A series of events will be held throughout Torfaen to mark the first ever Wales Sustainability Week.
The inaugural Wales Sustainability Week (17-23 May) aims to inspire people to:
- Take specific action to make Wales more sustainable
- Celebrate and promote what they are already doing
- Become part of a network of individuals, organisations and communities that works together to make Wales more sustainable.
The initiative follows in the footsteps of Torfaen Sustainability Week, an annual event first held last October to encourage people to live their lives in a more sustainable fashion.
Torfaen’s campaign motto, Changing by Degrees, shows how, by making minor adjustments to the way people live, everyone can help reduce consumption of the earth’s resources and atmospheric emissions.
The council’s commitment to sustainability isn’t limited to this week in October, as sustainability events are held throughout the year.
The leader of Torfaen council, councillor Bob Wellington, said: “I feel passionately about the environment and I want us to take a lead in helping to tackle some people’s irresponsible attitude towards sustainable living.
“If we increase awareness on the importance of tackling our energy use, we can improve people’s unsustainable habits.
“We want to help people ensure all decisions are made with a conscious understanding of their potential impact on sustainability, by providing practical advice and information to promote sustainable living.”
As part of this commitment, a week-long series of events will be held to mark the Wales-wide event, starting with a dawn chorus walk through Cwmavon Corridor on Sunday 16 May.
Torfaen council’s ecologist Steve Williams will lead the walk from Cwmavon local nature reserve at 6am. Contact 01633 647662 or [email protected] for more information or to book a place.
On Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 May, a waste and recycling roadshow will be held in ASDA, Cwmbran. Members of the council’s waste and recycling team will be on hand to provide tips and guidance on waste and recycling issues between 10am-2pm.
And proving that it is never too late to learn, an intergenerational learning day will be held at Greenmeadow Community Farm on Saturday 22 May.
Get sowing and growing in the farm’s kitchen garden or find out what is so special about a wrinkly old tree while helping to conduct an ancient tree survey (booking required).
Visitors to the farm will also get the chance to enjoy a hands-on experience with some of the farm’s small animals or alternatively to try their hands at traditional spinning and weaving. Contact 01633 647662 or email [email protected] for more information.
In Blaenavon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum hosts an international biodiversity day on Saturday 22 May, focusing on the wildlife around Big Pit. Contact 01495 790311 for details.
Meanwhile, Blaen Bran Community Woodland will carry out some woodland management work on Sunday 23 May and volunteers are welcome to attend. To take part, contact David Williams (01633 875704) or visit www.blaenbran.org.uk for further information.
From Monday to Friday, a number of sustainability awareness-raising events will also be held at Bron Afon Community Housing’s Community Café – Bron Appetite. For more information contact [email protected] or 01633 620129
Activities will also be held at schools throughout the borough.
