Calculating the Present, Counting Down to the Future

Repak launch first public online Carbon
Calculator

Householders all around the country can now calculate their exact carbon footprint through the first Irish publicly accessible online carbon calculator for households. The carbon calculator which is launched today by Repak in conjunction with the Minister for Environment can be accessed through the Repak website (http://www.repak.ie/) and allows a household to calculate how much carbon they use by inputting details of activities they perform in their daily routine. It also provides hints and tips on how people can reduce their carbon footprint.

The calculator allows users to input specific details about their homes and their lives. It assesses heating methods in the household, calculates energy consumption, and investigates the various types of insulation being used. It also allows the user to input information on the type of lighting they use in the house including energy efficient light bulbs. The calculator finally allows householders to investigate the impact that transportation usage has on their carbon footprint, from private and public transport to international flights. When a householder fills in all these details they are instantly provided with a monthly breakdown of carbon emissions, broken down into three separate sections, Home Energy Usage, Transport and Flights. They are also provided with a comparative average for their particular living situation and practical hints and tips on how each household can reduce their carbon footprint.

The household calculator is the first in a suite being developed by Repak. Early next year, Repak will also launch carbon calculators for schools and for businesses. The initial research for the project was carried out by Ms. Tricia Kenny, Director of Carbon Action Ireland. A Masters graduate of Environmental Science from Trinity College Dublin, Tricia carried developed the carbon footprint calculator for Ireland as part of her thesis.

Commenting on the launch of the carbon calculator, Andrew Hetherington, CEO of Repak said “This well researched tool helps people to actually realise the extent of their carbon footprint, and in particular compare this to the average Irish household. One of the best aspects of the calculator is that it gives each household suggestions and tips on practical ways in which they can reduce their carbon footprint and recycling is one way in which people can have a serious impact on carbon emissions and our overall environmental impact by lower our primary resource use.”

At the launch, Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley commented ”Repak’s carbon calculator is the latest example of the excellent work they do to promote recycling and the environment. Recycling creates lower energy costs, reduces emissions into the atmosphere and to water and reduces the amount of waste going to landfill sites. Each of us can further reduce our own carbon footprint by reducing the amount of packaging we consume and recycling as much as possible”.

At the launch of the Minister also announced the signing of Repaks new approval to 2011 and the launch of the amended Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations.

Mr Hetherington added “The new approval is an endorsement of Repaks success and the important role we have to play in meeting future EU targets. We can now plan for moving forward with certainty for next 4 years and also welcome the lowering of the threshold of obligation for companies to 10 tonnes (down from 25 tonnes of packaging placed on the market) that will widen the base of obligated companies meaning increased funding for Repak and recycling in Ireland. However our approval also poses challenges with the Minister seeking increased funding for packaging recycling for Local Authorities.”

Last year Repak managed to recycle 603,000 tonnes of packaging resulting in the equivalent of 463,000 tonnes of carbon savings. Since Repak was established in 1997 they have diverted over 3.5 million tonnes of used packaging from landfill resulting approximately 2.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent savings.

Pictured at the official launch are Mr. John Gormley TD, Minister for the Environment, Ms. Tricia Kenny, Director of Carbon Action Ireland and Dr. Andrew Hetherington, CEO, Repak

Repak Green Christmas 2007 Official Launch

Don’t Let Packaging Snowball Out of Control this

Christmas

· 4 bottles of wine, 9 beer cans, 7 plastic drinks bottles
and nearly 1 roll of wrapping paper used EVERY SECOND by

consumers over Christmas period
· 82,000 tonnes of additional packaging will be generated over

Christmas period
· 23,000 tonnes of paper and cardboard the weight of 511

articulated trucks
· 44 million litres of alcohol, enough to fill Lough Neagh 12

times over
· Each household will generate circa 55 kilos of packaging waste · Repak set target to recycle 45% of the used packaging

With the Festive season in full swing, presents being bought and wrapped, everyone drinking and eating their fill, the packaging mountain is already beginning to build up. Repak would like to remind all consumers to prevent packaging from snowballing out of control this Christmas and be sure to use their local recycling facilities to recycle as much of their used packaging as possible. Irish Consumers go through an estimated; 4 bottles of wine, 9.6 beer cans, 5 soft drinks cans, 7.8 plastic drinks bottles and nearly 1 roll of wrapping paper PER SECOND over the festive period. In total over Green Christmas Irish consumers will use enough glass wine and beer bottles to create a chain 9,500 km in length, a chain long enough to stretch from Dublin to Tokyo. We will use 23,000 tonnes of cardboard and paper the same average weight as 511 fully loaded articulated trucks and we will drink enough alcohol to fill the great Lough Neagh 12 times over. In response to this festive indulging Repak is calling on all householders to maximise the use of their green bins and jingle all the way down to the recycling centres and bottle banks as they look towards an even Greener Repak Green Christmas in 2007.

This year Repak Green Christmas runs from the 23rd of December 2007 to the 4th of January 2008 so make sure your house is ready for the 12 Recycling days of Green Christmas. According to research undertaken by Repak, each household will generate circa 54 kilos or 80,000 tonnes of used packaging in total, over the Christmas period. There is a 30 per cent increase in the overall amount of used packaging at this time of year. It is estimated there are 164 million drink containers – including alcoholic and non-alcoholic cans and bottles going to be consumed this year due to the numerous Christmas parties and nights out over the festive season. Repak is aiming to collect and recycle 45% of this used packaging, generated over the holiday period. This is equivalent to 24 kilos per household or 35,000 tonnes in total of used packaging. Last year Repak supported the recycling of nearly 32,000 tonnes of used packaging, which was 10% up on the previous year. Repak Green Christmas is encouraging householders to think green and remember to recycle all the extra waste produced by these Christmas festivities.

Commenting on the extra effort required over the Christmas period, Andrew Hetherington, CEO of Repak said “What we have seen previously is that, with some encouragement, consumers react enthusiastically to the recycling call for a Repak Green Christmas. We are asking householders this year to examine their bin and to recycle items they have never recycled before, such as mince pie trays or used Christmas crackers, selection and chocolate boxes and biscuit tins. Consumers are the front line of recycling and their enthusiasm and participation is crucial in helping to reduce our Christmas waste mountain.”

Repak Green Christmas is supported in part by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government under the Race Against Waste campaign. Minister Minister John Gormley,T.D., thanked householders for their recycling efforts over the past year. “Recycling performance has gone through the roof in recent years and people in Ireland can be rightly proud of the part they are playing in helping the environment by using their green bins or bringing packaging waste to recycling centres”, the Minister remarked, “But I would ask everyone to make a New Year’s Resolution to use less packaging in 2008. I have recently asked supermarkets and other retailers to look at the amount of packaging on their products but we need to be aware that the choices we make as consumers can be an important element in preventing waste”.

The Repak Green Christmas campaign is in its seventh year and Repak now work with all local authorities around the country involving over 90 recycling centres nationwide. During December and January Repak will run a nationwide TV, national and local print, Outdoor shopper lights and radio advertising campaigns to support the call to recycle and also to encourage people to visit their recycling centres. They have also added Green Christmas information to their BEBO page and Blog where people can read more on various hints and tips around recycling at this time of the year. Most recycling centres have in many cases specific opening hours due to the holiday period and will accept a wider range of materials than the normal bring banks. In addition to this, the existing network of nearly 2,200 Bring Banks and kerbside collection systems reaching in excess of 950,000 households will help to facilitate the recycling of much of the Christmas packaging. Full details of Green Christmas recycling centres, their opening hours, local contractor collection information and Christmas tree recycling drop off points is available at http://www.repak.ie/.

Colouring Pencils at the ready.........

Here is some good old fashioned festive fun the for little'uns, (and of course the child in all of us !!).

Click on the picture above and print off this fun picture of our Repak Recycling Elves.

Repak Green Christmas TV ad

Yesterday we recorded our TV advert for Repak Green Christmas 2007. Now I know our TV advert is just like our Repak Recycling Week advert, but remember, to reuse is just as important as to recycle.

So happy viewing and don't tell the boss I gave you all a sneak preview.

Alma x

Repak Green Christmas 2007 - Get Ready

The 12 Days of Greener Christmas

Day 1 Choose the right Christmas tree
Remember to buy real Christmas trees as they each remove 100,000 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide during their 9 years before maturing. For every tree chopped down another is planted. Noble Fir and Lodgepole Pine are said to be environmentally friendly as they will not shed their needles. Also treat a cut tree, like a cut flower – don’t over expose it to light and heat and top up with water daily.

Day 2 Organise Household Bins
Put three bins in the kitchen: one for recyclables; one for compostable vegetable waste; one for general waste. Organise a dedicated storage space in your backgarden or kitchen. Most hardware stores like Woodies or B&Q sell a range of special recycling bins and, if you have space, it’s worth investing and installing these into this dedicated area.

Day 3 Composting
Put a small compost bin beside your general waste bin or if you’ve space build a compost pile in your garden for kitchen vegetable waste and garden waste. As well as your brown and green food waste, wormeries can break down cooked meats that other conventional garden composters cannot deal with. After a few months the compost should become dark and crumbly and you can then start using it as top-soil or fertilizer to make your garden greener than ever.

Day 4 Packaging Thrift
Check for products with less packaging and use re-usable plates, cups and bags. Buy vegetables loose. Put leftover turkey and ham into reusable lunch boxes or containers with lids instead of using non-recyclable aluminium foil or plastic film.

Day 5 Find your nearest Repak Green Christmas Centre or Bring Bank.
You may be surprised at the wide variety of materials they can accept and most have extended opening hours over Christmas. Visit www.repak.ie or check yourlocal paper or for further details.

Day 6 Christmas wrapping.
Gather all the wrapping paper, cardboard boxes from presents into large bags for recycling or reuse. Also consider re-using brown paper and bits of fabric and ribbon to wrap presents and make them more individual and personal.

Day 7 Morning After The Party
Gather up all glass bottles and aluminium cans in separate bags or bins. Remember plastic bottles (PET and HDPE bottles) can also be recycled at most Recycling Centres – look for 3 chasing arrows with either a number 1 or number 2 inside – this means it can be recycled in Ireland. If you’re looking for tips on how to improve your party, there’s a good chance you’ll meet a like minded reveler at the Bring Bank!

Day 8 Be Clean
Wash ‘n’ squash Tetra Pak containers. Rinse out bottle and cans, remove lids and squash plastic containers to save space. Remember don’t litter at bring banks. Take home any boxes or containers you used to bring materials to your local bring bank in.

Day 9 Card Recycling
Collect all Christmas cards together, which can also be recycled. Almost 4 million Christmas cards were recycled last year. Consider sending e-cards too to save on paper usage.

Day 10 Recycle used batteries
Collect up all the used batteries. Consider giving a battery re-charger and rechargeable batteries for battery operated toys and gadgets. Look up www.repak.ie to find your nearest recycling centre that accept batteries.

Day 11 New Gadgets for Christmas?
There are estimated to be over a million mobile phones dormant in Ireland and instead of leaving it dormant, bring it your Green Christmas Recycling Centre as most of them accept old mobile phones. You could also try selling your unwanted gadget on www.ebay.ie or donating to charities looking for the products.

Day 12 Christmas Trees Recycling
Take down decorations and tree. Remember you can recycle it at your local Christmas tree recycling centre. Visit www.repak.ie for more details.

Repak Green Christmas 2007 - Poised for launch

This Christmas Irish consumers all around the country will munch their way through an estimated 8.5 million mince pies, 1.4 million tins of biscuits and nearly 1 million selection boxes and will pull over 16 million Christmas crackers as they get into the festive spirit. Apart from expanding waistlines, this annual consumption fest leads to a New Year waste packaging mountain. In response Repak is calling on all retailers to encourage their customers to jingle all the way down to the recycling centres and bottle banks as they look towards an even Greener Repak Green Christmas in 2007.

Last year Repak recycled nearly 32,000 tonnes of used packaging, which was 10% up on the previous year. Repak Green Christmas is encouraging retailers to lead by example by putting recycling in front of their customers, get them to think green and remember to recycle all the extra waste produced by these Christmas festivities.

Commenting on the extra effort required over the Christmas period, Andrew Hetherington, CEO of Repak said “This time of the year is the perfect opportunity for retailers to get out there and show their Green credentials. We are asking retailers to lead the way in recycling this Christmas, by encouraging staff and customers internally to take on new recycling challenges over Christmas, to recycle items they have never recycled before, such as mince pie trays or used Christmas crackers.

This year Repak Green Christmas takes place between the 23rd December 2007 to 6th January 2008.

Full details of Green Christmas recycling centres, their opening hours and Christmas tree recycling drop off points will be available at http://www.repak.ie/.