Spark Change award for Grangecon group
A County Wicklow initiative to encourage waste reducation has been recognised at a national awards ceremony.
Go Greener with Grangecon was presented with the Mobilizer Award at the Spark Change Awards which were held recently at Dublin Castle.
The project was recognised for their efforts to make their local parents’ association more environmentally sustainable by cutting plastic waste, and promoting sustainability in their local community.
Go Greener with Grangecon had been shortlisted for awards in the categories of Mobiliser and Campaigner.
The Spark Change Awards event was put together to honour communities and voluntary groups throughout Ireland that are working to further any of the 17 Sustainable Developmental Goals set out by the UN. 11 groups were shortlisted out of a potential 64 with six awards representing six different categories presented on the night. The Spark Change project was developed by The Wheel and Trinity College Dublin with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Go Greener with Grangecon began with the Parents Association of Grangecon NS deciding to reduce the amount of waste they produce at the events they run in order to keep up with the efforts the school was making for its Green Flag status. Grangecon NS is working towards their seventh flag.
After joining the Spark Change Challenge in October 2018, the project grew to encompass the community of Grangecon.
‘The aim of Go Greener with Grangecon is to engage community members in lowering the village’s ecological footprint, while also hoping to encourage and inspire other communities around us to do similar. We believe there is strength in starting small as it has allowed us to evolve with the community around us - we can shape our initiatives based on the interest and feedback given to us by people in our community and we hope that they, in return, feel invested in our campaign,’ a member of the group said.
Anyone interested in finding out more about their work can check ‘Go Greener with Grangecon’ on social media.