Trying to be more eco-conscious?

With most of us feeling the pinch as the cost of living rockets ever higher, there’s never been a better time to cut down on your consumption… and it could even save you a few bob.

Cork County Council has announced the return of its annual Reuse Republic event, which takes place in IRD Duhallow in Newmarket on Tuesday, October 25th, 2022 from 2pm-7pm.

Taking place during National Reuse Month, the event will bring together national and local reuse initiatives to exhibit their services and showcase how individuals and communities can take action to reduce their consumption and positively impact the climate.

Here are four free workshops we’ll be catching on the day:

• For the foodies: Cork celebrity chef Trisha Lewis, known for her Instagram feed Trisha’s Transformation, will be doing a cooking demonstration on the day to show innovative ways of reducing food waste when cooking meals at home.
• For fashion fans: Circular Fashion Ireland will host a talk on the impact of fast fashion and making more sustainable fashion choices. They will also be running a clothing Swap Shop, where members of the public are invited to bring their lightly worn clothes to swap for other items.
• For have-a-go gardeners: Composting is a great way to convert garden waste materials and food waste into a valuable (and free) resource for your garden. This workshop will take you through the basics of composting, introduce the different systems that people can use and make sure you get the most from your composter.
• For the kids: ReCreate Ireland will host a workshop on sustainable creativity in arts and crafts, reusing materials that would have otherwise gone to waste. Early years groups including creches, pre-schools, and primary schools are encouraged to come along to take part.

Other exhibitors on the day will include FoodCloud, Stop Food Waste, Composting Ireland, Peach Vintage Preloved, Sue Gifford Design, Handmade by Kata, the Rediscovery Centre and Community Reuse Network Ireland.

Places are limited for the workshops, so it is advisable that people register in advance here.