The overall winner of the 2019 Tidy Towns EPA special award for waste prevention is Dromiskin Tidy Towns, Co. Louth.
Dromiskin took an innovative approach, carrying out a survey in the community and using the results of this to inform what they would do in the area of sustainability. The questions were geared at practical, on the ground actions that could be done. As well as getting great metrics, with an amazing 80% response rate, the survey was carried out across all social sectors, and the community used it to inform their activities like:
– Finding out about the lack of brown bin service for over two thirds of residents and following up with providers to get the service made available.
– Identifying that almost half of the residents use composting units, and obtaining and selling them to those who don’t have them, but are interested.
– Doing the same with water butts.
– Identifying the need to promote the outdoor library via social media.
The survey acted as a central theme but there were various initiatives carried out like energy surveys, installing LED lights on a walkway, energy retrofit in the school, clothes collection days, the outdoor library, a poster-free election, water butts, and perennial planting.
An excellent showcase of community engagement and action.