Ballinahown Village has sustainability at the core of its ethos. This ethos is exemplified throughout the village in the form of Water Butts for rainwater harvesting. Rainwater harvesting is used for 30% of the water requirement for the village plants with further water butts installed in the homes of school children around the village.
Ballinahown’s Community Recycling Park is a long planned and attractive element of the village and has good accessibility. According to a recent Tidy Towns report the recycling area in Ballinahown ‘is excellent and a model for other towns and villages’. On any given day in Ballinahown, local residents can be seen using this excellent facility.
Investment has been made in the last number of years in sustainable lighting in terms of LED lighting throughout the village, particularly the Christmas lights. Major improvements are planned for the Community Hall to upgrade the energy efficiency of the space and to create remote work hubs as a result of a successful application for Just Transition funding. Watch this space for information on this exciting development.
Ballinahown has a community composting facility adjacent to the recycling area to facilitate the transport of large quantities of compost. This has been a particularly successful initiative for the village and it’s residents aided considerably by information panels on best practice.
Should you take time to wander through our Woodland Fairy Trail, you will find a variety of sustainable furniture made from repurposed pallets. Wooden pallets are reusable, repairable and recyclable because they’re made from timber – which is renewable, sustainable and biodegradable and so an ideal addition to Ballinahown Village. Should you arrive at sunset you will have a wonderful opportunity to relax on some of this furniture and enjoy the sinking sun across the green pastures to the west.
Our Facebook page actively shares simple ideas on how children and families can together, with our community, contribute positively to sustainable living. Follow us here for suggestions. Please share your successes with us. You might find some helpful hints and ideas in this Tidy Towns newsletter.