Current Green Blog

The Internet connection in Hawaii is very much like the general mentality of Hawaii: easy going, chill, not in any rush to get going. So with that said, I’m going to give you a sneak peek into a few of the good people I have met over the course of the last week at the [re]think Hawaii conference. Couldn’t help but notice and enjoy a refreshing perspective that gamers are bringing to the “so, how are we going to deal with these environmental problems?” conversation. Thinking outside the box and the pixels.

The first is Henk Rogers, you may know him as the founder of Tetris, I now know him as the guy who speaks about passion, purpose, and big ideas about saving the planet with Blue Planet Foundation.

The second introduction is to Jill Buck of the Go Green Initiative who shared about an inspiring collaboration that blossomed over the weekend (with another gamer no-less, @adamontherun):

Little known fact is that Amanda Rose (aka @amanda) was doing her masters thesis on Twitter when she started Twestival water.

I’ve been in awe of what she managed to accomplish with the organization she founded, Twestival. We just met at [re]think Hawaii conference, a high tech conference with an eye on sustainability. In case you were asleep at your computer screen and didn’t catch Twestival, it’s volunteer organizers put together “tweet ups” that raise money for charities. They’ve raised….drum roll…three quarters of a million dollars and donated 100% of the profits.

Here’s Amanda chatting about Twestival, using tech for good, and answering Twilight Earth’s question about how to get involved in local events:

In case you missed their first event, check out this video on Charity Water:

Related links
Twitter users meet for global charity

World’s hottest geek sells herself on e-bay for charity water

The eco battle strategy music video (compete with diagrams and floating heads)

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.

Related Links:

Video post cards from Hawaii (video)

Bio-Beetle in Maui

Carbon 2.0: Carbon calculators and footprints