PeopleinIrelandhaveusedpeatforfuelforcenturies.Familiescutbrick-shapedblocks.Theylaidthebricksouttodryinthesummersun.Then,peoplecartedthepeathome.Theyburnedthebrickstokeepwarmduring winter.

Inthelasthundredyears,Irelandbeganburningmillionsoftonsofpeatinpowerplants.Thesepowerplantsbringelectricitytosevenpercentofthecountry.Morethan70,000homesstillburnpeatfor heating.

Thisreleasesstoredcarbonintotheair.Asagas,carbondioxidefurtherwarmsourplanet.Thenbogsbecomecarbonsources. Peatisafossilfuel butnotanefficientone.Itreleasesmorecarbonthancoalornatural gas.

In2019,Irelandmadeaclimateactionplan.Itcalledforreleasinglesscarbongasintotheair.Butit’shardforpeopletochangetheirwayof life.

Peoplewhousepeattoheattheirhomesloveit.Theybelievethatburningsomethingelsejustwouldn’tfeelthesame.Peatisalsocheap.Somepeoplemightstruggletopayforothertypesoffuel.Changemaybedifficult.ButIrelandisdetermined.So,itwillneedtochangethewayitusesits bogs.

InIreland,turf-cutterswanttousepeat.Conservationistswanttopreserve it.

Onepeatuser,AlbertAustin,hadcutthelocalpeatbogfordecades.Hehadmanyfondmemoriesofusingpeat.Whenhewasaskedtostop,itwasabigchangefor him.

Intheend,hedecidedtostopcuttingpeatandsellhissectionofthebogtoaconservationprogram.Inthatway,itcouldbepreserved.Heisproudthathiscommunitywillhaveabogforthenextgenerationto enjoy.