Guide

Wales in 2051 – Green Skills

In this mini-series, told through six characters, we explore what the world could look like in a healthy, collaborative, and inclusive future where governing structures have adapted to fit a way of life that supports planetary boundaries and fair treatment of all people, with well-being as the focus for measuring societal success.

Inspired by CAST’s social visions of low-carbon futures report, the manifesto by the Ministry of Imagination, Ciprian Sipos’ posts about future jobs, and Climate Outreach, we hope to show readers that everyone can play a huge role in achieving a sustainable present and future.

More importantly, through these stories, we want to focus on the role of skills and enabling environments to illustrate that we need all kinds of ideas, people, and institutions working together as one creative hive mind.

Our first set of stories has been developed by Camille Løvgreen and Dr Karolina Rucinska as part of their work on green skills, alongside a series of events and advice sessions.

Here is what they said:

“Nothing moves us like a good story. Through storytelling, we can imagine the future we are working towards, build hope and momentum, and come together to take collective action. These six characters and their setting let us talk, creatively, about big ideas without using big words. This makes it possible for everyone to see how they fit into the current and future world visions”

Karolina

“The idea of exploring these characters  through an imagined society with different operating structures and a different priority on the way we live is not only to imagine what a healthy coexistence between people and planet may look like, but to explore how quality of life can improve with a deeper connection to the people around us.”

Camille

Setting the scene

It’s 2051, just a year after what leaders of the past called the Net Zero deadline. Although the emissions continued to reduce over the decades, only a few benefited from the shift to low-carbon economies. Why? Worldwide, the transition was a disaster. There was a lack of planning, of imagination and foresight, of inclusion and system thinking… Everything that was not meant to happen…happened. Between 2024 and 2035, the world experienced mass unemployment, instability, closure of borders, the collapse of ecosystems, barren agricultural fields, reversal of human rights, and the collapse of economies.

A year after the big two-oh-five-zero, a leading news agency correspondent visited nations worldwide to see how they were doing. Most people had forgotten what 2050 was about, but a few remembered.

Welcome to Wales in 2051

Meet our characters

The stories are viewed through the eyes of the narrator, a journalist who sets the scene through a message sent to the editors of a leading news agency about their tour around Wales in…2051!

Starting with Adi, each story introduces a new character who describes their day. Each story leads onto the next, showing how we are all connected directly and indirectly and can positively influence each other’s lives.

Adi – a civil engineer with an expertise in environmental resilience

Cameron – a young school boy, friend of Adi and son of Luke

Luke – a family man and business owner

Aman – a community farmer

Cleo – a doctor

Gwen-Eddo – a policy-maker

Wales in 2051 – Green Skills Read More »

*NEW* Sustainability Guides for SMEs

Sustainability Guides for SMEs

How can a small or medium enterprise (SME) be sustainable in your actions? 

Our Advice team are here to help you. 

Take action towards removing inequalities in your workplace.

We provide actionable changes towards staff training, benefits, flexible working arrangements, and more. Creating a more inclusive environment for your staff is possible for organisations of any size and budget.

Cynnal Cymru are the real Living Wage Accreditor for Wales. Check out how you can become a Living Wage Employer.

Reassess your suppliers and find new sources for materials in your work.

Whether you’re a business that provides goods such as a shop or cafe, or if you’re an office-based business needing to purchase electronics and office supplies, you can consider where you get your materials and find more ethical sources.

As part of our services, we provide a Carbon Accounting services to help businesses understand your carbon impact, including the materials you purchase. See if Carbon Accounting is for you.

Do you know how workers are treated along your supply chain?

It can be difficult to find out whether your suppliers are treating their workers fairly, which is where this guide can help. With key questions to ask yourself and your suppliers as well as actionable goals, you can find suppliers that you trust to treat their workers as fairly as you treat yours.

If these changes feel too big to make alone, our action planning service can give you the support you need.

Minimise your waste and find waste management strategies.

We’re all aware of the amount of landfill and pollution on land, sea, and air, getting worse day by day. As a responsible business, if you want to go beyond basic reuse and recycle requirements, these tips and tricks can reassure you that you’re creating the least waste possible. We can never reduce our waste entirely, but we can always do more. 

Unsure where to start? We can provide transformative strategies to work towards your personalised sustainability goals.

Understand and reduce your energy and water usage.

As an island nation, we rely on shipping for many of our products. On top of tips to reduce water and energy usage in your supply chain by using local products and responsible importers, this guide will also help you understand how to track and limit your business’ daily energy usage. 

Our Carbon Accounting service will help you fully understand your energy usage through an audit of your supply chain, office energy usage, and more, with action items to reduce your energy usage each year.

Unsure how to use the guides? Learn more here

*NEW* Sustainability Guides for SMEs Read More »

Nature Wise – Actions for all Seasons

SPRING is a good time for…

Spotting migratory birds – seasonal nature spectacles are highlighted by North Wales Wildlife Trust

Attaching a bell to cat collars to alert fledgelings and other baby animals


20 – 31 March

Getting active during the Sustrans Big Walk & Wheel Week 

24 – 30 April

Taking part in Wales Outdoor Learning Week (Natural Resources Wales)

No Mow May

Supporting our pollinators by leaving your mower in the shed (Plantlife)

3 May

Celebrating nature’s symphony by taking part in International Dawn Chorus Day (Wildlife Trusts)

1 – 7 May

Supporting our Hedgehog population during Hedgehog Awareness Week.

March – August

Looking after nesting birds in your garden (House Beautiful)

Getting outside and connecting with nature during Wales Nature Week (Biodiversity Wales)

SUMMER is a good time for…

Making sure there is a water source for wildlife – bird bath, pond, even an old saucer in the garden

Make space for nature and reverse nature loss. (Scotland’s Nature Agency)

Getting fit and healthy whilst enjoying the sunshine by making cycling or walking a part of your everyday routine (Sustrans)

Cleaning up your local area and discovering your local Litter Picking Hub (Keep Wales Tidy / Caru Cymru)


19 – 25 June

Celebrating all the little things that run the world during National Insect Week (Royal Entomological society)

14 July

Helping to assess the health of our environment by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count (Butterfly Conservation)

22 – 30 July

Getting outside and connecting with nature during Wales Nature Week (Biodiversity Wales)

AUTUMN is a good time for…

Allowing vegetation to dieback naturally, mowing less, and leaving seedheads for birds to feed on

Gathering leaves, hollow sticks, bark, dried grass and moss to build a bug hotel (Woodland Trust)

Planting bulbs (Gardeners World)

Creating a mini pond (RSPB)

Harvesting wildflower seeds ready for next year (Kew Grow Wild)


15 – 24 September

Organising or getting involved in a local beach clean Great British Beach Clean

September – October

Sowing wildlife- friendly flowers (RSPB)

October

Checking bonfires for hibernating animals such as hedgehogs, toads and animals. (British Hedgehog Preservation Society)

November to March

Planting a tree! Follow the guide from the Woodland Trust

WINTER is a good time for…

Ensuring you provide water and high-energy food for your garden birds (RSPB)

Taking care of your compost heaps – always check for hibernating wildlife before turning! (Wildlife Trusts)


25 November – 3 December

Join the conservation sector and volunteer groups during National Tree Week to plant thousands of trees to mark the start of tree planting season (The Tree Council)

January – April

Helping the local toad population cross the road by volunteering with your local Toad Patrol

Additional links

Natures Calendar (Wales Biodiversity Partnership)

RSPB’s Actions for nature seasonal calendar

Monthly guide to nature (RSPB)

Butterflies (North Wales Wildlife Trust)  

10 Ways to Help Hedgehogs (BBC Gardeners World Magazine)

Citizen Science for biodiversity | NatureScot

Nature Wise – Actions for all Seasons Read More »

Sustainable transport and active travel

We rely on transport as part of daily life; whether to get to work, school, hospital, or leisure activities. Relying on fossil fuel powered cars as our main mode of transport can have negative implications on our health and well-being due to high levels of air pollution, low levels of physical activity, and stress.

Transport emissions from fossil fuels contribute towards climate change and can increase air pollutants. In 2014, 12.77% of greenhouse gas emissions in Wales were from transport; amounting to 5.92Mt CO2e.

Climate change related extreme weather patterns may increase the frequency of which transport infrastructure will need to be repaired or replaced.

Redesigning our transport infrastructure to support active forms of travel can increase community cohesion and improve health and well-being.

There is potential to increase green jobs through renewable fuel technology development and implementation.

What the public sector is doing:

World / Europe:
The EU has a strategy for ‘low-emission mobility’ which sets out priorities of increasing transport efficiency, low-emission energy technology, and zero-emission vehicles take-up.

UK:
The UK government has a report outlying future transport plans; ‘ Low Carbon Transport: A Greener Future – A Carbon Reduction Strategy for Transport (2009)‘.

Wales:
The Welsh Government has put in place an ‘Active Travel Act (2013)’ and an‘Active Travel Action Plan’ to help get Wales cycling and walking.

The Welsh Government has recently consulted on ‘ A Clean Air Zone Framework for Wales’ designed to advise local authorities on how to reduce air pollution from transport and other sectors.

What the third sector is doing:

Community transport providers enable isolated or disabled people to remain connected to their community.

Living Streets Wales also campaigns for better opportunities for walking and challenges the dominance of cars on our streets.

Sustrans Cymru has a number of resources and campaigns to encourage active travel and safer streets
– their ‘Bike Life Cardiff’ report sets out the challenges and opportunities for active travel in Cardiff.

How you can make a difference:

Reduce your car use where possible by working from home, taking public transport, or by cycling or walking to your destination.

Avoid flying and if you must fly consider off-setting emissions by contributing to tree planting projects.

Develop a travel plan for your work or project and consider joining an electric vehicle car club.

Join a local walking group to enjoy the benefits of this free, low-impact exercise or consider setting yourself an ‘Active Travel’ goal for health reasons.

Sustainable transport and active travel Read More »

Why saving water matters

Being water efficient not only helps to reduce water wastage but as an organisation, you pay for all the water that passes through your meter – so it makes good financial sense to ensure you are not letting any of it go to waste. Taking simple inexpensive measures can typically reduce your water consumption by up to 50%.

Saving water is also good for the environment and will help to reduce the carbon footprint of your organisation. Cleaning and treating water uses valuable energy and resources, and if water levels fall, the wildlife in wetland habitats may suffer. Also, if you are heating your water prior to use, any reduction in water consumption will also have a positive impact on your energy bills.

Calculate your water usage

As with carbon foot-printing, it is important to understand how much water you are currently using in order to reduce your impacts.

The following resources are available to help you in this process:

Water Footprint Assessment

Reduce your water usage

Simple, quick measures to reduce your water usage include installing a water-butt, water-saving taps, and low-flush or dual-flush toilets. More ideas for ‘simple changes’ to help you save water and reduce leaks can be found from Waterwise and The Carbon Trust’s Energy and Water Efficiency’ guide.

Dwr Cymru offer businesses Water Efficiency Audit.

They estimate that most small businesses (or organisations) can typically achieve a 20 – 50% decrease in the amount of water they use.

Their Rainscape project also provides ideas and links to further resources for ‘rainscaping’ buildings; from simple rainwater collection to more ambitious projects such as green roofs. There is also information about ‘porous paving’ which is increasingly required due to recent changes in planning consents.

Why saving water matters Read More »

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