The Weekend Garden Outdoors Podcast

As always you can rss the podcasts via iTunes or direct via audioboo or you can subscribe to the blog and listen to them right here. Missed last weeks garden podcast ?

On The Blog This Week:

• Scotts Weedol – they own shamrock [irish] moss peat
• I need a something…? wonder of I’ll ever find it
• Greenpeace are a acted like a bunch of thugs – in this case.
• Ladies View Killarney – so beautiful.
• The DotConf - deep dives and eCourgettes ?

Interesting snippets:

• Ireland abstained from the vote on human right to water – via Orlaith and Hugh Green
• Health warning over duck eggs – just cook them properly and you’ll be grand
• The ecological business card – got this via curly dena. It is one of the most logic eco ideas I’ve ever seen
• Watch the penguins in Dublin Zoo - wherever you are – sponsored by McVities [??! ] via alan farrell - that bit’s not Alans fault.
• 100 new bikes for the dublin bike scheme – via nick mcgivney
• New York Botanical Gardens to go 100% pesticide free – watch this space.

And finally:

DG ENV informed the Group about the EU Ecolabel scheme, which has been in place since 1992. The scheme has to be reviewed and the Commission has proposed appropriate amendments to the Regulation – and the Ecolabel scheme would now cover food and drink products as well. This will not be implemented now, but only after a study has been made by the end of 2011. The study will involve consumers and assess whether the Ecolabel will be compatible with the EU organic logo.

CIAA, IFOAM and COPA-COGECA expressed their concerns – including the major risk that consumers would be confused and misled and they called for some kind of communication strategy.

ECVC pointed out that the Ecolabel scheme has been used more traditionally and this calls for cautiousness and that the creation of a new scheme would not benefit anyone. In FairTrade’s view it would be essential not to devaluate the organic EU-logo. CIAA suggested that not only consumers become involved in the study but that the Commission

used other alternatives such as round table meetings. They also presented the argument that the study should not be rushed through with the sole purpose of carrying out new initiatives. EOCC addressed the certified system; separated or single out for the revised scheme.

DG ENV stated that the criteria will be improved and strengthened every 3-5 years and that the Commission was aware of the dilemma between fair trade end eco. The Chair concluded that the Group needs to be informed, so that the concerns can be addressed.

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