Green Energy Roadshow to raise awareness of climate change across Wales

Friends of the Earth Cymru will tour Wales with a green energy trailer this summer to promote its "Big Ask" campaign with the theme "the climate is changing; it's time to ask questions" [1]. The roadshow will visit Rhyl, Bangor, Aberystwyth, St David's, Swansea and Newport during July to talk to people about the local causes and impacts of climate change and to promote solutions.

The green energy trailer demonstrates practical examples of renewable energy in action with solar panels and a wind turbine to generate electricity [2]. People visiting the trailer will be able to sample a renewably made cup of tea and experiment with various renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The trailer will be pulled around Wales by a vehicle powered with biodiesel.

Campaigners will also be asking people to write to their MPs to support tough action at a UK level to combat climate change [3].

The tour will visit the following locations:

11 July: Rhyl. Nearby Towyn has experienced severe flooding, with thousands evacuated. The pressure is still on to build more executive homes in flood sensitive areas. Climate change will only add to the increase in flooding incidents. The new North Hoyle windfarm is visible from the seafront.

12 July: Bangor. Snowdon, Wales' iconic mountain, may soon have no snow in winter according to researchers at the University of Bangor. Climate Change could also cause the extinction of the Snowdon Lily.

13 July: Aberystwyth. Nearby Machynlleth, home of the Centre for Alternative Technology, has been leading the way in demonstrating renewable energy solutions since the early seventies.

14 July: St David's. The smallest city in the UK wants to become "carbon neutral". Pembrokeshire has endured the terrible Sea Empress oil spill in 1996 and is also at the centre of debate about the import of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) to meet our energy demands.

15 July: Swansea. Opencast coal mining still scars the Swansea valleys, while out in Swansea Bay a new wind farm will soon be built. There are also hopes for the community Awel Aman Tawe windfarm in the Amman Valley. Swansea could also become the home of the first tidal lagoon in the UK - a cutting edge technology to harness tidal power.

16 July: Newport. Wales' newest city is being threatened by ever increasing traffic problems. The proposed 'M4 Relief Road' would damage important wildlife sites and increase car numbers, pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases.

More details about exact locations and times will be available soon from Friends of the Earth Cymru. See www.foecymru.co.uk/ or www.cyddcymru.co.uk/.

Julian Rosser, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru commented,

"Climate Change is the biggest challenge we face this century. Although people in Wales are concerned about the changing climate it can be difficult to relate to our everyday lives and the things that happen where we live. We need to show how the decisions we make about how to travel, how we use energy and consume resources can impact on the environment and on the future of today's children.

"We aim to bring the climate change message directly to the High Street. We will explain how global warming will affect people and show them how to take positive action to reduce their impacts on the planet. We will also be asking people to join with us in sending a powerful message to politicians that they must lead the way."

Notes

[1] See www.thebigask.com/ and www.yrherfawr.com/

[2] The trailer has been loaned from Awel Aman Tawe, a community energy project in the Swansea Valley, see: www.awelamantawe.org.uk/ Contact us for a picture of the trailer.

[3] The Big Ask campaign, launched by Friends of the Earth, challenges the UK Government to bring in a new climate change law. The law would force the Government to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, by three per cent every year.