Transition Llambed

The Tranisiton Llambed group is really moving forward. To those who aren’t familiar with the group it aims to draw attention to our dependency as a community on oil and to lessen that dependency on a local level. With fuel prices at their current level we need to think about how we can live without wasting such an expensive resource. Its supported by both Menter Llambed and the Town Council.

Transition Llambed has a number of interesting developments on the horizon such as the local currency plan, which aims to keep more money in the local economy. However the main development reported at the meeting on Monday was the scheme to develop a cotton shopping bag for Lampeter. Mel (who has taken up this idea) has been round town selling the idea to local businesses and dealing with the manufacturer in Welshpool. The idea is for local shops to sell the bags and then reduce the number of plastic bags they hand out (and consequently their dependence on oil). It will also serve to promote Lampeter as a shopping destination by advertising on the bags. The cost per bag is substantially reduced if you buy in bulk which makes it a better idea for shops to take the Lampeter bag rather than order their own.

Getting everyone out of the habit of using plastic bags is not going to be easy – we’re used to the convenience. But I’ve found that since I bought two large bags from the Farmers’ Market my use of plastic carrier bags had substantially reduces. It would be great if, as a town, we could ban the use of plastic bags but unfortunately we don’t have that power. We’ll have to wait on developments in the National Assembly for changes on that scale but the little things so make a difference – and that is the key message.

Mel deserves recognition for the work she’s done on the Lampeter Bag project. If successful it will lay the foundations for more ambitious projects such as the local currency and make Lampeter a beacon of good practice for sustainable development.