Centre for Alternative Technology, Educational Experiences Machynlleth, Powys - Wales where to go, what to see and where to stay in Wales

CAT is an environmental charity aiming to 'inspire, inform, and enable' people to live more sustainably. A solutions driven organisation, offering practical solutions to environmental problems, our key areas of work are renewable energy, environmental building, energy efficiency, organic growing and alternative sewage systems. We have been in existence for 25 years. Our services include a visitor centre open 7 days a week, practical and informative publications, a mailorder service of 'green' books and products, educational services for schools, consultancy for individuals and businesses, residential courses, membership and a free information service. We demonstrate ways in which people, nature and technology can live together successfully. The natural world has many complex processes for maintaining its own survival. If we want to survive into the future - and have a relatively smooth ride - our best bet lies with understanding and working with those natural processes, rather than trying to `conquer' nature. At the Centre you can see ways of living and technologies that do this - like our sewage systems, generators that obtain free power from the sun, rain and wind, and our buildings. Equally important are ways of doing things - like avoiding chemicals when gardening, achieving more with less, and not shutting nature out from our living and working spaces. Finally, there is a belief in valuing communities, and their right to control their immediate environments. CAT is one of the very few places in the UK where you can get holistic advice covering every aspect of your energy use and environmental impact. We can help with everything from changing your light bulbs to building a new house. There are many reasons why people get in touch with us - click here to read about some of the most important ones, and to find out what you can do to make a difference. Come and see us some time. We will show you positive solutions to many problems facing the world and individuals. We are the largest public display centre of this kind in Europe and have won many prizes for our work. The Centre's 40 acre site (seven acres on public display) has working examples of wind, water and solar power, energy conservation, environmentally sound buildings, self build, organic growing and alternative sewage systems.