SOME independent weather forecasters who depend on observations of wildlife, nature and even the moon — including New Zealander Ken Ring — have again come to prominence and been credited with predicting the recent fine spell.

MANY people have been to their favourite beach at least once this summer. And, no matter how old they might be, they probably saw little or no change from the time they first went there as children.

WE did not have more fine summers long ago.

EACH person in Ireland uses an average of 200 litres, or almost two full baths of water, per day for drinking, washing clothes and dishes, taking showers, flushing toilets and other purposes.

WILDLIFE tourism is a term we will be hearing more often in the not too distant future, now that eagles have started to breed here again as part of what looks like being a successful reintroduction programme.

IT’S not that long ago since the rare passive house _ a “green’’ building making maximum use of energy efficiencies _ would grab headlines in Ireland and be highlighted in a freaky kind of style as the way of the future.

SOME angler friends tell us they are seeing otters in rivers where they have been very scarce, if observed at all, for many years.

THERE might be gold in your house. Researchers say mobile phones are a source of gold, with the average household having 22gms of the precious metal in old mobiles.

THE untidy and littered state of our road margins and railway lines is often criticised, but there are ways of dealing with the problem through the use of nature.

A NUMBER of readers have been in contact regarding two related and timely issues — the plight of bees and the illegal destruction of hedgerows.