Conservation Hawai‘i

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Living

Jack Johnson sings about it, our kids preach about it, it is the new motto of our times.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. It breaks down the green movement into simple instructions.  And although it is an easy mantra to learn, it is one that it is a little harder to live.

We have been raised in an age of limitless possibility and potential – what seemed like infinite resources and boundless opportunity.  What we are realizing however, or have been slow to awaken to, are the limits we are bound by and the common and finite resources that we share.

The world’s population has exploded and we have seen the decimation humans can inflict on the earth.  We know now that we will deplete resources in the near future and that we bare responsibility to each other and to the planet.

People around the world are now changing their lifestyles to reflect more consciousness about our current predicament.

It’s Easy Being Environmentally Friendly

What can you do for the environment.  Two things my mom told me when I was a kid, “Plant don’t kill,” and “Always leave it cleaner than you found it.”  With how much is changing in the world and how often we feel that we don’t have control of what is happening, there are definitely steps we can take to do our part.  Here are a few easy tips to make the planet a little healthier.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Economy

Reduce
The theme of this section is environmentally conscience companies, and the three R’s go a long way in this regard.  As far as reduction goes, you are seeing many companies focusing on this aspect.

Many are reducing overhead by cutting back on unnecessary middle level employees.  By streamlining their companies, they cut back on cost, bureaucracy, and become more efficient machines.  Many are reducing the amount of waste they are producing and also becoming efficient in their use of materials.

Packaging has also become a point of contention with many customers, so companies are try to use less wrapping when producing products, saving on both cost and waste.  Some companies, on their own regard and some through government regulation, are reducing energy use and pollution output.

The Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Plan

Sustainability is about protecting the environment, creating agricultural self-sufficiency and self-reliance, and striving to live in a self-contained system in which systems are allowed to replenish themselves rather than only consuming economic, social and environmental assets in order to achieve progress.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Environment

Our planet is not as big as it once seemed, with a population of over 6.7 billion, the world and its resources are shrinking.  In a more crowded environment we have to rethink how we do things, how we run businesses, take care of wildlife, and sustain our natural resources.

Mining for coal and other valuable resources has opened vast wastelands and cavernous holes in our planet.  Logging has destroyed rare forests and extinguished thousands of animal species. There are estimates that we are losing a species every hour or as much as 100 a day.

Environmental Resources

Save Our Environment is  a collaborative effort of the nation’s most influential environmental advocacy organizations harnessing the power of the internet to increase public awareness and activism on today’s most important environmental issues.

The Environmental News Network covers tons of ways to save the planet.

Looking for a way to make a difference.  The Ecology Fund is raising money to protect land.  Join in their fight, one square mile at a time.

Green Peace puts the planet at the center of attention.

Greenwashing is helping to keep companies accountable for their claims or crimes against the environment.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare focuses on many aspects of species endangerment, but a reoccurring theme is their relationship with the environment.

STWA is a company trying to do its part in cleaning up our air.

The Hawaii Coalition of Conservation Voters

The Hawaii Coalition of Conservation Voters makes Earth-friendly candidate endorsements for state and county offices.  After extensive discussions among leaders of environmental groups statewide, interviews and reviews of their records, it recognizes candidates most active in their communities and careers in protecting Hawaii’s environment.
See http://www.charmainetavares.org/NEWS.pdf?id=23247

Water Conservation

Remember that water is a very precious resource that is being rapidly depleted by growing populations.  When water resources are diminished it leads to natural habitat degradation.  Doing our best to promote water conservation will help to ensure that we have adequate supplies of clean water in the future.

For more information on all aspects of water quality, log on to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water page, http://www.epa.gov/ow/.

For a great water conservation site with lots of articles about different ways to conserve water and a discussion of the issues about this see Water Conserve.

It’s Easy Building Green

Quick tips and tricks to building green

1. Before beginning a project find out if there are any local, state or government programs for building responsibly.  The government now allows write-offs for photovoltaic or other solar projects.  Many local electric companies will help finance solar water heaters or give allowances for grid tied electrical systems. By investigating these options before you start building a home, your architect will able to seamlessly incorporate these systems and plan them into design, as opposed to  having to retrofit your building once it is complete.

Volunteer at The Student Conservation Assoc. in Hawaii

The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is a national nonprofit dedicated to changing lives through service to nature. From environmental education and historical interpretation to botany and fisheries management, SCA offers internships in over 50 disciplines and in all 50 states for individuals ages 18 and up. Visit www.theSCA.org to learn more.

THE STUDENT CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION is accepting applications for internships and volunteer positions in Hawaii.
Check out jobs in involving water conservation, energy conservation, soil conservation, wildlife conservation, forest conservation, and environmental conservation.