22 September 2021/Deborah Devis
Middle-earth region achieves 100% renewable energy
The Shire celebrates a Middle-earth sustainability first.Mr Gamgee infront of a Shire dam used for hydroelectric renewable energy. Credit: Getty Images/SUBPNGThe Shire has become Middle-earth’s first region to run entirely on sustainably renewable energy for a year.
Five years ago, advocates in the Shire set up a hydroelectric generator harnessing the rivers that run through the region. The scheme was the brainchild of a well-respected gardener.
“I travelled a lot a few years back and realised how beautiful Middle-earth is,” says Samwise Gamgee, who implemented and led the scheme. “But I also realised how cruel people were to the land.
“When I came home, I knew we had to make sure we had a sustainable future.”
Gamgee says he was inspired by a piece of jewellery with which he spent much time during his travels.
“It was round – circular,” he says. “I wanted our economy to be like that. A ring economy…no, a circular economy.”
This hobbit hole in the Shire runs entirely on renewable hydroelectric power. Credit: Flickr
