Greening of Leeward

AT LAST! LOCALS CAN ACTUALLY BUY LOCAL BEEF!

2010-04-21T01:15:00.002-10:00

HOORAY! After learning so much about the food aspect of sustainability and seeing how the first step in the right direction involves supporting local farms -- there is finally the opportunity to put this into practice! Local, grass-fed beef, hormone and antibiotic-FREE is available for sale to the local public -- yes, here on O'ahu!

The article appears in the GET FRESH (Local, Seasonal, & Fresh) tab within the "Share Your Table" website. How satisfying to know that you can help to be a part of the solution which only has positive outcomes.

Wouldn't it be great to wash down that fresh, local beef with fresh, local milk? Well you can do just that thanks to Naked Cow Dairy here in O'ahu. Take a look at what the sisters who founded Naked Cow Dairy have to offer and are planning in addition to fresh, healthy, local milk.

The Share Your Table website is an excellent resource with which to start once you realize the importance of food sustainability and consequently decide to support local, sustainable businesses. Also included in the website is a Share Your Table Blog which is very interesting and provides a more detailed and personal glimpse into these important issues locally.

Thinking about eWaste at the Point of Sale

2010-04-15T10:13:00.009-10:00

-shared by Brent Hirata

I planned 5 weeks ago to participate in the LCC E-Waste event this past weekend coordinated by the hard working Dottie Sunio. I had two, seven year old desktop towers to drop off. Everything was going according to plan until I had such an busy Saturday morning that I forgot to drive to campus for the eWaste event. Has that every happened to you? You keep your eWaste around waiting for an event and despite all the reminders you miss it, argh!

That got me thinking, consumers are getting stuck with a big responsibility at the end of a products life (eWaste). Can we do a better job up front at the point of purchase to guarantee an easy end of life process? Similar to buying an Energy Star appliance, I may actually make a buying decision based on a brand or retail store’s take back policy.

With the growing amount of eWaste and the planning involved in figuring out how to dispose of eWaste it made me stop and think. What about “green gadgets” wouldn’t it be great to know before buying a new cellphone, television, digital camera, laptop and printer whether it was made of sustainable plastic or a part of a responsible manufacturers’ or a retail stores end of life program to be recycled.

Sir, would you be interested in getting our End of Life disposal voucher with this new TV purchase?

Also rather than being asked to buy an extended warranty/service contract at the cash register I may be willing to spend $10 for a large $1000 TV to be able to bring it back to the store in 10 years and have it properly disposed of.

Programs like these are in their infancy in my opinion. Currently computer manufacturers like Apple and Dell have some programs in place. Other programs are targeted more toward the continental United States. I think consumers appreciate knowing the upfront process and it will help consumers do the right thing when it comes to properly disposing of eWaste.

2010-04-14T23:11:00.002-10:00

Replenish: Going beyond Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
by Eileen Cain, Instructor, Language Arts

Last year, paper recycling was a major focus of LCC's Earth Day celebration. The Sustainability Committee and Student Government distributed paper recycling boxes to classrooms and offices, along with instructions on how to recycle paper on campus. The Copy Center helped us reuse paper, turning the recycled paper into notepads. Many of us reduced our use of paper in various ways, stopping to ask ourselves: "Do I really need to print this?" "Do I really need more copies of that?"

This year, as we observe the 40th anniversary of the original Earth Day, the desire is to replenish resources – to replace what we take from the Earth. This year all around the world there is a big movement to plant trees. Trees, after all, absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. We can replenish the earth's supply of greenery by planting trees or donating to organizations that plant them for us. Here are some ideas:

1. Plant trees on Leeward CC campus on Earth Day in Tuthill Courtyard - blessing at 7:30 am, planting at 8:00 am.
2. The Million Trees of Aloha Campaign, April – October 2010, explained in a separate post: www.kanuhawaii.org/milliontreesofaloha.
3. The Plant-a-Billion Drive, sponsored by the Nature Conservancy, allows us to donate a dollar to plant one tree: http://www.plantabillion.org/.
4. Eco-Libris is a site that allows us to donate a dollar to plant a tree for each book we read: http://www.ecolibris.net/.

Leeward CC Participates in the Million Trees of Aloha, April - Oct. 2010

2010-04-13T17:53:00.002-10:00

The Million Trees of Aloha Campaign was launched on Saturday, April 10, 2010 by the Keiki Caucus of the Hawai'i State Legislature and the Children and Youth Month Planning Committee. The goal of this campaign is to get peope to plant a million trees in Hawai'i by the end of October 2010, October being Children and Youth Month. It would be best if the trees people plant would be non-invasive species, preferably native and/or food-bearing trees.

An endangered, native plant called na'u, a gardenia, was highlighted at the April 10th event. Those of us attending received one na'u and a large bag of mulch, distributed free by Kanu Hawai'i, a non-profit community organization. These plants were grown at the Hui ku Maoli Ola Nursery in Kane'ohe. We each signed a pledge to care for and plant the tree.

Our new little na'u has been entrusted to the capable and caring hands of Frani Okamoto, LCC's Shade House and Native Plant Collection Manager, until it grows and is ready to be planted out on campus later this year.

If you want to participate in the Million Trees of Aloha by planting a tree in Hawai'i between now and October, Kanu Hawai'i would appreciate knowing about it. You can post information and even a photo of your tree-planting at their website: www.kanuhawaii.org/milliontreesofaloha. They hope to be able to verify that a million trees have been planted.

Facebook | Reef Watch Waikiki's Photos - Wall Photos

2010-04-11T00:40:00.000-10:00

Facebook Reef Watch Waikiki's Photos - Wall Photos

Hawaii environmental law being reshaped in private talks

2010-04-09T10:00:00.001-10:00

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100401/NEWS01/4010367/Hawaii-environmental-law-being-reshaped-in-private-talks

Waipa foundation on Kauai supporting Hawaiian ecological education

2010-04-09T09:50:00.001-10:00

http://www.waipafoundation.org/index.php

How much is a penny worth? ...

2010-03-15T10:24:00.006-10:00

A penny by itself is not worth much UNTIL you find another, then another, and then still another lying on the ground lost and forgotten until you happen to walk by and pick them up. It is so easy to let them lay there either consciously or unaware as it is to pick them up determined and focused. This principle to be aware and to consciously look for these pennies is the ideal behind the Pennies for Patients Program Fundraiser that my oldest daughter took part in recently, and of which I was hooked into as the opportunities to look for these coins were during life's daily errands. It is amazing how many pennies and how many OTHER coins of greater value can also be found in a short trip to the store, in a parking lot, or in a walk around the neighborhood. In the end, it all adds up and every penny counts.

This same principle can be applied to living green as seen in this article on Kanu Hawai'i. The simple commitments that one individual can take to live greener, healthier lives become so much more when combined with several other thousands of individuals committed to the same ideal.

Interested in picking up your first (proverbial) penny? Taking your first step towards green living?

Look here no further at Kanu Hawaii's website to see how you can begin to walk, to trot, to jog, and to keep that forward momentum towards attaining sustainable living.

You can also check out the Green section in Honolulu Advertiser’s newspaper online for more exciting and invaluable articles, tips and recommendations for green living in Hawai’i.

Ka Mole o Na Pua Festival - Saturday April 24th

2010-03-03T07:55:00.005-10:00

Save the date: Ka Mole o Na Pua Festival
Saturday April 24th
Leeward Community College
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The following video highlights last years 2009 Ka Mole Festival.

Can this invention really save the world?

2010-03-03T07:05:00.006-10:00

New legislation will require everyone to begin moving away from the age old inefficient incandescent bulbs to more efficient compact fluorescent lights. But can the CFL really save the world?

A great article by U.S. News and World Report answering frequently asked questions, FAQ: The End of the Light Bulb as We Know It .

An informative Wikipedia page to learn more about the design of the CFL and how they work.

What has your experience been like so far using a CFL at home? (comment below)

Malama 'Aina Online Course

2010-03-02T15:23:00.004-10:00

In celebration of Earth Day on April 22 why not enroll in an online course focused on Malama 'Aina. The 3 week Malama 'Aina course is offered worldwide through the award winning Kamehameha Schools Distance Learning group. Explore how traditional Hawaiians lived to allow for the preservation of natural resources and why the Hawaiians held land with such high regard.

More information is available at http://ksdl.ksbe.edu/whatsnew.html

A Billion Acts of Green

2010-03-01T18:40:00.004-10:00

Earth Day Network invites everyone to participate in their "A Billion Acts of Green" Drive. Visit the Earth Day website, www.earthday.net, to pledge to perform any act to help protect the environment, even something as simple as using less water and electricity. So far, they have counted over 5 million pledges. What are you willing to do to help the Earth?

EARTH DAY TURNS 40!

2010-03-01T18:25:00.003-10:00

Aloha! Thursday, April 22, 2010 is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a day which was started to promote environmental protection. Activities to enhance environmental awareness and action will take place all around the globe. The LCC Sustainability Committee is planning a variety of educational opportunities and other activities during the third week of April to promote sustainability on campus and beyond! The week will culminate in the Ka Mole o Na Pua Festival on Saturday, April 24 here at LCC. Stay tuned for more news! If you have a suggestion for an activity in conjunction with Earth Day, please contact Eileen Cain at cain@hawaii.edu or Tara Rojas at tmuramot@hawaii.edu.

"FOOD, INC." showing here in Hawai'i - March 16

2010-02-24T00:51:00.005-10:00

SAVE THE DATE!
As stated in Kokua Market's - Co-op's event page:

"FOOD, INC." screening Tuesday, March 16 from 6-9:30pm at UH Biomed B-103
"In an effort to bring Kokua Market member-owners and the public closer to the food they eat and continue to dialogue about the benefits of local agriculture and local food systems, the Office of Public Health Studies at UH and Kokua Market are co-sponsoring a screening of Food, Inc. followed by a panel discussion including Ma'o Organic Farms and Ed Kenney from town restaurant. Food from the Kokua deli will be available."

Free movies, anyone?

2010-02-23T22:20:00.002-10:00

Learn more about sustainability- and food-related topics...online...free.

Love food? Love being green? Live in Hawai'i? This blog's for you!

2010-02-23T14:49:00.004-10:00

Check out this blog dedicated to those passionate about food and sustainability here in the Islands. It is just one of the features of the main website "Share Your Table". Both the website and blog are a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach - see for yourself!

Workers more productive in Green buildings

2009-11-16T11:03:00.002-10:00

Researchers at the University of San Diego's Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate and CB Richard Ellis have found that people who work in Green buildings call in sick less than their counterparts in traditional buildings.

Shared by: Brent Hirata

Opalavision: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

2009-11-12T09:09:00.009-10:00

Last month Oceanic Time Warner debuted Opalavision on its digital channel 332, The Green Channel. Opalavision highlights our local City and County of Honolulu’s environmental services that are in place to reduce, reuse and recycle. The episodes contain informative content to educate viewers on why sustainable practices are so important, especially when you live on an island. Opalavision content is produced to meet the demands of a fast paced lifestyle with the typical segment lasting about 3 minutes.

Opalavision episodes are also available online at the Opala Web site (http://www.opala.org/solid_waste).

shared by: Brent Hirata

Give a Day. Get a Disney Day.

2009-11-12T08:40:00.002-10:00

Does you family enjoy visiting the Disney theme parks? Starting January 1, 2010, you can sign up to be a "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" volunteer. Basically you sign up (see Web site for details) and volunteer at an event with a participating local organization, then you get Free one day admission to Disney World or Disneyland theme park.

Disney Web site: Give a Day, Get a Disney Day
More Details (via Hands on Network): Give a Day, Get a Disney Day

shared by: Dorothy Hirata

Great American Smokeout at LCC

2009-11-12T08:00:00.002-10:00

GREAT AMERICAN SMOKEOUT - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2009
LCC LIBRARY CONCOURSE, 8:30 am – 1:30 pm

Tobacco kills 5.4 million people a year – an average of
one person every six seconds.

QUIT SMOKING – ENJOY THE FREEDOM!

Goals for the smokeout:

Support people who want to quit smoking
Share tips for quitting that work
Reduce exposure to second-hand smoke and other health risks
Make our campus more beautiful and environmentally-friendly

Come and join us:

Quitters are winners: exchange your pack of cigarettes for a prize
Learn about healthy alternatives to smoking
Check your blood pressure
Test your knowledge of facts about smoking for a prize

shared by: Eileen Cain