practice

SUSTAIN aims to involve the local community in a process of developing a sustainable practice for reduced energy consumption and a low environmental impact

  • On a personal and domestic level
  • In the local environment
  • In financial, business & commercial enterprise
  • In local planning and area development
  • In community driven projects
  • In education programmes

  The Next Ten Years

To enable SUSTAIN to serve West Cork in an effective way, we have identified our longer term goals and proposed a more immediate plan for the next two years.
By the Year 2017 SUSTAIN Aims to:

  • Have a presence in all the main towns of West Cork
  • Be acting as a catalyst for fundamental change
  • Have become information providers and advisors in the area planning process
  • Be recognised in Bantry and across West Cork as a model for green energy
  • Have developed as a grass roots organisation representing the people of West Cork
  • Have developed a high media profile locally, nationally and internationally
  •  

And on a logistical level:

  • Have sourced central premises for SUSTAIN
  • Ensured that some of our projects will be self funding
  • Have a minimum of 4 full time and 10 part time workers across West Cork

And through specific projects:

  • Have developed a physical presence through practical demonstrations
  • Promote, organise and run a high profile annual Green Festival and music event
  • Have established an area network of environmental education providers
  • Continue the publication of an annual Green Directory linked to a Website data base
  • Have developed an outreach service for outlying communities
  • Provide a regular calendar of events

 

March 2007 to February 2009.

To achieve these goals SUSTAIN has developed a plan for the next two years.
1. Raise the profile of the organisation by:

  • Developing a power point presentation around the organisations two year plan
  • Holding events to raise SUSTAIN’s profile
  • Ensuring a high level profile through the media

 

2. Fundraise by:

  • Identifying sources of appropriate National & Regional funding
  • Holding local fundraising events

 

3. Develop a committee that is representative of the Community; this will be achieved through:

  • Targeting influential individuals from the Business, Community & Political sectors
  • Recruiting at presentation meetings

 

4. Help foster the start up of Powerdown/Transition Town initiatives throughout West Cork.

  • Inviting members of the public to presentation events
  • Targeting individuals who have expressed their interest
  • Press releases and media coverage

 

5. The Green Directory.
The West Cork Green Directory as an annual publication which contains listings of local suppliers, producers and manufactures of “Green” products and services. In addition it gives useful information on related topics and contact details for national organisations. The aim over the next two years is to:

  • Work towards the directory becoming self funding
  • Link in with national and international community groups
  • Develop a web based data base version.

6. Community Solutions. 
To develop regular public events as a way of opening up discussion and finding Community Solutions to the fuel crisis, greener living, use of local resources, local economics etc.  The aim is to spawn local projects with local participation to work towards a low energy West Cork. This has been running since 2006 and the format has been to present a film, talk or presentation followed by discussion. Over the next two years we aim to:

7. Awareness raising & practical solutions events through education programmes.

The aim of this Outreach Education Programme is to reach the broader community.
In conjunction with existing deliverers of education programmes and various new
initiatives, SUSTAIN will work towards establishing an outreach project that will bring courses and classes as well as less formal stand alone events to venues throughout the region. The emphasis will be on practical skills and solutions relevant to the communities’ circumstances and location. In order to develop this SUSTAIN will:

  • Seek funding for a worker
  • Research and develop a programme to take to schools and community groups.
  • Consult and network with existing education providers & other groups similar to our own.

 

History

SUSTAIN has evolved from a small group of enthusiastic and dedicated people who came together to promote a specific music event. The inspiration was initially
provoked by a Book by environmental photographer Marc Edwards, called “HARD RAIN”, published in 2006. Sustainable Educational Events or SEE was formed to host the awareness raising event at The Westlodge Hotel in Bantry on 7th October 2007. SEE also undertook the publication of the first annual “West Cork Green Directory” which was launched to coincide with Marc Edwards visit and the ‘Hard Rain’ event.
Both were extremely well received by the public and considerable success, with over 300 attending on the night.

The subsequent Community Solutions evenings of last year also enjoyed positive feedback and support from the public, other community groups, local and county environmental organisations as well as providing inspiration for some of our proposed projects.

In early 2007 there was a remaining group of five who as a consequence of those first successes decided that to become a truly effective organisation, with sufficient members and funding to operate, then a strong identity and development plan needed to be in place before any more high profile projects could be undertaken. The name SUSTAIN has been adopted to reflect the main thrust of the organisation and to provide an
identifiable association with existing environmental groups such as Sustainable Ireland and Sustainable Energy Ireland. The addition of West Cork to the name identifies the organisation with the community within the Bantry Electoral Area.

SUSTAIN have held consultation meetings with West Cork Community Partnership and Cork Environmental Forum to identify target groups within the community and assess where there is a niche to be filled.

SUSTAIN has also worked in association with Global Action Plan (Cork), Kinsale College, The Hollies and Cultivate (Dublin) and is a member of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition.

FESTIVAL REPORT
The three day event was an ambitious one - a packed programme of lectures, street theatre, music and children’s events. The theme of the weekend was "It's about our children's future". In designing a logo we asked local children to base it around what they feel needs to be done and what they are asking us as adults to do to help ensure a healthy and sustainable future for generations ahead. The winning designs were by Thomas Everett and Dylan O'Flynn from Coomhola NS and Ceola Reece from San Matthias NS Ballydehob.

The festival opened on Friday night with a sell-out concert with Christy Moore and Declan Sinnott. Moore who spends a lot of time in the area makes no secret of his feelings about the environment. ‘ It’s really important work that Sustain West Cork are doing. Everyone should support them’. Earlier in the evening Mark Edwards, the widely published photographer, gave a moving presentation of his Hard Rain book of photographs taken in 150 countries. It is a powerful commentary on climate change, environmental collapse and global poverty. The Hard Rain exhibition, a spectacular 40m montage currently on tour around Europe, was on display in Wolfe Tone Square over the weekend. Sustain took the banner on to the Electric Picnic in Co Laois the following weekend and it's still on tour. The Hard Rain book is available from Booksteps bookstore in Bantry www.booksteps.ie   

One of the highlights on Saturday was a talk given by film producer David Puttnam and one of the founding members of Friends of the Earth Jonathon Porritt. Puttnam, famous for films such as ‘ Chariots of Fire’ and ‘The Killing Fields’ is now Chairman of the British House of Commons Joint Committee on the Climate Change Bill. Porritt is Chairman of the Sustainable Development Committee in Britain which is the watchdog overseeing government environmental policy. Both underlined the importance of politicians drawing up strong legislation to reduce emissions and protect our environment. Mike Holden from the sustainable community development The Village in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary gave practical examples of how development can take place while taking care of the environment . Klaus Harvey from Kinsale, now designated a Transition Town , explained how they are working to reduce its energy needs. Later, on Saturday night several bands including Poles Apart , The Bobby Lee Band with Ciara O’Driscoll and local band Mannikin played in the West Lodge Hotel.

Sunday was another glorious day as people arrived for the parade and for the exhibition. Artist Luisa McCarthy ran a bee making workshop with recycled materials which took place in Bantry Library with children between 7 and 12 . The bees were used as part of a bee keeping information exhibit as part of the larger exhibition over the weekend. The purpose was to raise awareness about the depletion of bee stocks and the ongoing survey on West Cork bees organised by Tim Rowe. Elsewhere, children were donning their costumes also made from recycled materials for the parade. They carried their “Eco-Inventions” made in local summer camps run by Annie King and K2 Arts. After the parade around the square the audience were treated to colourful street theatre and live music. A stage was erected for set dancing and those who still had enough breath left got up and danced to lively gypsy and Jewish music from The Fireflies. All in all, a fun and informative weekend.

The theme of sustainability continued the following weekend at the Sustainable Homes Exhibition which took place at the Bantry Show on September 2nd. This was a great success as the show attracts up to 10,000 visitors each year. We intend to build on that success in 2008.

The organisation will be known as Sustain West Cork and is in the process of registering as a Company Limited by Guarantee and will apply for charitable status in due course.