·
Science & environment
·

Live: #GreenCardiff2019

What are the environmental issues affecting Cardiff? Follow our live blog 10am–4pm on Thursday 11 April to find out, or follow us with #GreenCardiff2019

16:00 Ripple Living, Cardiff

How can you reduce plastics and live in a more eco-friendly way?

We went to Ripple Living, an eco-friendly and sustainable store in Cardiff. Find out seven ways as a retailer to be environmentally conscious and live a plastic-free life.

Check out how over here.

The store offers a variety of sustainably sourced products.
The welcoming display as soon as you enter Ripple Living store
15:57 Bute Park

How do Cardiffians feel about green space in their city?

Read what they have to say here.

15:54 Cardiff

Cardiff’s community gardens

What do Plasnewydd Community Garden do in their slice of Cardiff green space?

15:48 Bute Park

The advantages of green spaces

Nigel Pugh, from Coed Cadw, on the importance of green spaces in Cardiff.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

15:40 Cardiff

Looking at the aftermath of Welsh Varsity:

15:30 Taff Trail

Lunch break walks

A short reflection from Tom Ford:

When I visited the side of the Taff, I don’t think I’d ever seen so much birds in one place. A mixture of pigeons, ducks, and swans all crowded the embankment, and all came up to me with their beaks opening, clearly expecting to be fed.

You can’t stand there without being circled by the expectant birds, and I saw one woman coming to feed them instantly engulfed by a cloud of excited pigeons. I saw one swan take up a place in the middle of the concrete, keeping an eye on the pigeons around it. Another wandered almost onto the road, watching the construction taking place on the other side.

All goes to show how comfortable the birds are around people in Cardiff, and how much their lives are intertwined with those of Cardiffians. Is that kind of relationship common for a city of this size?

15:20 Fairwater, Cardiff

A step inside one of Cardiff’s community gardens

Ian and Rosanna, groundskeepers at St Peter’s Community Garden in Fairwater, explain the garden’s mission to offer a sanctuary and improve mental health.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

15:12 Cardiff Central Station

More suggestions for improving the Welsh train service

Here’s what Liam, who we spoke to outside Cardiff Central station, would improve about the train service in Wales.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

15:08 Bute Park

Air Pollution Solutions

Nigel Pugh, the campaign officer for Coed Cadw, provides some solutions for air pollution in Cardiff.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

15:05 Grangetown

More thoughts on litter in Cardiff

We spoke to Clive, who was born in Cardiff 82 years ago, and feels rubbish on the streets has always been a problem.

15:00 Cardiff

Sign the Petition: #EndPeriodPlastic

It is estimated that 2.5 million tampons and 1.4 million sanitary towels are flushed down UK toilets every day.

Cardiff-based campaigner Ella Daish is close to 200,000 signatures on her petition to make menstrual products plastic free. Support her movement and sign the petition here.

14:42 Cardiff Central Station

How could the train service in Wales be improved?

The trains are often complained about in Wales – we took to the street near the train station to ask the public how they think the service could be improved. Here’s what Vivian and Jennifer think:

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

14:31 Cardiff’s Skies

Cardiff’s Clean Air Project

The Cardiff Council has requested the Welsh government for £32 million to reduce air pollution as part of the Clean Air Project. 

Old photo of Air pollution in cities. Something to avoid in the future.
14:15 Cardiff

How do Cardiffians feel about litter in their city?

14:05 Principality Walk

Should the UK pass legislation to ban single-use plastics?

Ten single-use plastic products and abandoned fishing gear make up 70% of all marine litter items.

To tack this problem, the EU voted overwhelmingly in favour of working proposals to cut plastic waste. We hope that the UK will follow suit!

We asked Cardiff residents if the UK should ban single-use plastics. What do you think?

 

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

 

13:57 JOMEC

And in last place…

She may have come dead last, but our bus rider had a slow, relaxing journey around Cardiff – she even made some friends along the way!

13:50 JOMEC

Missing cyclist found!

In 2nd place for our Eco-Friendly Race is our cyclist – although he did get confused and a little lost along the way!

13:45 Taff Trail

Cardiff’s Urban Wildlife

Did you know swans can travel up to 60mph? Might want to give these guys a little extra room next time you walk past!

13:35 JOMEC

The most efficient and eco-friendly way to travel around Cardiff REVEALED

Congratulations to the Walking Team! Who’d have thought it – walking is not only the most eco-friendly way of travelling around Cardiff, but the most efficient!

13:30 Bute Park

A bee-friendly Cardiff

What exactly does a “bee-friendly Cardiff” mean? More flowers, fewer pesticides and better education, Dr Ian Vaughan from the Biosciences School of Cardiff University. We recently talked with Dr Vaughan to learn more about bee-friendly efforts here in Cardiff.

#greencardiff2019
Bees bringing back nectar from clover, oak, bluebell all around Cardiff.
13:24 Roath

Lost: Six-foot-three, bearded cyclist

Our cyclist got quite confused about the location of Ripple Living, but when he bumped into our Walking Team, they weren’t keen to help him! The competition is on!

13:16 Bute Park

Urban wildlife and spring flowers in Bute Park

We are currently taking a walk through Bute Park, keeping our eyes peeled for urban wildlife.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

13:08 Ripple Living, Roath

Our first racer reaches Ripple Living

The Walking Team have arrived at Ripple Living – will they be the first to finish the race at JOMEC?

13:05 Cardiff City Hall

Climate Change: How are the insects faring?

Extinction Rebellion is famous for creating civil disruption to get their message across, but how effective have they been at changing the dialogue around climate change and global extinction? We went to one of their protests to find out.

#greencardiff2019
A young girl at an Extinction Rebellion protest holding a sign with one of her favourite insects. ©Josh Low
12:55 Cardiff

Varsity Litter Pick Up

12:45 Bute Park

Sophia Gardens and Bute Park Flowers

How many different varieties of flowers can you identify on your daily walk?

12:40 Richmond Road

Tips from the Walking Team

The Walking Team are making good progress on their long journey for out Eco-Friendly Race. Here’s some advice for walking around Cardiff:

12:37 Newport Road

Eco-Friendly Race Update

Our walking, bus, and bike teams are all racing to Ripple Living and back, but could the busy lunchtime traffic affect their journeys?

12:32 Richmond Road

Some tips from our cyclist

Josh, who’s using a bike for our Eco-Friendly Race to Ripple Living and back, has already thought of some handy tips for cycling around the city:

12:28

Litter pick in Victoria park

Monthly Litter Pick – all equipment provided by Keep Wales Tidy.

12:25

Animals in the city?

Cardiff has been named the UK’s go-to location for urban wildlife, but what forms of nature make it so special? We take a look at the different kinds of urban wildlife (like our friend the North American grey squirrel) you can find in and around Cardiff!

#greencardiff2019
A pair of otters, one species populating Cardiff’s waters and marking it as a hub of biodiversity.
12:23 grangetown

Litter pick in Grangetown

As part of Great British Spring Clean month, Cadwyn Housing Association organised a litter pick in Grangetown for the staff, local residents and businesses to help clean up the streets.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

12:16 Wood Street

The Eco-Friendly Race – Team Walking!

Our Walking Team is strolling over to Ripple Living as part of our big Eco-Friendly Race across the city! Will they be the first to return to the JOMEC building and win the race?

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

12:09

The benefits of Cardiff’s community gardens

We spoke with Alice Taherzadeh about her work with community gardens here in Cardiff, and her opinions on the importance of the gardens in Cardiff.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

12.00 Cardiff

How well is Cardiff doing when it comes to recycling?

Cardiff was confirmed as the leading city for recycling in the UK. How does Cardiff’s recycling rate compare to other major UK cities? And what still needs to be done? We looked into how litter is reused.

#greencardiff2019
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
12.00 Cardiff

The race is about to begin!

Make sure to follow us as we try to figure out the best eco-friendly way to get around Cardiff!

11:55 Cardiff

Bute Park: Before and after Varsity 2019

Cardiff University’s Varsity event was all day yesterday.

This year, the university offered a free lunch and rugby ticket if students helped to clean up the park. Even with this incentive, the park was still covered in litter on Wednesday night. You can clearly see the difference through these before and after photos.

#greencardiff2019
Bute Park at noon on Wednesday, 10 April
#greencardiff2019
Bute Park, six hours later…

 

11:45 Cardiff

Get ready for the race!

11:40 St Peters Community Gardens

Everybody can garden!

One of the major benefits of community gardens? They allow people of all backgrounds and abilities the chance to exercise their green thumbs.

11.30 Cardiff Bay Barrage

Surfers Against Sewage Big Beach Clean 2019

Surfers Against Sewage are a grassroots organisation dedicated to protecting the sea, beaches and marine life. This week they’re running a Big Spring Beach Clean Event involving beach, mountain and river cleans all across the country between April 6 and 14. The event coincides with Keep Wales Tidy’s Spring Clean Cymru: a Wales-wide litter picking project running between March 22 and April 23. We caught up with Laura Truelove, the organiser of the Cardiff Bay clean-up, to find out why plastic pollution is such a problem and what we can do about it.

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

 

11:10 St Peters Community Gardens

Community gardens for mental health

11:04 Cardiff’s Skies

Air pollution in Cardiff: explained

Cardiff Council plans to tackle air pollution in the city, but how is pollution measured, and which areas of Cardiff are the worst offenders?

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

10:55 Cardiff

How recycling savvy are you?

Have a go at our recycling quiz below:

(function (d) { var js, id = “genially-embed-js”, ref = d.getElementsByTagName(“script”)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) { return; } js = d.createElement(“script”); js.id = id; js.async = true; js.src = “https://view.genial.ly/static/embed/embed.js”; ref.parentNode.insertBefore(js, ref); }(document));

10:51 Cardiff

Explore Cardiff’s Green Spaces

Here are Cardiff’s green spaces. Explore the map and feel free to add your own locations, pictures and videos to the map

.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

10:30 Castle Street

Ride-sharing: good for Cardiff, bad for commuters?

Is the appeal of being environment-friendly and cheaper good enough to make Cardiff’s residents share taxis?

#greencardiff2019
Environmentally friendly or dangerous? Cardiff’s residents have their say over cab-sharing in the city.
10:30 Bute Park

Going Green for Mental Health

People have long cited a connection between mental health and nature. In Cardiff, places like Bute Park offer Cardiff students the opportunity to take a quick break from their studies to grab some fresh air. See how some students seek out their green spaces.

#greencardiff2019
People enjoy a sunny afternoon out by the Secret Garden Cafe
9:30 JOMEC

#GreenCardiff 2019

Today, InterCardiff is out learning about environmentally-friendly transportation techniques, the importance of green spaces with mental health and Cardiff community recycling policies. Stay tuned to find out more!

Follow us on Twitter @InterCardiff or @intercardiff_uk on Instagram and at #greencardiff2019 to see what we get up to!

Mental Health and Green Spaces

Today, InterCardiff is out looking at green spaces in Cardiff. The city has a plethora of areas to catch a break from the buildings and streets (not sure which park is closest to where you live? We’ve put together a map just for you! (link to interactive map), many of which boast beautiful gardens, paved paths for walking and fields for football, rugby, ultimate frisbee and more!

But just how important are the green spaces here in Cardiff? Sure, they offer a nice place to relax after a long day at school or work, but how do they help contribute to the mental and physical health of Cardiff residents?