Small grants of up to £1,000 are available for projects that improve the local environment…
The Cleaner Greener Communities project, is available to community groups this year within the Heads of the Valleys area.
Cleaner Greener Communities is a partnership project between Keep Wales Tidy, BTCV Cymru and Groundwork Wales, to encourage local communities to take responsibility for their own environment. This has been made possible through funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Heads of the Valleys programme.
As part of the project, small grants up to £1,000 are available for community groups to help cover the costs of insurance, tools, equipment, publicity and training in order to carry out environmental improvement projects.
In addition, a local Project Officer works with...
Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, Pontypridd, has won the prestigious Green Flag Award for the fourth year running.
The award is the national standard for quality parks and green spaces, recognising excellence in the management and delivery of service within the Parks sector. Ynysangharad Park is one of only 19 sites across Wales to achieve the honour this year.
Winning the Green Flag Award is the culmination of another busy year for the park, which has hosted events such as the Teddy Bears Picnic and Parti Ponty, attended by thousands of children earlier this month. It also hosted some of the events during Ponty’s Big Weekend, the entertainment extravaganza from July 18-21, with singer Rhydian Roberts among the star performers.
From August 1-3, 2008, the park will be the setting for...
It’s time we updated the Main Photo on the Rhondda Cynon Taff Green Drinks Website!
Since last year we have been using a nice photo of former mayor Councillor Jane Ward - see the old pic here.
The Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf handed over the reins to Councillor Margaret Davies over two months ago.
We are getting there really Fast on Foot…
Here’s a snap we took at Dare Valley Country Park in April 2008 at Cynon Valley Ramblers Open Day. The Mayoress was presented with a Cheque by Cynon Valley Ramblers on the day for renovation work carried out at the......
The Planning Application to build one of Wales’ largest Wind Farms in Cynon Valley was rejected by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council in April 2008. The developer, Pennant Walters, are appealing against the decision via the Welsh Assembly.
The Welsh Assembly are considering the Appeal… If you wish your views to be heard please write in triplicate to:
The Planning Inspectorate,
REF A/07/2058755
Crown Building,
Cathays Park,
CARDIFF CF10 3NQ
BEFORE 1st MAY......
Free insulation is being offered to those over the age of 70 in Rhondda Cynon Taff in a bid to reduce the cost of energy bills and also protect the environment.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s specialist Home Energy Officer is promoting the initiative, which is open to homeowners or tenants who have someone over the age of 70 resident in their home.
On offer regardless of income, insulation is the easiest way to make your home warmer in summer and cooler in summer.
As energy bills continue to rise, the focus of the Home Energy Officer is to ensure residents have access to schemes that help reduce their fuel bills to heat their homes affordably while also protecting the environment by reducing fuel consumption.
Free insulation is still offered, free of charge, to those in receipt of...
Residents living near Dyffryn Woods, Mountain Ash, can enjoy a much-improved environment when they are out and about this spring.
The footway through the woodland area is being resurfaced and ornamental chains have been renewed around the nearby war memorial. The £30,000 programme of work, which is nearing completion, has been made possible following a ‘106 Agreement’ secured by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council from the developers and landowner of the new housing development in nearby Dyffryn Road.
Martin Sullivan, Parks Operations Manager, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said: “The refurbished footpath link is a valuable environmental improvement for the community which gives residents safe access through Dyffryn Woods to the adjoining Caedrawnant recreation ground. Feedback from the...
A new food-waste recycling scheme is spreading throughout the county borough thanks to extra investment from the newly announced Rhondda Cynon Taf Council budget.
The Weekly Food Waste Collection is the latest successful initiative run by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council which once again illustrates its commitment to recycling and improving the environment for the benefit of all its residents.
Recycling in the county borough has more than trebled in the last four years, with a massive investment in a new plant, community recycling points, new refuse collections vehicles and innovative ways to promote recycling, including the roll out of kerbside and food waste recycling.
Everyone in Rhondda Cynon Taf can recycle from home through the kerbside recycling scheme. Recycling bags can...
Rhondda schoolchildren have sent out a warning message to save the environment by designing a colourful new mural for their school.
A class full of eager Year 5 pupils from Penyrenglyn Community Primary School have been working with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Education for Sustainable Development Officer Gill Perry to investigate the environmental problems they have in their area.
Coordinated by the Council’s Environmental Services, the Where We Live project aims to uncover the good and bad aspects of the surrounding area and encourage more people to use their efforts to protect the environment in which they live.
The class found there were problems regarding litter, graffiti, flytipping and dog fouling in the Treherbert area.
Back in the classroom the youngsters then decided they...
A Rhondda woman has appeared in court after admitting to flytipping behind her home.
Emma Louise Skuse, aged 23 of Gwendoline Street, Treherbert appeared at Llwynypia Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to offences under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and was ordered to pay a total of £265.
The case was brought against the defendant by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council’s Public Health and Protection Department.
In June 2007 the Council received information from a complainant who was concerned at the amount of dog faeces found in the back garden of Ms Skuse’s home and an abatement notice was issued by the Council’s Public Health and Protection officers to remove it.
On the following day the Council was again contacted to say that rubbish left in...
From Garden Organic : Visit PesticideWatch.EU and ask your MEP to support better legislation on pesticides.
Over the past 12 months, elected representatives from the European Parliament have been working to review Europe’s pesticide legislation. This represents a once in a generation opportunity for a major re-think of our reliance on pesticides.
In total over 1,000 amendments have been tabled – some very positive, some neutral, and others deeply worrying. On 24 October, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from all 27 EU countries will come together to determine the future of EU legislation on pesticides. Specifically they must decide which proposals are adopted, which are rejected, and which are redrafted.
Representatives of the pesticides industry have a constant presence...
Next week MPs will be voting on whether to massively increase the use of biofuels in the UK.
Without stronger sustainability reporting requirements, any increase is likely to:
Fuel rainforest destruction.
* Increase food prices.
* Encourage destructive monocultures.
* The ability of most biofuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in any meaningful way is also in question.
The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) will make it compulsory to blend all road fuels with biofuels.
It doesn’t distinguish between different biofuels, and if it’s implemented there will be no going back.
Ask your MP to think twice before voting in favour of the......
A Welsh Assembly Government grant of more than £3.1million is being made available to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s innovative scheme to recycle food and kitchen waste.
Following Ministerial praise the project, which was pioneered by the Council’s Streetcare Team (Waste) and has already been introduced to Trealaw, Llwydcoed and Brynna received the largest grant throughout Wales.
The money has been awarded for the purchase of a fleet of eleven specialized Dennis Eagle transport vehicles designed to specifically collect food waste and their use throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf and its neighbouring authority of Merthyr Tydfil. It will also be used for food waste recycling bins and caddies for the benefit of all residents in the county borough.
Rhondda Cynon Taf and its partner Merthyr Tydfil...
Furniture reuse charity Valleys Furniture Recycling - known as Too Good To Waste - has been shortlisted for the Cylch Community Recycler of the Year Award.
The Ferndale-based charity which is supported by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is one of three Welsh charities shortlisted as Community Recycler of the Year and volunteers are hoping plenty of local people will help them secure the first prize.
Who wins the award is down to a voting scheme which can be found on www.cylch.org or by writing to Jasmine Brown at Cylch, 113 Cathedral Road, Cardiff, CF11 9PH. Voting will close at 5pm on Friday October 19th and a presentation ceremony will be held at the Marriot Hotel, Cardiff on October 24th.
Sponsored by Novelis, the largest recycler of aluminum cans in Europe, the winner of the...
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council continues to promote a programme of change to crackdown on waste issues throughout the county borough. This is to ensure that Rhondda Cynon Taf will be a community where everyone who lives, works or visits the area will enjoy the benefits of a better quality of life.
It is with this in mind that the Council’s Streetcare Enforcement Team, which was launched in April 2006 remains pro-active in its many initiatives to combat what has become a blight on communities everywhere.
With enforcement powers available, officers can serve notices on people which can also lead to prosecution with the possible result of fines or even imprisonment.
One of the areas of enforcement deals with domestic waste bins and officers are currently undertaking an exercise in Trallwn....
The next meeting of Friends of the Earth in Rhondda Cynon Taff takes places on Monday 8th October 2007, 7.30pm at Clwb Y Bont 85A Taff Street Popntypridd
Map of location here
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=307250&y=190250&z=1&sv=307250,190250&st=4&ar=N&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&dn=819&ax=307237&ay=189993
Friends of the Earth in Rhondda Cynon Taff is an active group.
Membership costs only £3 per annum.
New members welcome.
Contact Bleddyn Lake for further enquiries email bleddyn.lake@foe.co.uk
Bleddyn Lake
Local Groups Development Officer Cymru
Friends of the Earth Cymru
33 Castle Arcade Balcony
Cardiff
Wales
CF10 1BY
Tel...
The Sustainable Development Commission today lays down tough conditions which a Severn barrage would have to meet in order to be considered sustainable. These include public leadership and ownership of the project, and full compliance with environmental legislation protecting the estuary. The Commission also outlined how a commitment to creating compensatory habitats should be seen as an environmental opportunity, combining climate change adaptation with coastal realignment plans to deal with increased risk of flooding.
The Commission’s report, Tidal Power in the UK, draws on extensive research and public and stakeholder engagement to reach the conclusion that, the UK’s outstanding tidal resources could provide at least 10% of the country’s electricity through a...
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About 9,000 car tyres a year will be recycled at a new £4m plant. The owners of TyreGenics at Baglan, Neath Port Talbot, say it will reprocess over 30,000 tonnes of used tyres each year into rubber “crumb”.
It uses liquid nitrogen to freeze tyres until brittle, then smashes them into tiny pieces for use as sports pitches and rubber flooring.
The plant, which is creating 25 jobs, is said by the company to be among the most advanced of its kind in the world.
The owners claim it already has contracts in place to sell 90% of the plant’s “crumb” product.
Mark Wyatt, of TyreGenics UK, said the volume of tyres being recycled was the equivalent of all the tyres produced in Wales annually.
- Full story on the BBC’s online news website...
Government departments are failing to meet carbon, waste and water targets, according to a report published today by the Government’s watchdog, the Sustainable Development Commission.
The report, Sustainable Development in Government 2006, assesses Government operations to help ensure that resources are managed sustainably. It finds patchy data and poor performance across most areas.
Key findings include:
15 departments have increased carbon emissions since 1999
Departments generated 14% more waste than last year
Overall, recycling has risen by 8%
Most departments are using energy less efficiently than they did in 1999
Online edition, including full report and press release can be found at http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/sdig2006...
TREBANOS SPRING CARNIVAL
SATURDAY MARCH 24TH 2:00 PM
COME AND JOIN IN THE FUN,
A FANCY DRESS STREET CARNIVAL TO CELEBRATE
-WALES -
OUR COUNTRY, AND CULTURE
AND
OUR ENVIRONMENT.
MUSICIANS AND DANCERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY .
PRIZES FOR BEST ADULT AND CHILD FANCY DRESS.
CHILDRENS ART CONTEST.
FANCY BONNET PARADE AND CONTEST.
THE PROCESSION WILL START 2:30PM AT THE BOTTOM OF GLYN MEIRCH ROAD, ALONG SWANSEA ROAD THROUGH TREBANOS, UP HEOL Y LLWYNAU AND BACK TO SWANSEA ROAD.
TREBANOS HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED 48″ HIGH PRESSURE GAS PIPELINE RIPPING IT’S WAY THROUGH OUR WELSH COUNTRYSIDE. ALL ARE WELCOME TO EITHER JOIN IN OR JUST SPECTATE. BRING YOUR KIDS, YOUR PETS, YOUR HORSES AND PONIES, YOUR BIKES OR YOUR ZIMMERS !!!!
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL AFTER 6 PM...
Welsh Liberal Democrats launched their campaign for a fair green future for Wales today.
At the launch Assembly leader Mike German revealed nine of the party’s key pledges around the Fair Green Future theme, ahead of the publication of the formal manifesto in April. He also revealed the largest slate of candidates ever put forward by the Welsh Liberal Democrats.
Brecon & Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams and Cardiff South & Penarth candidate Dominic Hannigan joined Mr German at the press conference.
Mike German said: “In this election the people of Wales have a clear choice between parties. If they want a fair green future, then they have to vote for the Welsh Liberal Democrats.
”In my speech to conference I spoke about the importance of creating a society where young...
Thursday 25 April at Cardiff University
Full details to be confirmed shortly
SIX DEGREES: OUR FUTURE ON A HOTTER PLANET
A book launch by critically aclaimed climate journalist Mark Lynas, author of the bestselling HIGH TIDE: Stories from a warming world, a series of eyewitness accounts of visits to the areas where climate change is already having a tangible impact. Lynas is also on the steering committee of Campaign against Climate Change...
Budding Young ‘Bill Oddies’ flocked to one of the county’s most treasured beauty spots this week as part of a national campaign to encourage interest in the countryside and wildlife.
National Nest Box week saw Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and the Countryside Council for Wales join forces to host a workshop for children to build their own nesting boxes for birds.
The event on Tuesday (February 20) took place at Dare Valley Country Park, which one of the county’s most beautiful assets and also a famed spot for watching Peregrines and other British birds.
The park is such an environmental treasure, it has its own RSPB officer on site to share their knowledge with visitors on the huge array of birds, wildlife and ecological features that can be enjoyed there.
Children from across...
The Ramblers’ Association have confirmed that there will be more Walks Against Windfarms organised in the South Wales Valleys, including Rhondda Cynon Taff.
There is likely to be protest walk in Neath on March 3rd, a protest walk near Rhigos, and others.
Details to be confirmed....
A claim, by Labour First Minister Rhodri Morgan, that climate change could benefit the Welsh economy was condemned today by Friends of the Earth Cymru as being dangerously complacent and irresponsible.
Addressing an audience of business people at the Assembly’s Senedd yesterday, the First Minister stated that climate change would “hardly be unhelpful” to the Welsh economy as it would give Wales a Spanish or Californian climate.
In response, Friends of the Earth’s Assembly Campaigner, Gordon James, said:
“This is a dangerously complacent and irresponsible statement by the First Minister.
“Although opportunities exist in areas such as clean energy developments, the environmental and economic threats posed by climate change significantly outweigh any benefits....
The crocuses are showing through… the daffodils will be next.
Nature is giving us big touch-feely springy hints.
Yes, there’s s SEEDY SUNDAY seed swap event planned.
Seedy Sunday in the Valleys #2
Wales’ biggest seed swap event.
To be held in PENDERYN
Details announced soon. Bookmark this blog....
Rhondda Cynon Taff Council is to make a significant investment in improving cycle routes and accessibility across the Cynon Valley.
The improvements will be made possible thanks to funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Heads of the Valleys Programme
The grant will be used to enhance the existing cycle path from Prospect Place in Cwmaman to Monk Street in Aberdare.
The 3.5km route will follow the former railway line and will be tarmacced to provide ease of access for all users. It will provide excellent links between residential areas in Cwmaman/Godreaman and Aberdare town centre and the Dare Valley Country Park.
Work on site began this month on the important scheme. Providing an appealing and coherent tourism and leisure experience is one of the 5 key themes that the Heads...
The 2007 Soil Association conference focuses on the urgent need to develop new models of localised food and farming systems. This is in anticipation of the central role that farmers and growers will play in averting climate change and delivering food security in an era of scarce and expensive energy.
Key note speakers include Colin Campbell, Richard Heinberg, Kevin Morgan, Jonathan Dimbleby, Rob Hopkins, Jeanette Orrey, Jeremy Leggett, Jonathon Porritt and Zac Goldsmith whose addresses will focus on energy use, climate change and agriculture.
Anna Ford will be chairing the question time panel on Saturday.
The conference hosts a full cultural programme including an art exhibition, music, organic clothes show and storytelling. Workshops will allow interactive discussion on a range of issues...
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How about helping stage a Peak Energy roadshow in your community ?
If you would like to take part in a roadshow in Rhondda Cynon Taff, please get in touch.
Peak Energy Publicity Drive
Plans Afoot For Travelling UK Peak Energy Roadshow
There is interest in organising a UK-wide string of events with a co-ordinated publicity machine to push them, planned for April or May 2007. The idea is to take the resources/speakers of all those groups interested in Peak Energy and put them into a common calendar of events to try and significantly boost the UK profile of Peak Energy (note, the term “Peak Energy”: we need to broaden this issue out into Peak Oil, Peak Gas, lack of uranium to fuel new nuclear build, climate change and the restrictions it places on future energy options, options...
Dwindling oil stocks and EU trade and energy policies threaten food price hikes – and could cause the UK to be vulnerable to food shortages for the first time since the Second World War, according to a new report by Green Party Euro-MP Caroline Lucas. The report calls on the Government to establish a Royal Commission on Food Security to examine the issue – and for the UK ’s Competition Commission to consider its findings in its ongoing investigation of the supermarkets’ dominance of the food retailing sector.
Read the report - Fuelling a Food Crisis
caroline lucas, energy policies, EU, euro mp, Food Security, Green Party, oil stocks, Peak Oil,...
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A Walk Against the Wind Farm is to be held at Dare Valley Country Park on January 13th 2007. Starts 10am from the Dare Valley Country Park Visitor Centre.
The walk aims to raise awareness about the proposed wind farm to be sited near Cwmdare and running north to Hirwaun.
Those who take part in the walk will be able to see first-hand where some of the 400ft wind-turbines might be located and discuss their effects on the local environment.
David James, Chairman of Cynon Valley Ramblers has organised the event. He advises sturdy boots and estimates that the walk should last around two and a half hours. Hopefully the weather dries out for the day.
Everyone welcome. Just turn up on the day to join in the walk. For further information call David James on 01685 874600
dare valley country...
