FACT

Climate change is proven, real and happening now. Byron Shire has already started to notice its effects which will only get more pronounced over time;
• Change in rainfall patterns, with increased rain in summer and autumn and less rain in winter and spring.
• Increasing occurrence of high intensity rainfall events and severe storms.
• Sea level rises of up to 80cm by 2100.
• Increased flooding incidents in summer/autumn.
• Double the occurrence of spring droughts.
• Increased coastal erosion and hazards due to storm surges and increased wave height.

Byron Shire fully realizes that these changes may impact the wellbeing of local communities and their economic prosperity.
Changes such as sea level rises, increasing winds and changes to biodiversity may diminish the Shires appeal as a place to live and visit – possibly impacting on the tourism industry. Farmers and landholders may be faced with increased flooding incidents causing erosion, crop damage and livestock loss in summer, and drought and water restrictions affecting production in spring.
Biodiversity may be threatened by changing habitat ranges. As species migrate they will be prevented in doing so due to habitat isolation and fragmentation in the Shire – threatened species may become extinct. There may be an increase in the range of pests such as cane toads and fire ants, leading to further effects on biodiversity.

Byron Shire is a unique enclave of alternative thinkers and people who appreciate nature with a strong green streak. Byron Shire Council has made steps in becoming a Green Shire by creating a Greenhouse Action Strategy Plan, from which the previous information was taken.

 

Eagle Farm Objective

I have a long held dream of creating a sustainable environment and of living a non-invasive domestic lifestyle in harmony with nature and her precious resources whilst protecting the planets future.

I am passionate about finding alternative fuels for a nature friendly - ecological lifestyle, which fits with the Byron Shires personality. I am willing to create an Eco-centre at Eagle Farm, showcasing the latest technologies. I am currently talking with some European Companies who are interested in demonstrating their environmentally conscious technologies here and prepared to invest in creating the Eco-centre from which the surrounding community will benefit. Imagine if we were able to create a large portion of our energy needs from our own waste, it would be an enormous environmentally and economically sustainable achievement.

Dreamt by Dieter Horstmann

 

To achieve this we aim to:

• Firstly hold safe scientific experiments at the Farm Shed in connection with Internationally recognised Scientific Institutes, which will develop and progress out of the laboratory into new practical solutions on energy matter. This should attract the interest of eco-tourists, which would benefit the economy of the Byron Shire.

Start now with renovating Tyagarah Hall by BNE and NCCAG.

• Create new exciting examples for environmentally friendly domestic living including energy farming and producing green power with no moving parts (no big unsightly machinery, no noise pollution, no friction/heat risk etc).
• Lead the way for sustainable lifestyles.

 

Benefits for Byron Shire Council

By allowing the Eco Centre to be created at Eagle Farm, Byron Shire Council will benefit from taking the opportunity to reduce its green house emissions according to its greenhouse action strategy plan of 2004:

• Purchasing electricity from renewable energy suppliers:
• By purchasing all or part of its electricity as “Green Energy” from renewable energy suppliers such as Eagle Farm, Council could reduce its greenhouse gas emissions at very little cost. Initially ‘Green Energy’ purchasing could be set at the suggested ‘Green Power’ accreditation benchmark of 10%. The meeting of this benchmark means that Council is able to use the Green Power accreditation logo on marketing material and signage. Once cost savings increase from energy efficiency measures (Revolving Energy Fund) Council should look towards purchasing greater percentages of green energy.

 

• By producing its own renewable energy Council will enter the energy market, generating power for Council operations and raising community awareness.
• An Energy smart demonstration building based at Eagle Farm will act as a showcase, raising awareness of affordable energy efficient building designs for sustainable living. Byron Shire would benefit from having the premier Education and Sustainable living site where schools the public and tourists could visit and stay at to learn a range of sustainability issues from a small reuse, reduce, recycle step on an individual level all the way up to how to design and build sustainable farms and cities.

 

• The economic and logical advantage of using  green energy vehicles run on methane gas.
• Hybrid electrical vehicles are significantly cheaper to run and produce 1/10 of the

                  greenhouse emissions.

• Biodiesel can provide a 30% reduction in emissions
• LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) can provide a 13% reduction.
• Methane fuel vehicles.
• Byron Shire Council’s Integrated Waste Management Strategy (2001) is currently looking into the following actions and states that it should support the implementation of these actions, of which one is:
•  Investigation of kerb side organic waste collection and composting, at the biogas plant to be recycled into green energy.
• When organic material – such as paper, food, and garden waste – decomposes in a landfill it releases carbon dioxide and methane 21 times more potent as a greenhouse gas from sewage. This methane can be captured and flared for the production of electricity or reducing greenhouse emissions at relatively little cost. Landfills generate up to 125 cubic metres of methane gas per tonne of waste, over a period of 10 to 40 years. Flaring this methane can result in around a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. This number rises to 80% when considering displaced fossil fuel electricity production. Port Adelaide Enfield City Council for example, has reduced emissions at Canarvan Gorge landfill by 5881 tonnes/per year of equivalent CO2 for a of cost $ 26,500. Myocum Landfill has a passive venting ability. This could potentially be adapted to facilitate the flaring of methane. Alternatively we could tap this to create green energy.

 

• Council has the ability to negotiate provisions in waste collection contracts that specify the use of alternative fuels. An investigation, in partnership with waste collection operators, examining the use of LPG, CNG, biodiesel and methane fuel, should be conducted. The use of alternative fuels can result in significant greenhouse gas savings. For example, by using CNG solely in passenger vehicles, greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by 30%.
• By developing community group, commercial and industry partnerships, Council could reduce greenhouse gas emissions while raising community awareness. Examples of possible partnerships include:

  • Research with Universities at the Eco Centre at Eagle Farm. We are already talking with Southern Cross University in this regard.
  • Work with waste collection contractors and public transport companies to use alternative fuels. Methane Fuel produced at Eagle Farm to power the waste collection vehicles to bring waste to the plant to make more green energy.
  • Holding a sustainability expo in cooperation with other government agencies, NGO’s and industry. The Eco Centre at Eagle Farm proposes to have an exhibition space for sustainability issues, as well as permanent exhibitions on sustainable living including dwellings which are 100% sustainable.
  • Support Adult Education Courses that encourage greenhouse emission abatement. For instance a home vegetable garden course. Some of these courses could be hosted on Eagle Farm at the Eco Centre.

• Tourism  - Byron could become a landmark example of sustainable living for eco tourists with the opportunity to stay in a 100% sustainable dwelling at Eagle Farm.

 

Team members and collaborators

Dieter Horstmann – Owner and dreamer
Kerry Garady – PA
Peter Wagner – Advisor/ Organiser in Germany
Ricardo Johansson – Real democracy
Wadzy – PR
Bill – Technical
Chris – Advisor in Germany
Greg – artist
Frida – artist
Chris L – Town Planner
Hans – Designer from Swizerland
Jan M – Councillor
Marc – computer expert
Nick – web page
Sol – Technical advice
Kim - Environmentalist