Hunterston A Site is supporting a local group of environmentalists in their fight against climate change. The Organic Growers of Fairlie (OGF) have pioneered a sustainable garden model that champions innovative waste management practices. Their aim is to lead the way for healthy, sustainable communities and develop a package to train others in the art of vermiculture (using wormeries to dispose of kitchen waste).
The OGF have also enlisted support from North Ayrshire Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, SEPA and Katy Clark, MP. At a recent visit to the village Katy said, “The Fairlie Community Garden is an exciting initiative which brings home that how we behave as individuals is having an effect on the planet. The Fairlie Growers are demonstrating that it is possible to live in a more sustainable and less damaging way. I look forward to future visits to the garden as it develops and flourishes."
The OGF are committed to keeping organic waste out of landfill sites. Instead they put kitchen waste into domestic wormeries (vermiculture units). The worms transform the waste into enriched wormcast which is an exceptional fertiliser that produces healthy fruit, vegetables, herbs and other plants. This innovative waste-to-food process counters Climate Change by burying the carbon back into the soil where it should be. Senior Policy Officer for SEPA, Dr Peter Olsen said, “As the focus of waste management practices shifts from disposal; to more sustainable options, new employment opportunities will arise. This project is just the type of initiative SEPA believes is best able to deliver the National waste Plan in terms of community training and social inclusion while at the same time raising waste awareness.”
The community garden is already well under way and the next step for the OGF is to develop a training package that can be rolled out across the country via colleges and training centres. Ron Gilchrist, Director of the Scottish Composting Centre is main advisor to the group. He firmly believes there is huge development potential from the community garden project and is currently linking with IrvineBay regeneration company who plan to incorporate elements from the Fairlie project into their designs for community sustainability.
