BY KIERAN O'MAHONY
TWO innovative Tidy Towns groups have collaborated together to launch sustainable reusable coffee cups, in what is the first initiative of its kind in West Cork.
Ballineen & Enniskeane Tidy Towns and Ahiohill Tidy Towns launched the project at the Beda Christmas Fair in the community hall on Sunday December 10th. They hope to detract people from using the one-use, disposable coffee cups which have become a blight across the West Cork landscape. The cups were on sale at the fair.
Cork South West Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan who will launch the pioneering project with Cork Camogie All-Star Orla Cronin, commended both groups on this project. ‘They are once again leading the way in terms of sustainability projects. We have a mammoth task to tackle pollution and waste and if every community followed their lead, you would see massive gains being made in terms of waste being produced,’ said Deputy O’Sullivan. ‘It’s a difficult task to take on and it will take effort but knowing the communities in both areas, I’m convinced that this is something they can achieve.’
Meanwhile, other towns in West Cork, including Bantry and Kinsale, are also looking to get rid of paper-type coffee cups. A meeting was held in Kinsale last month about following a similar initiative that is underway in Killarney, while Bantry Business Association are also intending to start a similar scheme.
