Who's Your Hero? 

The Wales Green List is an annual sustainability award, which celebrates those individuals who are making Wales a better and more sustainable place to live. The list features 52 people - one for every week of the year. The first list of its kind in Wales, the Green List brings together the different elements of sustainable development –
environmental, economic and social – in one award.  One of only three governments in the world with a legal duty to promote sustainable development, the Welsh Assembly Government is making sustainability the ‘central organising principle’ of everything it does. The Wales Green List shows how people from all walks of life across Wales are taking positive
action too, to help create a 'One Planet Wales'.  The Wales Green List shows the people who are leading the way in tackling issues such as climate change, recycling, local food, healthy living, housing, education, and developing a green economy.
These include entrepreneurs, politicians, teachers, musicians, poets and writers, eminent scientists, community workers, young people and volunteers.  The Wales Green List and Green Heroes exhibition were developed by Cynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales - a not-for-profit organisation that gives practical information about sustainable living and assists the Welsh Assembly Government in its duty to promote and increase awareness of sustainable development across society. If you would like to nominate your Green hero for 2010, the closing date is 17th September.  Nominate your hero at www.SustainWales.com

Story courtesy of Cynnal Cymru






 

Sustrans has launched its new online mapping across the UK, providing information to help you make everyday journeys by foot, bike and public transport – the most sustainable ways of getting around.  You can use it to help you find local walking and cycling routes, local bus stops, railway stations, shops and other destinations, and plan a way to get there under your own steam or using public transport.  The mapping can also be used to find all routes of the National Cycle Network, a comprehensive network of safe, attractive walking and cycling routes perfect for everyday journeys, days out with the family
as well as long distance or holiday routes.  You can work out the best way to get to places on foot and bike, and it will give you the time and distance as well. You can also plot and save your favourite journeys – the walk to school, the ride to the
station, or a family pedal to the park.
Visit www.sustrans.org.uk.

Story Courtesy of Cynnal Cymru

The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG)'s proposed Waste (Wales) Measure is a step in the right direction, but does not go far enough to meet the major challenges of climate change and resource depletion, according to Friends of the Earth Cymru.  In response to the Measure, Friends of the Earth Cymru call for more ambitious recycling targets and a binding target on reducing waste.  The group also wants WAG to drop incineration as an option for dealing with waste, as it would seriously risk undermining targets for recycling and waste reduction.  Haf Elgar, Friends of the Earth Cymru campaigner, said: ‘Most disappointing is the lack of any target for waste reduction, which should always be the first consideration. Waste levels have been dropping recently, but strong targets are necessary to continue and speed this up. We need minimum targets for
municipal waste reduction of 34% by 2025 and 65% by 2050 in this Measure.  ‘The Assembly Government's target of achieving 70 per cent recycling by 2025 is a step in the right direction, and it is encouraging that we will now have legally binding targets, but we must be more ambitious. Germany and Flanders are already achieving this rate.  If Wales is serious about sustainability, we should be aiming for 70 per cent recycling by 2015 and 80 per cent by 2020.  ‘And with ash from the massive incinerators we may see coming to Wales being counted towards these targets, recycling will be further undermined and councils given a perverse incentive to burn our rubbish.  ‘Incineration is not a ‘green’ technology as it produces toxic ash, emits excessive amounts of carbon dioxide, and its use would weaken incentives to reduce waste and boost recycling. ‘Friends of the Earth Cymru welcomes that the Assembly Government is addressing how we need to deal with our waste, but there is still a lot of work to do if we are going to transform Wales into a ‘zero waste’ society.’  For more information, see Friends of the Earth Cymru report ‘Towards Zero Waste’.  A Welsh Assembly Government spokesperson explains that: ‘The proposed Measure will cover four areas: it will support the Assembly Government’s work to introduce a mandatory charge for carrier bags and will provide Welsh Ministers with powers to set targets for the percentage of waste that local authorities recycle or compost. It will also enable the Assembly Government to ban or restrict certain wastes from landfill in Wales and will allow the introduction of charging schemes for the Construction and Demolition sector.’

Thanks to Cynnal Cymru for this article.  The views and opinions expressed in this news item are not necessarily the opinions of Cynnal Cymru- Sustain Wales

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