Gower Power

Human activities which warm the globe, remove or reduce wild space and pollute air, water and land are harmful for nature. With their habitats and food supplies vanishing, plants and creatures of all kinds are struggling - many becoming extinct. Our own survival as humans depends on us living in ways which support other species. We support projects that show how.

Unique in our solar system, the Earth supports life through a balanced interplay between air, land and water, which regulate and distribute energy from the sun. Burning fossil fuels upsets this balance, altering temperatures, humidity levels and weather patterns; threatening plant and animal life. Our projects all recognise the role of humans in creating - and hopefully solving - this problem.

A linear economy – based on production, use and disposal – creates a lot of waste and uses up natural resources. We favour a circular economy in which waste is minimised with any residual waste materials becoming new raw materials, healthier for people and planet, and systems focused on local supply and demand, to avoid money leaking out to other regions or countries and support investment in local communities.

Since the industrial revolution, reliance on fuel has allowed the giants of oil, coal and gas industries to become powerful and destructive. Cleaner, greener options are available but often sold by the same giants. Don’t fund distant companies that sell fossil fuels – buy local clean energy to reduce emissions, invest in community owned renewable energy projects to increase energy security and regenerate local communities.

In sustainable, cohesive communities, everyone is able to participate in a meaningful way and have their diverse needs met. Climate change, income inequality and social injustice can unnecessarily create competition and undermine collaboration. We support projects that empower local people to work together on solutions to the local and global issues of food security, energy security and environmental crisis.

The rise of supermarkets and intensive farming methods have had many terrible impacts, destroying wildlife, creating pollution and depleting soil health. We are keen to support small-scale, community-focused organic farming initiatives. These increase local food security, benefit nature and drive a healthy local economy, keeping jobs, food sales and profits in the local community.

The landscape of Wales and the resources emerging from it contribute to our national identity – many aspects of Welsh heritage and culture are intertwined with the natural world. The fertile soil, the precious minerals below it and the seas around our coastline have historically fed a proud nation with a sense of industry and enterprise, which now looks towards a sustainable future.