Gluaiseacht carries out work in the following areas:
- Shell To Sea:
Direct ongoing involvement in the “The Shell to Sea Campaign & Rossport Solidarity Camp” – supporting the community of Rossport and Erris, Co Mayo in their fight against the Shell, Statoil & Marathon consortium who aim to exploit our natural resources, with no benefit for the people of Ireland, at great risk to human lives of local people and the environment. - Green Guides
Finalizing “City & Town Green Guides” for Ennis, Waterford, Drogheda, Portlaoise & Naas. The purpose of the guides is to provide a reference for citizens of, and visitors to these towns on environmental issues, nature resources, community services, and green businesses in the area. The guides include a ‘Green Map’ of the Towns which includes the locations of recycle points, art galleries, second-hand shops, bicycle shops, organic suppliers, museums, and more. - Policy
Submission to consultation on Government Dept. of Communications, Marine and Natural resources, Green Paper on Energy. Gluaiseacht made a comprehensive fifteen-page submission in October 2006 addressing most of the questions asked in the Green Paper and highlighting omissions and positive aspects of the Green paper. This document can be downloaded from here - Anti War
Important Anti-War Activity has taken place over the past year, with members taking part at The 24 hour Peace Camp at Shannon Airport January 6th 07, Little Women’s Day (Nollaig na mBan), to commemorate the anniversary of the peace camp and a wreath laying ceremony on the anniversary of the war in Iraq. Gluaiseacht members hosted several international Anti-War activists in the Midwest region. This includes former UN Assistant Sectary General Hans Von Sponeck, Cindy Sheehan from the “Bring the Troops Home” campaign in the US and, Ruhal Ahmed, one of the ‘Tipton Three’ who spent over two years in Guantanamo Bay prison. Gluaiseacht has also been involved in marketing the “Black Shamrock” as an iconic symbol for the anti-war movement in Ireland. - Conservation of Natural Heritage in Limerick
Gluaiseacht member Mark O’Connor and resident of Highfield became active with local residents in campaigning to protect rare urban trees (2 monterey cypress and 1 giant redwood) in their locality, details of which can be found at www.indymedia.ie/article/80186.
Other Projects:
- Support for Protest Actions: Gluaiseacht wishes to maintain as a core activity, logistical, infrastructural and organisational support for environmentally focused protest camps and actions around the island. We are committed to the promotion of such actions as a method of achieving community empowerment and genuine campaign victories. To this end we will review on an annual basis what actions we can be involved with and what resources we can devote to each.
- EYFA: European Youth For Action. We would hope to continue to have at least one representative on the board of EYFA and if possible a member of staff in the office on an ongoing basis. We have found the contacts we made through the EYFA network to be invaluable to our own learning and empowerment.
- Bitchin Kitchin: Promoting Vegetarianism and Veganism as a method of highlighting the overall environmental impact of meat production in the Western World is an area of interest to Gluaiseacht as is the promotion of the general impact in energy terms of mainstream food consumption patterns in the developed world. As such Gluaiseacht will continue too support the Bitchin Kitchin in its development as a sub project of the organisation.
- Legal Support: Gluaiseacht hosts and will continue to host on its website knowledge pertaining to the Irish legal system for those involved in Non Violent Direct Actions in Ireland.
- Intervarsity Networking: Gluaiseacht’s original base is in third level Environmental and One World Societies in colleges around the country. As such is it only logical to continue to promote intervarsity networking on environmental and social issues through the Gluaiseacht email list and Gluaiseacht organised events.