Wales' top green people
We were just sent a fabulous list by Sustain Wales. I felt bad printing it out, but the 14-page document is a great read, and highlights the 52 people who are on the “Wales Green List 2009.”
Here’s why I think it’s cool: sure the list contains some politicians and CEO-types, which is fine as some of those folks are leading the way with sustainable energy and reusing resources; but the list also includes individuals who are doing their bit. Here are just a few that caught my eye...
Take, for example, Andrew Capel from Llanidloes… he formed a car share club in his neighborhood three years ago which now has 19 members sharing three cars. Andrew is also a member of a local bicycle repair team who mend people’s bikes for free re-using old parts. www.llanicarclub.co.uk
Stephanie Bond from Lampeter runs the Knobbly Carrot Organic Food Company. They produce organic fresh soups and sauces, even supplying one of the UK’s top nationwide grocery stores, Waitrose. Even the company’s waste isn’t trash, as local pigs eat the carrot peelings! www.theknobblycarrot.co.uk
Jamie and Jodie Francis from Swansea run Pennard Stores and Three Cliff’s Coffee Shop in Gower. Really pleased to see them on the Green List for selling Fair Trade and local products; plus the electricity for their shop comes from solar panels.
Andy Middleton is a friend of the TravelWales.org team as he’s introduced many of the American journalists we send to Wales to coasteering! He runs TYF, the world’s first carbon neutral outdoor adventure company. www.tyf.com
And that, in part, is what Wales is about. Three National Parks and an incredible emphasis on sustainability and environmental preservation.
One of the things I love about promoting Wales as a visitor destination is our eco-credentials. For example, stay in Bryn Elltyd Guesthouse which boasts solar power, a turf roof, sheep’s wool insulation and locally-grown organic food. www.accommodation-snowdonia.com
Or how about Preseli Venture with their five-star eco-lodge located in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. www.preseliventure.co.uk
Then of course, a “must-visit” is the Centre for Alternative Technology, located in Machynlleth in the hillsides of the Snowdonia National Park. It is one of the world’s most renowned eco-centers, with interactive displays on sustainable living, renewable energy and environmentally-responsible building and gardening. www.cat.org.uk
There’s more about some of our environmental and eco-friendly offerings in Wales at www.travelwales.org/eco and you can find out more about the “Wales Green List 2009” at www.sustainwales.com.