https://www.hawaii-environment.com/hpower daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334941375-7A1BTQL08466H3V5Y7TK/helonomoku_2020_79.png H-Power - H-Power Covanta Honolulu, or the H-POWER facility, is located in Kapolei on O‘ahu and began operation in 1990. Up to 3,000 tons a day of municipal solid waste from around O‘ahu is incinerated, and turned into electricity that is sold to HECO, producing enough power to meet roughly 7 percent (from 2008 to 2016) of the island’s energy needs. The Pluses (+) “For every ton of trash burned, H-POWER produces the same amount of electricity as one barrel of oil,” explains Michael O’Keefe, Executive Assistant II at the City and County of Honolulu’s Dept. of Environmental Services. “The argument in favor is that burning the trash avoids the necessity of burning fossil fuels. We understand that burning trash also produces carbon dioxide and ash, and the latter has to go into a landfill. On the other hand, the market for recycling in Hawai‘i is very challenging and the vast majority needs to be shipped to distant overseas markets—and that burns fossil fuels to get there.” The State counts the electricity generated at H-POWER towards its Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards goal (40 percent renewable energy by 2030), in the same category as solar panels, biofuels, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass. During the process, metals, such as aluminum, are extracted for recycling. In 2017, that amounted to 22,000 tons, according to the Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard, which also notes that the same year, 701,068 tons were converted from municipal solid waste into energy. H-POWER reduces the weight of waste by 75 percent and the volume of waste by 90 percent. The Minuses (-) The City has a quota of trash to provide, so there’s an incentive to burn as much as possible. When the City fails to deliver a guaranteed tonnage of 800,000 tons per year it must pay the H-POWER contractor (Covanta) for any lost electrical revenues. The Office of the City Auditor estimated the City owed the contractor between $1 million to $2 million dollars annually for lost electrical revenues. There are other concerns. Oil needs to be added to counteract the cooling effect of wet waste, there’s an expense to keep burners running, carbon and other pollutants are entering the air—and lost potential, because once materials are incinerated, those resources are forever lost. “The data shows that H-POWER emits two times more greenhouse gas emissions than our largest oil generating plant (Kahe Power Plant, West O‘ahu),” says Nicole Chatterson, the director of Zero Waste O‘ahu and the Living Lab Coordinator in the UH System Office of Sustainability. She did her thesis on H-POWER. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334941380-W9QKE8UMZOS0HS5MCD3Y/helonomoku_2020_66.png H-Power https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334941388-9DB5JR12MTXJPF0AQ2X4/helonomoku_2020_67.png H-Power https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334941398-PJDVOI0J5HE7BQ1YOQ1L/helonomoku_2020_68.png H-Power https://www.hawaii-environment.com/the-and-culture daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334943317-205AHGY4LOWNWXY5FYZC/helonomoku_2020_49.png The And Culture - The “And (Not Or) Culture” For nearly 15 years, Ho‘oulu ‘Āina has addressed the health needs of Kalihi Valley and beyond by stewarding a 100-acre upland forest in the back of the valley. Through its four program areas—restoration of the preserve’s ancient sites and sacred places, agroforestry and reforestation, volunteer work days and community gardening—the community and the land find healing together. Here, an interview with Puni Jackson, director of Ho‘oulu ‘Āina, a service of Kōkua Kalihi Valley. [Edited for brevity and clarity.] https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334943323-3QYU309ORIK99FGI2FGV/helonomoku_2020_66.png The And Culture https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334943330-0O8233IT9RAST5GUUIPR/helonomoku_2020_67.png The And Culture https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334943337-ET6XEKY4GHQU7BCTFP6Y/helonomoku_2020_68.png The And Culture https://www.hawaii-environment.com/sea-level-rise daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334945586-SC0TSFXCPOTR9T82BLDK/helonomoku_2020_34.png Sea Level Rise - Calls to Action The alarm has been sounded. Rising seas are inevitable. The state needs a comprehensive strategy on how to adapt and move away from vulnerable coastlines. This is no easy task, but the State Climate Commission is recommending strategies that, as a start, should be implemented to better prepare for the challenges ahead. For example, passing legislation to require mandatory disclosure by real estate and insurance companies for properties exposed to sea-level rise. “We need buyers to understand that they’re purchasing property that will experience severe hazards in the greater future,” says Sam Lemmo, administrator for the state Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands. “This is no joke, and dismissing it raises moral and ethical questions, not to mention the financial and emotional damage that unsuspecting homeowners face in the future.” Another strategy example: directing new development away from vulnerable beach areas, and implementing some form of managed retreat, such as moving structures, will help preserve beaches and access for the benefit of all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334945592-EJUZV3INLL6ULDKESSFD/helonomoku_2020_66.png Sea Level Rise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334945602-XHDEQA6T1517O5IRB8UK/helonomoku_2020_67.png Sea Level Rise https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334945611-4FU3MSV7BPJDGKSP4XGT/helonomoku_2020_68.png Sea Level Rise https://www.hawaii-environment.com/references daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334947404-CWWS84ER39T7SX8JO3GV/helonomoku_2020_66.png References https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334947411-CRVLVSQVE6NE6LN7CRA3/helonomoku_2020_67.png References https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334947419-AJIWVPW3JV1VF5SATWPY/helonomoku_2020_68.png References https://www.hawaii-environment.com/kawika-pegram daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334949144-XO5J7AEMHZZBPCELCFUN/helonomoku_2020_25.png Kawika Pegram - Kawika Pegram Lead organizer, Hawai‘i Youth Climate Strikes “Protests are visual, they energize people fast, they aren’t impossible to organize, they get people ready to mobilize on the issue, and then you’re able put pressure on public officials,” says eighteen-year-old Kawika Pegram, lead organizer for the Hawai‘i Youth Climate Strike (HYCS) and senior at Waipahu High School. “We want young people to have their voices heard on climate change, an issue that’s going to predominantly affect them, and we want them to demand action.” In September 2019, nearly a dozen climate marches led by HYCS were held across the islands, attracting roughly 3,000 people statewide, according to Pegram. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334949148-RC3A8AWJMUHCFP6NIJOV/helonomoku_2020_66.png Kawika Pegram https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334949151-CYYUU8Q0YOJLNUCFLFLI/helonomoku_2020_67.png Kawika Pegram https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334949154-RL0LREWQQ7R0Z7YWLY6A/helonomoku_2020_68.png Kawika Pegram https://www.hawaii-environment.com/public-spaces daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334952587-151BC5LCSUBXOJHE8U4I/helonomoku_2020_50.png Public Spaces - Project for Public Spaces Fred Kent prefers a bottom-up approach when designing a public space. The process goes something like this: Residents who live in and use the place are brought together, asked what they want to do there, and everything builds from that foundation. He calls this people-driven approach “placemaking.” “What happens is that people begin to realize that they know something. They know a lot, actually. A lot more than they thought,” he says. “And when they’re with four or five other people, they bounce ideas off of each other and they realize that collectively they can come up with something better than any one person can.” One main principle is dubbed the “Power of 10+.” It says that cities of all sizes should have 10 destinations where people want to be—say, a square, a park, a museum. And within each of those destinations, there should be at least 10 places within it—a seating area, a café, public art. Within each of these places there should be 10 things for people to do. The place becomes “great” because it is built around four features: sociability (seeing friends, interacting with strangers), accessibility (easy to get to), activities (something to do for all ages), and comfort (safety, cleanliness, the ability to sit). Over the last five decades, placemaking has transformed spaces like Times Square in New York City and Campus Martius Park in Detroit into gathering spots where people linger, socialize, and play. “They walk more. They smile more. They share more,” says Kent. “Everyone has the right to live in a great place. More importantly, everyone has the right to contribute to making the place where they already live great.” —Fred Kent, Founder Project for Public Spaces Community-Centered Projects At the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, faculty and students in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) take on community-centered projects as part of its planning practicum—though the process isn’t necessarily called placemaking. “We provide a service to clients, who sometimes may not be able to afford a consultant,” says Priyam Das, chair of DURP. For example, in 2012 students collaborated with residents of the Kailapa Hawaiian Homestead on Hawai‘i Island to develop conceptual plans for a community resource center on 12 acres. “We were hosted by two families for four days, which brought unique insights into what the community was visioning for their place; we held talk stories and a charrette,” says Das. Their participatory approach sprouted ideas including container-based agriculture for growing food, education centers to support job training, and open spaces for keiki and kupuna. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334952595-YKE17D505N4HD04Z0UN4/helonomoku_2020_66.png Public Spaces https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334952606-9L5TUTQIZ16JGCKCJXRZ/helonomoku_2020_67.png Public Spaces https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334952613-KJD08CXG3IXVU719DM3A/helonomoku_2020_68.png Public Spaces https://www.hawaii-environment.com/pass-a-carbon-tax-law daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334954302-30USMJ8XOO5BXZ587VOI/helonomoku_2020_32.png Pass a carbon tax law - Calls to Action According to The Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission, pricing carbon dioxide emissions is “the most effective single action” to achieve the state’s emission goals. In 2019, the Legislature appropriated $150,000 to complete a comprehensive carbon tax study. Advocates applauded, saying the study is the right first step to glean necessary information to implement a tax, particularly on how the revenue could be directed. Options vary, such as a structure that does not disproportionately affect low-to-moderate income communities by offsetting their costs, or directing money to climate change adaptation needs to make communities safer and more resilient. If the findings lead to a statewide carbon tax, Hawai‘i would be the first state to enact such a policy, making it even more important to have a plan that others could emulate. Once it’s completed, knowledge should be put into action. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334954308-PS41OLWD5X5WU1KT14HE/helonomoku_2020_66.png Pass a carbon tax law https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334954319-YH1B7FRO9LRYW8B9PVXL/helonomoku_2020_67.png Pass a carbon tax law https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334954331-PYQZF3TX4B7ZVLTNVR38/helonomoku_2020_68.png Pass a carbon tax law https://www.hawaii-environment.com/about daily 0.75 2026-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/fe2d004e-3c1e-4fd2-954d-ddc4e86ee304/IMG_6282.jpg https://www.hawaii-environment.com/progress daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334957780-C8TFBTVE9JG65S1M8CKI/helonomoku_2020_57.png Progress https://www.hawaii-environment.com/mehana-blaich-vaughan daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334965487-WG7QNU5IKQ18CBXAIV5A/helonomoku_2020_29.png Mehana Blaich Vaughan - Mehana Blaich Vaughan Associate Professor, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa [Edited for brevity and clarity.] In April 2018, torrential rains flooded Kaua‘i, setting a national record for the most rainfall in 24 hours, reaching nearly 50 inches. The result was catastrophic flooding that caused severe damage. Raised in the rural Halele‘a district, Vaughan shares what resilience looked like for the North Shore community. “A few key lessons that emerged were that resilience lies in the strength of your existing community groups, the strength of people’s connection to place, and the strength of the connections they already have to one another. After the floods, people went right into action, helping their neighbors. In the ensuing weeks, we organized teams by ahupua‘a and created a database of those affected. These teams went door-to-door checking on families and helped with everything from cleaning houses to doing loads of laundry to refilling prescriptions to helping process loan claims. Initially, people they visited would say, ‘I’m fine, go check on my neighbor; they are worse off.’ Our community has a lot of pride; they are strong; they don’t ask for help. What was important was to have people whom they know go back to them, and maybe by the third time, they could say, ‘OK, we need help.’ Groups like the Hui Maka‘ainana o Makana, Waipa Foundation, and the Kilauea Agricultural Park were already on the ground, so they were able to spring into action and immediately offer their staff and facilities to do things like make community meals. People are clear that the strength and health of our ‘aina is the best resilience we have. The floodwater went through the lo‘i, that natural infrastructure was critical, as is the ongoing ability to feed ourselves from the land. Waipaā has an abundant garden. They were dispersing kale and more. Relief looks very different for our community. We didn’t need a lot of bottled water or packaged food. After a disaster, there is this expectation that everything will get back to normal. For some people, normal no longer exists. Multiple communities in coastal Louisiana have had to move. And that’s the hard question, ‘How do you find ways to keep communities together after events like this?’ The biggest strength and solace after Kaua‘i’s floods was in having each other. If people are forced to move away and disperse from the community, that is undercutting the very source of their resilience.” In 2019, Vaughan and 12 UH Manoa students interviewed over 70 Kaua‘i community members who shared their stories of the floods. A video featuring some of these stories can be seen on YouTube; type “Halana ka Mana‘o” in the search bar. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334965497-C30WOXY6MFNXUKIV49GU/helonomoku_2020_66.png Mehana Blaich Vaughan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334965509-CUDDLJG01C3VS7H2XOSL/helonomoku_2020_67.png Mehana Blaich Vaughan https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334965517-WLAPE0RM1CB3KUUZ4XVL/helonomoku_2020_68.png Mehana Blaich Vaughan https://www.hawaii-environment.com/setbacks daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334969093-PXNO0QCTG3J9LNJ2CY8D/helonomoku_2020_58.png Setbacks https://www.hawaii-environment.com/food-recovery daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334970918-0CY67E0VP8GVVN0TPEGS/helonomoku_2020_42.png Food Recovery - Call to Action UH economists Matthew Loke and PingSun Leung estimated that in the Islands, 365 pounds of food gets thrown out, per person, per year, with a value of $1.025 billion. Using refrigerated trucks and same-day delivery, the nonprofit Aloha Harvest has rescued over 23 million pounds of food in the past 20 years from every point of the supply chain, reports Phil Acosta, the organization’s executive director. Aloha Harvest is strengthening the distribution network through expansion of their fleet of refrigerated vehicles, finding volunteers who are willing to use their own vehicles, and expanding their network of food donors and receiving agencies throughout the state. Public investment in infrastructure that supports food recovery—whether operated by government agencies or the private sector—will make a significant, positive environmental and economic impact in the community. Also, Acosta notes, “government entities such as DOE, public safety, the UH system, and the military should be required to recycle food waste.” More promotion of the federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act and the State Good Samaritan Donation of Food Act, which provide liability protection for food donors, would also help, he says. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334970923-66ROTVNCN65WQRRGDT14/helonomoku_2020_66.png Food Recovery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334970930-YTIV4ICZV64Y2NLI5HIU/helonomoku_2020_67.png Food Recovery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334970937-69OIRI51P6M4ZNUE5WV2/helonomoku_2020_68.png Food Recovery https://www.hawaii-environment.com/traditional-healing daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334972727-0GVW3KBRGZ0ANFO9DVUW/helonomoku_2020_48.png Traditional Healing - Sean Chun Cultural Practitioner, Ho‘ola Lāhui Hawai‘i “A lot of the knowledge that I’ve been taught isn’t in books,” says Sean Chun, cultural practitioner at Ho‘ola Lahui Hawai‘i, Kaua‘i’s designated Native Hawaiian Health Care provider. Chun has over 25 years of experience in the traditional practice of la‘au lapa‘au (Hawaiian healing), which uses medicinal la‘au (plants) and pule (prayer). He collects hi‘aloa (a shrub, also known as ‘uhaloa) to treat sore throats, high blood pressure, and brain fog. He uses ‘awa (kava) for muscle relief and viruses. Contemporary healers use 154 native plants in la‘au lapa‘au, according to a study conducted in the mid-90s. “It’s a holistic approach including the household, including the family, including healing the land,” Chun says. “Because you can be physically well but mentally sick. What good is that?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334972732-JRY8RW2ME834B98UVXIW/helonomoku_2020_66.png Traditional Healing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334972741-WUTF3NKWP6SUB2GJXH3P/helonomoku_2020_67.png Traditional Healing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334972748-A0HZQ0VZK0608PPS4D2F/helonomoku_2020_68.png Traditional Healing https://www.hawaii-environment.com/a-different-world daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974483-O2WZK90VIUODNDV4IAZ3/helonomoku_2020_60.png A Different World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974486-VB9OPNVIYTG4ZRTJKG6T/helonomoku_2020_61.png A Different World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974490-HCFFY5OI7PFY2FCAGE7V/helonomoku_2020_62.png A Different World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974493-OUTMM5CLBHL219VD0BKL/helonomoku_2020_63.png A Different World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974496-QF8IYK0LYFF6XZCA3DRU/helonomoku_2020_64.png A Different World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974499-ZIIMHZ375JJRFYPKCGEU/helonomoku_2020_65.png A Different World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974507-9G8RW7K5DDYXB5SQNT51/helonomoku_2020_75.png A Different World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974514-GIWMJA4WOMOIEQNWHTDJ/helonomoku_2020_66.png A Different World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974517-3MIZJCTN55NJBXE7YYKF/helonomoku_2020_67.png A Different World https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334974520-43ZXS9ZD2XXWWYD5065F/helonomoku_2020_68.png A Different World https://www.hawaii-environment.com/ditch-the-dumpster daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334977455-3MK9W0R2C9L808HCZU8A/helonomoku_2020_38.png Ditch the Dumpster - Schools Aim to Ditch the Dumpster The Windward Zero Waste School Hui is reducing waste, restoring the soil, and training the next generation in the mindset of resource recovery. The Hui is a partnership between five schools on Windward O‘ahu, including Ka‘ōhao Elementary Public Charter School (formerly Lanikai Elementary), Ka‘elepulu Elementary, Kainalu Elementary, Enchanted Lake Elementary, and Kailua Intermediate School. It teaches school children how to use simple, natural methods, such as hot composting (for dairy products) and decomposition using worms (for fruits, vegetables, and grains). “We reduce the dumpster volume by—on average—80 to 90 percent at every school we’re in,” says the group’s co-founder and coordinator, Mindy Jaffe, who has been a force behind the program for 15 years, and has earned two national awards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Here’s how: on Day One at a school, the group eliminates all food and milk from going into the dumpster, immediately avoiding the need for a daily emptying of the trash. Within a year or so, all food, paper, cardboard, and green waste is also removed from the waste stream. Everything is composted instead, and “What was a stinking, overflowing dumpster is now virtually empty,” says Jaffe. In 2019, for example, the group diverted 56.2 tons of resources out of the waste stream at its five schools. This decreases the amount of methane-producing gas in landfills and produces a saleable resource: nutrient-rich soil amendments, which can be used in gardens and farms. Think of the prospective of all 293 schools in Hawai‘i’s public school system participating. The Hui would like to add Kailua Elementary to the first cohort and create a second “pod” of schools including Maunawili Elementary, Waimānalo Elementary/Intermediate, and Blanche Pope Elementary. “Within the next couple of years, we want to bring in Olomana School (correctional, grades 6-12), Kailua High and Kalāheo High, with a focus on developing a vocational track. If our vision for this project manifests, there will be plenty of job opportunities for trained, certified Resource Recovery Specialists in the coming decades,” says Jaffe. In 2018, House Bill 2025 provided $300,000 for zero-waste programs at schools. However, in July of 2019, the DOE awarded $285,000 to a private engineering firm and none of the schools received funding, putting Windward Zero Waste School Hui in serious jeopardy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334977460-NFCTEMCVZ6YOHY62C5LD/helonomoku_2020_66.png Ditch the Dumpster https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334977469-QR28CF9Y181MUGF6AVPU/helonomoku_2020_67.png Ditch the Dumpster https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334977475-HIUAMMAC9JNJA06CZBY4/helonomoku_2020_68.png Ditch the Dumpster https://www.hawaii-environment.com/biki daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334979363-UNRBPT833D5XVZJYLM1J/helonomoku_2020_47.png Biki - Bob Greenberg Rideshare Enthusiast For 62-year-old Bob Greenberg, who spends most of his weekdays at a computer, exercise didn’t make the daily to-do list. That changed in 2017 when a “Biki Stop” showed up near his Chinatown apartment. Two years and hundreds of rides later, he’s dropped 50 pounds and cut 90 percent of his driving. “My health and happiness index has skyrocketed,” Greenberg says, who reports that his wife rides too. “We have this rule — if we can’t get there on Biki, it’s not worth going.” Greenberg isn’t alone. By June 2018, a year after Biki’s debut on O‘ahu, users racked up 1.1 million rides, 65 percent of those by Hawai‘i residents. About half of the riders surveyed said the bikes helped them exercise more and drive less. Over a quarter said they lost weight. In just two years, Honolulu’s Biki ranks as the sixth most used bikeshare system in the nation, behind cities such as Chicago, New York City, and Washington, D.C. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334979368-Z6H3EDN71KM6QVMAUFDT/helonomoku_2020_66.png Biki https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334979378-77BRGJGQ57GXTKGKQYZ9/helonomoku_2020_67.png Biki https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334979385-K7ZY4ONK71TO9AK736QZ/helonomoku_2020_68.png Biki https://www.hawaii-environment.com/embrace-composting daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334982919-05LW3ZY0AA96K2WIW88E/helonomoku_2020_44.png Embrace Composting - Call to Action Hawai‘i County’s Department of Environmental Management proposed a 40-acre site for an island-wide composting facility to reduce the amount of organic waste dumped into landfills. A good start, but small, localized community composting centers, rather than centralized options, may be better as they avoid transporting waste. “Think about rooftop solar panels. Distributed energy is a good strategy and so is distributed composting,” says Mindy Jaffe, program director for the Windward Zero Waste School Hui. Statewide, barriers to small-scale composting facilities—such as unnecessary permits—should be removed, coupled with programs that make residential composting and vermicomposting easy. “On a rock where more than anything else we need microbially-active, living soil to support local agriculture, it is insanity to burn food, paper, cardboard, wood, green waste, and manure,” says Jaffe. “These valuable resources should be separated from non-biodegradable items in the waste stream and composted.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334982924-T1LHJL6GHGHTRE9P7PWH/helonomoku_2020_66.png Embrace Composting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334982931-S6DXYU5FNLRW2BSWGUGP/helonomoku_2020_67.png Embrace Composting https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334982941-2DRR9C6725O6WU22HDOP/helonomoku_2020_68.png Embrace Composting https://www.hawaii-environment.com/the-power-of-a-tree daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334984699-ANSZ0KVFDO1O1AS62ZJW/helonomoku_2020_30.png The Power of a Tree - The Power of a Tree Trees sequester carbon, produce oxygen, slow rainfall, provide habitat for wildlife, help recharge the aquifer, offer shade for heat relief, reduce stress, and the list goes on. Across the state, people are working to plant and preserve more of these natural multi-taskers. Definition: Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. O‘ahu’s 100,000 Trees Large trees that are placed strategically can lower air conditioning costs by providing shade that reduces temperatures. That’s just one of many reasons why the City and County of Honolulu has committed to planting 100,000 trees across the island by 2025. Goals will be accomplished by working with communities through an adopt-a-tree program and community planting projects. resilientoahu.org/urbanforest Carbon Neutrality Challenge In 2018, Camilo Mora led University of Hawai‘i students and volunteers in planting a record-setting 1,000 trees in two hours. Dubbed the Carbon Neutrality Challenge, the next step is to plant 11,000 trees in one day, then a million trees annually after 2021. The goal is to offset all of the state’s carbon emissions, making Hawai‘i the first carbon-neutral state. “We have plenty of tools to combat climate change, the issue is how to implement them in a large enough scale to make a difference,” says Mora, an associate professor of Geography at UH Manoa. “Planting trees is by far the easiest of them.” One of the biggest threats to new saplings is the lack of water. But a newly designed and low-cost rain catchment system will increase the tree survival rate from 50 percent to up to 90 percent, according to Mora. A crowdfunding campaign has been set up to support the project and its goals. uhfoundation.org/Trees Kona Hema Preserve The ‘io (Hawaiian hawk), the ‘ōpe‘ape‘a (Hawaiian hoary bat), and songbirds like the ‘i‘iwi (scarlet honeycreeper) and ‘elepaio (monarch flycatcher). These are just a few of the species seen at The Nature Conservancy of Hawai‘i’s (TNC) Kona Hema Preserve, an 8,000-acre area that protects part of an ancient koa and ‘ōhi‘a forest that stretches more than 100,000 acres in South Kona. TNC has actively managed the preserve since 2000, with efforts focused on fencing, removing hooved animals, and controlling invasive plant populations. Now, the non-profit is launching a certified forest carbon sequestration project on the preserve that will produce marketable carbon emission offset credits from existing and still growing koa trees. The income will be reinvested in conservation land management and the project is expected to sequester more than 130,000 tons of carbon over the next 20 years. Ulalia Woodside, TNC Hawai‘i’s executive director says, “One of our main goals for this project is to share our work and demonstrate to other Hawai‘i landowners the carbon sequestration capacity and economic opportunity from native forest management and restoration.” The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is pursuing two carbon forest offset projects that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in trees and other plants to curb the effects of global climate change. Together the projects are estimated to absorb 192,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere—equivalent to one year of energy use for nearly 23,000 homes. dlnr.hawaii.gov/forestry/frs/initiatives/forestcarbon State Carbon Forest Offset Projects Kahikinui/Nakula Over the last five years, reforestation efforts by DOFAW and community partners have begun to reverse decades of forest degradation across more than 10,000 acres on the leeward slopes of Haleakala, bringing new life to a dying ancient forest. Reforestation actions include out-planting of more than 250,000 plants—koa‘a‘ali‘i, ‘ōhi‘a, pilo and māmane—removal of feral goats, and construction of more than 30 miles of fencing to keep the area free of hooved animals. The partners are also reintroducing endangered species to the area, including the critically endangered kiwikiu, or Maui Parrotbill. The area is now undergoing carbon certification so that the state can sell carbon offsets, which will be available to the public after trees have grown for about five years. Pu‘u Mali Since 2004, DOFAW has been working on a reforestation project at Pu‘u Mali, a 5,500-acre area on the north flank of Mauna Kea. The area is a critical habitat for the endangered palila bird, of which only 1,000 exist in the world. In 2017, about half of the expanse became the site of the state’s first public-private partnership carbon forestry project, with Pono Pacific as its partner. The project is still in site planning mode, with an undefined open date for the purchase of carbon credits. Once the project launches, the funds will be invested into the area, which is estimated to need about $5.3 million for restoration and replanting. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334984704-JAM0VOKNL8Y0ZSB0LQKS/helonomoku_2020_66.png The Power of a Tree https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334984716-ZVA0SGK9Z1GUXNI9MFJY/helonomoku_2020_67.png The Power of a Tree https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334984725-RLQKS9GY5095TC68HFTZ/helonomoku_2020_68.png The Power of a Tree https://www.hawaii-environment.com/extended-producer daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334986767-KOBKPRXPXHNSNQQ3SEI1/helonomoku_2020_43.png Extended Producer - Call to Action Holding companies responsible for the waste of their products—that’s the gist of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) approach. “It’s an effective strategy to place shared responsibility for end-of-life product management on the producers and all entities on the product chain, instead of the local government,” explains Allison Fraley, the Solid Waste program coordinator, County of Kaua‘i Solid Waste Division. “EPR also encourages product design changes that minimize a negative impact on the environment.” Connecticut has been successful with its EPR laws, which cover paint, mattresses, mercury thermostats, and electronics. In total, these four programs have diverted 26 million pounds of material from the waste stream, created over 100 jobs, and saved Connecticut municipalities and taxpayers more than $2.6 million per year. Those savings allowed the governments to provide additional services—such as police, fire, and education—worth another $6.7 million. The Hawai‘i Electronic Waste and Television Recovery Law (2009) resulted in increased recycling opportunities on Kaua‘i for e-waste such as televisions. Hawai‘i needs EPR programs for many other products, including florescent tubes, household batteries, mattresses, paint, and more, suggests Fraley. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334986773-EYNE65V6HB7J16LTBEM4/helonomoku_2020_66.png Extended Producer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334986780-A9BYOQSIGHS05T0ZJFVA/helonomoku_2020_67.png Extended Producer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334986788-KEGGZUQMK2DC377BO12Q/helonomoku_2020_68.png Extended Producer https://www.hawaii-environment.com/home daily 1.0 2026-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/2848cb32-b7b7-4692-a343-dbbb50186006/IMG_1203.jpg Home Photo Courtesy of Rafael Bergstrom https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/9dc3d7b4-080b-452b-967a-44aca813cb4f/IMG_1223.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/af8e1749-be2b-44b0-9b70-e9c02a05e98a/IMG_1215.jpg Home https://www.hawaii-environment.com/eliminate-emissions daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334990528-KXC0RSICGVSQLITFA5F2/helonomoku_2020_33.png Eliminate Emissions - Calls to Action The path to convert Hawai‘i to clean, zero-emission vehicles requires a combination of actions. This includes not only renewing but also adding more benefits to the current incentives program for registered EVs, which is set to expire June 30, 2020. Investing in more charging stations at government, residential, and commercial buildings is essential—with a special emphasis on more workplace stations, which will reduce night charging when electricity demand is highest. Consumer education to nix misconceptions on EVs would also help. Nowadays, plug-ins are speedy, have long ranges, and vary in style. Electric trucks are coming online in the near-term and affordable options like the Chevy Bolt and Kia Soul are already on the market. New programs, policies, and smart planning to get Hawai‘i commuters out of their cars and increasing their use of bikes, transit and walking are also critical to this sector’s emission reductions. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334990534-M18F0JIZI1RZDW700C7X/helonomoku_2020_66.png Eliminate Emissions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334990551-M73ADUBQQ2OOICCLNOVT/helonomoku_2020_67.png Eliminate Emissions https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334990561-AJG0O6LZWEIKD7M6QPFO/helonomoku_2020_68.png Eliminate Emissions https://www.hawaii-environment.com/jeff-shonka daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334992311-EVUJQRZ5HYZ1SGEJ0Z8E/helonomoku_2020_27.png Jeff Shonka - Jeff Shonka CEO of First Insurance Co. of Hawai‘i Climate change could make insurance unaffordable for some people and economies. That’s the warning from advocates, policymakers, and leading insurance companies around the world. “The more bad things happen as a result of extreme weather events, like flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires, insurance companies take note and adjust their rates accordingly,” says Jeff Shonka, CEO of First Insurance Co. of Hawai‘i, the largest insurer of property in the state. “If you care about how much you pay for insurance, then you should care about climate change.” According to the New York Times, officials in California, Washington, Montana, and Colorado are getting more complaints from people whose insurance companies have refused to renew their coverage. The uptick follows years of record-setting wildfires in both size and cost. Shonka wants to see Hawai‘i take a more proactive approach to manage risk. “Insurance companies should be wary about covering buildings that are close to shore, not only because of rising sea levels, but also due to king tides, storm surges, and other events that suggest that flooding and inundation are more likely than they were a decade ago,” he says. “It’s our responsibility as an insurance company and as part of the risk management industry to avoid reinforcing behaviors that may place property and people in jeopardy.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334992321-1OTX4MV2YJC1DQGP8LT1/helonomoku_2020_66.png Jeff Shonka https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334992337-TY1IK9WU1H4B7BKVEBN1/helonomoku_2020_67.png Jeff Shonka https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334992344-NATFYSTRCGI6LFBVGR4U/helonomoku_2020_68.png Jeff Shonka https://www.hawaii-environment.com/foam-free daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334994184-8GPFSQEZ8EGM2RQP4I9O/helonomoku_2020_70.png Foam Free - Bill 40 In December 2019 the Honolulu City Council passed Bill 40, which requires businesses and restaurants on O‘ahu to phase out food packaging made out of polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam, and single-use plastics like straws, stirrers, and utensils over the next two years. During the effort, some Hawai‘i businesses pushed back, saying that the ban would increase costs for local food and sacrifice jobs. Amendments were made to address their concerns, and when Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed the bill, he said, “It’s just one more step to a more green, more resilient future where we’re tackling our climate crisis.” Maui became the state’s first county to ban polystyrene food containers, a law that went into effect on Dec. 31, 2018. The County of Hawai‘i followed with a ban that was implemented about six months after Maui’s law. More than 100 cities and counties across the U.S. have partially or completely banned polystyrene. In March 2019, the European Parliament voted to ban single-use plastics in the E.U., including expanded polystyrene foam food and drink containers, with most products banned by 2021. According to a statement by the European Commission, “The products covered by this new law constitute 70 percent of all marine litter items. Due to its slow rate of decomposition, plastic accumulates in seas, oceans and on beaches in the E.U. and worldwide.” “I hope this will continue to be a domino effect with even more cities around the world banning foam and plastics,” says Rafael Bergstrom, executive director of Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i. “We’ve been working on this issue for 10 years in Hawai‘i alone—and in a state surrounded by the ocean, this progress was a long time coming.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334994191-EGCB2H6W5RGW726NBW9M/helonomoku_2020_66.png Foam Free https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334994201-VQLS2E3CJLGAZYFU4U53/helonomoku_2020_67.png Foam Free https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334994209-YIO78AE4G48MIRLO2DOG/helonomoku_2020_68.png Foam Free https://www.hawaii-environment.com/bill-40 daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334999076-HYE8JSU56GQQNNBU7LVA/helonomoku_2020_70.png Bill 40 - Bill 40 In December 2019 the Honolulu City Council passed Bill 40, which requires businesses and restaurants on O‘ahu to phase out food packaging made out of polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam, and single-use plastics like straws, stirrers, and utensils over the next two years. During the effort, some Hawai‘i businesses pushed back, saying that the ban would increase costs for local food and sacrifice jobs. Amendments were made to address their concerns, and when Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed the bill, he said, “It’s just one more step to a more green, more resilient future where we’re tackling our climate crisis.” Maui became the state’s first county to ban polystyrene food containers, a law that went into effect on Dec. 31, 2018. The County of Hawai‘i followed with a ban that was implemented about six months after Maui’s law. More than 100 cities and counties across the U.S. have partially or completely banned polystyrene. In March 2019, the European Parliament voted to ban single-use plastics in the E.U., including expanded polystyrene foam food and drink containers, with most products banned by 2021. According to a statement by the European Commission, “The products covered by this new law constitute 70 percent of all marine litter items. Due to its slow rate of decomposition, plastic accumulates in seas, oceans and on beaches in the E.U. and worldwide.” “I hope this will continue to be a domino effect with even more cities around the world banning foam and plastics,” says Rafael Bergstrom, executive director of Sustainable Coastlines Hawai‘i. “We’ve been working on this issue for 10 years in Hawai‘i alone—and in a state surrounded by the ocean, this progress was a long time coming.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334999083-T615YY7WRI3EXIWSP2BI/helonomoku_2020_66.png Bill 40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334999093-NI3KH8RQDNNEG4UHTWFR/helonomoku_2020_67.png Bill 40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709334999099-WOXK0I2LUAEBAA5GP9KD/helonomoku_2020_68.png Bill 40 https://www.hawaii-environment.com/refillable-bottles daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335000932-74CR6NJD6OOBVVUL454J/helonomoku_2020_39.png Refillable Bottles - Fill ‘Er (Back) Up: Refillable Bottles In the summer of 2018, Oregon started a refillable bottle program, BottleDrop, with beverage makers of beer, cider, and wine. The bottles are made near Portland, using recycled glass, and can be refilled up to 25 times. They carry a 10-cent deposit and are returned to recycling centers just like other glass bottles; a bar code helps them get sorted out. Eight companies are already onboard, and Joel Schoening, the community relations manager for the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, says, “We’ve had interest from cold press coffee makers, kombucha makers, craft soda companies, and more. One way we expect this to grow in the near future is through out of state beverage makers putting their beverages in BottleDrop Refillables for the Oregon market.” By the end of 2019, about 1 million bottles will be in rotation, Schoening says. “What’s special about this program is that it has the potential to reduce the emissions associated with a craft beverage by about 90 percent.” Currently, less than 0.1 percent of beverage containers in America are refillable, compared with 45 percent in Canada. O‘ahu-based Sky Kombucha is ahead of the curve, giving customers 50 cents back on their bottles, which they sanitize and reuse. Every month, this saves the use and disposal of thousands of bottles. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335000938-PK1MR1CPE46Y9DGGS9HZ/helonomoku_2020_66.png Refillable Bottles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335000943-BK9MJBAWCDOP791XKEAN/helonomoku_2020_67.png Refillable Bottles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335000951-TLL35E5QK8FAACI973HX/helonomoku_2020_68.png Refillable Bottles https://www.hawaii-environment.com/carbon-tax-in-action daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335002666-RHBTRIXT1YR6JH7M1DFL/helonomoku_2020_80.png Carbon Tax In Action - B.C.’s Carbon Tax In Action In 2008, British Columbia implemented the first broad-based carbon tax in North America. More than 10 years since its passage, evidence shows that the fee has led to a drop in greenhouse gas emissions, changed the behavior of residents, and the economy has continued to grow. Here’s the breakdown: According to a 2015 study, the tax has reduced greenhouse gas emissions between 5 and 15 percent since being implemented. Between 2007 and 2016, provincial real GDP grew by 19 percent, as noted on the B.C. government’s website. The tax changed the behavior of residents. “The B.C. carbon tax impacted gasoline consumption in two ways. It made consumers buy more fuel-efficient cars and also gave them the incentive to drive fewer kilometers,” says Sumeet S. Gulati, professor of land and food systems at the University of British Columbia. “Without B.C.’s carbon tax, gas demand would be 7 percent higher per person, and the average vehicle fuel efficiency would be 4 percent lower.” Gulati adds that he’s citing a 2016 research paper he co-wrote, when the carbon tax rate was lower, so a larger impact should be seen now. A carbon tax raises the cost of fuels—gas, diesel, coal—which incentivizes users to consume less, and ultimately reduces carbon pollution to help curb global warming. B.C.’s tax applies to approximately 70 percent of the province’s greenhouse gas emissions. It started at 2.3 cents per liter and, by design, has risen to 8.89 cents per liter. At the time of its passage, public concerns about climate change were high. The U.N.’s climate science panel released a report showing evidence that the Earth was warming because of society’s fossil fuel use, and Al Gore’s film release of “An Inconvenient Truth” entered pop culture and energized folks to push for action. Politics, of course, was also in play, which ultimately led the tax to be revenue-neutral, with revenue refunded back to businesses and to rural and low-income households in B.C. on their tax bills. Canada’s federal government now has a carbon-pricing program nationwide. And as of 2019, more than 70 jurisdictions have put a price on carbon, or are scheduled to implement initiatives. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335002673-QKG941066SX1VTCEYCDP/helonomoku_2020_66.png Carbon Tax In Action https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335002681-MCX5QZI3D0D540LR2NYH/helonomoku_2020_67.png Carbon Tax In Action https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335002687-LCMX8O7BEAKCZ13YHOO7/helonomoku_2020_68.png Carbon Tax In Action https://www.hawaii-environment.com/quinn-vittum daily 0.75 2024-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335004545-ULSU0VSI0CXUNCLWGHEL/helonomoku_2020_37.png Quinn Vittum - Quinn Vittum Co-founder and executive director, Re-use Hawai‘i “There is so much energy consumed in making construction materials,” says Quinn Vittum. “Take the lumber industry. To even get to the tree you may have to build a road into the forest. Then you cut down the tree, drive the tree back to the mill, kiln dry it, plane it, and then finally ship it to the market.” Re-use found that every ton of lumber kept out of the landfill equates to about 2.2 tons of greenhouse gas emissions reduced. Re-use started a decade ago to provide a lasting solution for demolition and construction waste, which makes up about 30 percent of Hawai‘i’s waste. Since then, the nonprofit has completed more than 600 deconstruction projects, the bulk of them on O‘ahu, salvaging up to 80 percent of a structure that in turn is available for reuse at their Kaka‘ako Redistribution Center. The group also recently expanded deconstruction services and opened a warehouse for its salvaged material on Hawai‘i Island. “The materials are sold to the public for a fraction of their value, so there’s a community benefit as well,” he says. In 2017, Hawai‘i residents saved $300,000 by shopping for lumber, cabinets, sinks, light fixtures and more at Re-use Hawai‘i’s Redistribution Center, Vittum estimates. Their impact keeps about 34-plus tons of materials out of the waste stream each week and employs 45 individuals in green jobs. The Aloha+ Challenge Dashboard shows lumber diversion as a success story, rising from 210 to 660 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions reduced, when comparing Fiscal Year 2008 and 2017. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335004549-6XMTYNHTN7UOVFCDYM58/helonomoku_2020_66.png Quinn Vittum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335004557-GI2NCVFBI1Z9PFXX735Z/helonomoku_2020_67.png Quinn Vittum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/1709335004565-XP13UYIMZC0GZ1CXMUVZ/helonomoku_2020_68.png Quinn Vittum https://www.hawaii-environment.com/membership daily 0.75 2026-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/15816a12-01ef-44b1-934b-b493e78f6989/IMG_1191.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/be1b10ff-b0b0-491b-902e-81a0d6922468/IMG_1197.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/b405db53-1973-4ca0-ab0d-1806abee8416/IMG_1202.jpeg https://www.hawaii-environment.com/past-projectsreports daily 0.75 2026-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/9b272614-940e-4b4c-8c76-f8b67a3c8700/hub-image-card-crop-i98simocs.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/c364b0e7-d1b5-4e9c-ac81-eaebda74272f/Hawaii_island_Challenge.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/a99fab2d-d492-426d-b779-f7cf5453d6e3/maui_countychallenge.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/7176731c-d699-495f-80a7-d3d655266065/kauai_countychallenge.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/e8651890-10d0-4f5e-a864-5433d6e6a6e2/oahu_countychallenge.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/81bd81d3-c4dd-4e9f-a9c2-c4d9baae1b1e/2016+He+Lono+Moku+cover.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/b3a056c6-3764-4421-b62d-e3d47b48e455/Cover.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/5749eddb-73d9-409d-aae8-8398ea27a73b/Cover.jpg https://www.hawaii-environment.com/contact-us daily 0.75 2026-02-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/65e2619a471cd325b25947ae/fee39479-7038-48ac-ab86-844c026ed98d/IMG_6218.jpg https://www.hawaii-environment.com/past-annual-reports daily 0.75 2024-06-07 https://www.hawaii-environment.com/maui-site-visit daily 0.75 2024-05-06 https://www.hawaii-environment.com/kauai-site-visit daily 0.75 2024-04-25 https://www.hawaii-environment.com/oahu-site-visits daily 0.75 2026-01-31 https://www.hawaii-environment.com/molokai-site-visits daily 0.75 2024-05-06 https://www.hawaii-environment.com/lanai-site-visits daily 0.75 2024-04-25 https://www.hawaii-environment.com/hawaii-island-site-visits daily 0.75 2024-10-17