HEPBURN SHIRE is the feature of a new film about sustainability and climate change mitigation.
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Focusing on the number of innovative community-based initiatives in the shire, the short film, delivered by the Climate Council, focuses on how the community is leading the way with climate projects and transitions to renewable energy and emission reduction.
Director Mick Gosden and camera operator Declan Arrighi interviewed a number of community members who are pioneering or benefiting from the number of energy projects taking place in the community for the 90 second film.
"Hepburn Wind was a really good catalyst for the sustainable projects in this community. It is the tip of the spear of all the different projects like solar savers, the solar bulk buy and the anaerobic digester," Mr Gosden said.
Manager of Hepburn Wind, Taryn Lane, said the film was being delivered as the shire poised to launch its Z-NET (Zero-Net Emission) project; a community carbon emissions profile with pathways to set targets for the community, of 15,000 residents, to meet a zero-net energy target by 2025 and zero-net emission target by 2030.
The project was conducted last year and is the first in-depth national attempt of its kind, while providing a roadmap for others to follow.
"It is not just about energy, but agriculture, industry and transport. It’s a 10 year plan that has been co-developed with local sustainability groups, businesses, council and different community members,” Ms Lane said.
Hepburn Wind was Australia's first community-owned wind farm. Since its establishment eight years ago, more than 110 community energy groups have been established across the nation, with about 70 projects for small scale solar.
Hepburn Wind was a really good catalyst for the sustainable projects in this community.
- Mick Gosden
Dominic Murphy, Sustainability Officer at HSC, said solar had been successful, but council, through Z-NET, was now focusing on other areas like electric fuels, and how to transition to electrical vehicle uptake and a transition away from fossil fuels.
The Z-NET project, he said, also looked at the role agriculture and waste have in emissions.
"Waste is something which has significant financial and environmental impact to everybody in the shire, including to council. There are technologies available to address that waste - it is a matter of implementing them as well as encouraging behavioural change so we don’t have as much of waste," he said.
"Agriculture is an industry that is highly impacted by extremes in temperature and variation. In a world where we are anticipating hotter temperatures, there is a need to look both for our own food and economic security in terms of what we are doing now and how we can change it in the future to remain economically and environmentally viable."
Ms Lane said this meant moving towards climate-style farming, offsetting farming practices or changing types of farmed produce to reduce impacts.
The film will be available on the Climate Council's social media pages..
