CONTENTS
Sections 24 Business: New Future Volcom’s Pipeline Pro does its best to leave no trace in the sand 26 Community: Push Pins Using poster art to raise awareness of native Hawaiian species and ecosystems 28 Home: Honolulu Style Handcrafting monkeypod furniture and creating distinct interior styles 30 Conservation: Regulators, Mount Up Get dirty for your mama 44 Design: The Mobius House Invoking the Earth and a deeper consciousness through design
32 Food: Sweet Nectar
The art of beekeeping and producing artisan honey
38 Culture: Hawai‘i Ka- kou
The best work is always done together
46 Fashion: Can’t Wear Me Out
Sustainable Living 14 Home In Frame 16 The Know Hawaii Food Policy Council 17 Web TED Talks 18 Simple Choices Natural Tools 20 Film Visual Acoustics 21 Technology Greensleeve 22 Outside Public Displays of Affection 23 Style Fashionista Moderista Departments 08 Editor’s Note 12 Contributors 52 Marketplace 56 Advertiser Directory 57 Distribution 58 Coming Next Issue
T-shirts that combine sustainable canvases and local art for eco-native ethos
COVER PHOTO: Kevin Whitton
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Illustration: Kyle Tanaka
EDITOR’S NOTE
’Til We Meet Again I was washing the dishes after the kids went to bed —it’s one of my dailies, daily chores that is—singing along with Greg Graffin (Does anyone else in their thirties still listen to Bad Religion? I hope so.), subconsciously reflecting on a day of selling ad space, editing copy, building a sand box for my daughters, watching the youngest take her first steps unaided across the lanai, planning editorial for future issues, changing diapers, chatting with a good friend at the Surfrider Foundation and watching whitewater roll in across South Shore reefs, wishing I could include a surf in all that wonderful mess of my life. The melody, the rhythm (I love that word, no vowels), the trusty chords, the concerted effort of drums, bass, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals and message, coming together in a seamless streaming wavelength of empowering sound through my headphones straight into my brain, into my conscious that lurks right behind my eyes and expands right through the back of my skull even though I’ve never really seen it. The music has my full attention, but at the same time it allows my brain to wander and sort out all the day’s input, to file it away for possible safekeeping or keep it close to my tongue for immediate recall. It is relaxing and invigorating even though I’m tired and the kink in my neck will not abate. Don’t be a henchman/Stand on your laurels/Do what no one else does and praise the good of other men for good man’s sake/And when everyone else in the world follows your lead/Although a cold day in hell it will surely be/That’s when the entire world shall live in harmony.
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Art surrounds us everyday and gives us the opportunity to have a voice and make a difference in our community, just like our choice to live sustainably. And that’s why I, and consequentially GREEN, won’t be celebrating Earth Day, Earth Month or any other Hallmark eco-holiday this spring. Sure, I’ll give sustainability some flowers on April 22 to reaffirm our relationship even though GREEN (myself included) celebrates this mantra, this mission, this way of life everyday. No longer do we need a holiday to recognize reasonable, smart, conscious thinking because it is everyday thinking. Sustainability is not a victim and it’s not the new kid on the block anymore. It is a leader for policy, government and community through non-partisan action and common sense. When I think of spring, I think of the proliferation of nature, flowers, leaves, growth, renewal and art. I think of paint on canvas, thick and colorful. I think of printed words on a musty page. I think of the creative spring (n. the motive for or origin of an action, custom.) that awakens in each of us. Hopefully you have the prescience to recognize the eternal muse and dive into the natural world through whichever medium suits your calling. And so this spring we bring you the Art Issue, a departure from the overwhelming bulk of the manufactured Earth Day media you’ll be bombarded with this April, including the same 10 simple steps to save the Earth that are rehashed every year. Stand strong with me as we continue to celebrate sustainability all year long and broaden the converstation into all aspects of our lives. —Kevin Whitton
Published by Little Tree Publications VOLUME 4 :: NUMBER 2 :: APRIL/MAY/JUNE 2012 Editor Kevin Whitton Lifestyle Editor Aubrey Yee Contributing Writers Adam Ayers, Dr. Summer Baptist, Priscilla Pérez Billig, Catherine Mariko Black, Stuart Coleman, Jade Eckardt, Tiffany Foyle, Margaret Haapoja, Jennifer Metz, Nicole Milne, Laura Poirier, Samson Reiny, Sarah Ruppenthal, Rosalyn Young, Tara Zirker Art Director Kyle Tanaka Contributing Photographers Willi Edwards, Beau Flemister, Isaac Frazer, Ian Gillespie, Margaret Haapoja, Nicole Milne, Kyle Tanaka, Kevin Whitton, Michelle Whitton, Aubrey Yee Contributing Illustrators Orthreb Arios, Abi Braceros, Nicolette Davenport Sales Representative Lola Cohen green@lolacohen.com General Inquries info@greenmagazinehawaii.com GREEN P.O. Box 894061 Mililani, Hawai‘i 96789 To receive a free subscription to the GREEN eZine, the complete online version of GREEN, please contact us at info@greenmagazinehawaii.com. Annual hard copy subscriptions are also available at $24 for four issues. 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, Hawai‘i 96789 Email editorial inquiries to info@greenmagazineawaii.com GREEN is trademarked and tradename registered in the state of Hawai‘i. All contents of this issue of GREEN are copyrighted by Little Tree Publications, 2012. 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
Tiffany Foyle Tiffany Foyle has written for a variety of local publications for the last 10 years, specializing in public affairs, culture, entertainment, food integrity and surf. Her green motto to live by is: Waste less, learn and do more. The “do” implies everything from learning to grow your own food in whatever space you have to getting educated on policies that impact our environmental health in order to be active in promoting change. Tiffany is lucky to live and work on the beautiful North Shore of O‘ahu where she spends all her free time with her new husband and their tiny beach dog.
Jade Eckardt Raised on the east side of the Big Island, Jade majored in anthropology at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, where she stumbled across an interest in writing. She began reflecting on her travels around the world in creative non-fiction work and soon moved to traditional newsroom journalism. Jade is currently a freelance writer for regional publications and is the author of Moon Kaua‘i, her first guidebook. She lives on the North Shore with her family, dogs, backyard chickens and a goat named Ramona.
Maile Meyer For more than two decades Maile has worked to bring the rich history and culture of the islands to the general public through various business enterprises, arts activities and communities that support the native Hawaiian culture and economic independence of local artisans and crafts people. Utilizing her love of books and Hawaiian culture and arts, Maile has spearheaded Native Books Inc., Native Books and Beautiful Things, BookEnds, Na- Mea Hawai‘i, Mana Hawai‘i, MAMo Gallery, Mea Makamae and most recently, two eyes gallery. The overall theme of her entrepreneurial activity is the establishment of businesses coupled with a strong community focus.
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D
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NEW DESIGN • RESTORATION RENOVATION • CUSTOM FURNITURE OUTDOOR SPACES RECLAIMED & NEW MATERIALS
Richard Dela Cruz
808.375.9620 rdc0013@hotmail.com
Photo: Kevin Whitton
LIFESTYLE HOME
String and Clip
Photo: Aubrey Yee
Whether for utility or accent, something as simple as a string and clips can create a functional, funky and fun display area. Take a piece of string and tack both ends on the wall with thumbtacks. You can also use a monofilament line or fishing string, or add some flare to the line with a colored ribbon. Decide what type of clips you’ll use, like laundry pins (which can be painted different colors), paper clips or even the gold clips that come with a bag of coffee. Clip photographs, artwork, notes or holiday cards to name a few. It’s easy to change the display often and no expensive framing is needed.
Secondhand Photo Frame Another great option is to hit up a thrift store for picture frames. Buy a variety of shapes and sizes, but don’t worry about the color of the frame. When you’re ready to create your photo frame display, spray paint the frames either all white or a combination of colors. Place them on your wall in a random pattern with art or photographs. Don’t forget to throw in a mirror somewhere in the mix for some added interest.
LIFESTYLE WEB
TED Knows
Three TED Talks that explore ingenuity in art If you’ve never watched a TED Talk, then send in your Netflix CDs, turn off CSI and check out www.ted.com. Their organized and interactive site is filled with fascinating, funny and riveting lectures from their international conferences covering a wide berth of topics like technology, design, business, science, global issues and yes, art and music. In these three lectures, artists Janet Echelman, Shea Hembrey and Vik Muniz redefine outside the box thinking, taking seemingly ordinary materials and ideas and creating amazing works of art both small and large. —Kevin Whitton
Shea Hembrey: How I became 100 artists Contemporary artist Shea Hembrey had a goal: to stage an international art show with 100 world-renowned artists. Knowing the feat was beyond extraordinary, he came up with a plan of genius. Shea became all 100 artists. He developed their bios and backgrounds and created their art. His diversity of work and talent is unparalleled.
Janet Echelman: Taking imagination seriously What happens when an artist with no background in engineering or architecture looses her paints on a commissioned project in India? If she’s Janet Echelman, she turns to sculpture. Using soft and pliable materials like silk or netting that show every ripple of wind combined with high-tech engineering, Janet now creates billowing forms the size of buildings, an oasis of sculpture in cities around the world. Her fluid sculptures respond to the forces of nature and create wonder out of the ordinary.
Vik Muniz: Art with wire and sugar Brazilian-born fine artist Vik Muniz learned to communicate with images in a social climate filled with political strife. When he came to the United States in 1983, he found his voice by creating striking images with unusual objects or media. He transformed cotton balls into detailed images resembling clouds. He emulated pencil sketches, but gave them a 3-D effect using wire. He recreated landscapes with thread and created realistic portraits of children of sugar plantation workers in the Caribbean with white sugar on black paper. For Vik, the medium holds as much meaning as the work of art. ted.com
LIFESTYLE SIMPLE CHOICES
Photos: Kevin Whitton
Autograph Leaves
Natural Tools
Look no further than nature for a host of art implements When you were a child you may have experimented with different leaves, sticks and rocks in attempts to create your own art. When was the last time you stepped outside to find natural materials or looked in your kitchen for ways to create something beautiful? It’s time to reawaken the inner artist and you don’t need fancy supplies from an art store to do it. With these simple and abundant tools, you can enjoy working a personal masterpiece using the fruits of nature. —Aubrey Yee
LIFESTYLE SIMPLE CHOICES
Hala Paint Brush
Potato Stamp
Hala Paint Brush The Pandanus tree, better known as hala, is staple flora in the islands (the long, blade-like leaves were traditionally used to weave lauhala mats and sails). The fruit of the tree, which resembles a pineapple, will break up into pieces called keys once it is ripe. Because of its fibrous chemistry, a dried key can be used as a paintbrush. The broad end will remain solid while the smaller end breaks apart into a round of bristles. Hold the broad end and paint to your heart’s desire.
Autograph Leaves The leaves from the autograph tree are aptly named. Use anything sharp, a butter knife, a stick, your fingernail, and draw or write on the leaves. They are perfect for name cards at a table setting or simply take advantage of a natural drawing pad.
Potato Stamp Potatoes are just as great for art as they are for dinner. Start with a raw potato and cut the potato in half. On the flat face carve an image into the flesh to create a stamp. Then dip the potato in paint or ink and voila, instant stamp art.
Photo: Chemosphere House: © J. Paul Getty Trust
LIFESTYLE FILM
Visual Acoustics The Modernism of Julius Shulman
Architecture affects everything we do. Whether it’s the buildings we work in or the homes where we reside, our daily lives and our aesthetic experience are deeply affected by the structures we encounter. Julius Shulman has been called the greatest architectural photographer in history and the man who brought the Modernism movement to the masses. In the sweet and beautiful documentary Visual Acoustics, we get a chance to glimpse into the mind of the man whose images defined an artistic movement. Julius Shulman was born in Brooklyn, but spent seven of his younger formative years living in rural Connecticut, where his connection to nature was cemented for life. In 1926, he relocated with his family to the Los Angeles area. Shulman lived a life blessed by chance meetings and important connections. In his early career as a photographer he met and photographed buildings by the late Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler who, along with Frank Lloyd Wright, founded the Modernist movement. In fact, Shulman credits Neutra with teaching him about the properties of light and the art of photography. 20
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Although the two strong headed, highly artistic men often clashed in their professional careers, they loved working together. Throughout the mid-20th century, Julius worked for top Los Angeles architects while the modernist movement was in full swing. He became known as the iconic image-maker of the time and magazines around the world vied for his work. As designer Tom Ford aptly points out, most people have only experienced these iconoclastic houses through Julius Shulman’s photographs. In the 1990s international publishing house Taschen republished much of his work leading to a huge resurgence in the mid-century modern style of building and interiors. Towards the end of his life, Julius agreed to allow his photographic archive to relocate from his studio in the Hollywood Hills to the famed Getty museum, where they are today. Julius Shulman died in 2009 at 98 years old. He is poignantly quoted towards the end of the film exclaiming, “Every day I live a new life,” touching at the nature of his endless inspiration. —Aubrey Yee
Photo: Kevin Whitton
LIFESTYLE OUTSIDE
Public Displays of Affection No need to pay a fee to see great art Hawai‘i was the first state in the nation to establish an Art in Public Places program back in 1967. In this forward-thinking program for the time, one percent of building costs for any state building must be set aside for the acquisition of art. In addition, local companies also embraced the necessity of an aesthetically pleasing place of business. It’s these kinds of innovative programs that make our city culturally rich and interesting, so get out in the streets and see some free public art. —Aubrey Yee
Hawai‘i State Art Museum Located in the heart of downtown Honolulu, next to the ‘Iolani Palace, is the Hawai‘i State Art Museum, which is also known as HiSAM. Originally called the Royal Hotel, the building has been around since the late 1800s. It houses some beautiful contemporary Hawaiian art from Herb Kane to Madge Tennent. And keep your eye out because they often hold free concerts and family-friendly events in the grassy courtyard out front. hawaii.gov/sfca/HiSAM.html
First Hawaiian Bank, Downtown Branch A great spot in downtown Honolulu for viewing free art is at First Hawaiian Center on Bishop Street. FHB partnered with the Honolulu Academy of Art and created the Honolulu Museum of Art at First Hawaiian Center on the second floor of the buildings mezzanine. Here 22
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you can see revolving displays of local, contemporary art from Franco Salmoiraghi’s photographs to woodworking and fabric arts. honoluluacademy.org
U.H. at Ma- noa Commons Gallery The Commons Gallery at the University of Hawai‘i at Ma- noa is the smaller of the art department’s galleries, but it is constantly evolving on a weekly basis, acting as a laboratory for students and faculty to experiment with exhibition design and display practices. And don’t miss out on the annual Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition that takes place in April and May in the University of Hawai‘i Art Gallery. An exhibition of imminent graduates from the Department of Art and Art History, you’ll see all types of fine art from glass, metal works and painting to graphic design and ceramics. hawaii.edu/art/exhibitions/art_gallery
Fresh Café Located in the heart of the up-and-coming art scene in Kaka‘ako, Fresh Café is as much a gallery of contemporary and modern urban art as it is a place to hook into the free WiFi while you grab a sandwich and a coffee. The walls are adorned with the colorful art of the most popular local artists that have taken graffiti style motifs and applied it to canvas or wood in a gallery setting, basically bringing street art indoors. freshcafehi.com
Photos: Crystal Thornburg-Homcy
BUSINESS
Surf apparel brand Volcom is leading the surf industry by implementing company-wide sustainable business practices, from in-office initiatives to professional surfing events, all under their New Future moniker.
New Future
Volcom’s Pipeline Pro attracts an international field of competitors, thousands of spectators and does its best to leave no trace in the sand
Every winter, O‘ahu’s North Shore is graced with some of the biggest, most powerful, consistent and contestable waves on the planet. It comes as no surprise that professional surfers, stand-up paddle surfers, bodyboarders and bodysurfers look to the North Shore’s iconic surf breaks, most notably Pipeline, to hold their contests. These events, which attract an international field of competitors and are a major draw for Hawai‘i tourism, bring in revenue for the City and County of Honolulu and the state through permitting fees and tax dollars. With the lion’s share of international media attention garnered by the Van’s Triple Crown of Surfing, a sixweek, three-event series held annually every November and December since 1983, international surfing brand
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Volcom has recently established a grassroots connection with the North Shore community, professional surfers and visiting fans through their North Shore event, the Volcom Pipeline Pro. As part of Volcom’s New Future campaign, company-wide initiatives integrating sustainability into their business model, offering a line of sustainable clothing (the V.Co-Logical Series) and donating to environmental non-profits, the Volcom Pipeline Pro is their flagship venue to share with the public what the company is doing at an internal level to operate smarter and more efficiently. “Each year is a learning opportunity, and we’re realizing how important good planning and communication is,” says Derek Sabori, Volcom’s senior director of
BUSINESS
Some of Volcom’s initiatives at this year’s Volcom Pipeline Pro were reusable water bottles and water filling stations, zero-waste recycling and composting and supporting the local North Shore community through the Live Like Sion memorial fund.
the department of sustainability and corporate social responsibility. “This isn’t a perfect event from a sustainability standpoint, but we’re continuing to strive for it to be impressive to even the harshest critic.” Sabori has headed up the sustainable efforts and initiatives for the past three years at the event, working side by side with Jen Homcy, co-founder of Tr3ees, a green event solutions and sustainability consulting company based from the North Shore. In addition to the worldclass surfing in the water, together the two have added an element of accountability tied with community to the event, highlighting Volcom’s dedication to professional surfing and the preservation of the North Shore. From small solutions like recycling, coffee mugs, reusable chopsticks, reusable water bottles and refill stations to larger initiatives like their zero waste policy or their repurposed event totes made from the previous year’s banners, the event has a well-rounded approach to leaving as small a footprint as possible.
Not stopping there, Sabori made sure that the health of the competitors, staff and visitors was also a primary focus at the event, where natural sunscreens are on offer, as well as organic food and healthy drink alternatives to the energy drinks that flood the market at sporting events. In addition, Volcom is proud to give back to the community, with proceeds from their merchandise going to the Sunset Beach Elementary School PTA, the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii, and this year to the Sion Milosky memorial fund. “Our goals now are for us to go beyond just a product line, or an event or two,” explains Sabori. “We’re striving for sustainability to be truly engrained into the drumbeat of our business and I feel like we’re on a good path.” —Kevin Whitton
volcom.com/newfuture
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COMMUNITY
Poster Art: Courtesy Conservation Council of Hawaii
For most of us, this detailed painting of the wildlife of the Northwest Hawaiian Islands by biologist Patrick Ching is as close as we’ll get to see the real thing.
Push Pins
Using poster art to raise awareness of native Hawaiian species and ecosystems
Art has an inept way of cutting across cultural barriers, overstepping verbal communication and getting to the heart of an issue or topic by invoking raw emotion and offering dynamic perspectives. In this vein, the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i produces an annual poster highlighting a particular native Hawaiian species or ecosystem to celebrate nature and to raise awareness by creating a conversation of knowledge, respect and conservation. Created 50 years ago by people committed to preserving Hawai‘i’s unique flora and fauna, the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i, or CCH, continues to advocate scientifically-based management of Hawai‘i’s natural heritage through research, public education, service, and when necessary, legal action. As the state affiliate for the National Wildlife Federation, CCH members took a cue from their national counterpart and began enlisting local artists in 1975 to create a poster specific to Hawai‘i’s wildlife. Distributed free of charge to all public, private, charter, and native Hawaiian language immersion schools in Hawai‘i, in addition to being mailed to all CCH members, elected officials in Hawai‘i, and given to community groups and government agencies, the earlier posters began as single color outlines that the kids could color. Over the decades, the artwork has evolved to feature beautiful full-color
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renditions of the artists’ work. Every year, the theme of the poster differs to highlight a particular species or habitat or to coincide with community and political action. For the 2007 poster, artist and wildlife biologist Patrick Ching painted the original artwork “E Ola Mau Na- Manu O Kawainui! Long Live the Birds of Kawainui!” It was a bright, realistic depiction of native birds in the Kawainui Marsh. The 2002 poster carried more of a call to action, focusing on the plight of the endangered and sorely neglected Hawaiian dry forest at Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a on the Kona side of the Big Island. “Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Native Treasure or Alien Wasteland?” is a compilation of photos that compares the area in its current state, devastated by feral ungulates, to what it might have looked like as a pristine native dry forest. The posters now feature a teacher’s guide on the back to aid educators in providing students with information about Hawai‘i’s incredibly diverse wildlife, including their cultural value, threats and ways to protect them. The visually compelling posters bring species and places to life that many people might not have the opportunity to bear witness, like the 2005 poster, “Mauna Kea Kuahiwi Ku- ha‘o I Ka Ma- lie, Mauna Kea Mountain That Stands Alone in the Wind,” which features the dif-
COMMUNITY
Through their annual poster, the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i is able to raise awareness and share the beauty of Hawai‘i’s natural places and native flora and fauna.
ferent native ecosystems on Mauna Kea showing the adze quarry and waiau of the summit in the foreground, while also showing the summit from a distance in the background. Boasting artwork from native Hawaiian artist and historian Brook Kapu- kuniahi Parker, wildlife photographer and biologist Jack Jeffrey, Sheryl Boynton, ornithologist and painter H. Douglas Pratt, wildlife biologist Tonnie Casey, D. F. Poche, and animal welfare advocate and painter Karen Petras, the Conservation Council for Hawai‘i has created a legacy of awareness and attention to Hawai‘i through its annual poster. The 2011 poster, which is available this spring, is painted by Patrick Ching and features the rare and fascinating anchialine pool ecosystem. And award-winning writer and block print artist Caren Loebel-Fried has been commissioned to create the 2012 poster, a tribute to the endangered monk seal. All you need are four push pins to admire the complexity and beauty of our natural world. —Kevin Whitton
conservehi.org
by Aubrey Yee
Fine Art Portraits Custom Quality Prints slantoflightimages.com
HOME
Photos: Kevin Whitton
Thorben Wuttke (left) and Douglas Gordon (right) are taking advantaged of locally grown and milled monkeypod wood to create stylish, handcrafted furniture.
Honolulu Style
Handcrafting monkeypod furniture and creating distinct interior styles
Most often when we think of art, painting, drawing, sculpture and possibly photography comes to mind. But art travels far beyond these mediums and can be applied to just about any activity where ingenuity and creativity combine with a specific skill set to produce an original outcome. Think the perfect golf swing, surfing down the face of a pitching wave, writing compelling fiction or crocheting a beanie. Craftsmen Douglas Gordon and Thorben Wuttke create quality furniture, an art form requiring imagination, precise measurements, power tools and an intimate knowledge with the medium of choice, wood. As co-owners of the Honolulu Furniture Company in Kaka‘ako, Douglas and Thorben are crafting beautiful, modern pieces of furniture sourced from local lumber. “Koa is the king of Hawai‘i, but monkeypod is the tree of Hawai‘i,” says Thorben, fondly eyeing the massive slabs of monkeypod that adorn the entrance to their workshop. “It’s everywhere you look. It has a nice
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canopy and they come down all the time. Monkeypod has a beautiful color, it’s very hard and very bug resistant. And the cost is like a fraction of koa.” Sourcing monkeypod (Samanea saman) from local O‘ahu mills, as well as other finds like sugi pine and silky oak, the duo has found a way to create interesting production pieces using Hawai‘i lumber, foregoing the need to import any of their organic materials, the medium for their art. The salvaged monkeypod wood is from area trees, at least 40 years old, that have either reached the end of their life cycle or have to come down to make way for development. Instead of the felled tree going to the landfill, Thorben and Doug are using the wood with its interesting features and eccentric grain to hand fashion furniture to last generations. “I’ve never thought about specific styles, I just build what I think look nice,” says Thorben. “With the monkeypod, we’re creating a furniture style for Hawai‘i, Honolulu Style.”
HOME
(top) Relax Honolulu style. (bottom) Monkeypod is a naturally pest-resistant hardwood with an interesting grain that is readily available on O‘ahu at a fraction of the price of koa.
Beyond providing stock for the smart investment of quality furniture made with quality lumber, Thorben has spearheaded the use of reclaimed lumber for his custom pieces on a retail scale in a line he calls Forward Thinking Furniture. “I have made furniture out of just about everything you can image,” explains Douglas, “and recycled wood has its own charm. It has a lot of character because it is used. It’s got nails and dirt and paint, which is a problem for the machines, but it does have a lot of character when you’re done and it’s a material that’s getting reused.” As Honolulu Furniture Company celebrates their one-year anniversary this April, Douglas and Thorben are awestruck at the pace their business has grown. When they first moved into the industrial space, their 5,500-square foot, two-story workshop seemed spacious and open. Now, with stockpiles of lumber (including a healthy stash of koa) drying in the back, a professional team of craftsmen and designated work areas for other area woodworkers who share their vision and passion, Honolulu Furniture Company is the definition of Honolulu style. —Kevin Whitton
CONSERVATION
Photos: Kyle Tanaka
As part of their Get Dirty campaign, Sierra Club Hawai‘i is focusing on restoring heavily worn sections of the Ma- noa Falls Trail.
Regulators, Mount Up Get dirty for your mama
Historically, nature has done more than a remarkable job of taking care of herself. But in recent times, many of the wild places have disappeared or have been altered, making it hard to establish the connection between place and self. In 1892, inspired by the grandeur of California’s Yosemite Valley, John Muir founded the Sierra Club to bridge that gap with the core philosophy that one should protect what they love and love what they are connected to. Hiking trails, natural areas, forest reserves, sanctuaries and parks are our way of preserving pieces of the natural world for the future. With these preserves we have been given the opportunity to reconnect to the many types of environments that not only support our basic needs, but also give us spiritual and emotional nourishment and respite from our busy lives. Over the years, humanity has spilled over into sanctuary and is crowding out nature. People have worn the
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trails, littered the landscape and enabled alien species to become established and outcompete native species. Sierra Club Hawaii is sensitive to both the needs of people to get into nature and the conservation efforts necessary to keep natural spaces pristine. This April, the nonprofit is making a concerted effort across Hawai‘i to engage the community and protect each island’s natural beauty by organizing volunteer opportunities to conserve and protect heavily used outdoor recreation areas. By stabalizing trails, planting native species, cleaning beaches, harbors and reefs, they aim to restore the natural balanace between flora, fauna and recreation. —Jen Homcy
sierraclubhawaii.com/getdirty.php
CONSERVATION
Volunteers are the driving force behind the actions necessary to repair and restore all the recreational areas that Sierra Club Hawai‘i is looking to service during this campaign.
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FOOD
The art of beekeeping and producing artisan honey by Jade Eckardt
It’s an overcast day on the Big Island’s Ha- ma- kua coast. Jenny Bach is kneeling near an A-frame bee hive. Gazing through the hive’s glass window she exudes an air of pride usually reserved for a mother speaking proudly of her children, “Look at them, they’re working so hard. This hive is doing really good.” The hive’s health isn’t to be taken for granted since flourishing hives and healthy bees have been at a constant decline in the wake of the introduction of two invasive species in 2008: the Varroa mite, a tiny insect that transfers viruses while feeding on honey bee larvae and adult bee blood; and the small hive beetle, which destroys colonies while contaminating the honey, first seen on O‘ahu in 2007, then migrating to the Big Island a year later. Bach, better known as “Jenny Bee,” is the founder and co-owner of Bee Love Apiaries, a 15-acre sustainable and holistic beekeeping sanctuary on the northern slopes of Mauna Kea, which doubles as a home for her and her husband, Jio Rosenberg. Bach holds a degree in biology from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, and South African Rosenberg is a former stock trader. But it’s their love for bees that occupies them fulltime as beekeepers and outreach workers with Big Island children and farmers interested in beekeeping.
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Photo: Jenny Bach
FOOD
Jenny Bach’s heart really is all about beekeeping, as she’s dedicated her life’s work to the craft as well as promoting beekeeping through outreach work to children and farmers.
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Honey is a bee’s primary food source. Worker bees ingest flower nectar and carry it back to the hive where it is regurgitated for other bees to mix it with their wings and tongues to reduce moisture before it is stored in the wax honeycomb.
At the age of 21 Bach received her first invite into a hive. “It was as if the bees injected a magic potion into me. I began to have reoccurring dreams, which allowed me to understand them. From that moment on, I knew I was hooked,” she recalls, some ten years later, relaxing on the lanai as she mixes a cup of tea with her homegrown honey and homemade almond milk. “Bees find their keeper, and I was put under a spell.” Performing residential hive removal got her off and running in the bee business, but soon she had developed a vision and mission that evolved into Bee Love. Now the focus is set on education and finding better ways to keep bees living long term with genetic diversity. “The bees are really an indicator of our food system. A few years ago there was an estimated 800,000 feral hives and today we rarely see any,” she says. “But, it’s not a doomsday scenario. We want bees that are survivors. For example, we’ve noticed that some bees
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Photo: Jenny Bach
FOOD
will pull out the mite and the larvae it’s feeding on.” Enhancing the length and quality of bees’ lives could possibly be one of the most important efforts to ensure higher agricultural yields, especially with Hawai‘i’s present effort to eat local. According to Bach, about 30 percent or more of our food is dependent on honeybees. And by supporting honeybees we support local agriculture beyond simply honey production. However, in the last four years the Varroa mite and hive beetle have taken a devastating toll on the bees, which historically flourished thanks to the Big Island’s range of microclimates—eleven out of the world’s thirteen microclimates are found on the Big Island. These varying microclimates and the diversity of flora found within them produces a vast array of nectar sources, and it’s the multiple nectar sources that creates different types of honey, each with different flavors, scents and consistencies.
FOOD
“Honey is just dehydrated flower nectar,” says Whendi Grad of Big Island Bees, a family run business in South Kona. She says it’s the genetic make up of different nectars that creates honey with different consistencies. The Big Island’s famous lehua honey is thick and crystallized from the Puna and Ha- ma- kua areas where the vibrant blossoms of ‘o-hi‘a are abundant. Other common Big Island honeys include macadamia nut, kiawe froma small portion of Kona, eucalyptus honey from Na- ‘a- lehu and Ha- ma- kua, and wilelaiki (Christmasberry) honey. Big Island Bees has been making artisan honey since 1971. Grad’s husband, Garnett Puett is a fourth generation beekeeper. His honey roots date back to a time when his great grandfather who bred queen bees lost an entire field of hives to arson when he voted for integration in Georgia. The family remained in the bee business and discovered that Hawai‘i was a perfect place to keep bees in the 1960s. While the Big Island Bee family also fights for the future of bees, they’ve made a name as producers of award winning artisan, single nectar honeys distributed worldwide. “We focus on macadamia nut, wilelaiki and lehua honey,” says Whendi. Each nectar flourishes at different times of the year. Although Big Island Bees remains the largest producer of honey in the state, they too have suffered in the last four years. “Since the mites arrived, we’ve lost nearly 50 percent of our honey production,” Whendi shares. Like Bach, she shares the notion of the overall importance of bees. “Humans and bees really have a symbiotic relationship. People want bees on the land for pollination and bees need people to help them out.” Gone are the days when hives on farms or residential property could be left alone for a month at a time. “It’s vital to check the hives every single day—give them water, check nectar availability and move them to a new nectar source if necessary,” says Whendi Grad. “Now, you really have to be a beekeeper.” Her husband Garnett leaves for his rounds at 7:30 a.m. to
Photo: Jade Eckardt
Photo: Jade Eckardt
Female bees do all of the work in honey production, from gathering the nectar, to creating the honey and the honeycomb.
A family of bees surrounding a queen can be easily relocated to take advantage of a nectar source.
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FOOD
Photo: Jenny Bach
Beekeeping is a labor intense pursuit and hives must be constantly monitored and maintained on a daily basis.
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Photo: Kevin Whitton
FOOD
The different qualities of artisan honey are attributed to the genetic makeup of the different nectars that the bees consume.
check on each of Big Island Bee’s 2,500 hives, which are scattered across private lands. The beekeepers have agreements with landowners to rotate the hives according to the nectar season. It’s inside the hives where the magic happens. Hawaiian worker bees (females) have a life span of up to three months, yet queens live for as long as five years. Workers fly around gathering nectar, which is then broken down in the bee’s two stomachs by enzymes before it’s regurgitated back in the hive. The females mix it up with their wings and tongues, removing about 70 percent of the moisture. And just like that, the finished product is honey. The honey is then placed in a hexagonal cell made of wax, known as the honeycomb. Bach says wax is simply a product that bees sweat out from their pores before being turned into a hexagon, a creation of which humans are still theorizing on how it’s formed. Bach quips, “It looks like they’re meditating while they do it.” When the honey is complete, bees seal the honey into the cell with a thin layer of wax.
“The females do all of the work and find the nectar. Meanwhile, the queens fly around mating with various drones. She stores the semen in her body and can fertilize her eggs with it at a later time,” explains Bach. All worker bees are females born from fertilized eggs. Males, or drones, are born from unfertilized eggs, totaling only two percent of nearly 2,000 eggs laid each day, and are exact replicas of the queen. With a family rooted in honey production, it’s no surprise that Whendi Grad holds historic knowledge of the honeybee. She says that Hippocrates valued honey as a medicine and the Mayans had a special god for beekeeping, ancient Egyptians reserved honey for the wealthy and the Norse god Odin attributed his strength and wisdom to the mystical powers of honey. The honeybee was a symbol of purity to the early Christians and other cultures, including Celts and Slavs. Jews thought of honey as a food for the gods, while mead (honey wine) was a favored drink of mortals. Luckily for us mortals living in paradise, we have our own source of Hawaiian ambrosia.
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CULTURE
The best work is always done together Words by Maile Meyer // Photos by Lynn Cook
In October of 2011, five established and practicing artists and art educators, five assistants with an art focus (ages 20 to 28) and 17 students with a visual arts background (ages 10-19) gathered at the Hawai‘i Convention Center on the outskirts of Waikı- kı- . They collaborated to paint a 10- by 64-foot mural depicting economic systems from an indigenous mindset through a native Hawaiian lens. After 1,200 hours of painting over seven days, the Hawai‘i Ka- kou mural was installed. Its presence is a testimony to the combined and focused efforts of individuals working together for the greater good of all. Funded by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and gifted to the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority for display at the Convention Center, the mural is the first of its kind. Through the collaboration of these large state agencies, the support of many individuals within those organizations and the collective efforts of the mural artists, the Hawai‘i Ka- kou community mural is more than a reality, it’s the powerful and dynamic voice of a community.
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CULTURE
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CULTURE
Before any paint touched a canvas countless hours were spent sketching, drawing, researching and planning the motif.
The Gathering
On a sunny Monday afternoon, nearly thirty people, the majority under 18 years old, gathered in the lobby of the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Children kissed family members goodbye, ate a simple meal, received their “Mural Artist” T-shirts and started sketching. Kumu Meleanna Meyer’s voice could be heard above the din of laughter and friendly chatter. The first of 1,200 collective hours of mural preparation, design and painting of the Hawai‘i Ka- kou Community Mural project was underway. On nearby tables the other kumu, Harinani Orme, Solomon Enos, Al Lagunero and Kahi Ching, were busy with their own groups of young mural enthusiasts. Behind round tables filled with children drawing were eight wooden panels, measuring 10 feet high by 8 feet wide. When put together they would stretch from one end of the room to the other, an impressive 640 square feet of original art—the first piece of native Hawaiian-made art on public display in the Hawai‘i Convention Center. A central planning concept for the mural had been an image of our island home and the currents that surround it, done by graphic artist and maoli philosopher Matt Ing. Currents and ocean shading resemble a fingerprint, aligning with the deeper meaning of the fingerprint of humanity. During one of the many brainstorming and idea-sharing sessions prior to painting the mural Harinani Orme had a dream. She saw everyone putting their fingerprints onto the mural. Hawaiians are
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metaphoric people and daylight dreamers. When we see signs and feel the presence of others, we must acknowledge and include. So on the first night of mural painting Harinani stood with a pan of black paint and everyone put a fingerprint of paint on one of the mural panels. Although the fingerprints would be painted many times over, we knew they would always be there. A respectable showing of state officials, Office of Hawaiian Affairs representatives, Convention Center top guns and APEC big wigs joined in the fingerprinting fun. With paint on the canvas the Hawai‘i Ka- kou Mural project had officially begun. Our distinguished guests were part of the ka- kou energy. If everyone knows what they are suppose to do and they do it, that’s a Hawaiian concept. From top to bottom, everyone has something to add to a ka- kou project; there is no hierarchy and you do what you are supposed to do because you can. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs funded this project and gifted the art to the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority to be hung in the Hawai‘i Convention Center. APEC was only a few weeks away. Lots of people in many different state and government agencies had to believe in this project and support it in order for it to pass through the official steps that had to be taken to see the mural to fruition. And there we were, happily putting our fingerprints on the canvas in a show of solidarity. Hawaiians don’t go anywhere without always giving gratitude to our ancestors and our ‘aumakua. That night, the gods, and lots of people seen and unseen, were there to support us.
CULTURE
The Kumu
Running up to the emotional opening night, a group of dedicated volunteers embarked on three months of planning and researching in an attempt to try to speak on behalf of indigenous communities throughout the Pacific region. Roopal Shah, a lawyer by trade who left that world to be of service by starting a foundation in India, appeared in Hawai‘i a few months prior on a mission to learn from Hawaiians how to be of service to community. Roopal became an instrumental part of the team, grant writing, gathering research and working with the APEC constituents, artists and children. Her presence and good counsel was a ka- kou thread throughout the project. With her ka- kou orientation the project received the seamless support it needed to keep moving forward. Art educator Meleanna Meyer and Solomon Enos can trace their creative relationship back to 2003, when Meyer first worked with the young and budding artist, the Hawaiian Michelangelo as she calls him. The two were involved on a mural project for the Bishop Museum with a group of young Hawaiians from middle school. The class did a collaborative mural, interpreting a powerful Hawaiian prophecy chant about the merging of “that which is descending from high and that which rises from below.” This extraordinary piece of art made up of 40 squares painted by dozens of young children now hangs in “The Realm of the Gods” on the third floor of the recently renovated Hawaiian Hall at Bishop Museum. Meleanna believes in collaboration and art. As an art educator she’s worked in public, private and charter schools throughout the state for over 20 years. Lifelong art and teaching experiences have made Meleanna a champion for creative self-expression for children. She has taught thousands of keiki how to “see, feel and touch” and experience using art. The Bishop Museum mural was a great warm-up for her next four mural projects: Kaiao Garden in Hilo, the Helumoa Mural at the Sheraton Waikiki, Camp Mokule‘ia and the Kalihi Waena streamside mural. These four murals were art and community workouts, building the creative muscle for the Hawaii Ka- kou Community Mural project. And on that first night at the Convention Center kumu Meleanna stood side by side with the best artist kumu from the Hawaiian community, including Solomon Enos. Now ten years later, Enos is an accomplished and well-known artist, illustrator and Wai‘anae community advocate. Al Lagunero, a brilliant painter, community organizer and renowned artist coming from upcountry Maui was in the mix as was educator, fabricator, illustrator and all around art-champion Harinani Orme, one of the core artists in the HOEA arts movement. Rounding out the kumu was child art protégé Kahi Ching, a bonsai enthusiast and master of every medium and method. These kumu formed an eclectic community of maoli artists committed to creating insights on indigenous economies and culture on an enormous wallsized canvas within a week. The only way to get a project like this done is to do it ka- kou—with everyone.
(top) Five art educators and five assistants worked with 17 students to create the mural. (bottom) Early goings in the paint layering process.
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CULTURE
Once the five kumu and their assistants took the reigns, it took five days of painting in every position, from high on ladders to lying on the ground, and the help of community members offering food, coffee and the welcomed massage to complete the project.
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CULTURE
An impressive 640 square feet of original art, the Hawai‘i Ka-kou community mural is the first piece of native Hawaiian-made art on public display in the Hawai‘i Convention Center.
The Painting
APEC was top of mind during the process and the initial goal of the mural project was to try to represent the countries that were gathering. After many hours of studying, researching and learning about APEC communities, the kumu realized that every place has an indigenous voice and everyone shares that indigenous DNA. As Hawaiians, we needed to use Hawaiian metaphor and symbolism as a starting point for old knowledge that all cultures at one time shared. The language might be different, but the underlying priorities and values remain the same: care for the land and each other, balancing needs and wants, working with spirit and working in relationships, together. It was time to paint. Up and down ladders, day and night, the children got a full year of art education condensed into three days. When they were picked up at the Convention Center on Thursday afternoon, they had each spent more than 25 hours with their kumu and the alaka‘i artists—shading, scaling, drawing, mixing colors, painting and always working together. Many of these children have worked with kumu Meleanna and Solomon before and found their passion through their art. Kupono Duncan was eleven when he first worked with kumu Meleanna on the Bishop Museum mural. Kupono came to the Convention Center as one of the students, but quickly joined the small group of alaka‘i artists including Robin Fifita, Sarah Ing, Shad Kaluhiwa, Kai‘ili Kaulukukui and Cory Taum. These five young artists, all in their twenties, stayed with the kumu after the keiki left for another five days of painting. It was the right next step. They had proven themselves and were invited to continue. Throughout the mural process the community was invited to come, sit, watch, try not to talk, but ko-kua if can—and they did. The food table was always full. Fresh coffee and smoothies appeared every
morning. Convention Center staff stopped by regularly to see how things were going. There was lomi for tired feet and backs while classes on economics, sustainability, politics and law gathered at the mural. Friends, family and strangers stopped by. People driving by the Convention Center saw the mural lit up at night, a warm glow of oranges and reds, a world on fire with messages that were being added, removed, added back, negotiated, clarified, prayed about and championed. They were messages designed to speak to all—delivered in real time—painting in the “now.” In the background of the mural is an arching earth curvature, the bow of a carrying stick, in Hawaiian culture an ‘auamo, reminding all to pay attention to what is being balanced—resources from our ‘a- ina, earth and waters and the wants of people. At the center is the presence of spirit, what is unseen and moves through us, inspiring us to be in relationship with all living creatures across the full expanse of the globe, from the highest snow-capped mountains to the deepest ocean canyons. It is a message of a unified connection as equals to coexist and thrive. These ideas, emotions and messages were painted, and painted, and painted. By noon the following Monday the painting was pau. The message had manifested and was delivered. It was alive on a piece of canvas that one week earlier showcased a small collection of human fingerprints. The next two days the individual pieces of the Hawai‘i Ka- kou Mural were joined together and installed on the walls of the first floor lobby of the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Five days later a mahalo party was held for the mural with 400 people gathered to acknowledge the collective effort. Within the next week, the APEC media center was set up in the Convention Center and visitors from all over the world had a chance to experience the Hawai‘i Ka- kou message first hand.
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Photos: Kevin Whitton
DESIGN
The Mobius House
Invoking the Earth and a deeper consciousness through design
“The mobius is kind of an infinity loop that’s a single plane twisted through space,” says Nodie Namba-Hadar, co-designer and co-builder of the Mobius House, a live-in sculpture and inspirational retreat. “We use that to symbolize that we as people are traveling together through time and space interdependently with different spheres of interaction. Even though it looks like we’re in a different place, we’re all on the same plane.” Nodie and her husband, Sam, have quite an attention for detail, which is more than apparent in the Pu- pu- kea plateau dwelling. Part artist and wellness retreat, part sculpture and also a functioning home for Nodie, the Mobius House was built with nature, sustainability and symbolism entwined throughout. Set back in the forest at the end of Pu- pu- kea Road and beset by Sunset Ranch and the Pu- pu- kea-PaumaluForest Reserve, the Mobius House’s red exterior reflects the surrounding red Earth, as if it is part of the landscape. The orientation of the home on the site accepts the sweeping trade winds and passes them through the house, naturally cooling the indoor atmosphere.
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Much like the ants that crawl around the mobius lattice styled as an infinity loop by artist M.C. Escher, not only is the house designed like a mobius, but the twisting arc of the mobius is also peppered throughout the home. The entire 6,500-square foot house is done in rounded curves, giving it an organic feel. Windows wrap the home welcoming the natural light; no two are alike. The red quarry tile literally flows from one end of the house to the other, the tile work creating paths that lead from the center of the house to each individual room, where a different aspect of the natural world is represented. The furniture is handmade by Nodie and Sam using locally sourced wood and Nodie has included accents around the home made from strawberry guava wood felled on the property, as well as art by her son, Kamea. What’s left for the Mobius House to incorporate into its dynamic being? According to Nodie, wind-generated electricity for the home. On Pu- pu- kea, they can’t count on the sun, she says, but they sure can count on the fresh breeze. —Kevin Whitton
DESIGN
(opposite) Designed to look and feel as if The Mobius House is part of the Earth, the live-in sculpture and inspirational retreat exists in tune with the natural environment. (top) Designers, builders and woodworkers, Nodie and her husband Sam created the original furniture as well to invoke nature. (bottom) The handcrafted koa stairs are framed by two ‘o- hi‘a posts: the one on the left a 3-D sculpture carved from a block of ‘o- hi‘a andthe one on the right in its natural state.
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FASHION
T-shirts that combine canvases and local art for eco-native ethos by Tiffany Foyle
Since the dawn of consumerism, T-shirts have been the message boards of our culture. They purvey the mantras of our movements, the mottos and images of our pop culture, the logos of our corporate elite, and serve as affordable, wearable canvases for our artists. The 21st century sees the emergence of the green T-shirt, one donning eco-conscious slogans printed on environmentally friendly materials. In the 19 th century, the T-shirt was simply an undergarment for the working class. By the mid-20 th century, Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire, WWII soldiers and perhaps, Don Johnson in Miami Vice, made the T-shirt more common and sexy as outerwear. Sociopolitical movements in the 1960s set the scene for T-shirts as a medium for messages and by 1977, marketing brains like Milton Glaser, who created the “I love New York” logo T-shirt, had realized that consumers were human billboards for their brand’s advertisements. Now, as the T-shirt is practically the most common item of clothing in any individual’s closet, the T-shirt’s fabric, and providence, is becoming just as important as it’s message. “Global Warming is so Hot Right Now” is the slogan printed across all recycled T-shirts at Mu‘umu‘u Heaven in Kailua. The message is to inspire people to repurpose things before they toss them, according to owner Deb Mascia, whose store is founded on
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Photo: Kevin Whitton
FASHION
The green tee is as much the material as it is the message.
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FASHION
Photo: Kevin Whitton
Photo: Kevin Whitton
Designer and entrepreneur Deb Mascia hand selects T-shirts to be repurposed for her “Global Warming Is So Hot Right Now� line, then gets to work at the screen printing shop.
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Photo: Kealopiko
FASHION
Kealopiko stamps their organic T-shirts with natural native Hawaiian imagery as well as Hawaiian sayings that hold a deeper meaning.
recycling and repurposing vintage clothing into one-ofa-kind dresses and accessories. Everything in the store is 100 percent recycled, “making new clothes with old clothes,” as Deb says. In addition, Mu‘umu‘u Heaven donates one percent of their sales to coral reef conservation through 1% For the Planet. “Our T-shirt line is 100 percent recycled,” Deb explains, “which means the T-shirts are salvaged from local thrift shops and we print on them locally with nontoxic, water-based inks. They’ve had a former life and we've given them a new life.” You can see the remnants of the former life under the printing on each repurposed tee. One such shirt has the ghost of a beer logo with a slogan still faintly visible underneath that reads: “The beer that makes you naughty!” This cheesy marketing beneath the repurposed global warming slogan makes the message that much more poignant. Celebrities Jackson Brown, Eddie Vedder, Jack Johnson, Chaka Khan,
and Matthew Fox have been seen wearing the shirt. Beyond old tees repurposed and upcycled to live again is a world of eco-friendly fabrics and materials. Local companies like Organik, Kealopiko, and Vers Hawaii are creating T-shirts that are not only promoting environmental awareness in their original imagery and text, but by simply reading the tags, can also provide an education in the ever-evolving sustainable materials being used today. These T-shirts can be made of repurposed material, organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, micromodal, milk, soy and post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. “I have an environmental and public health background in addition to liking comfortable clothing, so it was only natural to use lightweight, breathable and vintage soft designer tees made exclusively from organic, sustainable and recycled materials,” explains Ed Fernandez, co-founder of Organik, who uses certified organic cotton, sustainable materials such as bamboo, micro-
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With a playful approach to their art, Vers Hawaii is a family endeavor that has grown from a hobby to a legitimate brand.
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Photo: Vers
FASHION
FASHION
Photo: Organik
The Organik tee is famous for doing more with less, taking a minimalist approach with their clean designs.
Photo: Kevin Whitton
modal, hemp and fabrics made with post-consumer recycled plastic bottles for the Organik tees. Organik’s original designs have different environmental messages like "Save Our Shore" or "Free Range" (complete with image of proud rooster), as well as nautical themes like "Organik Sailing Club." In addition, low impact dyes can be used to add color to eco-friendly tees. These earth-friendlier dyes do not contain heavy metals or chemical mordants and have a better color absorption rate that requires less rinse water. “All of our artwork is screen printed on the tees with water-based inks for a soft-hand, vintage look and feel that are friendlier to our planet as opposed to plastisol inks made from harmful chemicals,” Fernandez explains. Eco-conscious is synonymous with Hawaiian culture, so it makes perfect sense that cultural-fashion company Kealopiko would have an organic T-shirt line as well. Their shirts don beautiful imagery along with traditional Hawaiian language phrases— usually older grammar that is not as contemporarily used. “Our message is a cultural one, but also an environmental one,” says Ane Bakutis, Kealopiko co-founder. “All of our designs are based on Hawaiian plants and animals and a lot of them correspond with rare or endangered birds, plants or fish in Hawai‘i. We are trying to educate people on things that are authentically Hawai‘i so that when people connect to these plants and animals, they realize they are our responsibility.” Each shirt in the Kealopiko line is an education. With each unique design is a background that illuminates the image with its Hawaiian history and folklore. For example, the “Pua V-neck,” with schools of young fish swimming in formation across the shirt, inform those who are drawn to the shirt that the word “pua” actually has several meanings and that one such meaning is also a term used for the young of several fish species, especially ‘anae (mullet fish). For Kealopiko’s mission, the schools of pua on this shirt swim with the changing tide, their strength and success lies in their togetherness. Roxanne Chasle-Ortiz and Matt Ortiz, partners in art, surf, and marriage and cofounders of Vers Hawaii, express a naturecentric, playful approach in their designs. Roxanne and Matt met as undergrads at University of Hawai‘i at Ma- noa, majoring in art. As printmakers, they would screen print their designs on tees for the school’s annual printmaking sale. The shirts became so popular that they continued to design and print them on the side after graduation. The hand-drawn designs, like the “Kalo Kruiser” T-shirt, are printed on organic cotton and tri-blend fabric. “We love the T-shirt in Hawai‘i,” says Roxanne. “People here probably wear it more than any other place in the U.S., so it’s nice to have that basic canvas for the art since it’s a more democratic way to share what we do.” While green T-shirts tend to have a slightly higher price point due to the higher quality materials, Roxanne sees that people feel good about purchasing an item that has a smaller carbon footprint. “It was never a question when we began designing shirts that we would print on fabrics that were better for the planet,” she notes. And so, the T-shirt continues its evolution in the 21st century as more than a fashion trend or marketing tool. The green tee is an opportunity to not just wear the talk, but walk the walk by voting with your dollar in supporting a local, eco-savvy company that repurposes clothes or supports textile manufacturers who are committed to sustainable fabrics. After all, if you’re going to be a walking billboard, might as well spread a positive message.
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MARKETPLACE
Grow It Better
Baby Boot Camp
We are a locally owned garden store, dedicated to satisfying all of your gardening needs. No need to drive into town, we’ve got what you need in the country. We carry organics, hydroponics, aquaponics, vermiculture, lighting, education and more. Now offering aquaponic classes. Open Monday thru Friday 11 am – 5:30 pm.
Our innovative stroller-fitness program helps moms regain or enhance pre-pregnancy fitness levels with safe and effective classes. Baby Boot Camp emphasizes strength training and cardio fitness in a supportive environment where mom and baby enjoy the fun. Workouts offered at Kahala Mall and Magic Island. Be fit. Be strong. Be together.
North Shore Organic Gardening 67-272 Goodale Avenue, Suite 105 Waialua, Hawaii 96791 808.780.2381 nsog.us
POP Worm Bin 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. Waikiki Worm Company 1917 South King Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96826 808.945.WORM (9676) waikikiworm.com
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Baby Boot Camp 808.218.1894 babybootcamp.com
Pacific Home Sunset Beach Collection The perfect crossover sofa. Clean, modern lines paired with the casual sophistication of a natural fiber slip cover. Exposed leg with natural “vintage” finish. Optional finish and fabric available. Pacific Home 420 Ward Avenue Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 808.596.9338 pacific-home.com
Hui Ku Maoli Ola, LLC Native Plant Nursery and Landscaping Company Create a beautiful and highly specialized landscape that can save water, malama the ‘aina and replicate what your land looked like a thousand years ago with hundreds of species to choose from. Visit our nursery today! Hui Ku Maoli Ola 46-403 Haiku Road Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744 808.235.6165 plantnativehawaii.com
Segway of Hawai‘i • • • • • •
No gas No insurance or registration No safety check No traffic Free parking Sidewalk and bicycle lane legal
For life or for work, call Hawai‘i’s only authorized Segway dealer. Segway of Hawai‘i 808.941.3151 segwayofhawaii.com
MARKETPLACE
Carbon Zero Aina
Volcom’s New Future
Carbon Zero Aina is devoted to Hawai‘i’s health, beauty and energy independence. Our promise to the community is to provide a professional and high quality, 100% chemical free landscaping maintenance service without relying on fossil fuels, reducing carbon footprints one home at a time. CLEAN-QUIET-HEALTHY
Volcom’s New Future program, upheld by the pillars of the environmental initiatives included in our V.Co-logical Series as well as the philanthropic endeavors brought to life by our Give Back Series, begins with decisions we all make today and constantly challenges us with the question, “What Does Your Future Look Like?”
Solar Energy Project Developer There’s never been a better time to make the switch to solar electricity! RevoluSun is bringing cleaner, smarter solar to communities, one rooftop at a time. So why not start with yours? Call today to schedule an appointment and make the switch!
newfuture@volcom.com
Iolani A. Lewis Certified Green Professional-NAHB 1600 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1700 Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 808.285.2210 iolani@revolusun.com
Nourish Naturally
Grow Your Own
Cool Roof Hawaii
Hawaiian Bath & Body all-natural skincare is handcrafted using our original formulations with botanicals and extracts for gentle cleansing and moisturizing; no harsh chemicals, detergents or petroleum ingredients. The result is excellent for your skin and safe for our Planet. Get Clean, Go Green! Use coupon code GM for Free Shipping.
Ohana Greenhouse is the largest specialty garden supplier in the state. We carry lighting, propagation, growing mediums, organic nutrients, fertilizers, pest control, hydroponics, scientific instruments, water filtration, climate control, and educational materials. Stop by any of our six locations to serve you on Maui, Big Island, and O‘ahu.
North Shore Soap Factory 67-106 Kealohanui Street Waialua, Hawaii 96791 808.637.8400 hawaiianbathbody.com
Ohana Greenhouse & Garden Supply 2001 Democrat Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 808.841.GROW (4769) ohanagreenhouse.com
Cool Roof Hawaii is a licensed roofing and waterproofing contractor specializing in Cool Roofs. Cool Roofs reflect up to 90 percent of the sun’s energy, which dramatically drops the interior temperature of your property, in turn lowering your HECO bill with an environmentally friendly waterproof membrane. Cool Roof Hawaii offers affordable, reliable and professional service with long-term waterproofing warranties. (#C-28824)
Carbon Z<ro Aina 619 Hooulu Street Kailua, Hawaii 96734 808.220.6761 carbonzeroaina.com
Follow along at volcom.com/newfuture and at facebook.com/volcomnewfuture.
Cool Roof Hawaii 808.282.0477 coolroofhawaii.com
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MARKETPLACE
Affordable Solar Energy
Slant of Light
Peace Cafe Granola
Not only is solar energy abundantly available in Hawai‘i, but the cost to have your own system has never been lower. With attractive financing options, going solar makes more financial sense than ever. Eliminate some or all of your electricity bill with a Bonterra PV system! Call me today to schedule an appointment.
You've seen the beautiful images of Hawai‘i in the pages of GREEN each issue. Now you can have these fantastic images and more with Slant of Light by photographer Aubrey Yee. Specializing in nature, family and children’s portraits, custom size high quality prints are available for order.
Peace Cafe Granola is your healthy mix of hearty all-natural ingredients handcrafted and baked in our kitchen. Sprinkle over your morning oatmeal or acai, as a topping to your favorite yogurt and ice cream, or enjoy straight from the bag. Simply perfect.
Chad Haraguchi Bonterra 808.599.0306 chad@bonterrasolar.com
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Slant of Light by Aubrey Yee slantoflightimages.com
Peace Cafe 2239 South King Street Honolulu, Hawaii 96826 808.951.7555 peacecafehawaii.com
Rain Hog Water Catchment
Mu‘umu‘u Heaven
Now is the time to buy!
RainWater HOGs make it easy to fit volumes of rainwater storage in the tightest spaces. These slim, modular tanks are designed to hold 50 gallons and are built for reuse after their 20 year design life. RainWater Hogs are made with safe, FDA-approved, potable non-offgassing plastic.
Mu‘umu‘u Heaven is a fun-loving clothing brand based in Kailua town. Their dresses are one-of-a-kind treasures re-purposed from vintage mu‘umu‘u, all thoughtfully made by local seamstresses. The store fixtures and accessory products found in their flagship concept store in Kailua are similarly inspired.
Having trouble finding that perfect home? Incredibly low interest rates combined with my years of experience representing O'ahu home buyers will give you the edge when searching for your new home. Contact me today to begin your new home search!
Green Builder’s Depot 550 Paiea Street, Suite 126 Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 808.839.9700 greenbuildersdepotintl.com
Mu‘umu‘u Heaven 767 Kailua Road, Suite 100 Kailua, Hawaii 96734 808.263.3366 muumuuheaven.com
GRE E N M A G A Z I N E H AWAII.C O M
John Keoni Welch Real Estate Brokerage R-GRI-SRES-SFR Honolulu, Hawaii 96815 808.226.1728 oahurealtors.net
ADVERTISER DIRECTORY
Oahu
Hale‘iwa Farmers’ Market 808.388.9696 haleiwafarmersmarket.com
Muumuu Heaven 808.263.3366 muumuuheaven.com
Sunetric 808.262.6600 sunetric.com
Hawai‘i Conservation Alliance 808.586.0916 hawaiiconservation.org
Native Books 808.596.8885 nativebookshawaii.com
Surfrider Foundation surfrider.org
Hawaii Kai Farmers' Market 808.388.9696 haleiwafarmersmarket.com/hawaii-kai
North Shore Organic Gardening 808.637.2069 nsog.org
Hawaii Skylights and Solar Fans 808.847.6527 hawaiiskylights.com
North Shore Soap Factory 808.637.8400 hawaiianbathbody.com
Hawaiian Electric Co. 808.548.7311 heco.com
Ohana Greenhouse & Garden Supply 808.841.4769 ohanagreenhouse.com
Book Ends 808.261.1996
Hawaiian Legacy Hardwoods 808.595.8847 hawaiianlegacyhardwoods.com
Organik Clothing theorganik.com
Carbon Zero Aina 808.220.6761 carbonzeroaina.com
Honolulu Board of Water Supply 808.748.5000 hbws.org
Certified Hawaii 808.836.0911 associaonline.com/site/certified-hawaii
Honolulu Furniture Company 808.597.9193 honolulufurniturecompany.com
Conservation Council for Hawaii 808.593.0255 conservehi.org
House Of Pure Aloha 808.373.5111 houseofpurealoha.com
Cool Roof Hawaii 808.282.0477 coolroofhawaii.com
Hui Ku Maoli Ola Hawaiian Plant Specialists 808.235.6165 plantnativehawaii.com
Ala Moana Farmers' Market 808.388.9696 haleiwafarmersmarket.com/ala-moana Aloha Air Cargo 808.836.4191 alohaaircargo.com Baby Boot Camp 808.218.1894 babybootcamp.com Bishop Museum Press 808.847.3511 bishopmuseum.org Bonterra Solar - Chad Haraguchi 808.599.0306
Defend Oahu Coalition defendoahucoalition.org Details International 808.521.7424 details-international.com Down To Earth 808.947.7678 downtoearth.org
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Jamba Juice jambajuicehawaii.com Kai Ku Hale 808.636.2244 kaikuhale.com King Windward Nissan 888.385.3203 kingwindwardnissan.com
Drift Boutique 808.284.1177 driftboutique.com
Kokua Hawaii Foundation kokuahawaiifoundation.org
Futura Stone of Hawaii 808.841.7433 futurastonehawaii.com
Kona Brewing Co. 808.334.2739 konabrewingco.com
Green Builder’s Depot 808.839.9700 greenbuildersdepotintl.com
MiNei Hawaii 808.734.3499 mineijewelry.com
Green Clean 808 808.484.9822 greenclean808.com
Mokulua Woodworking, LTD. 808.263.9663 mokuluawoodworking.com
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When contacting our advertisers, please be sure to mention that you saw their ad in GREEN. Mahalo!
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Pacific Home 808.596.9338 pacific-home.com Paradise Eyewear 808.955.3532 Peace Cafe 808.951.7555 peacecafehawaii.com RevoluSun 808.748.8888 revolusun.com
Sustainable Marketplace of the Pacific 808.441.3455 sustainablemarketplacepacific.com The Bike Shop 808.591.9162 bikeshophawaii.com The Green House 808.524.8427 thegreenhousehawaii.com Volcom New Future newfuture.volcom.com Waikiki Worm Company 808.945.9676 waikikiworm.com Whole Foods Market - Kahala 808.783.0820 wholefoodsmarket.com
Maui Down to Earth 808.877.2661 downtoearth.org
RevoluSun - Iolani Lewis 808.285.2210
Hawaiian Moons Natural Foods 808.875.4356 hawaiianmoons.com
Rich Dela Cruz 808.375.9620 rdc0013@hotmail.com
Mana Foods 808.579.8078 manafoodsmaui.com
Segway of Hawaii 808.941.3151 segwayofhawaii.com
Ohana Greenhouse & Garden Supply 808.575.9999 ohanagreenhouse.com
Servco Home & Appliance Showroom 808.564.2493 servcoappliance.com
State Farm Insurance Agent Carey Tanaka 808.877.4450
Simplicity Imports 808.306.2382 simplicityimports.com Slant of Light 808.216.8368 slantoflightimages.com Summer Baptist, ND, L.Ac. 808.351.2977 drsummerbaptist.com
COMING NEXT ISSUE
Photo: Kevin Whitton
A healthy native Hawaiian forest is one with a diversity of native canopy trees and understory plants that aid in water absorption, which in turn promotes healthier streams, reefs and ocean ecosystems.
Conserving Biodiversity Invasive species threaten much more than O‘ahu’s native forests
In a perfect world, all of O‘ahu’s watershed forests would contain a diversity of native plants that create a complex forest structure extremely efficient at capturing rainwater, feeding the aquifers and keeping soil in place, which prevents erosion and runoff onto the fragile reefs of our coastal waters. While this biodiversity does exist in remote locations, many of the island’s watershed forests are choked with invasive species like the Miconia tree, Schefflera, also known as the octopus tree, or strawberry guava. These invasive species easily invade and overtake native forests, destroying biodiversity and destabilizing the watershed, which promotes landslides and soil erosion. In the July/August/September 2012 issue, GREEN investigates the spread of invasive species on O‘ahu and the measures taken to
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eradicate them to restore biodiversity. Also featured in the upcoming issue, GREEN travels to the north shore of Kaua‘i where an organic farmer at One Song Farm is making a healthy living on just a quarter-acre of land. GREEN also takes a look at the bills relating to sustainability in the state legislator. Look for the July/August/September issue at local retailers starting in July 2012 at Jamba Juice locations across the state or check greenmagazinehawaii.com for a distributor near you. Email info@greenmagazinehawaii.com and request your free subscription to the eZine, the complete online version of GREEN, delivered directly to your inbox. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @grnmagazine to stay up to date on all the latest green news, events and ideas.