St Davids the smallest city in the United Kingdom aims to be the first carbon neutral city in the world
2010-01-14 from:http://www.eco-city.co.uk author:
We aim to make St Davids the first carbon neutral city in the world and to demonstrate how we can all help reduce the environmental damage caused by global warming. Examples of renewable energy technology and biodiversity can be seen on the eco trail around the city.
What is the St Davids Eco City?
Like many of the best things that happen, the St David's Eco City Project started out when a group of highly motivated local people decided do something that would make a difference in addressing the causes of global warming. Although there are so many things that need action, St.David's unique position as the spiritual and adventure capital of Wales and its status as Britain's smallest city steered the group's thinking, and we decided to focus our efforts on two main themes:
Start the journey towards making St.David's the world's first carbon neutral® city, and in doing so, prove that it's possible to be gentle on the planet without compromising community
Educate and motivate both local residents and as many of the city's 500,000 visitors as possible to play their own role in reducing their carbon footprint through specific projects that address energy, local food, transport and…
To make these two things happen, the group decided that increasing awareness of the reason for change and potential solutions was critically important, and to make this happen, committed to creating a special Eco Trail that would link up specific sites around the community that demonstrated good use of environmental technology, or represented important habitats that needed preserving.
In addition, the Eco City Group has been busy over the last two years and has:
Successfully applied for a £114,000 grant from the Big Lottery's Transforming your Space fund to develop the Eco Trail
Appointed a part time project manager to manage the different elements of developing the Eco Trail
Commissioned a feasibility study into the supply of biodiesel for local and visiting motorists to reduce CO2 omissions from driving.
Conducted a survey of energy use in local households, to be followed by work helping households reduce energy use installing things like low energy light bulbs and improved insulation.
Working with County Council, National Park and National Trust to install renewable technology equipment on local buildings such as solar water heating, solar electricity generation, rainwater harvesting and water conservation techniques.
Supported Tidal Hydraulic Generator Ltd's efforts to attract grants to investigate the feasibility of installing a tidal turbine in Ramsey Sound that could provide St.David's with 100% renewable electricity
St Davids Eco City Rationale
The St.David's Eco City Project was started because of our deep concerns for the impact that mankind is having on the planet's atmosphere as a result of our obsession with using fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas. The use of these fuels results in an ever-increasing level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which in turn leads to an increase in the temperature of the world through a process where the atmosphere works like a green house hence the name -greenhouse gas.
Even though our corner of Pembrokeshire is one of the sunniest places in Britain and benefits from the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, there are few people here who wouldn't welcome a few degrees of extra warmth, but we need to remember that we are not the people who will be most affected by climate change. Sure, we'll perhaps get rougher seas in winter and two or three wilder storms, but what the hell, we can just a pay a bit more to cover the increased insurance premiums and we'll be fine. The biggest challenge that we can see from climate change is preventing the catastrophic impacts that will be felt by a large proportion of the world's billion or so people who are living in poverty on less than $1 per day; sea levels will rise and droughts will be common. Many commentators reckon that the Netherlands and Maldives will disappear for ever, under the sea. Changing the climate will also have enormous impact on the world's flora and fauna; we may lose up to 25% of all animal species in the next 50 years and food production is likely to be tricky.
It is probably too late to avoid some of these effects but we need to start making a difference in what we do now to stop things going too far. Some of the things we can do are demonstrated on the Eco Trail such as using solar water heating or wind turbines but there are some things even easier to do, such as turning down our central heating, using the car less, using a more economical car or improving the insulation in our houses. More needs to be added here