Cobh Tidy owns News – 12th May

On Saturday morning a team of Tidy Towns volunteers sanded all the black railings at Whitepoint in preparation for painting this week by an army of Transition Year students. Half a bag of litter was gathered from the Burma steps which isn’t too bad considering twenty three bags of bottles, cans and household rubbish were removed from the garden by the Burma steps by Cobh Youth Services. The cans will be used to make a HUGE fish for The Optimist, who will return! Well done to the group of residents from Ballynoe Farm, Rushbrooke links and Rushbrooke manor this morning who cleaned up the “woods” between the estates.The residents are intent on reclaiming this woodland from the dumpers.They will meet on the 2nd Saturday of every month at 10.30am at Rushbrooke Links entrance to the woods.Cobh is entering Cork County Council’s Anti-Litter Challenge 2012. We will be competing with other Cork towns to see which town has the cleanest streets. Judges will walk 10 x 50 metre stretches of selected streets in each town and they will visit Cobh three times during May and June.

First period 21^st  May 2012 to 30^th May 2012

Second period 4^th June 2012 to 13^th  June 2012

Third period 18^th June 2012 to 27th June 2012 

 Marks are deducted for litter. Even cigarette butts count: 10 butts = 1 piece of litter. Please bin your butts. Please work with us during this year’s Anti-Litter Challenge by not dropping litter, asking children and friends not to drop litter and to pick up litter you see on our streets.

Our Tuesday work evenings recommence on Tuesday 22^nd May. Join us in the fresh air on the sunny evenings ahead at 6.30pm by the playground at the Five Foot Way if you have some time to spare.

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Cobh Tidy Towns Weekly Waste Minimisation  Tips

Here are some tips on how to save water outdoors:

Collect rainwater from your roof and down-pipes in a water butt or buckets and use it to wash your car and water your plants. Rainwater is more natural than piped water to use for watering your plants.

Washing your car with a hose typically uses 300 litres, which is equivalent to 33 buckets of water.

If you must wash your car, use a bucket and sponge and wash it on the lawn! You may as well water the lawn at the same time. Even better, wash your car in the rain! This can be fun for the kids too.

Mulch around garden plants to conserve moisture and reduce the need for watering.

Before watering your plants check the weather forecast as it may rain tonight or tomorrow!

Water in the evening to reduce the amount of water that may evaporate.

Watering gardens and hanging baskets from a hand-held watering vessel uses much less water than a hose. Reusing suitable water from other household activities will save even more.

A sprinkler uses more water in one hour than a family of four uses in a day. Use a watering can instead of a sprinkler.

Avoid the use of paddling pools and if you do use them, reuse the water in your garden.

Avoid using your hose to wash down your driveway or patio. Sweep up leaves instead. If you must wash the drive, use bucket or even better, do it when it’s raining!

Know how to turn off your water supply. This could save thousands of litres of water and damage to your home in the event of a pipe burst.

Phone and report water leakage from burst pipes to your local authority.

More plants die from over watering than under watering. Only water plants when necessary.

Place ice cubes under the soil in hanging baskets, planters and pots to give your plants cool water and eliminate an overflow of water