Tipperary Green Business Network launch Poster Competition for Primary Schools

Tipperary Green Business Network launched a Poster Competition for Primary Schools in Tipperary on Friday 28th. March in the Thurles Chamber Enterprise Centre. The competition, which has been funded by North and South Tipperary County Councils, under LA21 Local Agenda Grant 2013, aims to get children thinking about green business.

The theme of the poster is ‘How could you make a business green?’ and all Primary Schools in Tipperary are eligible to enter. The launch was attended by a number of businesses from Tipperary Green Businesses Network, representatives from North and South Tipperary Co. Councils (Deirdre Cox & Mary Carroll) and children from nearby Scoil Ailbhe who were accompanied by a teacher from the school, Siobhan Power as well as the manager of the Thurles Chamber Enterprise Centre, John Kennedy. In welcoming the assembled guests, the Chairman of TGBN, Patrick Lambe, said that it was never too early to get children thinking about green business, noting that ‘these children were the entrepreneurs of the future’.

Deirdre Cox, Environment Awareness Officer with North Tipperary Co. Council said that the competition was a great opportunity for teachers to engage their students in thinking about questions relating to green business and agreed that it was never too early to get children involved in thinking about how businesses could go green. She added that in her experience, ‘it’s the children who teach the adults – children are very informed on green issues’.

A short presentation was then given by two of the businesses from the Network who are sponsoring additional prizes for the overall winning school in Tipperary. Brian Moloney of Biofinch Ltd, Thurles told the group about his vessel composting system, which turns food waste into garden compost in 6 weeks. Biofinch Ltd are sponsoring a prize of one of their composters valued at €600 to the overall winning school in Tipperary in addition to the other prizes of book tokens for the winning school and pupil.

Sean O’ Farrell of Cloncannon Biofarm in Moneygall spoke of the importance of biodiversity and what Cloncannon Biofarm does in furthering education on this. Sean is sponsoring a trip to his farm for 20 students for the overall winning school. There are lots of valuable prizes of book tokens and membership of Birdwatch Ireland for the winning schools and pupil in North and South Tipperary and for the overall winning school in Tipperary. All the winning posters will be framed and returned to the schools. Schools have been notified of the competition and full details are also on the Tipperary Green Business Network Website http://tgbn.ie/ or from the Coordinator, Kate Walsh who can be contacted on tipperarygbn@gmail.com