Guy Toyama, executive director of Natural Energy Lab of Hawaii Authority gives an introduction to the sustainability issues and innovations on the big island. It’s a fascinating weaving of science, innovation and “techno-tourism” (aka eco geek vacation destination)
Where does Hawaii stand on the sustainability? It’s all about geothermal on the Big Island:
A few reflections after a busy day on the Big Island. I went out on the boat with Captain Nancy of Dolphin Journeys with high hopes to swim with a dolphin but came back with reflections on relationships:
This footage is not from Dolphin Journeys, but it is of dolphins swimming in Hawaii, so enjoy!
Video footage of dolphins swimming with the boat:
A brief intro to sustainability efforts on the Big Island at the Hawaii Gateway Energy Center:
On a daily basis we are bombarded with information that tell us that we need to heal the planet. And yet, I find one of the reasons I have come to love the wilderness is because it (the natural world) heals me. So while in Kauai, I wanted to take some time to connect in with some of the local healers and learn about their relationship to healing and if their is a practice of healing with the land. I ended up getting introduced to Kahuna Valley and aqua craniosacral therapy.
The I worked with Kristen Lukus who worked in a natural salt water tub, who describes the technique below:
So how did it feel? What did Krsten do? She had me wear floats so I floated on the surface of the water and gently moved my body through the water. It was very different, and incredibly relaxing. We had been rushing around at full speed trying to interview as many people as possible about sustainability issues and I had wound myself up into a little anxiety ball and the next thing I knew I was grounded and had a deep sense of calm. I think the thing I remember most was this moment when I was breathing and all of a sudden I was taking a deep breath in and I could continue to breathe in and in, and in, and in, and it seemed like was no limitation to the amount of air I breathe in, it’s hard to explain to be true.
At the end of session, we talked about her teacher, Rebecca Geoff, who has special permits to work out in the open ocean and practice this healing technique in the presence of whales and dolphins (it is usually required that you leave the location and are not within a specific distance of whales). She authored the book, Kissing Whales Healing Dolphins. I was fascinated by the idea, and later met an amazing woman on the big island, who takes people out to swim with dolphins. The stories she told me were amazing stories about the healing abilities of dolphins (more on that soon).
Yesterday was sustainability day at the [re]think hawaii conference. While the majority of the conference is tech focused, it was interesting to bring in local people working on sustainability issues to explore and discuss the issues they are addressing. I’m going to introduce you to one of the panelists, Ramsay Taum, who spoke on the panel.
One of the things I am learning to love about the culture of Hawaii is that people answer questions through stories. Ramsay speaks about sustainability and tourism by talking about the tradition of giving and receiving when visiting, and the difference between being a guest and tourist.
When you ask most divers why they took up diving, you’ll hear the same thing repeatedly:
1) It’s the last frontier
2) They can’t afford to go to space but they can afford to dive in the ocean
3) They want to experience weightlessness
I took up diving because I am a pragmatic Capricorn:
1) I am afraid of the open ocean. I hate having things around that scare me.
2) This past new year eve I promised myself I would make two commitments to the land. The first was going to be a commitment of time and resource to an organization. (I selected The Woman’s Earth Alliance because I am inspired by the organization’s mission and leaders.) The second promise was that I would focus on one environmental issue that I could have a hands on relationship with. The first thought that came to mind was the images of sea turtles drowning in plastic and getting caught by fishing lines. So I figured what better way to engage than to go into the great mystery of the ocean: source of life, of food, holder of our garbage… and take on the simple project of removing the garbage that I am personally responsible for? (There has to be a stat for that.)
3) I made a new years resolution to have more fun, and I do believe this will fit in that category.
And… the ocean just so happens to be the place whales calls home. I like whales. After all, they are the only mammal that has migrated out of the water, onto land, and back into the water.
I think I feared the ocean because I couldn’t see into it, all I could imagine was a deep dark place teaming with wild creatures prepared and waiting to eat me if I don’t eat them first. Ok, actually, all I could imagine are dead zombies waiting just inches beneath the surface of the water waiting to pull my feet to the bottom of the ocean. But the fact that 71 percent of the planet is covered in water, and that there is this entire world under just under the surface that has volcanoes and deserts and valleys got the best of me~
…so I got my diving certification. I started at my local dive shop in San Francisco, but my schedule didn’t match up with their open water training schedule so I went down to Monterey for the first two open water dives, and then completed my last 2 dives in Maui. While slightly unorthodox to go through 3 different dive shops for my certification (if this of interest, I appreciated each and everyone: The Dive Shop in SF, the one in Monterey (yeah kelp forest), and then finished the open water certification at the Maui Dive Shop in Maui (Juan, my teacher, had the patience of a saint)). I actually appreciated and benefited from the exposure to different teachers, different equipment, and different teaching styles. I’ll also confess that given that I got into this due to my deep seeded fear of the deep dark ocean, I liked the one-on-one attention I received in these individual classes, and eventually managed to succeed at what I now refer to as the highly prized skill of selective thinking.
For me, diving begins on the surface: you begin by floating, then release all the air from BC, and then start the process of sinking to the bottom. It’s in that moment when looking through the goggles: in the top half I can see the sky, in the bottom half I see into the ocean, that I think, “I could die doing this.”
And that’s when I start the process of selective thinking. Just as when you are afraid of heights, they tell you don’t look down, I quickly learned not to look up. It is like the container has disappeared and all of a sudden you are in a new planet where there is no end of the world (and btw, no zombies).
There are some things that are used on the surface of the planet that are useless and pointless once inside the belly of the ocean, and time is one of them. I now understand why they teach you to obsessively check your gauge: because once you enter this other world, it’s easy to forget you need to return.
The things I had seen and feared turned out to be fine: eels and sharks I swam with turned out turned out be harmless, and after swimming past my first shark in the wild, all I had to do was remind myself that it’s name was not jaws.
I became aware that I was the one that could harm this place, and not the other way around. All it took was one moment of carelessness with my fins or fingers, just one touch to the coral and I could kill it. No matter how many times I understand it with my brain, my eyes do not register that that huge rock like structure is by all practical definition an extremely fragile living animal.
It’s hard to comprehend that I was swimming in the belly of one of the sources that sustains this planet.
It’s bazaar to comprehend that we have spent less time and resources exploring the oceans than we have space, that every time the deep water expedition goes down they discover new things.
It’s surreal to imagine that this place which has become a place that feels serene and safe is also a death trap with wayward nets that are killing turtles and dolphins, and that each day it takes in a little more plastics and toxins.
The only rules I need to abide by are don’t run out of air, and stay with my partner. Other than that, there are no rules, road signs, right of way, traffic lines, it’s one of the few places you can go on the planet that isn’t regulated. There is space, plenty of space, space to get lost in, a quiet that allows you to get lost in your imagination, in your thoughts, if you can manage to distract yourself from the crazy foot dance of the fish that can’t swim (who knew?) and the pencil fish, and the moray eel, and the parrot fish, and the dolphins, and the mantas…and somewhere out there, the largest beings that have ever lived on this planet are out there, swimming in the same body of water that I am swimming in.
(many thanks to Jack’s Diving Locker for providing the video footage)
Guess what I found on my way to the conference this morning?
COCONUT BASKETS!! So cool. I chatted with Ronnie as he wove baskets from coconut trees on the side of the street. He was kind enough to chat about coconut trees, his wild and unusual life, and of course…sustainability. Ronnie explained that coconut palms have incredibly strong fibers and that these baskets last for years. (He also told me he was able to build a house from coconut. If I disappear, you have 1 hint about where to find me.)
Ronnie went to explain the many uses of coconut trees:
When we started to talk about why I was here, (to explore sustainability issues in Hawaii), Ronnie explained the hot topic on everyone’s minds~ that Hawaii only has 3-5 days worth of food at any given time on the island. But then he went on to explain that there are plenty of ways to think about sustainability and living off the land, and that he is able to harvest plenty of fruit and food off of the trees just out of town.
Not a bad way to start the morning (and don’t let the cat out of the bag about what I’m giving my family for Christmas this year
What’s green and blue and twittered all over? This week: Hawaii. Why? because Christine Lu is at it again~ and has organized an international group of innovators (she fondly refers to them as geeks on a plane) from around the world to come together and [re]think Hawaii.
We’re creating an intersection – bringing an international group of people together who might otherwise never cross-paths – in the certainty that they’ll connect, share and learn from each other who have shared interests in solving problems and rethinking tech, business and sustainability.
I am honored to be apart of the gathering and will be following the sustainability track, speaking on a panel, and exploring the various challenges and solutions Hawaii faces with political leaders and sustainability experts. Why is Hawaii worth looking at? It is a fascinating microcosm to study and learn from given that as an island culture, they are aware of their dependency on fuel and other cultures and the potential affects of the energy crisis unlike other geographic locations. That may sound like jargon in the moment, but stay tuned for more details….
For now I leave you with a short video clip of Stella Burgess, the director of Hawaiian culture and community relations. Stella discusses the meaning of the Hawaiian motto and how it’s meaning is integrated as a way of life in Hawaii:
I’ll be chattering about all things sustainability on Twitter, but there are plenty of other people who are focused on tech and buisness so if you want to follow along on twitter check out the hashtags #rethink and #goap.
Today’s guest blogger is Chef Mark Tafoya, a world traveler and self-taught gourmand. Mark has learned about many world cuisines first-hand, and mastered many of his recipes at the source. As Executive Producer of the Culinary Media Network, Mark brings a unique specialization in micro-cuisines to our repertoire, expanding our flavor horizons ever farther as we explore foodstuffs from around the globe. Recently returning from Hawaii, Mark will be joining us as a guest blogger to share his eco eating finds.You can follow his podcast at: ReMARKable Palate.
While in Hawaii I spent the afternoon with Lani and Ali’i, co-owner of the Ali’i Kula Lavender Company in Maui’s Kula “Upcountry” area. They gave me a tour of their lavender farm, which looks more like a zen mediation garden!
Hello eco art fans! Thank you for being ever so patient for this follow up to my “Trash into Treasure” video. In the comments you guys left me, a lot of people mentioned the food containers, so I knew I wanted to use those. Another concept that got brought up a lot was making use of multiple pieces of garbage in one project, so I did that as well. Personally I was also going for functional; thus was born my new garbage made flower vase! Here’s what I did:
Step One: WASH! I washed everything thoroughly to prevent mold. As you see I picked the ice cream container and cut the juice container down for another project.
Step Two:PAINT! I used simple white to paint over the box. You may need a few layers to cover the words completely; don’t be afraid to have some fun- I used that gross old sponge to give it texture! Another option is collaging the piece, shown on the juice box.
Step Three: DESIGN! A few different techniques helped me make a simple design from different pieces of garbage- the yellow strip is plastic from a bag, crinkled up for texture and painted a light yellow. The orange strip is newspaper treated with watercolors. The red things are paper beads; more about how to make them in a future blog entry! Twine and a bottle cap were used to adhere them.
Step Four: USE! I used a bit Mod Podge to adhere the embellishments to the container. I thought it would be great to hold flowers! Since this held ice cream, the inside can hold water – but if you are worried about leaks, just add a bit of plastic to the bottom or seal with a water proof sealant.
Step Five: SHOW! It’s looking keen with some other decor on my dining room table. I’m still considering putting something inside the bottle cap. Thanks for helping me make a cool project out of my kitchen garbage! I stayed pretty safe with the design, but obviously you could go crazy with something like this. Old magazines and comics are a great source of collaging material, and food containers are easily converted to hold anything you’d like! Next week starts a series on paper, including how to make your own!
Before heading off to Hawaii, I asked the good people of Current what they wanted to learn more about while I was there. The list was extensive. I won’t pretend, I got a bit stressed when trying to figure out how I was going to cover all of the topics and have enough time to have the experiences that would provide me the opportunity to speak to the topic I was most invested in: connecting to the land and people of that place.
As I write the title of this blog post, I hesitate. I think back to the high speed pace of my trip to Hawaii, and wonder how authentic I can be when speaking about my connection to that land. When I worked as a wilderness guide, I learned about connection, when I garden, I learn about connection, when I lived in the same valley in Nepal for three months, I learned about connection, and one of the prevailing themes I learned from each of these experiences is that it takes time, quiet time, to develop connection with a place.
So when Kelvin Ho sent me an email offering to facilitate a blessing at sunrise, I stopped worrying about if I was going to get enough interviews and see enough things, and relaxed into the idea that I was in good hands.
Kelvin met me at my hotel, and we headed out to the ocean. As we became acquainted, I felt instantly at ease. Kelvin was a kind and gentle soul who spoke with a slow cadence, and a reverence for the land and the traditions of Hawaii. We stopped for a moment to listen to the earth breathe. No really, look for yourself!
I couldn’t help but immediately open the can of worms and inquire about the role of the green movement and the surge of eco tourism. Kelvin shared, “The Green movement and eco tourism holds environmental sustainability as a guiding light for its awareness, action and interaction. The host culture here sees this as an awakening to a basic truth that the Hawaiian and all native peoples hold as sacred. That we as humans are not separate from the environments we live in. Recognizing and educating oneself of the huge impact that tourism has on these fragile islands is the first step. Realizing your presence here does make a difference, ask yourself what kind of difference you would like to make.”
Once reaching the ocean, we stood in the water, and faced the mountain. Kelvin explained that the process was similar to the tradition that might have taken place in Hawaiin communities: when a visitor entered a village for the first time, they would were introduced to the community elder or leader. In this case: that elder was considered the mountain. And so we stopped and acknowledged the mountain. Then Kelvin dropped me off a spot that overlooked the ocean to experinece what he called a “wind out.” I couldn’t resist pulling out my camera so I would be able to share the experience with you.
I loved the paradigm shift. After flying 2,460 miles across the Pacific, the process of stopping, placing my feet in the water, my eyes and intention on the land, brought me into the present. And before I could think or plan: I was doing exactly what I wanted most: taking time to connect to the land. I immediately sensed the difference: it wasn’t just the land, it wasn’t just the ocean, it was the island, it was the people, and it was the history and the stories of this place. I could tell that two days on this island was not going to be enough, and found myself wondering how I was going to break it to my boss that I wanted to start working remotely…permenentlty…
We parted ways, and the next morning I woke before dawn to meet Kelvin for an awakening ceremony.
We met just as the sun was rising and began our morning by shredding Ti leaves as a way of making Lei that we would then wear during the ceremony. Kelvin explained that different Lei were used in different ceremonies, and that we were making a kind that was used as a vessel for intention.
On our way back to the hotel, we chatted about Kelvin’s work with youth at risk and his efforts to reunite youth with traditional practices.
“The connection I offer here is to support the reconnection of youth at risk in the islands with the timeless wisdom and values of their native culture. To help them heal through the process of interaction with nature and learning the roles, skills awareness of conscious stewardship. Our program’s intention is to embrace the youth entrusted to our care, its cultural focus is to give a direct experience with and instill respect for unity.
In this time of economic recession it is tragic that everywhere our youths pay the price of having access to fewer services and opportunities. We (The Haleopip Organization) reach out for help and support from the green community and ecotourism to make a difference in the future of these sacred and fragile islands by supporting cultural sustainability.”
I didn’t have time to volunteer with The Haleopip organization because we headed to another island the next night.
But thanks to Kelvin, I did have the opportunity to connect with Kuai. So, do I get to eat crow? Is it possible to connect to a place when traveling at a high pace? Perhaps this is why people spend years of their lives meditating: so they can always be present (heh). The verdict is still out, but I can’t pretend that the time spent in consious refelction deepened my connection to that place. I can’t wait to go back.
“If the success or failure of this planet and of human beings depended on how I am and what I do,
On a daily basis we are bombarded with information that tell us that we need to heal the planet. And yet, I find one of the reasons I have come to love the wilderness is because it (the natural world) heals me. So while in Kauai, I wanted to take some time to connect in with some of the local healers and learn about their relationship to healing and if their is a practice of healing with the land. I ended up getting introduced to 
Guess what I found on my way to the 
Today’s guest blogger is Chef Mark Tafoya, a world traveler and self-taught gourmand. Mark has learned about many world cuisines first-hand, and mastered many of his recipes at the source. As Executive Producer of the 
Step One: WASH! I washed everything thoroughly to prevent mold. As you see I picked the ice cream container and cut the juice container down for another project. 
You may need a few layers to cover the words completely; don’t be afraid to have some fun- I used that gross old sponge to give it texture! Another option is collaging the piece, shown on the juice box.
me make a simple design from different pieces of garbage- the yellow strip is plastic from a bag, crinkled up for texture and painted a light yellow. The orange strip is newspaper treated with watercolors. The red things are paper beads; more about how to make them in a future blog entry! Twine and a bottle cap were used to adhere them. 
keen with some other decor on my dining room table. I’m still considering putting something inside the bottle cap. Thanks for helping me make a cool project out of my kitchen garbage! I stayed pretty safe with the design, but obviously you could go crazy with something like this. Old magazines and comics are a great source of collaging material, and food containers are easily converted to hold anything you’d like! Next week starts a series on paper, including how to make your own!
On our way back to the hotel, we chatted about Kelvin’s work with youth at risk and his efforts to reunite youth with traditional practices.
