Germany - Freiburg - Green City

Long famous for its cathedral, university, and cuckoo clocks, Freiburg is now also famous as a “Green City.” It excels in the areas of transportation, energy, waste management, and land conservation, and has created a green economy that perpetuates even more environmental progress. Read on

Reference:   The EcoTipping Points Project

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017

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Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh

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Frohes neues Jahr Aufrechtzuerhalten

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Dutch research body advises rerouting the Rhine

Has Ireland anything to learn from the contents of the following article, following on the recent spate of flooding at the end of 2015? Unfortunately the flooding has not as yet subsided.

Dutch research body advises rerouting the Rhine:

The Dutch Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) said that the Netherlands, which has a quarter of its land below the sea level, does not have to worry a lot about flooding at the coast, because the current coastal system can deal with a sea level increase of 1-1.5 meter in the coming century.

But the rise in the level of the North Sea will make it increasingly difficult for the Rhine and other rivers to dispose of their water, which is bound to grow due to a greater amount of glacial-melt-water coming down from the Alps.

As the Rhine passes through some of the most densely-populated and economically important regions of the Netherlands, including Rotterdam, flooding could cause great problems, the agency said. More Information ...

Thanks to the :The website of China Corporation English edition 2007-04-06 for this article.

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Update to above post:

Excerpt from: Shannon Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study Technical Assessment: River Shannon Level Operation Review 

(which should be studied carefully by all those affected or may, 

in the future, anticipate being affected by possible flooding)

Could recent summer floods have been managed differently? 
The summers of 2008 and 2009 were particularly wet. In the absence of any reliable long term forecasting and to avoid potentially exacerbating flooding in the callows downstream of Athlone Weir, ESB exercised its discretion under the 
Regulations and Guidelines for the control of the River Shannon, taking account of water levels, flows, recent rainfall, Met Eireann weather forecasts and ESB’s forecasting model, not to open the sluices at Athlone Weir. 

Information on Terry Murrihy

Travel around Europe from:

30th May until 8 July 2011

Time:                                                                                              Monday, May 30 at 11:30am - July 8 at 2:30pm
Location	England, Ireland and through to as far as  Germang and down to Greece.
Created By	Terry Murrihy
More Info	If you want to meet up with me whilst i'm in Europe let me know I arrive at London Heathrow Airport on the 30 May 2011 and depart Heathrow to return home on 8th July 2011 I’m establishing a list of attractions to visit during my trip, so if you want to recommend any places I should visit, please send them to me. I’m still working on my itinerary throughout Europe, but I do plan to travel as far as Germany & Greece. I have been corresponding with some of you for up to thirty years, so if you want to catch up whilst I’m over there, please let me know. If anyone can put me up for a night or two whilst travelling through it would be greatly appreciated. Regards Terry Murrihy Geelong Vic Australia Email terry_murrihy@yahoo.com ******************************************************************* Published on behalf on Terry Murrihy on the occasion of his visit to Ireland for: The Irish Murrihys Reunion 2011 ****************************************************************