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).
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)
Waikik reminds more of Miami than Hawaii… but I’m here! And so is the ocean~ so life is feeling pretty sweet. And the exciting news to this nature lover, is that right around the corner are the mountains.
I was hoping to get a real sense of place and get the stories of the land and of the people when I was here, and yet it takes time to gain a true sense of pace, so I figured I would cheat and hook up with a local expert.
When I heard about Hina Adventures I was beyond excited: they promise to take you on hikes, talk about the local plants and their medicinal meanings, and best of all, tell the local lore and legends.
I remember when I worked as a naturalist in Alaska and how people would go from elated to slightly deflated as soon as they realized I was their guide. They were expecting a rough and tough macho man with a big beard and a checkered shirt and gun to protect them from bears. Instead, they got me and a can of bear spray.
I experienced a bit of that same deflation when I opened the van door to discover my guide was a young white woman. I had been fantasizing about an older Hawaiian native medicine man with tattoos and hula skirt
But founder, Ena Sroat won me over in two seconds flat with her authentic interest, sensitivity, love of the land, extensive knowledge, and knack for story telling.
Ena introduces the local gardens (a native plant restoration project): Na Pohaku o Hauwahine (The Stones of Hauwahine = a lizard/dragon shafeshifter goddess/ protector water-spirit of the marsh & ancient fishpond), on the edge of Kawainui Marsh outside of Kailua town on the Oahu.
Taken at the Ulupo Heiau, and aquaculture temple (heiau = place of worship), outside of Kailua on Oahu.
Ena tells the legend of the at Na Pohaku o Hauwahine (the tree you are looking at in this video)
Of all of the travel I did, this was one of the most connective days I had to Hawaii. It provided me a sense of place…total random side bar, but the experience reminded me of this story:
I worked on one of the first environmental expeditions on Everest a few years back. During that time I spent three months coordinating service projects in the Solu Khombu valley, and spent my time toggling between Namche Bazaar and Everest base camp. I mention it now because I was sitting in a tea house talking to another American as she trekked through the area. When she discovered that I was spending my entire three months in Nepal in this one valley she asked with authentic surprise, “How could you spend all of your time only in this valley?” and my response was, “How could you not?” I had gotten the opportunity to participate and get to know the people, experience the culture of sitting in the kitchens rather than just sit on the outside. It changed the way I wanted to travel forever, understanding that less (travel) really can mean more (experience).
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.
In today’s post by Mark Tafoya, he visits Hawaii’s largest organic farm. They grow everything from basil to pineapple – the only certified organic pineapple grower in Hawaii. In the videos below you will see how the organic farm is built, the future expansion of the Kapalua Farm, how the Maui Gold organic pineapples are grown (they take 18 months!), and finally he checks out Makawao Mushrooms which is the only sustainable oyster mushroom farm with a preview of a new post to come.
While visiting Maui, I was given a tour of Kapalua Farms by Gustavo Diaz, Operations Manager. He showed me many aspects of this diversified operation which is dedicated to sustainable growing of vegetables and pineapple. Although the farm is directly adjacent to the Kapalua Resort’s golf course, Gustavo explains how they maintain the integrity of the organic growing space:
Gustavo explained how the farm is overhauling their composting operation to be able to take on green waste from other areas of West Maui and turn it into organic fertilizer to feed their operation.
We ended our tour in the upper pineapple fields, where Kapalua Farms grows the famous “Maui Gold” organic pineapples. Gustavo explains the process, and how it’s a little more involved and labor intensive than so-called “conventionally” grown pineapple.
We then visited with Rocky and Paulette Chenelle of Makawao Mushrooms, the ONLY sustainable mushroom farm on Maui.
In Today’s guest post with Mark Tafoya, we are taken on a behind the scenes tour of the Big Island Abalone Farm on Hawaii’s big island, Oahu. Here, Mark learns the process of producing abalone. The production is completely sustainable and doesn’t produce any toxins back into the environment. Check it out!
One of the most interesting things I discovered in Hawaii was the Big Island Abalone Farm, an operation on the Kona coast which farms prized abalone using sustainable aquaculture supported by deep sea water from the NELHA project (Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority), a state supported “pipeline” which brings pure cold water from from than 2,000 feet below the surface. I spent the afternoon at the farm accompanied by Al Salomon, Facility Manager, who gave us a tour around their unique facility. In this video, Al explains the system and gives us insight in the sustainability of the process, which has added benefits in the form of an employee vegetable garden. I also got to go behind the scenes into the state-of-the-art sorting area where the adult abalone which are large enough for harvesting are sorted by size and weight. This system uses non-toxic CO2 to lull the abalone to sleep long enough to transport them through the sorting process and back into the cold water tanks so that they don’t react negatively and toughen up. The abalone are kept alive throughout this process and even in transport.
I interviewed Hiroshi Arai, CEO of Big Island Abalone, about the project, the process and the tremendous market demand for abalone in Japan and other parts of Asia. I’ll have that audio interview on an upcoming episode of the ReMARKable Palate Podcast, as well as a more in depth “Main Course” video. For now, these are just “Quick Bites”.
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!
While I like the concept of carbon offsetting, in everyday practice it feels like a scam. It seems like the first place entrepreneurs go to hijack the term “green” to make a buck off off of people’s green conscious (sometimes known as guilt). Not to mention it’s a high-speed vehicle for loopholes in legislation designed to protect against pollution. With that said, not all programs are bunk, and you can check out an old post for suggestions from our community about carbon offset programs they love and trust.
“The Carbon Offsets purchased through the Climate Passport Carbon Footprint Calculator are sourced from the Garcia River Forest, a conservation-based forest management project located in Mendocino County, California. The project achieves multiple goals including: increased sequestration and storage of carbon in native redwood forests, wildlife habitat restoration, and a sustainable supply of certified wood products.”
In this case, The carbon offsets will go towards the Garcia River Forest which (with your purchase) will be supplied with new Redwood and Douglas Fir trees that absorb and store carbon dioxide. A minimal amount of the kiosk’s offset sales also go to the San Francisco Carbon Fund, which works on local carbon reduction projects like a publicly-owned biofuel filling station.
It just turns out that my coworker Andrew Fitzgerald mentioned that he and his girlfriend are flying to Boston tonight, so I thought I would help them out and test out the system for them.
I entered San Francisco to Boston, 2 passengers, and Viola! It is ready to accept my credit card payment of $48.77 ($24.38 per person).
“No one is saying this is the silver bullet or justifies air travel; having kiosks at the airport mainstreams the idea that you can contribute to environmental projects. We worked with 3 degrees (one of the most well respected offset providers in the US and abide all of the verification and protocols that have been developed. We wanted to bring basic and easily consumable information to a captive audience (in the airport) where they can contribute. -Wade Crowfoot, former mayor advisor now West Coast Political Director Environmental Defense Fund
Ok, so you’ve got to hand it to them, for the cost of an airport dinner, you can rid yourself of some guilt. But really, when you’re rushing through the airport trying to catch a flight do you have time to feel guilt or socially responsible? Time will tell…
What is Carbon offset?
“A Carbon Offset, also known as a Verified Emission Reduction (VER), represents one ton of greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon equivalent prevented from being emitted into the atmosphere. Carbon Reductions allow you to “balance” your emissions by supporting GHG reduction projects across the U.S.”
In addition to that offset program, we are working to create a localized carbon fund, so you can contribute to a fund that affects carbon rates in your local region. Earlier in the year we passed an ordinance that all city travel must purchase or contribute to 13% of the cost of the trip to the carbon fund.” -Wade Crowfoot, former mayor advisor now West Coast Political Director Environmental Defense Fund
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 
Waikik reminds more of Miami than Hawaii… but I’m here! And so is the ocean~ so life is feeling pretty sweet. And the exciting news to this nature lover, is that right around the corner are the mountains.
Guess what I found on my way to the 
While visiting Maui, I was given a tour of 
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 
It just turns out that my coworker 
