Paper watch

Older people urged to wear road safety vests
older people in Ireland are being encouraged to become more road safety conscious as part of an initiative announced yesterday by the Road Safety Authority (RSA). In a bid to cut the number of pedestrian deaths on Ireland’s roads, the authority, in conjunction with Age Action Ireland and the Irish Pharmacy Union, plans to distribute 200,000 high-visibility vests in 1,600 pharmacies across the country.
The Irish Times 27/05/09

Wool and solar panels help to cut fuel costs
Rain water collected for use by residents and walls insulated with wool – while these may sound like practices of the past, in reality these features are part of the apartment complex of the future – a new housing scheme in Dublin that has been designed with energy conservation in mind. The apartments, in Dublin’s York Street, near St. Stephen’s Green, are part of a initiative by Dublin City Council to provide sustainable social housing and replace the homes originally on the site which were demolished in 2005.
The Irish Times 26/05/09

Scientists discover coral reef off west coast
irish and french scientists have discovered a coral reef “province” off the west coast which has been described as the “most pristine” identified so far in these waters. The 200sq km deepwater area on the southern end of the Porcupine Bank encompasses some 40 coral reef carbonate mounds or “underwater hills”, reaching up to heights of 100m from the seabed.
The Irish Times 27/05/09