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The cigarette smoked by Paul Howard as he drove through Rhondda Cynon Taf proved to be costly to him in more ways than one. He was seen to flick the cigarette butt out of his van window, landing himself a £75 fixed penalty notice for littering. However, when he failed to pay that fine, the matter was taken to court, leading to his financial penalty being increased to £270. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council enforcement officers were on duty when Mr.Howard was seen to throw the butt from his Astra van window on the A4059 near Abercynon. A trace on the number plate revealed the vehicle was registered to his works, which, in turn, provided the name and address of the driver who was in the van that day. This lead to paperwork and the fixed penalty notice being sent to Mr Howard’s home address of...

Food waste recycling is clean, simple and doesn’t cause unwanted smells in the kitchen – that’s the verdict of an environmental champion in Pontypridd. Grandmother Janet Jones from Graigwen is a keen recycler of household waste and news that Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s innovative new food waste collection service was coming to her community really brightened her day. Janet, who is the Vice President of Pontypridd’s Women’s Institute, has made it one of life’s ambitions to encourage more people to recycle their household rubbish and she thinks the food waste recycling service is a major step forward in reducing the quantity of rubbish sent to landfill. In December she will lead a Plastic Bag Free Day in Pontypridd town centre where she will encourage all shop owners to refuse...

As the scariest day of the year approaches, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is pleading for people to ‘think green’ this Hallowe’en. With ready-made costumes available in many stores, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is challenging people to go back to basics and think about creating their own original Hallowe’en outfits using materials they already have. So whether it’s a witch’s cape made from an old skirt or piece of fabric, a ghost outfit from an old bed-sheet or curtain, or even a pumpkin outfit made by customising a big cardboard box, now’s the time to get creative with the unwanted materials lying around your home. Cabinet Member for Frontline Services Cllr Anthony Christopher said: “Recycling is one of our top priorities and although we are now one of the top authorities in...

Businesses who believe they can cook up a healthy treat are being urged to prepare for a prestigious food standard. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has announced its support for the All Wales Healthy Options Award and is inviting local businesseswith a Welsh Food Hygiene Certificate to rise to the challenge. The Healthy Options Award is a scheme that aims to provide tasty food that has been prepared in a healthy way using good food hygiene standards in a healthy environment. Participants can secure a bronze, silver or gold awards and Rhondda Cynon Taf already boasts a selection of accredited venues. Cllr Mike Forey, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: “Healthy Options was officially launched at the Big Bite festival in Ynysangharad Park, where we were lucky to obtain the views of...

The Children’s Food Campaign has written a letter to Burger King’s Head of Marketing, attacking the chain for its promotion of fast food to children using the new Indiana Jones film. The letter criticises the chain for using Indiana Jones posters, packaging and toys to promote its Kids Menu. The promotion comes just months after the high street giant signed a pledge that purported to cease all advertising to children on TV, in print or through the internet. The campaign is calling on Burger King to end its practice of using film tie-ins to promote its brand to kids. Burger King was found to be giving away one of eight Indiana Jones themed toys with every purchase from its kids menu. This is despite the fact that in December 2007, Burger King was one of eleven food companies...

alkers and cyclists of all ages celebrated the completion of a cycle route at the county boundary between Rhondda Cynon Taf and Bridgend. The Cwm Ogwr Fach section of the Celtic Trail between Tonyrefail and Blackmill was officially opened by Bridgend AM Carwyn Jones. The attractive traffic-free route near the entrance to Lakeside Farm Restaurant on the A4093 forms part of a trail stretching across the breadth of Wales. The five-mile section follows the former railway line and parish road, and prevents walkers and cyclists having to drop onto the busy A4093 to continue along the Celtic Trail. The scheme is part of the Celtic Trail Phase 2 Project funded through the Welsh European Funding......

Here’s a useful clip on sustainable living by downshifter writer and evangelist Tracie Smith http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGmEd9jmEPQ...

Plans for a national cycle training standard across Wales were announced this week in a bid to improve safety and the take-up of cycling amongst children and young people. At a Walking and Cycling and Conference in Cardiff, the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, Jane Davidson, said the Welsh Assembly Government would be investing £250,000 to train more than 100 instructors to teach the new standards across Wales. The aim is to increase the number of qualified instructors that can deliver cycle training to a consistent standard that prepares children and adults to cycle on today’s roads.   Ms Davidson said: The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to getting more people to cycle – as a form of transport; as a means of becoming more physically active; and as a...

A food waste recycling scheme is gathering momentum in Rhondda Cynon Taff with even more residents taking part. The weekly Food Waste Collection is a new initiative adopted by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council. The new food waste recycling scheme has already been launched in Brynna near Llanharan, Trealaw in the Rhondda and Llwydcoed in the Cynon Valley. It is now being introduced in parts of Graigwen, Pontypridd and over subsequent months more and more communities in Rhondda Cynon Taf will be introduced to it. Food waste forms 30% of the average Rhondda Cynon Taf refuse bin contents. Residents who already take advantage of the kerbside recycling schemes, will be provided with two food waste containers. One is a small kitchen caddy, about the size of a large ice cream container, with a bag...

Ask Neath-born Clive Nicol to name one difference between the Afan Valley and the 60 acres of forest he has nurtured back to life in Japan and he replies “bears”. Not that you could imagine the seventh dan black belt who has spent his life in search of adventure being the slightest bit wary of the local wildlife. A Japanese citizen since 1995, and a leading light in its green movement long before that, he is back in Wales to promote closer links between the two nations. Full story on BBC News online website......

Despite a clear message from the public that advertising junk food to children is not acceptable, last month the Food Products (Marketing to Children) Bill had its progress through Parliament blocked by opposing MPs. It’s rare for a Private Members Bill to succeed, and despite an overwhelming response from campaign supporters, the Bill was talked out by MPs who oppose regulations on advertising, and ran out of time on 25th April. MP Philip Davis, who worked for Asda before entering Parliament, was still speaking when the session came to an end. Nigel Griffiths, the MP who introduced the Bill, said “I’m absolutely furious a former supermarket executive from Asda, who doesn’t believe in advertising controls, has done this.” The lobbying from campaign supporters...

From the BBC : “Scores of people trying to keep 100-year-old allotments say they have been offered a deal to stay for six months if they then leave voluntarily. Members of Haigside Allotment Society in Treherbert, Rhondda, face eviction next week if they reject the deal with the site’s owners. ” Full story on the BBC......

A new hard-hitting campaign to highlight the problems caused by dog-fouling across Rhondda Cynon Taf has been launched this week. The high-profile crackdown on dog fouling throughout the county borough includes a poster campaign of someone treading in dog mess with the bilingual slogan “Pick it Up! Codwch E!”. Dog owners are warned on the posters to clean up after their pets or face a £75 fine. Since April 2007 Council Officers have issued 10 fixed penalty notices of £75. One resident was found guilty by a magistrates’ court and further prosecutions are also likely to reach the courtroom if dog owners do not pay the fines they are issued......

A News Update from the Children’s Food Campaign including a plea to LOBBY your MP to protect children from junk food advertising. Support grows among MPs for the Food Products (Marketing to Children) Bill Writing to your MP about the Bill is the one most effective thing you can do to help protect children from junk food advertising, and will take no longer than five minutes. Pressure is growing on MPs to attend the Second Reading of the Food Products (Marketing to Children) Bill. The Bill will protect children from all forms of junk food marketing, whether via TV, the internet or packaging. Thanks to all the support we have received from our members and from national organisations in the fields of health, consumer rights and children’s welfare, Early Day Motion 445 which...

Yet another Rhondda Cynon Taff Allotment site is threatened with closure, this time it’s in the village of Trallwng, near Pontypridd. Adrian Sheperd (in the photo left), Field Secretary of Mordecai’s Allotment on Merthyr Road, Trallwng, explained : “Rhondda Cynon Taf are proposing the sale of the allotment land as surplus to requirements”. Occupancy at Mordecai’s Field Allotment site is 100% with a long waiting list. Two plots on the allotment are taken in a partnership with a local school offering precious experiences to children on how food can be grown locally. Allotment gardening in Rhondda Cynon Taff is very popular with full occupancy and waiting lists throughout the County Borough. There is, however, intense pressure on the Labour-controlled County...

The Cat - Centre for Alternative Technology - in Machynlleth offer their reaction to Chancellor Alistair Darling’s Budget 2008… There were some green measures in Chancellor Alistair Darling’s red box. But these offerings are only small steps in the right direction. There was £26 million promised to make homes greener. But… this is only about £1 for every dwelling in the UK. For a potential catastrophe that could cost 20% of global GDP every year, according to the Stern Review, this is negligible.......

Allotment gardeners at Haigside allotments in Treherbert, Rhondda have received a letter threatening to evict them on March 14th. Full story available on the BBC News website...

This week Google launches the UK Carbon Footprint Project to help people calculate, track and compare their carbon emissions. Are you keen to reduce your carbon footprint but you’re not sure how? Do you want to see how your individual actions can make a difference to climate change? Google aims to help people find information they want as quickly as possible. From today, people will be able to find out what their own carbon footprint is, how they can reduce it and compare theirs to other parts of the country. Project details: * www.google.co.uk/carbonfootprint * Use the Google Carbon Calculator* to calculate your personal carbon footprint, choose carbon-reducing steps from a personalised action plan and compare your actions to those of others around the UK by putting yourself on...

Rhondda Cynon Taf Councillors have voted to support a notice of motion to nominate Pontypridd as a candidate for the Sustainable Towns Initiative. In a motion proposed by Graig Councillor, Joyce Cass and seconded by Pontypridd Councillor, Steve Carter, the Council agreed to urge the new Minister for Transport Ieuan Wyn Jones to choose Pontypridd as the Valley’s nomination for the Sustainable Towns Initiative programme. Cllr Joyce Cass said: “I am pleased the Council unanimously supported this Notice of Motion. The purpose of this Motion is to secure a clear statement from the Council to the new Minister for the Economy and Transport, Ieuan Wyn Jones, that we would like to see Pontypridd as the town from the South East Region that is included in the Wales wide Sustainable Towns...

Welsh Country Foods Ltd has recalled certain batches of lamb meat and offal due to possible presence of veterinary medicine residues, according to the Food Standards Agency. The batches of lamb and offal being recalled may contain meat from sheep sold for breeding purposes and not intended to enter the food chain immediately. Some of the sheep had been treated with a veterinary drugs (including doramectin) to combat sheep scab that was not given enough time to pass through the animals’ systems. Therefore, this makes the products unsafe for human consumption under Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002. Concerns around doramectin relate to exposure that has caused sickness and other effects in laboratory animals. Welsh Country Foods Ltd has contacted all its customers and instructed...

Greenpeace congratulates the high street chain Woolworths after the group announced that power crazy, incandescent light bulbs would not be available in its stores by the end of 2010. From that date only highly efficient, compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs will be on sale. The Woolworths announcement puts the chain significantly ahead of a recently announced Government voluntary initiative, which would see major retailers remove all incandescent lightbulbs only by December 2011. A Greenpeace league table also shows that Woolworths are now ahead of many of their competitors - including Tesco who currently only plan to phase out by the end of year 2011. Louise Molloy, climate campaigner at Greenpeace, said: “It’s great news that Woolworths have taken the decision to stop selling...

The Government is considering whether to allow trials of 60-tonne, 25-metre lorries on our roads. Fifty per cent longer and over a third heavier than existing 44-tonne lorries, these LHVs pose serious safety and environmental concerns and would damage our quality of life. Please write to the Transport Minister Ruth Kelly, urging her to say no to super-lorries and send freight by rail instead. http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/take_action/say_no_to_superlorries...

A pioneering new kitchen waste recycling scheme is gathering momentum in the county borough with even more environmentally-friendly residents taking part.But in Llwydcoed, which was chosen as one of the first areas to benefit from the scheme, the call is greater than ever and one resident in particular is hoping more and more of his neighbours will get involved. Geoffrey Hosgood, a 73-year-old grandfather from Merthyr Road, was full of praise for the scheme and the method in which its run. “A scheme is only good if it’s run well and this one certainly is”, he said. “It is organized in the most proper way. From the very start we were well informed of what the scheme was all about and how it worked. “But more importantly its always reliable and this is a truly excellent service. I...

In Lights - Rhondda Cynon Taf’s annual competition to find the area’s most spectacular Christmas lights - will not be held in 2007 or in future years. Due to growing concerns over environmental issues such as light pollution and energy efficiency, as well as a drop in the number of entries, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has decided to end the competition. Cllr Graham Thomas, Rhondda Cynon Taf Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, said: “A big thank you to everyone who entered In Lights in the past few years. However, we have now withdrawn the competition from our annual portfolio of events. “Christmas events are still very much on our agenda this year, though, with festive reindeer and camel parades planned in towns throughout the county borough, as well as...