PRESS RELEASE - More Welsh Groups Take Action for Sustainable Living!
Seven new projects to help Welsh communities embrace climate-friendly living have been given a welcome boost thanks to funding from the Welsh Government’s Supporting Sustainable Living programme.
Projects focusing on the carbon footprints of community buildings, digital technologies and energy efficiency within traditional Welsh homes have all recently received grants from Environment Wales, which administers the scheme.
Environment Agency Wales, working with the Energy Saving Trust, received £35,000 for a ground-breaking engagement approach to help households in Cardiff reduce their waste, water and energy use.
Aaron Burton, Environment Agency Wales, explains:
“Living Wise Cardiff is an exciting and innovative programme that will help around 1,000 households change the way they use water, energy and waste.
"What this programme will do is give households an individual plan, tailored to their needs, that will make it easier for them to do things differently.
"This will not only benefit the environment, but also benefit the householder as well. It will mean lower carbon emissions and less use of our natural resources, but importantly will see lower bills for the people involved and could reduce households in fuel or water poverty."
Communities in mid Wales will also be encouraged to reduce their carbon footprint through an EU-wide competition called Energy Neighbourhoods. Although previously run in England, 2011 will be the first year that Welsh householders have been able to take part thanks to a grant of £11,879 from the Supporting Sustainable Living scheme.
Stuart Davies from Severn Wye Energy Agency, the organisation managing the competition in Wales said:
“We are delighted to accept this grant offer for Energy Neighbourhoods 2 on behalf of the communities that we will be working with over the coming winter months. Through our efforts and this Environment Wales funding we hope that the project will be a huge success in changing behaviours of energy use now, and for the future, by challenging communities to undertake simple carbon-saving actions in the home in a fun and light-hearted way.”
The Supporting Sustainable Living grant scheme is funded by the Welsh Government’s Climate Change and Water division and aims to bring about long-term changes in behaviour and lifestyle that will help reduce Wales’ greenhouse gas emissions and make communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change. The scheme will make available almost £500,000 in funding to projects from all sectors over the next 2 years.
For more information about these and other grants offered by Environment Wales, or to be put in touch with a Development Officer, please contact Environment Wales on 029 2043 1727 or email info@environment-wales.org