Greener Living

Llanelli residents will have had a chance to learn how to live in a more environmentally friendly way.

Glanymor and Tyisha Communities First held a Greener Living Workshop at Emmanuel Chapel, New Dock Road, Llanelli.

The event was funded by the Welsh Assembly Government Community Cohesion Fund.

The workshop enabled the local community to recognize their personal impact on the environment and advised changes to help people switch to Greener Living.

The workshop benefited both the local people and Ethnic Minority Community. The workshop was attended by Welsh, English, African, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi residents.

It provided the workshop crew with an opportunity to demonstrate and teach the community key themes about environmental issues such as recycling, garbage disposal and water, fuel, and energy conservation.

The workshop crew reviewed participants’ lifestyle using the ‘My Daily Journey’ Collage on calculating personal energy/waste and made assessment on the ‘greenness’ of their lifestyles.

Then they demonstrated a variety of simple activities, and recommend specific changes that will reduce participants’ environmental impact and improve their quality of life. The workshop crew also engaged residents in hands-on, interactive and educational exercises.

The workshop crew also provided participants with free tools such as canvass bags, compact fluorescent light bulbs and wind-up radio for implementing their recommendations.

A ‘Greener Living Workshop Evaluation Questionnaire’ was filled by all the participants. They appreciated the efforts of Glanymor and Tyisha Communities First in educating people from all communities on environmental issues. They agreed that this project will significantly help, strengthen and improve Community Cohesion in Llanelli. Each participant pledged to implement the recommendations of the workshop crew. Locally sourced and fair-trade refreshments were served to the participants.

Fly tipping and disposal of rubbish, garbage and garden waste is a source of and strain in relationship amongst residents in the wards of Communities First in empty plots, footpaths and playgrounds.

Communities First Development Officer Farah Aziz said: “This project by teaching proper disposal and recycling methods will help overcome strained relationship amongst residents and help strengthen community relations fitting the Coming together Community Cohesion Strategy for Wales.”