It's not unusual

Wow, smarmy-but-sexy Tom Jones (and Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins for balance) and now this. The tiny nation of Wales will share some of its native riches at a conference this summer on getting rid of all carbon emissions.

This year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C., will host experts discussing the buildings, food and energy use of the future at the Convergence on Zero event. It will be on June 25 and 26.

The Smithsonian is focusing on Welsh cultural traditions at the Folklife Festival, so it makes sense the country will be given a chance to show off a traditional roundhouse that is powered by the sun. Also, Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan will speak at the conference. He recently announced a plan to reduce fossil fuel use in his country by 90 percent.

The conference is supposed to host leading environmental thinkers and doers from the nation of Wales who will share their sustainability ideas and actions with the United States.

“This conference will build bridges between two countries, so different in scale yet both affected by the same challenges: climate security, energy security and economic security,” according to the Centre for Alternative Technology, which is coordinating the event.

It will be free and open to the public.

And check out the Folklife Festival site if you’re interested in all the other doings at the 2009 Wales Washington Cymru.