Eco Eye (s5/e11)

Eco Trip Special

In Ireland, we are going on more holidays than ever before; sun holidays, ski holidays, weekend breaks. On average, we take two foreign holidays every year, 90% on a plane. With cheaper flights, we can afford to go further and more often.

But what is the real price to the environment? Air travel is the most carbon intensive means of travel and is expected to double by 2020. Eco Eye investigates the amount of carbon emissions we actually use on our cheap flights and short breaks, and map out the carbon footprint that we are directly responsible for.

Duncan sets out to prove that you don’t always need to take a sun holiday or trip abroad to have a great holiday by taking and ‘eco-trip’ to South Armagh. Duncan explores the Slieve Gullion region to see what it has to offer people looking for an active, but eco-friendly break.

He gets on his bike and makes stops in Newry, Bessbrook, Killeavy, Keady, Mullaghbane, and even gets to see the old volcano at Slieve Gullion. He soaks up the rich heritage and culture of the whole region, and of course takes a special interest in the architecture.

Ireland is developing at a rapid rate, but Duncan proves in this programme that some unspoilt countryside still remains, and there are towns that have been planned and developed in a sustainable way. South Armagh is an example of a great place to spend that long weekend, instead of the hassle of airports and the growing CO2.