Permaculture Taking Off in Hawaii

SUBHEAD: Reawakening an appreciation for traditional systems and adding in modern permaculture techniques.By Craig Mackintosh on 28 March 2011 in Peraculture RI -(http://permaculture.org.au/2011/03/28/permaculture-taking-off-in-hawaii)Image above: Setting up a permaculture garden on the Big Island. From (http://permaculturehi.wordpress.com/2010/06/10/

Earthquake & Tsunami hit Tourism

SUBHEAD: Shocked Hawaii tourism reps scramble as Japanese visits drop sharply.By Martin Barillas on 21 March 2011 for The Cutting Edge - (http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=51612&pageid=37&pagename=Page+One)Image above: Waikiki tourist hotels blot out the landscape. This is the epicenter for Japanese tourism to Hawaii. The area would be devastated if that tourism collapses as a

Military schmoozes Guam & Hawaii

SOURCE: Kenneth Taylor (taylork021@Hawaii.rr.com)SUBHEAD: Pentagon takes aim at Asia-Pacific, and deploys mercenary social scientists for US military interests.Image above: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates surveys Guam military installations from helicopter. From (http://www.staradvertiser.com/multimedia/photo_galleries/viewer?galID=117918939).By Kyle Kajihiro on 14 March 2011 for DMZ Hawaii -(

One meter tsunami hits Hawaii

SUBHEAD: Update on minor tsunami waves that hit Hawaii after devastating Japan coast.By Allison Schaefers on 11 March 2011 for Bloomberg News - (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-11/hawaii-hit-by-1-meter-tsunami-spurring-coastal-evacuations-closing-ports.html)Image above: A photo of damage to Kona, Big Island. From (http://horsesmouth.typepad.com/hm/2011/03/

Tsunami reaches Hawaii

SUBHEAD: Kauai westsiders ride out tsunami with ohana. In Port Allen marina the water was five feet above the catwalk.By Dennis Fujimoto on 11 March 2011 for he Garden Island News - (http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/article_cb639e72-4c87-11e0-9c1c-001cc4c002e0.html)Image above: This high, said Chad Kubo, skipper of ‘Que Sera,’ indicating the level of water above the Port Allen, Kauai, marina

The happiest guy in America

SUBHEAD: Meet Alvin Wong, a oriental, senior, self-employed, jewish, Hawaiian.By Kim Corollo on 8 March 2011 for ABC News - (http://abcnews.go.com/Health/happiest-person-america-hawaiian-alvin-wong-fits-gallup/story?id=13087258)Image above: Alvin Wong and his wife Trudy Schandler-Wong at East-West Center in Honolulu. From (http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2011/03/06/HAPPY.html). Alvin Wong

Wa`a Moloka`i

SUBHEAD: The Permaculture Research Institute will conduct courses on Molokai to achieve food security through restoration of ahupuaa systems.By Nichole Ross on 9 March 2011 in Permaculture RI - (http://permaculture.org.au/2011/03/09/waa-molokai-island-sized-food-security-through-a-21st-century-living-canoe)Image above: Partial ahupuaa map of Molokai by Juan Wilson for WesPac. From (https://

Oppose extending fish farm leases

SOURCE: Shannon Rudolph (shannonkona@gmail.com)SUBHEAD: Proposed Hawaii bill would increase ocean fish farm leases from 35 years up to 65 years.Image above: Inside fish farm off the coast of the Big Island. From (http://www.noaa.gov/features/resources_0109/images/aqua1.jpg). See also (http://www.lib.noaa.gov/retiredsites/docaqua/reports_noaaresearch/hooarrprept.htm) and (http://eatdrinkbetter.com

County quits anti-marijuana rally

SUBHEAD: To use the weather as an excuse is unacceptable. The reason for the cancellation wasn’t the weather. It was the ACLU’s concerns.By Jessica Musicar on 18 February 2011 for the Garden Island - (http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_4ed87e18-3bf7-11e0-9012-001cc4c002e0.html)Image above: Mel Rapozo talks with proponents of controlled distribution of medical

Hawaii accepts same sex unions

SUBHEAD: The final vote came after years of thousands-strong rallies, election battles and passionate public testimony on an issue.By Mark Niesse on 16 February 2011 for Huffington Post -(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/16/hawaii-samesex-civil-unio_n_824291.html)Image above: Rainbow flags celebrate civil rights breakthrough. From original article.Hawaii lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday

One Harvest From Chaos

SUBHEAD: If the world has a poor harvest this year, food prices will rise to previously unimaginable levels.By Lester R. Brown on 15 February 2011 in Earth Policy Institute - (http://www.earth-policy.org/plan_b_updates/2011/update91)Image above: A bad harvest in Malawi, Africa, 2005. From (http://news.webshots.com/photo/1373664085070223871LxsgjN).In early January, the U.N. Food and Agriculture

Lava rises in Big Island crater

SUBHEAD: HVO geologist estimates the lava lake had risen over 260 feet, since November.[Editor's note: In the last few years volcanic activity on the Big Island has increased vog (volcanic smog) frequency and volume. Vog includes sulfuric acid mixed with dust. As a result many people sensitive to vog have suffered sinus, throat and bronchial problems as far away as here on Kauai. This is not be

KIUC Signs Biomass Deal

SUBHEAD: Critics, like George Monbiot, contend that burning biomass for electricity is not really a form of 'Green Energy'.By Anne Barnes on 25 January 2011 in MSN Money - (http://money.msn.com/business-news/article.aspx?feed=PR&Date=20110125&ID=12816383&topic=TOPIC_CONTRACTS&isub=1)Image above: Power plant smoke stack. From original TreeHugger article. Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC)

Gutting the Plastic Bag Ban

SUBHEAD: Rapozo to introduce amendment exempting all food service establishments from plastic ban bill.By Léo Azambuja on 1 February 2011 in The Garden Island - (http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_15d86e84-2e9b-11e0-b7dd-001cc4c002e0.html)Image above: Councilman Mel Repozo (l) and Dickie Chang (r) hard at council business. From TGI article.More than a year apparently

Hawaii Legislation on Pesticides

SUBHEAD: Upcoming legislation on pesticide use in Hawaii needs public attention and testimony.By Jimmy Trujillo on 2 February 2011 for Kauai Beekeepers Association - (http://kauaibuzz.blogspot.com/2011/02/good-news-and-bad-news.html)Image above: An active bee colony. From (http://www.critter-company.com/bees).First the good news. Our recent meeting with the Kauai legislative team was very

Hawaii Superferry back?

SOURCE: Ken Taylor (taylork021@Hawaii.rr.com)SUBHEAD: Yes, the legislature is considering repurchasing the two Superferrys and putting them back online.By Juan Wilson on 26 January 2011 - Image above: A military configuration for the JHSV that was developed in the Superferry project. From (http://www.motionmodels.com/ships/amphib/jhsv1.html).The Hawaii legislature just won't let it go. They have

Resist military expansion at Pohakuloa

SOURCE: Shannon Rudolph (shannonkona@gmail.com)SUBHEAD: From the mountains of Afghanistan to the slopes of Mauna Kea, Empire is endless war.Image above: Seastallion helicopter in live fire exercise at Pohakuloa range during RIMPAC 2010. From (http://www.hookelenews.com/rimpac-in-high-gear).IMO, the military on Hawai'i Island has been a terrible tenant and land steward. Do we really want them

Kauai Hydro Projects Power Up

SOURCE: Kenneth Taylor (taylork021@Hawaii.rr.com)SUBHEAD: Four sites on Kauai would generate 18% of island power needs under a proposal.[Publisher's note: It seems unlikely that financing for such a project can be properly utilized by the debt strapped KIUC. They were unable to even retrofit an existing sugarcane operation into a biofuel power station. Moreover, given the pathetic record of

Ku'oko'a - Transforming Hawaii

SUBHEAD: If the Grid is to be continued Hawaii has two realistic options - geothermal and ocean energy.By Henry Curtis on 16 January 2011 in Disappeared News - (http://www.disappearednews.com/2011/01/kuokoa-transforming-hawaiis-economy.html)Image above: Rebels took out these electrical towers = Medellin, Colombia, leaving the nation's second largest city without electricity. From (http://

Ocean Swell Wind Generator

SUBHEAD: Using the physics of the blowhole to generate electricity for Hawaii in the ocean.By Henry Curtis on 14 January 2011 in Disappeared News - (http://www.disappearednews.com/2011/01/blowhole-energy.html)Image above: Oceanlinx swell driven generator prototype at Port Kembla, near Sidney, Australia. From (http://www.mywindpowersystem.com/2009/09/ocean-wave-energy-alternative-energy-part-7/).