On this edition of Enviro:

POLINATORS-All-Ireland Pollinator Plan

JUANITA  BROWNE

We need pollinators to grow many of the fruits and vegetables that make up a balanced diet. The wildflowers that provide us with colour and beauty in our landscape also need pollinators, as do many of your garden plants.

Most pollination in Ireland is carried out by bees. In providing us with the service of pollination, these bees are helped by other insects like hoverflies, butterflies and moths.

Unfortunately, pollinators are in trouble. We know that one third of Irish bee species are threatened with extinction. 

The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 is an island-wide attempt to help pollinators by creating a landscape where they can survive and thrive.

LEAF: Rachel Geary

COILTE

Rachel is passionate about Ireland’s coastline and have become involved locally in the Clean Coasts programme, organising talks, seminars and beach cleanups. She has set up Banna Coastcare to help protect and enhance a local beach. She is highly motivated and love bringing people together and work hard towards creating a healthier community.

She is currently Secretary of Laharn and District Residents Association. Through this role, she has helped source funding to enhance and develop my local area and organised annual cleanups as part of the National Spring Clean programme. Working as a Green-Schools Officer for the past seven years has enabled me to help raise awareness about importance of protecting our environment and biodiversity among teachers, students and community members.

Meteor shower

David Moore – CHAIRMAN Astronomy Ireland

METEOR SHOWER ON THE 12 AND 13 TH OF AUGUST 

PERSEIDS

Every year in August, the Swift-Tuttle comet puts on a brilliant show in the night sky. When the Earth plows into its wake, tiny sand- and pea-sized bits of debris hit our atmosphere at 132,000 miles per hour, reach temperatures of 3,000 to 10,000 degrees, and streak across the sky in what we call the Perseid meteor shower.

This year, the meteor shower will peak in the night between Monday, August 12 and Tuesday,