Category Archive: Biodiversity

1. Great Things Are Coming At EVI

   22nd February 2022 2:50 pm Comments Off on Great Things Are Coming At EVI

   We are pleased to announce that Ebbw Vale Institute (EVI) has successfully been awarded a grant from the UK Community Renewal Fund. This means that the oldest institute in Wales, restored and refurbished by ProMo-Cymru, can reopen after the pandemic with some exciting new developments.

   This funding will allow EVI to develop opportunities with young people and support cultural and economic recovery in Ebbw Vale and Blaenau Gwent. We have lots of exciting plans and ideas for the centre this spring.

   ·  Creating opportunities and pathways into employment for young people involving our café and digital skills training

   ·  Promoting healthy living skills and socialising through our café and garden

   ·  Working with local artists and community groups, hosting cultural events for the community

   ·  Running environmental activities and workshops, increasing positive environmental behaviour both in and outside the building

   Centre of community life

   Although our partner support services have remained open and continue to operate, the centre has been closed to the public during the pandemic. We are so happy to be reopening our community cultural centre in the heart of Ebbw Vale with the launch of this exciting new project. Environmental innovation, sustainability, community and local culture are at the heart of this renewal project, aiming to make Blaenau Gwent a more attractive place to live, work, and visit.

   EVI has been at the centre of community life in Ebbw Vale for 173 years, and this project means it will continue to do so for generations to come

   Find out more

   What do you want to see EVI bring to your community? If you would like to discuss this project or work with us, get in touch with sam@evi.cymru. Follow or like us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook to keep up to date with what’s happening and join us on our inspiring and exciting journey this spring. 

   Welsh translation of this article is available here

   This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.

   The UK Community Renewal Fund is a UK Government programme for 2021/22. This aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches to prepare for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It invests in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-community-renewal-fund-prospectus

   

2. ‘Awards for All’ Volunteers create homes for garden wildlife

   16th August 2021 11:46 am Comments Off on ‘Awards for All’ Volunteers create homes for garden wildlife

   Awards for All Volunteers take local environmental action by creating wildlife habitats for birds, bats, hedgehogs and pollinating insects in the EVI garden …

   The next stage of our Big Lottery Community Fund Awards for All project was to create wildlife habitat, to help attract nesting birds and bats to the EVI garden and create homes for hedgehogs.

   Everyone had a task and were challenged to use tools and techniques that had not been used before.

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   Supporting our garden wildlife

   Awards for All Volunteers from Llamau, ACT Training, Barod Gwent N-Gage and Cyfannol Women’s Aid, have created several bird and bat boxes to help attract nesting birds and bats to the EVI garden.
   Visit Gwent Wildlife Trust for more ways you can get involved locally and support garden wildlife.

   We also have a hedgehog home that will be relocated where it is most needed. If you find a hedgehog out in the day or injured, please visit hedgehoghelplinecymru.org.uk for information and advice on what to do next.

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   Spreading the Seeds…

   Some of our younger volunteers made seed bombs and had great fun spreading them throughout the garden. We also relocated our pollinator bee and bug hotel and talked about how over a third of our food depends on pollinating insects.

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   Wellbeing in Nature …

   Volunteers also created colourful images and words to remind people to spend more time in nature and how we can increase our wellbeing when spending time outdoors – over 18 posts were painted.

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   Keeping up the great work

   ‘Awards for All’ Volunteers will continue taking care of the EVI garden throughout the seasons and utilise the wellbeing space for learning, meetings and activities.

   Organisations based at EVI, (Llamau, ACT Training, Cyfannol, Barod and BGCBC Youth Services) will also undertake further environmental and wellbeing projects in the EVI garden.

   Special thanks

   Thanks to Sam Holt, Eggseeds for leading the environmental workshops, MallowArt for the painting workshop and Promo Cymru (the charity that runs EVI) for providing the ‘graphic design with canva’ and ‘Film making on your mobile’ online workshops to support the volunteers in increasing their skills in digital communications.

   A special thank you to all our volunteers for creating a wellbeing space at the EVI garden. Everyone worked together with staff and clients from other organisations, with children and families; many new skills were learned along the way and so much has been accomplished to support our local wildlife.
   

   

3. Volunteers Create a Wellbeing Garden at EVI

   19th July 2021 4:15 pm Comments Off on Volunteers Create a Wellbeing Garden at EVI

   An environmental project at EVI, made possible by the National Lottery Community Fund Awards For All programme, has brought organisations and volunteers together to create a wellbeing space in the garden.

   What did we do?

   The first step was to plant bee friendly flowers, herbs, fruits, and vegetables that will be looked after by the volunteers throughout the seasons.

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   Over the two sessions, facilitated by Eggseeds‘ Sam Holt, the volunteers and staff from ACT Training and Llamau prepared the soil and planted flowers, herbs (like rosemary and chives), fruit trees (like raspberry and gooseberry) and vegetables (chard, sprouts, peas). Everyone worked really hard and for many, this was a new experience.

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   Some of the volunteers spent time creating wellbeing posts, painting vibrant colours and wellbeing quotes onto the old fencing posts, so that everyone is reminded of the benefits of spending time in nature.

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   Providing new experiences for young people

   For many of the young people aged between 16 and 18 that were taking part, gardening was a totally new experience for them. Here’s what some of them had to say:

   “It’s my first time gardening I am usually an indoor person”

   “It feels nice being outdoors”

   “With lockdown, people could have got more into gardening”

   “I am enjoying it more than I thought I would”

   ACT Training – EVI Volunteers

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   “It’s quite peaceful, relaxing”

   “I like to cook with a lot of these herbs so I am looking forward to planting them”

   “I like building computers so this is being creative in a different environment”

   “It feels nice being outdoors”

   Llamau – EVI Volunteers

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   What are the next steps?

   The next step in this environmental project is to carry out the ‘local environmental and wellbeing in nature’ actions that were raised during a focus group with Llamau. These included displaying QR codes around EVI that linked to wellbeing information.

   EVI volunteers will create wildlife habitats, facilitated by Eggseeds, such as bird and bat boxes, hedgehog homes, and homes for pollinating insects. This workshop will be held on Tuesday 3rd August 2021.

   

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4. Awards for All Environmental Project at EVI

   8th June 2021 11:54 am Comments Off on Awards for All Environmental Project at EVI

   Thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund – Awards for All, ProMo Cymru will be delivering environmental activities in our new EVI garden, with volunteers learning new skills and raising awareness of how we can all take LOCAL environmental action and increase our wellbeing in Nature

   The EVI (Ebbw Vale Institute) is a community hub offering support, learning and cultural activities to young people and families, with a cafe, venue and conference/training facility, cinema quality screen and exhibition facilities available to the community.

   We are working on this exciting project with the organisations based at EVI, Llamau, Cyfannol Women’s Aid, Blaenau Gwent CBC Youth Services, ACT Training and Barod Gwent N-Gage.

   To start the project, Llamau, Learning 4 Life volunteers held a focus group, discussing different ways we can all take local environmental action and increase our wellbeing in nature. Volunteers suggested planting bee friendly flowers, fruit, vegetables, herbs and installing a water capture barrel in the EVI garden. Other suggestions included joining the BGCBC Litter Champion scheme and making wildlife habitat such as bird boxes, hedgehog homes and bug hotels for pollinating insects. A mood board was created to help present their ideas.

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   During the focus group, volunteers discussed how we can increase our wellbeing in nature and what they would like to see in the EVI garden. Some of their wellbeing ideas included tending to plants, listening to the birds, meeting and learning outdoors, getting vitamin D and time for reflection and sitting quietly.

   
   
   The learners engaged really well in the focus group session and wanted to continue the mood board and the discussion into the following week. The moodboard activity really focussed one of our harder to engage learners, and the whole group are excited about being able to create a space outside that will help them improve their moods

   Laura Wheeler, LLamau Learning 4 Life Tutor

   Llamau volunteers also came up with many wellbeing words that could be displayed as a mural on the garden wall, and a fantastic idea to display QR code linking to nature videos, sounds and relaxation music to help remind everyone to spend more time in nature.

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   In response to the ideas generated by the volunteers, ProMo Cymru will tailor environmental workshops to support ways we can all take local environmental action and increase our wellbeing in nature. We will also deliver digital communication training to help support the volunteers in their work.

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5. Dathliadau Nadolig a Chynaladwyedd

   12th December 2019 3:10 pm Comments Off on Dathliadau Nadolig a Chynaladwyedd

   English article here

   Gwahoddwyd teuluoedd Glynebwy i ddigwyddiad Dathlu Nadoligaidd yn yr EVI yn ddiweddar. Roeddem yn nodi diwedd prosiect cynaladwyedd blwyddyn o hyd, yn gwella effeithlonrwydd ynni yn yr adeilad hanesyddol ac yn hyfforddi gwirfoddolwyr o’r gymuned.

   Yn fis Rhagfyr 2019 derbyniodd yr EVI £32.523 o Gynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi, rhaglen Llywodraeth Cymru sydd yn cael ei reoli gan CGGC. Dros y flwyddyn rydym wedi gwella’r gwresogi a’r goleuadau yn yr EVI, wedi cynnal gweithdy Llygredd Plastig gyda phobl ifanc, creu paradwys trychfilod yn yr ardd o flaen yr adeilad yn ystod gweithdy garddio bywyd gwyllt, wedi hyfforddi gwirfoddolwyr mewn ysgrifennu blogiau a chreu fideos gan greu banc o erthyglau ar ein gwefan, ac yn olaf, dathliad Nadolig mawr gyda thwist cynaliadwy.

   

   Gwahoddiad i ddathlu

   Ymestynnwyd gwahoddiad i bobl y gymuned i ddod i ymuno gyda ni ar ddiwedd mis Tachwedd i ddathlu Nadolig cynaliadwy gyda bwyd a disgo pŵer pedal i’r plant, gwin poeth a mins pei i’r rhieni, a gweithdai yn creu nwyddau Nadolig o ddefnyddiau wedi’u hailgylchu.

   Roedd 100 o lefydd ar gael, a llenwyd y rhain yn sydyn iawn. Darparwyd adloniant gan U3A (University of the Third Age) fu’n canu ac yn cynnal gweithgareddau canu i’r plant. Roedd y bwyd yn llwyddiant mawr, a phob briwsyn wedi’i fwyta, dim gwastraff o gwbl!

   

   Pweru parti

   Roedd pawb wedi gwirioni gyda’r disgo pŵer pedal, a’r dyn eira, gyda’r plant yn cadw’r gerddoriaeth i fynd, y dyn eira llawn aer a goleuadau’r goeden Nadolig i fflachio drwy’r nos. Pŵer y bobl!

   Roedd y gweithdai yn boblogaidd iawn, gyda phawb yn cymryd rhan. Roedd pobl wrth eu boddau yn cael creu’r coed Nadolig a’r bôbls allan o froc môr a hen baledi, dysgu ychydig o pyrograffeg a chael mynd â’r rhain gartref gyda nhw.

   Daeth dau o’r gwirfoddolwyr fu’n rhan o’n hyfforddiant ysgrifennu blog draw i helpu. Roedd Jamie Lee a Victoria yn gymorth mawr gyda’r gweithdai ac roeddem wrth ein boddau cael clywed sut roedd erthygl Jamie Lee, Plannu Coed i Achub y Byd, wedi’u hysbrydoli i blannu coed mewn coedwig gwarchodfa.

   

   Addewid i fod yn wyrddach

   Daeth adran ailgylchu a gwastraff Cyngor Blaenau Gwent draw i roi gwybodaeth a chyngor am gasgliadau ailgylchu wythnosol.

   Daeth dysgwyr Llamau (fu’n cymryd rhan yn rhai o’n gweithdai) draw hefyd gydag arddangosfa ryngweithiol. Roeddent yn gofyn i bobl i wneud addewidion ar gyfer Nadolig cynaliadwy ac i helpu’r amgylchedd.

   “Cafodd y dysgwyr amser da iawn yn gweithio â’i gilydd i greu’r byrddau arddangos, a dysgodd pawb rywbeth newydd am gynaladwyedd, a gobeithio bydd y negeseuon yma yn cael eu rhannu.” meddai tiwtor Learning 4 Life Llamau.

   Cafwyd addewidion gwych ar y goeden addewidion. Dyma ychydig ohonynt:

   • – Defnyddio bagiau cotwm i siopa
   • – Addo ceisio defnyddio’r swm lleiaf o blastig bosib
   • – Lapio anrhegion Nadolig mewn papur newydd!
   • – Ailgylchu cymaint ag sy’n bosib
   • – Clirio plastig oddi ar y traeth

   Roedd Llamau yn cymryd archebion am glecars ‘Dolig di-blastig ac yn cynnig awgrymiadau defnyddiol am ffyrdd cyfeillgar i’r amgylchedd i lapio anrhegion.

   

   Nid dyma’r diwedd

   Roedd Samantha James, Cydlynydd Gweithrediadau’r EVI, wrth ei bodd gyda llwyddiant y digwyddiad ac yn meddwl mai dyma oedd y ffordd berffaith i gloi’r prosiect blwyddyn.

   “Rydym wedi cyrraedd pen taith y prosiect hwn, ac wedi cyflawni cymaint yma yn yr EVI,” meddai.

   “Rydym wedi helpu codi ymwybyddiaeth o fioamrywiaeth a materion amgylcheddol ac mae’r gwirfoddolwyr wedi bod yn integrol i hyn. Maent wedi helpu gyda’r ymgyrch cyfathrebu. Ar ôl derbyn hyfforddiant mae rhai ohonynt wedi symud ymlaen i helpu prosiectau amgylcheddol eraill. Roedd y digwyddiad Nadolig yn ffordd berffaith i derfyn pethau, wrth gynnwys y gymuned gyfan yn yr hyn sydd wedi bod yn digwydd yma.”

   Ac nid dyma ddiwedd y daith i’r gwaith cynaladwyedd yn yr EVI meddai Sam.

   “Dim ond megis cychwyn mae’r gwaith i greu EVI mwy cynaliadwy a gwyrddach. Rydym wedi dysgu llawer o wybodaeth a  sgiliau newydd ar hyd y daith ac yn awyddus i barhau’r gwaith yma”.

6. Christmas & Sustainability Celebrations

   3:08 pm Comments Off on Christmas & Sustainability Celebrations

   Erthygl Gymraeg yma

   Ebbw Vale families were invited to a Christmas Celebration event at the EVI recently. We were marking the end of a yearlong sustainability project, improving energy efficiency at the historic building and involving and training volunteers from the community.

   In December 2018 the EVI received £32,523 from the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme, a Welsh Government Programme managed by the WCVA. Over the year we’ve made improvements to the heating and lighting at the EVI, held a Plastic Pollution workshop with young people, created a bug paradise in the front of our building during a wildlife gardening workshop, trained volunteers in blog writing and creating videos creating a bank of sustainability articles on our website, and lastly a huge Christmas celebration with a sustainable twist.

   

   An invitation to celebrate

   We invited people in the community to join us at the end of November to celebrate a sustainable Christmas with festive food and a pedal powered disco for the children, mulled wine and a mince pie for the parents, and workshops making Christmas goods from recycled materials.

   The 100 spaces we had on offer for the event filled up quickly. Entertainment was provided by the U3A (University of the Third Age) singing group, who sang and held singing activities for the children. The food went down very well, and every scrap was eaten, no wastage here!

   

   Powering a party

   Everyone loved the pedal powered disco, and the snowman, with the children keeping the music playing, the snowman inflated and the Christmas tree lights powered all night. People power!

   The workshops proved popular with everyone taking part, people loved taking home the Christmas trees and baubles they had made using driftwood and old pallets and learning a bit of pyrography.

   Two of the volunteers who had been part of our blog writing training came to help out. Jamie Lee and Victoria helped with the workshops and we loved hearing how Jamie Lee’s Planting Trees to Save the World article inspired them to plant trees in a woodland sanctuary.

   

   Pledging to be greener

   Blaenau Gwent Council’s waste and recycling department also came along to give information and advice about weekly recycling collections.

   Llamau learners (who also took part in some of our previous workshops) came along with an interactive display. They asked people to make pledges for a sustainable Christmas and help the environment.

   “The learners had a really good time working together to make the display boards up, and they all learned something new about sustainability, and we hope these messages will be passed on,” said a Llamau Learning 4 Life tutor.

   There were some great pledges made and stuck onto the pledge tree. Here are just some of them:

   • – Use cotton carrier bags for my shopping
   • – I promise to us as less plastic as I possibly can
   • – Wrap all my Christmas presents in newspaper!
   • – I will recycle as much as I can
   • – Pick up the plastic at the beach

   People could also put in orders with Llamau for plastic free Christmas crackers and were given handy tips on environmentally friendly ways to wrap presents.

   

   This is not the end

   Samantha James, Operations Coordinator at the EVi, was overjoyed with the success of the event and thought it was a perfect end to the yearlong project.

   “We’ve come to the end of this project and we’ve achieved so much here at the EVI,” she said.

   “We’ve helped raise awareness of biodiversity and environmental issues and our volunteers have been integral to this. They’ve helped us with our communication campaign. After receiving training with us some of them have gone on to help other environmental projects. The Christmas event was great to cap it all off by involving the whole community in what we’ve been doing here.“

   And this is not the end for the EVI’s sustainability drive says Sam.

   “This has just been the beginning of the EVI becoming more sustainable and greener. We have learnt lots of new skills and information along the way and strive to keep up this good work”.

7. Ymunwch â Ni i Ddathlu Nadolig Cynaliadwy

   8th November 2019 2:15 pm Comments Off on Ymunwch â Ni i Ddathlu Nadolig Cynaliadwy

   English article here
   

   Dros yr ychydig fisoedd diwethaf mae yna lawer wedi bod yn digwydd yn yr EVI i wella cynaladwyedd yr adeilad a’r ardal gyfagos. Wrth i ni gyrraedd diwedd y cyfnod yma o’n gyriad cynaladwyedd arbennig rydym yn gwahodd trigolion Glynebwy i ymuno â ni mewn dathliad Nadoligaidd a chreu addurniadau sydd yn gyfeillgar i’r amgylchedd.

   Ar ddydd Mercher, 27 Tachwedd rydym yn gwahodd holl aelodau ein cymuned i ymuno gyda ni rhwng 4yp a 7yh ar gyfer ein digwyddiad Hwyl yr Ŵyl i’r teulu. Bydd yna ddisgo pŵer pedal, bwffe i’r plant a gwydriad o win poeth a mins pei i’r rhieni. Byddem hefyd yn cynnal gweithdai ailgylchu hwyl yn creu coed Nadolig o froc môr a bôbls Nadolig… a hyn i gyd AM DDIM.

   

   Mae’r digwyddiad yn cael ei gynnal i ddathlu diwedd ein prosiect cynaliadwy sydd wedi bod yn rhedeg dros yr ychydig fisoedd nesaf gyda £32,523 o ariannu gan Gynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi trwy’r WCVA. Mae’r EVI wedi bod yn fwrlwm o weithgareddau fel rhan o’r prosiect hwn.

   

   Goleuadau Godidog

   Y peth cyntaf i’w wneud oedd ceisio lleihau’r defnydd o ynni yn yr EVI. Roedd adolygiad ynni’r EVI eisoes wedi’i gyflawni ac yn amlygu’r ardaloedd yn yr adeilad oedd yn gwastraffu ynni fwyaf. Roedd yr arian derbyniodd yr EVI yn caniatáu i ni gyflawni’r gwelliannau awgrymwyd yn yr adroddiad adolygiad ynni. Roedd goleuadau yn wastraff ynni mawr, felly defnyddiwyd peth o’r arian i newid y goleuadau i gyd i rai LED, sydd yn defnyddio 90% llai o ynni. Gosodwyd sychwyr dwylo eco newydd yn y toiledau hefyd, sydd yn defnyddio aer oer yn hytrach na phoeth.

   Roedd drafftiau a gwres yn broblem yn yr adeilad mawr, hanesyddol yma. Rhai o’r problemau mwyaf oedd drysau’n cael eu cadw’n agored, gwresogi ystafelloedd gwag a defnyddio gwresogyddion trydan drud. Cafodd hyn ei ddatrys wrth osod dyfais cau drws awtomatig ar y drysau i gyd, rheolyddion awtomatig ar y rheiddiaduron a mesurwyr ynni. Cafwyd gwared ar y gwresogyddion trydan cludadwy a gosod gwresogyddion wal ynni effeithlon newydd gydag amserydd 10 munud. Roedd y pympiau gwres o’r awyr, gosodwyd pan adferwyd yr adeilad dros ddegawd yn ôl, angen eu trwsio gan am eu bod yn aneffeithlon bellach. Yn y gaeaf roedd rhaid defnyddio’r boeler nwy wrth gefn i gynhesu’r adeilad. Caniataodd yr ariannu yma i ni drwsio’r pympiau, ac felly gallem unwaith eto wresogi’r EVI gyda’r pympiau ynni effeithlon ran amlaf.

   

   Ysbrydoli’r Gymuned

   Fel rhan o’n prosiect cynaladwyedd roeddem yn awyddus i gynnwys y gymuned wrth gynnig cyfleoedd gwirfoddoli a hyfforddiant. Y bwriad oedd dysgu sgiliau a hysbysu’r cyhoedd am gynaladwyedd a’r hyn gallant ei wneud. Yn fis Ebrill cynhaliwyd gweithdy llygredd plastig yn yr EVI ar gyfer Diwrnod y Ddaear. Rhannom wybodaeth am gyffredinrwydd plastig yn ein bywydau a’r hyn gellir ei wneud i leihau hyn.

   Yn fis Mehefin cynhaliwyd gweithdy garddio bywyd gwyllt gyda Eggseeds i gynyddu bioamrywiaeth yr ardal. Bu’r gwirfoddolwyr ifanc yn adeiladu sawl gwesty trychfilod a bomiau hadau. Mae’r gwestai trychfilod lliwgar yn sefyll yn falch o flaen yr EVI.

   Grym mewn Gwybodaeth

   Rhan bwysig o’r prosiect i ni ydy annog pobl yn yr ardal i’n helpu i rannu’r neges cynaladwyedd. Rhoddwyd gwahoddiad i’r rhai oedd â diddordeb helpu rhannu’r neges i fynychu dwy sesiwn hyfforddiant gwahanol. Roedd y cyntaf yn weithdy blogio a chreu fideo. Dysgwyd sgiliau cynllunio a chreu fideo eu hunain. Er mai dim ond diwrnod oedd ganddynt i wneud popeth, llwyddwyd i greu’r fideo canlynol hefyd, yn dangos yr holl waith oedd wedi bod yn digwydd yn yr EVI hyd yma.

   Roedd yr ail sesiwn yn weithdy ysgrifennu blogiau. Dewisodd y mynychwyr bwnc oedd o ddiddordeb iddynt a chreu sawl erthygl yn hyrwyddo’r neges cynaladwyedd ac effeithiolrwydd ynni. Roedd yr erthyglau yn cynnwys sut i leihau’n defnydd o garbon, plannu coed, te cynaliadwy a mwy. Mae’r erthyglau yma i gyd wedi cael eu cyhoeddi ar y wefan yr EVI. Mae’r rhestr lawn i’w weld yn yr Erthyglau Perthnasol isod.

   Ymunwch â ni

   Mae’r digwyddiad Hwyl yr Ŵyl yn ffordd o ddathlu’r holl waith sydd wedi’i gyflawni ac i barhau i rannu’r neges cynaladwyedd mewn ffordd hwyl wrth greu addurniadau Nadolig i fynd adref gyda chi. Felly i ailadrodd – disgo pŵer pedal, bwffe, gwin poeth a mins peis – a glywsoch chi ei fod yn rhad ac AM DDIM? Ymunwch â ni i ddathlu a chreu gan gofrestru’ch diddordeb yma:

   Hwyl Nadoligaidd AM DDIM i’r Teulu, gyda gweithdai creu coeden Nadolig Broc Môr

   Erthyglau perthnasol:

   5 Cam i Fyw Bywyd Mwy Cynaliadwy

   5 Peth Gallech Chi Ei Wneud i Helpu’r Ddaear

   Trafod Cynaladwyedd Dros Baned o De

   Plannu Coed i Achub y Byd?

   Ffyrdd Hawdd i Leihau Carbon i’r Amgylchedd

   
   

8. Join Us To Celebrate A Sustainable Christmas

   1:53 pm Comments Off on Join Us To Celebrate A Sustainable Christmas

   Erthygl Gymraeg yma

   Over the last few months the EVI has been doing lots to improve the sustainability of the building and the surrounding area. As we come to the end of this period of our special sustainability drive we’re inviting the residents of Ebbw Vale to join us in a Christmas Celebration and create some environmentally friendly decorations.

   On Wednesday, 27th November we invite all members of the community to join us between 4pm and 7pm for our Festive Family Fun event. There will be a pedal powered disco, a buffet for the kids and a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie for the parents. We’ll also have some fun recycling workshops turning driftwood into fun Christmas trees and creating Christmas baubles… and we’ll be doing all this for FREE.

   

   The event is being held to celebrate the end of our sustainability project that has been running for the past few months with £32,523 funding from the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme through WCVA. A load has been going on at the EVI as a part of this project.

   

   The Light Fantastic

   The first thing we did was attempted to reduce energy consumption at the EVI. An energy review that had been carried out previously at the EVI highlighted where energy was being wasted the most in the building. The funding the EVI received allowed us to carry out improvements based on recommendations made in the energy review report. Lighting was a huge energy waster therefore some of the funding was used to convert all the lighting to LED, which uses 90% less energy. New eco driers that use cold air rather than cold air were also fitted in the bathrooms.

   Drafts and heating were also an issue in this large, historic building. Doors being left open, heating empty rooms and expensive electric heaters being used was a big issue. This was solved by fitting automatic door closers on all the doors, automatic controls were fitted on radiators and energy meters were installed. The portable electric heaters were banished as new energy efficient wall heaters were fitted with 10-minute timers. The air source heat pumps that were installed when the EVI underwent restoration over a decade ago were in dire need of repair works as they had become inefficient meaning that in the winter we had to rely on heating the building with a back up gas boiler. The fund allowed the repairs to take place meaning the EVI was once again being heated primarily through the energy efficient pumps.

   

   Community Spirit

   As a part of our sustainability project we wanted to involve the community by offering volunteering and training opportunities. The aim was to teach skills and inform the public about sustainability and what they could do. In April we ran a plastic pollution workshop at the EVI for Earth Day. Here we shared information about the prevalence of plastics in our lives and what we could do to cut down on this.

   In June we held a wildlife gardening workshop with Eggseeds to increase the biodiversity of the area. Young volunteers built bug hotels and made seed bombs. The colourful bug hotels take pride of place at the front of the EVI.

   Knowledge is Power

   An important part of the project for us is that we encourage people in the area to help us share the sustainability message. We invited those that were interested in helping us spread the word to attend two separate training sessions. The first was a blogging and video creation workshop. Attendees learnt skills on how to plan and create their own videos. They also, despite only having a day to fit in everything, managed to create the following video detailing all the work that had gone on at the EVI so far.

   The second session was a blog writing workshop. Attendees chose a subject that interested them and created a number of articles to promote the sustainability and energy efficiency message.  Articles included how to cut down on carbon, planting trees, sustainable tea and more. All these articles have been published on the EVI website. Check them out in the related articles below.

   Join us

   This Festive Fun event is our way of celebrating all the work that has been done and to keep spreading the sustainability message in a fun way by creating some Christmas goodies to take home. To reiterate – a pedal powered disco, buffet, mulled wine and mince pies – and did we mention it was FREE? Join us to celebrate and make by registering your interest here:

   FREE Festive Family Fun, with driftwood Christmas tree making workshop

   Related articles:

   5 Steps To Live A More Sustainable Life

   5 Things You Can Do To Help The Earth

   The Ultimate Guide To Sustainabili-TEA

   Planting Trees To Save The World

   Easy Ways To Cut Carbon For The Environment

9. Easy Ways To Cut Carbon For The Environment

   18th September 2019 11:46 am Comments Off on Easy Ways To Cut Carbon For The Environment

   Erthygl Gymraeg yma

   This article was written by Thomas Morris during a recent workshop held at the EVI. Community members volunteered themselves to create content focusing on environmental issues. During these video and blogging workshops they were taught the skills to create their own online content. This was all made possible with funding from the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme. Check out the related articles at the bottom of the page.
   

   It’s tempting to think that it’s someone else’s problem to fix our totally screwed environment. But we all have a responsibility to show the powers-that-be that we care about our planet and the human race’s future existence. I’m going to show you some easy ways to cut carbon in your daily life.

   

   Make it your outfit of the day, every day

   Apparently some people only wear an outfit once! Considering the massive amount of energy and resources used by the textile industry, this is a terrible idea! Think about how much money you waste by only using something once. Re-wear all your clothes. Look stylish every day and send a message to fast fashion – this has to stop!

   Move greener

   There are many ways to make your day-to-day travel green. The great thing about greenifying your transport is that it improves the local environment as well as the global. However, this may require some legwork (ha!) in terms of the politics.

   • – Use you car less by using alternative methods of transport when you travel alone
   • – When thinking about moving house, consider the public transport and active transport potential of your location. Let housing developers know that you won’t buy a house if it’s not near a railway station
   • – Write to railway companies to ask for more and better bicycle parking at railway stations
   • – Instead of buying a second car, consider an electric bike
   • – Educate your friends eg. did you know that hybrid cars are not as environmentally friendly as advertisers would like you to think? Many are worse polluters than petrol cars. (but not diesel)
   • – Instead of buying your own car, consider joining a car sharing club for the times when you need a car
   • – Ask the Government to subsidise active and public travel more than they currently subsidise private car travel through cheap fuel, free parking etc.
   • – Work to make streets and towns liveable and walkable – if our hometowns are utopian, we’ll want to go on holidays less and therefore fly less

   

   Switch to a green energy tariff

   Whilst all energy on the National Grid is mixed together (they don’t know whether it comes from coal or wind power) you can choose to pay your bills to an energy company that only puts electricity into the grid from sustainable sources. 

   Change to LED and double-glazing

   But not if you already replaced your lights and windows recently. This will save money. This is what the EVI has been doing with funding from the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme.

   Take a staycation

   Commit yourself to one return flight a year if you can help it. There are probably plenty of places in the UK that you have never visited. Consider a multimodal bike-on-a-train trip for yourself or pack up a car with your whole family and head somewhere new. 

   You’ll not be contributing to the erosion of famous places like Venice by tourism, and you’ll be contributing your hard earned pounds to British local economies that are often suffering.

   Divest and boycott fossil fuel

   Don’t put money in banks that invest in oil. Ask your school, company etc. to take stocks out of oil. Check what your pension is invested in.

   Prepare when shopping

   If you’re trying to reduce your plastic waste, you need to be prepared when you go shopping. Bring boxes and jars to the shop with you, this way you can buy things loose but keep them clean. You might spend less also by only buying what you came for.

   In order to further reduce car journeys you could consider cycling to the shop or ordering online. Businesses can even consider getting money off a cargo bike through the Energy Saving Trust.

   

   Eat local and eat less meat

   Beef in particular is known as a big producer of greenhouse gases. Cutting down on meat such as beef, lamb and pork is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.

   However, even a vegan diet can end up costing the Earth if it’s all fresh produce being flown in from overseas. Look for food which is grown in Britain or at least Europe- this may mean adopting a more seasonal diet.

   Teach people how to recycle better

   Help the people around you to do better when it comes to recycling. If you know them well and they trust you then you’ll know how to get on their good side!

   Leave your lawnmower to rust

   Improve local biodiversity by growing your garden wilder- don’t mow or use grass. Here’s why:

   • – Obviously most mowers run on petrol or electricity, so that’s less fossil fuel being used
   • – You’ll be contributing to local biodiversity. In modern cities, bees, butterflies and many other insects will be looking for a place to nest. Your garden of delights – rather than a boring patch of cut grass – provides them with a handy home
   • – Letting your garden grow wild not only helps the planet but also functions as a local carbon sink
   • – Plant wildflowers using seed bombs and have a small pool – perhaps you could use an old tyre and tarpaulin to create a wet area for bugs. We did this at the EVI in our bugs and flower bomb workshop.

   ---

   So there you go, hopefully some of the tips above will help you to cut your carbon use and do your bit to help the environment. Just one person cutting their carbon use might not make much difference, but if we all decide to make these small changes then it can make a huge difference.

   Related articles

   Planting Trees To Save the World?

   The Ultimate Guide To Sustainabili-TEA

   5 Things You Can Do To Help The Earth

   5 Steps To Live a More Sustainable Life

10. Ffyrdd Hawdd i Leihau Carbon i’r Amgylchedd

    11:46 am Comments Off on Ffyrdd Hawdd i Leihau Carbon i’r Amgylchedd

    English article here

    Ysgrifennwyd yr erthygl hon gan Thomas Morris mewn gweithdy diweddar yn yr EVI. Gwirfoddolodd aelodau’r gymuned i greu cynnwys yn canolbwyntio ar faterion amgylcheddol. Yn ystod y gweithdai fideo a blogio yma dysgwyd sut i greu cynnwys ar-lein eu hunain. Gwnaed hyn yn bosib gydag arian o’r Cynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi. Edrychwch ar ein herthyglau eraill ar waelod y dudalen.

    Braf yw meddwl bod trwsio ein hamgylchedd anniben yn broblem i rywun arall. Ond mae gan bawb gyfrifioldeb i ddangos i’r rhai sydd mewn grym ein bod eisiau gofalu am ddyfodol bodolaeth ein planed a’r dynol ryw. Byddaf yn dangos ffyrdd hawdd i leihau carbon yn eich bywyd bob dydd.

    

    Gwisg y dydd – bob dydd

    Yn ôl pob sôn, mae yna rai pobl sydd yn gwisgo gwisg unwaith yn unig! O ystyried y swm enfawr o ynni ac adnoddau defnyddir gan y diwydiant tecstilau, mae hyn yn syniad ofnadwy! Meddyliwch am yr arian sydd yn cael ei wastraffu wrth ddefnyddio rhywbeth unwaith. Ail-wisgwch eich dillad i gyd. Edrychwch yn steilus bob dydd a gyrru neges i ffasiwn sydyn – mae’n hen bryd i hyn stopio!

    Symud yn fwy gwyrdd

    Mae yna sawl ffordd i deithio o ddydd i ddydd yn wyrdd. Y peth da am wyrddeiddio eich trafnidiaeth ydy bod hyn yn gwella’r amgylchedd lleol yn ogystal â byd eang. Ond, efallai bydd hi’n dipyn o her yn nhermau’r wleidyddiaeth.

    • – Defnyddiwch eich car llai wrth ddefnyddio dulliau eraill o drafnidiaeth pan fyddech chi’n teithio eich hun.
    • – Wrth feddwl am symud tŷ, rhaid ystyried potensial trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a thrafnidiaeth weithgar eich lleoliad. Dywedwch wrth ddatblygwyr tai na fyddech chi’n prynu tŷ os nad yw’n agos i orsaf trenau.
    • – Ysgrifennwch i gwmnïau rheilffordd i ofyn am fwy o barcio i feiciau mewn gorsafoedd rheilffordd, a pharcio gwell.
    • – Yn hytrach nag prynu ail gar, gallech chi ystyried beic trydan.
    • – Addysgwch eich ffrindiau e.e. oeddech chi’n ymwybodol nad yw ceir hybrid mor gyfeillgar i’r amgylchedd ag y mae’r hysbysebwyr yn ceisio dweud? Mae llawer yn achosi mwy o lygredd na cheir petrol (ond nid disel)
    • – Yn hytrach na phrynu car eich hun, gallech chi ystyried ymuno â chlwb rhannu ceir am y cyfnodau pan fyddech chi angen car
    • – Gofynnwch i’r Llywodraeth i roi mwy o gymhorthdal i deithio cyhoeddus ac actif , yn fwy nag y maent yn cymorthdalu teithio car preifat gyda thanwydd rhad, parcio am ddim ayb yn bresennol.
    • – Gweithio i greu strydoedd a threfi y gellir byw a cherdded ynddynt – os yw’n trefi genedigol yn iwtopaidd, yna ni fydd angen cymaint o wyliau a bydd llai yn hedfan.

    

    Newid i dariff ynni gwyrdd

    Er bod holl ynni’r Grid Cenedlaethol wedi cymysgu â’i gilydd (nid oes posib gwybod os yw’n dod o ynni glo neu wynt) gallech chi ddewis talu eich biliau i gwmni ynni sydd yn darparu ynni i’r grid o ffynonellau cynaliadwy yn unig.

    Newid i LED a ffenestri dwbl

    Ond nid os ydych chi wedi newid eich goleuadau a’ch ffenestri yn ddiweddar. Bydd hyn yn arbed arian. Dyma sydd wedi bod yn digwydd yn yr EVI yn ddiweddar gydag arian o Gynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi.

    Gwyliau Gartref

    Ceisiwch lynu at un daith awyren y flwyddyn os yn bosib. Mae’n debyg nad ydych chi wedi ymweld â llawer iawn lefydd yn y DU. Beth am ystyried taith amlfodd beic-ar-drên i chi’ch hun, neu bacio’r car a mynd i rywle newydd gyda’r teulu i gyd.

    Ni fyddech yn cyfrannu at erydiad llefydd enwog fel Fenis oherwydd twristiaeth, a byddech yn gwario’ch arian ar economïau lleol Prydeinig sydd yn aml yn dioddef.

    Dihatru a boicotio tanwydd ffosil

    Peidiwch roi arian i fanciau sydd yn buddsoddi mewn olew. Gofynnwch i’ch ysgol, cwmni ayb i dynnu stociau allan o olew. Gofynnwch beth mae eich pensiwn yn buddsoddi ynddo.

    Paratoi wrth siopa

    Os ydych chi’n ceisio lleihau eich gwastraff plastig, bydd angen i chi baratoi cyn mynd i siopa. Gallwch chi gario bocsys a jariau i’r siop i brynu pethau rhydd a’u cadw’n lân. Efallai byddech chi’n gwario llai hefyd wrth brynu’r pethau rydych chi eu hangen yn unig.

    Er mwyn lleihau eich teithiau yn y car ymhellach dylech chi feddwl beicio i’r siop neu brynu ar-lein. Gall busnesau ystyried cael beic llwyth yn rhatach trwy’r Ymddiriedolaeth Arbed Ynni.

    

    Bwyta’n lleol a bwyta llai o gig

    Un o’r bwydydd sydd yn cynhyrchu nwyon tŷ gwydr uchel yw cig eidion. Mae bwyta llai o gigoedd fel cig eidion, cig oen a phorc yn ffordd dda i leihau’ch ôl troed carbon.

    Ond os yw’r holl fwydydd ffres yn cael ei hedfan o dramor yna mae byw ar ddiet fegan yn gallu bod yn ddrud iawn i’r Ddaear hefyd . Chwiliwch am fwyd sydd yn cael ei dyfu ym Mhrydain, neu Ewrop o leiaf – efallai bydd angen mabwysiadu diet mwy tymhorol.

    Dysgu pobl sut i ailgylchu’n well

    Helpwch y bobl o’ch cwmpas i ailgylchu’n well. Os ydych chi’n eu hadnabod yn dda yna byddech chi’n deall sut i gael ar yr ochr dda ohonynt!

    Gadael y peiriant torri lawnt i rydu

    Gallech chi wella bioamrywiaeth leol wrth adael i’ch gardd dyfu’n wyllt – peidiwch torri’r lawnt. Dyma pam:

    • – Mae’r mwyafrif o beiriannau torri lawnt yn gweithio gyda phetrol neu drydan, felly bydd hyn yn defnyddio llai o danwydd ffosil.
    • – Byddech chi’n cyfrannu at fioamrywiaeth leol. Mewn dinasoedd modern bydd gwenyn, glöyn byw a llawer o drychfilod eraill yn chwilio am le i nythu. Bydd eich gardd o hyfrydwch – yn hytrach nag darn o lawnt ddiflas wedi’i dorri – yn cynnig cartref clud iddynt.
    • – Mae gadael i’r ardd dyfu’n wyllt yn helpu’r blaned ond mae’n ymddwyn fel sinc carbon lleol hefyd.
    • – Defnyddiwch fomiau hadau i blannu blodau gwyllt a chael pwll bach – efallai gallech chi ddefnyddio hen deiar a tharpolin i greu ardal wlyb i drychfilod. Fe wnaethom hyn yr EVI yn ein gweithdai bomiau blodau a thrychfilod.

    Felly dyna chi, gobeithio bod rhai o’r awgrymiadau uchod yn eich helpu i leihau eich defnydd o garbon a chwarae eich rhan i helpu’r amgylchedd. Efallai nad yw un person yn gostwng ei ddefnydd o garbon yn cael llawer o effaith, ond os yw pawb yn penderfynu gwneud y newidiadau bach yma, yna gallai wneud gwahaniaeth mawr.

    Erthyglau perthnasol

    Plannu Coed i Achub y Byd?

    5 Cam i Fyw Bywyd Mwy Cynaliadwy

    5 Peth Gallech Chi Ei Wneud i Helpu’r Ddaear

    Trafod Cynaladwyedd Dros Baned o De

11. Creu Paradwys Trychfilod ar Gyfer Bioamrywiaeth

    8th July 2019 1:50 pm Comments Off on Creu Paradwys Trychfilod ar Gyfer Bioamrywiaeth

    English article here

    Ar gychwyn fis Mehefin bu grŵp o bobl ifanc yn cymryd rhan mewn Gweithdy Gardd Wyllt yn Institiwt Glynebwy. Bu’r criw yn creu gwestai trychfilod a bomiau hadau fydd yn help i’r trychfilod peillio a gwella’r ardal o amgylch yr adeilad.

    Yn cymryd rhan yn y gweithdy arbennig yma wedi’i gynnal gan Eggseeds roedd pobl ifanc o Llamau, Hyfforddiant ACT a Gwasanaethau Ieuenctid Blaenau Gwent. Mae Eggseeds yn sefydliad sydd yn dysgu addysg awyr agored am natur a bioamrywiaeth. Trefnwyd y gweithdy fel rhan o gyfres o fesurau cynaliadwy yn yr EVI, wedi’i wireddu o ganlyn Cynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi, prosiect sy’n cael ei gefnogi gan yr WCVA.

    

    Llefydd ar osod yn y gwesty trychfilod

    Cychwynnodd y gweithdy wrth adeiladu gwestai trychfilod, adeiladau pren bach gall fod yn gartref i bob math o bryfaid a rhai adar hyd yn oed. Mae’r adeiladau pren yma wedi cael eu gosod ar slab mawr o AstroTurf a’i osod o fewn yr ardd gymunedol o flaen yr EVI. Bydd hwn yn creu stryd fach uchel i’r trychfilod ffynnu ynddi.

    Ond cyn i’r adeiladau fod yn barod i groesawu’r trychfilod roedd rhaid tacluso tipyn arnynt er mwyn tynnu sylw unrhyw un sydd yn cerdded heibio. Dechreuodd y bobl ifanc wrth beintio’r tai a gwestai trychfilod!

    

    Denu’r trychfilod

    “Bydd y tri adeilad mwyaf yn denu pryfaid sy’n hedfan. Efallai bydd gwenyn, pili-pala ac adain siderog (lacewing) yn hoff o nythu ynddynt,” eglurodd Sam o Eggseeds.

    “Bûm yn stwffio’r tai llai llawn llwch lli gydag ychydig o fylchau bychan i gael i mewn. Mae hwn yn berffaith i chwilen dyrchu iddo. Ychwanegwyd tyllau crwn mwy i rai o’r tai llai hefyd, i greu gofod nythu perffaith i adar.”

    Ar ôl peintio’r rhain, gosodwyd y toeau bwrdd sialc (perffaith i ysgrifennu negeseuon arnynt) gyda hoelion ac offer pŵer. Llenwyd y tai gyda llwch lli a thiwbiau bambŵ wedi’u torri. Mae stwffin llwch lli yn creu awyrgylch hydrin i’r trychfilod dyrchu a nythu ynddo. Meddyliwch am yr holl arwynebedd ychwanegol sydd i fedru llithro eu cyrff bach i mewn iddo ac ymlusgo ar ei hyd. Gobeithir bydd y tiwbia bambŵ yn dod yn le i’r gwenyn ddodwy wyau.

    

    Bomiau’n blodeuo

    Gyda’r adeiladau trychfilod yn edrych yn wych roedd hi’n hen bryd symud ymlaen i’r gweithgaredd nesaf – creu’r bomiau hadau. Mae bomio hadau yn hen dechneg ffermio organig Japaneaidd, ffordd o hadu sydd yn well i’r tir ac yn amddiffyn yr hadau rhag cael eu bwyta gan adar a bywyd gwyllt fel arall. Dyma ffordd wych i gynyddu bioamrywiaeth yn eich ardal leol.

    Defnyddiwyd hadau blodau gwyllt gwydn. Gan fod yr hadau yn cael eu cau mewn pridd wedi’i bacio’n galed, nid yw’n hawdd i adar eu bwyta ac mae hyn yn rhoi cyfle iddynt ddechrau tyfu.

    

    Sut i greu Bomiau Hadau eich hun:

    Cam 1: Defnyddiwch ychydig o glai gwlyb a’i gymysgu gyda phridd. Rholiwch hwn yn belen a rhoi tolc ynddo gyda’ch bys

    Cam 2: Dewiswch dau neu dri hedyn a’u gollwng i mewn i’r tolc. Os ydych chi’n rhoi mwy yna bydd yr hadau yn cystadlu am yr adnoddau yn y ddaear a ddim yn tyfu i’w llawn botensial

    Cam 3: Tylinwch yr hadau i mewn i ganol y belen

    Cam 4: Taflwch y bom hadau ar unrhyw dir ffrwythlon neu ddiffaith a gobeithio bydd y planhigion yn tyfu

    

    Byddwch yn arwr bywyd gwyllt

    Mae’n eithaf hawdd cyfrannu at fioamrywiaeth eich ardal leol. Beth am gymryd rhai o’r syniadau uchod a chreu paradwys i adar a thrychfilod yn eich gardd chi? Roedd y cyfranogwyr yn hapus iawn gyda’r canlyniadau ac i ffwrdd â nhw adref wedi dysgu sgiliau gwerthfawr diolch i’r tîm Eggseeds am eu profiad a’u gwaith caled.

    ---

    Ariannwyd y gweithdy hwn drwy Gynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi trwy’r WCVA. Derbyniodd yr EVI arian i wella effeithiolrwydd ynni’r adeilad, cynyddu bioamrywiaeth yn lleol a chynnwys y gymuned drwy wirfoddoli.

    Dyma’r diweddaraf mewn cyfres o erthyglau ar y sawl ffordd rydym yn hyrwyddo cynaladwyedd yn Institiwt Glynebwy. Darllenwch y gweddill yma:

    • – Cynyddu Effeithlonrwydd Ynni’r EVI
    • – Effeithlonrwydd Ynni’r EVI: Goleuo Godidog
    • – Defnyddio’r Awyr i Gynhesu’r EVI
    • – Taclo Llygredd Plastig yn yr EVI

12. Creating a Bug Paradise For Biodiversity

    1:50 pm Comments Off on Creating a Bug Paradise For Biodiversity

    Erthygl Gymraeg yma

    At the start of June a group of young people took part in a Wildlife Garden Workshop at the Ebbw Vale Institute. They created bug hotels and seed bombs to help pollinating bugs and improve the area around the building.

    Young people from Llamau, Act Training and Blaenau Gwent Youth Services took part in this special workshop run by Eggseeds, an organisation that delivers outdoor education teaching people about nature and biodiversity. The workshop was organised as part of a series of sustainability measures taking place at the EVI as part of a WCVA supported project made possible through the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme.

    

    Vacancies at the Bug Hotel

    The workshop began by building bug hotels, small wooden buildings that can house all kinds of insects and even some birds. These wooden structures will be attached to a big slab of AstroTurf and placed just outside the front of the EVI. This will create a small, elevated street for bugs to thrive in inside the community garden.

    Before the buildings could be made ready for the bugs to move in though, it was time to smarten them up a little to catch the eye of passers-by. The young people got to work by painting the bug houses and bug hotels!

    

    Attracting the bugs

    “The three taller structures will mainly attract flying insects. Bees, butterflies and lacewings might like to nest inside them” explained Sam from Eggseeds.

    “We stuffed some of the smaller houses full of sawdust with just a few small gaps to get in. This makes it ideal for beetles to burrow through. We added larger round holes to some of the smaller houses too, to make an ideal nesting place for birds.”

    Once painted, the chalkboard roofs (good for writing messages on) were nailed to the buildings with power tools. The houses were then stuffed with sawdust and cut bamboo tubes. Sawdust stuffing creates a malleable environment for insects to burrow and nest inside. Think of all the extra surface area for their tiny bodies to slip into and crawl along. It’s hoped that the bamboo tubes will become a place for bees to lay eggs.

    

    Bombing for blooms

    With the bug buildings looking fantastic it was time to move on to the next activity – creating seed bombs. Seed bombing is an ancient Japanese organic farming technique, a way of seeding which is kinder to the land and protects the seeds from birds and other wildlife. This is a great way to increase biodiversity in your local area. 

    They used seeds that sprout hardy wildflowers. As the seeds are encased inside hard-packed earth, birds can’t easily eat them, giving them time to start growing.

    

    How to create your own Seed Bombs:

    Step 1: Scoop up some wet clay and mix it with some soil. Roll into a ball and make a dent with your finger

    Step 2: Pick up two or three seeds and drop them into the dent. Any more and the seeds will be competing for resources and won’t grow to their full potensial

    Step 3: Knead the seeds into the centre of the ball

    Step 4: Throw the seed bomb onto any fertile or waste ground and hope that plants will grow

    

    Be a wildlife hero

    It doesn’t take much to make a difference to the biodiversity of your local area. Why not take some of the ideas above and create a paradise for birds and insects in your own garden? The participants were really happy with the finished results and headed off home having learnt some valuable skills thanks to the Eggseeds team for all their expertise and hard work.

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    This workshop was funded through the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme through the WCVA. The EVI received funding to improve energy efficiency at the building, increase the local biodiversity and involving the community through volunteering.

    This is the latest in a series of articles on the many ways we’re promoting sustainability at the Ebbw Vale Institute. Read the others here:

    • – Increasing Energy Efficiency At The EVI
    • – An Energy Efficient EVI: Lighting The Way Forward
    • – Using Air To Heat The EVI
    • – Tackling Plastic Pollution At The EVI

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