Irish Environmentalism

The Irish are environmentally friendly in many ways. All over the country we noticed ads about conserving water. So much so I thought it was a problem on the island, but apparently the ads are just part of an environmental movement. Their environmentally friendly attitude was apparent in many small ways that probably make a big difference. The restrooms were a good example of this environmental awareness. When you went to wash your hands you had to either hold down the button or press the button and try to wash your hands before the flow stopped. Never was there an opportunity to turn on the water and leave it on. Only in one restroom during my whole trip did I find a paper towel dispenser. And when I noticed it, a guy was rubbing his hands under it perplexed at why no hot air was blowing down on his hands. But conservation was not limited to the restroom. Whenever you went into a store and bought something you would never get a bag. You could pay for one, but it really wasn’t that big of an inconvenience not having one. At some stores you didn’t even get a receipt. In these stores there was always a little sign explaining why. Despite all these small inconveniences, I never felt bothered and I’m sure for everyone to go without a bag here and a little extra time to dry your hands there, it adds up to make a big difference.