Llanidloes residents “turned out in force” to share their views on how the town should respond to the ‘climate emergency’ that was declared by the Town Council last year.

The community gathered to discuss how to reduce Llanidloes’ carbon footprint at a public consultation event called ‘Imagining Our Future-Zero Carbon Llanidloes’ on Saturday, January 18.

The event, held at Minerva Arts Centre, was opened by the Mayor of Llanidloes, Cllr Janet Crisp.

Last year, Llanidloes Town Council declared a ‘climate emergency’ and agreed to investigate what the town and its residents could do to avoid potentially irreversible damage to the environment.

Architecture students from the Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth presented their ideas on how Llanidloes’ buildings and town facilities could develop to mitigate the effects of climate change.

County Times:

Stallholders from the area shared with visitors their enthusiasm for hay meadows, bird and bat boxes, upcycling clothing, green building materials, tree planting, chemical-free locally-grown fruit and vegetables, green burials and other carbon-reducing or biodiversity increasing projects.

Pupils from Llanidloes Primary School’s eco-committee focused on the need for car engines to be turned off while parents waited to collect their children.

However following the event, organisers said: “We went home feeling enervated by the prospect of lots of Llanidloes residents moving forward together in these difficult and stressful times.

“Perhaps due to the sudden change to cold bright weather or maybe due to the increased media coverage of climate issues such as we’ve recently seen in the Australian bush fires, the people of Llani turned out in force.

“There were talks on community energy schemes, future food systems, how joining a car club can lower your carbon footprint, and Welsh food.”

Visitors were invited to fill in a questionnaire to identify areas of interest to which they might like to contribute.

Future meetings are planned for individual topics such as transport, energy, food, economy and well-being in the area.