Staff from Carrickfergus NIR & Ulsterbus, Jordanstown NIR and Downpatrick Ulsterbus facilities are celebrating, following their achievement of "Gold Level" awards in the TIDY Translink Awards programme.

The TIDY Translink awards have been developed through the partnership between Translink and TIDY Northern Ireland and are designed to encourage staff to take pride in their facilities and their immediate environment.

Greg McKernan, Inspector, Downpatrick Ulsterbus is delighted to be the only Ulsterbus facility to achieve a Gold award and says, "The thanks are to the staff, especially Paul Savage for all his hard work in keeping Downpatrick Depot in top shape. These awards show the staff, customers and local community, Translink's commitment to a cleaner environment".

In 2007, 31 Translink facilities received Bronze and Silver level awards, with 3 additional facilities excelling to achieve Gold!

Melanie Gibson, Environment Officer, TIDY Northern Ireland said, "the Gold awards are a great achievement and give recognition to the staff at the facilities for all their hard work and commitment to enhancing their workplace, the environment around them and the community in which they serve."

Frank Moore, Line Manager with Northern Ireland Railways, was also quick to recognise the value of the award scheme. "The TIDY Translink awards are a positive step towards changing attitudes and behaviour both with staff and the public, with regards to the environment and littering throughout Translink facilities and the surrounding areas," he said.

The 2008 assessments are due to get under way shortly with staff and managers working to maintain and improve on their performances in 2007.

Local volunteers removed a step ladder and a pair of trousers from the beach at Brown's Bay, Islandmagee as they took part in a litter pick organised by Larne Borough Council and TIDY Northern Ireland.

During the summer months Brown's Bay attracts visitors from all over the province, but the image of the beach is being tarnished by litter accumulating in an area that was once renowned for its natural beauty.

Brown's Bay is striving to become a recipient of TIDY Northern Ireland's new 'Green Coast' award sponsored by Coca Cola Bottlers (Ulster) Ltd. The accolade is presented to rural beaches that are taking positive steps towards improving the coastline of Northern Ireland, and the community around Islandmagee has come together to help their beach become an award winner.

In addition to the more bizarre items found on the beach, the group also removed glass, plastic bags and numerous bin liners full of carelessly discarded waste.

Jennifer Smyth, coastal officer with TIDY Northern Ireland said "It is great to see local people taking pride in their area, and actively coming out and doing something to improve the image of what should be a beautiful beach. Litter on our beaches is becoming an increasing concern, and whether the unwanted items are left by visitors or washed up from the sea, the image of a litter strewn beach is one that instantly detracts from the appeal of enjoying what should be a great natural environment for both local families and tourists alike. It's great to see local people getting involved and making a real effort to clean up their beach."

The Clean Coast Programme aims to enhance the value of our coastline by reducing the impact of litter and other environmental damage, restoring the aesthetic appeal and increasing the amenity and economic value to the community and visitors.

Fermanagh and Strabane are celebrating their first Eco-Schools Green Flags following presentations to both Kesh and St Columbas Primary Schools.

Kesh Primary School first got involved in the Eco-Schools programme in September 2006 and since then the school has focused on one priority area each year. For their Bronze award the pupils decided to focus on energy saving; for their Silver award they looked at litter issues, while for the Green Flag the school looked at all different kinds of recycling.

Naomi Morrison, Eco-Schools Coordinator at Kesh PS, says that the children have been very proactive making posters, using the recycling bins as well as recycling everything from ink cartridges to cardboard to milk cartons to mobile phones. The pupils have even recycled some old clothes and sheets and old jewellery.

"It's great to get the award," said Naomi. "It's an excellent scheme and something the kids take a real interest in,"

Eco-Schools Assessors who visited St Columba's praised the school for making the best use of the grounds, stating that pupil participation across the whole schools was excellent.

Mrs Maguire, Principal said, 'We are thrilled to receive this award, which recognises all the hard work that everybody connected with the school has put in, especially the pupils who were the driving force behind the Eco-Schools Programme. The ultimate objective is much more important than winning the award however. It is to make good citizens of our pupils so that they will go through life with an awareness of the environment and a strong desire to take care of it.'

Eco-Schools is an international programme promoting environmental awareness in schools. It works by involving the whole school - pupils, teachers, non-teaching staff and governors - together with members of the local community - parents, the local council, the media and local businesses. The prestigious Green Flag is awarded to schools who meet the top level criteria for each of the seven elements of the Eco-Schools process.

For more information about the Eco-Schools programme, visit www.eco-schools.org.uk

Despite the province achieving seven Blue Flag Beaches for 2008 for the second consecutive year, litter levels on our beaches have increased by a massive 124% according to a survey conducted by the Marine Conservation Society's Beach Watch.

Marine litter around Northern Ireland is a major problem which is often overlooked until it accumulates on our beaches. The litter found on our beaches is potentially damaging and even life threatening to the creatures which live on our beaches and below the waterline, not to mention people who can be injured when the litter is sharp. It is about time action was taken.

Plastic is the main contributor to the vast amount of litter washed up on our beaches every year - a total of 50% of litter found in our ocean is plastic. Plastic bags have been noted as one of the most dangerous forms of litter due to their likeness to jellyfish when floating in the water column which look particularly tasty to animals like sea turtles. Fishing lines and nets can also become deadly if they are lost from a vessel, leaving a 'ghost net' to travel the seas entangling and drowning cetaceans and birds which can sometimes be found washed up on our shores. It is estimated that 1 million seabirds and over 100 000 sea turtles and mammals die each year as a result of this litter.

Items of litter also include wood, paper and cardboard, rubber, metals, sanitary items, cloth and glass. These types of litter can come from a variety of sources including: shipping, fly tipping, recreational and leisure usage and the fishing industry. All these objects can cause injuries to both animals and humans.

Although it is difficult to control the vast amount of litter which is emptied in to our seas every year we can make a difference by leaving nothing on the beach when we leave to go home and even organise a beach clean to get everyone involved, which can be done through the TIDY Northern Ireland Clean Coast Programme.

Our beaches are one of our best recreational areas and where some of our most beautiful and interesting wildlife live. Beach litter is not only an eyesore but a huge global problem and action urgently needs to be taken to arrest the growing marine threat.

Seven beaches in Northern Ireland have been bestowed the prestigious Blue Flag award for 2008 for having litter-free sands and clean bathing waters - the same number as last year.

Downhill Beach beside Castlerock returns to the list of winners having missed out in 2007, and receives the internationally acclaimed recognition along with Tyrella and Cranfield Bay in Co Down, Portrush West Strand, Portrush Whiterocks, Benone Strand and Portstewart.

Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive of TIDY Northern Ireland the charity who runs the Blue Flag programme in the province, said: "It is great that we can offer beach goers the opportunity to avail of a coastline maintained to such a high standard and these awards are testament to the efforts of everyone who looks after these areas. The beach operators have put in a lot of hard work to provide top class facilities, and I would now appeal to the public to do their bit. We should all take pride in our beaches and everyone can help by disposing of their rubbish in the proper manner, so we can all continue to enjoy the summer sunshine amid clean and pleasant surroundings."

Northern Ireland's seven beaches are among 85 throughout Ireland to receive the prestigious accolade. The award winning beaches were presented their Blue Flags at a cross border presentation ceremony sponsored by Northern Ireland Tourist Board and supported by Coca Cola. The event was jointly attended by John Gormley TD, Minister of the Environment and Heritage and Local Government, and Roy Ramsay, Director of Environmental Protection with the Environment and Heritage Service.

"I am delighted to have the opportunity to present the 2008 Blue Flag Awards to the Northern Ireland beach operators," said Dr Ramsay. "It is a wonderful sign of the times that we are participating in this all island event highlighting the importance of cross border co-operation. I would like to thank the Tourist Boards for their sponsorship of the event, as well as the Councils, National Trust and other independent beach operators who are to be applauded for recognising the importance of these awards for tourism across the island. I would like to encourage other local authorities and beach operators to apply for these internationally recognised awards which celebrate both our beautiful coastline and its management for all to enjoy."

The Blue Flag Awards scheme is an International initiative designed to highlight the world's best beaches, and the seven Northern Ireland Blue Flag winners are among over 2,500 beaches awarded the accolade from 31 countries in the Northern hemisphere, all of which display the same high standards.

A Blue Flag beach must satisfy 29 different criteria including litter-free sands, bathing water that meets guideline standard, safe access to the beach for everyone, good, well maintained facilities and life saving equipment.

Northern Ireland Blue Flag Beaches 2008

Re-entry: Downhill

Out from last year: Portrush Curran

Staff at Bangor NIR station joined forces with North Down Borough Council this week to take park in the Councils annual Spring Clean week.

They rolled up their sleeves to collect litter and spruce up the area outside Bangor bus and rail centre.

"First impressions count and in order to provide a better travelling experience for all our passengers we work hard to maintain a high standard of cleanliness throughout Bangor bus and rail centre" says David Johnston, railway inspector for Translink in Bangor.

"As part of our contribution to spring clean week we will take additional steps to clean up the car park and surrounding area. With many hands on deck we hope to be able to make a big difference to the site. We want to encourage the local community to take pride in their local station and local area"

The litter pick at Bangor bus and rail centre is only one of a number of activities taking place throughout the borough. Spring Clean week is a North Down Borough Council initiative working with TIDY Northern Ireland and Bangor and Hollywood Town Centre Management

Explorer Ben Fogle was at Ballyholme this week to launch TIDY Northern Ireland's Green Coast Award which is supported by Coca-Cola Bottlers (Ulster Ltd).

This brand new award is a symbol of environmental excellence, aimed at rural beaches in Northern Ireland that may not have the facilities associated with resort beaches. The Green Coast Award aims to acknowledge, promote and protect the natural, unspoilt environment of these beaches. The award is a unique opportunity for well managed beaches which have the highest standards of water quality but which have not yet had a chance to be recognised with an award due to the rural nature of the beach.

Speaking about his enthusiasm for the Green Coast Award, Ben Fogle said "Northern Ireland is world famous for its dramatic and beautiful coastlines but in order to keep it that way, local communities must take responsibility for their beaches, keep them clean and uphold their natural beauty. The Green Coast Award provides a great incentive for people to be pro-active in doing this."

Pollution is detrimental not only to marine life on beaches and coastlines but it also reduces visual pleasure for visitors. Commenting on the extent of the problem, Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive of TIDY Northern Ireland, said: "Litter is causing a huge problem on rural beaches and shorelines in Northern Ireland. It is unattractive to tourists but worse than that, it's polluting our waters and shorelines and even interrupting the aquatic ecosystem. Through the Green Coast Award we will be appealing to local communities to be more aware of their behaviour and the affect it is having on their beaches."

You can get involved in the Green Coast Award by setting up a Clean Coast Programme Group in your area.

For more information ring 0845 86 206 86 or email: jennifer.smyth@tidynorthernireland.org

TIDY NI has just awarded its 21^st Permanent Eco-Schools Green Flag in Northern Ireland - and it goes to a Playgroup!

The Country Playgroup in Ballymena was recently visited by Eco-Schools assessors who were very impressed with the eco-activities carried out there by the pre-schoolers at this small rural setting.

The assessors commented, "The school performs very well in all aspects of the Eco-Schools programme - in particular litter, waste, recycling, transport and school grounds. 25% of all parents car share - which is impressive. The children are remarkably knowledgeable about and show a keen interest in recycling, nature etc."

The Country Playgroup has been involved with the Eco-Schools programme for eight years and since then has been awarded three other Green Flags. The prestigious Permanent Green Flag has only been awarded to 20 other schools in NI.

And it has just been confirmed that first nursery school anywhere in the world to be awarded a Green Flag is in Northern Ireland. Downpatrick Nursery was the first nursery school to reach Green Flag status in June 1994.

Eco-Schools is an international programme working in 42 countries promoting environmental awareness in schools. It works by involving the whole school - pupils, teachers, non-teaching staff and governors - together with members of the local community - parents, the local council, the media and local businesses. The prestigious Green Flag is awarded to schools who meet the top level criteria for each of the seven elements of the Eco-Schools process. The Permanent Green Flag is given to schools who are actively involved in continuously improving their environmental performance.

For more information and to register your school with Eco-Schools, visit www.eco-schools.org.uk

TIDY Northern Ireland welcomes Dr Ian Humphreys as their new Chief Executive Officer.

After 14 years with Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland, the new CEO replaces Ian Cole, who is taking early retirement after six successful years in the post. During Ian Cole's time TIDY Northern Ireland has gone from strength to strength, and he hands over an organisation that is well equipped to tackle the environmental and litter problems that face the province.

Married with three children and living in South Belfast, Ian Humphreys' strong environmental credentials include a background in agricultural zoology with degrees from The University of Leeds and The Queen's University of Belfast, research experience in biochemistry and forestry, and hobbies such as bird surveying and helping to manage Lighthouse Island ASSI.

Whilst with CVNI Ian was responsible for developing, managing and fundraising for a range of successful initiatives all encouraging people to take practical action to improve their local environment. These included the schools-based 'Growth in Grounds', the 'Millennium Tree Campaign' (in which 80,000 people helped to plant 1.5 million trees across Northern Ireland), 'Environments for All' working with disadvantaged and ethnic minority communities and the well known 'Green Gym' health project.

He is now eagerly looking forward to bringing this experience to bear on the new challenges awaiting him at TIDY Northern Ireland, including getting Northern Ireland Tidy!

TIDY Northern Ireland and Translink are calling on local communities to tackle environmental issues and take pride in their neighbourhood.

Both organisations are committed to improving the local environment and are keen to work with local schools and communities to develop educational awareness and projects that benefit the local community, addressing issues like anti-social behaviour as well as helping to improve the appearance of facilities for the benefit of the communities in which Translink facilities reside.

TIDY Northern Ireland is in the 3^rd year of a working partnership with Translink, helping them to address Local Environmental Quality issues that face Northern Irelands public transport providers. The aim of the partnership is to improve the local environmental quality of Translink facilities and infrastructure, and through this promote awareness of environmental problems and change behaviour accordingly, enhancing Translink facilities and involving local communities in environmental projects in and around Translink facilities.

The types of projects that TIDY NI and Translink are developing include litter picks, legal graffiti, biodiversity planting and habitats and adopt-a-station. The partnership is also keen to run programmes relating to the environmental campaigns developed by TIDY NI in a bid to raise awareness amongst young people about environmental quality issues. It is hoped that these efforts will change behaviour about anti-social behaviour effecting Translink facilities such as graffiti and illegal dumping.

Please contact Melanie Gibson, TIDY NI Environment Officer on 0845 86 206 86, via email at melanie.gibson@tidynorthernireland.org if you would like to be involved in a project.

Many of the councils within Northern Ireland regard the cleanliness of our environment as a low priority and some have never issued a fine to discourage litter on our streets, despite more than 50% of the public believing Northern Ireland is not a clean country*.

Those are the findings of a TIDY Northern Ireland litter fine survey which also reveals that a third of councils have never taken enforcement action through the courts, and more than half of the councils have not mounted an anti litter campaign in the past twelve months.

The survey, commissioned by the Environment and Heritage Service, received responses from 24 of the 26 councils within the province, and the findings revealed huge variations from council to council in the way they deal with litter offences. The most proactive council have issued almost 3,000 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) over the past four years, while one council has failed to issue a single FPN since the introduction of the Litter Order 2004 which entitles council officers to fine offenders £50.

Similarly, the inactivity of some councils when it comes to court prosecutions is in stark contrast to their neighbouring boroughs. Eight of the 24 councils have not begun any court prosecutions under the Litter Act, and of those that have more than a third have failed on at least one occasion to receive the backing of the courts.

"There appears to be a huge variation among councils on their stance towards people who litter, and it is causing confusion among the public," said Chief Executive of TIDY Northern Ireland Ian Cole. "In some areas you are likely to get hit with a £50 fine for dropping litter, while doing exactly the same thing in a different council borough doesn't even get you a slap on the wrist from the authorities. If people realise they are not going to get fined for littering then there is no deterrent to prevent them from polluting our streets. If we are to clean up Northern Ireland and make it a more pleasant place to live or visit then councils need to adopt a standardised approach to the problem and make it clear to offenders that their actions will not be tolerated."

* Findings of TIDY Northern Ireland's 2007 Attitudinal Survey, which examined responses from almost 1,700 respondents across the province.

A new TIDY Northern Ireland programme is set to land on our shores for the first time this year. The Clean Coast Programme will boost efforts to clean up our coastline and will offer recognition for good management practice on our more rural beaches.

This month saw the launch of the Clean Coast Programme partnership in Carlingford with An Taisce (the Irish National Trust who have been running the programme successfully for a number of years) and Coca-Cola Ulster Bottlers Ltd. who are acting as the associate sponsor of the new Northern Ireland programme

The new programme has been running in Wales and the Republic of Ireland for some years and has proved very popular with communities and coastal authorities. The programme consists of an award scheme, 'The Green Coast Award' and 'The Programme'. The Green Coast Award will recognise rural beaches which are well managed and have active guardianship and 'The Programme' will directly involve local communities in clean ups and many other environmental activities.

TIDY Northern Ireland Chief Executive Ian Cole, commented on the increasing litter problem on our beaches, "Local beaches and coastlines play an important part in the lives of our coastal communities but litter is causing a huge problem. It is polluting our island's waters and shorelines and even interrupting the aquatic ecosystem. Through this campaign we will be appealing to local communities to be more aware of their behaviour and the affect it is having on their beaches. When taking part in pastimes such as walking, fishing or water-sports we would urge people not to litter and if they see litter to pick it up and put it where it's meant to go - in the bin - not in our water and on our beaches."

The new programme is a chance to clean up our coastline improving conditions for the wildlife and also for tourism. Most importantly it is an opportunity to get local people involved in actively caring for their coastal environment and to have fun!

If you would like to find out more about the Clean Coast Programme please contact: jennifer.smyth@tidynorthernireland.org or phone 0845 86 206 86.

The Clean Coast Programme is sponsored by Coca-Cola Ulster Bottlers Ltd

The cleanliness of our streets has improved for the third year in succession, but a rising tide of sweet wrappers and cigarette butts is threatening to reverse the trend.

Those are part of the findings of an extensive TIDY Northern Ireland survey that has shown that 92% of streets met government cleanliness guidelines during 2007. While this is an improvement on the 13% failure rate of the previous year, both cigarette litter and confectionery related litter has been on the increase during the same period.

"It is pleasing to see confirmation that Northern Ireland is getting cleaner, but it is a constant battle to keep litter off our streets and we are now seeing some worrying trends that need to be addressed immediately," said TIDY Northern Ireland spokesman Nigel Frazer. "Sadly it is no surprise to see an increase in cigarette litter following the introduction of the public smoking ban, but the dramatic rise in confectionery litter is an unexpected and worrying development. This form of litter is now outnumbering old chewing gum deposits for the first time, and if we are to continue reporting improvements in cleanliness levels then people need to change their attitudes immediately. It requires very little effort to hold onto rubbish until you are near a suitable place to dispose of it, but people's careless attitude to the problem means councils are forced to spend huge chunks of the rate payer's money on cleaning up the mess we leave in our wake."

Over the past year surveyors have scrutinised almost 1,000 public sites in the province's largest annual litter survey, searching for litter and dirt on the pavements and recording the types and sources of litter across a variety of different land use types. The Borough Cleanliness Survey revealed that cigarette litter is present on almost half of our streets, with confectionery litter found on 38% of areas surveyed. While dog fouling is regarded as one of the worst forms of litter it was found to be one of the least frequent offenders, being found on only one in twenty areas.

Nigel Frazer continued, "It is pleasing to note that in a recently published report by Keep Britain Tidy in England they have shown an increase in litter on their streets whereas here in Northern Ireland we are showing a decrease - something to be pleased about!"

For the second year in a row Peripheral Retail Developments outside town and city centres returned the poorest results, while there also proved to be a significant difference between the cleanliness levels in low density and high density residential areas. Areas of low density housing received an impressive 98% pass rate, while in contrast more than one in ten areas of higher density housing failed to meet the required standards.

Sample of the Borough Cleanliness Survey findings:

Litter Pollution Index - 11% failure rate

Detritus Pollution Index - 5% failure rate

Cleanliness Pollution Index - 8% failure rate

Land Use Types - failure rates:

Top 3: Low Density Housing 2%; Town & City Centres 5%; Rural 6%.

Bottom 3: Peripheral Retail 21%; High Density Housing 11%; Recreational 11%.

Most Common Litter Types - Percentage of areas polluted:

Cigarette Litter - 48%; Confectionery - 38%; Old Chewing Gum - 34%

The condition of the province's beaches is set for a boost following the release of a new marine bill which will encourage better use of our marine resources, improve marine biodiversity and reduce the amount of litter on our coastline.

The UK's coastal and marine environments are some of the most beautiful in the world, especially here in Northern Ireland. We are lucky enough to live within a few hours of Strangford Lough, the Antrim Coastline, the Causeway Coast and many beautiful beaches. These places, which are often taken for granted, contain a delicate and diverse range of biology which is constantly under threat and in need of greater protective measures.

The Draft of the Marine Bill is an encouraging step towards securing improved preservation of these areas. The bill, which was released earlier this month, includes plans to improve marine spatial planning ensuring more sustainable, efficient use and protection of our marine resources along with changes in marine licensing, fisheries management and marine enforcement. Additionally, proposals have been put forward for better coastal and estuarine management including schemes to reduce marine litter which ultimately ends up on our beaches. One of the most important proposals brought forward by the draft will be the introduction of new tools for marine nature conservation which will attempt to halt the deterioration of the UK's marine biodiversity.

The Marine Bill is a step towards coordinating UK marine law enabling new planning and conservation powers to better protect this incredibly important resource which is often forgotten. These changes which will affect the food we eat, the energy we use and the way see our coastline in the future and is an urgently needed piece of legislation which many will be relieved to see implemented.

The media recently has focused on the problem of plastic in the mid Pacific Ocean on Midway Island where it is causing major problems to the local wildlife inhabitants and many people here in Northern Ireland may be saying "what is that to do with us" - well the answer is everything.

In Northern Ireland an estimated 1 billion bags a year are in use at any one time. It costs supermarkets around half a penny to produce one typical plastic bag, with retailers spending up to £80 million per year on providing plastic bags to their customers. Did you also know that plastic bags account for up to 1% of visible litter, 2% of total litter on beaches, 0.3% of the domestic waste stream and between 3.5 - 5.3% of total plastic packaging used.

Some people are making an effort, with 80% of consumers currently re-using their plastic bags at least once for a variety of purposes, such as bin-liners, nappy sacks or lunch bags, but we need to do more. It is also estimated that if a bag is 'thrown away' it takes up to 1000 years for it to degrade, and as can be seen from the pictures shown in Midway and in Cornwall this causes many problems not just to wildlife but to us humans as the plastic is digested into shell fish and molests and they get into the food change bringing diseases to humans.

A number of major retailers are no longer giving out free plastic bags to their customers, notably M&S and IKEA, but we all need to make the effort if the problem is not going to increase. Also a number of supermarkets including, ASDA, TESCO and Sainsbury's have boxes in their stores to re-cycle the plastic bags once they are old and unusable anymore.

The bags are unsightly when they 'float around' but more importantly they have the potential to be harmful to humans.

So the plea from TIDY Northern Ireland is 'if you need to use a bag then use it carefully and many many times, or ideally use a Bag for Life'.

Following an Easter holiday period in which Northern Ireland consumers have spent £8 million on chocolate eggs, TIDY Northern Ireland has called on everyone to dispose of their Easter egg packaging in a proper manner.

Every year huge amounts of waste are discarded when Easter Egg packaging is cast aside, and with confectionery litter one of the fastest growing forms of litter on the streets of Northern Ireland, TIDY Northern Ireland spokesman Nigel Frazer is hoping children and adults alike will dispose of the packaging responsibly.

"We are having increasing problems with the amount of litter related to sweets and confectionery, and at Easter it is especially important that people are aware of the consequences of littering," he said. "With millions of Easter Eggs being eaten every year, a small fraction of that additional potential litter can make a huge difference to the litter levels on our streets. We would like people to be extra vigilant at this time of year, and ensure they dispose of the packaging in the correct manner."

Despite calls for manufacturers to reduce the amount of packaging, the 2008 season appears to have brought little or no reduction in the amount of plastic, card and foil being used. Many chocolate eggs account for only 10% of the volume of their wrapping.

Throughout the United Kingdom 80 million Easter Eggs will have been purchased over the past few days, generating 3,000 tonnes of waste.

Eco-Schools in NI has signed up to be a Northern Ireland Delivery Partner in the BBC Breathing Places Schools initiative.

The BBC is famous for its wildlife broadcasting and over the next two years, they want to get 10,000 schools closer to nature by providing help with making school grounds into special places for wildlife with the BBC Breathing Places Schools campaign.

Eco-Schools in Northern Ireland is working with Breathing Places Schools to make sure that it does the most it can to help schools with their eco work. If your school hasn't already done so, the Breathing Places campaign will provide you with a great opportunity to get started on the Eco-Schools Biodiversity topic. Participation can also be linked to the School Grounds and Healthy Living topics.

BBC Breathing Places Schools will:

• Bring together a partnership of the organisations that can help you
• Provide 'one-stop' help on the BBC website
• Encourage pupils to become involved - watch and listen out for Breathing Places on BBC TV and Radio
• Provide new ideas and new initiatives every term for two years.

How do we get involved?

Go to the BBC Breathing Places website and register as a Breathing Places School. This will give you access to the full website, the campaign documents and a free activity pack to get you started.

You can register at any time, even if you miss the first "Do One Thing" activity.

What happens next?

You will be offered six "Do One Thing" or ('DOTs!) activities over the next two years. The first two are Sowing Seeds (available now), and Minibeasts (for summer 2008). The other DOTs will go online each term until the end of 2009. Future DOT ideas include:

Winter 2008 - Feeding wildlife
Spring 2009 - Homes for wildlife
Summer 2009 - Wet places
Winter 2009 - Trees

Kids are more concerned about the environment than their elders, and are telling their parents to change their attitudes when it comes to halting environmental decline.

New research shows 95% of children aged between 4 and 15 were 'concerned' by global warming, and three quarters of the respondents believed they were more fluent on the subject than their parents.

TIDY Northern Ireland runs the Eco-Schools programme in the province, and with almost 400 schools signed up for the scheme, its growing popularity is evidence of the emphasis school children are placing on the world in which we live.

The eco-conscious youngsters, dubbed 'Greenagers', now want to put more pressure on older generations to take a lead in environmental decision-making.

Some 70% of those polled believed climate change is something that will affect them in their lifetime. Another 85% thought people should be more concerned about the issue and 96% believed it is important to encourage other people to be more environmentally friendly. The survey further showed that more than half (59%) of children were aware of the concept of a 'carbon footprint' and were keen to alter their home life in order to reduce it.

Better recycling, switching off lights in empty rooms, avoiding car travel and reducing the use of household appliances all polled highly.

Despite the awareness of home environmental initiatives, the respondents felt that they learned more about the environment from school teachers rather than their parents.

The Eco-Schools objectives are:

• To raise awareness of the importance of monitoring energy consumption
• To make pupils aware of the link between energy use and financial cost
• To establish partnerships with energy providers, helping to put in place effective energy-saving measures
• To show how simple low or no cost measures to conserve energy can be effective
• To consider using alternative sources of energy

The most important step schools can take is to conduct an energy audit, setting targets for reducing unnecessary energy use and regularly monitoring consumption.

To find out more about Eco-Schools, visit www.eco-schools.org

Recent applications for an Eco-Schools grant were of a 'very high standard' according to the judging panel, which assessed almost 50 applications from across the UK, including some from Northern Ireland.

The panel met to discuss the 48 submissions applying for the second round of funding for the Curry's 'Switched On Communities' grant scheme.

"The standard of entries was very high this time round" said Joan Peden, TIDY Northern Ireland's Eco-Schools Admin Officer. "There were some very innovative and creative ways put forward by schools to identify technology solutions to environmental issues."

The grants must be used to pursue positive change and development within the school for new or existing projects which contribute to the Eco-Schools themes of Energy or Water.

Grants obtained through this programme can also be used to obtain:

• Energy saving white goods (i.e. those displaying the Energy Saving Logo) such as fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers and energy efficient light bulbs.

• Energy saving equipment such as energy efficient lamps, new heating controls, thermostatic radiator valves, insulation and draught stripping, "switch it off" stickers and posters.

There is still £4,000 left in the grant for Eco-Schools in Northern Ireland in Round Three of the scheme. The deadline for this round is 1 April 2008.

Would you like a job where you can lead the way to a brighter, cleaner, tidier tomorrow?

A vacancy has arisen for the Chief Executive post with TIDY Northern Ireland. Further details are included in the attached files.

Despite icy mornings and snow falls still fresh in the memory, the meeting of the 2008 Blue Flag jury means summer must be getting closer. The England and Northern Ireland Blue Flag jury convened recently to judge the 8 beaches from Northern Ireland and 90 from mainland Britain set to go forward for the International Blue Flag for Beaches award.

The panel met earlier this month to discuss the 98 entries for this years' award, each of whom are hoping to receive the international jury's final approval. The Jury was made up of representatives from RNLI, RoSPA, The Environment Agency, South West Water, Lifesavers and our own CEO Ian Cole, along with representatives from Encams, the FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education) full member. This will be the last time that TIDY Northern Ireland attends this jury as it becomes a member of FEE in its own right from June of this year and therefore will be convening its own jury this time next year.

The 98 beaches covered the whole of England apart from the North West along with the eight beaches put forward for this prestigious award from Northern Ireland, including a new entry from Murlough Bay in County Down. The full list will be published once the International Jury has made its recommendations. The jury were very strict, but all eight of our local beaches of will be put forward to the International panel as long as they meet the additional requirements put forward by the England and Northern Ireland Jury.

"The meeting was held in Birmingham at RoSPA's offices near the University and I have to admit that it did feel strange to be discussing beach awards in the most central city in England" said Ian Cole CEO of TIDY Northern Ireland. "Northern Ireland beaches were very well received and we are hopeful that the International Jury will accept our eight nominations."

The panel's final judgement will be made available in April, with the awarding of the Blue Flags for 2008 being made at a special ceremony on the 5^th June.

Throughout Northern Ireland celebrations are taking place to mark the start of the Chinese New Year, but thanks to the continuing problem of people dropping food on our streets, we could be entering the 'Year of the Rat' in more ways than one.

The rat population has boomed to over 60 million in the UK due to the huge amounts of litter being discarded on our streets, meaning there are now almost as many rats as people.

According to the British Pest Control Association, dropped takeaway food and fruit peelings are making super-rats bigger and more energetic with a longer life span. They have adapted to feeding off rubbish, getting more energy from that than their original food source, wheat.

A recent TIDY Northern Ireland survey revealed that items of food such as apple cores, which are providing nutrition for the rodents, are regarded as almost an acceptable form of litter. It is an attitude that the province's anti-litter charity would like to see change.

"It seems that many people think it is OK to drop food because they believe it is biodegradable, but it is exactly this attitude that is helping the rat population expand at an alarming rate," said Nigel Frazer from TIDY Northern Ireland. "In reality, given the right circumstances, it can take up to two years for food items such as banana skins and orange peel to degrade, giving the rat population ample opportunity to thrive on the discarded scraps."

People born under the 'Year of the Rat' are said to be haters of waste and idleness, but ironically it is because of idleness that people drop food on the ground. "It really doesn't require a great deal of effort to walk to a bin or hold onto the item until you can dispose of it responsibly," Nigel Frazer continued. "If people made the effort to do that, we would see a huge improvement in the littering problem and also a reduction in the amount of rat related complaints received by our local councils."

An Eco-School is saving money and helping the environment by recycling cooking oil.

Children aged 11 to 16 from the Science and Engineering Club at Swavesey Village College are running a scheme to produce bio-fuel for use in their minibus.

The machine producing the environmentally friendly fuel costs around £1,000, and the main ingredient in bio-diesel is vegetable oil. Swavesey Village College is using waste oil from the school canteen, but since healthier meals at lunchtime were introduced there is not enough - so it is getting an extra supply from the local pub instead.

The school's assistant principal, Steve Howard, said: "It allows the pupils to see there's technology available which will help the environment and which will allow them to be sustainable in what they're doing."

For the pupils at Swaveley the whole process is being brought into the curriculum. Maths and science lessons will be used to analyse the effects of using the bio-diesel, including the amount of carbon emissions and money that is saved.

The Eco-Schools programme, which had transport as one of its nine topics, suggests ways in which pupils, staff and local government can work together to raise awareness of transport issues and come up with practical solutions that will make a difference to pupils' everyday lives.

St Malachy's Primary School student Katie O'Hare has won first prize in the Illegal Dumping Campaign Schools Poster Competition, run by Translink in partnership with TIDY Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council.

Two runners up posters were also chosen which were created by Aimee Stewart of Donegall Road P.S., and Emma McGuigan of St Malachys P.S.

The campaign was developed in response to the on-going issue of illegal dumping on Translink's property, and in particular along the rail infrastructure. This amongst other issues, are being tackled through a partnership approach between Translink and TIDY Northern Ireland. The partnership addresses the nature, scale and source of problems affecting Translink, such as litter, fly posting, graffiti, fly tipping and vandalism.

Every year Translink spends thousands of pounds clearing away items such as furniture, electrical goods, and general rubbish from the rail track sides. Dealing with this issue causes delays to services and disruption to passengers. More importantly it can have massive safety implications due to trespass on to the tracks, risks to employees, and the potential for collisions between trains and the dumped items.

As part of this campaign Translink, TIDY Northern Ireland and Belfast City Council developed the poster competition with the aim of encouraging young citizens to think and learn about the impact this activity may have on safety and wildlife within our communities.

To help convey these messages, Belfast City Council's Community Awareness Team and the Translink and TIDY Northern Ireland National Officer visited the schools to deliver a presentation. This covered the topics of littering, illegal dumping and how they impact on our community, and transport by rail. The participating schools also received a free curriculum linked anti-litter education pack and an anti-litter computer game from the Community Awareness Team, for continuing education on these topics.

All of the entries are currently on display at Belfast Central Station, and the winning entry has been reproduced as a station poster for use in Translink's on-going illegal dumping campaign.

Many of the province's schools are set to be rewarded for their environmental efforts following the news that Eco-Schools and Currys have joined forces to award grants of up to £4,000 for schools who embrace projects on ecological issues.

The windfall, which will be presented in the form of a cash donation towards the costs of the proposed project or energy efficient goods from the electrical retailer, will reward both primary and secondary schools for projects which educate on the importance of dealing efficiently with energy or water.

Eligible schools must have already achieved a Bronze or Silver Eco-Schools award, making 162 schools throughout Northern Ireland eligible for the grants.

In Northern Ireland Eco-Schools is run by TIDY Northern Ireland, and their Chief Executive Ian Cole urged schools to take advantage of this opportunity.

"Eco-Schools has become a hugely popular programme across the province, and this grant has provided another opportunity for schools and their pupils to do something positive for the environment," he said. "The fact that we have 370 schools registered on the programme shows that the environment is an issue which is of huge interest and importance to our future generations, and hopefully the lessons they learn through the Eco-Schools programme will stay with them throughout their lives."

Schools wishing to apply for the grant can find further details here or cick on the links below. The deadline for this round of applications is 1^st February 2008.

TIDY Northern Ireland have backed calls for a chewing gum tax to clean up our streets, after the proposal was recently debated in the House of Commons.

Labour MP Graham Allen urged radical new solutions to be implemented in a bid to eradicate a problem that has become commonplace on the pavements and streets of the province.

Along with cigarette butts, chewing gum has topped the litter charts in Northern Ireland for many years. Recent TIDY Northern Ireland surveys show there is no indication of a reduction in the figures, with the gum continuing to stick to shoes, wheelchairs and prams in huge numbers.

'We need radical new solutions - like biodegradable gum - to tackle the problem," said Mr Allen, the Nottingham based Member of Parliament. "If the industry does not face up to the consequences of its product then it - as the polluter - should pay."

TIDY Northern Ireland Chief Executive Ian Cole agrees with the sentiments of the MP. "We in Northern Ireland suffer exactly the same problems as the rest of the UK, and there needs to be some dramatic changes," he said. "Chewing gum is unlike most other forms of litter in that it is very costly and time consuming to remove. Many councils are currently spending huge amounts of rate payer's money on the removal of gum, but it is time for the manufacturers to take responsibility for the problems their product causes. The public must also be more aware of the problems associated with careless disposal of chewing gum, and we would ask them to do their bit to combat the problem by finding a bin rather than dropping it on the street."

'I must put my litter in a bin.' That is the New Year's resolution TIDY Northern Ireland is encouraging everyone to make as 2008 gets underway.

A survey conducted by the anti-litter organisation in 2007 revealed that less then half of the province's population believed we lived in a clean country, and if 2008 is bring a change in Northern Ireland's image, then it is its residents who will have to change their ways.

"Pedestrians and motorists are the main source of the litter on our streets, so it is clear that people need to change their attitude to littering if we are to improve the situation," said TIDY Northern Ireland CEO Ian Cole. "For those people who contribute to the unsightly mess in the province, I would encourage them to turn over a new leaf in 2008 and put that litter into a bin, or if there is no bin nearby hold onto it until they can dispose of it in the correct manner."

Last year cigarette litter soared to a new high following the introduction of the public smoking ban, and confectionery related litter also rose, joining chewing gum as the most prevalent forms of litter on our streets.

Businesses must provide more butt bins and ashtrays outside public premises to combat the alarming rise in cigarette litter.

That is the message coming from anti-litter charity TIDY Northern Ireland after the findings of a recent survey showed the amount of smoking related litter on our streets has continued to rise dramatically in the months following the introduction of the public smoking ban.

A survey conducted in the month following the April 30^th ban showed smoking related litter outside pubs, restaurants and public buildings had risen by 17%, but six months later that figure has almost doubled to 33%.

A recent TIDY Northern Ireland poll also revealed that almost one in three people lay the blame for the increase not on the smokers responsible for dropping the cigarette litter, but on the businesses who fail to provide adequate facilities for their disposal.

"Cigarette butts are one of the most harmful forms of litter, and if we don't take steps to reduce the amounts on our town and city streets then it will continue to rise - in fact, in many areas it is already at unacceptable levels," said TIDY Northern Ireland CEO Ian Cole. "There are too many premises with insufficient butt bins or ashtrays outside, leaving smokers with little option but to discard their butts on the street. While the smoker obviously has a responsibility not to litter, he has to get some help in the form of bins or ashtrays if we are to witness an improvement in the cigarette related litter levels. At the moment the problem is getter worse, not better."

Northern Ireland's town and city centres are the worst affected areas with 79% tarnished by littered cigarette butts, but worryingly two thirds of children's play parks and recreational areas are also affected.

A recent attitudinal survey conducted within the province revealed the public classed cigarette litter as one of three worst forms of litter on our street, with each butt containing 4,000 harmful chemicals and taking up to two years to degrade.

Globally, cigarettes are the most littered item in the world, with 4.5 trillion butts discarded worldwide every year.

Translink and TIDY Northern Ireland have joined forces to tackle the on-going problem of illegal dumping across the province.

Dealing with this form of crime costs Translink on average £250,000 per year, but illegal dumping doesn't just cost Translink, it also endangers rail users if dumped items become dislodged and fall onto the rail tracks. Hazardous items can also have a massive impact on the local environment and wildlife. The negative effect on communities could have a significant affect on house prices or investment in an area.

As the information leaflet and poster for this campaign illustrate there are much easier options for disposing of unwanted waste. Local Councils will remove bulky waste from rate payers homes. Each council's telephone number has been listed on the information leaflet. Alternatively many charitable organisations across NI will collect and accept unwanted sellable items such as furniture and white goods. The contact details of which can also be found in the leaflet.

Edel Fingleton National Officer for TIDY NI said that there has been an excellent response from all the local councils across Northern Ireland as they are just as keen to see this problem addressed.

"We are working closely with the councils on this campaign to make sure the message is delivered effectively, especially in hotspot areas for illegal dumping which are Antrim, Belfast, Craigavon, Carrickfergus, and Lisburn," she revealed. "Supporting letters and a leaflet have been sent to homeowners in each of these areas to highlight the issue further and to provide further information on disposal options in each of the council areas".

Translink urges anyone who may have witnessed an incidence of illegal dumping to use the contact telephone numbers in the leaflet to report it to their local authority, and help to keep our communities cleaner, safer and greener.

TIDY Northern Ireland has urged supermarkets to make a bigger effort to reduce the amount of packaging, following reports that the Government is in danger of missing recycling targets because as much as 40% of packaging cannot be recycled.

A recent survey carried out by the Local Government Association showed markets and local retailers were the best of the retail outlets with a recyclable packaging rate of 79%. The best supermarket was Asda with a rate of 70%, while Marks & Spencers and Lidl came bottom of the list with only 60% of packaging suitable for recycling.

A recent TIDY Northern Ireland cleanliness survey also revealed that packaging waste was the fourth most common form of litter on the province's streets behind cigarette litter, chewing gum and confectionery litter. The survey results show plastic packaging was present on one third of the province's roads and streets, while metal packaging was found on 15% of areas surveyed.

The Chief Executive of TIDY Northern Ireland has called for the supermarkets to take the lead in combating the problem. "The large supermarkets have to focus their energy on reducing the amount of packaging on their shelves," said Ian Cole. "Far too much packaging is going straight to our already over-used landfill sites because it cannot be recycled, while a considerable amount is also finding its way onto the streets and adding to the litter problem. If the big chain stores were more responsible about the vast quantities they are producing, it would have great benefits for both the recycling and litter problems."

One of Northern Ireland's most prevalent forms of litter could soon be a thing of the past, following the development of a non-stick paving treatment. Discarded chewing gum comes out as one of the most common forms of litter in every TIDY Northern Ireland survey, and local councils spend tens of thousands of pounds of rate payers money every year trying to combat the problem, but technology could finally provide a solution.

"It would be a huge step forward for councils if they could remove chewing gum from the streets in the same manner as other litter," said TIDY Northern Ireland CEO Ian Cole. "Every single town or city street in Northern Ireland is afflicted by the problem, and this new treatment process could be a real breakthrough. The main problem with gum is that once it lands on the pavement it sticks and doesn't budge, but this product removes that element making it easier and cheaper to clean."

The treatment works by forming a semi-permeable membrane as it sinks into the paving stones, preventing any gum, grease or stains from sticking to the surface. Instead of discolouring the pavements, staining and airborne carbon is washed away during rainfall, effectively providing a self-cleaning surface.

The system has already been trialled in England by Westminster Council, and TIDY Northern Ireland would encourage councils in Northern Ireland to be aware of the product and adopt similar initiatives.

Click here to view how the process works

Cairnshill Primary School became the 20^th school in the province to receive the highest Eco-Schools accolade when they were presented with their Permanent Green Flag from Environment Minister Arlene Foster.

The Minister praised the school's Eco-Committee on taking a practical and action-oriented commitment to a better environment, adding:

"Helping to make that link between what students learn in their daily lessons and the environment, goes a long way in cultivating that life-long pro-environment attitude - where care and concern for the environment comes from the heart.

"Today's young people have a huge responsibility for the environment, as we all do. There is no doubt that there is an unprecedented level of awareness of environmental issues, and this can only be good. I commend the hard work and foresight of all who have worked hard to win this prestigious award at Cairnshill and the other award winning schools in Northern Ireland."

The assessment panel were also impressed with the standards shown by the Belfast Primary School, which met the top-level criteria for each of the seven elements of the Eco-Schools process.

"Even though vandalism is an issue, the school are making the most of and managing their environment effectively," said the assessors. "They are a well established Eco-School and their success is due to excellent continual monitoring and improvement of activities and resources in the school as well as inclusion of all staff and

children."

Cairnshill Primary's success helps confirm Northern Ireland's position as the most successful Eco-Schools region in the United Kingdom, and Ian Cole, Chief Executive of TIDY Northern Ireland who run the Eco-Schools programme in Northern Ireland, has been delighted with the interest shown in the programme.

"Having twenty schools in the province reaching Permanent Green Flag status is quite an achievement," he said. "It is very encouraging that Northern Ireland has the highest ratio of Permanent Green Flags per school registered in the UK. It shows that our school children are really taking an active interest in the environment."

The Eco-Schools program provides a simple framework to enable schools to analyse its operations and become more sustainable, reducing the environmental impact of the whole school on the community. Over a quarter of the province's schools are enrolled in the Eco-Schools programme, with almost half of those already receiving awards in recognition of their environmental efforts.

TIDY Northern Ireland is delighted to announce that we have joined forces with three new Delivery Partners for our Eco-Schools programme.

Ballydevitt Farm, Northern Ireland Water and the Speedwell Trust will join our existing delivery partners in rolling out the programme to schools across the province.

Ballydevitt Farm in Aghadowey near Coleraine is a dairy and beef farm with a nature trail. The farm and nature trail provide an excellent educational resource for children and adults. The 'Living Classroom', based on the Northern Ireland curriculum, incorporates nature trails, local heritage, conservation adventures and an environmental trail. There are toy tractors and tearaways for the under 5's; Walk, Talk and Ted for the Active Agers; Mini/Maxi Beasts for 9-10 years and the nearby picturesque Agivey River is the perfect canvas for artist groups.

Thomharbison@hotmail.com

028 7086 8378 mob.078411013898

Northern Ireland Water is the sole provider of water and sewage services in Northern Ireland, with over 780,000 domestic, agricultural, commercial and business customers. Their educational resources include a work pack to help teachers, particularly of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils introduce the theme of water across the curriculum.

The Water Bus also visits schools. This exhibition aims to make children aware of a range of water issues such as the water cycle, water for health, water sources, water and wastewater treatment and water efficiency.

www.niwater.com

education@niwater.com

028 90 244711

Speedwell Trust is a voluntary project based in Parkanaur Forest near Dungannon.

The project was created in 1991 as a cross-community venture to bring Catholic and Protestant primary school children together through curriculum based programmes.

At Speedwell children work in mixed groups, participating in both environmental and community relations programmes. It encourages children and adults to value and respect each other and the world we share.

Eco-Schools in Northern Ireland works closely with a number of education and environmental organisations to help deliver the programme. All five Education and Library Boards are involved, as are the majority of the 26 local councils

ww.speedwell-trust.com

info@speedwell-trust.com

028 8776 7392

If your school has already gained its Eco-Schools Bronze or Silver Award, you could be eligible for a grant towards gaining Green Flag status.

Thanks to the continuing support of Currys, schools in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales now have the opportunity to apply for funding as part of the 'Switched on Communities' programme, giving them the opportunity to apply for funding to help them progress towards Green Flag status.

Please note that schools which have already achieved Green Flag Status will not be eligible to apply for funding during the 2007/08 academic year.

What can we get if our application is successful?

Applications from schools which meet the above criteria will be considered for grants of up to £4,000. The grants must be used to pursue positive change and development within the school for new or existing projects which contribute to the Eco-Schools themes of Energy or Water. Priority will be given to projects that clearly demonstrate an energy-efficiency element or identify technological solutions to environmental improvements.

Grants obtained through this programme can also be used to obtain:

• Energy saving white goods (ie those displaying the Energy Saving Logo) such as fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers and energy efficient light bulbs.

• Energy saving equipment such as energy efficient lamps, new heating controls, thermostatic radiator valves, insulation and draught stripping, "switch it off" stickers and posters.


What do we have to do to apply?

To take advantage of this exciting opportunity, your school needs to have:

• Achieved a Bronze or Silver Award with the Eco-Schools programme
• Completed your Environmental Review
• Identified a project relating to the Eco-Schools themes of Energy or Water
• Completed an Action Plan which includes the project for which funds are being requested
• Chosen Energy Saving white goods (if requested) from the Currys website.
• Submitted a Grant Application Form

We strongly recommend that schools read the accompanying Guidance Notes before completing their Application Form.

Applications will be reviewed by our panel at three meetings during the 07/08 school year. In order to be considered for a grant award, schools must ensure that their applications reach the Eco-Schools Team by the following closing dates:

Round One: 1st November
Round Two: 1st February
Round Three: 1st April

Tourism on the North Down coast is set for a boost following news that they could soon be reaping the benefits of an increase in the number of Blue Flag beaches.

A Blue Flag award is widely recognised as an important factor in the tourist potential of any beach, but the water quality off Northern Ireland's coastline has often failed to meet the required standards in some areas. The completion of the new wastewater treatment works at Donaghadee and three new pumping stations at Donaghadee, Millisle and Briggs Rock are set to improve the waters from Bangor to Millisle by putting an end to the discharge of untreated wastewater directly into the sea.

TIDY Northern Ireland runs the Blue Flag programme in the province, and its Chief Executive Ian Cole was looking forward to the prospect of Northern Ireland adding to their current eight flag holders. "A lot of our beaches are superbly well maintained with excellent facilities, but they have been prevented from getting Blue Flag status because of the quality of the water," said the CEO. "The beaches in North Down and Ards now have a real opportunity to earn themselves a Blue Flag by providing clean bathing waters for all beach goers, and as a result increase their tourism revenue."

In addition to bathing water that meets guideline standards, a Blue Flag beach must satisfy another 28 different criteria including litter-free sands, safe access to the beach for everyone, good, well-maintained facilities and life saving equipment. "Although the water quality is set to get cleaner there are still no guarantees that these beaches will achieve Blue Flag status," said Ian Cole. "That's why it is vital the public continue to take their rubbish home instead of dropping it on the beach, and look after the facilities that are provided for them."

Councillor Angus Carson, Chair of Ards Borough Council's Development Committee, said: "The Council looks forward to the benefits anticipated from the improved waste water treatment processes located in North Down/Ards. For the past four years issues such as the absence of Blue Flag status and overall water quality have meant that we have had to work ever harder at promoting the region as a tourism destination. We hope that the modern water treatment process will bring direct water quality improvements and indirect benefits to the wider economy in terms of tourism promotion and development".

Serving a population equivalent of 110,000 in the North Down and Ards area, the wastewater treatment plant at Donaghadee is capable of treating 900 litres of crude sewage every second, and is set to rival some of the most advanced wastewater treatment works in Europe. The works is part of Northern Ireland Water's £122 million Project Omega being delivered by Glen Water (a joint venture between Thames Water and Laing O'Rourke) which has brought together a number of international companies to deliver the scheme and ensure compliance with the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment and Bathing Waters Directives. Project Omega includes the upgrading of a number of existing wastewater treatment facilities at Ballyrickard, Ballynacor, Bullays Hill, Seagoe, Armagh and Richhill.

TIDY Northern Ireland wishes to appoint a Part Time (18.75hr week)

Coastal Officer

(Salary £19,570 pro rata).

TIDY Northern Ireland seeks to appoint a skilled and enthusiastic person to assist in the deliver and development of new and existing management programmes and awards for the coastline of Northern Ireland.

The post will be home working with access to a Belfast office

Details and application forms for the post are available below.

Closing date for applications - midday Friday 21^st September

Interviews on Monday 8^th October

TIDY Northern Ireland is reflecting on a successful year of growth and development following the publication of their 2006/2007 Annual Report.

"It has been a busy year for TIDY Northern Ireland and I am delighted to report that it has also been a successful year, with many of our programmes and campaigns achieving results beyond even our expectations," said Chief Executive Ian Cole.

"We ran campaigns during the year focusing on a range of littering issues, and the Borough Cleanliness Survey, undertaken in conjunction with local authorities, continues to monitor the litter situation across Northern Ireland. The Eco-Schools programme has had a marvellous response from schools right across the province, and the 'TIDY Business' programme is another that has developed well over the past 12 months, while our partnership with Translink continues to be a success."

Chairman Leslie Murray is also delighted with the impact made by the anti-litter charity. "The past year has been a successful twelve months of growth and development for TIDY Northern Ireland, and I am confident that the work being carried out by the organisation will continue to have a positive impact on the province's litter problems," he said.

"This Annual Report makes encouraging reading and many of our campaigns have made a real difference to the environmental quality of Northern Ireland. There is however still much to be done. Based on our growing strength we are now planning to 'Step up a Notch' and dev