Sustainability in Cork

Cork is one of the World’s most sustainable destinations, having been ranked in 10th position in Western Europe and in 18th position in the World, on the Global Destination Sustainability Index in 2021. Here are some of the reasons, Cork is such a sustainable city:

Green Spaces

Despite its small footprint, Cork punches above its weight in Ireland for Green spaces. Located just west of the city centre is Fitzgerald Park and The Lee Fields with many walking routes including Cork’s famous Shakey Bridge and scenic walks along the River Lee. In the city centre there is Bishop Lucey Park, located on Grand Parade, it is the perfect place to enjoy a picnic of locally sourced produce from The English Market  just across the road. To the east of the city is the new Marina Park, which when completed will cover over 70 acres in Cork Dockland’s. This Eco-Park once fully completed will connect to the Blackrock – Passage West Greenway. South of the city is Tramore Valley Park hosts BMX track, walking routes, rugby pitches, outdoor gym and the dome viewing point in its 150 acres. Bell’s Field to the north of the city offers panoramic views of Cork city.

Food Sustainability

In Cork, there is a really strong ethos of source to fork when it comes to food. Most restaurants and cafes use the best of local and seasonal produce and why wouldn’t they when Cork has some of the best produce in the world, from fresh fish caught just off the coast of Cork, to the best of dairy and beef products from West Cork, most food on your plate in Cork, will not have travelled very far. To bring some of this great produce home, why not pick up a few items from Cork’s English Market or from Quay Co-Op. It’s not just food that Cork encourages a sustainable approach to, Cork is also the home of many craft beers, whiskeys and gins. When in Cork make sure to try one of Cork’s famous stouts, we recommend Beamish or Murphy’s.

Second hand stores

In today’s world of fast fashion, many items of clothing and other items are thrown away before they have truly completed their time as useful. In Cork, they are actively trying to reverse this, with many charity shops and vintage shops throughout the city. To get your sustainable fashion fix, visit Miss Daisy Blue Vintage. There are many quirky shops in the city including the Mother Jones Flea Market just off MacCurtain Street, which is open every weekend, selling vintage clothing, furniture and bric a brac. For music lovers why not check out some of the amazing vintage record stores throughout the city, we recommend 33RPM on MacCurtain Street.

Transport

Cork city developed around the two branches of the River Lee that flow out into Cork Harbour, with the island in the centre forming the city centre and over time expanding outwards to the north and South banks of the Lee.  This in turn has made the Real Capital a compact city, which is easy to get around, with most place within the city being within a 10 – 15 minute walk from your current location. In recent times the city council has rolled out the TFI Cork Bike Rental share bike Scheme, which is a easy way to get around the city. There are 3 day passes and annual subscriptions available. Buy your subscription here.  Why not take some time to explore the Blackrock – Passage West Greenway? Cork is continuously trying to increase the frequency and efficiency of buses into the city. This year Cork has restructured many routes around the city to open new cycle and bus lanes.

When you stay with us in Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, we can guarantee that we are continuously, working towards becoming more and more sustainable. Our Green Team, is constantly raising awareness, educating, generating, implementing ideas and practices. For our efforts to date we have been awarded Silver by Green Tourism and are accredited by Bureau Veritas. Some of the incentives our Green Team has introduced include:

• Replacing light bulbs throughout the hotel with LED Bulbs. We are currently at 90%.
• We have replaced mini toiletries with refillable bottles in our bathrooms.
• We encourage our guests to separate their rubbish in their bedrooms, which helps us in turn to recycle.
• We encourage guests to reuse their towels while they stay with us.
• We have placed aerators in all our bedroom and bathroom taps to reduce are water consumption.
• Our chefs use the best of local and season produce, always keeping sustainability in mind.

To book your next sustainable break in Cork, click here.