A flavour of our work over last fifteen plus years…

Sustainable Wales has initiated and is involved in a wide variety of sustainable development activities. Consistent themes include climate change; energy, waste reduction and reuse, green and ethical consumerism, participation.

Wales wide

  • Spearheading the Real Nappy Campaign - provision of a wide variety of campaign resources, media, awareness raising, training and network development. (see the video above)

  • Finding Our Voices 1 & 2 - All Wales conferences on Participatory Democracy

  • Write On! - Series of breakfast seminars on office recycling and buying recycled paper

  • From Here to Sustainability - Community sector training programme introducing environmental and ethical policies and practices to organisations.

  • Fashion Conscience? - Seminar on the unethical Fashion Industry

  • 21st Century Living - Local Solutions to Climate Change Conference

  • A Resilient Local Economy? - conference

  • Climate Change Exchange Day Cardiff - community sector training and information.

  • Reduce Your Group’s Carbon Footprint Training – policy development & carbon audit

  • Shine a Light films– highlighting the need for local energy production and supply

  • Online Climate Emergency Petition

  • 4 part Webinar Series (Do we need a Circular Economy?) https://www.sustainablewales.org.uk/blog/webinardesignforlife

publications

  • ‘Simply The Best!’ - Encouraging people and environment friendly event, conference organising. Bilingual

    ‘Write On!’ - initiating a ‘buy recycled’ paper campaign in Wales. Bilingual

  • ‘Dumping The Diaper’ - Real Nappy Campaign Guide - English and Welsh

  • ‘Have I Got News For You’ - local groups campaigning and media advice. Bilingual

  • ‘Deepening Democracy’ - a Civic Forum proposal for Wales drafted for Llias Cymru - Bilingual

  • ‘First Class’ - a guide to developing a school’s recycling policy

  • Community Connections’ – a periodical magazine focused on sustainability issues (good and bad) in the borough of Bridgend

 

Film production

‘It’s Time for a Real change’ Real Nappy Promotion (for new mums and midwives)

‘It’s Time for a Real change’ Real Nappy Campaign (for councils and campaigners)

‘From Radioactive Mines to Radioactive Bullets’ - Uranium pollution (used also in America)

Sustainable Wales ‘What do you bring?

The Wales We Want Interviews for Cynnal Cymru

Shine a Light? three short films promoting local heroes (highlighting difficulties communities have in developing renewable energy schemes) and a longer film encouraging local energy production. Available on our YouTube channel.

Every Little Thing – short film promoting volunteering and ethical shopping. https://www.sustainablewales.org.uk/blog/every-little-thing18

Sleepwalking into Climate Change Episode 1, We meet Local Sustainable Development Coordinator, a climate graduate, Ella Williamson; Porthcawl undergraduates (Max Williams and Olivia Geddes) who are also studying climate. You see them interview people in the street and then Ella takes the lead asking scientists about their concerns. (NRW Geoff Hobbs and Dr Peter Robins, School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University).

Episode 2, Ella involves young people from Porthcawl Comprehensive school, Amba, Ella and Will and they begin questioning local politicians: Porthcawl town councillor Jonathan Pratt and Bridgend MS, Sarah Murphy. Ella then meets Bridgend County Borough Council leader Cllr Huw David to see what he has to say. A brief explanation of PSB’s (Public Service Boards) and their importance to the Well-being of Future Generations Act in Wales is highlighted.

Episode 3, This film shows Ella finding some local good practice, illustrating that there are some positive developments, as she looks for answers to how we must react.

Coffee & Climate The aim of Coffee and Climate is to draw attention to the threat that climate change is making to the coffee producers now and is likely to make to us all, as up to half the world’s land used to produce coffee could become unusable! Thus, a direct threat to business and all Wales' coffee bars! (Coffee is not the only food under threat). The film also advocates buying fairtrade brands, which provide a minimum price, an extra premium to support and maintain the farmer’s livelihoods, helping them adapt and tackle climate change.

View some of our films on the YouTube channel for Sustainable Wales

Local and replicable activity

  • Real Nappy Development Officers in Swansea, Cardiff, Torfaen and Wales.

  • Community based local Sustainable Development Officer- operating in Bridgend

  • Production of Community Connections – series of magazines 12,000 copies widely distributed

  • Fairtrade, Farmer’s Market and local food network development and promotion

  • SUSSED pop up fairtrade Café events

  • Advancing responsible consumerism (green and ethical purchasing) supporting SUSSED Wales activities

  • Organisation of 21st Century Sustainable Living Festivals

  • Profiling and advocating climate change and sustainable energy

  • Local community group and partnership development                        

  • Helping groups develop Sustainable Development policies and practices                                      

  • Lots of fundraising activities

  • Single-Use Plastic Campaign (working with local Porthcawl traders, schools, and the council)

  • Supporting and coordinating Bridgend Fairtrade Partnership                                     

  • Development of Arts For The Earth Collective

  • Establishing ‘The Green Room’ – a convivial, cultural space for events, training, debates, meetings. Launch event evening at the Grand Pavilion Porthcawl.

  • Greening Your Organisation – hands on help for the community sector to reduce their carbon footprint with ‘people and planet’ friendly policies and practices.

  • Climate conversations - positive discussion and networking for individuals and groups regarding climate action.

Founding Bridgend Local Energy Group - working on activities/projects to reduce climate change, encourage local energy development and challenge development control to adopt climate change responsibilities.

Social Enterprise Business Development:-

Sustainable Wales Projects Ltd, a community co-operative, limited by guarantee, operated as ‘Gentle Touch’ a SE Wales real nappy laundry service, based in Caerphilly. This ‘not for profit’ service to the public ran for six years.

‘SUSSED Wales’. Incorporated in June 2005, SUSSED is a not-for-profit, Community Co-operative. Retails fair trade, local and environmentally friendly goods and provides an outreach education service. This high street shop opened September 2006.

ledled Cymru