Hello!
If you are reading this, you’ve most likely scanned a unique QR code situated on a sticker, somewhere in the world, but most likely, this code was around a gas or service station.
Your curiosity is admirable, and we would love to harness it by providing a short webpage of information about where the nearby gasoline/petrol and diesel comes from!
WHERE DO WE GET OUR OIL FROM?
Ireland receives all of its oil from foreign countries, 76% of which comes from the United Kingdom, already refined and ready for use.
HOW DO WE GET OUR OIL?
Oil begins as fossil fuels or crude oil underneath the earth. Fossil fuels get their name from what they consist of; mixtures of hydrocarbons from dead animals and plants. This is formed over millions of years through high temperature and pressure in an environment where oxygen is not available.
This crude oil is accessed via wells drilled into the earth and then extracted using methods such as natural pressure and beam pumps. This crude oil is then either refined at a refining plant or kept as crude oil and sent via pipeline, rail truck or ship. Ireland receives the vast majority of this refined oil by ships.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
This is important to know, as recent Irish Fuel Protests have put concerns around oil, energy and how we get it, into the country’s conversation.
With the Global Oil Supply currently being a casualty of the American/Israeli – Iran War, Ireland (among other countries) has been hit with the consequences of our reliance on these fossil fuels.
Despite being named the Emerald Isle, Ireland has an incredibly high greenhouse gas emission rate and low forest coverage. This is because of the agricultural industry such as cattle and livestock farming which produces greenhouse gases (largely methane), which takes up 4.5 million hectares of land of Ireland’s 6.7 million hectares of overall land area.
For these reasons, Ireland will continue to fail to reach its emissions goals up until 2030, so what can we do to ensure we have a stake in our energy?
HOW WE CAN IMPROVE?
Two words…
By continuing to create infrastructure that would allow renewable energy to be a more prominent part of Irish energy supply, we wouldn’t need to rely so much on environment damaging fossil fuels and
Write a letter to your local TD / Teachta Dála
- You can locate your local TD on contactyourtd.ie or by scanning the QR code below
- In your letter, stress the importance of reaching our renewable energy targets and relying less on fossil fuels
- Sending these letters allows you to have an influence and say in legislation and government action, as well as hold your local representatives accountable in local interests being made apparent
Switch to electric powered and sustainable fuel sources.
- Switch energy providers to those who can guarantee renewable energy
- Invest in heat pumps in your home, to reduce fossil fuel use in your home heating
- Install solar panels for all-day energy generation – even on cloudy days
Spread the word!
- By reading this and even scanning this QR code, you already have one of the most necessary tools for change… INITIATIVE!
- By getting this far reading, your curiosity and initiative to scan this QR code has lead you to hopefully become more informed on the alternative energy production Ireland can achieve
- Theoretically, somebody might even print this template out to create makeshift stickers?
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