Wales’ eco-offenders saving the world

This is a new format for Welsh broadcaster S4C, combining reality TV with important and topical issues, and with a competitive element also added to the mix.

Y Tŷ Gwyrdd (The Green House) is presented by radio and TV presenter Sian Eleri. She said: “What a week! The group put their all into an incredibly challenging six days away from the usual home comforts.

“Even for the more eco-conscious among us, the experts who came to Y Tŷ Gwyrdd dropped several factual bombshells that got us all thinking about our personal impact on the planet, and the little things we can do to make the world a greener place.

“While I don’t envy the group’s compost-toilet situation, I do wish I got to dip in the sustainable hot tub!”

One member of the group is Alaw Haf from Mold who is a content creator for OnlyFans platform. Alaw admits spending most of her money on make up and fillers and was not happy arriving at camp with only the one toilet using sawdust to flush, and the one shower serving the whole camp. Alaw says:

“I hated it. Everything was dirty and cold. But I stuck to it, I pulled my weight there turning my hand at all kinds, and the whole experience taught me a lot.

“I was like at the beginning, here we go, the eco thing again, but it has made me think more about individual responsibility. It was actually quite nice not to be on the phone, and to speak with people!”

The four boys taking part are Ellis Lloyd Jones from the Rhondda, Gwion Ellis from Bala, Connor Lloyd Owen from Aberporth and Daf Veck who lives in London. The girls are Meg Davies from Cardiff, Khadiza Mosabbir from Cardigan, Hannah Novello Bianchi-Jones from Cardiff and Alaw Haf from Mold.

Changes

Daf who at the beginning of the series had three wardrobes full of clothes at his London flat and admits to hating camping in woods, needed to dig deep to find the strength, patience and peace of mind to last the six days.

He said: “This was completely out of my comfort zone. It was so hard putting our phones away for the week, but I learnt a lot and I want to change and make a difference.

“It has made me reflect, to consider how I contribute to the destruction – or the survival, of this planet. And I don’t want to be in with the destructive group no more. I am going to change. In fact I’ve challenged myself to only buying five clothing item within a year and I have downsized to only the one wardrobe.”

During the course of the series, the eight compete to win £5,000. Each night they would vote for the person felt to have contributed most to camp life, bringing a competitive atmosphere to an already difficult situation. Daf explains:

“Here we are trying to, you know, survive and get along with each other. But at the same time we’re competing against each other, and playing a game in a way. It was all a bit mind blowing to be honest”.

Y Tŷ Gwyrdd will be shown on S4C’s digital platforms on Ozone Layer Day on 16 September, and shown on TV on 20 September before Climate Action Day on 24 September.