The GAP Greener Living Course is being offered as part of the Adult Education evening programme in 6 City schools and colleges. The course consists of 8 meetings that cover the topics of water, energy, transport, food, biodiversity, waste, community, and consumerism.
If you are interested in this course then please go the the Adult Education Section of the School Websites and register for the course there. Open evening are being held at most venues on Wednesday 14th September -please see following. You can also contact CEF at greenerliving@cef.ie for more details.
Open evening Tuesday 13th September at Cork College of Commerce from 6-7pm.
Open evenings Wednesday 14th September at Ashton (7-8pm), Douglas Community School (7-8pm), Colaiste Stiofain Naofa, Bishopstown Community College (7-8pm), St. John’s College (6-7pm) and at Ballincollig Community School .(6.30-8pm).
The Greener Living Course
The Cork Environmental Forum (CEF) – Global Action Plan (GAP) Greener Living Course helps participants implement changes to their lives that will save them money and enable them to live a healthy environmentally friendly life. Participants who undertake the actions outlined in the programme can expect to reduce their bills significantly during the course of a year.
CEF – GAP GREENER LIVING COURSE
The programme consists of 8 meetings that cover the topics of water, energy, transport, food, biodiversity, waste, community, and consumerism.
The meetings are lively and enjoyable and the actions are all simple, the Greener Living Course just helps you to get into the routine of doing them. By coming on a Greener Living programme you will discover that eco friendly is also economical and that it is easy and fun. During the course participants can take practical steps such as:
- Start a home composting system
- Install energy efficient lighting.
- Seal drafts around the house.
- Switch some journeys to public transport or cycling & walking
- Install a range of water conservation measures.
- Reduce electricity use in the home.
By the end of this course participants will be able to;
- Identify greener living choices that can save money while improving personal and
environmental health.
- Identify grants available for energy efficient measures in the home.
- Estimate their carbon and water footprint.
- Know the true cost of food production and clothing
- Reduce their food waste
- Have an awareness of the nature and biodiversity on their doorstep
- Understand why Climate Change is also a social justice issue.
- Motivate people in their families and communities to start making greener living choices.
- Identify connections between social, environmental and personal well-being.
The Greener Living training facilitates permanent changes in the attitudes and actions of the participants. The focus on action and peer led education means it is suitable for all levels. The programme is particularly targeted at those who have not previously considered the environmental aspects of their lifestyles. Participants who would have already considered themselves environmentally aware consistently report that they learned a lot and that the structure of committing to actions in a group environment was of great benefit.
The course team leader offers support to participants between meetings and assists them with the actions they have decided to take. This formula of giving information during the meetings and encouraging participants to take relevant actions between the meetings has proved a very successful way of initiating long-term lifestyle changes. The supportive team atmosphere created at the meetings is undoubtedly a large factor in this success. The training has also been shown to have a positive effect on participation levels in other community activities.
