GREEN Volume 2 Number 1 by Green Magazine Hawaii: Hawaii's Sustainable Living Magazine

CONTENTS

Photo: Kevin Whitton

Photo: Courtesy Tony Nissan

Photo: Roxanne McCann

Editor’s Note What is Earth Day Anyway?

Letters Raise Your Voice

The Word Back-up Plan Locals Only Airfare Garden Expansion Six Billion Voices

In The Kitchen Macrobiotics

Do-It-Yourself Plant a Tree and Have It Thrive

Green Economics Plastic-free Parenting

Art Sierra Dew Designs

Planet Earth New Zealand

Outdoor: Message in a Bottle A Maritime Journey of Life, Love and Ocean Debris

Design: Nauru Tower Building Recognition

Profile: Six People You Need To Know Unsung Leaders in Sustainability

Transportation: Plug In The Charge to Make Electric Vehicles a Reality in Hawai‘i

Marketplace Things We Like

Advertiser’s Directory Support Our Advertisers

Coming Next Issue

50 COVER PHOTO: Kevin Whitton

GRE E N M A G A Z I N E H AWA I I.C O M

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EDITOR’S NOTE

What is Earth Day Anyway? “I am convinced that all we need to do to bring an overwhelming insistence of the new generation that we stem the tide of environmental disaster is to present the facts clearly and dramatically. To marshal such an effort, I am proposing a national teach-in on the crisis of the environment to be held next spring on every university campus across the Nation. The crisis is so imminent, in my opinion, that every university should set aside one day in the school year—the same day across the Nation—for the teach-in.” —U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, October 8, 1969 I could say the same thing you’ve heard many times before, everyday should be Earth Day—but we all know that. I could suggest planting a tree or to turning off the water when you brush your teeth to save the environment—cliché Earth Day. I could invite you to myriad Earth Day events across the islands—great excuse to take a day off. Instead, on this 40th anniversary of this special day dedicated to the awareness of not just our immediate environment, but of the world as a whole, I pose to you a simple question: What is Earth Day anyway? For me, the scary thing is, I had never even heard of Earth Day until my freshman year at university in Santa Barbara, Calif. Let’s just say diversity wasn’t huge on Orange County’s agenda when I was a kid in the ’80s and ’90s. And what was my first Earth Day all about? Students coming together, seeking information about endangered species, conservation, wondering what they could do to help? Not exactly. Try a thousand young adults aimlessly traversing through required curriculum, finding common ground in a natural amphitheater in Anisq’Oyo’ Park, reggae music jamming, the smoke from ubiquitous joints creating its own atmosphere inside the amphitheater, a couple of sun-stroked vendors (CALPIRG, Greenpeace) and Happy Earth Day on the tip of everyone’s tongue. We had no idea, literally, what Earth Day was all about; No idea that U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin) had been on a person8

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al bender to bring the issue of environmental degradation into Washington’s political spotlight from 1962 through 1969; No idea of his grassroots launch of the official Earth Day teach-in on April 22, 1970 at universities and schools across the country, using anti-war energy to fuel an environment cause; No idea that over 20 million demonstrators supported the cause on that remarkable day; No idea that in the spring of 1970, in the very same park I was standing, students and police clashed in three separate riots, leaving one student dead and the local branch of Bank of America burnt to the ground. Happy Earth Day. So, in the original spirit of Earth Day, in the founder’s vision to use the day to bring awareness about the state of the environment, wherever it is you may be, may I suggest that you think of Earth Day a bit differently this year. It’s time we recognize the relationship we have with our natural environment, the affect that we have on one another and what we can do to interact symbiotically with our planet. In a word: appreciation. Now that the world is connected by a click of the mouse, Earth Day is celebrated simultaneously around the world—amazing that a simple vision to create awareness of one’s surroundings and a grassroots soapbox campaign is now a holiday, an event and a forum connecting billions of conscious people across the planet. In Japan, a form of Earth Day had been in practice for centuries before our modern day version. Shunbun No Hi was spent visiting family graves and holding family reunions, and became a national holiday in 1948 as a day for admiration of nature and the love of living things. I like that—admiration of nature and the love of living things. It puts a different spin on the term environmental awareness. Instead of the environment being a victim, assuming that man is in control, it supposes that we are observers and share our space on this planet with all things comprising the environment. Maybe if more people thought this way, we wouldn’t need a holiday to create environmental awareness. —Kevin Whitton

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Published by Little Tree Publications VOLUME 2 :: NUMBER 1 Editor Kevin Whitton Contributing Writers Dr. Summer Baptist, Stuart Coleman, Amanda Corby, Stuart Cornuelle, Beau Flemister, Margaret Haapoja, Jack Kittinger, Ashley Lukens, Nicole Milne, Sarah Ruppenthal, Dr. Mark Shigeoka, Aubrey Yee Art Director Kyle Tanaka Graphic Designer/Web Assistant Nicolette Davenport

Ready to take a step toward green? We believe that every step towards green is a step in the right direction. Whether you change one habit or your entire way of living, your actions can reduce your carbon footprint and make a world of difference in the long run. Allow me to assist you with your real estate needs. —Keoni Welch

Staff Photographers Willi Edwards, Michelle Whitton Contributing Photographers Beau Flemister, Isaac Frazer, Ian Gillespie, Nicole Milne, Mark Ralph, Kevin Whitton, Aubrey Yee Contributing Illustrators Nicolette Davenport, Yumi Vong Intern Jessie Schiewe General Inquiries info@greenmagazinehawaii.com Sales and Marketing :: Oahu Amanda Corby amanda@greenmagazinehawaii.com Sales :: Maui Mark Ralph mark@greenmagazinehawaii.com greenmagazinehawaii.com GREEN P.O. Box 894061 Mililani, HI 96789

John Keoni Welch

Realtor - Principal Broker

Distinctive Homes Hawaii, LLC Ohana Beach Rentals Hawaii 1750 Kalakaua Avenue, Suite 2801 Honolulu, HI 96815 www.dhhre.com Cell: 808-226-1728 Fax: 888-757-0047 Email: equity808@yahoo.com

Experience makes a difference

GREEN is distributed throughout the state of Hawai‘i at hardware and home stores, bookstores, grocery stores and retail stores. In addition, GREEN is also available at select expos and fairs throughout the year with no cover price. To subscribe to GREEN, please contact us at info@greenmagazinehawaii.com Other than letters to the editor, we do not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. GREEN, Little Tree Publications and its associates are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged submissions or the return of unsolicited material. One-way correspondence can be sent to: P.O. Box 894061, Mililani, HI 96789 Email editorial inquiries to info@greenmagazineawaii.com GREEN is trademarked in the state of Hawai‘i. All contents of this issue of GREEN are copyrighted by Little Tree Publications, 2010. All rights reserved. GREEN is printed in the USA on recycled paper. Please recycle this magazine. Pass it on to a friend and extend the life of this publication.

CONTRIBUTORS

A 32-year resident of Maui, Rob was recognized in 2007 by Maui No Ka Oi Magazine as one of Maui’s Environmental Heroes. He served from 2003 to 2007 as Maui’s first Environmental Coordinator, executive assistant to Mayor Alan Arakawa. Since then, Parsons has written prolifically on topics of renewable energy, local food production, aquaculture and sustainability during a three-year stint at Maui Time Weekly, penning the Rob Report column. His articles and photography also have appeared in Edible Hawaiian Islands. See more of his work at LegacyProjectsHawaii.com.

Photo: Courtesy

Rob Parsons

Stuart H. Coleman

Photo: Minako Kent

A member of the Surfrider Foundation for over eight years, Stuart served as vicechair of the O‘ahu chapter and is now the first Hawai‘i Coordinator of the Surfrider Foundation. He is the author of Eddie Would Go and Fierce Heart (St. Martin’s Press, 2009). Originally from Charleston, SC, Stuart gradually moved west, first to California and later Hawai‘i, where he taught English at Punahou and creative writing and literature at ‘Iolani School. His articles have been published in national newspapers, magazines and literary journals.

Beau Flemister

Photo: Beau Flemister

Hailing from the windward side of O‘ahu and graduating with a B.A. in English from U.H. at Ma- noa with a focus on creative writing, Beau has fused his passions of traveling, surfing and writing into a nomadic, street-smarts existence. Beau’s short stories embody the cultures and faces from the out-of-the-way locales he’s ventured to around the world. Currently, Beau is on assignment with GREEN, reflecting on attitudes of sustainability abroad.

INBOX Kapapa Island

Man’s Remodel,” Vol.1#3]. He will be taking the flooring of the house and using it to do the extension of his house. Thanks for the magazine and keep it up.

Photo: Heather Eijzenga

—Cathy Sumida, Honolulu, HI

Taking Action Thanks for the informative article on Konohiki fishing rights in the last issue [“Konohiki Fishing Rights,” Vol.1#4]. The article was perfectly timed for me because it is very relevant for one of our current management issues that you may have seen some news coverage of: Kapapa Island in Ka-ne‘ohe Bay. In the past, protection of the islet has been disputed and fishermen preferred to take care of the islet themselves without intervention of DLNR. Unfortunately, there has never been a coordinated effort of stewardship resulting in further degradation of biological resources and cultural features. Recently, BLNR passed new sanctuary rules that will also apply to Kapapa, and which will limit access to the islet. This is opposed by a number of people who like to camp on the islet and fish at night, often in large groups. This group simply opposes conservation and feels that they have the right to camp and fish. In this time of expanding population and ever growing pressure on resources, I agree that it is time to become aware of the impacts of our activities and start regarding fishing, especially as recreational activity, as a privilege rather than a right. I am currently working on establishing a community stewardship group that will assist in writing a management plan for the islet, which will include parameters for permits. In other words, the community will be able to provide input on what exceptions may be made to the rules for access to the islet within the context of stewardship. In this process we also try to integrate traditional knowledge.

Human Sustainability Recently I picked up a copy of your magazine at Whole Foods. I was impressed and have distributed copies to students I teach at Academy of the Pacific High School. Like many schools around the world, we are increasingly embracing sustainability and your magazine will help us in our efforts. I believe your magazine could be improved by your editorial staff considering an often neglected aspect of sustainability—human sustainability. Or as the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, recently pointed out at UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, “Education for sustainability is not just about the environment, as important as that is. It is also about people—about providing maximum educational opportunity at every level for every person.” —Lance Boyd, Honolulu, HI You hit the nail on the head. And that’s what GREEN is all about, educating Hawai‘i residents on all aspects of sustainability in the islands. —KW

Sustainable Printing I picked up my first issue of your magazine today and I love it! Thanks. Would you consider going for a more environmentally friendly paper type, as glossy finish is more polluting? —Carla Buscaglia, Honolulu, HI According to our printer, there is minimal, if any difference in environmental impact between UV, varnish or aqueous coating. These coatings make up a very small percentage of the actual printed material. Of greater importance in the production of GREEN is the renewable aspect of the printed magazine. The paper is made from recycled content and byproducts of the lumber/furniture industry. The inks are vegetable based and the printer employs pollution control practices to destroy virtually all emissions from the printing process. And the final important step is yours. Please prolong the life of this magazine by passing it on to someone else to read or take your glossy magazines to Hagadone Printing in Honolulu for recycling; they are the only recycler of glossy magazines in Hawai‘i. —KW

—Jaap Eijzenga, Ka-ne‘ohe, HI

Deconstruct and Reuse I really like your magazine and keep it around as a reference for the green people. I even got inspired by using Reuse Hawaii for a deconstruction project. I’m also working with Richard Dela Cruz [“Thinking14

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LEED Vs. Energy Star I read your article entitled “The Prospering Community” in the Winter Issue [Vol.1#4] and wanted to point out an error. The homes at Ka- nehili, while quite good on the energy front, are most definitely NOT LEED certified. They are Energy Star certified, but that is not the same as LEED. I know because I am the one doing the Energy Star certification on the homes. The homes all have a HERS (Home Energy Rating

INBOX

THE NATURAL SOURCE System) score in the low 50s, which translated means that the homes consume roughly 50% less energy than a comparable home simply built to code. They do incorporate all the features listed, however, LEED certification is a process they have not gone through for the homes at Ka- nehili. Also, starting in January of this year, all new homes are required to have solar hot water as part of code (with exceptions, of course). While it can be done, LEED does not lend itself well to production home developments. Energy Star focuses specifically on energy use of structures while LEED looks at the whole process from start to finish with the energy use as one component. The homes in Wai‘anae at Kaupuni will indeed be LEED certified and we are working closely with the architects and the builder to make that happen for DHHL. LEED certification is something that takes quite a lot of planning and is much broader in scope. A correction should be made because the people who are occupying the homes at Ka- nehili will have the wrong idea about what they are getting. —Peter Stone, Honolulu, HI Thanks Peter for bringing that to our attention. We apologize for any confusion the mistake might have caused. —KW

Across the Pacific I saw a copy of your magazine online and was very impressed with your content. We really should have a magazine like that for Portland. There is a very strong movement here of conscious citizens and local businesses really embracing sustainability. Restaurants, grocery stores, solar, recycling, Portland is definitely bohemian, but it is leading the push for sustainability in the Pacific Northwest. —Joel Nava, Portland, OR

Recycling Roses I liked your story about recycled art [“Obtanium,” Vol.1#4]. Chris Reiner is a smart, imaginative guy. If more people would learn creative ways to make use of what they already have, we’d create less waste, save money, and become more artistic people. Everything is disposable these days, from utensils to clothing and that is terrible for the earth. I’ve started small—I’m saving my rose petals (a Valentine’s gift) and making it into potpourri for friends. I get to share my V-day gift with other people and save money. A win, win! —Chelsea Johns, Newport Beach, CA

Do you have insight, input, opinion, praise or criticism on the stories you’ve read in GREEN magazine? What are your feelings on issues of sustainability in general for Hawai‘i and beyond? If you want to raise your voice and possibly have it heard by others on the pages of GREEN, please send your letters to the editor to info@greenmagazinehawaii.com.

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THE WORD

Photo: Aubrey Yee

Change is coming, but will it be in response to new information or a reaction to climatic events?

Back-up Plan Lester Brown is a man on a mission. From his humble beginnings as a tomato farmer during high school, food and our dependency on the natural environment to provide it have been at the core of his life’s work. In 1955 after earning a degree at Rutgers University in agricultural science he went to India where he saw in rural communities the deep interdependencies between food, population and the natural environment. In 1974 he founded the Worldwatch Institute, the first research institute devoted to global environmental issues, and aimed to turn public attention to the pressing environmental problems of the day. Now, some 35 years later, we still face many of the same problems and a host of new ones. Yet, Lester Brown remains unflappable and continues to hope that humanity has a chance of changing “business as usual” in time to save ourselves from what he believes to be the pending deterioration of civilization. In 2001, leaving the Worldwatch Institute to found the Earth Policy Institute, Brown penned his core mantra in the publication Plan B – Mobilizing to Save Civilization. Now in its fourth iteration, Plan B 4.0 is a data rich, pointed and scientifically based examination of the state of the modern world. In this manifesto, which is a constant work in progress, challenges to humanity including food and water scarcity, population pressures and climate change are explored and studied responses to them are offered. Broken up into three parts: The Challenge, The Response and The Great Mobilization, Brown explains, “Plan B is the alternative to business as usual. Its goal is to move 16

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the world from the current decline and collapse path onto a new path where food security can be restored and civilization can by sustained.” Developed through careful review of current scientific information, it is his hope that by following this plan we have a chance to save human society from collapse and/or extinction. Brown’s ordained role as prophet of the environmental movement, his deeply held belief in the transformative power of information and his faith in the generally good intentions of people propel him forward on his mission, allowing him to maintain optimism in the face of a ceaseless barrage of scientific bad news. Leading the way, Brown hopes to usher in a worldwide evolution from disposable consumer culture to a sustainable, ecologically harmonious future. Deep down, Lester Brown fears that this current litmus of converging crises may be our final test. “The real question is whether we cross the tipping point in social behavior, attitudes, first or… the climate thresholds first.” In the case of climate change, waiting for a catastrophic event to change behaviors will be too little, too late. Social change will have to come from information if we are to save civilization. Herein lies the motivation for his tireless mission. —Aubrey Yee Download Plan B 4.0 for free at: earthpolicy.org

Photo: Courtesy

THE WORD

Aloha Cargo is back to work for the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation.

Locals Only Airfare Sustainability has many faces throughout the community, an important one being the support for local business. In an unprecedented alliance, Aloha Air Cargo is extending the hand of partnership to the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation (HFBF), helping local farmers and producers of local goods ship their products across the state at a discounted rate. “Agriculture is an exemplary part of Hawai‘i’s economy and a key to preserving our cultural heritage and a green environment,” said HFBF president Dean Okimoto. “This is the first time that a discount program of this magnitude has been provided to our entire member base and we thank Aloha Air Cargo for its deep commitment to the betterment of Hawai‘i.” Associates of HFBF now have access to a members-only webpage and exclusive discount program, including up to 35 percent off airfreight from the local cargo carrier for locally grown and “Made in Hawai‘i” packaged products. Aloha Air Cargo’s Information Technology Department helped HFBF create a unique members-only section on its website that provides information on all member benefits, deals and specials. From this member portal, constituents can access an online estimator that easily calculates freight shipping quotes with the HFBF discount applied. In turn, this allows members to accurately quote shipping costs to customers when selling their produce and packaged goods. “We realize that Aloha Air Cargo has the ability to play a significant role in furthering a more sustainable Hawai‘i,” said Mike Malik, president of Aloha Air Cargo. “By making it easier and cheaper for Hawai‘i residents to market their goods statewide, it’s a win-win situation for both consumers and the environment.” Hamakua tomatoes just got better.

THE WORD

Third-grader Kobelynn Bounlangsy harvesting mint leaves from the new Wiki Garden section.

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Garden Expansion When the Kihei Elementary School science class, led by Alana Kaopuiki and South Maui Sustainability (SMS) volunteers, decided to plant an edible garden last year, they had no idea of the community support, success and tasty produce that it would foster. Fast forward a growing season and school principal Alvin Shima has called for the expansion of the garden and the program to all Kihei Elementary students. Now, more than 500 students in 28 classrooms will learn to grow and harvest their own fruits and vegetable at the school’s 10,000-square-foot garden. Designed and installed by SMS volunteers, the garden space and program now includes all grade levels. The community group obtained a grant funded by the County of Maui and continues to maintain the garden, where gardening activities

THE WORD

Photo: Courtesy South Maui Sustainability

Third-grader Nico Manzano measures lettuce starts for science class.

Students from Sharon Castile’s third grade class remove weeds from the school’s taro patch.

have been integrated into the standard curriculum. The success of the gardening program at Kihei Elementary has prompted SMS to start similar garden programs with the sixth-graders at Lokelani Intermediate School and 85 second- and fourth-graders at Kamali‘i Elementary School. With the fresh assortment of produce at these gardens—squash, taro, sweet potatoes, banana, papaya, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, kale, chard, eggplant, green beans, sunflowers, hot peppers, basil, cilantro, parsley, stevia, and nasturtiums—they’ll be able to support their own farmers’ market. southmauisustainability.wordpress.com

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A birds-eye view can be an eye-opening perspective.

Photo: Chad Holcomb

THE WORD

Six Billion Voices

Contact Rob Parsons 808.572.4120 Maui

“There are more than six billion of us on Earth, and there will be no sustainable development if we cannot manage to live together,” comments French photographer/filmmaker Yann Anthus-Bertrand, in reference to his latest film, Six Billion Others - Climate Voices. Influenced by a helicopter rides he took while shooting for his 1994 landmark photographic book, “The Earth From Above,” Anthus-Bertrand began to wonder what he would learn if he could speak with every human being on the planet and how his understanding of humanity would change. Years later, what began as a mere thought evolved into a feature-length film comprising over 5,000 interviews with people from more than 75 countries. Remarkably, the interviewees—from a farmer in Afghanistan, to a shopkeeper in China, to a fisherman in Brazil—shared similar experiences regarding love, family, childhood, happiness, values, money, war and most importantly, climate change. The resulting enlightening feature is a stunning video mosaic that reminds viewers how closely related human beings are, if not by the fact that we all live on the same planet, then by the realization that even the most basic of human emotions unifies us all. Six Billion Others - Climate Voices was officially launched in Copenhagen during the 2009 Climate Change Conference to present the collective voice of those not present whose lives have already been impacted by climate change. —Jessie Schiewe

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HOW-TO

Plant A Tree And have it thrive

Nothing says Earth Day, or spring for that matter, like planting a tree. It’s a healthy practice that is synonymous with clean air and a renewal of life and nature. Whether in a natural setting or an urban environment, trees are magnificent living creatures that offer shade from the sun, food and shelter to thousands of organisms crucial to the fragile balance of life. Trees have inhabited the Earth for about 360 million years, long before flowering plants were around (they came about 200 million years later). There are over 50 families of trees and hundreds more individual species. But as resilient as our woody, leafy neighbors are to have spread across continents and epochs, it still takes a little knowledge of species selection and proper planting techniques to have a sapling mature into a beautiful and healthy mature tree. 1. Select a healthy, structurally sound specimen with a nice single trunk. This promotes the growth of a central leader so that the tree can grow up strong and at its maximum rate. Take a look at the foliage and make sure there are no insects, disease or damage, which can weaken and even kill a young tree. Don’t go for the biggest tree in the smallest pot, you’re not getting a good deal. Make sure there are no roots poking out of the holes in the bottom of the pot and that there are minimal girdling roots, roots that circle the inside of the pot. 24

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3 2. Once the site is selected, dig the pit. Find the root collar, where the trunk flares into the roots. This will tell you how big the root ball is and how deep to dig the pit. Take the height of the root ball and dig the hole 90 percent of that. That’s right, smaller than the root ball. This leaves room for the root ball to settle into the ground without going too deep. The root collar should always be above ground to promote a healthy growing tree. In addition to the depth, dig the hole two- to three-times wider than the root ball. This gives you room to work without damaging the roots. Save the dirt. 3. Set the tree in the pit and orient the tree properly so that the trunk is vertical. Backfill a little soil around the base of the root ball to support it and then continue to fill in the hole with a third of the original soil and then wet it. There is no need to tamp or pack the soil. Add another third of soil, wet again and then finish off with the last of the soil and water one more time. Fill up the hole to the soil level and do not put soil on top of the root ball, which should be poking up just slightly out of the ground. 4. Put about a four-inch cover of mulch over the root ball, making sure it does not touch the trunk. There should be no need to stake the tree unless you live in a windy area. If that is the case, drive the stake in the windward side of the soil, not the root ball, and use broad and flexible ties to put around the trunk, like an old bicycle inner tube. Attach the supports as low as possible on the trunk. Check the points of contact monthly to make sure the ties are not damaging the tree. If done properly, one growing season of staking will suffice.

Photos: Michelle Whitton

HOW-TO

5 5. Watering is the single most important thing you can do to ensure the survival of your new tree. New trees need more water than established trees and irrigating regularly for the first three to six months is necessary. A slow soaking so that the water percolates deep into the soil is best, promoting deep root growth. Before You Plant Do Your Homework Trees are environmentally specific. Before selecting a tree for your yard, take a walk around your neighborhood and make a list of all the trees that are thriving in the area. Then select the species youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to be growing next to your home. Function Over Fashion Different species of trees have different shapes and therefore, different functions. Columnar trees make great wind and noise barriers, canopy trees afford shade from hot, midday sun and fruit trees provide us with a nutritious crop. Think Long Term In twenty years, a tiny sapling could become a widespread canopy tree. When selecting the right site to plant, think about the size the tree will grow to in a couple of decades. And watch out for overhead power lines.

Illustration: nicolettedavenport.com

GREEN ECONOMICS

Plastic-free Parenting Remember when toys were made out of wood?

Kamilo Beach is some of Hawai‘i’s most ecologically unique, and debris ridden, coastline. The remote locale is home to the legendary Green Sand Beach and over 40 different native coastal plants, something no other coastline in the main Hawaiian Islands can boast. A few years ago, I volunteered for a beach clean-up at Kamilo Point with the Hawaii Wildlife Fund. We were briefed on the extent of the marine debris we would find, but nothing could have prepared me for the copious amount of plastic that littered the majestic coast. I sat in a hole no less than six feet deep, filling my seventeenth trash bag with plastic chotchkies that had traveled from as far as the continental U.S., Japan and China. I found action figures of every shape, color and size: Barbie, Playmobil, G.I. Joe, Power Rangers, My Little Pony. I made a promise to myself and to the Earth that I would never partake in the plastic-loving purchasing habits of the typical American parent. 26

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If my daughter wants to play with plastic, she is going to play with this plastic marine debris. Having a child in the contemporary U.S. is a lesson in mitigating excess. It starts while baby is in the belly: baby showers rife with plastic diapers, plastic toys, plastic bottles and pacifiers. Once baby is born, it’s nearly impossible to find a bouncer, playpen or stroller made from anything other than plastic. And the killer, most items are designed to have a single-use life of no more than six months. Not to mention, the developmental and health disorders associated with petroleum derived plastic products is also an issue worth investigating. After the brief period of a plastic toy’s eternal existence heaped in a pile in the corner of the nursery, where does it go? When we toss out our plastic products, they most likely end up preserved in landfills, or even worse, in waterways that eventually flow into the ocean. From there,

Photos: sierradew.com

ART

Stencils Are So Hot Right Now Sierra Dew’s conscious textile creations

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Sierra Dew hand makes her own stencils, uses organic textiles and non-toxics paints to create socially charged and sustainable wearable art.

Sierra Dew sits poised to create, a stencil in one hand and the naturally dyed organic cotton fabric that will soon be a signature Sierra Dew skirt in the other. As she presses the stencil firmly onto the fabric, the bold lines from her pattern unfold, reflecting her vision of art, of Hawai‘i and of society. Dew isn’t just working to create a skirt, nor a piece of art, she is working to create a better world, a more sustainable world with a message brought to life through her unique designs. After three years of fiber arts and fashion design classes at U.H. at Ma-noa, local artist and sustainable fashion designer Sierra Dew realized that her zeal for marrying fashion with art was more than a hobby and more than a job, it was her ultimate passion. She went on to receive a fashion design degree in Italy before returning home to Pa-‘ia, Maui to share her forwardlooking designs with the community that raised her. Sierra Dew is one of many talented local designers making a name for sustainable fashion in Hawai‘i. Dew not only creates beauty, she considers the environmental and social impact of her designs with a hip and addictive focus of accountability in every aspect of her work. From the inception of her first collection, she knew she wanted to have some type of print going on in her designs. “I started experimenting a little with stenciling and found a stenciling class at the Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center, which has an extensive print program

Photos: ww.sierradew.com

ART

with amazing emerging and established artists,” explains Dew. “I was hooked.” In September 2009 Dew traveled to Melbourne, Australia for the Stencil Festival, where she was immerged in some of the most inspiring street art in the world. Famous graffiti artist Haha introduced Dew to Blender Studios, a shared studio of about 15 artists working in all different mediums. Upon returning from her eye-opening trip, Dew began to heavily reflect on the controversial issues we face daily and a manifestation occurred not only in her soul, but also in her work. “It was amazing to see such a thriving arts community in Melbourne and it really made me want to be part of creating that here in Hawai‘i,” says Dew. Dew has always used handmade stencils as the starting point of all of her designs and she plans to keep it that way. Anyone savvy in urban art would tell you that stenciling is the most popular form of public expression in the world. Stenciling has been successful in communicating powerful messages to the people since the beginning of civilization. From prehistoric cave patterns to storm drain stenciling programs, this special yet practical form of artwork has a long history of public appearance across cultures. Important ideas and information can be simplified down to a black and white image and most importantly for Dew, stenciling provides a natural, non-toxic method for creating endless designs. In sharp contrast to stenciling, many screen-printing companies use toxic plastisol and water-based inks. Plastisol ink is manufactured to react with other chemicals to create dioxins, PCBs and other toxic compounds. In addition, the plasticizers used to make this ink flexible are carcinogenic and continue to be released even after you have pur-

chased the product. Water-based inks can be misleading to customers who usually assume this means eco-friendly, but many water-based inks can also be classified as hazardous. So, even if you have purchased an organic hemp or cotton shirt, your purchase may not be as environmentally friendly as you think it is. “When I started creating my designs for commercial sales, I wasn’t having luck finding a local company using eco-friendly inks.” Dew explains her process, “I have been hand painting my clothing with 100-percent, non-toxic acrylic paint mixed with a textile medium. It washes the same as a screen-print, but it doesn’t contain the toxins. I hand cut stencils, which I then place onto the fabric and paint through to the fabric. “Its empowering to make stencils knowing the strength and purity they carry and the effect that have had throughout history,” Dew continues. “Using stencils has really given me the chance to experiment with my skills. There are a few new products coming out that offer non-toxic screen-printing, but for the majority of screen-printing companies, toxins are still hiding out and contaminating the expensive organic shirts they are being printed on, so don’t be fooled.” Through her art, Dew is hopeful that she can spread a message of beauty and awareness. She does not shy away from controversial issues, but instead continues to infuse her art with social commentary, building community support and awareness for sustainable-textile and eco-fashion, which she is confident will soon be the norm, not just another seasonal fad. —Amanda Corby sierradew.com

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PLANET EARTH

Photos: Beau Flemister

New Zealand’s natural beauty is not taken for granted and the country’s citizens and government have worked hard to create a community bolstering health and sustainability.

Green Country

Sustainability in New Zealand is culturally a top priority

In terms of environmental awareness, if Hawai‘i is an example of a large community supporting a locally burgeoning sustainability movement, and Indonesia is an example of a population largely without the widespread education to care, then New Zealand is the living pinnacle of “what could be.” It is, in short, Ralph Nadar’s Promised Land, Al Gore’s Green Zion. True, the resources needed to sustain New Zealand’s population of only 4 million can’t compare to bulging nations like the 300 million people of the United States or Indonesia’s 220 million, but damn, they are doing a great job with what they’ve got. Hawai‘i should take notice of our 30

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southern cousin as our population continues to expand across the archipelago. The setting of this dynamic theater of eco-friendliness couldn’t be anymore fitting. It is a land, two main islands, of shockingly raw and mythic beauty. From the feminine curves of fertile valleys and tumbling hills of the North Island to the masculine frontiers of alpine peaks and craggy, sweeping sea cliffs of the South Island, seeing the country firsthand is like walking through a National Geographic IMAX movie (minus the stale cinema air). Because of the land’s vast climatic and geographic diversity, New Zealand has been put on the

PLANET EARTH

Beau Flemister on assignment on New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rugged South Island.

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PLANET EARTH

Outdoor activities are a priority and the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-maintained parks are a testament to the sentiment.

Making sure you know where it goes and who is affected.

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PLANET EARTH

map among travelers and tourists as the adventure sports capital of the world. If one wanted to skydive over a creeping, prehistoric glacier field, go spelunking in subterranean caves with paths illuminated by a constellation of phosphorescent glowworms or simply just laze in a steamy, volcanic hot spring in a random park with locals, these are just a few of the myriad activities available for the outdoor adventurer. But really, activities aside, just to rent a car and drive for an extended period of time virtually anywhere in the nation is an unrivaled experience. Everywhere you look, the infinite shades, hues, tints, and tones of green prevail. All is growing and thriving. Vines wrap around traffic signs, creeping ferns squeeze against roadsides and plants burst through cement cracks upon public sidewalks, reclaiming what is theirs. And the best part is, ironically, the population supports this natural repossession. For one, the amount of money the government allots the Department of Conservation is massive. But what the department does with it is even more so, in that the evidence of its positive usage is witnessed across the island nation. First and foremost, every city, town and village is graced with public parks—tons of them. And not just some dinky, urban green space, but vast parks for walking or exploring. The kind of park a kid (or enlightened adult) could spread his wings and run through. Extensive jungle gyms, workout courses, walking trails and (hold on for this one) zip-lines are par for the course. Along with making room for natural spaces in municipal areas, New Zealand is entrenched in supporting active, healthy lifestyles. The Department of Conservation also does an unsurpassed job of national park development and maintenance. Thousands of trails along renowned world-class hikes are well kept, well marked and in many instances, made sustainable. In every town (and we’re talking every fifty feet) you’ll find trash receptacles with designated areas for organic and inorganic rubbish, beset by a larger recycling bin, separating out plastic, glass and aluminum. At every storm drain are various signs warning not to dump toxins because they may lead to clean rivers and lakes. Of course, farmers’ markets abound, verifying the population’s collective contra-attitude towards mass-produced food found in supermarkets. Along country roads are signs advertising fresh fruit and vegetables, free range chicken eggs and fresh-roasted coffee beans for sale. And the list goes on. What makes New Zealand truly an environmental example to Hawai‘i and the rest of the world is that their conceptualized vision is not some trendy fad or shallow façade. The majority of the population really does respect their home and ridiculously pristine ecosystem. Furthermore, their democratic choice for a government that supports this broad sentiment is the norm. Conservation of land and resources isn’t a debated question anymore; it’s a way of life. The Ministry of Education (their version of Hawai‘i’s DOE) integrates programs into the curriculum such as Enviroschools, an organization that educates in both Maori and English, a wide spectrum of sustainability practices. At the core, the essential connection that both Hawai‘i and New Zealand share is an original Polynesian heritage. Cultural traditions in both distant regions view the land as sacred and have developed complex and sustainable systems of land stewardship, and long before Al Gore told us all we were in trouble. Government agencies like the DOC in New Zealand have recognized the benefit of these traditional systems and continue to integrate that knowledge into their present day society. With Hawai‘i supporting almost half of New Zealand’s ecominded population, sustainability for Hawai‘i should be a walk in the park. —Beau Flemister

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OUTDOOR

A Maritime Journey Of Life, Love And Plastic By Stuart H. Coleman On my desk I have a small, clear jar labeled, “Pacific Ocean sample in seawater.” Filled with a confetti of plastic debris and swirling plankton, the jar looks like one of those toy snow globes. Instead of a picturesque winter scene, this glass jar offers an unsettling vision of the future, showing just how polluted our oceans are becoming with plastic debris. Eco-adventurers Dr. Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummins sent me the ocean sample as part of their Message in a Bottle campaign. Staring at this sample of seawater, I am transported to the so-called “Garbage Patch” in the middle of the

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OUTDOOR

Photo: Marcus Eriksen

After 88 days at sea on a craft made of Nalgene bottles, sailboat masts and the body of a wingless Cessna, the Junk with crew Marcus Eriksen and Joel Paschal are greeted by Diamond Head.

North Pacific Gyre, where they collected it. The Garbage Patch is often misunderstood to be a floating body of trash that has been described as being once, twice and even three times the size of Texas. But it’s more like a “plastic soup” within the eye of the Gyre, a continentsized body of swirling water that concentrates the world’s trash into a toxic brew of marine debris between Japan and California. Captain Charlie Moore discovered the Garbage Patch in 1997 on his way back from a Trans-Pac Race from California to Hawai‘i. Taking a more northerly route home through the doldrums, Moore first steered his sleek catamaran and research vessel, the Alguita, through the North Pacific Gyre and was dumbfounded to see floating plastic garbage everywhere he looked. Upon arriving back on the mainland, he recruited a crew of researchers and embarked on regular voyages through the Gyre to assess just how much plastic marine debris existed in the area. Though they didn’t know each other at the time, Marcus and Anna eventually joined the Algalita Marine Research Foundation (AMRF) and signed on to sail on Moore’s next voyage to the Pacific Gyre in 2008. Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummins first met at Charlie Moore’s 60th birthday party in 2007, and they immediately hit it off. Marcus, a former Marine who fought in the first Gulf War, later received a Ph.D. in science education and became an environmental and

peace activist in Los Angeles, Calif. during the Iraq War. Anna, also an environmental activist, founded Save Our Shores in Santa Cruz, Calif. and then discovered the Algalita Marine Research Foundation in Long Beach, Calif. Marcus had just been hired as the Director of Educational Research and he recruited her to join the team and sail on their first voyage to the Gyre. In 2008, Marcus, Anna and a Hawai‘i sailor named Joel Paschal sailed to the North Pacific Gyre with Captain Moore. During their 4000-mile voyage through the Gyre in early 2008, they drug a manta trawl behind the boat and fished for plastic debris. Along with all kinds of land-based debris, from bags to bottles to cigarette lighters, they found fish full of plastic as well. After dissecting their catch, they counted 84 pieces of plastic in one 2.5-inch long fish. “At that point, there were 156 species known to ingest plastic in the Pacific Gyre,” said Paschal. Because plastics never biodegrade and only photo-degrade into smaller pieces, all kinds of sea life eat these microplastics. “Plastic particles are sponges for pollutants and transmit them up the food chain back to us,” said Captain Moore. “This will devastate the base of the food web—just as over-fishing devastates the top of the food web.” Under the watchful eye of Captain Moore, the pair continued conducting research and collecting samples GREENM AGAZ INE HAWAII.COM

OUTDOOR

Photo: Marcus Eriksen

Photo: Cynthia Vanderlip

Photo: Kevin Whitton

Pacific Ocean seawater sample; nothing you want to swim in.

middle: A Laysan albatross fledgling carcass on Kure Atoll. The plastic was fed to the young bird by its parent, whom mistook it for prey. bottom: Captain Charlie Moore and crew process and quantify the aquatic debris collected in the North Pacific Gyre.

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of plastic debris. Marcus was secretly working on a ring made of metal debris and making big plans for the future. Then, on Valentine’s Day, Marcus proposed to Anna on a quiet night under a diamond-studded sky. She accepted, surrounded by a sea full of plastic confetti. For the rest of the voyage, they began planning out their next eco-adventures, and that’s when the Message in a Bottle project was conceived. As part of their campaign, their mission was to educate people about the alarming rise of plastic marine debris, which is denser in some areas than plankton, the most basic source of food in the ocean. Marcus and Anna chose to share this serious message in a most engaging, fun and informative way—by creating “eco-adventures” that wove their research into their own personal journeys. Their cause became inseparable from how they defined themselves and their bond, an improbable love story borne on a sea of debris. For the first phase of the project, Marcus, Anna and Joel decided to build a raft made out of plastic bottles and sail it from California to Hawai‘i to increase awareness of plastic marine debris. “Marcus had already floated down the Mississippi on a bottle boat,” said Paschal, “and he became like Noah at that point, appointed by God to build a boat out of bottles.” He was going to call it Plastiki, after Thor Hyerdahl’s famous raft Kon Tiki. But at the same time, another eco-adventurer named David de Rothschild, the heir to the banking dynasty, had also come up with a remarkably similar idea in San Francisco, Calif. He was planning to sail across the Pacific on a high-tech boat made of plastic that he also wanted to call Plastiki. The ex-Marine and the wealthy scion argued about who came up with the idea first, but eventually Marcus gave him the use of the name and moved on with his own project. Shifting gears, Marcus and Joel constructed their make-shift raft out of discarded junk: hulls made of 15,000 plastic bottles and held together by fishing nets; a deck consisting of old sailboat masts lashed together; a cabin made from the body of a wingless Cessna airplane. They fittingly dubbed the motley raft the Junk and set sail from Long Beach in early June of 2008 like a modern Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. It was a dangerous voyage and many believed they wouldn’t make it. Although Anna was not sailing with Marcus and Joel, she had helped build the raft and was anxiously monitoring their daily progress across the Pacific. During their 88-day journey, Marcus and Joel sailed through the North Pacific Gyre and described this swirling vortex as a “toilet bowl that never flushes.” Before embarking on the voyage, Marcus had spoken on the phone with a British woman named Roz Savage, who had already rowed across the Atlantic several years before and hoped to become the first woman to row across the Pacific. They had planned to coordinate their efforts, but Roz had left San Francisco on her rowing voyage before they could connect again. More than two months into their journeys, the eco-mariners learned that they were within 100 miles of each other. “My mom was reading Roz’s blog and heard that her water maker was broken,” Paschal said. They were eventually able to make contact with her on the VHF radio and find her on radar. They eventually caught up with each other, a miraculous encounter at sea because both parties were running dangerously low on supplies. “Fortunately, when I met up with the guys on the Junk in midocean, we were able to do a trade,” Savage said. She had plenty of food and no water, and they had lots of water but very little food. After eating a fine dinner of freshly speared mahimahi, she added, “We cut through all the small talk and got down to discussing the environment and how we could collaborate.” After three hours of talking, Savage literally rowed away into the sunset. Completing their voyages two

OUTDOOR

Photo: Stiv Wilson

Marine debris is not just a phenomenon in the Pacific; newlyweds Dr. Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummins display their catch from the North Atlantic Gyre.

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OUTDOOR

Photo: Stuart Coleman

Happy to be back on terra firma; Marcus Eriksen, Joel Paschal and the Junk.

weeks later, the three mariners met in Honolulu, where they were welcomed like heroes. Standing with Marcus and Roz in front of their vessels at a press conference, Joel talked about all the debris he saw at sea and the increasing amounts on the shores of Hawai‘i. He described his work with NOAA’s Marine Debris Program in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands and how they removed ten tons of fishing nets and marine debris per month. Marcus showed a string of plastic lighters, bottle caps, fishing floats and all kinds of disposable things that he found inside the belly of a dead albatross. According to the EPA, millions of sea birds, fish, marine mammals and sea turtles ingest and become entangled in plastic marine debris each year. Marcus also talked about all the plastic pieces they found inside the fish they caught and how these fragments attract persistent organic pollutants, including carcinogens like PCBs and DDT. “We have this issue of plastics in our environment,” Marcus said, “but it’s also a human health issue.” When asked about solutions, Joel stated that, “To fix the problem, the first thing we need to do is stop using so much plastic, and then get your legislators to enact some kind of plastic ban.” In order to show people samples from their voyages on the Alguita and the Junk, Marcus and Anna decided to ride their bikes from Canada to Mexico as part of the Junk Ride Tour. While most couples would be planning for their wedding, this eccentric pair spent their engagement working to educate and engage people about the issue of plastic marine debris. The two pedaled out of Vancouver in April of 2009 and for the next two and a half months stopped in cities along the West Coast. During their presentations, they would talk about the 38

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Garbage Patch and hand out small jars of Pacific Ocean samples to groups of educators, legislators, fellow activists and local Surfrider Foundation groups. Mid-way through their trip, the couple decided to have a small, secret wedding near Big Sur, Calif. to celebrate their unique marriage of research, activism and adventure. In early July of ’09, Anna wrote in her blog about their biggest milestone: “After 2,000 miles of cycling, 9 flat tires, 40 talks, meetings with 5 mayors, and many joyful (some painful) hours in the saddle later, we finally crossed the border [of Mexico]!” Currently, Marcus and Anna are engaged in what they call the 5 Gyres Project. This past January they set sail with a research group called Pangaea to explore the North Atlantic Gyre, which is one of five gyres in the world (North and South Pacific, North and South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean). They will continue collecting ocean samples, catching fish and doing tissue analyses for plastic and toxicity. Thinking of start a family, Anna underwent a body burden analysis last spring to see what petrochemicals were lurking in her own tissues. “We know that these chemicals are stored in our bodies,” she said, “and the only way women rid themselves of these chemicals is through childbirth. What are we passing on through our bodies to the next generation?” she wondered. Holding the small bottle filled with the Pacific Ocean sample from the Gyre, I stare at the mix of swirling milky plankton and floating colorful plastic confetti. I can only wonder what the future holds for our oceans and what Marcus and Anna will discover on their next voyage.

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DESIGN

With two new energy efficient cooling towers, window tinting and the instillation of low-energy light bulbs, Nauru Tower has been recognized as a model for retrofitting Honolulu’s skyrises.

Sustainable upgrades bring accolades to Nauru Tower

Nearly 18 years after its construction, Honolulu’s Nauru Tower was named Hawai‘i’s 2009 Building of the Year by the Institute of Real Estate Management. The statewide award was bestowed upon the sleek, luxury tower for its ongoing efforts to create a more sustainable environment for the more than 300 residential condo owners and 10 commercial businesses that call the building home. The new initiatives include the use of biodegradable cleaning products free of phosphates and other chemicals, the installation of low-energy light bulbs throughout the residential building structure, common areas and service rooms, and window tinting for the expansive 4,000-square-foot Makai Lobby. Worn epoxycoated steel cooling towers were replaced with brandnew stainless steel towers, rated to have nearly twice the lifespan of the original equipment and expected to last 30 years. The drive motors were reduced in horsepower by 60 percent and come equipped with a variable fre40

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quency drive to conserve electricity. “We have spent the past year and a half working together to improve efficiencies and sustainability at Nauru Tower,” said Chuck Heitzman, president of the Nauru Tower board. “By making better choices, we save energy and natural resources and become better stewards for our environment and community.” By making this substantial upgrade, the reduction in Nauru Tower’s carbon footprint is 149,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year, equivalent to having 3,100 additional trees on O‘ahu. This also translates into monetary savings for Nauru Tower, with a net annual savings estimate of nearly $25,000 in electricity costs. Nauru Tower’s management is also researching the installation of rooftop solar panels to supply some of the building’s hot water needs and is currently installing timed drip irrigation and low-energy lighting throughout the main lobby gardens.

Photos: John Ciccarelli

DESIGN

top: What looks like the standard community park is actually Nauru Towerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s green roof, complete with barbeque areas, tennis facilities and a pool. left: To enhance ventilation, the orginal exhaust equipment for the 44-floor tower was recplaced with equipment that will last for the next 30 years. right: Where air conditioning is a must, energy efficient systems like this stainless-steel constructed, high-tech cooling tower save energy and money.

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PROFILE

It’s inevitable that a handful of high-profile people have come to represent the recent push for sustainability in Hawai‘i. Whether they are hosting open-air concerts or cooking up fresh food with local meats and produce, a few individuals tend to receive a majority of the credit. But there are many other dedicated and passionate people who have made sustainability in Hawai‘i their life’s work. Meet six of the most influential and under-the-radar advocates of sustainable living.

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PROFILE

Photo: Kevin Whitton

Christina Monroe led a pilot program to engage Asia Pacific students at the East West Center directly with the sustainability community in Hawai‘i to foster sustainable initiatives in their home countries.

Sustainability Abroad :: Christina Monroe Just as Hawai‘i residents have to work together for the betterment of their communities, Hawai‘i itself must interact in partnership with other island nations across the Pacific. As Hawai‘i continues to be a model for conservation and sustainability to our Pacific neighbors, the sentiment was not lost on East West Center Project Specialist Christina Monroe, who spearheaded a groundbreaking academic program to introduce Asia Pacific students to the grassroots campaigns of conservation and sustainability Hawai‘i so proudly supports. Monroe’s ultimate goal is to propel the East West Center to be a hub for sustainability exchange in the Asia Pacific region by empowering students to take science from the lab and turn it into policies for everyday sustainable solutions. She took a great leap toward achieving that goal, having secured a State Department grant to head the United States Institute on the Environment (USIE) pilot program at the East West Center in 2009. Twenty graduate and undergraduate students from Malaysia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea and Fiji made the journey to O‘ahu to help bridge their scientific backgrounds with a social component. Through hands-on work with local community organizations, student groups and even linking up with sustainability leaders like Ed Kenney of Town Restaurant and Gary Maunakea of MA‘O Farms, the program was a success. The ability to work with local community members on sustainability issues resounded through the student body to all academic fields and is now being integrated into the curriculum, especially in East West Center’s Leadership Programs.

“We have 500 Asia Pacific students living at East West Center who are starved for a local connection,” says Monroe. “The USIE program is a great way for these student to see what Hawai‘i is doing, what issues and solutions we have here, and then mobilize and creative initiatives back home.” From a Fijian student who implemented organic farming curriculum into nine schools in Fiji to a Malaysian and another Fijian student who started student organizations at their local universities to bring awareness to the conservation of endangered species and recycling, respectively, there was a direct link between what these students learned during their short tenure at the East West Center and the progress they are making in their native countries. “You may be old and crotchety and think its going down, but when you’re 18 or 22 and have your life ahead of you, you want to grow, evolve and prosper. You want positive solutions,” Monroe explains her reasons for bringing the program to the East West Center. “I feel quite dedicated to the environmental education initiative because it’s focused on positive solutions. I’m not making a judgment on whether the glass is half full or empty. As an educator it only works if you tap a person’s sense of inherent positivism, sense of innovation and contribution, and that’s the best way to motivate folks and teach them.” The pilot program was such a success that Monroe recently submitted a new grant proposal to keep the USIE program alive. She finds out this spring if more students will be joining her to immerse themselves in Hawai‘i’s sustainability initiatives for the sake of their homeland. —Kevin Whitton GREENM AGAZ INE HAWAII.COM

Rep. Morita. “The future has no voice in the legislative process. It’s not going to vote for you. That is something that has always stuck with me. I remind myself that at the end of the day I have to fulfill my responsibility to be a voice for future generations.” According to Mina, the biggest challenge for our environment and for policy makers is that everyone is looking for short-term easy solutions. Mina’s tenure in politics is distinguished by her consistent passion for protecting our environment. In the early stages of serving in the House of Representatives, Mina, along with the assistance of a sixth grade class on Moloka‘i, lobbied for Hawai‘i’s Bottle Bill, which now boasts over an 80 percent redemption rate. Most recently, Mina’s energy has been focused on Hawai‘i Energy Policy Forum (HEPF), a diverse group striving for collaborative energy planning and policymaking. HEPF includes representatives from business, government and the community. The intent of HEPF is to incorporate many different perspectives and the broadest possible experience into the design of a flexible, forward-looking energy strategy. “What I welcome the most is the challenge to take charge of Hawai‘i’s destiny to transition Hawai‘i to a clean energy economy,” says Mina. “To make this clean energy transition will take risk, commitment, careful planning and it will cost money. Not to welcome this challenge and opportunity before us will only subject Hawai‘i to increased economic vulnerability beyond our control, continuing to export hundreds of millions of our hard-earned dollars to meet our energy needs. However, we can change this paradigm, but only if we welcome the challenge and opportunity to move towards a clean energy future for Hawai‘i.” In Mina’s eyes, the solution is multifaceted. It entails designing and implementing a robust, efficient renewable energy system. It means rethinking all the choices we make in our daily lives; choices as large as new forms of transportation and architecture design, to agriculture practices, leisure activities and consumerism. It will mean fighting off vested interest groups that view their wellbeing as inextricably tied to the status quo. It means educating ourselves, taking responsibility for our actions and above all else, listening and learning. —Amanda Corby

Photo: Roxanne McCann

The Flow Of Water :: Kapua‘ala Sproat Kapua‘ala Sproat grew up in a fishing and farming community during a critical time in the development of the north shore of Kaua‘i, when plantations turned into housing developments; as the local saying goes, when they stopped growing cane and started planting houses. At the age of nine, Kapua decided to become an attorney, dedicating her life to defending Hawai‘i’s land, water, culture and people. To understand and appreciate Kapua’s work, one must understand water. “In pre-contact times, water was the foundation of Hawaiian society. It was always

Photo: Courtesy

PROFILE

Kapua Sproat

revered as a public trust resource,” says Sproat. Serving as the lifeblood of the ahupua‘a system, water sustained the Hawaiian people physically, culturally and spiritually. Yet with western contact and the rise of the plantation system, water quickly became a commodity for sale to the highest bidder. Fresh water no longer traveled from mountain to ocean, affecting local farmers downstream, as plantation owners’ diverted streams to irrigate their thirsty sugar cane crops, virtually destroying the ahupua‘a system. First as an extern and eventually as an attorney, Kapua has spent the past 12 years working with Earth Justice, helping community groups on Maui, O‘ahu and Moloka‘i restore water to their streams of origin. By securing these legal victories, Kapua and Earth Justice have helped to establish precedent that will guide the way our laws are interpreted for years to come. As a testament to her character and a reflection of her deep commitment to grassroots social change, Kapua repeatedly emphasizes that these successes, although important and inspirational, are not hers to claim. They are a direct result of decades of hard work and the perseverance of Hawai‘i’s people. “We as kanaka maoli, and local people in particular, have a voice in our community,” explains Sproat. “As people who live on islands, we rely on our fresh water resources in order to survive. If we don’t ma-lama those resources, we can’t just send a pump to California and bring it in.” As Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Hawai‘i at Ma-noa William S. Richardson School of Law, specializing in environmental and native Hawaiian law, Kapua is cultivating Hawai‘i’s next generation of environmental stewards, teaching her students and the larger community how to use the law as an effective way to halt the further degradation and illegal appropriation of their public trust natural resources. Her environmental law clinics work directly with community groups and include mandatory site visits that take them as far GREENM AGAZ INE HAWAII.COM

PROFILE

Photo: Kevin Whitton

Glenda Anderson is volunteering her life-long knowledge of sustainable building to benefit ‘Iolani Palace, bringing the historical landmark into the modern age.

as Maui and Moloka‘i. She recently authored “Ola I Ka Wai”, a legal primer on the use and management of water resources in Hawai‘i, intended for those wanting to better understand their rights within the current legal framework. As Sproat’s life and career demonstrate, the protection of Hawai‘i’s natural resources and the preservation of Hawaiian culture go hand and hand. By devoting her life to both the defense of public trust resources and the education of future generations, Kapua is securing a sustainable future for Hawai‘i. “Ma ka hana ka ‘ike, one learns by doing,” Sproat’s inspirational words that she brings to life. —Ashley Lukens

Green Guardian :: Glenda Anderson “The public will not only witness the grandest illumination ever seen here, but may also see the working of the dynamo.” —Daily Bulletin, November 15, 1886 In November of 1886, a temporary installation of electric lighting at ‘Iolani Palace consisting of 10 arc lamps was displayed for the celebration of the King Kalakaua’s 50th Birthday Jubilee. The King was so impressed that ‘Iolani Palace was completely rewired for electric lights by June 1, 1887, with 325 arc lights ordered from the mainland, making the palace the first residence in Honolulu to have electric lights. Electricity has always been an important aspect to the history of ‘Iolani Palace, which was plugged in four years before the White House. But the mystery and excitement of electricity is long gone and our community focus has shifted to energy conservation, and that is why ‘Iolani Palace has acquired the help of sustainable designer Glenda Anderson to be their “Green Guardian.” Anderson’s life is rooted in architecture, design and sustainability. In her twenties she and her husband built a passive solar home on a mountaintop in Colorado, incorporating energy efficient approaches 46

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that are just becoming common today. She also established a company in the Rocky Mountain state, Passive Solar Products and Design, and was soon providing award-winning designs for residential and commercial projects across the state. In 1989, the couple moved to Hawai‘i and founded Details International, a broad and unique design resource in Honolulu. Two decades later, her passion for sustainable design and products unwavering, Anderson is bringing change to ‘Iolani Palace while upholding the curatorial necessities of the National Historic Landmark. After implementing a simple, energy conservation initiative—replacing incandescent light bulbs in all non-historic rooms with CFLs, turning off overhead lights during the day to take advantage of natural light from the windows and tinting all the exterior windows, which keeps harmful ultra-violet rays from damaging the interior of the Palace and mitigates heat to keep the air conditioning system working more efficiently—‘Iolani Palace has cut its electric bill in half over the past year. Cooling the palace has been the top priority for Anderson and her current focus is changing the outdated, heat-producing incandescent bulbs in the historic rooms. The challenge is that the bulbs must emit a certain color, glow and have a specific shape to be historically and curatorially correct. To accomplish this, Glenda is setting the bar by having special LED bulbs created to suit the delicate environment. “LED technology has progressed so quickly in the last two years and now we have the ability to produce the correct shape and color to mimic old bulbs. I’m bringing in 9-watt LEDs instead of 50-watt bulbs. They’re good for more than 30,000 hours on and there’s no heat or infrared given off,” explains Anderson. Once ‘Iolani Palace has been passively cooled, plans are underway to replace the three air conditioning units with new, energy-efficient models. “I’ve wanted to save the planet since I was a teenager,” said Anderson. “This is a great opportunity to help because I can see the changes being realized.” —Kevin Whitton

PROFILE

Photo: Courtesy

At home in the water, Dr. William Walsh.

Rikki and Bronwyn Cooke are the gracious couple at the root of all this magic. The land of the Hui has been in the Cooke family since 1908. The main lodge on this property was once the family’s hunting lodge and Rikki spent his childhood coming over from O‘ahu to the property on hunting trips. When Rikki and Bronwyn Cooke first began teaching and living here in 1989, the lodge was one of the only buildings on the 65-acre property. A former National Geographic photographer, Rikki taught his first photography workshops while living in a tent on the expansive grounds. The family was considering selling the land so he and Bronwyn put their heads together and dreamed up the concept for the retreat. In 1997 Rikki, Bronwyn and their dear friend Butch Haase began a native plant reforestation project at the Hui. Over the last 13 years they have methodically and painstakingly cleared invasive eucalyptus trees around the property and reintroduced plants that are native to the upper slopes of Moloka‘i. Beautiful koa trees shelter an abundant variety of endemic and indigenous Hawaiian flora: akia, a‘ali‘i, ulei, koki‘o ke‘oke‘o, ko‘oko‘olau, ma‘o, kulu‘i, loulu, alula and ilima among others. It is now the largest native plant reforestation project in the state of Hawai‘i. In addition to their own restoration efforts, free classes have been offered to the community on permaculture, reforestation and native plant propagation. Rikki and Bronwyn, with their two sweet dogs Tigerlily and Spirit, embody the essence of aloha. They, along with Haase, are also deeply involved with the Moloka‘i Land Trust and the Nature Conservancy in an effort to bring large areas of the island into conservation status for perpetuity. To date, they have preserved thousands of acres of land with thousands more in the works. At the Hui, sustainable living is deeply valued. 48

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Solar panels power most of the electricity used. A large water catchment supplies a good portion of their water. Food grows in the well-kept organic garden for daily meals while chickens provide fresh eggs and fertilizer. Whether you come for yoga, meditation, painting, photography or just to be righted again, the Hui Ho‘olana is one of those rare places that captures the essence of all the best Hawai‘i has to offer. With a combination of vision and passion, Rikki and Bronwyn Cooke have created a place of peace and renewal. As they explain so beautifully, “Ma-lama ka ‘a-ina is at the heart of all we do. As we continue to explore living more simply, pursuing sustainability and practicing ho‘oponopono (the Hawaiian concept “to make things right”), we hope to create the circumstance for unlimited possibilities.” —Aubrey Yee

Marine Protection :: Dr. William Walsh To create sustainable solutions for the impacts we as a community impose upon our natural environment, it takes a bold combination of sound science, people management, community education and awareness, and the guts to stand up in front of your peers and promote a voice of change. Dr. William Walsh, marine conservation biologist on Hawai‘i Island for the State of Hawai‘i’s Division of Aquatic Resources, embodies that complex connection. His work establishing marine protected areas, the grassroots community organization supporting these conservation zones and the yellow tang fishery on Hawai‘i Island is a model for successful conservation, from reef to mountaintop. The yellow tang is the primary target of the aquarium fishery in West Hawai‘i reef zones, constitut-

PROFILE

ing about 85 percent of the total take for the aquarium collectors. But this vibrant yellow fish is valuable not only for aquarium collectors, but for dive tour operators as well, whose patrons seek vibrant, healthy reefs for their viewing pleasure. These two industries came unpleasantly head to head in the 1980s and ’90s along West Hawai‘i reefs as yellow tang numbers were severely depleted by collectors. In response to the turmoil on West Hawai‘i reefs, a landmark bill was passed in 1998 by the state legislature. Act 306 required 30 percent of West Hawai‘i coastal waters to be set-aside as fish replenishment areas (FRA), which were no-take areas with a permanent mooring system and prohibitions on lay gill nets. The act specifically empowered the community to work out the details and Dr. Walsh came on board as the marine biologist overseeing the legislative mandate; he became the liaison between the legislation and the diverse community in West Hawai‘i. In turn, Dr. Walsh and colleague Sara Peck organized the West Hawai‘i Fishery Council to accomplish these goals. “[The council] has been a catalyst for bottoms up change,” explains Walsh. “We can’t be whining to government all the time, ‘This is broken, fix it.’ We have to be responsible, we have to put in the time, come to the meetings, no one gets paid, travel long distances, month after month. And in my mind, the biggest revelation is that people are willing to do that.” The council set aside nine marine protected areas and then, thanks to President Clinton and his coral reef initiative, was able to rigorously monitor and study the marine reserve system six times a year with help from a slew of eager students from U.H. at Hilo and other institutions. They gathered field data on the yellow tang— population numbers, patterns of abundance, size and lifespan and impacts of aquarium collecting—and many other species within the protected areas. But the hard science had to be conveyed to the community because changes to collectors and fishers practices were necessary for the health of the yellow tang. To do this, Dr. Walsh took his message into the community with 86 paper ‘omilu strung up on a line and displayed it around lecture halls along the coast. Why 86 fish? Because they found out that if a 12-inch fish doubles in size, the amount of eggs it produces doesn’t just double, it increases 86 times. In other words, taking one 24-inch fish is like taking 86 12inch fish. “Historically, there have always been refuges for reef fish: darkness, depth and distance from fishers. Now people scuba at night and go down as deep as they want. We’re not going to take away outboards and nightlights and fish finders. What we need to do is create other types of refuges, and that’s where the concept of marine protected areas come in, areas that are limited or no take, areas that allow populations to obtain a more natural size structure where the big ones can proliferate. The contribution of the big ones is way more magnified beyond their absolute size.” As for the yellow tang, their numbers have increased 57 percent since the protected areas became established in 2000. Aquarium collectors have found success too, and increased their revenue by 71 percent in that same time. Dr. Walsh continues to educate people about pono fishing practices and marine protected areas and has expanded his focus to bring awareness to land issues that impact marine ecosystems. “My life’s work is to make sure that our resources in West Hawai‘i are protected, that they’re going to be around not just for our grandkids generation, but their grandkids generation.” —Kevin Whitton

TRANSPORTATION

The Charge To Make Electric Vehicles A Reality In Hawai‘i By Rob Parsons People in Hawai‘i have a love-hate relationship with their vehicles. We love the convenience of hopping in a car, stepping on the gas and cruising to the beach, park or just down to the store for groceries. In fact, it’s something we completely take for granted—second nature. But our nagging conscience tells us that we’re driving on borrowed time, spewing toxic emissions while we go about our merry motoring. As petroleum prices continue to climb, we exhale with a frustrated sigh as we swipe our credit card and dispense another few gallons of gasoline from the pump.

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TRANSPORTATION

Photo: Courtesy Blue Planet Foundation

With no oil to change and no fuel to filter, regular maintenance on an electric vehicle is minimal.

There are well over a million registered vehicles on Hawai‘i’s roads, almost one for each of 1.3 million residents. Of those, only 178 are electric vehicles, though it appears certain that number will be on the rise. Government, industry and several visionary isle residents are collaborating as never before to help shift our transportation future to include sustainable options. “It’s a very, very exciting and vibrant time,” said an enthusiastic Ted Peck, an administrator with the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), the lead state agency in the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative (HCEI). “We are in discussion with multiple manufacturers to make Hawai‘i a priority market [for electric vehicles].” According to Peck, it’s no trivial undertaking. “This is not going to happen overnight, but it’s certainly no flash in the pan,” he said. “We are in the process of transforming.” The HCEI mandates that we shift from the nation’s highest percentage of fossil fuel use (90 percent of

Hawai‘i’s electricity is generated from fossil fuels) to 70 percent clean energy by 2030. “This can only be achieved by an early start,” states a DBEDT report on electric vehicles (EVs). And bringing electric vehicles to Hawai‘i is a central component to that strategy. Act 156, passed by the 2009 state legislature and signed into law by Governor Linda Lingle, set forth initial steps to integrate electric vehicles into the state’s transportation policy goals. The bill requires parking spaces for EVs in public and private facilities of 100 spaces or more, sets guidelines for state and county fleets to move towards non-petroleum vehicles and includes requirements for developing an infrastructure for charging electric vehicles. In addition, as much as $20 million in federal funds may be appropriated into state energy transformation grants to aid implementation of these goals. As Hawai‘i looks forward to the future of transportation, it is also useful to look to the past—an axiom that continues to resurface in the Aloha State. Sugar planter GREENM AGAZ INE HAWAII.COM

TRANSPORTATION

H.P Baldwin is credited with driving the first car in Honolulu, a steam-powered vehicle back in 1899 that topped out at 14 miles per hour. The following year, 21 electric cars boasting a range of 25 miles were shipped to O‘ahu, manufactured by the Woods Motor Vehicle Company of Chicago, Illinois. It wasn’t long before Standard Oil Company led a buyout of Woods and gasolinepowered automobiles soon became the norm. Fast-forward to 1993 and the inception of the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies (HCATT), a program of the state’s High Technology Development Corporation. HCATT focused on both zero-emission and low emission vehicles to support both military and commercial applications that, according to a DBEDT report, “contribute to improving economic competitiveness and…[decreasing] our nation’s dependence on imported petroleum.” “The Hawai‘i EV demonstration project was one of seven funded around the country,” said HCATT manager Tom Quinn. “We’ve progressed from early lead-acid batteries to hydrogen cell storage with charging at Hickam Air Force Base, to lithium-ion batteries, which are the latest and greatest. The common component has been the electric drive system—rather than the internal combustion engine.” Quinn emphasized that the switch to EVs is market driven. “It will take five-dollar-a-gallon gas to make a difference,” he predicts. But the relative non-existence of electric vehicles in Hawai‘i, thus far, is not one of choice, it’s because 52

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Fill it up with electricity.

big name car manufacturers have not produced a purely electric vehicle for quite some time—since California’s 1990 mandate for automobile makers to offer zeroemission electric vehicles to cut carbon dioxide emissions in the state. The short-lived rise and sequential fall of electric vehicles on California’s roadways is chronicled in the 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? The handwriting may finally be on the dashboard. And, for numerous reasons, Hawai‘i may provide a very attractive test and commercial market. In December 2008, Better Place, a global provider of EV networks and services, and Phoenix Motorcars, an EV manufacturer, signed a memorandum of understanding with Hawai‘i’s electric utilities. Not an exclusive agreement, it marked a significant step forward as other carmakers and EV equipment manufacturers have actively been courted as well. Dave Rolf, executive director of the Hawaii Automobile Dealer’s Association, said they have petitioned Nissan to include Hawai‘i as a test market for the Leaf, a purely electric vehicle. Rolf hopes the Leaf, Chevy Volt hybrid, Ford Transit Connect, Honda, and others will soon have new models on Hawai‘i showroom floors. “We sent a pound of Kona coffee with every request letter [to U.S. car manufacturers],” he said. “Every one of them responded.” “Hawai‘i is a natural laboratory for developing and testing plug-in electric vehicles,” said Dick Rosenblum, Hawaiian Electric Company president and CEO, in

Photo: Courtesy Tony Nissan

Photo: Courtesy Maui County

The Nissan Leaf

Photo: Courtesy Tony Nissan

Will electric vehicles be readily available to the public to meet Hawai‘i’s clean energy goals, and will the price be something the public can afford?

TRANSPORTATION

Photo: Kevin Whitton

The Green Energy Outlet in Kaka‘ako boasts the first solar powered electric vehicle charge station on O‘ahu.

The Chevy Volt

Photo: Courtesy Chevrolet

HECO’s winter edition of Powerlines. “With short driving distances and our goal to have abundant renewable energy source to use for off-peak charging, we can be the place people come to see and experience EVs in action.” Hawaiian Electric companies on O‘ahu, Maui and the Big Island are actively testing electric vehicles in their fleet and charging stations. Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares has been driving one of six modified Toyota Prius plug-in hybrids in Hawai‘i as part of a governmenttesting program and a wind turbine installed at MECO’s Kahului facility last year supplies power to two charging stations in their parking lot. Up until now, a handful of hobbyists and hardcore EV advocates have been the lone voice of public interest in electric vehicles, and having a garage has been a necessity for plugging in. The electric vehicles getting ready to hit the market will have driving ranges around 100 miles on a full charge, ample range for 80 percent of Hawai‘i residents who commute a total of 40 miles per day on average. While a nightly charge would suffice for most homeowners, the ability to charge up during the day would be a necessity for people in apartments and condominiums. This has spurred discussions of a charging station network accessible in public parking areas. Distributors of charging station systems are courting businesses to take advantage of solar and wind power to generate their own electricity and, in turn, offer charging station for electric vehicles on a for-profit model. Maui resident Michael Leone of Hawaii Electric Vehicles was one of the attendees at the January ribbon cutting for the first solar-powered charge station on O‘ahu at the Green Energy Outlet in Kaka‘ako. He has a big stake in the adoption of EVs in Hawai‘i, as his company is the exclusive Hawai‘i distributor for ChargePoint, the brand of charging station installed at the O‘ahu south shore retailer. The Maui entrepreneur is enthusiastic about the future. “It’s time that energy self-sufficiency for Hawai‘i stops being a dream,” said Leone, “and starts to become a reality.” The ChargePoint station unveiling, using infrastructure provided by Coulomb Technologies, leads the way for a network of such facilities, which may be used on a monthly subscription or for a single charging session. While Coulomb has been busier in Europe than the U.S., ChargePoint stations have been installed at over fifty Mainland locations, as well as the MECO site. In time, trips may be programmed on an EV user’s iPhone to identify proximity of charge stations, with the charge station able to recognize EV drivers and communicate with them by e-mail and text message. Henk Rogers of Blue Planet Foundation drove his Tesla Roadster, one of four in Hawai‘i, to the charge station opening. He said his purchase of an EV was congruent with Blue Planet’s mission of ending the use of carbon-based fuels in Hawai‘i. He noted that EVs are also quiet, so there’s less noise pollution. When asked why he chose a Tesla, Rogers replied, “I like sexy cars. It can do zero-to-sixty in 3.9 seconds.

It’s a personal statement to young people who look at it and say, ‘I want one of these.’” He mentioned that the placard on the door of his car—Blue Planet Foundation Electric Vehicle—is a conversation starter wherever he goes. But Rogers hit a speed bump when his condo association wouldn’t budge from a rule that prevented him from placing a charging station in his designated parking stall. The issue has yet to be fully resolved, and he says he may initiate a bill to the legislature so other condo owners needn’t face the same restrictions in years to come. “People should not look at the hiccups and say, ‘See, it’s not going to happen,’” said DBEDT’s Peck. “Getting cars made—that’s the challenge. We need to be patient and watchful. We are transforming.” GREENM AGAZ INE HAWAII.COM

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The VIENNA 2 is designed for riders who need a simple and functional bike for their day to day pursuits. This bike is your ticket to painless commuting or a quick fitness fix; also offered in step-through versions for easy on/off. Available at our Honolulu, Aiea and Kailua locations. Starting at $479.99 plus tax and license.

50 booths offering a wide variety of the freshest local produce, artisan foods, children’s activities and live music. Hale‘iwa Farmers’ Market encourages everyone to buy locally, bring your own shopping bag and help to green O‘ahu… one Sunday at a time.

Recycle with earthworms! Worms convert household garbage to a nutrientrich organic soil amendment quickly, safely, with no odor. Waikiki Worm Company now offers a mini version of its commercial Pipeline worm system – the 5´ x 3´ POP (Piece O’ Pipeline) worm bin is ideal for processing food, paper, and pet waste at home.

The Bike Shop 1149 South King Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 808.596.0588 bikeshophawaii.com

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This 3-foot long “Mini-Garden” comes fully assembled with a built-in watering system and USDA organic growing media. Its compact design eliminates weeding, saves time and money. Professionally installed Custom Gardens are also available and are tailored to your lifestyle. An in-home consultation and one-year warranty is included with Custom Gardens. The Wiki Garden - $37.95 ea., Custom Gardens – Starting at $199

A trendsetting, conscious lifestyle brand creating wearable art for the contemporary woman and a socially responsible label promoting consumer awareness. Our garments are made from organic cotton, sweatshop-free, recycled and vintage fabrics and are printed locally in Honolulu. We also create urban clothing and handcrafted jewelry while supporting fare wages and the local economy.

You’ll love Hawaiian Bath & Body’s allnatural skin care line of luscious lotions, moisturizing lip balms, lathering bar soaps, and rejuvenating sugar scrubs. Featuring Hawaiian ingredients to gently soothe and nourish skin. Handmade in Hawai‘i with earth-friendly practices.

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MiNei Designs Hawaii

Get the convenience of an Ebb & Flow System in a 22˝ x 22˝ x 10˝ size garden by Hydrofarm. Ebb & Flow Systems work by pumping nutrient solution up from a reservoir to a controlled water level tray. All plants are watered uniformly on a timed cycle.

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MiNei Designs Hawai‘i is now making earrings from recycled sunglass lenses! Designed with vintage appliques and are the perfect compliment to our woven necklaces and bracelets. Available exclusively through Mu‘umu‘u Heaven in Kailua and on our website www.mineijewelry.com

The Green Room Organik Showroom & Gallery 73-5580 Maiau Street., G Unit Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 theorganik.com

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COMING NEXT ISSUE

Shades Of Gray Makua Valley’s conflicted space

Makua Valley, on O‘ahu’s Wai‘anae coast, reflects the conflicting narratives of Hawai‘i’s social and natural history and the important role of community organization to promote sustainability. In the Summer Issue, 2010, GREEN explores the contested valley with a poignant photo essay and narrative. Also featured in the upcoming issue, with water rights in some rural communities appropriated by private companies to promote past monocrop agriculture, communities are mobilizing to regain control of their local water resources and restore water to their streams of origin. There are many ways to recycle to keep trash from the waste stream and one Kaua‘i glass blower is operating a unique non-profit that turns broken glass into recycled art. What better way 58

GRE E N M A G A Z I N E H AWAII.C O M

to celebrate another beautiful summer in the islands than being at the beach? GREEN lays down an organic cotton beach towel with ideas for an eco-friendly beach day, looks into the health benefits of stand-up paddle surfing and talks story with surfboard shapers who are exploring new materials for a less toxic surfboard. And, of course, local news from across the state, your letters and more. Look for the Summer Issue at local retailers starting July 1, 2010. Check greenmagazinehawaii.com for a distributor near you and email info@greenmagazinehawaii.com and request the Ezine, the complete online version of GREEN, delivered free each quarter directly to your inbox.

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