PeopleinIrelandhaveusedpeatforfuelforcenturies.Familiesusedsimpletoolstocutbrick-shapedblocks.Theylaidthebricksouttodryinthesummersun.Then,peoplecartedthepeathome.Theyburnedthebricksduring winter.

Inthelasthundredyears,largermachinesreplacedsimpletools.Irelandbeganburningmillionsoftonsofpeateachyearinpowerplantstogenerate electricity.

Today,nearlyeightpercentofIrishelectricityisgeneratedbyburningpeat.Andmorethan70,000homesstillburnpeatfor heating.

Burningpeatreleasesthousandsofyearsofstoredcarbonintotheair.Thiscanwarmourplanet.Thenbogsbecomecarbonsources,andnotcarbon sinks.

Peatisafossilfuel,butnotanefficientone.Itisworsethancoalornaturalgasintermsofitscarbon emissions.

In2019,theIrishgovernmentmadeaclimateactionplan.Itcalledforreducingcarbonemissions.However,itishardtoaskpeopletochangetheirwayof life.

Peoplewhousepeattoheattheirhomeslovethetradition.Burningsomethingelsejustwouldn’tfeelthesame,saysMaryLeybourneofCloghan, Ireland.

Peatisalsocheap.Somepeoplemightstruggletopayforothertypesoffuel,likeoil.Changemaybedifficult.ButIrelandwantstoreduceitspeatlandcarbonemissions.So,theywillneedtochangethewaytheyusetheir bogs.

InIreland,bothturfcuttersandconservationistsfeelstronglyconnectedtothewetlands.

Turf-cutterswanttousepeat.Conservationistswanttopreserve it.

InCloughjordan,Ireland,peatuserAlbertAustinhascutScohaboyBogfordecades.Hehadmanyfondmemoriesofusinghispeat.Whenhewasaskedtostop,itwasabigchangefor him.

Intheend,hedecidedtosellhissectionofthebogtoagovernmentconservationprogram.Inthatway,itcouldbepreserved.Heisproudthathiscommunitywillhaveabogthatthenextgenerationcanenjoy, too.

ScohaboyBoghasnowtransitionedfromasiteofpeatharvestingandforestrytoarecoveringwetland!TheseconversationscontinuealloverIreland,aspeopleworktoprotecttheirwetlands,bogby bog.