It could be possible to describe Jason Patterson's unusual methods of protecting the environment as eccentric, but it is the forward thinking attitudes by which he abides that will reverse the wasteful trend in society that is destroying the planet.

As educational environmental officer for Omagh District Council, the main aspect of his job entails visiting schools, businesses and general public householders explaining the benefits of recycling and how they can incorporate this into their daily way of life.

Practising what he preaches Jason has embodied his profession into his personal life, but in truth it is probably the other way round, as these beliefs have been an intrinsic element of his lifestyle from a very young age, with his love for animals and the world he lives in.

This is illustrated at present as he investigates all conceivable avenues of how to build as environmentally friendly a house in the countryside as feasibly possible, which includes some idiosyncratic ideas.

"I have looked at both building a house using recycled tyres or straw bails which reduce carbon in the air," explained Jason. "The straw house has steel spikes through the bales, covered in lime then plaster - it is a very thick wall and very warm, but there are a few problems such as it being a fire hazard and another with rodents, so it is hard to get insurance never mind a mortgage."

As well as alternative energy sources such as solar panels and wind power Jason is also researching the possibility of a rainwater harvesting system as he states, "every time you flush your toilet about seven litres of perfectly good drinking water is going down the drain".

With a sceptical, negative attitude in society that looks at the larger global picture, seeing political leaders prepared to ignore the problem of climate change, many feel it is pointless putting a milk carton in a blue bin as it isn't really going to make a significant difference.

Jason however rebutted this adverse attitude, "Recycling at a household level does make a difference," he insisted. "If you think that the average householder in Omagh throws away around one and a half tonne of waste every year, which although is a small fraction of the global problem, but if one or two people are willing to make a change, it does make a difference.

"It is a matter of perception and culture, as in continental Europe the culture towards recycling and the environment is completely different. Recycling has become part and parcel of their lifestyle because they introduced these policies 20 years before we did."

That is precisely what Jason hopes to do locally, by making people aware of the difference they can make, and there is no better place to start that process than with children who can then influence their parents.

"I have been approached by several parents who have asked me - "what have you done? You have completely changed our household".

As mentioned, Jason lives by what he preaches, but this goes far beyond simply recycling and energy efficiency, he is also deeply concerned about the welfare of animals, with a mini organic farm in his back garden consisting of 12 chickens, 15 ducks, two drakes, three horses and three pet lambs.

He explains, "I've always been interested in organic farming, which was heightened by all the food scares, making me more aware of what I actually eat.

"I strongly disagree with some intensive farming practices and the ethics of eating battery farmed chicken so I decided to raise my own. Although I've created a better life for these animals, it still creates a problem when it comes the time to eat them, but its a matter of respect for the animals and respect for the food you are actually eating, which is declining in modern society."

Jason, who is also co-owner of Omagh Equestrian and Country Wear, has had a love and admiration for animals, especially horses from a young age, a passion that has taken him all round Ireland to compete in shows.

He says, "I was never an indoor kid, and was always out and about helping people with their horses, so my parents eventually caved in and sent me off to riding school when I was six - it was a good escape for them to get rid of me most Saturdays."

Jason explains the highlight of his show jumping career was qualifying for the prestigious Dublin Horse Show, "I qualified for Dublin with the ponies when I was 16, but going to university in Wales I sold the ponies and when I returned I decided to go off travelling around the world for two years."

Having extensively travelled around South America, New Zealand, Australia and South-east Asia, Jason has a few tales to share about the divergent customs he experienced.

He said, "Travelling makes you think about your food, visiting foreign countries you try and integrate into the local culture as it is part of the travel experience. Part of that includes eating local cuisine, which varied extensively.

"I was living with a family in Bali who fully welcomed me into their household, even taking me to their local religious ceremony. I didn't have the appropriate attire, so they gave me a sarong, white blazer and head scarf (very Beckhamesque). As I was the guest I was given what they considered the best part of the pig, so I ended up eating the trotters as I did not want to refuse their hospitality.

"I couldn't however face the delicacy in Laos which is dog, I didn't want to offend the family so I ate the noodles, and passed the meaty bits over to one of the younger sons who loved it."

In Australia backpackers do anything and everything to earn money so Jason tried his hand at a number of vocations from working in the prison service, bricklaying and the customary tomato picking, but it was a job he got at Christmas that gave his friends and family the most amusement back home.

Jason explains, "I had to dress up in a Santa suit with 40 degree heat outside. It was a surreal experience as there was a seaside grotto with oversized shells instead of trees. But the money I made from that allowed me to do a sky dive on Christmas eve - I wanted to do it in the Santa suit but they wouldn't let me."

Returning from his travels Jason decided to undertake a Masters in Environmental Resource Management at the University College Dublin, which he successfully passed with a first.

He says, "From these studies I realised what everybody can do to protect the environment in their everyday life.

"Predictions are that it is not irreversible, it is human influence on the weather patterns that is the problem, if we start changing the global weather patterns through our activities we have only ourselves to blame, so that is why we should try and push government policy to secure the future for ourselves and our children."