Eco UNESCO project by Millstreet Community School TY students

Let us introduce ourselves, our names are Molly Morley, Katie Morley and Amy Hickey and we are Transition Year students here in Millstreet Community School. As a part of our TY year, we got the opportunity to enter an Environmental Competition called Eco UNESCO and the title of our Project is “Did You Ever Think How Much a Thumbs Up Costs?”. When school closed in March, due to the global pandemic we were forced attend school virtually over zoom and emails and this got us thinking about the vast number of e-mails sent every day, which led us to explore if the online world is really free.

Ways to save our environment have been very topical recently and we are led to believe that using electric cars will reduce our carbon emissions dramatically. But, did you ever think that sending one less email could do the same thing? For most of us the answer is no because we never think of it unless it is money out of our pockets, we are led to believe that the digital world is free while in fact, it has an environmental cost. If sending an e-mail cost us physical money, then perhaps we would be a lot more conscious and conservative in what we send. For example, our age group could send at least a hundred snaps a day most consisting of either one word or an emoji. If we had to pay, say five cents for each one, we would be a lot more careful.  From a survey we did 62% of people agreed or strongly agreed that the number of emails they send and receive has dramatically increased due to the global pandemic.

From background research we found The Guardian newspaper told us that in a study done last year, if every person in the UK sent one less email, it could cut the carbon output by more than 16,000 tonnes each year. This amount of carbon is equivalent to 80,000 people or 444 plane loads flying from London to Madrid. We also discovered that streaming Netflix for 30 minutes is the equivalent to driving half a mile in your car in terms of Co2 emissions.  If we don’t reduce our online interactions, purely renewable energy isn’t enough to power these centres. If we each commit to making changes to our online habits like if we cut down on the amount of emojis we send, we are contributing to putting a stop to global warming by a split-second decision. We are the answer to this problem. We are the reason these centres are running and emitting carbon dioxide into our atmosphere.

We conclude that the digital world is a substantial contributor to our environmental problem having more carbon emissions than the aviation industry. However, we are completely responsible for them and even though we can’t see or smell these emissions like we might from a car – they are there!  If we each reduced these unnecessary social interactions by even three a day, the amount of work to be done in processing and storing would be greatly reduced thus using less energy and saving the environment. So, the next time you plan on sending a smiley face or a thumbs up as a superfluous answer, ask yourself the question, do I need to!

 

Fundraiser Drive for Millstreet Primary Schools

Millstreet Primary Schools Parents Association, would like to ask people to help in this years fundraising for the Presentation N.S. and Scoil Mhuire B.N.S.

Usually, they have put on Quizzes, Disco’s and Church Gate Collections to help raise money, and after expenses of First Holy Communion and any gifts, the money left over would be divided between the schools.

So, the Parents Association decided to stay safe within the current regulations, and have set up a Go Fund Me page as their main Fundraiser for the year, and hopefully we will be able to have our usual events next year.

Link to the Go Fund Me Page:  Go Fund me Page

Another way to pay is directly into the Assn’s Bank account, details can be got by messaging the Assn directly on their Facebook Page Link for Facebook

Also, the Parents Assn would like to say a ‘Big Thank You’ to all the Children, Principals, Teachers, Parents, Grandparents, Past Pupils, Families, Local Businesses and Friends who have supported the Primary Schools Parents Assn in the past, and anything you can spare would be gratefully received.

In previous years, the money has gone towards STEM equipment, Sports Equipment, New Desks, Novels for the classroom, and a portion was put towards the important purchase of a defibrillator, also a portion went towards installation of hot water in classrooms.  Sadly, with Covid_19, the Parents Assn have been unable to collect any money for the Schools, or put on their usual events, but they have continued to give gifts for the First Holy Communion, and ran for Halloween a Colouring Competition, Fancy Dress Competition plus a safe online Movie Night.  Also, they had fantastic entries for a Pancake Bake Off Competition, and not forgetting the St Patrick’s Day Video (which is still available for viewing on their Facebook page), thank you to all the children who took part.  And another competition is on until Friday 2nd April (See their previous post).

Current Committee, Michaela Donegan (Chair), Sinead Corkery (Secretary), Claire Twomey (Treasurer), Denise Buckley, Tracy Cronin, Kate Kelleher, Caitriona McCarthy, Marie Bourke, Mary Irish-Daniels.  New members are always welcome.

Jonah O’Sullivan Make-up and Nails Launches Her Very Own “Dream Sparkles”Eyeshadow Palette

Anniversary

March is the month when the Anniversaries of my late Parents occur.   Tonight (Fri. 26th March 2021) at St. Patrick’s Church, Millstreet the 7.30 Mass is offered for the Anniversary of Mary Ellen Radley (née O’Leary) late of The Square, Millstreet who died on 29th March 1975 – and also for John Radley who died on 15th March 1986.  R.I.P..

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