Climate Action - Gweithredu Hinsawdd
One of our aims is climate action that benefits local communities. Funding from the National Lottery Climate Boost fund enabled Ecodyfi to create a shared ebike scheme, assist with improving home energy-efficiency with thermal imaging cameras, and to employ a Dyfi Biosphere Climate Officer to set up these schemes and assist with local climate action.
Check out the options below to find out more and get involved with local climate action.
Home energy-efficiency
We want homes to be warm and healthy, without costing lots to heat. Draughty, damp, poorly insulated homes are a challenge in mid Wales. Ecodyfi has purchased thermal cameras for raising awareness of heat leaking from buildings, and to help people identify priorities for improving their homes. It is hoped that actions can be taken by householders, councils, and builders, to improve the quality of housing, so that less energy is required to heat them and fuel poverty is reduced.
We have put together this resource pack to link you to more advice on improving home energy efficiency. Let us know if you know of other good resources we can add to the pack! In addition, Chris from Poppins Appliance Repairs (Machynlleth), has created this incredibly useful guide to saving energy by how we use appliances such as ovens, microwaves, and washing machines.
You are welcome to borrow an ecodyfi thermal camera for free. First reserve one for a few days using this booking calendar. Then get in touch with andy@ecodyfi.cymru to receive a copy of the loan agreement, a guide to using the camera, and to arrange collection and drop-off of the camera.
Check if your phone is compatible with the cameras here: Link to Flir website. We are sorry if the camera is not compatible with your phone. Maybe see if you can team up with a neighbour or friend to use the camera on their phone?
Please share your findings with neighbours and friends, and continue the conversations and actions towards making all homes warm, dry, and energy-efficient!
People who have borrowed the camera so far have found cold spots on their loft hatches and around door frames and window frames, gaps of insulation in their loft, and have used it to find hot water pipes under their floorboards, and see what devices are emitting heat while on standby. One family also noticed how warm the middle of their outdoor compost bin is compared to the surroundings – some soil-making action going on in there!
“Just wanted to say thank you for loaning me the infrared camera. It was enlightening to find out our triple glazed windows actually lose more heat via their frames than the glazing. I didn’t expect that. Thanks for offering such a great scheme & with a great service too.
Many thanks”
- Camera user
Ecodyfi set up a shared ebike scheme based in Machynlleth, with funding from the National Lottery Community Fund. Two of the ebikes are converted from ordinary bikes (thanks to Cycle Dyfi), and one is a new Emu Evo ebike from Bike to the Future in Newtown.
The idea is for people to borrow an ebike for a few days or up to a week, to try out using one in their everyday life. Hopefully this can help reduce car journeys and improve people’s mobility, increasing wellbeing and lowering emissions.
If you would like to borrow an ebike, you’ll receive an info pack and have an in-person induction with the bike, and also be able to borrow a helmet and hi-vis vest. All the bikes have had pannier racks installed.
The scheme is being transferred to Machynlleth's local bike hub during June 2024 - Seiclo Dyfi Cycles cycledyfi@gmail.com. Bikes will not be available until they have set up their systems.
Ebikes
Members of Cycle Dyfi (Sam and Dan) and former Climate Officer (Freya) collecting the Emu Evo ebike from Bike to the Future in Newtown.
Climate Action
There are climate action groups and activities happening locally that you can get involved with.
Machynlleth Climate Action is a network of volunteers formed in response to Machynlleth Town Council’s declaration of a Climate Emergency. Its thematic working groups and Steering Group have generated an action plan. Download a copy of the July 2019 Climate Action Report here.
Contact andy@ecodyfi.cymru to be put in touch with a working group, or to hear about what's happening currently.
The Machynlleth Climate Action newsletters feature current actions. Click these links to see the newsletters:
Climate Officer
Freya Pryce was the Dyfi Biosphere Climate Officer from summer 2021- autumn 2022, with funding from the National Lottery Climate Boost and Ecodyfi. The priorities of the role were to set up the shared ebike scheme and the thermal camera scheme, and to support Machynlleth Climate Action groups. Freya enjoyed collaborating with many others in the community to bring our climate action plans to life.
Follow Ecodyfi on social media to stay in touch
Ecodyfi is grateful to the National Lottery Climate Boost Fund for supporting these climate action initiatives:
