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ECOTOURS – August, September 2010

Book: 01239 820971

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ECOTOUR - VILLAGE August 14th

Calling in on homes with: passive solar, ground source heat pump, solar thermal, wind, pv, wood ranges and pellet stove, community veg garden. Includes new eco-village under construction.

Cilgwyn / Glandwr. Cost £10

ECOTOUR - RAMBLE August 25th 

A 4 mile country walk visiting diverse homes: Passivhaus, low impact, off-grid community, church conversion. Energy from wind, water, sun, the earth and wood. Features super wood range, electric bikes, reed-beds, everlasting washing machine.

Newport / Cilgwyn. Cost £10

ECOTOUR - GRAND Sept 8th 

3 storey strawbale grand design winner, water mill, theatre, community café, police station and eco builders merchant. Includes rain-water harvesting, air-source heat pump, mechanical water-power, living roof, veg powered minibus. 

St. Dogmaels / Cardigan area. Cost £10

www.pembrokeshire.econews.org.uk 

 Newport mums lead climate action group
A group of young mums in Newport have started a climate action group.

Their first action was a theatrical street protest against the dumping of tons of hot water into the Haven by power company RWE Npower. The gas-fired power station in Pembroke will throw away the waste heat from its anticipated output of two thousand Megawatts of electricity.

Although the plant will be more efficient than the worst, '60% efficient' according to its manager, it will be much worse than combined heat and power plant built on the continent, and also in England which are 90% efficient because the waste heat is used for homes etc.

The group believe we should phase out the burning of fossil fuels and replace them with renewable energy. In the meanwhile a large company using our depleting gas so wastefully is shocking.

The protest included mermaids swooning under the waste heat from a real shower, while old ladies shivered nearby from cold and lack of money for the electricity meter.

The group then held an outdoor meeting with Jill Evans Plaid MEP who offered to fund the group to go to Brussels to talk to the powerful Euro commission about Europe's proposals at the world summit later this year. A young mother of a 2 and 4 year-old said 'We only have 6 years to halt runaway climate-change according to 98% of the world's scientists. The meeting in Copenhagen to decide on world action is probably our last and best chance. We cannot change the world by our personal actions alone, we must have action by governments too'

The next meeting was with Stephen Crabbe MP, attended by a large crowd of young parents and others, while their children were entertained overhead by Newport town councilor and mum, Soo Hutchinson.

Stephen agreed to the group's request to ask a question in the house of Parliament for us, and to seek a meeting for us with Ed Milliband who is the minister responsible for UK energy and climate policy, and for the UK bargaining position at the world summit. Stephen was also asked to take the Pledge, which Plaid MEP Jill Evans had taken, to make climate change his top priority whenever he voted. He said 'Give me time to think about it'.

The group, which is open to all, not just mothers, is now preparing a letter to the Welsh Assembly to provide infrastructure to use the heat from the power plant. The manager of the power company and Stephen Crabbe have both offered to consider the letter and add their signatures to it.

The group has agreed to be consultees and supporters of any climate relevant campaign sent by Jill Evans. The group has extensive friends and contacts who could add their weight to a campaign. One mother said 'Believe me, this group is just the tip of the iceberg, I organised the screening of the Age of Stupid in Wales and there are literally hundreds of people wanting to take actions like ours.'

'The Age of Stupid' is being shown by the group on Weds. 20th May at Llys Meddyg hotel, Newport. 7.30, all welcome.

NEW GROUP FORMED - The Newport and District Allotment Society

Over 16 households are looking for land to grow their vegetables and fruit in the Newport area. This need has not met with much luck for many years.

This year a few people have found gardens to share, and some are travelling to land offered by farmers and land-owners several miles out of town.. This is better than nothing, but people express disappointment and frustration with the lack of progress in a rural area.

The recession has lent a sense of urgency to the desire to Grow Our Own, plus the pleasure of having land to work, the deliciousness and healthiness of the fresh food, and the fun of working alongside others to share knowledge, seeds, equipment, surplus, jokes.

Anyone land owner considering horticulture or allotments or community supported agriculture should be assured there are standard legal agreements leaving them no risk of tenancy or safety problems. Most solicitors are not up-to-date on these agreements. The National Society of Allotments and Leisure Gardens has standard agreements and the Newport Society is a member.

Contact: Rhainon (treasurer) 01239 820120) or Vicky (chair) 01239 820971 or Gary (secretary) 0773 9412400

Contact: Vicky 01239 820971 

Ride the Dragon to The Theatre

Green Dragon minibus takes Newport people to the film club and other performances at Theatre Mwldan on demand. The driver is Daniel Blackburn, contacts below, and the service is door to door, with bus passes and concessions accepted.

This scheme is organised by Preseli Rural Transport Association (PRTA). It reduces car travel, CO2, the stress of night driving and gives anyone wanting a drink the chance to indulge.

Daniel : 01239 698237