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Low carbon Christmas trees (Updated)

As we approach the festive season, more of us than ever are looking at how we can make the most ethical and environmentally friendly choices to ensure a low-carbon Christmas. From choosing a real tree grown with care, to reusing decorations and choosing LEDS lighting, the good news is there are many fun and affordable changes you can make without compromise.

In this updated guide for 2022, we explore the sustainable and ethical choices in selecting and decorating your Christmas tree.

The tree

Is a real tree better than an artificial tree for the environment? According to Carbon Trust, that depends on the specific tree and the plans for reuse and disposal.

The Carbon Trust estimates an artificial tree has a carbon footprint around 40kg, compared to 16kg for a 2-metre real tree with no roots (if both end up in a landfill). You would need to use an artificial tree at least 10 times to negate its carbon footprint.

Most artificial trees are made in China, with the dual environmental impact of being made from plastic, PVC and metal, and then shipped overseas.

Soil Association

Most Christmas trees are grown as a horticultural crop, often using pesticides as well as potentially taking away precious land that can be used for creating carbon sinks, in other words, real forests for people and wildlife. Importing live plants can also introduce live pests and diseases which can have a devastating effect on our farms and woodland.

If you’re looking for a sustainable Christmas Tree, The Soil Association recommend choosing a tree that has been responsibly managed and grown using a minimal amount of pesticides. This includes selecting trees that are FSC certified, organic and grown locally – which in turn reduces the miles travelled as well as supporting the local economy.

So, the emissions to avoid after Christmas aren’t the ones produced by eating too many sprouts. The real issue is to do with the disposal of the trees – real or artificial.  If both trees end up in landfill – the artificial tree might take hundreds of years to decompose, whilst the real tree will emit methane – a very potent greenhouse gas.

If you want to avoid these trees going to landfill, you can reuse the artificial tree and pass it on to your family (think of it as an heirloom tree – a forever tree that can be passed down through the generations). Whereas a real tree can be chopped and turned into wood chips that can later be used for mulching – reducing it’s emissions by up to 80%.

The best thing you can do to keep your Carbon emissions down is to plant a tree in a pot, watch it grow, bring it indoors for Christmas and take it outdoors until the next year. Or, adorn your existing plants at home with festive LED lights.

The lights

With a huge increase in energy prices this year, you may be wondering whether to switch off your Christmas lights this year. According to Money Saving Expert, Martin Lewis:

“As long as you’ve got LED lights, a string of 100, which is a pretty decent amount, if you were to have them on for six hours a day for the month, it would cost you around 18 pence,”

Based on using LED lights

So, if you want to be environmentally friendly this season, use what you have at home and garden already, have a friendly chat with small scale suppliers as to how they manage their land to learn about the process of growing trees, and focus on planting trees or shrubs at the right time and at the right place in your community.

And finally, the most sustainable festive decorations are the ones you already have.

Low carbon Christmas trees (Updated) Read More »

Welsh christmas climate campaign sees over 100,000 trees planted in Kenya

‘Trees for Christmas’ is an annual campaign that encourages individuals, schools, and businesses to raise money and support tree planting in tropical forests. Last year it raised money to support planting 73,208 trees in Mbale region of Uganda. This year’s campaign has well surpassed this and is the most successful ever run by Size of Wales.

The Boré Community is located in a remote part of eastern Kenya near the equator. Climate change and deforestation has led to increasingly unpredictable weather, bouncing between the extremes of drought and flooding, leading to reduced crop yields. This has been compounded by the economic impacts of COVID-19, which has seen local employment opportunities all but disappear.

The trees will be planted by the Boré Community Forest Project, a locally-led initiative set up in 2008. The new trees will not only help address erratic climate conditions, but will create employment for around 60 local women, and provide free trees to 2,500 farmers and over 100 schools. Extra employment will directly benefit hundreds of families and combat malnutrition, which affects 26% of Kenyan children under the age of five.

A significant portion of the donations came from online retailer SportPursuit who pledged to plant a tree for every order over the Christmas period. Their donation of £30,000 is the equivalent of 100,000 trees and is part of an ongoing commitment to support the growing of 250,000 trees overall.

Nicola Pulman, Size of Wales Director, said:

“Our goal as a charity is to connect communities in Wales to those on the frontline of the climate crisis internationally and make a tangible difference. This year’s campaign is a massive leap forward in this goal – and to have increased the funds raised by nearly 50% during a difficult year for many families, I couldn’t be more delighted.

“We are extremely grateful to the donors, schools, and businesses for coming together in showing their generosity and friendship. With 2020 having been the joint hottest year on record, there has never been a more important time to support tree planting projects such as Boré.”

Ru Hartwell is the Lampeter-based Director of Community Carbon Link, an organisation that links Wales to Boré, and has worked closely with the project since 2008. He said:

“With 2020 having been a particularly tough year for the people of Boré, I will sleep better knowing the positive impact these donations will have on the lives of my friends in this wonderful community.

“The trees distributed to farmers and schools will not only generate cleaner air and improve the climate, but they will provide future forms of nutrition and income. The ongoing support from the people of Wales, along with the hard work of the Boré Community Forest Project is a powerful example of what we can achieve when we work across continents to tackle climate change”

Adam Pikett, co-founder and CEO of SportPursuit, said:

“It’s a huge achievement to be planting 100,000 trees from our December Festive Forest campaign taking our total tree planting so far to 224,650. We would like to thank all our customers, our team and our partner Size of Wales for their great work”

Tropical forests in areas such as Boré are particularly effective in combatting climate change. Tropical forests not only absorb approximately a fifth of the world’s human-made CO2 emissions every year, but support biodiversity vital to our planet’s health. They also play a crucial role in storing water, regulating rainfall, and preventing floods, droughts, and erosion.

Currently the planet loses around 18 million hectares of forest each year to deforestation, roughly nine times the size of Wales.

Welsh christmas climate campaign sees over 100,000 trees planted in Kenya Read More »

We are recruiting: Training and Communications Officer (Maternity Cover)

Post Title: Training and Communications Officer 
Salary: Circa £23,000 – 25,000 pro rata 
Duration: Initial 1 year contract (maternity cover) 
Hours: 30 Hours per week / flexible working
Start-Date: January 2022 
Location: Home working / Cardiff office  
Line-Management: Principal Consultant 


Application closing date: Sunday 12th December 2021 (midnight)

Interviews will be held online in early December with the view of a January 2022 start date.

About Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales

Cynnal Cymru – Sustain Wales is the leading sustainable development organisation in Wales. We provide advice, training and connections to help organisations take bold decisions for a fairer and more secure future.  

Working with our cross-sector members and wider network, we set the agenda and identify opportunities for action on sustainable development; support our members and communities of practice with their sustainability agendas; and share knowledge through training and consultancy work. We are the official partner of the Carbon Literacy Project in Wales and the real Living Wage Accreditation body for Wales.   

With increasing demand for our online and in-person training related to climate change and environment, we would like to hire someone who can help us co-ordinate and deliver this work, as well as support its growth through effective communication, marketing and impact measurement.  

How to apply

Please send your application to jobs@cynnalcymru.com by Sunday 28 November 2021, including your:

  • Cover email
  • Application form
  • Equal opportunities form

Please note we do not accept CVs.

We use a blind recruitment process at Cynnal Cymru.

Download Job Description and Person Specification

Download Application Form

Download Equal Opportunities Form

For more information about this role, please contact Rhodri Thomas, Principal Consultant on 02922940810

*Cynnal Cymru staff currently work up to a four-day week between Monday and Thursday with flexible working arrangements based on the needs of the job role.

We anticipate the Training and Communications Officer post can be based anywhere in Wales but ideally you should be able to work at least 1-2 days a week from the Cardiff Office.

We are recruiting: Training and Communications Officer (Maternity Cover) Read More »

Free NatWest Accelerator Programme open for climate focused businesses

The NatWest Accelerator Programme is now open for applications for the new cohort which starts in January 2022.

With four fully-funded programmes now available, NatWest particularly wants to hear from Welsh entrepreneurs who are dedicated to climate and sustainable solutions.

It’s Climate Accelerator is for businesses looking to take on the challenges faced by climate change and who are focused on sustainable success, similarly the Purpose-led Accelerator is aimed at entrepreneurs who are redefining what it means to be a business and supporting a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

The comprehensive programme includes:

  • 1:1 coaching – These sessions are bespoke and offer business owners the opportunity to focus on the topics that matter to them and which will give them the confidence to fulfil their ambitions for their business.
  •  Insight and thought leadership.
  • Peer-to-peer support from a community of fellow business owners from around Wales and across the UK.
  • The right connections at the right time for you and your business.

Timeline:

Applications are open now and virtual interviews are being booked through November and early December. Places are limited and the application process is competitive.

Eligibility:

  • High Growth – £8k monthly turnover or £50k investment (significant early growth would be considered if trading less than 12 months)
  • Climate – No performance criteria, but must be a climate focused business
  • Fintech – No performance criteria, but must be a fintech business
  • Purpose Led – No performance criteria, but this Accelerator is for businesses who focus on more than simply making a profit. A purpose-led business may be focused on making a positive difference in its community, on social responsibility, and on building sustainable relationships
  • Food & Drink – Open to Wales-based food and/or drinks producers who are already trading and generating revenue, and are ambitious, motivated to grow the business, ready to engage fully and to own their results

The first six months of support are available to all; you do not need to bank with NatWest to apply. Subsequent 12 and 18 month cohorts are reserved for NatWest Group customers only.

Applications:

Ready to apply? Visit the Natwest bank website

For further info please contact cardiffaccelerator@natwest.com

Free NatWest Accelerator Programme open for climate focused businesses Read More »

Thousands of Welsh Workers set for payrise as First Minister Mark Drakeford Announces New £9.90 Real Living Wage

Almost 13,000 people working for 359 real Living Wage Employers are set for a vital pay boost as the new Living Wage rate rises to £9.90 in Wales (40p increase) supporting workers and families through the pandemic. The Living Wage rates are the only rates independently calculated based on what people need to live on.

The new Real Living Wage rate and the ‘National Living Wage’ – know the difference

Unlike the UK Government minimum wage (‘National Living Wage’ for over 23s – £8.91 rising to £9.50 in April 2022) the real Living Wage is the only wage rate independently calculated based on rising living costs – including fuel, energy, rent and food. A full-time worker earning the new, real Living Wage would earn £1,930 a year more than a worker earning the current government minimum (NLW). For a worker today that’s the equivalent of 7 months of food bills and more than 5 months’ rent based on average household spending in the UK. Even on next April’s higher NLW rate of £9.50, a full-time worker on the real Living Wage would earn £780 more. The increase in the Living Wage rate this year has largely been driven by rising fuel and rent costs.

This year the campaign for a real Living Wage celebrates its twentieth year across the UK and its tenth anniversary in Wales, with new research from the Cardiff Business School showing Living Wage workers have benefitted from more than £1.6bn in extra wages across the UK during this period, with one in 13 workers now working for an accredited Living Wage Employer. In Wales, over £57.2m in extra wages has gone to low-paid workers thanks to the Living Wage campaign over the last ten years.

The Living Wage movement continues to grow in Wales

The number of accredited Living Wage Employers in Wales has risen by 44% in the last year to 359, including the Wales Millennium Centre, Dyfed-Powys Police and Coaltown Coffee. Much of this progress is as a result of the work of Cynnal Cymru, the Living Wage Foundation’s Accreditation Partner in Wales, which supports employers through the process of accreditation.

Wales’ accredited Living Wage employers join a network of almost 9,000 employers across the UK, including half of the FTSE 100 companies, household names like Aviva, Everton FC, Burberry, and Lush, as well as thousands of small businesses, who are choosing to pay the real Living Wage to ensure all staff earn a wage that meets the real cost of living.

Citizens Cymru Wales is now focusing its campaigning efforts on Health Board, local authorities and care providers in Wales, asking them to accredit as Living Wage employers.

The First Minister will announce the news at a virtual Living Wage Week Wales Launch on Monday 15th November 08:30-09:30, hosted by Citizens Cymru Wales, Cynnal Cymru and the Living Wage for Wales Leadership Team.

“Today’s announcement of a rise in the Real Living Wage to £9.90 an hour stands to benefit thousands of workers in Wales. The challenge for us is to encourage more employers across Wales to commit to paying their workers at least the Living Wage. As part of the steps we can take to make work fairer, the Welsh Government is using the influence it has to improve levels of Living Wage adoption and accreditation. This includes leading by example as a Living Wage accredited employer, beginning the implementation of the real living wage in social care early in this Senedd term and encouraging employers in Wales to explore the benefits of the Living Wage for them as employers and for those that work for them.”

Mark Drakeford, First Minister of Wales

“We are making remarkable progress towards our goal of making Wales a Living Wage economy, but one in six workers in Wales still earn a poverty wage, and that is a big problem. We need to see more of Wales’ employers choosing to accredit with the Living Wage Foundation, especially in the public sector. This will not only lift their own staff out of in-work poverty, but also those thousands of cleaners, security guards and careworkers working for them in outsourced roles.”

Rachel Ashworth, Dean of Cardiff Business School and Chair of the Living Wage for Wales Leadership Team

“Careworkers like me are delighted that the Welsh Government is going to phase in the Real Living Wage from April next year. This will make a huge difference to the people who have been on the frontline of the pandemic. We’ve heard the clapping and we’ve heard people saying how vital our work is, and now we have heard that our wages will be going up.”

Edel Anabwani, Careworker from Cardiff and Leader with Citizens Cymru Wales

“Despite the challenges of the pandemic we continue to see significant growth in Living Wage accreditations in Wales – with 110 new employers signed up in the last year and thousands of employees benefiting from a poverty-busting payrise. If you are an employer in Wales and you want to join the Living Wage movement we can help you get accredited..”

Sarah Hopkins, Director, Cynnal Cymru

“Becoming a Living Wage Employer is something we’ve wanted to do for a while now, so we’re delighted we’ve finally been able to make that a reality. It’s a hugely important step for us to take as an organisation, to be able to recognise in a small but concrete way the tremendous value our front of house team bring to the table. They’re often the first people our visitors will have come into contact with, so they’re the face of Techniquest in many ways and play a vital role in helping bring science to life for all those who visit. Hopefully this uplift will help towards their living costs going forward and will continue to keep them ahead of the curve compared with others working in similar positions across the UK.”

Lesley Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive of Techniquest, a recently accredited Living Wage employer

“With living costs rising so rapidly, today’s new Living Wage rates will provide hundreds of thousands of workers and their families with greater security and stability. For the past 20 years the Living Wage movement has shaped the debate on low pay, showing what is possible when responsible employers step up and provide a wage that delivers dignity. Despite this, there are still millions trapped in working poverty, struggling to keep their heads above water – and these are people working in jobs that kept society going during the pandemic like social care workers and cleaners. We know that the Living Wage is good for businesses as well as workers, and as we rebuild our economy post pandemic, the real Living Wage must be at its heart.”

Katherine Chapman, Living Wage Foundation Director

Thousands of Welsh Workers set for payrise as First Minister Mark Drakeford Announces New £9.90 Real Living Wage Read More »

Four ways Welsh businesses can tackle climate change

As COP26 comes to a close, many of us will be wondering what more we can do to tackle climate change.

As well as being the forum for governments to debate the way forward, it’s sparked wider discussions on the changes we all need to make.

Governments alone won’t solve the problem. Companies have a huge role to play too. Many businesses in Wales have already pledged action as part of the All Wales Plan to reach net zero or the UK Business Climate Hub (which also has useful tips on cutting emissions). Others have also added their voices to the Climate Cymru campaign, which is calling for strong commitments from government.

So what can your business do right now to make a difference? Whether you run a snack bar, solicitor’s or a steel plant, here are some key ways you can take action.

1. Tackle your energy use

At 29% of Wales’ emissions, our energy supply pumps out more greenhouse gases than any other sector – higher than transport or agriculture.

Fortunately, there’s plenty your business can do.

Switching to a green tariff will support renewables, but how about cutting how much energy you use too?

A survey by the Carbon Trust shows that 80% of SMEs in the UK are taking action on energy efficiency, with installation of LED lighting the most popular measure.

According to Business Wales, heating accounts for about half the energy used in offices. It also provides a guide to saving energy, starting with checking the building is insulated as thoroughly as possible.

One business that’s taken action on energy is Cardiff restaurant Kindle, which has installed sheep’s wool insulation and sensor controlled lighting.

2. Train your staff to be ‘Carbon Literate’

Cutting your emissions isn’t always easy.  This is where Carbon Literacy training comes in.

The course helps learners understand how climate change will affect them, and develop knowledge and skills to lower their carbon footprint.

One Welsh business that’s already benefitted is the country’s largest motor retail group, Sinclair Group. Nine senior representatives from the company recently took part, building on the firm’s existing work to cut emissions such as installing solar panels and switching to renewable energy providers.

Since doing the training, the managers have made a pledge, including giving customers access to electric courtesy cars and investing in ethical pension funds.

If you’re interested in getting your staff certified in carbon literacy, then check out our courses!

3. Protect and restore nature

We’re facing a nature crisis – one in six species in Wales is at risk of extinction – yet nature holds many of the solutions to global heating.

For example, trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere and lock it up for centuries. According to the Woodland Trust, a young wood with mixed native species can lock up 400+ tonnes of carbon per hectare.

Peatlands are another important carbon sink. Globally, they store more than double the amount of carbon than the world’s forests. Draining and digging peat up to use as garden compost however causes  it to break down with time, releasing the stored carbon dioxide and methane.

One example of a firm taking action is Cardiff-based Orchard Media & Events Group, which has partnered with Coed Hills Rural Artspace, to create its own ‘Orchard’ within the existing eco-friendly community.

Your business can help too. Perhaps you can seek advice on how to create, protect or restore habitats on any land you own or manage, or switch to using or promoting peat-free compost? The Nature Wise toolkit is a great place to start.

By signing up for our Nature Wise programme, you and your staff can learn more and get support with developing your own nature action plan.

4. Pay the real Living Wage

Making the shift to low carbon will mean some big changes, and it’s important that this change is fair to everyone, including those in high emitting industries or on low pay.

One thing your business can do is sign up to be a real Living Wage employer. Earning a real Living Wage helps people to make choices – with the food they buy, the gas and energy they use. This helps people to participate in being part of the solution to tackling climate change – mentally, physically and economically.

Ready to act?

Have these ideas inspired you to do more in your business to tackle climate change?

We’re here to help turn your sustainability aims into action, providing advice, training and connections – so please get in touch if you’re ready to take the next step.

Four ways Welsh businesses can tackle climate change Read More »

Green Cymru Challenge Fund

Ffilm Cymru Wales and Clwstwr announce new sustainable screen projects cultivated by their Green Cymru Challenge Fund

The Green Cymru Challenge Fund is made possible by a partnership between the film sector development body Ffilm Cymru and screen sector innovation programme, Clwstwr. This new multidisciplinary innovation fund will advance solutions to key environmental challenges within the film industry in Wales, supporting the sector to be more sustainable. The three projects selected will share £75,000 to develop their ideas over six months.

Ffilm Cymru’s CEO, Pauline Burt, comments that “The urgency of our environmental challenge is such that everyone has to play their part. We have to see significant change at a systemic, industrial and individual level. The creative industries are no exception. For our part at Ffilm Cymru, we are focused on supporting the sector to have green products and services available to them that make it easier to change day-to-day behaviour for the better. It’s also vital to share good practice, networks and resources that keep us moving in the right direction.”

Clwstwr Director, Professor Justin Lewis, says: “We’re delighted to be funding three Green Cymru projects that address different aspects of the push towards net zero in TV and film production, from basic choices about format and technology to addressing the practical issues that will enable companies to make more sustainable choices at every stage of the production process. These projects will have value in their own right, but they will also generate important insights for the media sector in Wales and beyond.”

Chris Hill adds “It is my pleasure, as Ffilm Cymru’s Green Manager, to introduce the three Green Cymru Challenge Fund projects led by Cardiff Animation Festival, filmmaker Chris Buxton, and production company Severn Screen. Each project has a unique approach and will provide opportunities to better understand the challenges the industry faces when it comes to sustainability.

The projects aim to provide meaningful solutions that will help move us further towards a greener screen industry for all.”

Cardiff Animation Festival will explore a service to help the Welsh animation, games and post-production industries achieve net zero by 2030 through in-depth interviews, carbon footprint analysis, co-creation workshops and consultation surveys. A Net Zero Animation Industry will seek tangible solutions to the questions and barriers discovered through their previous Clwstwr seed R&D project, resulting in a route map to reaching net zero through a new, economically sustainable service.

Led by Chris Buxton, Hybrid Narrative is business as unusual: a radical new approach to making films that transforms the amount of resources they require and their potential impact on the environment. Combining green screen filming with motion design techniques and low-cost digital tools, Hybrid Narrative will reimagine how we tell stories on screen.

Severn Screen’s Maximising Havoc will provide in-depth analysis of the sustainable filmmaking techniques developed while making Havoc, building on the momentum created by Gareth Evans’ ground-breaking Netflix production, and helping to embed new learning and systems for future productions.

The Green Cymru Challenge Fund is part of Ffilm Cymru’s broader Green Cymru programme, which supports screen sector professionals and companies in Wales to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Green Cymru provides funding and training alongside seed research and development funds, with scale-up funds available from 2022, to advance products and services for a sustainable screen sector for Wales.

Clwstwr’s vision is for Wales to become a leader in green media production. Clwstwr is committed to spurring innovative ideas for carbon footprint reduction and a lower environmental impact, both with the projects they fund and with the media sector across Wales.

Find out more about Green Cymru at www.ffilmcymruwales.com

Ffilm Cymru Wales and Clwstwr announce new sustainable screen projects cultivated by their Green Cymru Challenge Fund Read More »

Sinclair Group Drives Ahead with Carbon Literacy


Coinciding with the opening of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow, the event was hosted by sustainable development company Cynnal Cymru, the official Welsh partner of the Carbon Literacy Project, as part of a day to catalyse action on climate change.

Nine senior representatives from the Sinclair Group undertook a bespoke training course at the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire, where they gained a better understanding of the impact of greenhouse gases and the effects of climate change together with an appreciation of the company’s own footprint and the influence this has on the local environments around its 21 dealerships and much further afield.

They are the first business in Wales to engage with the Carbon Literacy Project at a senior management level and the only motoring group so far. The Sinclair Group represents a number of motor manufacturers that are already taking significant strides towards an emission-free future with the electrification of their vehicle ranges. By 2025, Audi will offer more than 20 models with all-electric drive and estimates around 40 per cent of its sales will be for electrified models, whilst by the same date, Mercedes-Benz will produce electric-only vehicles as it gets ready to go all-electric by 2030.

Meanwhile as the decade draws to a close, Volkswagen intends to have increased the share of its all-electric vehicle deliveries to more than 70 per cent across Europe. From Brecon to Neyland, Sinclair employees are also making a difference following the appointment of ‘eco-champions’ at each site to co-ordinate colleague suggestions for green initiatives that can be introduced across the Group.

As a result, solar panels have been installed on the roofs of 10 of the Group’s dealerships to convert the sun rays into electricity. The company has also switched its energy supply to providers using renewable sources. Other ideas include the introduction of meat-free Mondays to encourage staff to opt for vegetarian/vegan options at the start of each working week, the use of china cups in showrooms instead of plastic or paper alternatives to reduce waste levels and the installation of recycling stations in every location.

“In partnership with the manufacturers, we recognise that as a retailer we have a responsibility to do all we can to best protect our environment and offset carbon. It is our aim to see an 80% reduction in our carbon footprint by 2035 and to be carbon neutral as an organisation by 2050”


“Our colleagues across the group are already making progress but, as Directors, we want to demonstrate our commitment too and, following our involvement in the Carbon Literacy Action Day, each of us has made a pledge that includes giving our customers access to electric courtesy cars, improving our provisions to car sharing and investing in ethical pension funds.”

“We want to inspire our staff to understand climate change, their role in it and to take positive action at home and at work. That way we can make a positive difference together.”

During their training session, the Sinclair Group received a virtual visit from the Carbon Literacy Project to share the actions resulting from their day of learning with over 30 other leading UK businesses participating in similar events around the country.

Andy Sinclair, Sinclair Group Managing Director

Cynnal Cymru has trained 548 people since they first introduced Carbon Literacy in Wales in 2017. Up until now, they have primarily provided this type of training for the leadership of local authorities but this is the first time that a course has been delivered for the executive directors of a leading Welsh business.

Lead trainer and Principal Consultant, Rhodri Thomas, explained:

“It’s not easy for executive teams to find the time to ask for training. It shows a level of humility, but it is also bold. In fact, it’s a sign of true leadership – being willing to learn in order to improve, innovate and ultimately succeed.
“The Sinclair Group recognises that this is a hugely significant moment for the motor industry. We must stop using fossil fuels – petrol and diesel, but can we really expect people to give up the convenience and freedom of personal mobility? We are on the verge of a revolution in transport and the Sinclair Group wants to lead the way by providing solutions for customers but also ensuring that their own behaviour is exemplary. Carbon Literacy is the perfect tool for bringing about this profound change in business culture.”

Rhodri Thomas, Lead Trainer and Principal Consultant, Cynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales

The National Botanic Garden of Wales provided a fitting location to host the landmark event.


“It was great to welcome the Sinclair Group to the Botanic Garden and help celebrate a real ‘first’”

“We were delighted they chose us as the venue for their milestone ‘seize-the-day’ moment.”

Huw Francis, Director, National Botanic Garden of Wales

Sinclair Group Drives Ahead with Carbon Literacy Read More »

765 Citizens Certified on Carbon Literacy Action Day

On November 1st 2021, to coincide with the first day of negotiations at COP26, Carbon Literacy Action Day took place as a fully inclusive and open to all climate education action. We witnessed thousands of people from all walks of life, sectors, genders, ages and nations all around the world, participate and complete their days’ worth of Carbon Literacy training.

Virtual visits to courses and initiatives were live-streamed throughout the day, and at 17:00 GMT a virtual global tour via Zoom was commenced, giving participants and their groups the opportunity to share some of the best actions coming from their learners. At the same time, the total number of learners participating in the Action Day was being tabulated and actions counted with estimates of the predicted amount of CO2e saved as a consequence.

765 citizens received Carbon Literacy certification on this one day, across the globe as part of the largest ever low-carbon climate education day and developed a greater understanding of climate change and how to take immediate and effective action to tackle the climate crisis.

Cynnal Cymru-Sustain Wales are the partner for the Carbon Literacy Project in Wales, and you can read about our contribution to the tally in collaboration with members Sinclair Group.

The total of organisations with employees who have completed Carbon Literacy training with us in Wales now stands at 116. This has resulted in 548 certified citizens and 1096 actions pledged.

765 Citizens Certified on Carbon Literacy Action Day Read More »

Launch of ‘The Something Club’ – a new online climate action community from Green Squirrel

Launching on November 6th, The Something Club is an online community for anyone who wants to be part of the climate story.

Membership is open to everyone, with a programme of monthly climate, nature and sustainability events and an online community space for discussion and sharing. It’s designed to bridge the gap between individual action and traditional activism, and equip people with the skills to make meaningful low carbon choices themselves as well as supporting wider change.

The Something Club operates on a Buy One Give One basis so – although there’s a paid membership option to cover costs – anyone who needs one can access a totally free membership.

You can join the mailing list to get your first month free and be in with a chance of winning a full year’s free membership worth £80. 

To find out more and join the club visit somethingclub.co.uk

The Something Club is run by Green Squirrel, a Wales based social enterprise offering practical, creative, and inclusive opportunities for individuals and communities to take action on the climate and ecological emergency.

Launch of ‘The Something Club’ – a new online climate action community from Green Squirrel Read More »

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