The St.David’s Eco City Project was started because of our deep concerns for the impact that mankind is having on the planet’s atmosphere as a result of our obsession with using fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas.  The use of these fuels results in an ever-increasing level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which in turn leads to an increase in the temperature of the world through a process where the atmosphere works like a green house hence the name -greenhouse gas. 

Even though our corner of Pembrokeshire is one of the sunniest places in Britain and benefits from the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, there are few people here who wouldn’t welcome a few degrees of extra warmth, but we need to remember that we are not the people who will be most affected by climate change. Sure, we’ll perhaps get rougher seas in winter and two or three wilder storms, but what the hell, we can just a pay a bit more to cover the increased insurance premiums and we’ll be fine. The biggest challenge that we can see from climate change is preventing the catastrophic impacts that will be felt by a large proportion of the world’s billion or so people who are living in poverty on less than $1 per day; sea levels will rise and droughts will be common. Many commentators reckon that the Netherlands and Maldives will disappear for ever, under the sea. Changing the climate will also have enormous impact on the world’s flora and fauna; we may lose up to 25% of all animal species in the next 50 years and food production is likely to be tricky.

It is probably too late to avoid some of these effects but we need to start making a difference in what we do now to stop things going too far.  Some of the things we can do are demonstrated on the Eco Trail such as using solar water heating or wind turbines but there are some things even easier to do, such as turning down our central heating, using the car less, using a more economical car or improving the insulation in our houses. More needs to be added here

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